Clifford B. Kvidahl (forum)
http://community.logos.com/forums/p/30695/227703.aspx
Although the articles in the Theological Lexicon are small, they pack a great punch when paired with BDAG, TDNT, and others. Spicq’s work is very useful, and if I am not mistaken he includes some entries which are not to be found found in the TDNT.
I have and use Spicq often. I often find his entries to be very useful in my studies. May I ask what you were hoping to get? If you are not satisfied I am sure Logos can work with you on a refund if you just purchased the work. But I would not give up on Spicq quite yet. You may find some gold there.
Mark A. Smith (forum)
http://community.logos.com/forums/p/30695/227703.aspx
I can understand being disappointed if one was hoping for something like the New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology or The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Spicq’s work is a compilation and recasting of word studies he had done in other studies. As he states his interest is theological and he has attempted in the words he writes on to make use of as much of secular and other religious Greek to inform his studies as possible. Actually the footnotes are some of the best part of his work as they cite other references in translation for the word being studied.
I don’t think if all I had was BDAG I’d want Spicq as my only other choice, because his range is so limited. But if you can afford a third or fourth lexicon, I think he is worth considering. I don’t refer to him frequently, but when I want more than a translation and he has an entry on a word I am studying I will consult him.
Mark Barnes (forum)
http://community.logos.com/forums/p/30695/227703.aspx
I’m with Cliff on this one. Whilst Spicq is hardly comprehensive, I’ve found him quite penetrating on many of the articles he does include. But it’s always worth researching books carefully before purchase, as qualify will vary. Here’s some extracts from a review in JETS, which may help you to see the strengths and weaknesses before you decide whether to return it or not:
The articles themselves are uneven in content and utility, and this is compounded by the fact that they follow no regular format (beyond Title, Gloss, Article). Some seem to be taken directly from a commentary and not expanded for useful generality. Others are little more than strings of ancient references with brief comments. Still others, however, are very straightforward, readable, and helpful. In general, as the work of one man the contents of TLNT are remarkably full and detailed, though an editor’s eye for consistent presentation would have benefited the project.
TLNT is to be especially highly praised as a resource for probing the extra-Biblical usage of certain NT words. In fact, it is here that Spicq himself believed he made his most useful contribution (1.viii). As such, it more than holds its own against TDNT, NIDNTT and especially EDNT. Many of the larger articles in TLNT, TDNT, and NIDNTT provide comparable analysis, but Spicq often presents several more, and more detailed, extra-Biblical examples.
Approximately 160 of the nearly 640 words in TLNT are not covered in TDNT, about 240 are not to be found in NIDNTT, and about 150 appear in neither TDNT nor NIDNTT. (Since EDNT includes virtually every noun, proper name, verb, adjective, and adverb in the Greek NT, I have not included it in this analysis.) The articles on these “extra” words tend to be brief and interesting; many of them provide engaging insights into Greco-Roman customs and society.
TLNT is thus a beneficial addition to either TDNT or NIDNTT, though its comparatively limited number of articles will probably not commend it above the other two as a first purchase. It is considerably fuller in its treatments than EDNT, but the latter is more accessible when dealing with individual verses. Intended use will decide between the two.
David R. Dilling (forum)
http://community.logos.com/forums/t/31115.aspx
When I was at Wheaton College in the late 1950s my senior Greek professor, Berkeley Mickelsen [who in one two-your course led me through the entirety of Robertson’s GRAMMAR!], frequently quoted from Spiq. It was all in French at that time and I didn’t read French (and still don’t). So I was delighted to get his word studies from Logos.
I listed his work with my lexicons and was dismayed when it didn’t show up during an exegetical search or when using my Nestle-Aland Greek testament. The good folks at Logos tech support showed me that he only shows up in your search when he has a comment on the word you are reading—not for every word as you are accustomed to if using BAGD.