Frank Charles Thompson

Frank Charles Thompson, an American Baptist pastor of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, was a conservative evangelical committed to the authority and coherence of Scripture.

Thompson is best known for developing a system of cross references that traced biblical themes across the canon with unusual clarity. His work culminated in the Thompson Chain Reference Bible, first published in 1908, which organised thousands of passages into doctrinal and thematic chains. Rather than offering extended commentary, he sought to let Scripture interpret Scripture. In an era marked by growing critical scepticism, his approach quietly reinforced confidence in the unity, reliability, and self interpreting nature of the biblical text.

His enduring value lies in disciplined simplicity. Thompson did not aim to impress with technical scholarship, but to serve pastors, teachers, and ordinary readers who wanted to follow the flow of revelation through careful comparison of passages. His system encourages patient study, theological synthesis, and a deepening grasp of the whole counsel of God.

Recommended works include the Thompson Chain Reference Bible, The Thompson Bible Study Course, and The Thompson Analytical Bible.

Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical

Frank Charles Thompson

Frank Charles Thompson, an American Baptist pastor of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, was a conservative evangelical committed to the authority and coherence of Scripture.

Thompson is best known for developing a system of cross references that traced biblical themes across the canon with unusual clarity. His work culminated in the Thompson Chain Reference Bible, first published in 1908, which organised thousands of passages into doctrinal and thematic chains. Rather than offering extended commentary, he sought to let Scripture interpret Scripture. In an era marked by growing critical scepticism, his approach quietly reinforced confidence in the unity, reliability, and self interpreting nature of the biblical text.

His enduring value lies in disciplined simplicity. Thompson did not aim to impress with technical scholarship, but to serve pastors, teachers, and ordinary readers who wanted to follow the flow of revelation through careful comparison of passages. His system encourages patient study, theological synthesis, and a deepening grasp of the whole counsel of God.

Recommended works include the Thompson Chain Reference Bible, The Thompson Bible Study Course, and The Thompson Analytical Bible.

Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical

Frank Charles Thompson

Frank Charles Thompson

Frank Charles Thompson, an American Baptist pastor of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, was a conservative evangelical committed to the authority and coherence of Scripture.

Thompson is best known for developing a system of cross references that traced biblical themes across the canon with unusual clarity. His work culminated in the Thompson Chain Reference Bible, first published in 1908, which organised thousands of passages into doctrinal and thematic chains. Rather than offering extended commentary, he sought to let Scripture interpret Scripture. In an era marked by growing critical scepticism, his approach quietly reinforced confidence in the unity, reliability, and self interpreting nature of the biblical text.

His enduring value lies in disciplined simplicity. Thompson did not aim to impress with technical scholarship, but to serve pastors, teachers, and ordinary readers who wanted to follow the flow of revelation through careful comparison of passages. His system encourages patient study, theological synthesis, and a deepening grasp of the whole counsel of God.

Recommended works include the Thompson Chain Reference Bible, The Thompson Bible Study Course, and The Thompson Analytical Bible.

Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical

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Thompson Chain-Reference Bible (NASB)

IntroductoryBusy pastors, General readers, Lay readers / small groupsStrong recommendation
8.2
Author: Frank Charles Thompson
Type: Theological
Publisher: Zondervan
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Resource Type: Study Bible

Summary

We find Thompson Chain-Reference Bible (NASB) less like a commentary in the margins and more like a guided pathway through Scripture itself.

Its strength is the chain reference system, which helps us connect passages, track themes, and build biblical theology from the text outward.

Why Should I Own This Resource?

We can move from a key verse to a wide sweep of related texts without losing momentum. That is wonderfully practical for sermon planning and for personal study.

Because the emphasis is on references rather than extended notes, it keeps us in the Bible. It also reduces the risk of leaning too heavily on a single interpreter.

We will still want a reliable study Bible or commentary alongside it when we need sustained explanation, but as a navigation tool it is hard to beat.

Closing Recommendation

We warmly recommend this for pastors and readers who want to let Scripture interpret Scripture, with a reference system that actually gets used.

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