BIBLICAL CRITICISM AND THE GOSPELS

We have already noted the role that Literary Criticism plays in the study of the Gospels.  Literary Criticism asks questions relating to the genre or kind of literature we encounter for instance in The Gospel of Matthew.  As one of the disciplines of Biblical Criticism (click on Biblical Criticism to go to the Glossary of Terms) Literary Criticism asks initially what kind of literature we we encounter in a Gospel.  We noted that in a Gospel we have theological story of the life of Jesus in which  reasons are given why one should believe in this Jesus and become a disciple of his.  We noted that a Gospel includes narrative, passion, biographical, and historical material as the writer tells his story of Jesus (in biblical studies we often call the writer of a Gospel the Evangelist, since as an evangelist the writer is writing in order to encourage people to believe in Jesus).

We will now look at a broader definition of Biblical Criticism and comment on how Gospel studies are enriched by the use of these tools of biblical analysis.

Before we do we should note that Biblical Criticism need not represent a negative attitude toward Scripture.  We are a ware of the fact that in some hands Biblical Criticism has been negatively critical, or has challenged a high view of Scripture.  We point out that it is not the Biblical Critical questions that are asked that are destructive, but the presuppositions that certain scholars bring with them to Scripture.

Every serious Christian who studies the Bible uses Biblical Criticism in some fashion.  When one determines which Bible to read, whether to read the King James Version, the New King James Version, the American Standard or New American Standard, or the Revised Standard or New Revised Standard, or the New International Version, or a German, Spanish, or Greek translation, one has entered the field of Biblical Criticism since one is asking which is the best translation, or the most reliable translation, or the most readable translation.  Each of these questions or decisions involves a critical question relating to which Bible to use.  Sometimes theological or ecclesiological (church) presuppositions determine which Bible is to be read.  When we ask questions regarding to the best Bible to read, we have entered the field of Biblical Criticism!

We will now apply the field of Biblical Criticism to our study of the Gospels.
The Student of the Gospels will draw on a full complement of Biblical Critical disciplines at various stages of study.  The questions will come in no fixed order but will be prompted by the nature of the text being addressed.
1.  For instance, a serious student of the Bible will be aware of the fact that a translation such as the New International Version (NIV) tends to paraphrase and approach the text on a devotional level.  With this in mind the student may desire to consult a translation that is more didactic (teaching) or precise in translation such as the New King James Version (NKJV), the New American Standard Version (NASV), or the New Revised Version (NRSV).  Perhaps the student is able to use the original languages such as Greek or Hebrew and will consult these versions.  Or again, the student will be aware that in some instances words of verses are missing in one translation but found in other translations.  Being aware that there are variants in the texts the student will seek to determine why a word or verse is different or missing.  The student then enters the field of Textual Criticism. (Click on Textual Criticism to refer to the Glossary of Terms.)
2.  The discerning student will soon learn that within the Gospel genre one encounters a variety of literary styles.  For instance the student will notice that there are genealogical lists in Matthew and Luke, Parables in all the Synoptic Gospels, Old testament quotations and citations, narrative stories, historical references (especially in Luke), blocks of teaching material (especially in Matthew, but also in Luke), powerful miracle stories (especially in Mark, but also in Matthew and Luke), prophetic declarations, and other materials.  As a Literary Critic the student will seek to determine how each of these literary pieces work or tell their story. (Click on Literary Criticism to refer to the Glossary).
3.  On occasion, the student will seek to understand where the Evangelist got his material, for instance, when quoting an OT passage.  Or the student will ask where the Evangelist got his material such as the genealogy in Matthew.  In some circumstances, as in The Book of Revelation, or Jude, the writer cites a source outside of the Biblical canon.  It is extremely helpful to be able to understand where the source came from and why the writer cited it.   When such questions of source are asked, the student has entered the field or discipline of Source Criticism (click on Source Criticism to refer to the Glossary).  In the  Gospel of Matthew Source Criticism is a valuable tool in understanding what Matthew is quoting and how he is using that source.
4. Form Criticism has for years been a favored discipline of Gospel study.  In some cases in earlier years From Criticism was more destructive than helpful  (in such cases it tended to be overly "atomistic", breaking the text down into minute elements in which the meaning of the whole was lost in the minute detail investigated).   However, in balanced use, Form Criticism can be extremely helpful.  In some cases the term From Criticism has been used as a synonym for Biblical Criticism, but this is misleading.  When From Criticism is understood as an attempt to seek the sociological interests and concerns that caused a community of believers to remember a certain strain of thought or narrative event, this can be helpful in understanding the text and why it became important to the community and the evangelist now using it. (Click on From Criticism to refer to the Glossary.)
5. Redaction Criticism has perhaps superceded From Criticism in Gospel studies in that it seeks to determine and understand what theological interest the evangelist had in resorting to various sources and form critical findings.  Redaction Criticism attempts to understand what the evangelist is doing with the sources he has at his disposal.  Redaction Criticism seeks the theological tendenz (tendency) the evangelist had in mind when writing.  Scholars refer to the evangelist as a redactor, implying that he was writing as a theologian rather than simply as an editor reporting events.  The redactor has an interest or slant he wishes to develop, in our case a theological slant or interest (tendenz). (Click on Redaction Criticism to refer to the Glossary.)
6. Rhetorical Criticism is a discipline whose intent is to understand what rhetorical principles may have interested or shaped the mind of the evangelist.  Rhetorical Criticism falls under the general field of study known as rhetoric. The one who practices this discipline is known as a rhetorician.  Rhetoric is an broad and well defined discipline which covers a wide range of interests such as Graeco or Roman interests, etc.  The Rhetorical Critic seeks to determine what communicative disciplines shaped or influenced the evangelist. (Click on Rhetorical Criticism to refer to the Glossary.)
7. Tradition Criticism seeks to understand how certain traditions were handed down from one community to another, and what might have been those influences that might have shaped the transmission of the tradition or narrative. (Click on Tradition Criticism to refer to the Glossary.)