Interpreting the New Testament Text

by | May 29, 2007 | Bookreviews, Hermeneutics

Earlier this year I finished a very good and helpful text on the subject of New Testament exegesis (I mentioned it on this blog late last year): Interpreting the New Testament Text, edited by Darrell L. Bock and Buist M. Fanning. In this post I want to provide a brief review of the book that I hope would cause those of you who are series about exegesis to pick up the book and interact with its suggested methods and approach in deepening your exegetical studies. Interpreting the New Testament Text: Introduction to the Art and Science of Exegesis (INTT) is a seminary level text-book edited by Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) professors, Darrell L. Bock and Buist M. Fanning. The two editors collate contributions from fellow DTS professors and former students of current DTS professor Harold W. Hoehner (9, 18). The book is somewhat of a festschrift in honor of Dr. Hoehner and his years of faithful exegesis and Bible teaching ministry. The purpose of INTT is “to discuss the methods of exegesis that make it a skill that can be taught, while also giving samples of exegesis that reveal what exegesis looks like in the hands of mature practitioners” (24). Exegesis is defined in INTT most broadly as “a high-definition form of reading and studying the Bible” (17). More specifically, exegesis is defined as “setting forth the authors’/text’s meaning by interaction with the original language through the use of sound hermeneutics with a view to applying the text to the contemporary church and the world” (24). INTT summarizes the product of exegesis in three different outcomes: (1) to understand...

How the Old and New Testments Relate

by | Mar 31, 2007 | Biblical Studies, General Theology, Hermeneutics

The following articles written over at Expository Thoughts (as well as the comment threads) are excellent posts (and responses) dealing with the difficulties that inevitably arise when studying the Bible. I commend them to your careful reading. An Introduction Christological Hermeneutic Apostolic Hermeneutic The NT View of the OT The Priority of the Old Testament Common Mistakes in Preaching Walt Kaiser on 1 Peter 1:10-12 Paul’s Use of Hosea in Romans 9:25-26 Concluding...

Authorial Intent vs. Reader-Response

by | Nov 12, 2006 | Biblical Studies, Hermeneutics

Biblical Foundations » Authorial Intent vs. Reader-Response Andreas Kostenberger just caused me to add his commentary on the Gospel of John to my CapCravings. I don’t know about all of his hermeneutical positions, but I enjoyed his thoughts regarding the need to stay within the author’s intention when interpreting Scripture. I will be looking forward to his next posts on the subject. I have read him on 1 Timothy 2 and found him very helpful and convincing on the subject of women not teaching in the context of the local church. In short, I don’t find it legitimate to assign symbolic meaning to a text, when the original author provides or suggests no such symbolic intention. Maybe when I finish Romans, John should be my next book to tackle. We will have some time to make this decision, I don’t think I’ll be out of the eighth chapter of Romans until...