New Testament Class
9/28/2002
Go over quiz
Try to expand
10/5  from 10:30 to 1:00 pm
10/12 from  10:30 12:30

Explain Synoptic Problem

Derives from the observation that the first three books of the NT contain a striling high degree of verbal agreement between them and further, that the order of the material in each is in a large measure the same. The SP  problem occurs when differences are observed.
The most popular theory for explaning the relationship between the synoptic gospel is the Marcan priority.  The belief is that Mark is the first gospel and that Matthew and Luke use Mark as a source.
Two Source Theory – Matthew and Luke used Mark and another source called Q.  Q is thought to account for about 250 verses (mostly teaching material of Jesus) common to Matthew and luke but not to Mark.
Four Source Theory – M-source and L-source.  M source is postulated to account for material unique to Matthew and L-source for material peculiar to Luke.

When differences are observed, this 
Synoptic means with the same eye.

Lecture on Biblical Criticism

Textual Criticism – deals with the attempt to discover the original wording when variations are noted.  Which variant is correct?  What does the original wording say?
See Acts 8:37 (Missing from some Versions)
The Lord’s prayer – Matthew 6
When variations occur, the primary task of the exegete is to examine the variation, assess the relative importance, and decide how they affect the passage to be interpreted..

Internal Evidence and External Evidence.

The more difficult reading is preferred because scribes tended to smooth out difficulties rather than create them.
The shorter reading is preferred, because copyists tended to be expansionist rather than reductionist.
The earlier the reading the more likely it is to be authentic.

Historical Criticism – Deals with the text setting in time and space.  The historical, geographical, and culture setting  or the context of the orgianl author and audience.  If certain customs, events, places, and names are referenced but are unfamiliar to the exegete, then they will need to be clarified before understanding can come about.

We are concern with the
History in the text – What the text itself narrate or relates about history, persons, events, social  conditions  or ideas.
History of the text. – This is the story of the text itself.  How, why, when, where, and in what circumstances it originated; by whom and for whom it was written, compased, produced, and preserved.  Why was it produced, the influences that addected its origin, formation, development, preservation and transmission.
The Exegete is concerned with both the situation depicted in the text and the situation which gave birth to the text.
Dueteronomy 34 – Critics debate whether Moses wrote this chapter or not..
If the text contains references to persons, places,  and customs strange to the reader, it will be necessary that the E become familiar with the historical period or cultural setting to be able to understand what is being said .
Use Bible Dictinaries and Encyclopedias for this.

Grammatical

The set of skills and disciplines through which we seek to re-create and enter the original thought world of the author through the language of the text.
This includes the words themselves, either alone or in phrases, as well as the way which the words are put together or the syntax of the sentences or paragraph.
Terms such as remnant, covenant, repentance, or justification receive special treatment in Bible dictionaries and encyclopedias because of their historical significance.  Because of this the English tranislation may not be adequate except at the most elementary level.
Jeremiah 31:31-34 – the use of the term “new covenant”
Matthew 16:29 – Use of the phase “Son of Man” and “Kingdom”.
Use Bible dictionaries and encyclopedias
Bible lexicons and workbooks – provide information about the language itself rather than the history.
Bible concordances – list the various biblical verses in which a word occurs.
See 2 Cor 5:19Is the emphasis on God or Christ. 
Also, see Genesis 1:1The syntax make the exegetical difficulty.

Literary

Deals with the style, character, compositional techniques, and rhetorical patterns . .  The style of the writer, the employment of iimages and symbols etc..
Rhetoric – deals with how a speaker advocates a position and seeks to convince an audience or reader of the validity of that position.
Various factors may indicate the use of various sources.

1. Change in literary style
2. Shift in vocabulary
3. Breaks in continuity of thought or presentation
4. The presence of secondary linking and connecting statements
5. 5.  Changes in theological and other viewpoints
6. 6.  Dulications or repetition of material
7. 7. Clearly definded and isolatable sub-units
8. 8.  Chronological factual or other inconsistencies

See luke 4:16-30  Not just another event but an ingural event.

Form

Genre analysis focus more on the smaller literary blocks or pericopes.
Genre analysis is that aspects of vriticism which examines the form, content, and function of a particular usnit andd asks whether these are definite enough and typical enough for the unit to be classified and interpreted as belonging to a particular genre.  Form Crit. Is also concerned with establishing  and determining the “situation in life”. In which the particular genres were produced, shaped, and used..
What is said (content)
How it is said (Form)
In what setting it is said (Setting in life)

Tradition
Traditions are passed down in the form of stories, sayings, songs, poems, confessions, and creeds.    The OT and NT reflects periods of growth and developments before actual writing occurred.  This period is called the oral period.

Tradition criticism is concerned with both the nature of these traditions and how they are employed and modified in the course of a community history.  TC analyze the growth and developments that have occurred.

Exo 2:8  And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother.
Exo 2:9  And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.
Exo 2:10  And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.
Exo 2:11  And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.

Deu 5:12  Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.
Deu 5:13  Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:
Deu 5:14  But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
Deu 5:15  And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

Redaction
The primary focus is the editorial stage that lead toward the final written form of a passage( the tradition that has crystallized).
In those instances where a given text clearly reflects the use of previous traditions, texts, or stories, redaction criticism can be a valuable exegetical discipline.

Redaction Criticism take for granted the insights and perspectives of tradition and form criticism.

Passion Narrative for the Synoptic Gospels