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Hi Christian,
They both use the Revised Standard Translation Catholic Edition for the Text.
They are probably similar, in that the Ignatius Study bible has study notes that quote the Fathers, Doctors, and Councils of the Church. The Didache Bible has notes from the Catechism, which also quotes the Fathers, Doctors, and Councils of the Church.
I haven't seen or used the Didache Bible but I just looked it up and looks really good. The Didache notes look more topical/doctrinal, where the Ignatius notes are a more line by line exegesis for deeper Bible study so they serve slightly different but complementary functions.
Without meaning to sound like a wise guy, but speaking as guy who relies several Bible Translations and a variety of different tools, I'd recommend you buy both. That said, if you can only afford one, start with the Didache Bible; it looks excellent. You'll be getting the same information, organized in a manner easier to process.
All that said; I also recommend that you're time in Scripture, not be limited study, but include time for devotion. The Bible is God's Word. It's meant to speak to us personally. The notes are helpful because they give the contextual meaning but the Bible is God's Love letter to His Bride the Church so reading the Bible should be preceded by prayer. By prayer, I don't mean reciting a formula. Rather pray from the heart; ask God to open your heart to what He wants to reveal to you.
St. Paul writes to the Romans, that faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word of God. (Romans 10:17). The Greek word used for Word in that verse, is Rhema as opposed to Logos. Both Greek words have deep and nuanced meanings.
Logos, means — written word . . . reason — it is where we get the word Logic and it's also the root for the terms we use for various studies:
- Theology, study of God or the Divine.
- Biology, study of the body and life forms.
So Logos implies head knowledge and it's also the root word for knowledge which is Gnosis.
Rhema on the other hand is more akin to Revealed Word . . . heart or experiential knowledge.
So it's not enough to study God's Word for the sake of understanding the meaning. We read God's Word, so He can reveal Himself to us . . . so that our faith may be increased. When we receive Rhema, we experience God, not just learn about Him.
John
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