New Testament Studies at Redeemer
The New Testament is the account of the presence of the kingdom of heaven, and centers in the person of Jesus Christ. This is the cornerstone for all Christian ministry. The New Testament department is committed to teaching the New Testament, with all of the aspects entailed, as the full revelation of the covenant of God’s grace in Jesus Christ. To this end, the New Testament curriculum enables students:
- To acquire a reading knowledge of New Testament Greek
- To understand and value the historical context in which God accomplished his work in Christ, and through which he gave us the New Testament
- To perceive the unity of the Old and New Testaments and the hermeneutical significance thereof
- To grapple with the challenges of biblical interpretation
- To recognize major biblical-theological themes of the New Testament and their importance for understanding the biblical message
- To evaluate the ways in which the New Testament has been interpreted in the past
- To develop skill in understanding and applying each of the books of the New Testament
“To accept the New Testament as canonical is, in a word, to acknowledge the twenty-seven writings in the second part of the Holy Bible as possessing divine authority and as constituting, accordingly, an integral part of the divine rule for faith and life… There is implicit in the claim of canonicity, therefore, the judgment that divine inspiration has constituted these writings with a quality that sets them apart from all merely human writings. Those who accept this high view of the New Testament, accordingly, do not shrink from identifying it as the Word of God, the infallible and inerrant rule of faith and life.” – Ned B. Stonehouse
NT011 Greek I
Purpose of Greek I, II, III: To prepare students for fur ther work in the New Testament by giving them a reading knowledge of Koiné Greek. The course is designed for beginners; no prior knowledge of Greek is assumed. The students will cover the basics of grammar and acquire a core vocabulary. During the last semester students will do recitations from the Greek New Testament and be introduced to the issues of syntax. 4 semester hours. Auditing not permitted. (M.Div. requirement)
NT012 Greek II
3 semester hours. (M.Div. requirement)
NT013 Greek III
3 semester hours. (M.Div. requirement)
NT101/3 Text of the NT
Purpose: To provide students with the historical, technical and theological framework requisite for responsible examination and use of the Greek text of the New Testament including consideratoin of textual transmission and textual criticism. 1 semester hour. Prerequisite, Greek III or equivalent completed or in progress. (M.Div. requirement) [Formerly, this course was included as a third hour of NT111 but has been separated to allow students to satisfy the more advanced prerequisite of Greek III.]
NT111 General Introduction to the NT
Purpose: To provide students with the historical and literary framework requisite for responsible New Testament interpretation. The purpose of this course is to survey introductory matters that apply to the New Testament as a whole: historical and linguistic background, inscripturation and canon formation. The general approach to these issues is historical, but with an underlying concern for the theological dimensions of each. 2 semester hours. (M.Div. requirement)
NT123 Biblical Hermeneutics: OT and NT
Purpose: To grow in skill in understanding, interpreting, and applying the Bible. Topics covered include prolegomena to biblical interpretation, principles and practice of biblical interpretation, and the question of hermeneutics in the historical-critical tradition. Prerequisites, Hebrew III completed or in progress, Greek III completed or in progress, and NT 111. 4 semester hours. (M.Div. requirement)
NT211 NT Interpretation: The Gospels
Purpose: to develop an initial framework of understanding for interpreting and applying the canonical Gospels; to familiarize students with the Gospels’ description of the earthly ministry and teaching of Jesus Christ, and to enable them to understand and apply the theology of the Gospels in ministry. Topics covered include a selective survey and critique of historical-critical investigation of the Gospels, questions of special introduction, an overview of the content and theology of Jesus’ actions and teaching, and an examination of the character and special emphases of each canonical Gospel. Prerequisites, Greek III or equivalent, Hebrew III or equivalent, NT 111 and NT 123. 4 semester hours. (M.Div. requirement)
NT223 NT Interpretation: The Book of Acts and the Pauline Epistles
Purpose: To deepen understanding of Acts and the letters of Paul. Topics covered include questions of special introduction, and basic themes in the theology of Acts and the letters of Paul. Prerequisites, Greek III or equivalent, Hebrew III or equivalent, NT 111. 4 semester hours. (M.Div. requirement)
