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SEMINARY RESEARCH GUIDE
Welcome to the Wesley Seminary Guide!
This page provides information on finding and researching Bible dictionaries, commentaries, historical and cultural background information, books, articles, language resources, and ancient works. What is Research? walks you through the research and writing process.
To navigate to the different sections use the tabs above.
You can bookmark this page for quick access.
A Bible Dictionary (or Bible Encyclopedia) provides important facts and background information regarding a biblical topic. Depending on the particular dictionary, entries contain information about:
- people (Abraham, Mary, Paul)
- places (Jerusalem, Ephesus)
- events (destruction of the temple, Jerusalem Council)
- topics (persecution, family, hospitality)
- books of the Bible (1 Peter, Galatians)
- theological concepts (atonement, sanctification)
Theological Dictionaries: Focus on the theological meaning of concepts and words from the Bible. Sometimes entries are listed in Greek or Hebrew. You can use a Strong's Concordance or Interlinear Bible to identify the word if you do not know the original language.
Find Bible Dictionaries at Jackson Library
In the Library Catalog do a "Keyword" search for "bible dictionaries".
Type your search in the box below! The catalog search will pop up in a new window.
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels by Call Number: REF 226.03 D561 2013ISBN: 0830817778Publication Date: 1992
The New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible - A-C by Call Number: REF 220.3 IN8S v.1-5ISBN: 0687054273Publication Date: 2006
New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis by Call Number: 221.3 N42VISBN: 0310214009Publication Date: 1997
The NIV Theological Dictionary of New Testament Words by Call Number: REF 225.3 N42V v.1-3ISBN: 0310216508Publication Date: 2000
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament by Call Number: 487.3 K652TISBN: 0802822509Publication Date: 1972
Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament by Call Number: 221.4 T342JISBN: 1565631331Publication Date: 1997
Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms by Call Number: 230.03 M212WISBN: 0664220894Publication Date: 2003
The Interlinear Bible Hebrew-Greek-English 4 Volume Edition with Strong's Concordance Numbers above Each Word by Call Number: 220.4 B471I 2005ISBN: 9781565639805Publication Date: 2005
New Englishman's Hebrew Concordance by Call Number: 221.03 W639NISBN: 9780913573211Publication Date: 1984
The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible by Call Number: REF 220.5203ISBN: 9781418541699Publication Date: 2010
COMMENTARIES
Find Commentaries at Jackson Library
Accessing E-Book Commentaries in the Jackson Library Online Catalog
Technical or Critical or Exegetical
Includes very detailed, technical discussion of the text. Requires some understanding of the original languages.
Examples:
International Critical Commentary
Word Biblical Commentary
Hermeneia
New International Greek Testament Commentary
Anchor Bible
Sacra Pagina
Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament
Expositional or Essential or Semi-Technical
Includes less technical, but still extensive discussion. Does not rely on readers' understanding of original languages but may refer to original languages.
Examples:
New International Biblical Commentary
New International Commentary on the New Testament
New International Commentary on the Old Testament
New American Commentary
New Century Bible Commentary
Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture
Homiletical
Intended to aid in sermon preparation. Usually based on an English translation of the Bible.
Examples:
Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary
Pillar New Testament Commentary
New American Commentary
Interpretation
Devotional or Applicational
Focuses on the basic meaning of the text and life application.
Examples:
Life Application Bible Commentary
Holman Commentary
Warren W. Wiersbe Commentaries
- EBSCO eBooks (EBSCO) This link opens in a new windowIn EBSCO eBooks, search for:
[book of the Bible] commentaries
(ie. mark commentaries, Corinthians commentaries, etc.)
Then on the left side of the page, under Source Type select eBooks.
Here are some online commentaries we have access to (click title for access):
Find Commentaries at Jackson Library
Commentaries are located in two places:
Circulating Collection, 2nd floor
Reference Collection, Main floor
The general call number ranges for commentaries are:
220.7 Large sets
221-224 Old Testament
225-228 New Testament
Strategies for finding commentaries in the Catalog:
In the Library Catalog do a "Keyword" search for "[book of the Bible] commentaries".
Type your search in the box below! The catalog search will pop up in a new window.
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Search the Library Catalog For Books or E-Books
Go to: Catalog | Advanced Search |
Find one relevant commentary and click on the appropriate heading listed under "Subject" (ex. Bible. Galatians -- Commentaries.)
TIP: When viewing the list of nearby subject headings, you might want to look at "Bible. Ruth -- Criticism, interpretation, etc." as well.
In the Library Catalog do a "Subject" search for:
Bible. Ruth -- Commentaries
Bible. Corinthians, 1st -- Commentaries
Type your search in the box below! The catalog search will pop up in a new window.
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Search the Library Catalog For Books or E-Books
Go to: Catalog | Advanced Search |
Accessing E-Book Commentaries in the Jackson Library Online Catalog
The Jackson Library collections include a number of high-quality full-text electronic (e-book) commentaries for student use.
- Accessing eBook Commentaries in the Jackson Library CatalogThese instructions include a "Material Type" sort that groups print books together and e-books together for ease of use. In a Material Type sort, e-books will be at the end of the results list.
