Customer Reviews

Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (10 Volume Set)

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A couple gave me the full set for Christmas in 1977. They thought it would provide me insights for preaching that also benefit them as hearers of the sermons. I used it by means of the index volume for many years. Finally, I decided to read all nine text volumes cover-to-cover. It took me six years to finish, but I found things I did not find through the index and would never have known to seek. At times articles in Kittel can numb the mind with boredom. At other times they can cause it to soar with new insights based in an array of factual information. The reader will probably not agree with everything. Certainly, individual contributors of the articles do not always agree with one another. Still, I would not be without Kittel. My copy is drenched in ink from underlinings and notes I have made as I read it. I know it would be tempting to buy the one volume "baby Kittel" and skip the extra expense of the larger set, but there are key pieces of information that did not make it into the editors' view of what should be included in the one volume edition. Spend the money and get the real thing. There have been some tremendous discount specials that make the whole set little more than the list price of the "baby" version.

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.

Gerhard Kittel's work has been a massive undertaken and has made good use of external evidence to assist in a well-rounded understanding of the times in which various biblical texts were believed to have been written. Unfortunately - as in any religion, many attempt to use this work in order to "prove" a particular point, thereby missing much of the beauty of etymology in the study of hermeneutics. TDNT is a wonderful work for any student of linguistics, regardless of religious orientation.

If people want to know the Holy Scriptures as the Word of God than this work is basic to anyones understandong.

Somehow if you managed to own this set, be assured that you own something that next generation may not be able to afford to put their hands on. This is an indispensable gem of Christian scholarship which was compiled for the period of two millennia. Used to be very expensive, but thanks to the liberals who are blinded not being able to see the value of it, and thus throw this away from their shelf. Do not forget their is TDOT as well, that you cannot go any wrong to own it now.Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament (Set)

Kittel's series is an essential tool for New Testament study. It's somewhat of a Cliff's Notes to New Testament word study, pulling together the research which would otherwise be tediously done in BAGD, Liddell & Scott, Hatch & Redpath, Moulton & Milligan, and elsewhere.