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Resources for New Testament Studies

NT Books: Gospels and Acts

This page contains external links to helpful, technical articles on matters related to the study of the New Testament. This page lists only content articles/pages. Links to other sites that contain links related to biblical studies, etc. are on my Links page. See the explanatory notes on the main page, including .pdf file explanation. I welcome submissions and suggestions.

Gospels  Matthew  Mark  Luke  John  Acts

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Gospels

• The Synoptic Problem   (Daniel B. Wallace) This article is largely a digest of Stein's book, The Synoptic Problem. The value of Wallace's article is not only for a summary of Stein, but primarily in the fairly extnsive footnotes in which Wallace adds his own observations.
• Verbal Parallels in the Account of the Feeding of the 5,000 (Rodney J. Decker) Color-coded chart of the verbal parallels (Greek) in this account in all four Gospels (17K .pdf file).  A separate document summarizes the data from the chart (15K .pdf file).
• The Present State of the Synoptic Problem (William R. Farmer; SNTS, Copenhagen, Denmark, 4-8 August 1998; A slightly different and earlier version of this paper appeared in Literary Studies in Luke-Acts: Essays in Honor of Joseph B. Tyson (Macon GA: Mercer University Press, 1998) 11-36.)
• The Synoptic Problem: A Proposal for Handling Both Internal and External Evidence (Robert C. Newman)
• Synoptic Harmonization: Some Principles from History and the Book of Acts (Robert C. Newman)
• World Without Q (Mark Goodacre) In the author's own words: "This Synoptic Problem Web Page is the home page for Q sceptics. It expounds the Farrer Theory, which maintains Markan Priority but dispenses with Q. Visit World Without Q for key articles, bibliography, quotations, FAQ and a comprehensive gateway to web resources on the synoptic problem and Q research." Or from a personal email, he says that, "my book is a critique of Goulder's theories, with some of which I agree and with some of which I do not. Very briefly, I am with Goulder on dispensing with Q (hence the web site), but against him on the idea  that Luke had no other sources for his special material. I am also quite critical of the lectionary theory."  Robert Gundry's summary of Goodacre's book, Goulder and the Gospels (Sheffield, 1996) summarizes Goulder's view that "neither Q, M, nor L ever existed; that Matthew drew chiefly on Mark and, with some additional help from Paul and the OT but not from oral tradition, himself made up the material usually assigned to Q and M; that Luke drew chiefly on Mark and Matthew with some additional help from Paul and the OT but not from oral tradition, so that material usually assigned to L had its genesis in Lucan redaction, not in pre-Lucan special tradition; that John used Mark, Matthew, and Luke; and that all the evangelists wrote their Gospels for liturgical reading in connection with major Jewish festivals and fasts, observed also by Christians."   See also the review by Allan J. McNicol, "Has Goulder Sunk Q?" (SNTS paper, 1997).
• The Current State of Q (Nancy R. Heisey) TIC TALK 39, 1997 [Translation Information Clearinghouse]
• The Real Jesus of the Sayings "Q" Gospel (James M. Robinson)
• Fatigue in the Synoptics (Mark Goodacre) This article first appeared in New Testament Studies 44 (1998): 45-58. Goodacre argues for Markan priority in part on the basis of "editorial fatigue" in the other Synoptics use of Mark.
• Why Four Gospels? (Arthur W. Pink)--full text of the book
• The Problem of Apparent Chronological Contradictions in the Synoptics (Joe Botti, Tom Dixon, and Alex Steinman)
• "Was ein Texthistoriker zur Entstehung der Evangelien sagen kann," Biblica 79 (1998): 499-514. (U. Victor)

  Biblica abstract: "In view of the New Testament manuscript evidence, the gospels never had an editorial history. The gospels were composed in the form in which they exist today. There was consequently never an "Ur-Markus", an eschatological "Ur-Johannes" etc. There are no indications that the gospels are based on a longer or shorter creative theological and literary "community" tradition of very numerous units circulating orally or in writing. Such a tradition would have been reflected in so large a number of important textual variants that clear traces would have remained."