A critical and exegetical commentary on the Acts of the Apostles by
Call Number: 226.677 B275CISBN: 056709653XPublication Date: 1994
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel by Call Number: 222.2077 J78FISBN: 0830814744Publication Date: 2005
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
CULTURAL & HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Find Background Information at Jackson Library
Old Testament Background Information
New Testament Background Information
Find Background Information at Jackson Library
In the Library Catalog try the following searches.
- Identify Library of Congress Subject Headings (from within a relevant book’s record) and click on those links to find more books:
- Examples:
- Bible. N.T. -- History of contemporary events.
- Church history -- Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600.
- Search for books on the specific social/cultural issue
- Search for general books on New Testament culture
Examples:
Honor, Patronage, Kinship and Purity by Call Number: 225.95 D46HISBN: 0830815724Publication Date: 2000
- Search for books on the literary background of the passage:
Examples:
How to Read the Bible Book by Book by Call Number: 220.61 F32HISBN: 0310211182Publication Date: 2002
Chronological and Background Charts of the Old Testament by Call Number: REF 221 W176CISBN: 0310481619Publication Date: 1994
The IVP Bible Background Commentary by Call Number: 221.7 W176IISBN: 0830814191Publication Date: 2000
Chronological and Background Charts of the New Testament by ISBN: 9780310282938Publication Date: 2009
You can find Bible Atlases in the 220.91 section of the Reference Collection on the main floor.
Oversized atlases are stored in the first row before the 000's.
Zondervan Essential Atlas of the Bible by Call Number: REF 220.91 R184ZEISBN: 9780310318576Publication Date: 2013
The Oxford History of the Biblical World by
Call Number: REF 220.95 OX2CISBN: 0195087070Publication Date: 1999
Find Books and E-Books on the Bible at Jackson Library
- Do a Subject search in one of the following formats:
- Bible. Acts
- Bible. Luke
- Bible. Ruth
- Bible. Mark
- Bible. Peter, 1st
- Click on relevant subject headings to view books.
- For example:
- Bible. Acts -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.
In the Library Catalog do a "Subject" search for one of the subjects above.
Type your search in the box below! The catalog search will pop up in a new window.
The Charismatic Theology of St. Luke by Call Number: 226.406 ST89C 2012ISBN: 9780801048586Publication Date: 2012
- ATLA Religion Database (EBSCO) This link opens in a new windowATLA Religion Database contains journal articles, book reviews, and collections of essays in all fields of religion.
- Within ATLA, click "Scriptures" link at the top of the screen.
- Click "Expand" next to the book that contains your passage.
- Continue to expand until you identify your passage. At any time, if you click on the book or chapter or verse link, ATLA will give you search results for articles on that specific book, chapter or verse.
- Search for a keyword about your topic combined with a Scripture Citation search for your book of the Bible (as shown below).
- If you find one article that seems relevant, click on one of the relevant "Subjects" listed for that article in order to search for other relevant articles.
The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament by
Call Number: REF 221.4403 K824H v.1-5ISBN: 9004115285Publication Date: 2000- New Englishman's Hebrew Concordance by Call Number: 221.03 W639NISBN: 9780913573211Publication Date: 1984
- The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible by Call Number: REF 220.5203ISBN: 9781418541699Publication Date: 2010
- Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament by Call Number: 221.4 T342JISBN: 1565631331Publication Date: 1997
The Englishman's Greek Concordance of the New Testament by Call Number: REF 225.48 W639E 1996ISBN: 9781565632073Publication Date: 1996
An Index to the Revised Bauer-Arndt-Gingrich Greek Lexicon by Call Number: REF 487.4 B326GA 1981ISBN: 0310440319Publication Date: 1981- New Englishman's Greek Concordance by Call Number: 225.48 W639EISBN: 091357323XPublication Date: 1982
- The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible by Call Number: REF 220.5203ISBN: 9781418541699Publication Date: 2010
- Library of Ancient Texts Online This link opens in a new windowA database with hundreds of searchable links to ancient Greek texts online, found in both original Greek and in translation.
- Perseus Digital Library This link opens in a new windowA library of digital images and electronic texts for the study of the humanities. Collections include: Art & Archaeology; Greek, Roman, and Latin Classics; The Renaissance; 19th Century America; and Bolles History of London.
If you know the name of the ancient writer, do an author search in the Library Catalog to find reprinted and translated works by that author:
In the Library Catalog do an "Author" search.
Type your search in the box below! The catalog search will pop up in a new window.
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Search the Library Catalog For Books or E-Books
Go to: Catalog | Advanced Search |
Ancient Christian commentary on Scripture by These 27 volumes include selected ancient commentary on scripture from church fathers.
Ancient Texts for the Study of the Hebrew Bible by Call Number: 221.95 SP26AISBN: 1565634071Publication Date: 2005
WHAT IS RESEARCH?
To learn more about what research is and how to research, visit the Introduction to Research Guide.
RESEARCH HELP
To learn more about how to get research help from OCLS, visit the Introduction to Research Guide.
