NT502CA Interpreting the New Testament Instructor: Gerry Wheaton May 30 Aug 21 Weekend meetings: Jun 2-3, Jun 23-24, Jul 14-15 Purpose of the course To lay a strong foundation of knowledge and skills for a lifetime of detailed, careful, and fruitful study of the New Testament for ministry of many kinds. A wide range of gifts, callings, and ministries are represented among students in this course. The hope and expectation is that by furnishing a broad foundation for responsible, fruitful and rich study of the New Testament, the course will enable students to adapt the knowledge and skills acquired to the particular needs and demands of the ministry they pursue. Primary emphases The course is structured around the epistle of 1 Thessalonians. Students will be introduced to several important steps in the exegetical process in a way which combines abstract reflection on the concepts in view as well as immediate application of the skills sought through analysis of 1 Thessalonians. By the conclusion of the course, and in addition to having gained a basic understanding of how to exegete a NT passage, students will have mastered much of the Greek text of 1 Thessalonians and gained considerable insight into the historical setting, cultural backdrop, Old Testament influence, and theological contours of this earliest epistle of Paul s. (This would make for a wonderful sermon, Sunday school, or Bible study series beginning in September!) Needless to say, a busy minister (in whatever ministry) cannot spend three months working through the exegesis of a single passage! On the other hand, the process of initially acquiring the exegetical skills that will root one s ministry more fully in Scripture require greater time than will be necessary to utilize them going forward in one s ministry. Please be patient with yourselves, then, and keep in mind that diligence now will lead to greater skill and efficiency in the study of God s Word later!
The course structured around three primary areas: (1) how to approach a book for extended study, reflection, and teaching; (2) how to exegete the various types of literature in the NT; (3) how to interpret and appropriate a NT passage in a way that speaks truthfully and prophetically into the contemporary Church and society. The bulk of instruction, reading, and assigned work will focus upon the second of these (the exegetical process) since this is the most difficult area for beginning students. An outline of these foci is as follows: 1) Approaching a book a. Formation of a detailed outline b. Identification of key themes and emphases c. Characterizing the socio-historical setting of a book 2) Textual analysis a. Text criticism: determining the most likely original reading of a passage in which manuscripts attest multiple variants b. Syntax and semantics: analyzing the language used by the author to communicate his message; this includes difficult grammatical constructions and the meanings of key words. c. Old Testament & Cultural backgrounds: probing the extent to which a passage reflects the influence of these backgrounds and the importance of this influence for interpretation. 3) Interpretation a. Hermeneutics: reflecting on the way in which we come to interpret a text of any kind. b. Contemporary cultural exegesis: Integrating ongoing reflection on the culture in which we live and serve into our interpretation and appropriation of Scripture. Tip for success in this course Success in this course will depend heavily upon students commitment to working for 10 hrs/week throughout the course. Whereas some courses permit an erratic or irregular approach to reading and other coursework (4 hrs one week; 0 hrs another wk; 15 hrs a third week), this course is simply too demanding for such an approach. Learning in this course will happen most
effectively through regular exposure to the material. Students who fall behind will very likely become overwhelmed and have difficulty completing the course in a satisfactory way. Evaluation - 10% Approaching a NT book - 10% Text criticism - 15% Greek quizzes - 20% Syntax and semantic analyses - 15% Exam on reading - 30% Exegesis paper Approaching a Book 10% (due 4pm June 16) The first assignment is to prepare a detailed outline of 1 Thessalonians (of whatever length seems appropriate) as well as a 3-5 page paper (double spaced) introducing the letter. Preparing an outline An outline forms the beachhead in any focused study of a Biblical book. As the first step in the exegetical process, the aim is to gain a provisional sense for the flow of thought across the work as a whole and so to establish the thematic context that will guide the analysis of individual passages. For this reason, an outline is not a paraphrase of every paragraph or chapter but proceeds by summarizing each section and subsection in a phrase or, at most, a short clause. (Work that merely paraphrases the successive sections of the book as demarcated in an English Bible will not receive a favorable grade.) Proceed by reading the handout from Doug Stuart s OT Exegesis textbook (supplied) and by following the following steps: i. Read through the entire work several times. As you do, reflect carefully on the following matters (these observations should figure in your 3-5 page paper): a. Discover everything you can about the purpose. Does the author explicitly say anything about it? What is implied? b. Note special emphases or concerns that emerge. What words or ideas are frequently repeated? What unusual vocabulary recurs? What, if anything, might these tell you about the occasion or purpose?
