From: Edgar M. Krentz (emkrentz@mcs.com)
Date: Sat Jan 20 1996 - 10:39:26 EST
Recently someone asked a question about the Kohlenberger concordance. I
cannot address that person directly, since I did not save the submission.
So I am sending this to b-greek in the hopes he or she will see it. I
recently wrote a brief review for the Journal _Currents in Theology and
Mission_, not yet published. I expect others will also have evaluations to
submit.
=====================================================
An important new tool for New Testament studies just appeared: The
_Exhaustive Concordance to the Greek New Testament_, edited by John R.
Kohlenberger III, Edward W. Goodrick, and James A. Swanson (Zondervan,
$49.99). It is well worth the price. It is based on the most recent
critical text, the 4th edition of The Greek New Testament (UBS4 = Aland's
27th edition). It is the only affordable complete concordance based on this
text. Wherever the Greek text underlying the New International Version
differs, its text is also indicated. Five things characterize this
concordance. 1. It is complete but for twenty nine terms (for which it
gives place references, but not citations.) 2. It gives fuller contextual
citations than most concordances. 3. It gives basic word statistics for
each entry. 4. It gives cross-references to terms "that are related by root
or share common elements" that the user should consult. 5. It calls
attention to phrases of special significance. I can see only two drawbacks
to the work. It uses a very small Greek type face (about 7 point!), which
makes it hard on aging eyes. The phrases of special significance are
usually presented in proper syntactical relationships-except for
adjectives. There the nominative masculine is regularly used, even when it
modifies a neuter or feminine noun (a linguistic barbarism!). It does look
odd to see hAGIOS PNEUMA. In many ways this is the best complete printed
concordance available today. I shall recommend it to students.
===============================
The only other concordances based on Aland 27 are Aland's large one, which
I was able to purchase in fascicles as it came out, the Computer
concordance, and the revision of Schmoller edited by Beate Koester in 1989.
Of all concordances Aland is the most complete, Schmollenberger most
useful, Schmoller the best buy for the price and the easiest to tuck into
your briefcase on a trip, Moulton-Geden the only one to give you the Hebrew
of OT citations. If you own none and are strapped for money, buy Scholler.
If you have the $50.00 and can still read small type, buy Kohlenberger.
I hasten to add that good computer Bible-study programs do even more for
you, e.g. acCordance for Mac and comparable programs for Windows.
I hope this is of helps somewhat the person who asked the question. [I
might add that as a teacher I own all of these, plus the little one based
on the textus receptus published in Athens for about $5.00!
Peace,
Edgar Krentz, New Testament
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
1100 East 55th Street
Chicago, IL 60615
Tel.: 312-256-0752; (H) 312-947-8105
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