Critical Interpretation of the New Testament
GB 5093
Spring 2011
Instructor: Dr. George Goldman
Office: Ezell 220
Phone: 966-5747 (office) 545-9028 (cell)
Office hours: MWF: 12-1, 2-4 TR: 1-2 (other hours available by appointment)
Course Overview (description from the graduate catalog): Like its Old Testament counterpart, this
course is intended to equip the student to become a competent and responsible interpreter of the New
Testament. The student will explore: the nature and formation of the NT canon; the historical and
cultural contexts for the beginnings of Christianity (the social, cultural, and religious circumstances of the
Hellenistic world, Diaspora Judaism, and Jewish contemporaries to early Christianity such as Philo and
Josephus); critical scholarship on the NT; and the hermeneutical issues, methods, and skills involved in
interpreting and applying these texts. This course is foundational for subsequent NT text and theology
courses.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students completing this course
will be able to:
1) demonstrate knowledge of the
social, cultural, and religious
context of the New Testament
world and aptitude in applying
that knowledge to interpreting
New Testament texts.
2) describe the formation and
nature of the New Testament
canon.
3)
4)
5)
6)
HOW
DELIVERED
HOW
ASSESSED
GOALS
Reading Ferguson
and Suetonius,
class lecture
Exams, book reviews,
term paper
Minimum grade:
70%
Reading Burge,
Exams
other assigned
readings, class
lecture
identify the major
Burge, Eddy and
Exams, book reviews
introductory/critical issues that Boyd, class lecture
arise in the study of the New
Testament (i.e., "the critically
assured minimum").
formulate an educated opinion Assigned readings, Essay question on final
on the inspiration and
class lecture
exam
authority of the New
Testament.
understand and use the basic
Reading Patzia,
Exams, term paper
resources of New Testament
Fee and Stuart,
exegesis and hermeneutics.
class lectures
accurately identify and
Reading Fee and
Exams
interpret texts from the various Stuart, class
genre contained in the New
lectures
Testament.
Minimum grade:
70%
Minimum grade:
70%
Minimum grade:
70%
Minimum grade:
70%
Minimum grade:
70%
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7) grow in competently
interpreting the New
Testament as God’s word to
Christians and the church
today.
Reading Webb,
Carson, class
discussion
Exams, term paper, book
review
Minimum grade:
70%
Required Texts:
1. Burge, Gary M., Lynn H. Cohick, and Gene L. Green. The New Testament in Antiquity: A Survey of
the New Testament Within Its Cultural Contexts. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009. ISBN:
9780310244950
2. Carson, D. A. Exegetical Fallacies. 2nd Edition. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996. ISBN: 9780801020865
3. Fee, Gordon D. and Douglas Stuart. How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, 3rd Edition. Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2003. ISBN: 0310246040
4. Ferguson, Everett. Backgrounds of Early Christianity, 3rd Edition. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003.
ISBN: 0802822215
5. Patzia, Arthur G. and Anthony J. Petrotta. Pocket Dictionary of Biblical Studies. Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 2002. ISBN: 0830814671
6. Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars. ISBN: 0140449213
7. Eddy, Paul Rhodes and Gregory A. Boyd. The Jesus Legend: A Case for the Historical Reliability of
the Synoptic Jesus Tradition. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2007. ISBN: 9780801031144
8. Webb, William J. Slaves, Women, and Homosexuals: Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural
Analysis. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001. ISBN: 0830815619
Note: various other articles from dictionaries, journals, and web sites may also be required throughout the
semester.
Course Requirements, Assignments, and Projects:
1. Regular attendance and participation in class. This may include occasional homework exercises. (
2. Weekly reading. Complete the assigned reading before each class session.
3. Examinations. Two exams (a mid-term and final) will cover lectures, readings and terms from the
attached page (“Terms to Learn”). Make-up exams, if allowed, will be much more difficult.
(Midterm 20%, Final 25%)
4. Review of Ferguson's, Backgrounds of Early Christianity. The book is divided into 6 major
sections. Take at least one subject in each section and in a half page essay (single spaced) describe
how it might relate to an aspect of your personal understanding of NT interpretation. For example, in
the Society and Culture section, p. 78, there is a statement from a Jewish prayer book: "Blessed art
thou, O Lord our God, who has not made me a woman." However, this statement is not necessarily
misogynistic because it probably refers to women being restricted from fulfilling certain religious
rituals. There are many positive statements in rabbinic literature about women. How might this apply
to statements about women's role in the NT? (5%) Due Jan 27.