ii. After having acquainted yourself with the work as a whole, seek to identify the major breaks in the text. These become the main points in your outline. Look for major shifts in the focus of the text, such changes in subject matter, changes in tone, references to historical events, etc. There are commonly only a handful of major sections in a book (if you identify 13, you have found too many!). Summarize each of these sections in a sentence or less. iii. Next, re-read the first major section and identify secondary level divisions within the text. Do the same thing with each major section. Summarize each of these sections in a sentence or less. iv. Next, identify third order divisions within each of the secondary divisions across the book. Summarize each of these sections in a sentence or less. Paper introducing 1 Thessalonians This is a tremendously important step in approaching a book that one plans to preach or teach through for an extended period. Doing a preliminary survey of the lay of the land provides invaluable context for more detailed and focused study of individual passages. This can also serve as a wonderful handout for people in church. The basic idea is to identify and describe the wide range of factors that bear upon one s understanding of the author s purposes in the book. First, while preparing the outline, identify the key themes and emphases of the author across the work as a whole: Why does he seem to have written in the first place? What is topics does he address himself to? Are his concerns doctrinal? Do they pertain to lifestyle? Are there threats to the Church that he addresses? Where is he when he writes? When is he writing? Under what circumstances in the Church or his own life does he write? Are there important historical individuals who come into play besides the author? What is their role? What can you observe about the tone of the work (laudatory, urgent, fearful, persuasive, etc.). Make as many observations as possible in your notes. Next, read around a fair bit of introductory material. This is an important step because it fills in gaps in your initial observations and also takes you out of your own tradition a bit and furnishes valuable additional insight into the work in view. Read the introductory discussions at
the start of some of the better commentaries 1 as well as treatments in 2-3 NT introductions (for examples, see below under recommended reading). It is also beneficial to skim over 1-2 articles in the major NT dictionaries (again, see under recommended reading). The aim in this is to learn about the socio-historical circumstances of the book and its intended audience: What do we know about the city or region addressed? What do we know about the audience addressed? What about the relation of the author to the audience? How much can we say about the date and provenance of the composition? Does this bear upon interpretation in any way? Learn as much as you can about these kinds of issues from the reading. When you have finished, step back and synthesize all of your notes into a 3-5 page summative description. Use your own judgment as to what to focus upon and what to pass over, etc. Note well: this paper should be very dense! There should be many references to passages in 1 Thessalonians as well to to the literature you have read. For referencing literature, use footnotes as learned in CT500. Text criticism 10% (due 4pm June 23) Textual criticism is an important and difficult field of study. The aim of this portion of the course is to introduce students to the basic issues surrounding the analysis of a textual variant in a New Testament text. Students should begin by familiarizing themselves with the introduction to the 28 th edition of The Greek New Testament, edited by Nestle-Aland (pp. 48-88) paying special attention to the critical signs and abbreviations used in the textual apparatus and the margins of the Greek text (pp. 54-79). Students should then read Paul Wegner, A Student s Guide to Textual Criticism of the Bible: Its History, Methods, and Results (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2006) chs 1-3 and 7-10. ((It is assumed the students already own a Greek New Testament (either Nestle-Aland. Novum Testamentum Graece, 28th Edition. Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, or, The UBS Greek New Testament: Reader s Edition with Textual Notes, 4th Revised Edition. Edited by Barbara Aland, et al. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 2010). Anyone testing into the course who does not already own a Greek New Testament will need to purchase one as soon as possible. Students who do not 1 The following series are best: International Critical Commentary; Anchor Biblical Commentary; New International Greek Testament Commentary; Word Biblical Commentary.
