[Kevin]

Originally Posted by BreadFish

On one side, I appreciate the good, rich and light shining footnotes in the Recovery Bible, which help us to understand God’s words.

For me, I know study Bibles can be distracting to the point of equating them as authoritative with the text of Scripture. I am using The MacArthur, ESV, Reformation (R. C. Sproul), and Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bibles on my phone for study. I only got a hard copy of Sproul's study Bible. With readily available study notes at the bottom of the page I can go on a tangent sometimes and get sidetracked away from my reading the text only. But I think it is advisable for a Christian not to rely on much the Study Bibles because the notes themselves are not inspired and infallible. You are also diminishing the role of the Holy Spirit to illumine you in your pursuit of understanding the Bible. I was a tad bit disappointed with the notes of the RcV that they are treated as the "Interpreted Word". Plus, many LC people pray-read the notes! And seriously? The Recovery version is the ONLY best study Bible out there?

It's better to set aside all study Bibles and feast upon the text of Scripture.

“Till I come, give attendance to READING, to EXHORTATION, to DOCTRINE’! (1 Tim. 4:13).

“O how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day”. (Psa 119:97)

On the other side, I am uncomfortable for being taught we cannot doubt the footnotes in the Recovery Bible since they are words of God's ministry.

Nigel Tomes has argued that Witness Lee's teachings Interpreted Word has become par with Scripture:

An example of equating Witness Lee’s teaching to the Bible is provided by one “blended brother” who proclaims, “Many times [Brother Lee] would remind us to say, ‘The Bible says,’ not ‘Brother Lee says,’ even though what he spoke was simply what the Bible speaks.” [EM, The Ministry, Vol. 9, No. 6, (June 2005) p. 179, emphasis added] The statement—“what he [Witness Lee] spoke was simply what the Bible speaks”—makes Bro. W. Lee’s teaching equivalent to the Bible. This concept is being conveyed from LSM’s podium. However, no Bible expositor “simply speaks what the Bible speaks.” It is the expositor’s understanding & interpretation. One example of the “blended brothers” use of the phrase “the interpreted word” is: “we must recommend the use of the Life-studies and the Recovery version. We need to spend time to dig into the interpreted word of God…” [Minoru Chen, The Ministry, vol. 9, No. 3, (March 2005) p. 55 emphasis added] In this context the role of the Life-studies and footnotes is emphasized; “We all need to be helped through the Life-studies and Recovery version with the footnotes to see the intrinsic significance of the word of the Bible. The collection of footnotes in the Recovery version is a precious gem. The practical way to be educated and thus to be reconstituted with the truth is with the tools of the Life-studies and Recovery version with the footnotes.” [Minoru Chen, The Ministry, vol. 9, No. 3, (March 2005) p. 53] Consider also the following statements by LSM-President, Benson Phillips: “Today we have the Bible in our hands, but not many believers understand the Bible. It is closed to them. However, in the Lord’s recovery, we have the Bible that has been properly translated. The recovery version is probably the best translation available. We also have the ministry of the age. Through the ministry of the age, the Lord has continued to further unveil His word. The ministers of the age have interpreted and given the sense that is in the Word. Today we not only have the Bible; we also have the ministry that interprets the Word of God and gives the sense of the Word.” [Benson Phillips, The Ministry, vol. 9, No. 3 (March 2005) p. 117] Benson Phillips continues by making some striking exclusive claims: “In Nehemiah’s time they had the Word, and they had the interpretation. They were given the sense of the Word, entering into its intrinsic significance. Today we have the same. This takes place only in the Lord’s recovery. Everything in the publications circulated among Christians today is old. However, in our publications everything is new. The Word is opened; every page opens up the Word along with its intrinsic significance. Only here can it be said that there is such a deep and real opening of the Word.” [Benson Phillips, The Ministry, vol. 9, No. 3 (March 2005) pp. 117-8, emphasis added] We note also the exclusive claims, “only in the Lord’s recovery”, “only here” etc.