Skip to main content
nounstudy
CRS828

Greek Exegesis

  • Arts
  • 800 level
  • 3 credit units
  • 124 pages
  • 15 units

This course provides an in-depth exploration of Greek exegesis, focusing on the critical analysis of the New Testament. It covers fundamental issues in New Testament criticism, including inspiration, authority, infallibility, and inerrancy. Students will learn about textual and higher criticism, examining the history, manuscripts, and scribal errors. The course also delves into source, form, redaction, and grammatical criticism, equipping students with the skills to interpret biblical texts effectively.

About this course

Difficulty
Intermediate
Study hours
156 hours
Maths
None
Content
Theoretical, case study, problem solving
Practical work
No
How it is assessed
  • Assignments
  • Tutor Marked Assessments
  • Final Examination

One paragraph, so you can see how it reads

CRS828 · UNIT 1 FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES IN NEW TESTAMENT CRITICISM

This issue of inspiration is one of the major reasons why a lot of the conservatives and the fundamentalists reject the critical approach to the study of the New Testament. It looks as if these doctrines have been undermined.

What you should be able to do

  1. Define and differentiate between textual and higher criticism.
  2. Identify and evaluate the major manuscript traditions of the New Testament.
  3. Apply source and form criticism to analyze the composition of the Gospels.
  4. Assess the theological perspectives of New Testament authors through redaction criticism.
  5. Utilize grammatical analysis to interpret biblical texts accurately.
  6. Understand the historical and cultural contexts of the New Testament writings.

What it prepares you for

Careers
  • Theologian
  • Religious Educator
  • Biblical Scholar
  • Pastor
  • Missionary
Where it is applied
  • Religious Organizations
  • Educational Institutions
  • Publishing
  • Theological Research

Where it gets hard

The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.

  • Module 2: Lower Criticism

    Unit 3: The Manuscripts of the New Testament

    Understanding the nuances of textual variants and their implications for interpretation requires careful attention to detail and familiarity with different manuscript traditions.

  • Module 3: Higher Criticism

    Unit 3: Form Criticism

    Reconstructing the pre-literary history of gospel materials and identifying their original forms demands a deep understanding of early Christian communities and their social contexts.

A suggested way through it

Suggested

13 weeks, about 45 hours in total. Yours will differ.

  1. Week 1Module 1: General Introduction
    • Unit 1: Fundamental Issues in New Testament Criticism · 3 hours

      Define inspiration and discuss various views on inspiration.. Analyze the relationship between inspiration, authority, infallibility, and inerrancy.. Examine the impact of New Testament criticism on these concepts..

  2. Week 2Module 1: General Introduction
    • Unit 2: The Canon of the New Testament · 3 hours

      Discuss the factors leading to canonization.. List key figures involved in the canonization process.. Analyze the role of Marcion and Montanism.. Examine the contributions of Justin Martyr and Tatian..

  3. Week 3Module 1: General Introduction
    • Unit 3: An Overview of the New Testament I · 3 hours

      Discuss critical issues surrounding the Gospels.. Explain the Synoptic Problem and proposed solutions.. Analyze the unique features of each Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)..

  4. Week 4Module 1: General Introduction
    • Unit 4: An Overview of the New Testament II · 3 hours

      Discuss epistolary structure and the nature of epistles.. Examine the themes of Pauline, Johannine, and Petrine epistles.. Analyze the unique characteristics of the Epistle to the Hebrews and the Apocalypse..

  5. Week 5Module 1: General Introduction
    • Unit 5: History of New Testament Criticism · 3 hours

      Trace the development of New Testament Criticism.. Discuss the contributions of notable scholars.. Analyze the role of the Tubingen School.. Compare contemporary methods of New Testament criticism..

  6. Week 6Module 2: Lower Criticism
    • Unit 1: Introduction to Textual Criticism · 3 hours

      Define textual criticism and argue for its necessity.. Explain discrepancies in various Bible versions.. Enumerate the significance of textual criticism.. Analyze the non-existence of autographs..