own an NA 28, will need to read the section mentioned above in the edition found in the campus library.)) TC assignment Using the analytical chart from Wegner (p. 228), analyze the following two textual variants in 1 Thessalonians: [ν]ήπιοι at 2:7, and τοῖς [a`gi,oij] ἀδελφοῖς at 5:27. Follow the examples of Wegner on pp. 250 and 252 closely, specifying the pertinent information for each witness in parentheses (e.g., 81 [minuscule from 1044; Alexandrian family; category II] ). Your conclusions should be extremely succinct (fitting easily within the final box in the chart) and should clearly reflect (1) the categories described in Wegner ch 2, and (2) the text critical logic outlined in Wegner ch 8.3. Discussions that fail to meet these criteria will receive a failing grade. Finally, consult 4-5 commentaries on 1 Thess 2:7, summarize the arguments adduced for the each of the readings, and explain the errors in the logic of those whose conclusion differs from your own. This should not take more than one single-spaced page. Wegner has ample information to support this assignment. If you wish to do additional reading, you will find helpful information for NT MSS in the back of NA 28 (pp. 792ff.). You will also find additional examples of analyses of textual variants in the magisterial work of Bruce M. Metzger and Bart D. Ehrman, The text of the New Testament: its transmission, corruption, and restoration (4 th ed.; New York : Oxford University Press, 2005) pp. 316-344 (but do NOT read the treatment of 1 Thess 2:7 [pp. 328-330] until you have completed your charts and drawn your own conclusions). Students may also be interested to read a brief article on Erasmus Greek New Testament by Ryan Reeves (Dean of Gordon-Conwell s Jacksonville campus and professor of historical theology): http://www.reformation21.org/articles/church-historys-greatest-myths.php Greek quizzes 15% (due 4pm June 16, 30, and July 14) Three quizzes will examine the student s assimilation of new grammar in Kostenberger et al. and of new vocabulary during the first two months of the course. - Quiz 1 (June 16) will cover the nominative, accusative, and genitive cases and vocabulary from Kostenberger p. 73
- Quiz 2 (June 30) will cover the dative case, participles, and vocabulary from Kostenberger p. 109 - Quiz 3 (July 14) will cover the infinitive and vocabulary from Kostenberger p. 141 Syntax and semantic analysis 20% (due 4pm June 23 and July 28) The careful study of the Greek of a passage is critical to our engagement with it! This will be difficult at first, but with time students will become much more proficient at this. Although this portion of the course will require the investment of many hours, future study of a Greek passage will require considerably less time as one becomes more comfortable with the language and the tools available today to the student of Scripture. The aim of this part of the course, then, is to promote greater proficiency in the analysis of the Greek text so that students are realistically able to do their Bible study for teaching and preaching purposes beginning from the Greek text, rather than the English text, of the book in question. By setting the starting line for one s study of a given passage of Scripture further back, in this way, we set ourselves up to discover far greater riches, including aspects of Biblical instruction that are not trending in popular evangelical churches or movements. In order to accomplish the goal of greater proficiency in the analysis of Greek text, students must (1) deepen their understanding of the Greek language, and (2) develop dexterity in the use of the most important tools for the study of NT Greek. Before proceding with the assignments in this section, students are strongly advised to read the following three articles (esp. on BDAG; these will be supplied as PDFs). Rodney Decker, Introduction to BDAG Jim Darlack, Review of NIDNTTE David Allan Black, Linguistics for students of New Testament Greek (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker, 2002) ch 6 Historical and comparative linguistics: The biography of Greek. Syntax and semantic analyses Two detailed syntactical and semantic analyses of the Greek text of 1 Thessalonians will be submitted according to the schedule below. Do not PARSE anything! Rather, pull each passage apart on the level of syntax: Discuss, explain, and analyze every facet of the grammar that
is not obvious or may be interpreted in different ways. Each analysis submitted must make use of any two advanced grammars 2. Analyses must also utilize 1-3 technical commentaries. 3 Do NOT use Greek handbooks such as the Baylor Handbook of the Greek New Testament, or The new linguistic and exegetical key to the Greek New Testament (by Cleon Rogers), etc. These works will short-circuit your learning process in this course as well as your ability to engage in-depth the NT text yourself. (They can play a role in the future, but not in this course.) Analyses must also include studies of 1-3 words that seem to have potential significance in the passage. Does usage outside the NT contribute anything (LXX, Apocrypha, Josephus, Philo, Papyri/Inscriptions [see Moulton and Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament])? Does usage elsewhere within the NT, and esp. in Paul, add anything to your understanding of the word in the passage? Conclude by explaining the meaning of the word in its context in your passage. ***These are to be densely written works: Be concise, not wordy! Do not submit analyses in list or tabular form, but write up your analyses in running commentary (prose) format. Use the commentaries listed above as examples. There is no page minimum or maximum. Due dates are as follows: - Paper #1 on 1 Thess 1:1-10 due June 23. Please focus especially on participles, infinitives, and the four cases. - Paper #2 on 1 Thess 2:1-20 due July 28. Please focus especially on participles, infinitives, and the four cases. 2 E.g., Andreas J. Köstenberger, et al., Going Deeper with New Testament Greek (2016); Daniel B. Wallace, Greek grammar beyond the basics (1996); Friedrich Blass, Albert Debrunner, Robert W. Funk, A Greek grammar of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (1961). 3 The following series are best: International Critical Commentary; Anchor Biblical Commentary; New International Greek Testament Commentary; Word Biblical Commentary; Hermeneia.
