I sometimes use multiple commentaries, whereas there is often insight gained by one over another. It does become complicated when the printed page is resourced, whereas I formally found myself in a pile of books during study or content preparation.
Thanks to the internet, I no longer have to dig through my pastoral library and lug books to a pile on the floor. A desk or dining table was never enough space, I had to study on the floor. Although there are numerous resources online, providing multiple study materials in digital form, I find bible.cc to be the easiest for expediency and cross reference. Each scripture has 10 parallel bible commentaries below, reflecting on the passage reviewed. I have reduced the time to compile my sermon/study outlines down to about an hour.
Yes, a genuine in-depth study will divert time to trudging through various resources. You may find yourself pouring over a Greek or Hebrew Lexicon, then a short tango with a Thesaurus, or back to the Septuagint or Strongest Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to hash out one word or meaning. Next you might be further diverted to examine church history or studies that entail Patristic Theology. It is all good, but the diversions can run one into the bushes, with a significant loss of time and direction
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