  7. Week 7Module 2: Lower Criticism
    • Unit 2: The History of New Testament Textual Criticism · 3 hours

      Discuss the role of scholars in developing textual criticism.. Trace the history of textual criticism through various ages.. Analyze the development of methods from crude to scientific..

  8. Week 8Module 2: Lower Criticism
    • Unit 3: The Manuscripts of the New Testament · 3 hours

      Give brief descriptions of great uncials and papyri.. Define miniscules and majuscules.. Narrate the history of given manuscripts.. Note the role of early translations..

  9. Week 9Module 2: Lower Criticism
    • Unit 4: Types of Scribal Errors in the New Testament Manuscripts · 3 hours

      Discuss types of errors in the New Testament.. Give examples of intentional and unintentional errors.. Appreciate different renderings of certain passages..

  10. Week 10Module 2: Lower Criticism
    • Unit 5: The Process of Textual Criticism · 3 hours

      Define eclecticism, stemmatics, copy-text editing, and cladistics.. Describe methods and principles used in textual criticism.. Evaluate methods and criteria for judging manuscript readings..

  11. Week 11Module 3: Higher Criticism
    • Unit 1: Historical Criticism · 3 hours

      Define historical criticism and analyze its assumptions.. Describe dimensions of historical criticism.. Evaluate weaknesses of historical criticism.. Discuss advantages to modern users of the Bible..

  12. Week 12Module 3: Higher Criticism
    • Unit 2: Source Criticism · 3 hours

      Define source criticism and identify its origin.. Identify the hypothesis of source criticism.. Give an account of the history of biblical source criticism.. Evaluate the methodology..

    • Unit 3: Form Criticism · 3 hours

      Define form criticism and discuss the work of earlier scholars.. Identify various forms of materials making up the gospel..

  13. Week 13Module 3: Higher Criticism
    • Unit 4: Redaction Criticism · 3 hours

      Define redaction criticism and explain its rationale.. Identify contributions of scholars to redaction criticism.. Analyze the methodology.. Discuss advantages and importance to biblical exegesis..

    • Unit 5: Grammatical Criticism · 3 hours

      Define grammatical criticism and describe its methods.. Discuss the advantages of grammatical criticism..

Preparing for the exam

What to do
  • Create a timeline of key events in the history of New Testament criticism (Unit 5).
  • Compare and contrast the methodologies of source, form, and redaction criticism (Modules 2 & 3).
  • Practice identifying different types of scribal errors in sample New Testament passages (Module 2, Unit 4).
  • Develop a glossary of key terms related to Greek exegesis and biblical interpretation.
  • Review the major manuscript traditions and their significance for textual criticism (Module 2, Unit 3).
  • Outline the main arguments for and against the historical reliability of the Gospels (Module 3, Unit 1).

Questions students ask about this course

What is CRS828 about?

This course provides an in-depth exploration of Greek exegesis, focusing on the critical analysis of the New Testament. It covers fundamental issues in New Testament criticism, including inspiration, authority, infallibility, and inerrancy. Students will learn about textual and higher criticism, examining the history, manuscripts, and scribal errors. The course also delves into source, form, redaction, and grammatical criticism, equipping students with the skills to interpret biblical texts effectively.

How many units does CRS828 have?

CRS828, Greek Exegesis, has 15 units across 3 modules, over 124 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.

How many credit units is CRS828?

CRS828 carries 3 credit units, at 800 level in Arts.

Is CRS828 hard?

CRS828 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, case study and problem solving work.

How long does CRS828 take to study?

About 156 hours of study, spread across its 15 units.

How is CRS828 assessed?

CRS828 is assessed by Assignments, Tutor Marked Assessments and Final Examination.

What can I do with CRS828?

Theologian, Religious Educator, Biblical Scholar, Pastor and Missionary.

More courses in Arts

CRS872

Religion, Power and Politics in Contemporary Nigeria Society

2 credit units

Open CRS872
EN862

Comparative Studies in Drama

3 credit units

Open EN862
ENG816

Literature And Gender

3 credit units

Open ENG816