• 'BEING SHED FOR YOU/MANY': TIME-SENSE AND CONSEQUENCES IN THE SYNOPTIC CUP CITATIONS, Lynne C. Boughton
• Symbols of the Four Evangelists (Felix Just, S.J. - Loyola Marymount University)
• The Apostolic Preaching and Its Developments (C. H. Dodd)
• Bultmann's famous essay, "New Testament and Mythology," with rejoinders from 5 critics and Bultmann's response.
• The Wright Quest for the Historical Jesus (Ben Witherington, III; review of N. T. Wright's Jesus and the Victory of God)
• Reshuffling the Gospels: Jesus According to Spong and Wilson (Luke Timothy Johnson; from Christian Century, April 28, 1993, pps. 457-458). 
• Scroll Origins: An Exchange on the Qumran Hypothesis (J. A. Fitzmyer; from The Christian Century, March 24-31, 1993, pp. 326-332)
• Textual Commentary on the Gospels (Wieland Willker)
• The Trustworthiness of the Gospel Narrative: The First Three Gospels (Henry Barclay Swete)
• The Biblical Narratives of Easter Week: Are They Trustworthy? (Robert C. Newman)
• The Historicity of the Empty Tomb of Jesus (William Lane Craig)
• L'adresse ??us dans les ?angiles synoptiques, Biblica  82 (2001): 17-50 (P.-Y. BRANDT -- A. LUKINOVICH) Biblica abstract: "A number of persons in the Gospels address Jesus by a title, e.g., ?teacher', ?sir', ?master', when they speak to him. In parallel episodes in the synoptic Gospels these titles undergo variations. This article present a complete comparative study of the titles addressed to Jesus in Mathew, Mark and Luke and finishes with a description of the titles proper to each Gospel."

Matthew

• Matthew: Introduction, Argument, and Outline  (Daniel B. Wallace)
• Matthew's Use of the Old Testament: A Preliminary Analysis (Lee Campbell)
• God's Way of Acting [Matt. 1-2; Luke 1-2] (N. T. Wright; adapted from The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions, by Marcus J. Borg and N. T. Wright [HarperSanFrancisco]; also in The Christian Century, December 16, 1998, pp. 1215-17). 
• The Origin of Jesus Christ: Matthew 1:1-25 (Herman C. Waetjen)
• Matthew 4,23 and 9,35 (Henry Barclay Swete) Expository Times 10 (1898) 127.
• How Honorable! How Shameful! A Cultural Analysis of Matthew's Makarisms and Reproaches (K. C. Hanson) cf. Matt. 5:3-12; 23:13-36
• Exploring The Composition of Matth. 5-7. The Sermon on The Mount and some of its "Structures" (J. S. Sibinga) Filologia Neotestamentaria 7 (1994) 175-195.
• Transformed on the Mountain: Ritual Analysis and the Gospel of Matthew (K. C. Hanson) Published in Semeia 67 (1994[95]):147-70.
• Which Son Obeyed His Father? The Textual Problem in Matthew 21:29-31 (Daniel B. Wallace)
• Errors in the Greek Text Behind Modern Translations? The Cases of Matthew 1:7, 10 and Luke 23:45 (Daniel B. Wallace)
• The Use of Isaiah 5,1-7 in the Parable of the Tenants (Mark 12,1-12; Matthew 21,33-46). (W. J. C. Weren) from Biblica  79 (1998): 1-26.
• St. Matthew XXVIII, 16-20 (Henry Barclay Swete) The Expositor 6th Series vol.7 (1902) 241-259.
• The Kingdom in Matthew (D. Matthew Allen )

