Content & Setting of the Gospel Tradition

NT301/NT501

This is one of two foundational units that form the basis for all further study of the NT. You will learn the main shape of Mark’s Gospel and the distinctives of the other Gospels, along with the key issues when it comes to studying features of Jesus’ life and ministry like his parables, miracles, titles, death and resurrection, and the first-century context in which this all occurs. You should develop a greater appreciation for how to read and interpret the Gospels, and apply them to your own personal growth and ministry.

Workload: one semester, 4 credit points, 36 contact hours
Status: core
Prerequisites: none
When: Semester 1, yearly; also available by distance
Who: Anthea McCall, Doug McComiskey

What: Over the course of the semester we will incorporate the topics set in the ACT syllabus. These are formally enumerated:

1.   The historical, religious and political setting of Palestine as part of the Roman Empire 

2.   The Markan outline and emphases 

3.   Distinctive features of the gospels of Matthew, Luke and John 

4.   The Kingdom of God in the proclamation of Jesus 

5.   The parables and their interpretation

6.   The ethics of Jesus, including the Sermon on the Mount

7.   The miracles of Jesus and their significance

8.   The titles of Jesus in the gospels

9.   The passion and resurrection narratives

We have chosen to rearrange some of these, so as to coincide with a chapter-by-chapter survey of the gospel of Mark.

Reading:

Different students will wish to purchase different selections and quantities from the lists below. Your own learning and ministry goals (and budget) will influence this.

(a) We work regularly from the text of Scripture. You should work from one (or more) of the NRSV, ESV and NIV/TNIV translations. A copy of the NRSV will be supplied in exams.

(b) Readings will be frequently set from a gospel introduction or gospel reference. The following is both an excellent summary of many matters, as well as a stage-by-stage study of the life of Jesus. Advanced students may find it a little pedestrian, and prefer to focus on more technical works; most will find this helpful:

  • Blomberg, Craig L. Jesus and the Gospels. 2nd ed. Broadman & Holman, 2009.

Whether or not you purchase Blomberg, you would be well served to have regular access to at least one of the following. (These are ranked roughly from simples to most complex. Feel free to seek advice about which one[s] might best suit you.)

  • Stanton, Graham N. The Gospels and Jesus. 2nd ed. OUP, 2002.
  • Wenham, David and Steve Walton. Exploring the New Testament, vol. 1: A Guide to the Gospels and Acts. 2nd ed. IVP, 2011. (1st ed., 2001.)
  • Stein, Robert H. The Method and Message of Jesus’ Teachings. Rev. ed. W/JKP, 1994.
  • Harding, Mark, and Alanna Nobbs, eds. The Content and Setting of the Gospel Tradition. Eerdmans, 2010.
  • Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels [details below]

(c) You may find the following New Testament introductions also useful. These give more technical detail, usually covering the entire NT. (Again, these are ranked roughly simpler to harder.)

  • Drane, John W. Introducing the New Testament. 3rd. ed. Lion, 2010.
  • Gundry, Robert H. A Survey of the New Testament. 4th ed. Paternoster, 2003.
  • Tenney, Merrill C. New Testament Survey. Rev. ed. IVP, 1985.
  • Martin, Ralph P. New Testament Foundations, Volume 1. Rev. ed. Eerdmans, 1985.
  • Carson, D. A. and Douglas J. Moo. An Introduction to the New Testament. 2nd ed. Apollos, 2005.
  • deSilva, David A. An Introduction to the New Testament: Context, Methods and Ministry Formation. IVP, 2004.
  • Brown, Raymond E. An Introduction to the New Testament. Doubleday, 1997.
  • Guthrie, Donald, New Testament Introduction. 4th ed. Apollos, 1990.

Most students would find themselves around the level of Carson & Moo or deSilva.

(d) Regular access to a commentary on Mark is essential, such as one of the following (simpler to harder):

  • English, Donald, The Message of Mark. BST. IVP, 1992.
  • Hurtado, Larry W. Mark. NIBC 2. Hendrickson, 1989.
  • Cole, R. Alan. The Gospel According to Mark. TNTC 2. Rev. ed. IVP, 1989.
  • Garland, David E. Mark. NIVAC. Zondervan, 1996.
  • Hooker, Morna D. The Gospel according to St Mark. BNTC. A&C Black, 1991.
  • Lane, William L. The Gospel of Mark. NICNT. Eerdmans, 1974.
  • Edwards, James R. The Gospel According to Mark. PNTC. Apollos, 2002.
  • Evans, Craig A. Mark 8:27–16:20. WBC 34B. Nelson, 2001.
  • Guelich, Robert A. Mark 1–8:26. WBC 34A. Word Books, 1989.
  • France, R. T. The Gospel of Mark. NIGTC. Paternoster, 2002.

(e) A New Testament Theology will hold many issues in perspective:

  • Morris, Leon L. New Testament Theology. Zondervan, 1985.
  • Marshall, I. Howard. New Testament Theology. IVP, 2004.
  • Ladd, George E. A Theology of the New Testament. Rev. ed. Eerdmans, 1993.
  • Guthrie, Donald. New Testament Theology. IVP, 1981.

(f) An introduction to hermeneutics (biblical interpretation) is beneficial as a resource for years to come:

  • Fee, Gordon D. and Douglas Stuart. How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth. 3rd ed. Zondervan, 2003.[almost essential]
  • Klein, William W., Craig L. Blomberg and Robert L. Hubbard. Introduction to Biblical Interpretation. Rev. ed. Thomas Nelson, 2004. [intermediate]

(g) Other works which will be useful include:

  • DJG: Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (eds. Green, McKnight & Marshall; IVP, 1992). [almost essential]
  • DLNT: Dictionary of the Later New Testament & its Developments (eds. Martin & Davids; IVP, 1997).
  • DNTB: Dictionary of New Testament Background (eds. Evans & Porter; IVP, 2000).
  • NDBT: New Dictionary of Biblical Theology (eds. Alexander & Rosner; IVP, 2000).
  • NBD: New Bible Dictionary (eds. Marshall et al; IVP, 3rd ed. 1996).
  • Barnett, Paul W. Jesus and the Rise of Early Christianity. IVP, 1999.

A number of these dictionaries are available, together and cheaply, on the Essential IVP Reference Collection CD-ROM.

 

The following table suggests the sorts of tools you might consider for your academic level, and the order in which you might purchase them:

 

average undergraduate
(BTh/​BMin)

intermediate (e.g. advanced u/grad; part-time GradDip)

average graduate
(MDiv)

initial purchases

(b)           Blomberg
 

(c)           (deSilva)

(d)           Garland or Lane

 

(f)             Fee & Stuart

(b)           Blomberg
 

(c)           deSilva or Carson & Moo

(d)           Lane or Edwards

(e)           (Ladd)

(f)            Fee & Stuart

(b)           (Blomberg)
                another gospel introduction
                DJG

(c)           Carson & Moo or harder

(d)           two, from Lane or harder

(e)           Ladd

(f)            Fee & Stuart or Klein et al

next targets

(b)           Wenham & Walton

(c)           deSilva or Carson & Moo

(d)           another Mark commentary

(e)           (Ladd)

(g)           NBD, DJG

(b)           DJG

 

(d)           another Mark commentary

(e)           (Ladd or Guthrie)

(g)           (NBD)

 

(c)           (another introduction)

(d)           another Mark commentary

(e)           (Marshall)

(g)           DLNT, (DNTB), similar