5. Summary of selected sections of Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars. Write a two page (double spaced)
summary description on each of the following Caesars (you will have twelve pages total, two pages
per Caesar): Augustus, Tiberius, Gaius (Caligula), Claudius, Nero, Domitian. (5%) Due Feb 3.
6. Summary of Eddy and Boyd, The Jesus Legend. Read chapters 1-3 and 8-10. Write a 3 page
summary of each chapter (you may make your summary longer if you wish, but for grading purposes
I'm only looking for at least 3 pages per chapter.). (10%) Due Feb 17.
7. Review of Webb's Slaves, Women, and Homosexuals. Read the entire book and write a 6-8 page
summary and review (you may make your summary and review longer if you wish, but for grading
purposes I'm looking for 6-8 pages). In the first three pages, summarize Webb's argument. In the next
three pages, explain your agreement or disagreement with his "redemptive movement hermeneutic." I
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will post reviews by Grudem (against) and McKnight (in favor) on Blackboard which may help you as
you formulate your own position. (10%) Due Mar 31.
8. Quiz over Carson's Exegetical Fallacies, at beginning of class period, Apr 7. (5%)
9. Paper. The paper will be 10-12 typed, double-spaced pages. Content will be the most important
consideration in grading, but resources, grammar, spelling, etc., will also affect the grade. Late papers
will be penalized. For the topic and requirements see the attached “Paper Guidelines.” Due April 14.
(20%)
Note: All papers due in the class should be submitted electronically using Blackboard.
Grading: 100-90% - A; 89-80% - B; 79-70% - C; below 70% -F
Attendance Policy: Students are expected to come to class. Any absences should be discussed with me.
Academic Integrity: In keeping with our identity as a Christian University and our goal to help shape
lifelong disciples of Christ, academic integrity will be taken very seriously in this class. Unless specific
permission is given to collaborate on assignments with other students, each student's work shall be his/her
own. Cheating on exams or assignments and plagiarizing on written assignments will, depending on the
severity of the case, result in penalties ranging from a significantly reduced grade on the assignment to
failing the course. Decisions in these matters rest with the instructor. Instances of cheating or plagiarism
will also be reported to members of the administration. See the Student Handbook or Lipscomb’s web
site.
Students Requiring Accommodations: If you require special considerations for a documented
disability, please discuss this with me immediately. If you are entitled to accommodations but have not
yet registered with the Counseling Center, contact that office at 966-1781.
Dropping the Course: Deciding to stop attending class does not constitute dropping the course. After
Jan 17th, a drop/add form (available in the Registrar's Office) must be signed by the teacher and
processed in the Registrar's Office before the drop is official. If your name is still on the roster at the final
grading time you will be assigned a grade based on the policies of this syllabus.
Jan 17--Last day to drop on the web (no drop form necessary) Mar 25--Last day to drop
Class Schedule:
Note: This schedule is subject to change. A tentative description of assignments is given below. It
indicates some of the major readings and writing assignments, but other work may be added to the
schedule depending on class progress and development. If you miss a class, contact a classmate or me to
find out what was assigned. Being prepared for class is always your responsibility.
Jan 13: 1. Course introduction 2. Brief History of Biblical Research
Readings:
1. Phillip Camp, "A Very Brief History of Biblical Research" (on Blackboard)
2. Brian McLaren, "Why I Am Liberal/Conservative," A Generous Orthodoxy. Grand Rapids,
Zondervan, 2004. (on Blackboard)