Mark

• Bibliography (mostly commentaries) on Mark (R. Decker--supplied for two of my classes)
• Mark: Introduction, Argument, and Outline (Daniel B. Wallace)
• A Brief Commentary on the Gospel of Mark (Carl Conrad)
• Some Notes on Markan Usage (G. D. Kilpatrick) full article as scanned images from The Bible Translator, 7.2 (1956) 51-54.
• Chiasm in the Gospel of Mark (Ricky Robertson)
• Crucified Son of Man or Mighty One? Mark's Chiastic Gospel Structure and the Question of Jesus' Identity (Jeffrey H. Krantz)
• Mark's Incipit and the Priene Calendar Inscription: From Jewish Gospel to Greco-Roman Gospel (Craig A. Evans) article from JGRChJ 1 (2000): 67-81.
• Mark 1:2 and New Testament Textual Criticism  (Daniel B. Wallace)
• The Heavenly Veil Torn Mark's Cosmic "Inclusio" [Mk. 1:10; 15:38] (David Ulansey; from Journal of Biblical Literature 110:1 [Spring 1991]: 123-25)
• Demonism in Jewish/Hellenistic Literature and Its Relation to Mark 5 (Greg Herrick)
• The Use of Isaiah 5,1-7 in the Parable of the Tenants (Mark 12,1-12; Matthew 21,33-46). (W. J. C. Weren) from Biblica  79 (1998): 1-26.
• THE DATE OF THE PASSOVER SACRIFICES AND MARK 14:12 (Maurice Casey)
• THE STYLE OF THE LONG ENDING OF MARK (Bruce Terry) This article argues for the long ending.
• "A King's Ransom: The Cross in Mark" (Gospel of Mark 15:22-49; an Easter sermon from BBS seminary chapel, 3/22/05), pdf transcript; or mp3 audio (not streamed; ca. 33 meg file, 37 min.)
• The Anarthrous hUIOS THEOU in Mark 15,39 and the Roman Imperial Cult (Tae Hun Kim) Biblica 79 (1998): 222-241. (Biblica abstract: This article points up evidence by which the language of the Roman imperial cult might help make clearer what a reader of Mark's Gospel might understand when the centurion (Mark 15,39) refers to Jesus as hUIOS THEOU. Knowing how an audience familiar with this cult language would react, Mark intentionally speaks of Jesus as hUIOS THEOU at 1,1, as well as at 15,39.)

• "The Naked Young Man: a Historian's Hypothesis on Mark 14:51-52."  Biblica. 79 (1998): 525-531. (Haren, M. J.) Abstract on this page.
• "The Use of Isaiah 5,1-7 in the Parable of the Tenants (Mark 12:1-12; Matthew 21:33-46)," Biblica. 79 (1998): 1-26. (Weren, W. J. C.) Abstract on this page.
• "The Strange Case of the Secret Gospel According to Mark: How Morton Smith's Discovery of a Lost Letter by Clement of Alexandria Scandalized Biblical Scholarship" (Shawn Eyer). This article was originally published in Alexandria: The Journal for the Western Cosmological Traditions, 3 (1995) 103-29. (Note: I hesitate to include this listing since the text in question has been generally rejected as genuine, but it does surface in Markan studies from time-to-time; this article presents a lengthy overview of the controversy that may be helpful if used with discernment.) More links on the so-called "Secret Gospel of Mark."
• Einf?rung in das Markus-Evangelium (Alfred Suhl, Westf?ische Wilhelms-Universit?, M?ster) Contents in German.
• Disciples on Trial (Susan R. Garrett; article from  The Christian Century, April 15, 1998, pp. 396-399) 
• "Mark 15,39 and the So-Called Confession of the Roman Centurion," E. S. Johnson) Biblica 81 (2000): 406-413.
• Kata Markon (The Gospel of Mark Discussion List): a moderated academic e-list dedicated to the scholarly discussion and evaluation of critical questions surrounding  the Gospel according to Mark. Includes (or will shortly) papers for review.
• I also have a class page from my course, NT811, Exegesis of Mark, that contains a number of documents that may be of interest covering grammar, textual criticism, verbal aspect, etc. (both my own material as well as student projects). Student projects cover the following passages: Mark 6:1-13; 6:45-52; 8:11-21; 8:27-9:1; 9:33-40.

