The New Testament: Methods and Meanings

by Warren Carter, Amy-Jill Levine

In this concise, accessible book, Warren Carter and A.J. Levine introduce three aspects of New Testament the world of the text (plots, characters, setting, and themes), the world behind the text (the concerns, circumstances, and experiences of the early Christian communities), and the world in front of the text (the meaning for contemporary readers). As students engage the New Testament, they face a central issue that has confronted all students before them, namely, that these texts have been and are read in diverse and often quite conflicting ways. These multiple readings involve different historical-critical, traditional (history of interpretation), colonial, multicultural, and sociological, with feminist and liberationist implications for the first-century readers as well as the ongoing implications for today's reader. For example, Carter and Levine show how a text can be used by both colonizer and colonized, feminist and anti-feminist, or pro- and anti-Jewish. The authors also show how scholarly work can be both constructive and threatening to the contemporary Church and how polemical texts can be used, whether for religious study, theological reflection, or homiletical practice.

"... a brilliant contemporary representative of the biblical discipline of the Einleitung, Introduction. ... In the best tradition of historical-critical biblical scholarship, Carter and Levine advocate a respectful, critical and generous engagement with the texts, involving readers in finding meanings. ... There are many gems in the heart of this book, including excursuses in shaded boxes, and some misguided traditional interpretations are safely despatched. Dagmar Winter, Journal for the Study of The New Testament Booklist 2015

Genres: Christianity, School, Theology, Reference

375 pages, Paperback

First published November 19, 2013

About the author

Warren Carter is Professor of New Testament at Brite Divinity School. He came to Brite in 2007 after teaching for 17 years at Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City. His scholarly work has focused on the gospels of Matthew and John, and he has focused on the issue of the ways in which early Christians negotiated the Roman empire. In addition to numerous scholarly articles, he is the author of ten books including Matthew and the Margins (Orbis Books), Matthew and Empire (Trinity Press International/Continuum), The Roman Empire and the New Testament (Abingdon), John and Empire (T&T Clark/Continuum), and What Does Revelation Reveal? (Abingdon). He has also contributed to numerous church resources and publications such as contributing 15 studies on Matthew in The Pastors Bible Study Vol 1 (Abingdon). He is a frequent speaker at scholarly and ecclesial conferences.

Degrees
Ph.D., Princeton Theological Seminary, 1991
Th.M., Melbourne College of Divinity, 1986
B.D., Melbourne College of Divinity, 1985
B.A., Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, 1976

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Regarding interpretation, we do have three major presuppositions:

First, we presuppose that any study of anyone's religious books should be undertaken with respect for those who hold those books sacred and for the interpretations that have accrued over the years. At the same time, we believe, to use the cliché, that the Bible should be a rock on which one stands, rather than a rock thrown to damage others.

Second, we recognize that the books comprising the NT were written in a time and culture very different from our own...

Third, we presuppose that the questions we ask of the text, and the reading strategies with which we approach it, will lead to different interpretations...

Warrne Carter & Amy-Jill Levine's The New Testament: Methods and Meanings examines each book within the New Testament. They provide context, background, varying approaches of interpretation, for each book. They often focus on the original Greek word when examining textual meaning. It's an exhausting but rewarding read.

However, I find that they are often more interested in promoting an interpretative strategy than elucidating the text. I understand the importance of multiple interpretative methods, but I prefer my Biblical commentary to focus on scripture rather than an approach. Their commentary mainly hints at depth and seldom digs. There's better commentaries out there by far and Carter & Levine complement them by ensuring we are current on potential scholarly controversies.

Every reading is partial and selective. Our goal throughout is to provide insights into both the meanings of the NT writings and into the methods or sets of questions that are often used to interpret them.

[Tom Pursel · Rating 5 out of 5]

An informative and sober introduction to perhaps the most abused but also important collection of texts in the world. I appreciate the accessible explanations of the types of criticism the authors used to contextualize the NT books (my favorite: historical and reader-response criticism).

[Rick Smith]

Text for a class; still use it now and again for sermon prep.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carter and Levine do a wonderful job of laying out historical information on each book of the New Testament and introducing lenses for which books may be interpreted. This is a great tool for theologians and biblical scholars alike. Carter and Levine introduce key biblical studies terms, address problematic or highly debated passages, and review main themes/concepts from each of the books. It is a book I will continually return in the Master's work.

[Terri Milstead · Rating 4 out of 5]

My reading was not of the whole book, just the required chapters for a class on Acts, the epistles, and Revelation. Interesting format to this book and I appreciated the open point of view within the chapters that I read (Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, James, Hebrews, and Revelation). Not sure if it will be one I pull out again for use in exegetical work, but time will tell.