Unimpressed with NIDNTTE
I received my preordered copy of the New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis, and I must say that I am rather unimpressed. I am doing some work in Luke 12, and I tried to look up στρουθίον (sparrow), ἀσσάριον (penny), and ἀποθήκη (barn), and neither of them was in NIDNTTE. To be fair, only one was in TDNT, so perhaps NIDNTTE is no less exhaustive than TDNT, but still I would have liked to see more. Finally I tried looking up the word μεριστής (arbitrator), and it gave me an entry (TDNT did not!), but the entry was not really helpful at all. It was an entry for μέρος that only mentioned the word μεριστής in passing (in parentheses to note its presence in Luke 12). The information given on μέρος was not terribly helpful. I could gather than information almost as quickly just searching my Logos library for the root.
I then tried looking up κατάλυμα (the word that often gets translated "inn" in Luke 2:7), and it took me to the entry for λύω. Of course, TDNT does the same but has a subsection under λύω for κατάλυμα. NIDNTTE has no such subsection and instead mentions the word twice in passing, giving no real information on the word. TDNT links to other occurrences of this word in Polybius and elsewhere; not so NIDNTTE.
I have been waiting for a replacement for TDNT, I guess NIDNTTE is not it. I am now thinking of returning it. Anyone have a reason why I should keep this pricey dictionary?
Comments
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From my understanding and experience the NIDNTTE is not designed to be an exhaustive dictionary of Greek words. Rather they have carefully chosen words that they consider to be theologically important as the focus. I can understand you might be disappointed if you were expected a broader range. Although interesting to study words like sparrow, penny and barn are not important theological words.
My recommendation is that, before making your decision to return the resource, you use it in studying more significant words.
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Bruce Dunning said:
My recommendation is that, before making your decision to return the resource, you use it in studying more significant words.
I agree - I have found it very helpful on more theologically significant words.
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Bruce Dunning said:
From my understanding and experience the NIDNTTE is not designed to be an exhaustive dictionary or Greek words. Rather they have carefully chosen words that they consider to be theologically important as the focus. I can understand you might be disappointed if you were expected a broader range. Although interesting to study words like sparrow, penny and barn are not important theological words.
I am with with Bruce on this, I couldn't have put any better .
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My question is how much of an improvement is it over the original? One person stated he preferred the older one as this revision seemed to be less above new information and more of an attempt to make it more palatable to evangelicals. I own the original work and have an upgrade order placed in Accordance. But from what I am hearing other than being better organized the new version may have significant deficits. Is it worth the $159 upgrade cost?
-Dan
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