THE 511 NEW
TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
CLASS I: INTRODUCTION TO NEW TESTAMENT
THEOLOGY & INTRO TO THEOLOGY OF THE
GOSPELS
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
1.1 Introduction to NT Theology
• My favorite theological theme in NT and why?
• Theological topic/theme that is most troublesome
• Controversial themes in NT theology?
• Predestination & free will
• Role of women in ministry/home
• Spiritual gifts (tongues, prophecies, miracles)
 A good reason to study NT theology
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
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Test your knowledge in NT theology
1. Which two evangelists emphasize the ministry of the Holy Spirit?
2. Which NT books focus on cosmic Christology?
3. NT author that highlight “justification by faith”
4. NT book that describes the advance of the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit
5. This epistle is about “faith in action”
6. This epistle compares Christ to high priest and OT institutions
7. This book of the NT uses sharp dualism of light-darkness, above-below, truth-falsehood
8. Epistle that contains the most profound theology of suffering in the NT
9. Book that demonstrates Christ’s ultimate victory over all evil
10. Gospel that focuses on practical righteousness
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
• More challenging topics in NT theology
• Relationship between the testaments
• How to synthesize different aspects of NT into NT theology
• Challenging topics
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Eschatology (Millennial views & rapture question)
The role of Mosaic Law in ethics and salvation (Matthew & Paul)
Faith and works (Paul & James)
Spiritual gifts
Christology of different authors
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
•Matt
F 5:17-18
17 “Do
The Role of Mosaic Law in NT Theology
not think that I
came to abolish
the Law or the
Prophets; I did not
come to abolish but to
fulfill. 18 For truly I say
to you, until heaven
and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter
or stroke shall pass
from the Law until all is
accomplished. (NASB)
Eph 2:15 (cf. Rom 10:4) Jam 2:25
He has abolished the
law with its
commandments and
ordinances, that he
might create in himself
one new humanity in
place of the two, thus
making peace (NRSV)
For Christ is the end of
the law so that there
may be righteousness
for everyone who
believes.
25 But
those who look into
the perfect law, the law of
liberty, and persevere,
being not hearers who
forget but doers who act—
they will be blessed in their
doing
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
• Interpretative paradigms and NT Theology
• Presuppositions and pre-understanding in NT theology
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Church/theological tradition
Socio-cultural and personal history
• Two evangelical systems
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Covenant theology
Dispensational theology
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Classical
Revised
Progressive
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
• Theological systems, hermeneutics and NT theology
Issue
Interpretation of the kingdom of heaven?
Covenant
Same as kingdom of God; rule of God displayed
through the church
Classic disp.
Davidic theocratic kingdom – postponed to
Millenium due to rejection by Jews
Revised disp.
Davidic kingdom in the past and offered to Jews by
Jesus; in mystery format currently the church; and in
the millenium
Progressive
disp.
As covenant theology – identical w/ kingdom of
God; already inaugurated during Jesus’ ministry
and church but fully consummated in the millemium
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
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Issue
Interpretation of the sermon of the Mount.
Covenant
Way of life for the church
Classic disp.
Way of life in the Millenium; moral application to
church
Revised disp.
As above
Progressive
disp.
Way of life for believers now though fully realized
in the millenium
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
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Issue
Interpretation of the restoration of Israel and
prophecy
Covenant
1) Partial fulfillment in return from Exile 2)
typologically fulfilled in church 3) spiritual
fulfillment in eternal state
Classic disp.
Literal fulfillment in the millennium
Revised disp.
As above
Progressive
disp.
Partial fulfillment in church and fully in the
millennium
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
1.2 The Nature of New Testament theology
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NT theology among the theological disciplines
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Systematic theology
• Systematic presentation of doctrines
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Historical theology
• Development of doctrine across the centuries
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Dogmatic theology
• Authoritative pronouncements of the church(es)
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Contemporary theology
• Post-Reformation developments in theology
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Practical theology
• Pastoral theology, homiletics, missiology, counseling
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
• Biblical theology (modernist paradigm)
• Historical and biblical
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Emphasis on descriptive historical development – focus on the process
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Uses concepts found in the Bible
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John’s and Paul’s Christology – not two natures per later dogma
Emphasis on human character and agency (cf. Luke 1:1-4)
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E.g. son of God in OT and NT (Gen 6:1-2; Ex 4:22; 2Sam 7:14; Ps 2:7;
Hos 11:1; Lk 3:38; Jh 1:49; Matt 26:63-64; Heb 1:1-3)
The process of writing Luke’s gospel
Progressive nature of revelation (cf. Heb 1:1)
 Generally not focused on application or relevance
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
• Biblical theology and NT theology
Exegesis of texts
OT theology
NT
NTtheology
theology
Biblical theology
Exegesis  biblical theology  systematic theology
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
2.1 Historical Development of NT theology – Briefly
• From church Fathers to Medieval Theology
• Regula fidei as a guide (Church Fathers)
• Dogma of the Church (Medieval period)
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Five-fold sense of the Scripture
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
• Reformation and biblical theology
• From dogma to biblical theology
• Historical/literal meaning
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Inadequately applied (esp. OT)
• Sola Scriptura principle
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Later Protestant orthodoxy largely reverted back to dogmatism
Pietism & subjectivism
Holiness-Pentecostal movement & charismatic hermeneutics
Evangelicals and fundamentalist-liberal controversy
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
• Birth of modern biblical theology
• Historical-criticism as catalyst
• J.P. Gabler (1787) and birth of biblical theology
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Biblical vs. dogmatic theology