Cultural contexts: Old Testament, Jewish and Greco-Roman backgrounds, contemporary setting of the church 15% (due 4pm July 13 and Aug 21) Exam on reading, 15% (July 13) An exam will test knowledge gained from the readings in Hurtado and Middleton. Students should be prepared to write brief essay responses to questions about Hurtado s discussion of Early Christian Distinctiveness in the Roman World as well as Middleton s sketch of Biblical theology and eschatology (a critical category of theological thought for all the NT authors!!). These will be open-ended and will test students assimilation of the main contours of each author s presentation. N.B. Answers consisting of merely 2-3 short paragraphs will not receive a strong grade. Answers should be thorough (min. 1-page sg spaced). Exegesis paper 30% (Aug 21) Students will research and write a 8-12 page paper (doube-spaced) on 1 Thess 5:1-11. Please stay within these page limits: this will mean, on the one hand inquiring about enough interpretive issues in the passage to fill at least 8 pages, and on the other hand, writing with sufficient thought and discipline to stay within the 12-page upper limit. The paper will encompass all aspects of the exegetical process treated in this course, with special emphasis given to syntax and semantic analysis and to Old Testament and cultural backgrounds of the passage. This assignment should not be started before the third and final weekend meeting in which we will discuss details at greater length and work on some of the necessary skills for your research. Footnote style requirements (school policy) The primary expectation of GCTS for footnotes is that they be clearly written and consistent in style. The content of the notes should be consistent with Chicago (Turabian) Style. However, we will use local guidelines for numbering and format, as noted below. Footnotes should be flush with left margin (not indented/paragraph-indent style as indicated in Turabian). We are allowing this due to Microsoft Word default format to avoid students having to take the extra time to try to over ride the default.
