Grassmick – Principles and Practice of Greek Exegesis

Skillful exegesis of the New Testament is essential for those who aspire to teach and preach the Word of God properly. Seasoned students of the Bible have always been involved in this task to some degree.

 

The beginning student, however, stands at the starting line. He needs guidance in taking hold of basic principles and procedures and applying them to the task of exegesis for himself. It is for such a student that this manual has been prepared.

 

The Purpose of the Manual

 

This manual is intended to be a "how to do it" handbook. It is an attempt to teach and motivate the beginning exegete to develop his own skills in doing exegesis in the Greek New Testament.

 

The handbook is designated "a classroom manual" because it is to be supplemented by the classroom lectures and the personal guidance of an instructor. The manual assumes that the student has some background in biblical studies and a working knowledge of Greek grammar and syntax.

 

The Approach of the Manual

 

The manual is designed to strike a balance between theory and practice. Procedural guidelines, illustrations, and models follow the discussion of theory. Most of the illustrations come from the book of Colossians.

 

In the discussion of the subject matter there is an attempt to be comprehensive yet concise; therefore, quotations are minimal. Short-form footnoting occurs within the text so the student must refer to the bibliography at the end for-full publication data.

 

The manual is divided into four parts. Part one contains a workable philosophy of biblical exegesis. Part two deals with the preparation necessary to do exegesis.

 

Part three, the bulk of the manual, contains procedural principles and steps for the practice of exegesis. Many ingredients are included which may not be applicable in every passage; however, the student should be aware of them. He will need to adapt the procedures to the limits of his time and resources. The purpose of most of the illustrations is to emphasize methodology.

 

A classroom manual. - 2^nd printing, 1976. - Dallas, TX: Dallas Theological Seminary, 1974. – 201 p.

 

INTRODUCTION

PART I — PHILOSOPHY OF EXEGESIS

                 I. The Meaning of the Term "Exegesis

                 II. The Definition of the Discipline of Exegesis

                 III. The Role of the Discipline of Exegesis

                 IV. The Aim of the Discipline of Exegesis

                 V. The Hermeneutic for the Discipline of Exegesis

                 VI. An Approach to the Discipline of Exegesis

PART II — PREPARATION FOR EXEGESIS

                 I. The Importance of What is Done in Exegesis

                 II. The Importance of Proper Qualifications for Exegesis

                 III. The Importance of Method in Exegesis

                 IV. The Importance of Study Aids in Exegesis

                 V. The Important Resource Materials for Exegesis

PART III — PRACTICE OF EXEGESIS

                 I. The Overview Study: Major Step 1

                 II. The Intensive Study: Major Step 2

                 A. Observational analysis

                 B. Textual analysis

                 C. Structural analysis

                 D. Grammatical analysis

                 E. Lexical analysis

                 F. Historical/conceptual analysis

                 G. Theological analysis

                 H. Exegetical analysis

                 III. The Extensive Study: Major Step 3

PART IV — PRODUCT OF EXEGESIS

                 I. The Importance of Recording the Results

                 II. The Means of Recording the Results

                 III. The Practical Use of the Recorded Results

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY