Baptist Bible Study Bulletin (No. 2; Vol.

1; 2019) Bible Dictionaries

Bible Dictionary – a reference tool containing extensive notes/articles/entries related to the Bible.

A. Believer’s Bible Dictionary – Published by Way of Life Publishers, 2015. By David Cloud (1949 – present) - an Independent
Baptist missionary and prolific writer. He honors the KJV and holds to a classic dispensationalist position. (This work is the
condensed version of the Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible and Christianity, Way of Life Publishers, 6th Edition, 2011).

B. Smith’s Bible Dictionary – Although this dictionary was first published in 1863 as a three-volume set called A Dictionary of
the Bible, it is now condensed but still available and useful today. You may purchase a copy new or used, or you may access
it free online for example at www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries. Sir William Smith (1813-1893) was an English
lexicographer and editor of this dictionary. He was honored with a Doctor of Civil Law and was Knighted in 1892. (The original
three volumes can be viewed online at “archives.org”).

C. The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary – This is a popular and conservative Bible Dictionary kept relevant through the efforts
of Moody Publishers, 2006. Merrill F. Unger (1909-1980) was a prolific Christian writer, professor, and archeologist. This work
is edited by R.K. Harrison (Roland Kenneth Harrison, 1920-1993) – who was a British Old Testament scholar who served as a
professor at Wycliffe College, Univ. of Toronto, and at the Toronto School of Theology. Harrison also helped translate portions
of the NIV and was a reviewer for the NKJV. This Bible dictionary is co-edited by Howard F. Vos (1925 – 2019) who was a
professor emeritus of History and Archeology, and Cyril J. Barber (1934-2015) – who served as pastor emeritus at Plymouth
Church in Whittier, CA and taught at Talbot Theological Seminary and Trinity Evangelical School. Although this work is based
on the NASB, it also works with other major modern Bible translations.

D. The Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary – Published by Baker, 2013. Edited by Tremper Longman III (1952-present) - an O.T.
scholar, theologian, and taught for 18 years at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, PA. Mr. Longman and fellow
editor Peter Enns (1961-present) both have serious doubts about Biblical creationism, the Scripture’s own Inspiration and
Preservation doctrine. (This is the state of Evangelicalism today).

E. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary – Published by Zondervan, 2011. Edited by Tenney, Douglas, and revised by Silva.
Merrill C. Tenney (1904-1985) served as professor of New Testament and Greek. He also served on the original translation
team of the NASB. He also served as dean of graduate studies at Wheaton College in Wheaton Ill. (1947-1971), Dr. Tenney
also became the second president of the Evangelical Theological Society in 1951. J.D. Douglas (James Dixon Douglas, 1923-
2003) was a Christian journalist and editor-at-large for Christianity Today magazine. Moises Silva (1945–present) is a Cuban-
born American Bible scholar and translator. Dr. Silva studied under F.F. Bruce (Frederick Fyvie Bruce, 1910-1990 – “a
conservative liberal” – though he held to an Evangelical view of the Scriptures, he doubted the authenticity of some Bible
passages), and James Barr (1924-2006 – a liberal Scottish Old Testament scholar; he was against Biblical inerrancy). Barr
served as past president of the Evangelical Theological Society, 1997. And has worked closely with many modern Bible
translations such as the NASB, NLT, ESV, and the Nueva Version International (a Spanish Bible version favoring the NIV
dynamic equivalence translation model). New Archeological discoveries and increased background information is motivation
enough to have this classic and now updated work. This work is the condensed version of the Zondervan Pictorial Bible
Encyclopedia, 5 vol., Zondervan, 2009.

F. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (revised and expanded) – Published by Holman Reference, 2015. Edited by Dr. Chad
Owen Brand and Dr. Eric Mitchell. Dr. Brand is a scholar, apologist, pastor, and student of contemporary culture and religion.
He serves as Associate Dean of Biblical and Theological Studies at Boyce College as well as Professor of Christian Theology at
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is currently serving as interim pastor of the Ekron Baptist Church in Ekron, KY.
Dr. Mitchell is Associate Professor of Old Testament and Archaeology and Chair of the Archaeology and Biblical Backgrounds
Division of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

G. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary: New and Enhanced Edition – Published by Thomas Nelson, 2014. Edited by
Ronald F. Youngblood (1931-2014). Dr. Youngblood was an American Bible scholar and Old Testament professor. He also was
one of the original translators of the NIV. He was ordained in 1958 at Oxford Circle Baptist Church in Philadelphia, PA. This
Bible dictionary also had F.F. Bruce (1910-1990) and R.K. Harrison (1920-1993) as consulting editors.

