An Interpretive Lexicon of New Testament Greek: Analysis of Prepositions, Adverbs, Particles, Relative Pronouns, and Conjunctions by G. K. Beale, D. J. Brendsel, and W. A. Ross (review)

This booklet forms an invaluable link in the grammatical-exegetical studies of NT Greek. The purpose of this book is not merely to list various links between statements, but to trace and set out the various logical relationships between statements or propositions (i.e., any clause consisting of a subject and a predicate) in the NT in order to enhance exegesis. The booklet is thus “a taxonomy of functions performed by key Greek connecting words, particles, and other markers” (6). It examines and categorises such key words that identify the logical relationships between clauses.

On pp. 8–12 the authors table these relationships: In line with the normal division of such grammatical relationships the various connections or links are divided into coordinate and subordinate relationships. These logical connections or links are then marked with abbreviations in order for the reader or student to easily recognise and identify them. Each category of links or connections is then defined, indicating its semantic range, and then provided with a translational example in English. The categories are Progression (P), Inference (a triangle marked as such by three dots), Cause-Effect (C-E), Comparison (//), Negative-Positive (-/+), Fact-Interpretation (Ft-In), General-Specific (Gn-Sp), Way-End (W-Ed), Adversative (Adv), Situation-Response (S-R), Question-Answer (Q-A) and No Logical Relationship (NLR).

A further excellent aspect of this booklet, extremely helpful for its user, is the inclusion of two outstanding resources to which the reader is referred in the case of every link/connection that is listed, namely Daniel Wallace’s Greek Grammar beyond the Basics and Murray Harris’s Prepositions and Theology in the Greek New Testament. These two resources are indicated at the end of the use(s) or function of each particular preposition, adverb, particle, etcetera, naming the basic function and page number of that particular link in Wallace and Harris. A third resource used is BDAG/BAGD, and the vast majority of translational renderings come from BDAG/BAGD, but occasionally the authors have formulated their own. Using κατά as example, the authors provide the reader with a valuable and helpful illustration of the layout and use of this lexicon (14). Taking the preposition ἀνά as example here, the reader can get an idea of the general layout of the lexicon:

ἀνά pp. 57–58, p. 49 [This refers to the page numbers in BAGD and BDAG resp.]

Preposition with accusative

1. 1. among, between, in the middle, in the midst of; L (Locative) [1]

2. 2. in turn, in sequence; NLR [2]

3. 3. each, apiece; NLR [3]

   Wallace – [p. 364] – basic distributive use with genitive

   Harris [pp. 45–48] – NT uses of ἀνά, pp. 45–46; ἀνὰ μέσον and ὁ θρόνος in Rev 7:17, pp. 46–48; ἀνά in compounds, p. 48

The Greek text used is NA²⁷, and the authors have listed and examined 214 connections (prepositions, adverbs, particles etc.). This renders this booklet to function both as a lexicon and as an interpretive handbook. It is therefore for both scholar and student arguably an indispensable as well as handy tool regarding the study and translation of the NT. It comes highly recommendable.