Comments on: Background Information and Biblical Interpretation http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/blog/bible/background-information-and-biblical-interpretation ALERT: Dr. Köstenberger’s blogs are now becoming available in Spanish. We will continue to add new posts as soon as they can be translated. Click on “Espanol” above Mon, 26 Apr 2010 02:55:50 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: DAVID KALEEBU+ http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/blog/bible/background-information-and-biblical-interpretation/comment-page-1#comment-88625 DAVID KALEEBU+ Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:09:11 +0000 http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/?p=71#comment-88625 add my name on your mailing list. blessings, FR.DAVID KALEEBU MITYANA ANGLICAN DIOCESE,UGANDA AFRICA add my name on your mailing list.
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]]> By: Gerry Todd http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/blog/bible/background-information-and-biblical-interpretation/comment-page-1#comment-2370 Gerry Todd Sat, 21 Oct 2006 10:51:30 +0000 http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/?p=71#comment-2370 Andreas Your somewhat negative evaluation of Keener's background Commentary is a little curious. I agree that quality of scholarship should not be a matter of economics but why then is the four volume ZIBBC priced beyond the grasp of most folk to whom it supposedly caters for? $40 a volume or $160 the set is no small amount for students or laymen who want the results of the best quality scholarship. John Glynn has the needs of students and so called lay readers in mind when he recommends Keener on economic reasons and rightly so. Of course, glossy production hikes up the cost of these four volumes and it may have been better to follow Keener's publishers lead and have no gloss but give the sources from whence the authors glean their information. I too have problems with Keener's lack of source bibliography but halitosis is better than no breath at all. Besides, glossy pictures and sidebars whilst adding to the pleasure of the reader, nevertheless say nothing about the quality of scholarship. Andreas

Your somewhat negative evaluation of Keener’s background Commentary is a little curious.
I agree that quality of scholarship should not be a matter of economics but why then is the four volume ZIBBC priced beyond the grasp of most folk to whom it supposedly caters for?
$40 a volume or $160 the set is no small amount for students or laymen who want the results of the best quality scholarship.
John Glynn has the needs of students and so called lay readers in mind when he recommends Keener on economic reasons and rightly so.
Of course, glossy production hikes up the cost of these four volumes and it may have been better to follow Keener’s publishers lead and have no gloss but give the sources from whence the authors glean their information.
I too have problems with Keener’s lack of source bibliography but halitosis is better than no breath at all.
Besides, glossy pictures and sidebars whilst adding to the pleasure of the reader, nevertheless say nothing about the quality of scholarship.

]]> By: Andreas Kostenberger http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/blog/bible/background-information-and-biblical-interpretation/comment-page-1#comment-2188 Andreas Kostenberger Thu, 12 Oct 2006 19:39:44 +0000 http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/?p=71#comment-2188 Since several of you asked what I think of Keener's background commentary, here is my brief evaluation and response. I have a lot of respect for Craig Keener and his work, especially his commentaries on Matthew and John. His background commentary, however, has two weaknesses in my opinion: (1) it lacks documentation of sources, which makes it very difficult to check out what he is saying; (2) the entire dictionary is written by one person, and even though Keener is doubtless extremely erudite, in this day it is virtually impossible for any one person to be expert in the entire New Testament. This said (and I know I'm hardly unbiased, since I am one of the contributors), I believe that the <em>Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary</em> (4 vols., ed. Clinton E. Arnold) is the superior resource. It provides copious documentation of all sources and it is written by a dozen or so experts in the respective book under consideration - and that in 4 volumes, not one! Incidentally, John Glynn recently recommended Keener over the ZIBBC, largely owing to economic reasons (Keener is less expensive)! This, of course, raises another interesting point: since when is quality of scholarship a matter of economics? Since several of you asked what I think of Keener’s background commentary, here is my brief evaluation and response. I have a lot of respect for Craig Keener and his work, especially his commentaries on Matthew and John. His background commentary, however, has two weaknesses in my opinion: (1) it lacks documentation of sources, which makes it very difficult to check out what he is saying; (2) the entire dictionary is written by one person, and even though Keener is doubtless extremely erudite, in this day it is virtually impossible for any one person to be expert in the entire New Testament. This said (and I know I’m hardly unbiased, since I am one of the contributors), I believe that the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (4 vols., ed. Clinton E. Arnold) is the superior resource. It provides copious documentation of all sources and it is written by a dozen or so experts in the respective book under consideration – and that in 4 volumes, not one! Incidentally, John Glynn recently recommended Keener over the ZIBBC, largely owing to economic reasons (Keener is less expensive)! This, of course, raises another interesting point: since when is quality of scholarship a matter of economics?

]]> By: Gerry Todd http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/blog/bible/background-information-and-biblical-interpretation/comment-page-1#comment-2187 Gerry Todd Thu, 12 Oct 2006 17:12:38 +0000 http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/?p=71#comment-2187 Hello Andreas Couldn't agree more with your comments about background uses and abuses. Background is one of those things that can be extremely useful, even indispensible, but can also replace a reading of the text as it stands making it almost unrecognisable. What do you think of Craig Keeners volume on Backgrounds? Hello Andreas

Couldn’t agree more with your comments about background uses and abuses.
Background is one of those things that can be extremely useful, even indispensible, but can also replace a reading of the text as it stands making it almost unrecognisable.

What do you think of Craig Keeners volume on Backgrounds?

]]> By: Tim http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/blog/bible/background-information-and-biblical-interpretation/comment-page-1#comment-2182 Tim Wed, 11 Oct 2006 13:28:29 +0000 http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/?p=71#comment-2182 Who said that eloquence and wisdom were the (and I quote) "cornerstone" of Christian classical education? Probably most Christian classical school advocates would agree that the "cornerstone" is Christ. Who said that eloquence and wisdom were the (and I quote) “cornerstone” of Christian classical education? Probably most Christian classical school advocates would agree that the “cornerstone” is Christ.

]]> By: Adam Omelianchuk http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/blog/bible/background-information-and-biblical-interpretation/comment-page-1#comment-2161 Adam Omelianchuk Mon, 09 Oct 2006 19:25:36 +0000 http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/?p=71#comment-2161 What do you think of Keener's IVP volume? What do you think of Keener’s IVP volume?

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