Theological Lexicon of OT/NT

[TomVols]

Theological Lexicon Set, 6 Volumes: Edited By: E. Jenni, C. Westermann, C. Spicq: Christianbook.com


CBD is running a special on these ( you can see excerpts at Amazon). I'm on the fence about adding them to my Christmas wish list. How helpful do you all find them to be?

 

[Phil D.]

I have these volumes in LOGOS. They are good in some ways, but certainly only supplemental to a more comprehensive lexicon like BAGD, or something like the TDNT. For example, TLNT only looks at about 600 words, albeit in considerable detail. Bottom line: I find that I rarely consult them.

 

[amg]

certainly only supplemental to a more comprehensive lexicon like BAGD

I agree. I am still a young Greek student but I have spoken with several highly reputable men in the field (I am currently a student at BJU) and the BAGD is the hands down volumes of choice when it comes to lexicons. Once again, I am not a Hebrew scholar, but as far as the Hebrew is concerned, the Brown, Driver, Briggs and Gesenius lexicon is the unanimous consensus as far as I know.

Also, I looked at the CBD web page, and it is $54.99 to buy the special - or- $24.99 to purchase each set individually. Just a heads up.

 

[greenbaggins]

I would say that both the OT lexicon and the NT lexicon are worth having, actually. I don't like depending on only one lexicon, however good BDAG is, and however good BDB is (and there, most OT scholars agree that HALOT is better now than BDB). If I could only have one Greek and one Hebrew, they would be BDAG and HALOT. However, if I can have more, then I would want for the NT: BDAG, TDNT, NIDNTTE, TLNT, LN, and EDNT. I own most of these, and use them all regularly. For the OT, one would need BDB, HALOT, NIDOTTE, TDOT, TLOT, TWOT, and DCH. I also use these regularly, although I do not yet own DCH (it being VERY expensive).

 

[Phil D.]

Rev. Keister, just curious about your thoughts on the use of Liddell & Scott in NT studies?

 

[greenbaggins]

Liddell and Scott can be helpful (I use it on occasion). However, they have a tendency to read Hellenistic Greek in Classical Greek categories. While it is the same language, the language changed quite a bit over the 800 years or so from Homer to the NT, or even the 400 years from Plato to the NT. I think BDAG is more reliable for NT words. But LS is helpful when seeking to track down the meaning of a word that has little attestation in Hellenistic Greek, but more so in classical (and there are some of those).

 

[TomVols]

Thank you all.

For the record, I have:

OT: BDB, TWOT, NIDOTTE, and Owens
NT: BDAG (Latest), Thayer's, TDNT (1 vol), NIDNTT, and Robertson, Vincent, and Wuest.

I find I start with TWOT in OT and quickly move to NIDOTTE also referencing Owens. With NT, I go to BDAG, then NIDNTT & TDNT, checking Robertson et.al. I Have the abriged BDB/Thayers on my computer so I naturally see them first, but when I go to the shelves it's in the order above. So I'm not looking for a lexicon I'll rarely use (which is why I sold Lidell and Scott) but at the same time if I invest in BibleWorks I'd say I'd use them more. I do not find BDB all that helpful due to how bad the print is in my copy, yet I find that's the go-to lexicon for most Hebrew classes despite universal belief that HALOT or Holladay is better.

Right now doing bivocational preaching, time is at a premium. I cannot check 10 lexicons