Luke

• Luke: Introduction, Argument, and Outline (Daniel B. Wallace)
• Theophilus: A Proposal (Richard H. Anderson) An article from Evangelical Quarterly 69.3 (1997): 195-215.
• The Cross and Atonement from Luke to Hebrews (Richard H. Anderson) An article from Evangelical Quarterly 71.2 (1999): 127-149.
• God's Way of Acting [Matt. 1-2; Luke 1-2] (N. T. Wright; adapted from The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions, by Marcus J. Borg and N. T. Wright [HarperSanFrancisco]; also in The Christian Century, December 16, 1998, pp. 1215-17).
• The Problem of Luke 2 (Daniel B. Wallace)
• Census Edict for Roman Egypt (text of original source document; provides interesting background material for Luke 2:1-7)
• The Census of Quirinius: The Historicity of Luke 2:1-5 (Ronald L. Marchant)
• ANQRWPOI EUDOKIAS (Lk 2:14b) (J. Duncan M. Derrett) From: Filolog? Neotestamentaria 11 (1998) 101-106. ("At Lk 2:14 is the true reading ANQRWPOI EUDOKIAS, or ... EUDOKIA? Unknown to scholars, the long-standing Jewish picture of the Angelic Host makes it quite clear that the first (the genitive) is right. With the birth of Christ at last God has created a human being deserving of his favour, proving that human-kind is worthy of his favour. The Angels, always jealous of Adam and Abraham, at last admit that God has "got it right". The shepherds are qualified to learn this.")
• Acclamations of the Birth of Christ (Luke 2:1-20) (J. Hampton Keathley III)
• Luke 2:22 "their purification" or "her purification"? (Daniel B. Wallace)

• HONOR RESTORED: NEW LIGHT ON THE PARABLE OF THE PRUDENT STEWARD (LUKE 16:1?8a) JBL 119.2 (2000): 287?309 (DAVID LANDRY)

• "The Importance of the Redactor in Luke 18:9-14," Biblica 79(1998): 69-75. (J. J. Kilgallen)
• Luke and the Wicked Tenants (Richard H. Anderson)
• The Neglect of the Firstborn in New Testament Studies (Bart D. Ehrman) Presidential Lecture, Society of Biblical Literature, SE Region, March 1997 [This is an assessment of the current state of textual criticism among both NT scholars and the untrained. The "firstborn" is the discipline of textual criticism. The article includes an extended discussion of the textual variants at Luke 22:19-20.]
• "Jesus' First Trial: Messiah and Son of God (Luke 22,66-71)," Biblica 80 (1999):401-414. (J. J. Kilgallen)
• Errors in the Greek Text Behind Modern Translations? The Cases of Matthew 1:7, 10 and Luke 23:45 (Daniel B. Wallace)

