Date of Award

2008

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Divinity College

Supervisor

Mark J. Boda

Co-Supervisor

Stanley E. Porter

Language

English

Abstract

This thesis examines Hebrew and Greek lexical analyses in commentaries that were written after the publication of James Barr's The Semantics of Biblical Language in 1961. Commentaries used by evangelical pastors and that discuss one of the following four biblical passages are examined: Gen 15:1-6; Isa 53:1-6; Luke 18:1-8; Rom 3:21-26. Using a modem linguistic approach, it is demonstrated that Old and New Testament commentaries evidence many lexical fallacies. In addition, statements are regularly made by commentators which do not evince linguistically-nuanced language, and thus could easily lead pastors to make errors in their statements from the pulpit about Hebrew and Greek words. In the hope that evangelical pastors can become more ably equipped to exegete the Scriptures, suggestions are made for how Bible colleges and seminaries can prepare students to incorporate the knowledge which has been gained from modem linguistics into lexical analysis.

McMaster University Library


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