A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd Edition

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd Edition
by Walter Bauer

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd Edition
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Book Summary Information

Author: Walter Bauer
Editor: Frederick William Danker
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2001-01-15
ISBN: 0226039331
Number of pages: 1188
Publisher: University Of Chicago Press

Book Reviews of A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd Edition

Book Review: Excellent Tool/Must compare with other lexicons
Summary: 5 Stars

I actually use the BDAG 3rd Edition add on in BibleWorks 7.0 along with Kittel's TDNT and Spicq's Theological Lexicon book sets. In my software I have BDAG next to Thayer's, Liddell & Scott, Louw & Nida's Semantical Domain, United Bible Societies, and Friberg's Lexicon. I use all of them every week for sermon exegesis (except for Kittel's and Spicq's). BDAG is a great lexicon, maybe not the best...as some reviewers have said. It really depends on what you are studying. Louw & Nida's Semantical domain really helps one see the range of a word in context to other words, and BDAG doesn't do that. BDAG gives one a lot of information, but if you are not a trained scholar, it's hard to understand it all. So often I end up turning to other lexicons for more information.

There is a tendency with BDAG towards gender inclusivity in some entries, so if you are concerned about that issue, you may be happy or unhappy with that depending on your position. It's more accurate than the older editions. Just know that the gender inclusive approach is controversial and a reason why this lexicon should be compared with others. I really like to compare this lexicon with the semantical domain lexicon by Louw & Nida.

Comparing this lexicon with other lexicons is super easy in the outstanding professional grade exegetical software called BibleWorks 6.0. (See my review there). With the pass of mouse, one can see all the lexicons on a word, with BDAG being just one of several. This allows constant comparison...and that's really the best way to use this lexicon in my opinion. When you do that over and over, week after week, month after month as I do, one gets the feel for this lexicon's strength. That strength is in providing good categories for a word, citing prime examples of each category, and a relatively fair approach in controversial issues.

A nice improvement has been hyperlinks that allow one to click on BDAG citations to see their fuller context in the program. I don't think I would get the book copy of this lexicon because the software version allows you to quickly paste an entry next to other lexicons in a word document and print them out for further ease of study and note taking. How easy is that with a printed copy of the lexicon?

With a program like BibleWorks 7.0 or their competitors one can search the lemma of a word instantly to see other instances of the use/form/stem which BDAG may not mention and get a graphical analysis of useage throughout various LXX/NT writers so you can assess the word in a more general way.

Overall, BDAG turns out to be very helpful in providing a base to chase down more information on the nuance of a word's meaning for certain situations/contexts. I cannot imagine doing exegesis without it. I would only recommend you stick the $140 bucks into software that has BDAG as an add-on. It's worth the extra money.

2009 update to this review: I've found some bias in this lexicon. I've learned that one must double check the work, and have come to see more of this lexicon as a 'commentary' than as unbiased lexical data. For example, the word 'PROGINOSKO' (to foreknow) is defined in Thayer's lexicon simply as to foreknow, yet in BDAG it has two definitions: To foreknow AND also to choose beforehand. This second definition is then leaned on heavily by Calvinists to argue for Unconditional Eternal Election based in part on the two appearances of 'Proginosko' in Romans (8:29 is the classic example). The problem with this second definition is that the term 'Proginosko' is NEVER used to mean 'Choose beforehand' in any extra-biblical literature, Greek or Jewish anywhere. It always clearly means 'to know before' or 'foreknow' usually in a prophetic sense. And if one is willing to entertain theological views outside of Calvinism, then the definition 'Foreknow' fits beautifully in Romans 8:29. (BTW-Arminians differ on whether this matters for their position-I think it strengthens their position, but many don't think it's a necessary point). In any case, Lexicons should give definitions based on some convincing evidence...especially BDAG (which cites ancient sources outside the NT in it's very title!) So this example, and there are others, demonstrates why I have learned to double check ALL lexicons and their claims. Especially when any sort of debate is involved. Double check their claims by looking at the use of the term for yourself. This is very simple with one of the professional grade software programs out there. BibleWorks 8.0 is my current favorite, but there are others that can call up all uses of any term in a wide array of ancient literature (especially Jewish literature from 300 BC through 200 AD.

Inspite of this big warning, summed up by a quote from Dr. Greg Beale at Wheaton College Grad School, "All Lexicons are commentaries", and inspite of the bias I find in this Lexical commentary, it is still a valuable tool and worthy of a five star. I still use it all the time, just double check the notes to make sure there is no bias.

Summary of A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd Edition

Described as an "invaluable reference work" (Classical Philology) and "a tool indispensable for the study of early Christian literature" (Religious Studies Review) in its previous edition, this new updated American edition of Walter Bauer's Wörterbuch zu den Schriften des Neuen Testaments builds on its predecessor's staggering deposit of extraordinary erudition relating to Greek literature from all periods. Including entries for many more words, the new edition also lists more than 25,000 additional references to classical, intertestamental, Early Christian, and modern literature.

In this edition, Frederick W. Danker's broad knowledge of Greco-Roman literature, as well as papyri and epigraphs, provides a more panoramic view of the world of Jesus and the New Testament. Danker has also introduced a more consistent mode of reference citation, and has provided a composite list of abbreviations to facilitate easy access to this wealth of information.

Perhaps the single most important lexical innovation of Danker's edition is its inclusion of extended definitions for Greek terms. For instance, a key meaning of "episkopos" was defined in the second American edition as overseer; Danker defines it as "one who has the responsibility of safeguarding or seeing to it that something is done in the correct way, guardian." Such extended definitions give a fuller sense of the word in question, which will help avoid both anachronisms and confusion among users of the lexicon who may not be native speakers of English.

Danker's edition of Bauer's Wörterbuch will be an indispensable guide for Biblical and classical scholars, ministers, seminarians, and translators.

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