From: David Moore (dvdmoore@dcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us)
Date: Wed Apr 03 1996 - 22:40:33 EST
On Wed, 3 Apr 1996, Eric Weiss wrote:
> On a related subject:  I was talking today with the bookstore manager at the 
> college where I'm taking 2nd-year Greek about the value of linguistics for 
> interpreting the biblical text (he has had 7 years of Greek and 10 years or 
> so of Hebrew in addition to classes in linguistics).  He said most of the 
> stuff out there, being lexically based and not linguistically based, and 
> analysing words diachronically instead of synchronically, is of little value
> -- he described Kittel's TDNT as "worthless" or "useless" (I can't remember 
> which!).  When I asked him what he does or would do with things like New 
> Int'l Dict of New Test Theol and Theol Wordbook of the Old Test (both of 
> which I have, paying $88 for the first and $40 for the second -- excellent 
> sale prices), he said he doesn't (and wouldn't) use them!
> 
> Any thoughts from the scholars out there about these remarks?  I know David 
> Allan Black, who has linguistics expertise, recommends NIDNTT in his book on 
> using Greek in ministry.
> 
        Just a personal observation: Although the TDNT has been criticized
for a linguistically unsophisticated approach to Greek lexicography, that
approach has not contaminated all it contains.  Kittle contains many
exegetical insights that cannot be found elsewhere.  So, I would suggest, 
that if your friend has a "worthless" copy of the TDNT on a bookshelf 
somewhere, tell him you'd be glad to take it off his hands.
David L. Moore                             Southeastern Spanish District
Miami, Florida                               of the  Assemblies of God
dvdmoore@dcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us           Department of Education
http://members.aol.com/dvdmoore
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