Single-space the footnote internally, and no space between notes (in contrast to Turabian requirement, but consistent with Microsoft Word default format). Superscript footnote number as local option allowed by Turabian (no period, space) (not full-size note numbers [period, space] in notes) Font size for footnotes should be 10 pt. which is the default setting in Microsoft Word. Virtual Writing Center From Dr. Bob Mayer (Senior Librarian): One aspect of our writing programs on the Charlotte campus is the Virtual Writing Center directed by one of our Charlotte alums, Erin James. Erin and I want to make sure you and your students are all aware of the Virtual Writing Center and the free academic support we provide for GCTS-Charlotte students. Upon a student s request, we review student writing assignments for any course. A writing instructor works one-on-one with a student on their writing; some students need help with the basics, and some are already good writers and want to become even better. Some want coaching in a specific area, such as citations or grammar. Our writing instructors have graduate degrees from GCTS or other institutions. Our primary interaction is online (Sakai), but most of us are happy to talk via phone or Skype with a student if they want to, and we have a few folks who can meet in person on campus. The VWC is available to every student once they have completed the introductory writing course. Questions? Email: writingcenter@gordonconwell.edu. Reading Required Paul Wegner, A Student s Guide to Textual Criticism of the Bible: Its History, Methods, and Results (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2006). ISBN-10: 0830827315 ISBN-13: 978-0830827312
Andreas J. Köstenberger, Benjamin L Merkle, Robert L. Plummer, Going Deeper with New Testament Greek: An Intermediate Study of the Grammar and Syntax of the New Testament (B&H Academic, 2016) ISBN-10: 1433679086 ISBN-13: 978-1433679087 Andreas J. Köstenberger, Benjamin L Merkle, Robert L. Plummer, Charts for Intermediate Greek Grammar and Syntax: A Quick Reference Guide to Going Deeper with New Testament Greek Book Supplement (B&H Academic, 2016) ISBN-10: 1433649853 ISBN-13: 978-1433649851 Richard Bauckham, Bible and Mission: Christian Witness in a Postmodern World (Baker Academic, 2004) ISBN-10: 0801027713 ISBN-13: 978-0801027710 Larry W. Hurtado, Destroyer of the gods: Early Christian Distinctiveness in the Roman World (Baylor, 2016) ISBN-10: 1481304739 ISBN-13: 978-1481304733 J. Richard Middleton, A New Heaven and a New Earth: Reclaiming Biblical Eschatology (Baker, 2014). ISBN-10: 0801048680; ISBN-13: 978-0801048685 Recommended Joel Green and Lee Martin McDonald eds., The World of the New Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts (Baker, 2013) ISBN-10: 0801039622 ISBN-13: 978-0801039621 Further Bibliography David Trobisch, A User's Guide to the Nestle-Aland 28 Greek New Testament (SBL, 2013). ISBN- 10: 158983934X; ISBN-13: 978-1589839342 This guide introduces the complex new edition of the Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece, 28 th Edition, explaining its structure, the textcritical apparatus and appendices, and the innovations of the new edition. Approaching a NT book For the purposes of this course it is not necessary to purchase an Introduction to the New Testament, as library resources will suffice for assigned work. For the sake of future study of the New Testament, however, it is highly recommended that one of the following introductions be purchased and utilized each time one delves into the study of a new book or corpus of the NT:
o Donald Hagner, The New Testament: a historical and theological introduction (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker, 2012). o Paul J. Achtemeier, Joel B. Green, Marianne Meye Thompson, Introducing the New Testament: its literature and theology (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2001). o Eugene Boring, An introduction to the New Testament: history, literature, theology (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2012). New Testament dictionaries are also very valuable resources for one s study of the NT. These will include articles by scholars on whole books, on historical and cultural background matters, and on thematic and theological issues within individual authors and across the NT as a whole. The following are the best dictionaries. o New Interpreter s Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols.; Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2006-2009). **If you were going to purchase a single resource to aid your study fo the NT in the long run, this is the work. o Anchor Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992). Most important scholarly dictionary on the NT. It is probably a bit too technical for most readers and is now fairly dated. It remains a valuable resource, however, for those occasions when one wants to follow up on a topic discovered in one of the other works cited above. o IVP Dictionary series (Dictionary of Paul and his letters; Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels; Dictionary of the later New Testament & its developments, etc.). Please note: this was a wonderful work in the 1990 s. It is now quite dated. As revisions of this work come out, it will again be a very valuable resource for NT study. Text criticism Stanley E. Porter and Craig Evans, How We Got the New Testament: Text, Transmission, Translation (Baker, 2013) A nice, succinct introduction to history and transmission. Bruce M. Metzger and Bart D. Ehrman, The text of the New Testament: its transmission, corruption, and restoration (4 th ed.; New York : Oxford University Press, 2005). This is the standard and most authoritative work in the field. For those who wish to delve into the field in more depth, this is the place to start.
