Library Resources: New Testament Exegesis (3206 & 4207 )
Many institutions and scholars use the label “Biblical Theology” rather than “History of Revelation,” and some use the label “Hebrew Bible” rather than “Old Testament,” so be sure to include various configurations in your search.
Guide to Doing Exegesis
- For the steps of exegesis, see Gordon D. Fee, New Testament Exegesis (4th), pp. 5-31, located at BS2331 .F43 1983
Translating Your Passage
- For Greek grammars, dictionaries, and other linguistic helps, see the pathfinder for Greek courses.
- Standard English translations are located in the Reference section at REF BS170-195, or in the stacks at BS140-195.
- Consult translations in major commentaries: these are often fresh and annotated.
- For grammatical difficulties, consult:
- Robert Hanna, A Grammatical Aid to the Greek New Testament, available in the Reference Section at REF PA817 .H3 1983.
- Timothy Owings, A Cumulative Index to New Testament Greek Grammars, available in the Reference Section at REF PA817 .095 C8 1983.
Solving Text-Critical Problems
- For general resources, see the pathfinder for NT textual criticism.
- For information on a particular text-critical variant, consult a commentary such as NICOT, AB, ICC, or WBC, all found in the commentary section.
Doing Word Studies
- Word searches are most efficiently done via Bible software. That said, Greek Concordances can be found in the reference section, see the shelf at REF BS 2302.
- For the meaning of a word in a particular context, consider:
- For basic translation work, the best one-volume Greek-English dictionary is A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature, Revised and edited by F. W. Danker. Third Edition. Available in the Reference Section at REF PA881 .B38 2000.
- To consider the significance of a word based on semantic domains, see also Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains. Edited by Johannes P. Louw and Eugene A. Nidea. Available in the Reference Section at REF PA881 .G68 1989 v.1, 2.
- For the theological significance of words, consult:
- New International Dictionary of the New Testament Theology and Exegesis, 5 vols., in the Reference Section at REF BS2312 .N48 2014, v. 1-5.
- Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, in the Reference Section at REF BS2312 .E913 1990, v. 1-3.
Understanding Literary Context
- For genre and hermeneutical principles, start with Klein, Blomberg, and Hubbard’s Introduction to Biblical Interpretation (BS476 K454 I5 2003) or Köstenberger and Patterson’s Invitation to Biblical Interpretation: Exploring the Hermeneutical Triad of History, Literature, and Theology at BS476 .K67 2011 (or the abbreviated version For the Love of God’s Word at BS476 K678 2015).
- Theological themes of a Bible book may be found in the introductory chapter of a commentary or in NT Introductions (also called Canonics). A variety of NT Introductions are available in the stacks at BS2330.
Unpacking Cultural Background
- For archaeological data, the Anchor Bible Dictionary (REF BS440 .A54 F7 1992) is a quick resource. More detailed information is available in the New Encyclopedia of Excavations of the Holy Land (REF DS111 .A2 E5813 1993). Biblical Archaeology Review is an attractive and accessible journal with a wealth of up-to-date information.
- For geography, atlases are available at REF G1021-2230.
- For religious and social institutions:
- consult a Bible dictionary such as Anchor Bible Dictionary (REF BS440 A54 F7 1992), International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (REF BS440 I6 1979) or New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible (BS440 N445 2006);
- do a library catalogue search for resources on a particular institution.
- For historical and cultural context, consult the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (5 vols) at REF BS2341.52 .Z66 2002, v. 1-4.
Consulting Commentaries
- Check D. A. Carson’s New Testament Commentary Survey (REF BS2341.52 .C37 2013) for the best commentaries on your Bible book.
- Excellent summaries of exegetical issues and the approach of most commentaries can be found in the Exegetical Summary Series found at COM BS2341.52 .E9.
- Major commentary sets are found in the commentary section upstairs.
- Many more commentaries and monographs are found downstairs, ordered by NT book, from Matthew (BS2570) through to Revelation (BS2825).
Drawing Lines from the OT
- Quotations and allusions to the OT in the NT can be found via the Scripture indexes at the back of your Greek New Testament, or from Finding the Old Testament in the New, esp. pp. 215ff (BS2387 S54).
- For the NT’s use of the OT, see Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (REF BS2387 .B43 2012).
- For Christological fulfillment, see Van Groningen, Messianic Revelation in the Old Testament (BT235 G76 1990).
Discovering the Message for Today
- Consult homiletical commentaries such as the Pulpit Commentary series, the NIV Application Commentary, or The Bible Speaks Today.