Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament Review

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(More customer reviews)This volume provides an insightful commentary on the Greek text of the United Bible Societies' 4th edition Greek New Testament. In producing a copy of the Greek New Testament many variant readings have to be analyzed and decided upon. Metzger has provided in this commentary an answer as to why one reading was chosen over another. In doing so he seeks to highlight the problem(s) involved with each set of alternative readings and also provides an explanation of the Bible Committee's evaluation and resolution of those problems.
A helpful introduction is provided wherein the history and basic rules of textual criticism are canvassed in order to show how the committee made their decisions. Metzger provides a brief introduction to the art and science of textual criticism. He provides an "outline of criteria" which was used by the committee. External evidence evaluates such things as the date of the textual witnesses, the geographical distribution of the manuscripts, the relationship of text families, and the understanding that witnesses should be weighed not counted. Under the internal evidence he highlights that the more difficult and shorter reading is to be preferred and that there needs to be a consideration of the context of each author and what they probably would have written.
The commentary itself follows a verse-by-verse canonical approach and provides a comment on the many textual variants found in the UBS4. About 30% (225 pages) of the commentary is on the book of Acts given the difficulty of the two differing text types in early circulation (Western and Alexandrian). Helpful discussion is also provided on such controversial passages as the ending of Mark's Gospel and 1 John 5:7.
The art and science of textual criticism is an important task for both scholars and preachers in seeking to establish the text of the New Testament. This tool will help aid that task immensely. However it should not be used as a substitute for doing the hard work first. This tool should be used as a check in confirming one's own work. Nevertheless this tool provides the "voice" of many scholars in how they decided one text over another - a gift for the student of the Greek New Testament.

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This companion to the Greek New Testament discusses textual variations based on the critical apparatus. It contains a thorough explanation of each textual decision that appears in UBS4.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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The New Testament: Its Background Growth and Content 3rd Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one of the few college textbooks I did not have to use my highlighter to read. Metzger is extremely easy to understand; he structures his book chronologically, covering, albeit briefly given the spatial limitations of a short introductory text, most every topic the reader must understand to gain a basic knowledge of the context of the NT's development. The reader first will gain a basic understanding of the cultural context from which the New Testament arose, then will learn about the life of and sources for understanding of Jesus Christ, then finally will see the same for the apostolic age. His prose is lucid and lacks the pedantry of much New Testament scholarship, which will assist the reader in understanding such scholarship.
In assessing Metzger's positions, the reader must keep in mind that, as he plainly states in his preface, Metzger writes as a Christian. As such, he does not dispute traditional authorship for the majority of the New Testament (with the notable exception of 2 Peter), and argues that the evidence for Christ's resurrection is "overwhelming." Readers looking for the consensus of scholars on issues so contentious to conservatives will not find this book to their liking. That said, Metzger generally does well, given how little space he has, of presenting most sides of various debates and leaving it up to the reader to do further research necessary for finding his own opinion. Since this must be the objective of an introductory text, the text succeeds.

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Manuscripts of the Greek Bible: An Introduction to Palaeography Review

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(More customer reviews)The book itself is very good; unfortunately the current printing being sold is a poor quality reprint by Oxford. The pages look like xerox copies (actually my own cheap personal copier makes better quality copies than Oxford made here). As a result, many of the plates are very hard or impossible to decipher. Very disappointing for an Oxford book: For $70+ the purchaser expects much better quality.
The original 1981 (uncorrected) printing (tan-colored binding) appears to be the best - the print quality of the plates is much better.
The early printings of the 1991-corrected reprint (tan-colored binding with dark-blue dust jacket) appear to be okay. The plates aren't as high resolution printing as the original 1981 edition, but they're much better than the latest (dark-blue binding, no dust jacket) 1991-corrected reprint.
The book itself I give 5 stars. The current reprint I give 1 star, after having the opportunity to compare it side-by-side with the two earlier printings.


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