Unlocking Scriptures...where's the key?

This is quite, quite strange, eh?                   I still have some 100's of books to classify and rate and figure out how best to use them as I have moved from Logos4 Portfolio to Logos 5 Portfolio.      Needless to say I have a very fine and very unique library for which I praIse our Gracious God!           Hope to always use my library resources to His Glory and the Benefit of His Church.

           What's strange is that I cannot even find those books at Logos.com...            I'd really appreciate some insights from any others who have figured out this "riddle"!        *smile*

These are supposed to be "devotional commentaries"!            *smile*               Sounds very good indeed and am looking forward to perusing and investigating....

                                          Peace to all!                                                                                And Joy!

It looks like an out of print series (can find only used copies available online) and I can't find any missing volumes; all of the NT is covered. So maybe the "16 vols." was a typo.

It's published by Standard Publishing, and is also known as (or is part of) the Standard Bible Studies Series. The series was published from 1986-1990.

It looks to me like a fairly lightweight commentary series, devotional in nature. It is not even mentioned at all on BestCommentaries.com, so probably has not attracted the attention of any reviewers. Very few hits for it in a Google search, just related to used volumes available for sale.

"Here's an excerpt from the preface to one of the volumes that describes the series in general: "This series has been described as a set of devotional commentaries. The term devotional has several different meanings. We sometimes understand a devotion to mean a short talk designed to bring exhortation, encouragement, or direction for Christian living to its hearers. We would not be disappointed if some readers did use this study to prepare devotional talks.

"The word devotion also leads us to think of that substantial body of literature that has accumulated over nearly two thousand years of the history of the church. In his Confessions, Augustine shares with his readers his struggle against sin. Thomas a’Kempis stirs our emotions and challenges our wills in his On the Imitation of Christ. In his sweeping allegory, Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan sketches on a broad canvas the struggles of every Christian pilgrim. If this volume could, even in a very small way, do what these great classics of Christian devotion have done, we would be amply repaid for our efforts.

"When we think of devotions, we also think of personal or family devotions. Many persons find spiritual strength in reading a passage of Scripture, discussing it or meditating about it, and then praying. The editors certainly had this use in mind when they planned this series of Bible studies. Such devotions should arouse emotions and lead to a deeper sense of commitment. To do this, a Bible study must provide intellectual as well as emotional stimulation. A good Bible study should stir one’s imagination, cause one to raise questions, provide some keys to lock important passages in one’s memory, and suggest application of the Scriptures to contemporary situations.

"We have tried to design this study to do these things. We have deliberately sought to avoid the novel or unusual just for the sake of novelty. Nor have we resorted to tricks or gimmicks to gain or hold attention. Instead we have sought to present straightforward, common-sense interpretations of each chapter."

As for why it can't be found on its own on the Logos website, there are resources that haven't been unbundled yet, and this is probably one of those.

I am thinking that it is a typo. On my compare/upgrades page it shows that I own 0 of 15 resources.

Rosie Perera said:

It looks like an out of print series (can find only used copies available online) and I can't find any missing volumes; all of the NT is covered. So maybe the "16 vols." was a typo.

It's published by Standard Publishing, and is also known as (or is part of) the Standard Bible Studies Series. The series was published from 1986-1990.

 

It looks to me like a fairly lightweight commentary series, devotional in nature. It is not even mentioned at all on BestCommentaries.com, so probably has not attracted the attention of any reviewers. Very few hits for it in a Google search, just related to used volumes available for sale.

"Here's an excerpt from the preface to one of the volumes that describes the series in general: "This series has been described as a set of devotional commentaries. The term devotional has several different meanings. We sometimes understand a devotion to mean a short talk designed to bring exhortation, encouragement, or direction for Christian living to its hearers. We would not be disappointed if some readers did use this study to prepare devotional talks.

"The word devotion also leads us to think of that substantial body of literature that has accumulated over nearly two thousand years of the history of the church. In his Confessions, Augustine shares with his readers his struggle against sin. Thomas a’Kempis stirs our emotions and challenges our wills in his On the Imitation of Christ. In his sweeping allegory, Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan sketches on a broad canvas the struggles of every Christian pilgrim. If this volume could, even in a very small way, do what these great classics of Christian devotion have done, we would be amply repaid for our efforts.

"When we think of devotions, we also think of personal or family devotions. Many persons find spiritual strength in reading a passage of Scripture, discussing it or meditating about it, and then praying. The editors certainly had this use in mind when they planned this series of Bible studies. Such devotions should arouse emotions and lead to a deeper sense of commitment. To do this, a Bible study must provide intellectual as well as emotional stimulation. A good Bible study should stir one’s imagination, cause one to raise questions, provide some keys to lock important passages in one’s memory, and suggest application of the Scriptures to contemporary situations.

"We have tried to design this study to do these things. We have deliberately sought to avoid the novel or unusual just for the sake of novelty. Nor have we resorted to tricks or gimmicks to gain or hold attention. Instead we have sought to present straightforward, common-sense interpretations of each chapter."

As for why it can't be found on its own on the Logos website, there are resources that haven't been unbundled yet, and this is probably one of those.

 

You are correct, Rosie!      *smile*                  It is fairly lightweight!                      However, quite pleasant as I've perused a couple of the series.

                I enjoyed seeing "the Bard of Avon" being quoted right next to Aristotle, of all things.  That doesn't happen over frequently .....

........    "Second, he exhorts, "Let your gentleness be evident to all" (Philippians 4:5). The word translated "gentleness" (epieikes) is a significant term in the New Testament. It describes the characteristic of a person who does not demand his/her own rights in relationships. Aristotle contrasted this characteristic to that one that expects exact and precise judgment. This "gentleness" goes beyond strict judgment. It is used to describe Jesus, "the meekness and gentleness (epieikes) of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:1). The overseers of the church should demonstrate this quality (1 Timothy 3:3). In fact, all in the church should demonstrate it (Titus 3:2). Furthermore, this characteristic, Paul tells the Philippians, should be "evident to all" (Philippians 4:5), and not exclusively to the church. The world ought to see in the life of the church the willingness to go beyond the demands of strict justice to a point of acting with a giving, considerate, gentle spirit.

No one has caught this very characteristic more poetically than William Shakespeare:

The quality of mercy is not strain’d,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice bless’d:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s,
When mercy seasons justice.
Merchant of Venice, Act IV, Scene 1.
Also, thank you very much to all of you who posted and have helped me understand these resources better!