Interpreting the New Testament

by David Alan Black; David S. Dockery

Publisher:

B&H

, 2001

Overview

The purpose of Interpreting the New Testament is to enhance New Testament interpretation, teaching and preaching by providing a useful means of investigating and studying the New Testament, as well as providing historical reasons as to why it speaks the way it does.

The book endeavors to acquaint the reader with the scope and trends of modern New Testament scholarship. This collection of essays, however, will also prove of great value for pastors and lay people who wish to learn various ways to study the New Testament.

Interpreting the New Testament hopes to fill a void for those who have been bewildered by a plethora of methodologies and a proliferation of modern approaches to New Testament interpretation. It addresses those who have the desire to teach and preach the New Testament but are overwhelmed by in-depth study.

These twenty—two essays, therefore, represent a cross section of current evangelical New Testament scholarship that seeks to be responsible to divine revelation while at the same time keeping abreast of current issues, trends, and methodologies.

Contents

Top Highlights

“that all surviving manuscripts of the New Testament differ” (Page 46)

“The more common method of interpreting Scripture among Jews, however, was midrash. Midrash derives from a Hebrew word meaning ‘to seek’ and refers to interpretive exposition. The starting point is the text itself, and the concern is to provide practical instruction so that people may understand God’s Word and live accordingly. If pesher says, ‘This is that,’ midrash says ‘That [Scripture] has relevance to this [aspect of life].’” (Page 218)

“Intrinsic authority is that which something or someone possesses due to what they are” (Page 3)

Praise for the Print Edition

This is a useful volume on methods and issues in interpreting the New Testament It provides the student with an impressive and comprehensive overview.

— Bruce M. Metzger, Professor of New Testament Emeritus, Princeton Theological Seminary

Interpreting the New Testament is an excellent textbook for students, pastors and lay-people who are interested in Biblical interpretation.

—Peter Stuhlmacher, Professor emeritus for New Testament as the Protestant faculty of the University of Tubingen, Germany.

This comprehensive volume on New Testament Interpretation is intended to be useful at foundational level to theological students. It is clearly, simply and attractively written, and will provide an excellent appetizer for students to delve more deeply into the areas discussed.

—I. Howard Marshall, Senior Lecturer in New Testament Exegesis, University of Aberdeen, Scotland

This is an excellent updating of the various critical, exegetical, and introductory matters that go into the interpretation of the New Testament, presented by a new generation of evangelical New Testament scholars. The authors are aware of current trends and show concern for the theology and proclamation of the text as well.

—Gordon D. Fee, Professor of New Testament, Regent College

This informative volume offers many benefits to many readers….the book as a whole is a worthy contribution to evangelical scholarship.

— E. Earle Ellis, Research Professor of Theology, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

The 22 essays of this volume are all easy to read, they offer clear and substantial information, they are deeply rooted in Biblical faith, and they encourage their readers to preach Christ in accordance with the original teaching and preaching of the authors of the New Testament.

—Peter Stuhlmacher, Professor emeritus for New Testament at the Protestant faculty of the University of Tubingen, Germany

As the pace of New Testament scholarship and research shows no sign of slackening, there is need for alert students and pastors to be kept up to speed…and these pages will be warmly received as both clearly written and up-to-date. A warm welcome awaits this serviceable handbook to enrich all readers.

—Ralph P. Martin, Distinguished Scholar in Residence, Fuller Theological Seminary; Azusa Pacific University; Logos Evangelical Seminary, California

Written within a scholarly conservative tradition, the essays in this book examine fairly and in a stimulating way the literary context and structures that ought to be understood by all readers who seek a rich, rewarding and constructively critical examination of the New Testament books. I commend to seminary students the sympathetic and authoritative treatment of modern questions and academic debates found in these pages.

—J. Keith Elliott, Professor of New Testament Textual Criticism, The University of Leeds, England

Product Details

• Title: Interpreting the New Testament: Essays on Methods and Issues
• Editors: David Alan Black, David S. Dockery
• Publisher: Broadman & Holman
• Publication Date: 2001
• Pages: 565

About the Editors

David Alan Black currently serves as Professor of New Testament and Greek at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. He has written or edited over one hundred essays and fourteen books, including Learn to Read New Testament Greek. He and his wife and sons live on a ranch near Oxford, North Carolina.

David S. Dockery is President and Professor of Christian Studies, Union University. He has written and contributed to many articles and books and is the founding editor of the Criswell Theological Review. He is the general editor of the Holman Concise Bible Commentary found in the Holman Reference Collection (11 Vols.).