Syntax and semantic analysis Frederick W. Danker, Multipurpose Tools for Bible Study (2003), an outstanding review of the most important resources and literature for each field of Biblical studies (languages, historical backgrounds, archaeology, cognate literatures, etc.). A valuable resource for a beginning student with an academic bent. David Allan Black, Linguistics for Students of New Testament Greek: A Survey of Basic Concepts and Applications (Baker, 2000). A very helpful introduction to the broad field of linguistics as it bears upon New Testament study. Biblical theological matrix of NT thought T. Desmond Alexander, From Eden to the New Jerusalem: An Introduction to Biblical Theology (Kregel, 2009). Cultural backgrounds Joel B. Green and Lee Martin McDonald, The World of the New Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker, 2013). A great collection of essay-length introductions to the many facets of Jewish and Greco-Roman bacgrounds to the NT, with up-to-date bibliographies. John J. Collins & Daniel C. Harlow, eds., Early Judaism: A Comprehensive Overview (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2012). A thorough, accessible and authoritative survey Jewish history, culture and literature in the time of Jesus. James S. Jeffers, The Greco-Roman world of the New Testament era: exploring the background of early Christianity (Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP, 1999). Craig Evans, Ancient Texts for New Testament Studies: A Guide to the Background Literature (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2005). ISBN: 978-0801046179. Provides important introductory information on the wide range of Jewish and Greco-Roman literature used in NT study. Very concise. A valuable resource for the beginning and intermediate student.
Syllabus Addendum Academic Standards Cheating and plagiarism are considered serious breaches of personal and academic integrity. Cheating involves, but is not necessarily limited to, the use of unauthorized sources of information during an examination or the submission of the same (or substantially same) work for credit in two or more courses without the knowledge and consent of the instructors. Plagiarism involves the use of another person s distinctive ideas or words, whether published or unpublished, and representing them as one s own instead of giving proper credit to the source. Plagiarism can also involve over dependence on other source material for the scope and substance of one s writing. Such breaches in academic standards often result in a failing grade as well as other corrective measures. For more information, please consult the Student Handbook. ADA Policy The seminary complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. A student with a qualifying and authenticated disability who is in need of accommodations should petition the seminary in accordance with the stated guidelines in the Student Handbook. Cancellation of Class In the event the seminary has to cancel a class meeting (impending storm, professor illness, etc.), the Registration Office will send out an email (via the GCTS email account) notification to all students registered in the respective course. If the cancelation occurs the day of the scheduled meeting, the Registration Office will also attempt to contact students via their primary phone contact on record. The professor will contact the students (via GCTS account) regarding makeup. If a weekend class is cancelled, the class will be made up during the scheduled Make-Up weekend (see the Academic Calendar for the designated dates). For more info, consult your Student Handbook. Extension Policy Arrangements for submission of late work at a date on or before the end date for the semester as noted on the seminary s Registration Calendar are made between the student and professor. Formal petition to the Registration Office is not required in this case. This includes arrangements for the rescheduling of final exams. However, course work (reading and written) to be submitted after the publicized end date for the semester must be approved by the Registration Office. An extension form, available online, must be submitted to the Registration Office prior to the stated date. Requests received after this date will either be denied or incur additional penalty. For a full discussion of this policy, please consult the Student Handbook. Grades Faculty have six weeks from the course work due date to submit a final grade. Grades are posted on-line within twenty-four hours of receipt from the professor. Students are expected to check their CAMS student portal in order to access posted grades (unless instructed otherwise). Those
individuals who need an official grade report issued to a third party should put their request in writing to the Registration Office. Returned Work Submitted hard-copy course work will be returned to the students if they provide a self-addressed and postage- paid envelope with their final work. Work submitted without the appropriate envelope will be destroyed after the grade has been assessed and issued. Virtual Writing Center Free assistance in writing papers is available to students through the Virtual Writing Center at Gordon Conwell. The Virtual Writing Center is staffed by Gordon Conwell graduates, or writing tutors with specialized knowledge in writing and/or ESL. Generally, this service is available to students who have completed or are currently enrolled in one of the following three classes: CT500 (Introduction to Theological Research) CO501 (Introduction to Counseling Research) IS502 (Theological Research and Writing) If you enrolled in GCTS before Fall 2008, you were not required to take one of the three prerequisites above, and you may request access to the Virtual Writing Center. Also, ESL writing tutors are available to ESL students even if they are not currently enrolled in a degree program. If you do not meet one of these qualifications, but feel you would benefit from using the Virtual Writing Center, contact us and we will evaluate your status. Email writingcenter@gordonconwell.edu for more information.