H. Illustrated Dictionary of the Bible – Published by Thomas Nelson, 2003. Edited by Herbert Lockyer (1886-1984). Dr. Lockyer
held pastorates in Scotland and England for 25 years prior to coming to the USA in 1937. He was a leader in the Keswick
movement (Keswick theology and movement led to Holiness movement, and the Holiness movement led to Pentecostalism
and Pentecostalism led to the Charismatic movement). This Bible Dictionary is aimed for the general or popular readership.
I. Vine's Concise Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words – Published by Thomas Nelson, 2005. Edited by W.E. Vine
(William Edwy Vine, 1873-1949). Dr. Vine was a Plymouth Brethren. He was an English Bible scholar and theologian. This Bible
dictionary is a classic for those who are interested in doing Biblical word studies.

J. Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words – Published by Zondervan, 2006. Edited by
William D. Mounce (1953-present) aka, Bill Mounce (Dr. Mounce also wrote a standard Greek grammar called “Basics of
Biblical Greek”). Mounce’s Dictionary utilizes both the Strong’s numbering system as well as the Goodrick/Kholenberger “GK”
numbering system. This Bible word study dictionary reflects the finest work done by a modern Evangelical scholarship of
recent times.

➢ Online Bible Dictionary resources are also available: biblestudytools.com; biblegateway.com;

kingjamesbibledictionary.com – this website features 8 different kinds of Bible dictionaries, including Webster’s
1828 Dictionary. Don’t forget to use security/filter when using the internet.

➢ There are different types of Bible Dictionaries ranging from General studies to Word studies as cited mentioned
above, to specialized studies such as The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (IVP); The Dictionary of Paul and His
Letters; The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery; There are also original languages works such as G. Kittle and G.
Friedrich’s 9 vols. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament; or Richard Muller’s Dictionary of Latin and Greek
Theological Terms; and there are also theological dictionaries such as W.A. Elwell’s Evangelical Dictionary of
Theology, and C. Stephen Evans’ Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics and Philosophy of Religion.)

➢ While a Bible Dictionary is incisive about Bible customs, people, events, and places unfortunately, textual criticism
and theological liberalism are disseminated shrewdly throughout any given work (barring something like Bro.
Cloud’s works). The Bible student must beware and read or study with caution, as always.

Classics from the past:

1. Imperial Bible Dictionary by Patrick Fairbairn. Zondervan, 1957. (6 Vols.) – excellent on Biblical bibliographies. (a few
volumes can be accessed via “Archive.org” – just type in the title and search for Patrick Fairbairn.)

2. Hastings Dictionary of the Bible by F.C. Grant, and H.H. Rowley, published by Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1963 based upon the
earlier 5 vol. Dictionary of the Bible by James Hastings, published by T. and T. Clark, 1951. Noted for helpful historical
information.

3. Expository Dictionary of Bible Words by Lawrence O. Richards. Zondervan, 1985.

4. A Dictionary of the Bible by John D. Davis, Westminster Press, 1917. Contributors include: Dr. Warfield, and Dr. Purves.
(This can be accessed via “Archive.org” – just type in the title and search for John D. Davis.)

5. A Dictionary of Bible Types by Walter Lewis Wilson (1881-1969). Eerdmans, 1957. Later updated by Hendrickson in 1999.
This reference tool is a fascinating Bible Dictionary of Bible Types, and symbols. Dr. Wilson was a medical doctor, and pastor.

Eminent Excerpts:

“Nothing is more basic to progress in the Christian life and to ministry of every kind than a working knowledge of Scripture.”
(Chad O. Brand, and the other General Editors to The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary)

“Next to a reference edition of the Bible and a concordance, the most important tool for Bible study is a good Bible
dictionary.” (Stewart Custer, Tools for Preaching & Teaching the Bible, second edition, BJU Press, 1998, pg. 93)

“While words have meaning primarily in the context of sentences and paragraphs, we still tend to cling to individual words.
They guide us; they help us; sometimes they tease us when their meanings are elusive and flexible, especially when they
come from other languages and from people immersed in different cultures.” (Bill Mounce, Mounce’s Dictionary,
Introduction, Zondervan, 2006, pg. vii)

“But a good Bible dictionary can help us significantly in studying a Scripture passage, no matter how long or short it might be.
While it would be foolish to assume that a dictionary of the Bible can give us all the help we need, it would be equally foolish
not to make full use of every resource that a good Bible dictionary contains.” (Ronald F. Youngblood, Nelson’s New Illustrated
Bible Dictionary)