Thomas Nelson Publishers has crafted an excellent volume in the NKJV Greatest Stories of the Bible. The volume contains 250 stories pulled from the Bible that span from the tale of the creation of the universe to the story of God’s final redemption of his creation. Also included are the classic stories of Adam and Eve, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David and Goliath, and Jesus’ various interactions throughout first-century Palestine.
One of the most overlooked aspects of the Bible is its literary uniqueness. Much of the Bible was written in narrative style for the purposes of being read aloud in a communal setting. As such, one of the major strengths of Greatest Stories is its dedication to literary qualities that make the Bible worth reading on a regular basis. In the same way, Greatest Stories would make a perfect book to read in a family setting.
The majority of the stories originate from the Old Testament rather than the New Testament, which makes sense considering the lack of narrative structure found in some of the New Testament epistles and Old Testament prophets. One of the major weaknesses of Greatest Stories lies in the fact that all the books of the Bible are not represented. As such, the editors chose to use Samuel and Kings but not Chronicles. In the same manner, many of the minor prophets and epistles are not represented, which fits within the goal of Greatest Stories but makes for an incomplete copy of the Bible.
Greatest Stories works well as a family reading tool, a gift, or a good way to be introduced to the Bible. The text of the NKJV is fairly readable, though not the easiest of the translations to read. Overall this monograph is an excellent addition to any library as an easy reference to some of the best stories of the Bible. As a member of the Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogger program, I recommend this Bible for family use, as a gift, or an introduction to reading the Bible as part of any spiritual formation process. Visit http://brb.thomasnelson.com for more info on becoming part of the Book Review Blogger program.
1 comment:
It's like I've always said: if it doesn't have Ehud it's not a compilation of the greatest stories of the Bible.
But since it says "Greatest Stories of the Bible" right on the front, it probably does.
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