Historical discipline
Descriptive task
Freedom from the dogma of the church
 Foundation for the modern biblical theology
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
2.2 Recent approaches to NT theology
• Historical-critical approaches
• Historical-criticism and theology
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Developmental and evolutionary approaches
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Is NT theology possible? (H. Räisänen 1990, 2002; cf. W. Wrede)
Moderate approaches (J. Gnilka; P. Stuhlmacher; U. Schnelle)
Characterized by emphasis on diversity (and disunity)
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Based on historical reconstruction
 Some discount the possibility of revelation
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
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Conservative & moderate NT theologies – history & theology
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Importance of revelation
Basic unity of the NT theology affirmed
• Extent of diversity disputed
• Importance of exegesis - history and theology
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Some more prominent NT theologies
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G.K Beale (2011); I. H. Marshall (2004)
F. Thielman (2008); L. Morris (1990)
F. Matera (2007); T. Schreiner (2008)
N.T. Wright (1992-); G. Ladd (1974)
D. Guthrie (1981); Caird and Hurst (1994)
Zuck and Dowery (1994); L. Helyer (2008)
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
• Postmodern approach to NT theology (A. K. M. Adam)
• Criticizes
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Historicism & lust for novelty and progress
Elitism and antipopulism
• Starting point w/ community’s sense of the NT
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Explicit theology that “makes sense” to a
particular group
 All biblical theology is perspectival
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
2.3 Problems of Method and Approach
• How and where to start?
• OT history and theology?
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Biblical theology of the NT
• Intertestamental history and background?
• Jesus (historical Jesus)?
• Early church?
• Occasional nature of NT documents
• E.g. 1 Cor
• History, culture, theology intertwined
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
• Unity and Diversity in NT
• Diverse perspectives within the unity
• Is there a center of NT theology?
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Death and resurrection of Jesus? Justification by faith?
Holiness? God’s glory and worship?
Mission? Salvation?
Kingdom of God
 What to do with the material that is non-center?
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
• Approach and organization of materials
1) Collection of materials according to themes (e.g. righteousness)
• Older approach of systematic theology (and early Pentecostals)
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Largely abandoned
• Problems
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Assumes uniformity of thought in the NT
Little consideration of historical context
Little consideration of diversity of perspectives
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
2) Categories from systematic theology (D. Guthrie)
• Categories of systematic theology
• Historical context and author’s perspective
Matthew
Paul
James
Creation
Creation
Creation
Lord’s supper
Lord’s supper
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Spiritual gifts
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• Possible problems
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Imposing systematic categories on NT authors
Lack of relevant data on certain topics
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
3) Historical development approach
• Importance of historical reconstruction
Jesus
Jerusalem church
Gentile churches
Early
Catholicism
Kingdom of
God
Kerygma
Kerygma
Doctrine
Prophet &
Messiah
Christology
Christology
Christology
12 disciples
12 apostles &
hellenists
Charismatic church
structure
Formalized
structure
• Some problems:
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Hypothetical reconstruction
Focus on history more than theology
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
4) Author/Book centered approach
• Theology of each book & each author/block
• Synthesis
Paul (Rom, Gal etc)
Luke (Luke-Acts)
John (Jh, 1-3 Jh, Rev)
Creation
Creation
Creation
Justification
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(Kingdom of God)
Kingdom of God
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Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
• Some problems
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How to combine various “blocks”?
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Jesus or the Gospels? Paul and Acts?
How to synthesize the various perspectives into a whole?
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
• Concluding comments
• Historical perspective important
• Respect the perspective of each book & author
• Synthesis needs to be done carefully
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Conscious emphasis on certain parts (contextual realities)
General synthesis remains on high level of abstraction
More than one legitimate approach and outcome
 NT theology always a reconstruction to some extent
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
3.1 Introduction to the theology of the Gospels
• Some important issues and questions
• Why four gospels?
• Dilemma of sources and historicity(?)
• Should we talk about…
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Theology of Jesus or of each gospel? (esp. Luke-Acts; John)
• Relationship b/w gospels and the rest of NT
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Why does Paul hardly ever refer to Jesus’ earthly life?
 Is there a disconnection between the epistles and gospels?
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
• Connections b/w gospels and epistles
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Luke and Acts (Luke-Acts)
John’s writings (esp. Gospel and epistles)
Allusions to Jesus’ teachings in James and 1 Peter
Some references to Jesus’ words in Paul (e.g. 1 Cor 11)
 Epistles pastoral responses to pressing issues
 Different purpose of gospels and epistles
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
• Starting point of the theology of the synoptic Gospels
• Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom of God
• Summons of people to faith & repentance in light of the kingdom
(Jesus’ life, teachings, death, and resurrection)
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Mediated through the unique perspective of each evangelist
Mark: gospel in light of in-breaking kingdom
Matthew: righteousness required by the kingdom
Luke: salvation and reversal of fortunes brought by the kingdom
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
• John’s unique perspective
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Eternal life instead of kingdom
Incarnation & sending of the pre-existent Son by the Father
 John’s gospel treated together w/ epistles and Revelation
INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
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INTRO TO NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
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