1. Encountering the New Testament
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).

2. “It seemed good to 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.

3. 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?

4. Accounts of the temptation 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.

5. 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

6. Form criticism- This approach 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.

7. THE WORLD WITHIN THE 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’)?

8. 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).