3. Burge, Chapter 1.
4. Fee and Stuart, Chapter 1
Page 3 of 11
Jan 20: 1. Textual Criticism 2. Translations
1. Burge, Chapter 27
2. Fee and Stuart, Chapter 2
3. Eugene Peterson, Chapters 8-9 from Eat This Book. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007, pp.
121-76. (on Blackboard)
Jan 27: Canon Issues
1. Daniel J. Harrington, "The Old Testament Apocrypha in the Early Church and Today," in
The Canon Debate, ed. Lee Martin McDonald and James A. Sanders. Peabody, Mass.:
Hendrickson, 2002. (on Blackboard)
2. Review of Ferguson due
Feb 3: 1. How We Know About the New Testament World: Methods and Resources 2. The Use
of the OT in the NT 3. The Synoptic Problem (part 1)
1. Burge, Chapters 2-3
2. “Why Doesn’t the NT Always Quote the OT Accurately?” (on Blackboard)
3. Review of Suetonius due
Feb 10: 1. The Synoptic Problem (part 2) 2. Form and Redaction Criticism
1. Burge, Chapters 5-7
Feb 17: 1. John's Gospel 2. Interpreting the Gospels: Narrative and Parables
1. Burge, Chapter 11
2. Fee and Stuart, Chapters 7-8
Feb 24:
Midterm
Mar 3: The Quests for the Historical Jesus
1. Summary of The Jesus Legend, Chapters 1-3, 8-10 due.
Mar 10: Acts and Historical Precedent
1. Burge, Chapter 12
2. Fee and Stuart, Chapter 6
3. N.T. Wright, "Developing a Multilayered View: The Five-Act Model," in The Last Word
(New York: HarperCollins, 2005), 121-127. (on Blackboard)
3. Joel Stephen Williams, "Required, Permissible, or Forbidden," in A Primer on
Hermeneutics (unpublished). (on Blackboard)
Mar 17: Spring Break
Mar 24: Authorship of Paul’s Letters
1. Burge, Chapters 4, 13, 19, 21
Mar 31: Interpreting Epistles
1. Fee and Stuart, Chapters 3-4
2. Review of Webb due
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Apr 7: Word Studies and Exegetical Fallacies
1. Quiz over Carson's Exegetical Fallacies at beginning of class
Apr 14: 1. Hebrews and Catholic Epistles 2. Revelation and the Apocalyptic Genre
1. Burge, Chapters 22-24, 26
2. Fee and Stuart, Chapter 13
3. Exegetical Paper due.
Apr 21: Inspiration and Inerrancy
1. Joel Stephen Williams, "Inerrancy, Inspiration, and Dictation," Restoration Quarterly 37
(1995). (on Blackboard)
2. P. D. Feinberg, "Inerrancy and Infallibility of the Bible," Web site: http://mbsoft.com/believe/text/inerranc.htm. (on Blackboard)
3. N. T. Wright, "The Story and the Task," from Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes
Sense (New York: HarperCollins, 2006), 185-97.
Apr 28— Final Exam
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The meaning and significance of each of the following terms should be learned. Use Patzia’s and
Petrotta’s Pocket Dictionary for this purpose. You should aim to be able to define each term with a
sentence or two, showing that you recognize the term and its significance.
Midterm Exam
Apparatus, Critical
Autograph
B.C.E.
Canon
Canonical Criticism
C.E.
Codex
Deuterocanonical Books
Emendation
Gattung
Gloss
Historie, historisch (and
Geschichte)
ipsissima verba Jesu
ipsissima vox Jesu
Kerygma
logion
LXX
Miniscule
Narrative Criticism
Oral Tradition
Papyrus
Parchment (Vellum)
Passion Narrative
Pseudepigrapha
Recension
Redactor
Second Temple Judaism
sensus literalis
sensus plenior
Sitz im Leben
Targum
Textus Receptus
Uncial
Vorlage
Vulgate
Final Exam
Allegorical Method
Amanuensis
Apocalyptic
Biblicism
Bibliolatry
Catholic Epistles
Deconstruction
Demythologization
Diatessaron
Dissimilarity, criterion
of
Early Catholicism
Eschatology
Feminist Hermeneutics
(feminist criticism)
Genre
Gnosticism
hapax legomenon
Hellenism, hellenization
Koine
Paranesis
Parousia
Pastoral Epistles
Pauline school
Pericope
Pesher
Provenance
Pseudonymous
Salvation History (or
Heilsgeschichte)
Semitism
Talmud
terminus ad quem
terminus a quo
Typology
vaticinium ex eventu
Page 6 of 11
Paper Guidelines
Paper Content
The paper will be 10-12 typed, double-spaced pages (not counting the bibliography).
Content will be the most important consideration in grading, but resources, grammar, spelling,
etc., will also affect the grade. The paper is due April 14th, submitted electronically via
Blackboard. Late papers will be penalized.
The intent of your paper is to provide an exegesis of 1 Timothy 2:11-15.
