What are bible references?

Answer 1

This is called "chain referencing." There are Bibles published called "Study Bibles" or "Reference Bibles" in which their passages are footnoted with "references" to other Bible passages in other books that are related to it, in an effort to "make it easier" for the reader to study and understand God's Word.

In my old KJV Bible I inherited from my grandfather, no such referencing existed... until I added it myself when I studied the scriptures.

It's all marked up and notated and underlined and dirty... with some portions and pages dark and greasy from oily hands and fingers. And there are loose pages that would have fallen out and disappeared long ago, but for the "zipper." [another story]

Chain referencing can lead you into some very obscure places in the Bible that you weren't even aware existed. Especially, when a passage in the New Testament leads you back to the Old and "illuminates" it with a "spiritual understanding" that wasn't obvious before.

Chain referencing is a latter day "study tool" that can help the average reader bring the "scattered passages" of God's Word into focus. Because God caused His Word to be written in such a way that "most people would NOT understand."

"...the Word of the Lord was unto them... line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken." (Isa.28:13)

In the first four books of the New Testament [referred by many today as "the gospels"], Jesus Christ quoted many an "Old Testament" scripture. The Truth of the matter is, that our "Old Testament" today was the WHOLE BIBLE in those days.

So, a "Study Bible" has footnote after footnote of Old Testament passages throughout the New Testament, linking one passage to one or more others.

As an example: In John's "gospel" ... in the seventh chapter... I made some "chain references" in my Bible that may or may not be in a "formally published" Study Bible [I've never checked].

The passage reads: "...In the last day, that Great Day of the Feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of Living Water. (But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" (John 7:37-39)

In the margins, I chained referenced for this passage: "Lev.23:39; Isa.44:3; 55:1; 58:11 & Rev.21:6."

Leviticus 23:39 - refers to the commanded Holy Day "feast" of Tabernacles, which pictures the coming "thousand year rule" of God's Kingdom by Jesus Christ. It's a "seven-day" observance that ends with the "eighth day" [the Last Great Day], which pictures "Judgment Day."

"Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord [Jesus Christ is the Lord] seven days: on the first day shall be a Sabbath [a Holy commanded Assembly of the people], and on the eighth day shall be a Sabbath." (Lev.23:39)

The Isaiah [Old Testament] passages make reference to the "thirst"... which John's "New Testament" passage "illuminates."

"For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring..." (Isa.44:3)

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." (Isa.55:1)

"And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not." (Isa.58:11)

"And He said unto me, It is done. I AM Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the Water of Life freely." (Rev.21:6)

That's "chain referencing." It links related "here a little, and there a little" passages in the Bible in such a way that, hopefully, "spiritual understanding" might be gained.

In this example... I gained a renewed image of the Last Day, Judgment Day... which I've always heard taught by mainstream professing Christianity as more of an automatic "Condemnation Day," where people go into it "pre-judged" and "pre-sentenced" to "hell fire"... instead of the beautiful and merciful invitation to come to Him that Jesus Christ cried out with on that Last Great Day of that Feast.

That's why Jesus came in the flesh... to bring "Light" [understanding] to the scriptures. Even His disciples, Jews who grew up with the scriptures, didn't really begin to grasp their meaning until Jesus revealed it to them:

"Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures." (Luke 24:45)

Chain referencing is a "study tool" aimed at assisting the reader in organizing the scattered scriptures, that they might gain an understanding of God's Truth.

Chain referencing keeps you flipping the pages of your Bible...becoming familiar with its books, drinking in its Wisdom and Knowledge, always in Prayer and Hope that Understanding will be yours by the Grace of God's Spirit opening your mind and heart to it. It's fascinating and mind-boggling, to discover the scraps of God's Truth hidden "here and there"... that eventually [with diligence and perseverance] pieces together the "big picture" that God's Word paints.

Answer 2

A Bible reference is - name of the book; number of the chapter and number of the verse.