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About Engaging the New Testament
An interview with Miguel Echevarría
EV: What led you to put this book together? What problem or issue(s) are you seeking to address?
ME: As an earlier career professor, I assigned students New Testament introductions that focused more on issues such as authorship, provenance, and sources than on interpreting the text of Scripture. These were the kinds of books my professors required in my courses and their professors required in theirs. The tradition goes all the way back to the rise of historical criticism in the eighteenth century, which prioritized determining how we got our texts over how to properly interpret them. I felt that my students needed a book that broke the historical-critical mold. That is, they needed a book that focused more on what is “in” the text of Scripture than the issues that lie “behind” it. That’s why I wrote Engaging the New Testament. It is a book that flips the script on the traditional model of New Testament introductions.
EV: What’s the thesis of your book?
ME: Throughout the book, I show that the final forms of the New Testament writings are meant to be read canonically. That is, each book should be read in light of its meaningful position in Scripture. Readers should therefore discern, for instance, the significance of Matthew at the head of the fourfold Gospel corpus, Romans and Galatians as the bookends for an initial Pauline letter grouping, and Revelation at the conclusion of the canon. The shape of the New Testament canon, in fact, strongly suggests that we should read books in their canonical position rather than their historical composition. That is why I advise against using chronological Bibles, because they reorganize the texts according to date rather than their canonical position, distorting the flow of the Bible.
EV: Who’s your target audience, and what are you most hoping they hear from it?
ME: My book is meant for students, pastors, and interested lay people. My hope is that they will gain an appreciation for interpreting the New Testament writings in their position in the canon of Scripture.
EV: Did you have any “aha” moments while editing the book?
ME: I had many “aha” moments. I was blown away by how well Acts connects the Gospels to the epistles, showing how the same Spirit that came upon Jesus and his followers now comes upon people at the “ends of the earth” in places like Rome, Corinth, and Ephesus. I was impressed by how well Revelation draws on the texts of prophets like Isaiah and Ezekiel to conclude the canonical storyline by showing that Jesus will return to reign over a new Eden. There are so many other insights, even some that never made it into the book. If I get to revise the book for a second edition, I will be sure to include them.
EV: What was the most challenging part of the book project?
ME: The most challenging part was the deadline. I have a lot on my plate, just like the rest of us. But I got it done!
EV: If your book was made into a movie, what actor/actress would play the lead role?
ME: If my book was made into a movie, I hope that Arnold Schwarzenegger would play the lead role. As Arnold said in Terminator, “I’ll be back,” I hope that my book will “be back” for a second edition that will capitalize on the strengths of the first edition while adding new canonical connections and insights.
EV: What kind of seminary/church classes should assign your book?
ME: I think my book would be great for introductory college and seminary classes. It could also work well for church classes and small group studies. A Spanish translation is coming out soon! So, be sure to look out for it!
About the Author
Miguel Echevarría (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is Associate Professor of New Testament and Greek at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.