Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds worth the money?

https://www.logos.com/product/20158/zondervan-illustrated-bible-backgrounds-commentary-new-testament-and-old-testament

Regarding the above - in your opinion (and only if you bought or own the Logos version), is/was it worth the money? Its so highly priced I can't help hoping for a deal. I own the cheaper paper versions of the NT but keep hoping for a huge sale on this Logos item - though Jesus may come back first before it happens, right?

If others say, they use another Logos resource more often - which one(s) please?

Thanks.

Joshua

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Unix

The Old Testament part is somewhat worth the money.

There's no hope that any deals come, I was told by the Sales rep that there are royalties for the photos to be paid.

JoshInRI

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/600396#Comment_600396

Thanks...I just wondered if this is a frequently used resource or are there others good for informing church members in a sermon for example or for sermon prep.

Blessings and thanks,

joshua

Scott E. Mahle

If others say, they use another Logos resource more often - which one(s) please?

Thanks.

Joshua

I do not have the Zondervan title you mention but I do have the Baker Illustrated Reference Collection which I use quite frequently. Well worth the price of admission! Here’s a look at the contributors list for the Bible commentary (the lists are equally impressive for the dictionary and handbook):

Paul N. Anderson. PhD, Glasgow University. Professor of Biblical and Quaker Studies, George Fox University, Newberg, Oregon.
Hermann J. Austel. PhD, University of California, Los Angeles. Distinguished Professor of Old Testament and Bible Exposition, Northwest Baptist Seminary, Tacoma, Washington.
Mark J. Boda. PhD, University of Cambridge. Professor of Old Testament,
Keith Bodner. PhD, University of Aberdeen. Professor of Religious Studies and Stuart E. Murray Chair of Christian Studies, Crandall University, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.
Mervin Breneman. PhD, Brandeis University. Escuela de Estudios Pastorales, San José, Costa Rica.
Jeannine K. Brown. PhD, Luther Seminary. Professor of New Testament, Bethel Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota.
Gary M. Burge. PhD, University of Aberdeen. Professor of New Testament, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois.
Lynn H. Cohick. PhD, University of Pennsylvania. Associate Professor of New Testament, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois.
Hélène Dallaire. PhD, Hebrew Union College. Associate Professor of Old Testament, Denver Seminary, Littleton, Colorado.
Peter H. Davids. PhD, University of Manchester. Professor of Biblical Theology, St. Stephen’s University, St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada.
Barry C. Davis. PhD, Trinity International University. Senior Pastor, Evangelical Free Church of China—International Church, Hong Kong.
James A. Davis. PhD, Nottingham University. Adjunct Associate Professor of New Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary Texas, Houston, Texas.
James R. Edwards. PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary. Bruner-Welch Professor of Theology, Whitworth University, Spokane, Washington.
Richard J. Erickson. PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary. Associate Professor of New Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary Northwest, Seattle, Washington.
Janet Meyer Everts. PhD, Duke University. Associate Professor of Religion, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
Roy E. Gane. PhD, University of California, Berkeley. Professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Languages, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan.
Gene L. Green. PhD, University of Aberdeen. Professor of New Testament, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois.
Victor P. Hamilton. PhD, Brandeis University. Professor Emeritus of Old Testament Studies and Scholar-in-Residence, Asbury University, Wilmore, Kentucky.
Andrew E. Hill. PhD, University of Michigan. Professor of Old Testament Studies, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois.
Robert D. Holmstedt. PhD, University of Wisconsin–Madison. Associate Professor of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Walter C. Kaiser Jr. PhD, Brandeis University. President Emeritus and Colman M. Mockler Distinguished Professor of Old Testament, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, Massachusetts.
Reggie M. Kidd. PhD, Duke University. Professor of New Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, Florida.
Sheri L. Klouda. PhD, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies, Taylor University, Upland, Indiana.
Max J. Lee. PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary. Associate Professor of New Testament, North Park Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois.
Gary A. Long. PhD, University of Chicago. Professor of Old Testament, Bethel University, St. Paul, Minnesota.
Tremper Longman III. PhD, Yale University. Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, California.
Elmer A. Martens. PhD, Claremont Graduate School. Professor Emeritus of Old Testament and President Emeritus, Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Fresno, California.
Scott E. McClelland. PhD, University of Edinburgh. Director of San Francisco Urban Program, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, California.
Douglas J. Moo. PhD, University of St. Andrews. Blanchard Professor of New Testament, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois.
Stephen Motyer. PhD, London School of Theology. Lecturer in New Testament and Hermeneutics, London School of Theology, London, England.
V. Henry T. Nguyen. PhD, University of Aberdeen. Assistant Professor, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California
David W. Pao. PhD, Harvard University. Associate Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois.
R. D. Patterson. PhD, University of California, Los Angeles. Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, Lynchburg, Virginia.
D. L. Petter. PhD, University of Toronto. Associate Professor of Old Testament, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, Massachusetts.
Elaine Phillips. PhD, The Dropsie College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning. Professor of Biblical Studies, Gordon College, Wenham, Massachusetts.
Robert S. Rayburn. PhD, University of Aberdeen. Pastor, Faith Presbyterian Church, Tacoma, Washington.
Eckhard J. Schnabel. PhD, University of Aberdeen. Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois.
Thomas R. Schreiner. PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary. James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky.
Richard L. Schultz. PhD, Yale University. Carl Armerding and Hudson T. Armerding Professor of Biblical Studies, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois.
Gary V. Smith. PhD, The Dropsie College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning. Professor of Christian Studies, Union University, Jackson, Tennessee.
Willem A. VanGemeren. PhD, University of Wisconsin. Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois.
Herbert M. Wolf. PhD, Brandeis University. Former Associate Professor of Theological Studies, Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois.
Gregory T. K. Wong. PhD, University of Edinburgh. Associate Professor of Old Testament, Evangel Seminary, Hong Kong.

