I only changed the address of this blog like…two days ago?…and already I have a link from a major blog. Interesting.
The more major news on that blog, however, is the ESV Study Bible, which is said to be scheduled for an October 2008 release. Their blog has a good list of blog posts regarding the recent website launch. Unfortunately, I have to say that I’m personally more skeptical of this effort than I was about the Literary Study Bible.
I definitely relate to Richard’s comment at the Boar’s Head Tavern:
I think if you have more editorial words than actual bible text you don’t have a Bible anymore but a commentary. A commentary which (Matthew is correct) seeks to promote a Reformed perspective. Nothing wrong with that but perhaps it should be pointed out.
I’m still trying to understand the whole Calvinism / Arminianism divide. You’d definitely be able to tell that if you’ve seen my latest purchase lists from Amazon.com. For Calvinists, there’s already the Reformation Study Bible with R. C. Sproul at the conn.
What is this junk about people needing a study bible from “one’s own tradition” anyhow? Shouldn’t we be open to whatever God wants to communicate through the Word? And do such commentaries possibly take away from the Word? If I want commentary, I’ll read another book.
Meanwhile, I did finally receive an audio ESV the other day when we finally received some mail. This is also very much a blessing.
ADDITION: If they’re able to illustrate Solomon’s temple, how will they illustrate pre-Moses events which remain in theological or archaeological dispute as related to new-earth creationism vs. evolution, and variants thereof? Are we in for illustrations of the Garden of Eden or Noah’s Ark? (As a matter of record, I’m an evolutionist.)
Matt Jacob | 20-Apr-08 at 12:01 am | Permalink
Interesting. I really like my ESV, but in the 2-3 years I’ve been using it, I’ve actually appreciated the lack of notes and commentary. I usually turn to Logos (Bible study software) when I need clarification on a passage.
Garrett O. | 20-Apr-08 at 7:39 pm | Permalink
I hear you there, Matt. I’ve heard much specific criticism over the ESV relating to the topic headings. I can’t say much either way, but the Literary Study Bible I’ve been using omits them in favor of its own notes that don’t end up taking half the page space as it seems to do in the sample pages available on the ESV Study Bible website. So far, I like it that way. We’ll have to wait and see what they do on this one.
Maybe the best way to do things is to separate long commentaries and put them on separate pages instead of having them half-and-half on the same pages. I’ve seen it done in other study bibles, and overall it just seemed like a mishmash not worth trying to comprehend.