One of the fundamental principles of Protestant biblical interpretation is that “Scripture is its own best interpreter.” Luther expressed this principle with the words, Scriptura sui ipsius interpres (“Scripture is its own expositor”), and it was summed up by the authors of the Westminster Confession thus: “The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture ... it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly.” For this reason the most important feature of any edition of the Bible (aside from the quality of the translation itself) is the system of cross-references provided in the margin, which helps the reader to find out the meaning of any hard place by “comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:13). A good set of cross-references, when used diligently and with intelligence, will make much commentary unnecessary.
One of the most useful study editions of the English Bible ever published, the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible, has nothing but subject headings and cross-references in the margin, with index numbers pointing to a topical concordance in the back of the volume. Many a student has found that with the patient use of this convenient system, the Bible is virtually self-interpreting. Other less elaborate “Reference” editions will serve the same purpose for students of the English Bible. The cross-references ordinarily published in editions of the New American Standard Bible are especially full and helpful, and another very good set of references is to be found in the “Classic Reference Bible” edition of the English Standard Version. But the best resource by far in this department is the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, first published in the 1800’s and available in many reprints. This volume provides over a half million cross-references, with most verses of the Bible having more than a dozen references each.
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Author: Michael D. Marlowe
Keywords: cross reference, cross references, bible study, bible study tools
Bible reference(s): 2 Timothy 2:15
Source: “The Use of Cross-References,” bible-researcher.com
Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.