The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown (3 page)

A BRIEF HISTORY OF NEW TESTAMENT INTRODUCTION

The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries

Before commencing our study, we need to take a moment to set the larger context of the science of NT introduction. In fact, students of the NT may not always realize that this field of research has a pedigree spanning several centuries. Perhaps the first modern NT introduction was produced by the French Roman Catholic scholar Richard Simon, who in 1689 wrote
A Critical History of the Text of the New Testament.
⁹

Several decades later, one of the most prolific Pietist scholars, Johann Bengel, wrote his massive
Gnomon of the New Testament
, though this work is written in commentary style rather than conforming to the conventional format of a NT Introduction.
¹⁰
Shortly thereafter, J. D. Michaelis (1717–91), professor at the University of Göttingen, produced his
New Testament Introduction
, in which he questioned the inspiration of nonapostolic NT literature.
¹¹

The Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries

One of the most influential NT introductions in the nineteenth century was the massive two-volume
Introduction to the New Testament
by Heinrich Holtzmann, in which the author articulated the emerging critical consensus: the two-document hypothesis, the theological rather than historical character of John; the questionable reliability of Acts; the pseudonymity of Ephesians and the Pastorals; the problematic authorship of the General Epistles; and the importance of Hellenistic backgrounds for Paul and John.
¹²

The early twentieth century saw the publication of Theodor Zahn's 1,100-page
Introduction to the New Testament
.
¹³
Zahn affirmed the traditional authorship of all four Gospels.
He reconstructed the order of writing of the NT letters as James, Galatians, 1–2 Thessalonians, 1–2 Corinthians, Romans, the Prison Epistles, and the Pastoral Epistles. Zahn argued for the authenticity of both 1 and 2 Peter and believed the apostle John wrote not only the Gospel and the three letters but also the Apocalypse. Thus Zahn provided a conservative counterpoint to Holtzmann and others representing the critical consensus and an important point of reference for subsequent conservative scholarship on matters of NT introduction.

Recent Contributions

More recently, the British scholar Donald Guthrie (1990) and North Americans D. A. Carson and Douglas Moo (with Leon Morris, 1992) have produced major evangelical NT introductions that set a high standard of scholarship while affirming conservative conclusions with regard to authorship, date, and other aspects of the NT literature.
¹⁴
Less conservative is the NT introduction by the Roman Catholic scholar Raymond Brown (1997).
¹⁵

CONCLUSION

As this very brief survey of the history of NT introductions shows, the present volume stands in a long history of efforts by scholars with a variety of perspectives ranging from conservative to critical. As mentioned at the outset, to a large degree this is a function of scholars' larger presuppositions with regard to the nature of Scripture. Nevertheless, we believe it is possible at least to some extent to meet on the common ground of the biblical text and of the available sources and evidence and to engage in scholarly work and dialogue. It will become apparent that the present work operates more closely in the conservative Zahn–Guthrie–Carson/ Moo tradition than in the more critical vein of the Simon–Michaelis–Holtzmann–Brown trajectory.

As we release this book to the public, we are well aware of the limitations associated with producing such a work. In this age of unprecedented proliferation of scholarly literature, who is adequate to such a task? Nevertheless, we believe it is a risk worth taking since the task of helping to equip another generation of Bible students with a portion of the knowledge of “the sacred Scriptures, which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim 3:15) must not be left undone. On this side of heaven, our knowledge will of necessity be preliminary and incomplete: “For now we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,” and long for the day when we will see Jesus “face to face” (1 Cor 13:12). In the meantime, we invite you to join us to press on to full Christian maturity (Phil 3:12–14)
as we grow in the knowledge and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet 3:18). May God be pleased to use this volume as a small tool toward that worthy and glorious end.

¹
See especially W. Baird,
History of New Testament Research
, 2 vols. (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1992, 2003).

²
See the reference to the Scriptures as “inspired by God” in 2 Tim 3:16.