As sources, each student should consult at least the following:
At least four modern (copyright 1970 or later), scholarly commentaries. The commentaries
should reflect the theological spectrum. Though they have some good insights, do not use
commentaries such as Calvin, Luther, Coffman, Boles, Lipscomb, Dehoff, Barnes’ Notes,
Barclay’s Daily Study Bible, Adam Clarke, Matthew Henry, Johnson’s Notes, notes in a Study
Bible, or on-line commentaries.
Commentary series that generally represent the liberal-critical position are: Anchor Bible Commentary;
Augsburg Commentary; Continental Commentary; Hermeneia; International Critical Commentary;
Interpretation; New Century Bible Commentary.
Commentary series that generally represent the conservative end are: College Press NIV Commentary;
Living Word (pub. by Sweet/Abilene Univ.); New American Commentary; New International
Commentary on the New Testament; New International Greek Testament Commentary; Tyndale
Commentaries.
Two commentary series that generally fall in the middle of the spectrum are New International Biblical
Commentary and Word Biblical Commentary.
*You are not limited to these commentary series.
At least two articles from scholarly journals. Such journals include: Biblica; Bibliotheca
Sacra; Catholic Biblical Quarterly; Expository Times; Harvard Theological Review;
Interpretation; Journal of Biblical Literature; Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society;
Journal for the Study of the New Testament; Journal of Theological Studies; Themelios; New
Testament Studies; Novum Testamentum; Restoration Quarterly.
You are not required to use any on-line sources, and be aware that most of the material online is either out of date or not scholarly. If you decide to do research on-line, you may use
only the following sources:
http://www.ntgateway.com
http://www.otgateway.com
http://www.wabashcenter.wabash.edu/Internet/front.htm
http://sim74.kendrickparish.com
A portion of the paper grade will depend on the use of proper grammar, spelling, etc. Here are
some suggestions:
1. Use Turabian format. For a helpful guide on this format see the examples below and
also: http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/DocChicago.html or
http://citationmachine.net/.
Page 7 of 11
2. Include a Works Cited page at the end. Here you should include only those sources cited
in your paper. You may consult many sources that go unused in your paper. This is a
sad element of research that you just have to learn to live with.
3. Margins should be at least 1 inch on all sides, and the font should be Times New Roman
12 point.
4. If you use someone else’s words, put the words in quotation marks. If you directly cite
an author or use his/her idea, give credit. Use footnotes. Plagiarism (i.e., the
unacknowledged use of another’s words or ideas) will result in a 0 grade for the
paper.
5. You may not consult with other students or use other students’ papers (past or
present). This is to be your work based on your research.
6. Proofread your work. Better yet, have someone else do it. Run the spell-checker, and
watch for common slips that the spell-checker will not catch (e.g., confusing “there” and
“their,” or “to” and “too,” or using “her/him” when you should have used “she/he”).
Samples of Commonly Used Turabian Styles
Commentary in a Series
Footnote:
D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991), 650-55.
Works Cited:
Carson, D. A. The Gospel According to John. Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1991.
Journal Article
Footnote:
Linda Belleville, "'Born of Water and Spirit:' John 3:5," Trinity Journal 1 (1980): 125.
Works Cited:
Belleville, Linda. "'Born of Water and Spirit:' John 3:5." Trinity Journal 1 (1980): 125-41.
Dictionary Article
Footnote:
James D. G. Dunn, "Spirit," in NIDNTT, ed. Colin Brown (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
1978), 3:699.
Works Cited:
Dunn, James D. G. "Spirit." In NIDNTT, ed. Colin Brown, vol. 3, 697-701. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 1978.
Page 8 of 11
COMMON TERM PAPER PITFALLS
1) Deficiencies in Structure
a) Failure to delimit your topic sufficiently.
b) Poor organization. Please
i) lay out your goal(s) plainly near the beginning of the paper
ii) organize your paper around your goal(s)
iii) use subheadings and/or topical sentences to provide clear
delineation of various sections
iv) summarize your results at the end
c) Wandering into peripheral areas. Restrict your discussion to that
which is directly pertinent to your goal(s).
2) Deficiencies in Research
a) Reliance on popular level sources, which often promote inaccuracies.
b) Reliance on older materials that reflect positions that are now out-ofdate. (Of course, they may be cited as part of a history of
interpretation.)