John

• Bibliography of Books and Articles on the Gospel of John (Armand J. Gagne, Jr.)
• Johannine Literature Website: Dedicated to the academic study of the Gospel according to John & the Letters of John (Felix Just)
• Johannine Bibliography: The Fourth Gospel and the Letters of John (Felix Just)
• The Gospel of John (Moises Silva) this is a series of 9 RealAudio lectures on John by Dr. Silva.
• Commentary on John (Hall Harris)
• John 1:34 in the NET Bible (Daniel B. Wallace)
• Jesus and the Adulteress (A. Watson; from Biblica 80 [1999]: 100-108) Does not address the textual problem, but asks, regardless of its origin, what does it mean?
• The Theological Message of John 14:15-31 (Greg Herrick)
• OUR HEARTS, GOD'S HOME: AN EXPOSITION OF JOHN 14:22-24 (S. LEWIS JOHNSON, JR. )
• Sloppy Agape, John 21:15-17 (David Alan Black)
• ZONNUMI, FERW, ALLOS: The Fate of Peter (Jn 21:18-19). (J. Duncan M. Derrett) Filologia Neotestamentaria 8 (1995) 79-84.
• IS JOHN'S GOSPEL ANTI-SEMITIC? Glenn Balfour
• "Between Tradition and Literary. Art. The Use of the Miracle Tradition in the Fourth Gospel," Biblica 80 (1999):178-203. (M. Labahn)
• NONNI PANOPOLITANI PARAPHRASIS S. EVANGELII IOANNEI, rendered into English by M. A. Prost (This is a bit "off-subject" for this resource page, but for historical purposes this English translation of Nonnos's 5th C. (BC) rendering ["paraphrased ... into the formal language of Homeric epic"] of John's gospel may be of interest. According to the author of the linked page, it is the first time that this work has been made available in English.)

Acts

• Acts: Introduction, Argument, and Outline (Daniel B. Wallace)
• St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen (W. M. Ramsay)--full text of the book
• THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES In Hellenistic writings (Mike Parsons)
• Pliny/Trajan Correspondence (K. C. Hanson)
• Variation in the Book of Acts (Part II). (Gerard Mussies) Filologia Neotestamentaria 8 (1995) 23-61.
• Word Order in Koine Greek. Using a Text-Critical Approach to Study Word Order Patterns in the Greek Text of Acts (Jenny Heimerdinger) Filologia Neotestamentaria 9 (1996) 139-180.
• "'The Apostles Whom He Chose because of the Holy Spirit' A Suggestion Regarding Acts 1,2," (J. J. Kilgallen) Biblica 81 (2000): 414-417. 
• A Doctrinal Study of Acts 2:14 (Clifford Rapp, Jr.)
• The Use of Psalm 16:8-11 in Acts 2:25-28 (Greg Herrick)
• Water Baptism in Acts 2:38 (Bruce Compton)
• The Community of Goods among the First Christians and among the Essenes (Justin Taylor) Acts 2:44-45 and 4:32-35
• The Conversion of the Samaritans in Acts 8:14-17 and the Unified Progress of the Gospel in the Book of Acts (Greg Herrick)
• Peter's Vision: Was it about the Men or the Menu? (Acts 10-11; Chris Miller) paper presented at 2000 ETS conf. in Nashville. It represents a portion of his dissertation work (see below). 
• The Relationship of Jewish and Gentile Believers to the Law Between AD 30 and 70 in the Scripture (Chris Miller) A major portion of the text of a 1993 Ph.D. diss. at Dallas Theol. Sem. (link goes to a  page with links to 8 "pieces" of the diss., including the Intro, chs. 1, 2 [Acts], 3 [Galatians], & concl.; looks like the chapter on Hebrews has been omitted; .pdf format).
• "WHILE PETER WAS INWARDLY PERPLEXED": ACTS 10 AND THE LUKAN PETER (Shawn Kelley, Daemen College; paper from the Literary Aspects of the Gospels and Acts Group, SBL, 1998)
• Acts 13:13-41: Paul's Sermon in Pisidian Antioch--The Realization of Long Awaited Davidic Hope (Greg Herrick)
• "THOSE PEOPLE ... HAVE COME HERE ALSO": CHRISTIANS BEFORE THE AUTHORITIES IN GREECE AND ASIA--A TYPE-SCENE OF STATUS (J. H. Stiefel; paper from the Literary Aspects of the Gospels and Acts Group, SBL, 1998; Acts 16:19-24; 17:5-9; 18:12-16; 19:23-40)
• LEADERSHIP AND LIFESTYLE: LUKE'S PAUL, LUKE'S JESUS AND THE PAUL OF 1 THESSALONIANS, Steve Walton (Acts 20:18-35)

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