1. The Best Bible Commentary
A Study of Bible Cross-References

2. The Best Bible Commentary
Commentaries written by men may, and often do, contain error.
The best commentary on the Bible is the Bible itself. When possible, let the Bible comment on itself. We call this cross-referencing.
The practice of printing cross-references in the margin of the Bible began as early as 1483.
Cross-references can be effective in showing the internal, interrelationship of the Bible text.

3. The Best Bible Commentary
“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’” –

4. Categories of Cross-References
Indirect – the same word or phrase used in more than one verse (these cross-references may be misleading and unreliable because of the different contexts)
Example: Mt. 19:28 [today] cross-references with Mt. 25:31 [the judgment day]
Direct – a direct quotation, a fulfilled prophecy, types and antitypes, the same story or doctrine retold in more than one verse, etc.

5. Where Can Good Cross-References Be Found?
Bibles / Study Bibles
Bible Software
Reference Works
Commentaries
Online Sources

6. Bibles Many Bibles contain center or side margin cross-references
American Standard Teacher’s Ed. (Nelson/Star)
New American Standard Reference Ed. (Lockman)
English Standard Version (Crossway)
Cambridge Interlinear Bible
Greek New Testament (27th NA)

7. Bibles
Write in your own cross-references in the margin of your Bible, or underscore the ones that are already there and directly relate

8. Study Bibles The Companion Bible (Bullinger)
Dake Annotated Reference Bible
Thompson Chain Reference Bible
NLT Full-Verse Cross-Reference Bible (Tyndale)
NRSV Harper Study Bible (Zondervan)

9. Bible Software
Many Bible software packages allow you to search by word or by phrase
Parson’s QuickVerse
BibleSoft
Esword (free, downloadable Bible software)
Logos, Gramcord, BibleWorks, Accordance, and Pradis (these allow you to search in the original Hebrew and Greek language)

10. Reference Works General Cross-References
Bible Concordance (Young, Strong)
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (authors)
Nelson’s Cross-Reference Guide (J. Smith)
Cross-Reference Digest of the Bible (Monser)
Short Bible Reference System (Bratcher)
Bible Index (Bratcher and Thompson)

11. Reference Works General Cross-References Nave’s Topical Bible
Torrey’s Topical Textbook
Several “Topical Bibles” are in print

12. Reference Works Cross-References from the Old Testament in the New
Commentary on the NT Use of the OT (Beale and Carson)
NT Fulfillment of OT Prophecies
OT Quotations in the NT (Archer and Chirichigno, Bratcher)
Indices in the back of the NA 27th and UBS 4th Greek text
The Jefford Bible Handbook (C.N. Jefford)

13. Reference Works Cross-References from Parallel Accounts
Harmony of the Gospels (A.T. Robertson)
Harmony of the Life of St. Paul (Goodwin)
Harmony of Samuel, Kings, Chronicles and Psalms (Newsom, Crockett)

14. Commentaries Cross-References from Commentaries
Expositor’s Greek Testament (W.R. Nicoll)
Select commentaries wherein the author uses numerous cross-references

15. Online Sources Cross-References Online
The Bible Cross-Reference section of TheGoodTeacher.com (under “Study Resources”)
Cross Reference Bible le/index.html

16. Cross-Reference Caution
Cross-references are provided by men, they are not “inspired” by God … study them with caution
Cross-references may reflect the beliefs and theology of the compiler
Example: 2 Thess. 2:3 cross-referenced with 1 Jn. 2:18,22; and 2 Jn. 7
Example: Isa. 14:12 cross-referenced with Lk. 10:18 and Rev. 12:7-9

17. Rewards of Bible Cross-Referencing
Bible students: you will keep a passage in its context and you will not go astray by reading erroneous comments of men
Bible teachers: you will have more Bible-based material to supplement your lesson
Preachers: you will have direct references to sustain your point, rather than random, unrelated references found all over the Bible