3) Deficiencies in Argumentation
a) Failure to cover all significant positions on your subject.
b) Failure to reply to all major arguments against your own position or in
favor of other positions.
c) Illegitimate use of scholars as authorities. The authority lies in the
evidence and arguments presented by scholars, not in the scholars
themselves.
d) Writing a bibliographical essay that reports on the viewpoints espoused
by various scholars but does not evaluate them and move toward your
own opinion.
e) Failure to note whether your source actually agrees with a certain view
or just presents it as one option among many.
4) Deficiencies in Academic Style
a) Overquoting. Use direct quotations reluctantly.
b) Inefficient use of footnotes. In addition to providing necessary
references, footnotes should be used for additional bibliographical
information (e.g., a list of those who hold a particular view) and for
items that are significant, but do not contribute directly to your goal
(e.g., technical sidelights such as minor textual variants, interesting
quotes that do not quite belong in the text, etc.).
5) Other Problems
a) Misspellings and other evidence of not proofreading carefully.
b) Lack of attention to Turabian.
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How to Write a Biblical Exegesis Paper
(Adapted from Dr. Mark Black)
1. Choose a passage (usually from 5-20 verses).
2. Read entire document through several times, paying attention to historical context.
3. Read one or two good introductions to the book, to challenge or verify your impressions.
4. Confirm the limits of the passage. Is it a single, whole thought unit?
5. Establish the text. Check for variants in the Greek or Hebrew text.
6. Analyze the flow and logic of the text. Construct an outline of the text.
7. Analyze sentence structure, grammar, and significant words.
8. Research the historical and cultural background. What must one know in order to understand
this text?
9. Ask questions related to specific genre. Most importantly, how does this text relate to the
larger context? If an epistle, what part of the epistle is this? If a gospel, how does this passage
relate to what comes before and after? If a gospel, how does it compare to the other gospels?
10. Determine the major point or points the writer intended to make to his original audience.
Why did the writer include this passage? (This is the major concern of this paper.)
11. Consider the broader context. What does this writer say elsewhere that may shed light on this
topic? What do other biblical writers say?
12. Read broadly in commentaries, encyclopedias, and journals to confirm or challenge your
interpretations. Good commentaries serve as guides to what you should include and
emphasize.
13. Write the paper.
Suggested Outline
1. Introduction (matters related to whole passage)
A. Assumptions regarding date, author, recipients, etc.
B. Other introductory matters such as literary context of whole
2. Detailed comments (usually a verse by verse or paragraph by paragraph approach)
A. Details of word meanings, grammar, historical and cultural details, parallel passages
B. Details related to form, source, and redaction criticism
3. Meaning of whole
A. Reconstruction of situation, if appropriate
B. What author was intending to say to original readers
4. Conclusion
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A. Relationship to biblical context
B. Meaning for today (optional)
5. Bibliography (commentaries, introductions, encyclopedias, journals, etc.)
Common Mistakes of Writers of Exegesis Papers
1. Failure to delimit topic sufficiently.
2. Failure to utilize best resources. You must use recent works by authors who are scholars, and
you must consult the journal literature. Older and popular-level writings will not suffice.
3. Failure to use primary sources. If, for example, you want to quote Josephus, read the
appropriate section of Josephus for yourself before you cite it.
4. Illegitimate use of scholars as authorities. Authority does not lie in the writer but in his or her
evidence for the position.
5. Overquoting. Rarely do you need long quotes. In fact, it is usually better to summarize rather
than quote. You must still give credit to the source in a footnote.
6. Poor organization. Make clear what you intend to do in each section of the paper. Subheadings
and topic sentences are helpful.
7. Inefficient use of footnotes. Footnotes are to be used for more than simply citing sources.
They also should contain information which does not belong in the paper but which may be
of interest to the reader.
8. Misspelling and other evidence of failure to proofread carefully (for example, its/it’s and
there/their.)
9. Failure to use proper form. Use Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and
Dissertations. See http://www.lib.ohio-state.edu/guides/turabiangd.html or others.
10. Failure to use 1” margins and 12 point type (Times New Roman or similar).
11. Use of poor grammar, sentence fragments, comma splices, and run-on sentences.
12. Informal writing: Do not use contractions or slang. Use the first person rarely and the second
person never.
13. Use of in-text notes. Use footnotes.
15. Failure to keep a copy for yourself.
16. Too few or too many pages. The paper should be 10-12 pages.
17. Preaching. This is an academic exercise in exegesis. If you want to make contemporary
application, save it for a small labeled section at the end of the paper.
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