Bible Marking

The Bible is special, and I have heard numerous guidelines for showing it proper respect. For example, the Bible should not be placed on the floor. Other books or items should not be placed on top of the Bible. The Bible should not be thrown around or handled carelessly. To avoid spills, one shouldn't eat or drink with an open Bible. These are all good ways to give the Bible respect.

Another guideline is to never write, draw, color, or in any other way mark the Bible's pages. I agree that one should not carelessly doodle or scrawl messages in the Bible, but I definitely believe there are appropriate and even beneficial ways of marking the Bible. In essence, I believe deliberate Bible marking can enhance a believer's study of the Bible and can benefit his Christian walk.

Before sharing ideas for Bible marking, I want to acknowledge some objections people may have. In recognition of the Bible's special status, some people would refrain from marking anything in their Bible, wanting to keep it neat, clean, and unblemished. Others might determine that no input from humans, possibly fallible, should appear on the pages of God's truth. Some make no markings so that each time they read, they can discover the truth anew. Others hesitate to mark the Bible out of concern they might write down an erroneous thought, something that a few years of maturity will contradict or refine. Additionally, some could fear a cluttered look that would detract from the actual words of God.

I can have sympathy for each of these reasons, and I would not want to argue with anyone who sincerely believes them. I would suggest, however, that the Bible is a book designed to help its readers. I believe careful and thoughtful marking of the Bible can enhance the help the Bible provides. When this is the result, the person marking has not shown diminished respect for the Bible. On the contrary, he has demonstrated his desire to progressively grow into a deeper understanding of the Bible he admires.

Following are what I consider to be some appropriate methods of marking the Bible.

·         noting a cross reference, a verse elsewhere in the Bible that gives increased understanding of a verse/passage; or another passage with a similar message
·         underlining key words/phrases that clarify a passage's message
·         marking a repeated word or phrase in a passage, thereby noting something clearly taught with intention by God; including words translated differently but with a common root
·         making a note that links parts of a Bible narrative (perhaps a decision and later consequence)
·         making notes that clarify the structure or outline of a passage
·         noting the application of a passage
·         writing down the theme of a book or passage; or listing verses that reveal the theme
·         noting background information (author, setting, audience) about a book
·         writing a definition or retranslation of a confusing word
·         writing down a date when a verse/passage had significant personal impact
·         writing down a well-stated quotation from a message

Because these types of notations require thought and focused comprehension, they can be a helpful part of personal Bible study. Whether done during personal study or public instruction, the notations serve the purpose of facilitating and enhancing future reading of the same passage. With a visual reminder of some key truths already discovered, the reader can move forward to achieve even greater understanding; he can also be protected from following erroneous thoughts that might surface if he did not see the truth he had previously noted.

There are some cautions for Bible marking. One should not write something down just because he thinks it or because someone else says it. To be helpful for proper future study, notes must be accurate; a discriminating Bible marker will note something only when he has a high degree of confidence in its accuracy. Notes should be brief, a single word or just a few words, so they don't clutter the Bible. Markings should be neat, both for clarity and so the Bible does not appear to be carelessly treated. As much as possible, notes should be made in the top, bottom, or side margins rather than within the text. (Quotations or sermon outlines from special events can be written in blank pages at the front or back of the Bible.)

Finally, one should not go overboard. Simply from the perspective of space on the page, it is not practical to write down every interesting quote, every sermon outline from a passage, statements of personal application, or prayers of response. Neither are some of these likely to yield much future profit. (A spiritual journal would be a great venue for these thoughts.) In short, each person should determine what best helps him to profit upon later reading of the same passage without being distracting.

I recently started the new practice of highlighting in my Bible. I did this because over many years of studying, I have begun to see more clearly some common themes of the Bible, themes I want readily accessible when I open my Bible.

There are highlighters (or pencils) especially designed for the thin pages of Bibles; many come with a recommended legend. The set I bought suggests different colors for blessings, growth/new life, the Holy Spirit, and salvation. I recommend each person make his own legend so he can highlight and easily reference what is important to him. This might include Bible promises, God's character, God's names, trials, eternal security, temptation, or other topics.

I chose yellow for key verses, allowing me to easily locate frequently sought verses. I chose blue for common themes of books or passages so I can quickly see and effectively track concepts taught in a particular book. I chose pink for God's love which fills the pages of Scripture. I chose green for the frequent concept that God gives man a choice whether or not to follow Him. I am enjoying this project in the present and look forward to the future profit it will provide.

"The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple" (Psalm 119:130 NASB).