Some of you may be thinking about what to get your spouse, friend, or mother and father for Christmas.  I have a suggestion for you.  If they are a Logos user (and as you know, I think Logos is the best of the Bible Study Software available by a long shot) there is a fine promotion going on from now until Christmas.  You can find the deal at http://www.logos.com/wbc but let me tell you a little bit more about it, and why I am about to sell my first born so that I can get this set for myself (I mean my first born puppet of course).  The Word Biblical Commentary is one of the finest sets of commentaries available to the evangelical.  While not every writer will see the text as conservatively as I do, they all view the text as the infallible Word of God and every author treats the text with care and respect.

The value of the Word series is that the set is not written by one or two persons.  In today’s world of biblical studies, one cannot keep up with the work that is being done on every front.  This leads to, for better or worse, specialization in the area of these studies.  Each of the Word series is written by a person who is an expert in the particular book or books that the commentary covers.  For example, Donald Hagner writes the two-volume work on Matthew.  It is, along with the ICC work by Davies and Allison, one of the finest commentaries available on Matthew today.  Virtually each of these works is of this caliber.  The bibliography is incredible, the comments usually conservative, yet dealing with critical issues, and the comments on the original language often very insightful.  Though clearly very expensive, this set will have lasting value.

I often tell my students not to purchase sets of commentaries.  I tell them this because so many sets are written by one or two authors.  Buying the Word set is like getting one of the world’s leading experts on each book of the Bible to lead you through the original text.

I know that there are not many who would be thrilled to receive a set of commentaries under their tree, but those that would will love the Word Series.  Just a suggestion from me to you who are looking for something great for that pastor, seminary student, or serious Bible student.  Every time they use this set they will “rise up and call you blessed.”

I have to go and get my hand written page of sermon notes from Charles Spurgeon (yes, I found one on Ebay for a fantastic price) framed.  Stop by my office and you can touch it for a few years off of purgatory (only kidding, don’t get the heresy charges started yet).

Have a great day after thanksgiving and if you are at Coral Ridge on Sunday I’ll be starting a four part series on “Why Jesus Came.” I want to consider the question of why Jesus didn’t just show up as an adult and die on the cross?  He lived a full life until his crucifixion.  Why was that?  Several reasons I think, and I’ll share some with you on Sunday.

Be Blessed,

DSL