Large numbers of valuable articles and books are published every year in the NT field. It is especially important that you know where such articles and books can be found and how to go about locating what you are looking for in this vast array of material. Since this has already been done well by Scholer and Fitzmyer, here I will simply call your attention to the more significant items with very little annotation.
13.1. Bibliographic Aids
The first task, and the one that lightens the load considerably when one knows precisely where to look, is the accumulation of a bibliography. In the NT field we are richly served at this point. See especially chapter 2 of DMS and chapter I(C) of JAF. The more significant published bibliographies that deal directly with NT exegesis are those on Christ and the Gospels by Metzger (DMS 2.5; JAF 16), on
148
Paul by Metzger (DMS 2.8; JAF 17), on Acts by the Mattills (DMS 2.7;
JAF 14), on John by Malatesta (DMS 2.6), and on “Festschriften” by Metzger (DMS 2.2; JAF 15). For current bibliography there are two absolutely indispensable tools:
Elenchus bibliographicus biblicus [DMS 2.32; JAF 61 New Testament Abstracts [DMS 2.33; JAF 181
You simply cannot expect to do serious and up-to-date work on anything in the NT without access to these two invaluable tools.
13.2. Periodicals
For the vast array of periodical literature that has scholarly articles on NT subjects, see chapter II in JAF. The more significant ones for NT study are:
Biblica [JAF 331
Catholic Biblical Quarterly [JAF 371
Expository Times [Not listed in JAF, but frequently it has some good quality articles]
Interpretation [JAF 401
Journal of Biblical Literature [JAF 411
Journal for the Study of the New Testament [JAF 421 New Testament Studies [JAF 441
Novum Testamentum [JAF 451 Revue Biblique [JAF 471
Zeitschrift fur die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft [JAF 551 13.3. Commentaries
For a more than adequate listing of the best NT commentaries for each of the NT books, see DMS, chapter 15. It must be remembered of course that good new commentaries appear with regularity. Scholer’s list includes those that appeared up to 1972. Beyond that date see the notices of new books in New Testament Abstracts.
Step 14. TRANSLATION
A good translation not only renders the words of the original into their best English equivalents; it also reflects the style, the spirit, and even the impact of the original wherever possible. You are the best judge of what constitutes a faithful translation. Your familiarity with the passage in the original, and with the audience for whom you write
IV. EXEGESIS AIDS AND RESOURCES 149 or preach, allows you to choose your words to maximize the accuracy of the translation. Remember that accuracy does not require wooden literalism. The words of different languages do not correspond to one another on a one-for-one basis. Your translation should leave the same impression with you when you read it as does the original. A translation , that meets this criterion can be considered faithful to the original.
Two recent books on Bible translation are very valuable. Both should be read in their entirety, rather than referred to only for specific information.
John Beekman and John Callow, Translating the Word of God (Zondervan Publishing House, 1974).
This book contains serious, thoughtful discussions of the special problems presented by translating Scripture from one language to another. There is advice on how to handle metaphors, similes, words with multiple meanings, idioms, etc.
Sakae Kubo and Walter Specht, So Many Versions? (Zondervan Publishing House, 1975).
This book reviews at length the major twentieth-century English translations of the Bible, providing copious examples from each, and commenting throughout on the translation techniques and assumptions involved.
For articles of all kinds on the theory and practice of translation, you should be aware of:
The Bible Translator (London, 1950-) [JAF 351 Step 15. APPLICATION
Books on hermeneutics as application are more difficult to suggest, partly because one’s interests here will depend significantly on one’s confessional stance. Perhaps the best comprehensive study of the whole hermeneutical task is:
A. Berkeley Mickelsen, Znterpreting the Bible: A Book of Basic Principles for Understanding the Scriptures (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1963). [DMS 16.81
You should also know about three books that deal with interpreting the NT, including discussions of the various methodologies outlined in this book as well as sections on “application.” Each also reflects a different confessional stance:
150 NEW TESTAMENT EXEGESIS
William G. Doty, Contemporary New Testament Interpretation (Prentice-Hall, 1972). [DMS 16.31
Daniel J. Harrington, S.J., Interpreting the New Testament: A Practical Guide; New Testament Message 1 (Michael Glazier, 1979).
