(Not) The Whole Bible Story

The Whole Bible Story by Dr. William H. Marty

This book is one man’s attempt to summarize the Bible in “plain” English. It’s described as a Bible story book for grown-ups, but it just falls short. There is absolutely no flow in this book. It is so choppy that it’s hard to stay involved. I also found it odd that this entire book is suppose to be a summary of the Bible and he still included chapter summaries (to further disrupt the flow that isn’t there), you get a summary of a summary… And then there is the ‘simple’ or ‘plain’ English that he used, where I had to look up the meaning of words or ask someone close by (Brackish?!).

I will not be recommending this book to anyone… EVER. Besides there being no flow to the book, he seems to have stretched some stories from the Bible to their absolute limits, even including facts or idea’s that the Bible doesn’t say, and others he left out important details, or the entire story together. Some examples of these would be including the conflicting views (pg. 13 and 19), and while he included the story of Jacob fleeing from, and being pursued by Laban, but left the idols and Rachel out of it all together (pg. 31-32). On page 38 he said that the reason that Moses’ mother put him in a basket was because she realized he was a special child of God, which the Bible doesn’t even hint at. Any mother would do anything that they could to save their child, even if they weren’t chosen by God to do great things. And of course in chapter 3 it says that Moses sent the plagues on Egypt and doesn’t hardly even mention God at all. I could go on, but I will stop there.

So you can see my issues with this book. I expected a whole lot more from something coming from Bethany House, and Dr. William H. Marty who is a professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, Bethany house. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Pin It