Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (10 Volume Set)

Rating:
Summary: Poor Semantics
Review: Gerhard Kittel's work has been a massive undertaken and has made good use of external evidence to assist in a well-rounded understanding of the times in which various biblical texts were believed to have been written. Unfortunately - as in any religion, many attempt to use this work in order to "prove" a particular point, thereby missing much of the beauty of etymology in the study of hermeneutics. TDNT is a wonderful work for any student of linguistics, regardless of religious orientation.

Rating:
Summary: The Best Work in its Category, Bar None!
Review: If you are looking for an exhaustive reference work for NT Greek usage, then Kittel & Friedrich provide it in their Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Nothing even comes close to the scope of scholarship in this work. However, one note of caution is in order. Many of the theological points made in the work are from a liberal, Neo-orthodox point of view. Therefore, this type of reference is for the advanced Bible or seminary student that possesses a strong foundation in the Christian faith and at least a working knowledge of New Testament Greek.

Rating:
Summary: A serious and excellent resource, but has serious drawbacks
Review: Several of the other reviews listed by Amazon under this Volume 2 of TDNT by Kittel&Friedrich seem to refer to the single volume abridged edition or some volume that is indexed in English. In my personal study of NT Greek, I have invested in some 25 references or so (lexicons, concord., word studies, dictionaries, grammars, etc.) and I have not found anything that approaches the scope and completeness of the multi-vol. TDNT. It is a very worthwhile investment for serious NT study.

Rating:
Summary: TDNT - the reference par excellance for NT Greek words
Review: Several of the other reviews listed by Amazon under this Volume 2 of TDNT by Kittel&Friedrich seem to refer to the single volume abridged edition or some volume that is indexed in English. In my personal study of NT Greek, I have invested in some 25 references or so (lexicons, concord., word studies, dictionaries, grammars, etc.) and I have not found anything that approaches the scope and completeness of the multi-vol. TDNT. It is a very worthwhile investment for serious NT study.

Rating:
Summary: Useful, clear, and concise; potentially easy to use.
Review: The work is helpful. Some times the comments are basicically definitional while at other times the comments add nuances and flavors I would have missed.. E.g., when studying a book that discusses spirituyal warfare, one author--a scholar--suggested that Luke 10:18 implies that Satan left heaven mad at believers, and went on the attack. I had always been taught that he was forced out. Upon looking up the word translated,< FALL>, which is transliterated <PIPTO>, the point is made that the word typically meant to fall unintentionally. I thought anyone who storms out of a place angry does so intentionally; while anyone who is thrown out is typically suprised. I settled for the traditional view.

It does not always answer my questions so neatly, but I am happy with the investment. I am very cautious about giving the highest rating out to any thing or any one but Jesus.

It is relatively easy to use. I have used it less than 10 times but the table of Greek words and the table of English words seem to match up very well with those in Vine's expository. (I own the expanded edition and have not looked at the regular edition in some time, but I do not think it would be significantly different. I would expect the word usage/choice for the entries to be the same.)

Nazi Heritage: I almost past up the work for this reason. One does not need to be a Christian to do thorough exegesis especially as it relates to individual word meanings. Classical Greek scholars do exegesis quite well. Many Conservative Christian scholars quote them. Many are not Christians. One of my favorite philosophy instructors at school thought Christianity irrational. During our frequent discussions, his ability to interpret was at times astounding. (He was not a religous philosopher. It's a long story.) He could never accept the reality of the spiritual truths presented by Christ, but he could interpret well enough. The original authors of this work seem to do that well.

Rating:
Summary: Poor Semantics
Review: These old volumes [I own the 10 vol. set], and those that use it uncritically, suffer from several exegetical fallacies.

The first is known as the "root fallacy." The ancient origin of a word [100-5000 years earlier] has little if anything to do with its use or meaning in a particular text in the New Testament. This is also known in modern semantics as the 'etymological fallacy.'

Similarly, there is an enormous difference between diachronic [through time] linguistics and synchronic linguistics [same time]. The use of a word 100-5000 years earlier or later has little if anything to do with its use at a particular time by a particular person.

Another now classic fallacy has been called the "illigitimate totality transfer." That is when a reader of a particular N.T. text illigitimately imports or includes all possible uses found everywhere else throughout all time into a particular text in the N.T.

The reader is referred to excellent books on the subject by James Barr [who broke the grown in applying modern linguistics and semantics into Biblical exegesis] and more recently D.A. Carson ["Exegetical Fallacies"].

Rating:
Summary: A top-notch one-volume history of N.T. Greek vocabulary.
Review: This is the 10-volume "Kittel" dictionary minus the footnotes. The history of each word from the Greek New Testament is surveyed beginning with its Hebrew roots and usage in the Septuagint. Its usage is then decribed in secular Greek. Then its use is surveyed through the New Testament, grouped according to Pauline use, Johanine use, use in the Gospels, etc. In the process the reader can see the scope of meanings of a given word, and how those meanings developed, revealing the rich "flavors" attached to many Greek words.

Regarding the Nazi affiliation of its editor and some of its authors, we are all a mixed bag. Do we refuse to listen to music conducted by Herbert von Karajan because he was a Nazi, or of Strauss because he was a womanizer? As James Sveda said on a "Record Shelf" program on NPR years ago on this subject, "Perhaps the last word on this subject was said by a carpenter who lived two thousand years ago, 'Judge not, lest you yourselves be judged.'"

This is a wonderful resource, especially for those lacking the expertise (or the $$) to tackle the full 10-volume work.