I. Howard Marshall (ed.), New Testament Interpretation: Essays on Principles and Me8hods (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1977).
[JAP 5151
Another helpful book, dealing with the history of Biblical interpreta- tion, is:
Robert M. Grant, A Short History of The Interpretation of the Bible;
rev. ed. (Macmillan Co., 1963). [DMS 16.11
A recent important book that brings the whole discussion up to date is:
Anthony C. Thiselton, The Two Horizons: New Testament Hermeneutics and Philosophical Description with Special Refer- ence to Heidegger, Bultmann, Gadamer, and Wittgenstein (Wm. B.
Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1980).
Another recent book that wrestles with the hermeneutical issues raised by the various genres of the Bible is:
Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for AlZZts Worth (Zondervan Publishing House, 1982).
Finally, probably the best single introduction to the methodology of expository preaching, with step-by-step guidance for actual sermon preparation, is:
James W. Cox, A Guide to Biblical Preaching (Abingdon Press, 1976).
Index of Authors
Adams, A. W., 56, 138
Aland, Kurt, 86, 101, 102, 103-104, 140, 145
Almquist, H., 98, 141 Alsop, John R., 89, 140 Arndt, William F., 86, 140 Bachmann, H., 86, 140 Bahr, Gordon J., 143 Baird, J. Arthur, 145 Barclay, William, 144 Barker, Glenn W., 138
Bauer, Walter, 51, 57, 86, 87-89, 140 Beasley-Murray, George R., 42, 44 Beckwith, Isbon T., 42, 43
Beekman, John, 80, 139, 149 Beker, J. Christiaan, 147 Best, Ernest, 131
Betz, Hans Dieter, 97, 98, 141 Billerbeck, P., 98, 143
Blass, Friedrich, 79, 139 Bonsirven, J., 99, 142
Bromiley, Geoffrey W., 95, 142 Brooks, James A., 79, 139 Brown, Colin, 91, 141 Bultmann, Rudolf, 144, 146 Burton, Ernest D., 80, 140 Buttrick, George A., 94, 142 Callow, John, 80, 139, 149 Cary, Max, 95
Chamberlain, William D., 79, 140 Charlesworth, J. H., 96, 142 Conzelmann, Hans, 146
Cox, James W., 150 Crim, Keith, 95, 142 Dana, H. E., 79, 140
Danker, Frederick W., 13, 86, 140 Davis, W. H., 80, 140
Debrunner, Albert, 79, 139 Deissmann, Adolf, 143
Derrett, J. Duncan M., 95, 142 Dodd, C. H., 147
Doty, William G., 143, 150 DuPont-Sommer, AndrC, 97, 142 Fee, Gordon D., 52, 138, 150 Fitzmyer, Joseph A., 137 Friedrich, Gerhard, 91, 141 Froelich, K., 138
Funk, Robert W., 79, 80, 139, 140 Geden, A. 8, 86, 141
Gingrich, F. Wilbur, 86, 140 Goppelt , Leonhard, 146 Grant, Robert M., 150 Greenlee, J. Harold, 55, 138 Greeven, Heinrich, 102, 145 Grosvenor, Mary, 30, 139 Guthrie, Donald, 137, 147 Haarhoff, T. J., 95 Haase, Wolfgang, 96, 143 Haenchen, Ernst, 146
Harrington, Daniel J., 11, 150 Harris, Murray J., 80, 140 Hayes, John H., 11 151
154 I S P
II Thessalonians Z Peter
3:6 . . . 84 3:7 . . . 83 2:18_25 ...,. 119-132 4:6 ,... 77
I Timothy 516.. ... .82 2:14.. ... .lOO
Revelation
2:15.. ... 82, 83 Hebrews 6: 12-14... .43 3:6.. ... .81, 83 1:3.. ... .81 9:7-ll... 43