JoshInRI

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/600415#Comment_600415

Wow...thats some list. Thanks. [:)]

Lee

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/600483#Comment_600483

The Baker's set is a good recommendation.

As for the Illustrated Bible Backgrounds I've found the NT set to be much more useful than the OT set. Reading the reviews on Amazon will get you a flavor of what I mean.

Matthew C Jones

but keep hoping for a huge sale on this Logos item

Sales tells me Zondervan does not go on sale. I guess anything is possible but, so far, I haven't seen any Zondervan titles discounted.

RyanB

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/600554#Comment_600554

I own it and really like it. It's in my top 5 commentaries as it's my go to resource for questions about Bible background and it's full of images that show up during image searches.

Travis Walter

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/600557#Comment_600557

I have had that set offered to me for $299.99 a few times, but even at ~$30 off, its still not much of a "sale"/discount to consider. But it has been on my wish list for over a year.

DAL

Not that Carson is the final authority, but here's what he's got to say:

The Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary is a four-volume work edited by Clinton E. Arnold (2002, £23.99 per vol., £95.99 for the set/$39.99 per vol., $159.99 for the set). It is sometimes worth skimming in conjunction with commentaries on the text at hand, but the best of the major commentaries usually include all the relevant background materials anyway. To use this four-volume set by itself is unwise: it might encourage the unwary reader to think that the background is the foreground, with the result that what the text actually says quietly dissolves from view.

Carson, D. A. (2007). New Testament commentary survey (6th ed., p. 29). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

What do I think? (my 2 cents): If I had money to spare, I'd buy it, but in my opinion, this set's strength are the pictures included. As Carson said, the background material is found in most commentaries (IVP Background is cheaper and most introductions to other commentaries and comments within the text itself of the commentaries), so it'll be like paying extra for having information that's already available and for the pictures.

Here's one example out of the Tyndale NT Commentary on Revelation which I read once on the Zondervan set for Revelation (Rev. 3:15):

The deeds of this church are summed up in the accusation you are neither cold nor hot. The imagery may be derived from the water-supply of the city which appears to have been drawn from hot springs at some distance, so that it arrived at the city lukewarm. This forms a contrast with the hot springs at nearby Hierapolis and the cold, refreshing water at Colosse. ‘Hot water heals, cold water refreshes, but lukewarm water is useless for either purpose, and can serve only as an emetic.

Morris, L. (1987). Revelation: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 20, p. 84). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

When you compare what Morris said to what Zondervan Illustrated BC says you'll see that it is very similar except without the pictures. I hope this helps!

DAL

JoshInRI

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/600598#Comment_600598

Yes DAL, it helps a lot...thanks for your great post. I will move this Baker collection much higher on my wishlist now.

David Thomas

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/600701#Comment_600701

As DAL quoted Carson, I like the comment "don't let the background become the foreground, so that you miss what the text actually says". I DO consult the cultural background by using these more affordable volumes https://www.logos.com/product/18658/ivp-bible-background-commentary-old-testament and https://www.logos.com/product/18657/ivp-bible-background-commentary-new-testament then spend more of my limited sermon prep time in good commentaries on the text. Just my 2 cents.

JoshInRI

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/600706#Comment_600706

Thanks...I bought those as part of an IVP package a few years ago and you are so right.

That recommendation is worth $.04 at least too.

Blessings,

joshua[:D]