Theological Dictionary of the New Testament - 10 Volume Set

Kittle's Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (TNDT) is far more than a simple lexicon. Every word in the New Testament is described in detail. A typical entry starts out with the meaning of the word, and its roots; it discusses how that word was used in the classical era, how non-biblical authors during the time of the formation of the New Testament used it, how it was used by the Church Fathers and others, and, of course, its usage in the New Testament itself. Subtle differences in meaning are noted, and references are typically made to other words of similar meaning. There's material in the TDNT that is hard to find anywhere else, and it answers questions like:

• How did Archaic Greeks use their form of the words and/or its forms?
• What documents exist to support this understanding?
• How did the Septuagint (225 BC) use the word?
• What contemporary documents use the word and how is it used?
• How was the word used in the New Testament?
• What meanings did it have in those contexts?
• Were there contemporary documents that use the word, and how was it used?

By the time you read through the etymology of the word you are studying, you will have a much greater appreciation for how historically- and culturally-loaded the Greek word was when it was used in the first century. This offers a greater spiritual understanding of what is being communicated in the Gospels and Epistles.

Volume 10 consists of several essential indices, which are crucial to using the TDNT to its fullest extent. These include an index of English keywords, an index of Greek Keywords, an index of Hebrew and Aramaic words, and an extensive index of biblical references from the Old Testament, the Apocrypha, and the New Testament.

If you are looking for an exhaustive reference work for NT Greek usage, then Kittel & Friedrich provide it in their Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Nothing even comes close to the scope of scholarship in this work. However, one note of caution is in order. Many of the theological points made in the work are from a liberal, Neo-orthodox point of view. Therefore, this type of reference is for the advanced Bible or seminary student that possesses a strong foundation in the Christian faith and at least a working knowledge of New Testament Greek.

(this review is adapted from several reviewers on Amazon.com)