New Testament

Interpretation History

A research guide intended to assist students and researchers navigate key resources and tools for research and paper-writing.

The resources below are helpful to students studying the history of interpretation of the New Testament and reflection on its meaning.

History of Interpretation Resources

Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture [Online]
- The ACCS is an excellent series that assembles early Church commentary on the Bible, translates it into English, and organizes the commentary by chapter and verse. This makes for an accessible and easy-to-use resource for students wanting to incorporate the interpretations and commentary of the early Church Fathers into their research.
Theology and Religion Online: T & T Clark Jesus Library [Online]
- This digital library is a collection of various resources that "offers students and scholars of religion and biblical studies core resources for studying the life of Jesus and his impact in history and culture." [Requires Eagle VPN]

Dictionary of Biblical Interpretation by John Hayes
Call Number: TML Reference: BS500 .D5 1999
The Dictionary of Biblical Interpretation is a comprehensive reference work that explores the history of human reflection and research on the meaning of the Old and New Testaments. This major new reference work on the theory and practice of biblical interpretation explores the history of reflection, research, and commentary on Scripture.
The Oxford Handbook of the Reception History of the Bible [Online] by Michael Lieb; Emma Mason; Jonathan Roberts; Christopher Rowland
This major new handbook presents reception history as an enterprise (not a method) that questions and understands tradition afresh. The Oxford Handbook of the Reception History of the Bible consciously allows for the interplay of the traditional and the new.
The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Biblical Interpretation [Online] by Paul M. Blowers (Editor); Peter W. Martens (Editor)
The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Biblical Interpretation explores a wide array of themes related to the reception, canonization, interpretation, uses, and legacies of the Bible in early Christianity. Readers will be oriented to the major resources for, and issues in, the critical study of early Christian biblical interpretation.
Handbook on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament by G. K. Beale
Call Number: TML Stacks: BS2387 .B43 2012
G. K. Beale focuses on the "how to" of interpreting the New Testament use of the Old Testament, providing students and pastors with many of the insights and categories necessary for them to do their own exegesis. Brief enough to be accessible yet thorough enough to be useful, this handbook will be a trusted guide for all students of the Bible.

Using the Encyclopedia of Biblical Reception

As its name implies, The Encyclopedia of the Bible and its Reception (EBR) is an encyclopedia of entries pertaining to important biblical topics, people, and places arranged in alphabetical order. This can be useful for gaining further insight into particular topics that may come up during exegesis. Currently, the EBR is still being written with volumes 1-17 (out of 30) available online.

O'Neill Library

Bapst Library

Burns Library

Educational Resource Center

Law Library

Social Work Library

Theology & Ministry Library

O'Connor Library

Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies

New Testament

Interpretation History

History of Interpretation Resources

Using the Encyclopedia of Biblical Reception