In Bob Kauflin's blog post - Ten Reasons Why I Appreciate the ESV Study Bible - he says:
The better (i.e., the more accurately) we know God through his Word, the more genuine our worship will be. In fact, the moment we veer from what is true about God, we’re engaging in idolatry. We can’t lead people to worship a God we don’t know very well.
Wow.
I have been using the ESV Study Bible as well, and have found it to be indispensable for my growth in love and understanding for the Word of God. In addition to the ten reasons Bob appreciates the ESV Study Bible, I especially love the occasional Hebrew lesson found in the footnotes. Often, the authors of Scripture (under the inspiration of the supreme Author) write with such nuance that only the original language can manifest, which also makes the story read more poetical.
Bob says,
The only negative comment I’d make at this point is that the Bible is so big it’s hard to imagine carrying it around a lot. Unless I also want to use it as part of my exercise program.
The ESVSB is weighty, but there's something satisfying (to me) about carrying it around. I like having it at church where I can see what the notes are saying while the pastor is preaching. Not to see where he may be wrong, but to help me go deeper by reading little tidbits of information that surely were part of his sermon preparation, but not in his actual message.