³
The reason for this, at least in part, may be the continued hegemony of an approach to Scripture that holds doctrine—including the doctrine of Scripture—in abeyance and favors a primarily historical or literary mode of investigation. But this unduly neglects the third vital component of biblical interpretation, that is, theology. See A. J. Köstenberger,
Encountering John: The Gospel in Historical, Literary, and Theological Perspective
, EBS (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1999), 30–31.

⁴
See the classic article by W. A. Grudem, “Scripture's Self-Attestation and the Problem of Formulating a Doctrine of Scripture,” in
Scripture and Truth
, ed. D. A. Carson and J. D. Woodbridge (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983), 19–59.

⁵
See the doctrinal base of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS), reproduced at www.etsjets.org.

⁶
See A. J. Köstenberger and R. D. Patterson,
Invitation to Biblical Interpretation
(Grand Rapids: Kregel, forthcoming); cf. N. T. Wright,
The New Testament and the People of God
, Christian Origins and the Question of God 1 (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1992).

⁷
See the chapter “Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Apocalypse: The Fulfillment of the Old Testament in the New,” in Köstenberger and Patterson,
Invitation to Biblical Interpretation
.

⁸
We recommend that for one-semester courses and in Bible college settings, teachers aim for imparting (at least) what is identified as Basic Knowledge. If the NT survey sequence spans two semesters, especially in most seminary settings, our recommendation is to make the Intermediate Knowledge listed at the beginning of each chapter the standard for learning and testing. The Advanced Knowledge is provided for particularly motivated students who in some cases may be called to pursue further study or even an academic career.

⁹
R. Simon,
Histoire Critique du Texte du Nouveau Testament
(Rotterdam: Reinier Leers, 1689). See the discussion in Baird,
History of New Testament Research
, 1:17–25, who called Simon “the founder of modern biblical criticism” (p. 17).

¹⁰
J. A. Bengel,
Gmonon Novi Testamenti
, 3d ed., M. E. Bengel and J. Steudel, eds., 2 vols. (Tübingen: L. F. Fues, 1850); English translation
Gnomon of the New Testament
, trans. J. Bandinel and A. R. Fausset, ed. A. R. Fausset, 5 vols. (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1866); reissued as
New Testament Commentary
, 2 vols. (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1982). See the discussion in Baird,
History of New Testament Research
, 1:69–80.

¹¹
J. D. Michaelis,
Einleitung in die göttlichen Schriften des Neuen Bundes
, 4th rev. ed., 2 vols. (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1788); English translation
Introduction to the New Testament
, trans. H. Marsh, 2d ed., 4 vols. (London: F. and C. Rivington, 1802). See the discussion in Baird,
History of New Testament Research
, 1:127–38, who called Michaelis “[a]nother wunderkind [
sic
; German for “child prodigy”] of the Aufklärung” (German for “Enlightenment”).

¹²
H. Holtzmann,
Lehrbuch der historisch-kritischen Einleitung in das Neue Testament
, 2d ed. (Freiburg im Breisgau: Mohr Siebeck, 1886; this work has not been translated into English). See the discussion in Baird,
History of New Testament Research
, 2:111–22, who considered him to be an important figure moving NT research “toward critical consensus” (heading on p. 111).

¹³
T. Zahn,
Einleitung in das Neue Testament
, 2 vols. (Leipzig: A. Deichert, 1897, 1899; repr. Wuppertal: R. Brockhaus, 1994); English translation
Introduction to the New Testament
, trans. Fellows and Scholars of Hartford Theological Seminary, ed. M. W. Jacobus, 2d ed., three vols. in one (New York: Scribner's Sons, 1917; repr. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1971). See the discussion in Baird,
History of New Testament Research
, 2:367–73; see the discussion of Zahn's contemporary (and relative) A. Schlatter in ibid., 373–83. While Schlatter did not write a NT introduction as such, his two-volume
New Testament Theology
makes an important contribution to the understanding of the theological message of the New Testament. See A. Schlatter,
New Testament Theology
, 2 vols., trans. A. J. Köstenberger (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1997, 1999); and A. J. Köstenberger, “T. Zahn, A. von Harnack, and A. Schlatter,” in
Pillars in the History of New Testament Interpretation: Old and New
, ed. S. E. Porter and S. A. Adams (forthcoming).

