by quietlyleaving 13 Replies latest watchtower bible
by Fritz Rienecker (1976)
Has anyone used this as a companion to Bible reading? If you have - what are the pros and cons
Is it likely to favour Watchtower understanding - I don't mind if it does - I'd just like to know in advance
I've only taken a cursory look at it and it seems quite enabling in that two very different people can draw meaning and insight from the NWT NT in their own way.
thanks
ql
I remember it being used in the Watchtower, but as far as I can tell it is not pro or con of the watchtower understanding they just take one point out of the book. In the German version of the book I was unable to find the reference they used. I have seen better books than this one but it is not a bad book.
thanks bereanbiblestudent
I'm bttting this because I have have found this li'l study aid quite useful but I don't think its a necessity.
The problem I have been grappling with recently is that in leaving the Jehovah's witness creed and lifestyle I have also found a widening emotiona/spiritual gap between myself and my hubby. Then I thought if cognac and hubby have decided to study together using only the bible why don't I try it with mine.
Fortunately my hubby always uses the above Linguistic Key to the Greed New Testament. So we began with the gospel of John using the NWT. We spent an hour discussing John1:1-6. We agreed no arguments and no dogmatics and to try and only speak about what we thought and felt about the verses.
My hubby also referred to 2 other commentaries that he respects - one was Barnes and I didn't see what the other one was (it wasn't anything wts because we'd agreed not to bring that in). This was very fortunate as, for example, I was able to say what I preferred from the sense I received using the kingdom interlinear and the lingusitics key in opposition to Barne's commentary interpretation without denigrating it in any way.
I can tell you that both of us ended our study on a high. I was ecstatic as I gained a great deal of insight and satisfaction for myself from the verses using the Lingusitcis Key + NWT + kingdom Interlinear. From this one study we set the whole weekend on a much closer note.
I know that the WTS are pushing family study at the moment so this also has been quite fortuitous for us.
I won't mention any more of my experiences with future studies as I don't want to rob it of its intimacy - just thought I 'd share this first experience. What I do find is that any JW doing this sort of study is going to have to confront asking him/herself whether they may possibly be of the anointed little flock.
thanks for reading
ql
Hi ql,
I have never heard of the Linguistic Aid... but I am very happy for both of you. Amazing things can happen when two persons and a text meet.
narkissos they sure can.
I understand that there is a new amplified version of Linguistics by Cleon Rogers and it is now quite an unwieldly book entitled New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament, whereas the Fritz Rienecker/Cleon Rogers earlier version, which we have in our possession, is the size of a small black NWT
would you please glance at this example re John 1:1-4 and I'd be interested to hear your thoughts re scholarship.
"apxn beginning. Refers to the period before creation and is more qualitative than temporal (Brown). nvimpf. Eiui. The impf. expresses continuous timeless existence (Bernard) and is contrasted w. eyeveto of v.3 (Barrett). npos w. acc. "w.God," that is, accompaniment or "toward God," that is, relationship (Brown) theos God. The word is without the article and is the predicate emphasizing quality, "the word had the same nature as God" (s. Phillip B. Harner, "Qualitative Anathrous Predicate Nouns," JBL, 92 (March 1973), 75-78). Aoyos word. a description of Jesus basically from the OT Scriptures designating Him as the divine Revealer of God's wisdom and power...
John1:2
ovtos this. It implies and emphasizes the whole previous definition (Westcott).
John1:3
eyeveto aor, mid. yivoual to become. The creative activity s viewed as one event in contrast to the continuoous existance in vv. 1 and 2 (RWP). Xwpis without apart. It implies casuality and presence (Brown)...
John 1:4
lwn life. The right and power to bestow activity, to make alive. Here it points to one particular part of creation, to mankind (Lightfoot). ows light, that which enables men to recognise the operation of God in the world (Hoskyns)."
OIC. :)
Actually I'm not too fond of this kind of approach. It reviews good authors (or at least their conclusions, which are not necessarily the most interesting part of their work) but from a particular, standardised doctrinal angle which introduces terms, hence notions and concepts foreign to the text (e.g. "creation," "the period before creation," "nature," "activity") and seems insensitive to the logical apories it thus... creates ex nihilo (e.g. "period before" / "more qualitative than temporal"; "continuous timeless"); which is consistent with an apparent anti-philosophical bias (logos, "basically from the OT" -- a big shortcut at least!).
While it can be helpful in some cases, I am confident that with your own literary sense you will catch the spirit of the text much better by plain reading and free musing around. :)
One little piece of advice: spend half an hour or so learning the Greek alphabet (for instance, write names or English words and sentences in Greek letters, you will memorise them in no time): you will enjoy reading the KIT much better. If you can afford 15-20 minutes a day, begin learning koinè or NT Greek grammar (preferably using a method with exercises, which help memory as well).
I have not studied greek; I have enjoyed the overview of historical and source criticism very much. It is hard for me to imagine the value of learning greek or hebrew if the source documents for both OT and NT show evidence of heavy redaction.
narkissos
I had to do some thinking to work out why you would suggest attempting to learn koine greek and how it could possibly render a more neutral reading of the NT. So I wondered if the word creation as in romans 8:22 would give me a clue
Strong's G2937 - ktisis κτ?σις
1) the act of founding, establishing, building etc a) the act of creating, creation b) creation i.e. thing created 1) of individual things, beings, a creature, a creation a) anything created b) after a rabbinical usage (by which a man converted from idolatry to Judaism was called) c) the sum or aggregate of things created c) institution, ordinance | ||||||||
Ha - the greek word that is translated creation can also be seen as meaning "the act of founding, establishing...". So I had a moment. The Greek will enable one to gain an anti-hierarchical more neutral understanding of NT concepts and therefore a more philosophical understanding rather than always seeing the ideas expressed there as supporting a theological position and context. For example one can read the word "creation" as referring to a start of civilization and thus render oneself more choice in interpretation
well I'm gonna see about at least grappling with the greek alphabet
is koine greek more similar to classical greek rather than to modern greek?
pistoff
I have not studied greek; I have enjoyed the overview of historical and source criticism very much. It is hard for me to imagine the value of learning greek or hebrew if the source documents for both OT and NT show evidence of heavy redaction. |
I think historical and source criticism on its own can leave one wondering why the NT has been so influential both politically and spiritually
