Approaching the NT (Handout)

Approaching the NT (Handout)

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  Encountering the NewTestament DAY ONE Approaching the New Testament Overview The world behind the text The world within the text The world in front of the text1 Author Centred Text Centred Reader Centred WIndow' Stained Glass’ Mirror’ Background, Textual Criticism, Source, Form, Redaction Genre Analysis, Narrative Criticism, Intra/Intertextuality THE WORLD BEHIND THE TEXT Background Studies: Reader Response, Postmodern, John 5:2 2 Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. 3 In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. John 9:6-76 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, 7 saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. Ideological, Feminist 1 See W. Randolph Tate, Biblical Interpretation: An Integrated Approach (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2008).
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  “It seemed goodto the Greeks of Asia, in the opinion of the high priest Apollonius of Menophilus Azanitus: Since providence, which has ordered all things and is deeply interested in our life, has set in most perfect order by giving us Augustus, whom she filled with virtue that he might benefit humankind, sending him as a savior, both for us and for our descendants, that he might end war and arrange all things, and since he, Caesar, by his appearance excelled even our anticipations, surpassing all previous benefactors, and not even leaving to posterity any hope of surpassing what he has done, and since the birthday of the god Augustus was the beginning of the good tidings (euangellion) for the world that came by reason of him, which Asia resolved in Smyrna.”- Priene Inscription Textual Criticism2 Textual criticism is the field of study whose practitioners examine variant readings in various manuscripts in the effort to reconstruct the original wording of a written text. This kind of study is needed for texts whose autographs are no longer extant, which is the case for most ancient documents and all of the books of the NT.3 (1) Pastor (2) Theologian (3) Pietist (4) Commentator (5) Human (Scribe) Image taken from ‘http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/2011/02/2 text-criticism-in-a-nutshell/' 3 Definition taken from Martin, Ralph P., and Peter H. Davids, eds. Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1997.
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  JOHN 5:1-6 KJV: After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” ESV: After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” Source Criticism- A method of biblical study that seeks to determine the literary sources behind a final text. Luke 1:1-3 Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, 3 I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed. What elements of the process of transmission can you identify here?
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  Accounts of thetemptation of Jesus in the synoptic gospels (syn-optic = same view, as opposed to John’s gospel) Matthew Mark Luke Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. 12 And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. 3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” 4 Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’ ” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ” 7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; 9 and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ” 5 Then the devila led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ” 9 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’ 11 and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ” 12 Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” 11 Then the devil left him, 13 When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time. and suddenly angels came and waited on him. and the angels waited on him.
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  Matthew Mark Luke Baptism of Jesus Baptism of Jesus Baptism of Jesus Jesus is tempted Jesus is tempted Jesus is tempted At Nazareth: good news to the poor Preaching in Galilee Preaching in Galilee Calling of first disciples Calling of first disciples Jesus drives out an evil spirit Jesus drives out an evil spirit Healing the sick Jesus heals many Jesus heals many Calling of first disciples Sermon on the mount: beatitudes Sermon on the mount: fulfilling the law Sermon on the mount: giving, prayer and fasting Sermon on the mount: do not worry, do not judge, asking and seeking Sermon on the mount: discipleship and obedience Healing of a man with leprosy Healing of a man with leprosy Healing of a man with leprosy The centurion’s faith Jesus heals many The cost of following Jesus Jesus calms the storm Jesus restores two demon possessed men Jesus forgives the paralysed man Jesus forgives the paralysed man Jesus forgives the paralysed man The calling of Matthew The calling of Matthew The calling of Levi Jesus questioned about fasting Jesus questioned about fasting Jesus questioned about fasting Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath Jesus heals on the Sabbath Jesus appoints the twelve Jesus appoints the twelve Sermon ‘on a level place’: beatitudes and woes Sermon ‘on a level place’: do not take revenge, do not judge Sermon ‘on a level place’: discipleship and obedience The centurion’s faith The widow’s son Jesus and John the Baptist Jesus anointed by the sinful woman Jesus is accused by others Parables: the sower, the lamp Parables: the sower, the lamp Jesus’ mother and brothers Parables: the growing seed, the mustard seed Jesus calms the storm Jesus calms the storm The demon possessed man The demon possessed man The dead girl and the sick woman The dead girl and the sick woman The dead girl and the sick woman A prophet without honour Two blind men and a mute man The workers are few Jesus sends out the twelve Jesus sends out the twelve Jesus sends out the twelve
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  Form criticism- Thisapproach to biblical study emphasises the way individual stories may have been selected, shaped, and even created by the process of transmission. 1. Logia 2. Pronouncement 3. Parables 4. Speeches 5. Miracles Stories 6. Legends Mark 2:23-28 23 One sabbath he was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? 26 He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.” 27 Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; 28 so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.” Does this passage have a particular format (or ‘form’) we see elsewhere in the gospels? Are there reasons you think a this passage would be especially preserved in the life of the early church? Redaction Criticism: (Redaktionsgeschichte; redaction history). An interpretive method of biblical criticism. Attempts to discover how the biblical source material was gathered to form a single narrative and express a particular theological point.4 Barry, John D., and Lazarus Wentz, eds. The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, 4 WA: Lexham Press, 2012.
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  THE WORLD WITHINTHE TEXT Literary Criticism- These approaches examine the way in which the authors achieve their effect through their writing. For instance, how they use plot and narrative (‘narrative criticism’), or how how they use argument, irony and personal appeals (‘rhetorical criticism’). Genre- Ancient Biography, Apocalyptic, Letter, Circular Letter Narrative Intratextuality Intertextuality Markan Sandwich- Intercalcation THE WORLD IN FRONT OF THE TEXT Reader Response Approaches Reader-response criticism focuses on the readers and the process of reading. This method contends that the meaning of a text is created through the interplay of the reader and the text. Consequently, to some degree, meaning will differ from one reader to the next. There are varying views as to what extent a reader can create the meaning of a passage (in their own mind or psych). How have given bible passages been interpreted in the past (their ‘reception history’)? How do I negotiate, or even create, the meaning of the biblical text as I read it (‘reader response criticism’)? For instance, as a white, middle-class UK male, what meanings might I be likely to miss or manipulate? Are there ‘privileged’ readings of the Bible that need to be challenged by the experience of women (‘feminist criticism’) or the poor (‘liberationist criticism’)? Is there any fixed meaning in the text at all (‘deconstructionism’)?
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  Further Reading Introductory Moiyse, S., Introduction to Biblical Studies (London: Bloomsbury T & T Clark, 2013). Tate, W. Randolph, Biblical Interpretation: An Integrated Approach (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2008). Wenham, David, and Steve Walton, Exploring the New Testament: The Gospels and Acts. Second edition. London: SPCK, 2011. Chapters 3, 4 and 5. Intermediate Aune, David E., The Blackwell Companion to the New Testament (Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010). Advanced Bauckham, Richard, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2006).