Bible Dictionary and Commentary Set, best bang for your buck

Sean,

Both questions have been asked frequently here, so you are not alone in wanting to know.

Anchor-Yale is scholarly and extensive but not necessarily conservative. ISBE is also good and more conservative. Take your pick. I have both and appreciate having both of them.

For Commentaries I would never recommend the Pulpit Commentary to anyone. For the whole Bible a multi-volume commentary like the Tyndale Commentary would be an excellent choice. This would more than likely not be in a future base collection.

Sam West said:

Dan you sound like you are real knowledgeable about selecting commentaries

Thank you for your kind words.  I do use commentaries and try to remember or reflect on things about them.  I am also a preacher and went through Bible college and seminary, where I used many, in addition to learning to do my own "original work" and not just rely on them.  That said, in spite of your kind words, I am not an expert, but if I can help, I will.  And i know more about them than technical issues--other people on the forums are much more able than I.

Sam West said:

[1] what do you mean when you say conservative?

Slinging labels is not helpful, even though I obviously do it.  I use it as a generality, there is not an exact litmus test.  But a conservative will (generally speaking) believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus, believe the Bible is really inspired by God and trustworthy and authoritative, believe in the supernatural activities and experiences (such has miracles, virgin birth) etc.  I am not trying to pick a fight or say that "liberal" people don't believe some (all?) of those things, nor that all that a "conservative" says is completely accurate or devoid of incorrect bias.  I grew up as a missionary kid in Germany in the 70's.  There, the contrast was a lot more stark between "liberal" and "conservative." 

in the realm of commentaries, as an example, it would not be uncommon to see in OT "liberal" commentaries frequent reference to "J" "E" "P" "D" as references to different types of editors and editing schools who put together the texts, or doubt that "King David" was a real person.  Conservatives might be more inclined to say that it is quite possible that Moses could have composed most of the Pentateuch, that David was historical, etc.  That is a broad brush stroke, and you will find all kinds of lines crossed both ways (for instance, it IS clear that on some level "editing" went on in the OT, but the question is "how much."  But hopefully that gives you some feel about how I use conservative without locking me in to an exact litmus test.

What I am not doing is determining someone's salvation by that label.  Others might.  BUT NOT ON THIS FORUM!!!  [;)]

Sam West said:

[2] What is the different kind of commentaries?

There are a lot of ways you can categorize things, here are some ways people do here on the forums and my own understanding of what that might mean:

1. Academic/Advanced: uses a lot of Greek, Hebrew, grammar, etc.  References a lot of other commentators to interact, support your conclusions or to discredit their ideas.  Lots of references and footnotes.  Tedious reading
2. Intermediate: tries to deal with the thrust of the text's meaning and interact with thorny theological or grammar and syntax or word meaning.  But doesn't get totally bogged down in typing examples in Greek only (for example) and is more readable.  Don't have to be a trained Bible scholar to read, but you have better be a regular Sunday School attendee and been to a workshop or two.  [:D]
3. Expository: doesn't spend as much time explaining how they got their conclusions, but do a really nice job in stating them and giving (this is important!) lots of cool illustrations guys and gals can pilfer for a preaching or teaching gig.
4. Beginner: doesn't tell you a whole lot, but doesn't confuse you either, and only costs $5.

(obviously some of the above is a bit tongue in cheek)

But there are many other ways to look at a commentary: do they spend more time looking at theological issues (like the nature of sin, holiness, etc) or do they look at the rhetorical flow and structure (like Witherington's "Socio-Rhetorical Commentaries", do they pay attention to overall context (like RT France's NICNT commentary on Matthew) or focus more on the trees (like Ellington's Hebrews commentary).

Sam West said:

I love those that offer several schools of thought on a tough Scripture.

me too.  I also find that having more commentaries increases the likelihood that:

1. I will find input on the specific question/problem I have
2. I can play different views off each other (but always be careful)
3. I can see more of the original context of what one commentator actually said if he/she is quoted by others.
4. I get different ways of looking at the text (devotional thoughts, theological importance, big picture thinking, etc)

Sam West said:

What do we call those?

no clue.  (are you referring to ones like the "4 views on Revelation"?