¹⁴
D. Guthrie,
New Testament Introduction
, rev. ed. (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1990); D. A. Carson, L. Morris, and D. J. Moo,
An Introduction to the New Testament
(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992); 2d ed., D. A. Carson and D. J. Moo,
An Introduction to the New Testament
(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005).

¹⁵
R. E. Brown,
An Introduction to the New Testament
, ABRL (New York: Doubleday, 1997).

This book represents the product of collaboration between the three authors. Each chapter was assigned to one of us, and the others gave input. Andreas served as general editor and wrote all the “Something to Think About” sections, and together we stand behind the final product. For this reason it would be counterproductive to identify the authors of individual chapters (though readers are, of course, welcome to venture educated guesses!). In addition, we would like to express our appreciation to Jason Meyer for writing a first serious draft of the chapters on the prison epistles and to Alan Bandy for doing the same for the book of Revelation. Thanks are also due Keith Campbell, Matt Lytle, Liz Mburu, and Nate Ridelhoover for the assistance they rendered in preparing this volume.

We are also grateful to our students who gave feedback on portions of this book at various stages of the process. In particular, we want to thank several students in the NT Survey class at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary who in the summer of 2007 carefully read and proofread the entire manuscript available at that time. Your helpfulness and servant spirit were a great encouragement to us. We also acknowledge our heartfelt thanks to our wives and families; our academic institutions; and our students past, present, and future for the privilege of sharpening one another as “iron sharpens iron” (Prov 27:17).

It is a humbling moment to conclude our work and to release it to you, mindful that many have undertaken to write Introductions to the NT before us. It is probably inevitable that some of our scholarly colleagues who are less conservatively minded will beg to differ with regard to certain of the positions taken in the volume. Our reward will be if serious students of Scripture find in this book a measure of the spiritual wealth that Jesus alluded to when he said that “every student of Scripture instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who brings out of his storeroom what is new and what is old” (Matt 13:52).
Soli Deo gloria
—to God alone be the glory!

Andreas J. Köstenberger and L. Scott Kellum, Wake Forest, NC

Charles L. Quarles, Pineville, LA

July 1, 2008

Part One

B
EFORE INVESTIGATING THE Gospels and the rest of the NT in Parts Two through Four of this volume, it is appropriate to lay the groundwork for the study of the writings included in the canon of the NT by considering the nature and scope of Scripture (chap. 1) and by surveying the landscape of the political and religious background of the NT (chap. 2). This is appropriate because questions such as the extent of the NT canon, the inerrancy and inspiration of Scripture, the translation of Scripture, and its textual transmission (textual criticism) constitute important preliminary issues that have an important bearing on the interpretation of the books included in the NT.

Unless these questions are adequately addressed, NT Introduction is rendered without proper foundation, resulting in a doctrinal vacuum that leaves the student in a precarious and vulnerable position when confronted with challenges to the canonicity of certain NT books or to a high view of Scripture and its authority. Also, the Gospels, Acts, the NT letters, and the book of Revelation did not appear in a vacuum. For this reason it is vital to discuss the political and religious backgrounds that form the backdrop to the study of the various NT writings. Hence, NT introduction properly commences with treatments of the nature of NT Scripture and of the relevant NT background.

CHAPTER 1

CORE KNOWLEDGE

Basic Knowledge:
Students should know the major issues involved in the formation of the canon, the doctrines of inerrancy and inspiration, the textual transmission of the NT, and translations of the Bible. They should have a basic grasp of the major figures and documents involved and issues addressed, including key dates.

Intermediate Knowledge:
In addition to mastery of the core content identified in Basic Knowledge above, students should be able to discuss more thoroughly the canonization process and the criteria of canonicity. They should be able to identify developments in the collection of the Gospels and the Pauline Letters. They should also be able to defend the reliability of the Bible on the basis of their knowledge of the relevant issues regarding the transmission and translation of Scripture.