Sam West said:

[3] If I bite the bullet and go on up to platinum what’s your thoughts on those commentaries?

There are many good ones, but it all depends on what is helpful to you.  If you can, look them up on Amazon (but don't buy! lol) or Google read them a bit to see if they are helpful to you.  also go to bestcommentaries dot com for user reviews.  hopefully Logos will introduce this capability on their website.  Here are some of my thoughts on those specifically new to Platinum commentaries:

• Baker Exegetical: very well thought of, but set is very incomplete.  A bit more on the technical side.  Luke is considered one of the most complete recent commentaries on that book.
• Baker New Testament.  Written by Howard Hendricks and Simon Kistemaker.  Not as much variety of thought, and pretty verbose, but easier to digest and pretty helpful in many ways.  I think they are Reformed in theology.  Could be wrong
• Believer's Church.  Never use it.  Don't know if good or bad.
• Charles Simeon's Horae . . .I have not used it much--when I go to it, it seems he has not referred to my text, lol.  Old school Reformed thinker (turn of 19th/20th century?).  Many guys on Logos profess their love and reliance on his thought.
• Classic Commentaries: 19th century dudes, often more technical.  Very respected in their day, and still.  Rarely use them, but did recently on a Hebrews study, when Westcott was referred to by someone else.
• Ironside: no clue.
• Pillar: very good.  Probably in the "intermediate" category.  Leaning more Reformed, Calvinist.  (Peter O'brien, DA Carson, etc).

Sam West said:

[4] Does logos run a good sale on the good ones like you like and if so when should I look for such a sale?

I don't know when they run sales on sets.  But I have seen them pop up (like WBC, which is a good set, but more technical, even though at the end of each section they have an 'explanation" section that summarizes all the previous talk into something more manageable) at just about any time.  ALWAYS call sales or email them (I use Jared, but everybody swears by "their" guy, so you will be well treated regardless).  But around Christmas and March Madness (college basketball tournament time) you will see specials, but usually just one volume (I picked up a $120 volume on the Pastoral Epistles for $30), but you don't know who/if/what price it will be, necessarily.  Those are more for individual volumes, dictionaries, small collections of a particular author, etc.

Sam West said:

[5] $850 to upgrade.  Could I buy a couple sets of good quality commentaries for that money and be just as well off?

Sam, I assume you mean it will cost you that much to go Platinum, not necessarily that you have that money around.  It will have to be up to you.  You will be getting much more than commentaries in Logos base packages, so you need to look at that.  I basically went line by line when I upgraded, made notes of what I KNEW I wanted and how much it would cost to by on its own.  Totaled all that up and compared that to the cost of the upgrade.  I have chosen upgrade every time, although Portfolio was a real head scratcher--but I caved.

You could get a few really good sets that you might use more often with that money: Tyndale, EBC, NIVAC, and more.  Diversify.  Consider Ancient Christian Commentary (or the "Catena Aurea" on pre-pub) for something completely different.

Are you near a theological library, or can you loan some from a local library?  Take some home, review them.

You'll never have enough time to read all of them.  But will they be useful to your study, growth, and searches?

Nord Zootman said:

Dan,

Great answer, but one small correction  -

"Baker New Testament.  Written by Howard Hendricks and Simon Kistemaker. 
Not as much variety of thought, and pretty verbose, but easier to
digest and pretty helpful in many ways.  I think they are Reformed in
theology.  Could be wrong"

That should be William Hendriksen, not Howard Hendricks.  You are right that Hendriksen is reformed (Hendricks is dispensational).

of course!  I hate when I do that.  I used to get Orson Wells, George Orwell, and HG Wells all mixed up. 

not to mention Moses and Noah.

yikes.