Leonard Theological College

Subject : Jesus Tradition in Johannine Writings

Book Review : A Manual of Introduction of the New Testament
Submitted To : Rev. Ashok Kumar
Reviewed By : Kamlesh Peter (B.D. - IV)
Submission Date : 7th September, 2021

Book Review: Weiss, Dr. Bernhard. A Manual of Introduction to the New Testament.
New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 2007, Pp. 450, ISBN-10: 1313698415 and
ISBN-13: 978-1313698412.
About the Author: Dr. Bernhard Weiss (20th June, 1827 – 14th January, 1918) was a German
Protestant New Testament scholar. He was the father of Johannes Weiss and the painter,
Hedwig Weiss. Weiss was born at Konigsberg. After studying theology at the University of
Konigsberg (Albertina), Halle and Berlin, he became professor extraordinary at Konigsberg
in 1852, and afterwards professor ordinaries at Kiel and Berlin. In 1880 he was made superior
consistorial councilor of the Evangelical State Church of Prussia’s older Provinces.
Demonstrating that criticism and positive evangelical theology were not mutually exclusive,
Weiss is one of a long line of conservative German scholars who have not been given the
recognition they deserve. In addition to an important handbook of NT theology (1868; ET 2
vols., 1882-83), an influential NT Introduction (1886; ET 2 vols., 1889), and a Life of Jesus
(2 vols., 1882; ET 3 vols., 1883-84), he wrote commentaries in the famous Meyer series on
Mark and Luke (6th-9th eds., 1878-1901), John (6th-9th eds., 1880- 1902), Romans (6th-9th
eds., 1881-1902), Matthew (7th-9th eds., 1883-97), the Pastorals (5th-7th eds., 1885-1902),
Hebrews (5th- 6th eds., 1888-97), epistles of John (5th-6th eds., 1888-1900), and many other
commentaries. He was a strong critic of the Tendenzkritik (“tendency criticism”) of F.C.
Baur and the Tubingen scholars.
About the Book: This book is the special introduction to the New Testament which touches
on few problems, apart perhaps from the sections on the Corinthian and Johannine Epistles
and the Acts, on which the author have not already had occasion to express his opinion,
discussion them minutely in some cases and in many cases more than once. The main object
of this book is not to give a statement of author’s views, but to furnish a manual with the best
methodical arrangement, the want of which the author had long felt in his academicals office.
For Dr. Bernhard Weiss, the main thing in an Introduction to the New Testament is neither
criticism nor apologetics, but the actual initiation into a living, historical knowledge of
Scripture.
Introduction: In the introduction, the author has given the brief detail about the history of
the origin of the New Testament Canon. The author is correct that there was the oral tradition
alone, but when in the third century, the need arose of limiting the circle of writings that
should be valid for the Church. According to Weiss, Augustine indeed indulges in theoretical
discussions as to the principles of canonicity in his work ‘De Doctrina Christiana,’ but he

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does not get beyond the enumeration of this twenty-seven New Testament books, which were
canonized by the African synods in his time and under his influence.
Author has given the account of Middle Ages of the world which was content with the
‘Introduction to the study of the Holy Scriptures.’ Author has also mentioned about the
Richard Simon, the learned Oratorian of Paris, who is regarded as the founder of the science
of Introduction. Dr. Weiss has mentioned about the department of the history of the text
which was the first in which a freer scientific movement and the beginnings of true criticism.
Author has the good knowledge about the history of science of Introduction to the New
Testament as he mentioned about the German translator, Rosenmuller Gott, who did the first
comprehensive attempt to extend the science of Introduction to the New Testament, and
accomplishes all that the means and the method of his time rendered possible.
While discussing on the Criticism and Apologetics, Weiss has given the detail about the work
of Joh. Salomo Semler who is the author of ‘Abhandlung von freier Untersuchung des
Kanon,’ in which he originated and defended with indefatigable zeal, his distinction between
that which in the New Testament Scriptures was to be regarded as the Word of God or
canonical and which according to him was to be found only in what conduced to moral
improvement, and that which was local, temporal and Judaizing in them, making the
Apocalypse in particular so distasteful to him, and the theory of its apostolic origin so hard to
accept. Author again has given the account of Joh.Gottfried Eichhorn, who was the first who
tried to raise the science of Introduction to a criticism of the Canon. According to the author,
Schleiermacher sought in the department of the science of Introduction to strike our new
plans, by his, to some extent, classical research of details respecting the testimony of Papias
with regard to Matthew and Mark, as also respecting the Gospel of Luke and the first Epistle
to Timothy. Dr. Weiss has written that against the criticism of de Wette, defended the
collective tradition respecting the Canon, on the old dogmatic lines.
While writing on the Tubingen School and its opponents, author has given the account of
Tubingen professor, he was the first who made Canon of New Testament as the problem of
criticism and this criticism which had been till then of a prevailing literary character, became
truly historic. According to Weiss, Baur condensed the result of all his researches in his
collected critical researches respecting the Gospels pointed out the way in which the literature
of the Gospels also fits in with the course of this development. Author assumed, that most
important person of Tubingen School was Eduard Zeller, was subsequently in connection
with Baur, in which most of their works first appeared in the book ‘Theologische
Jahrbucher.’ Author has mentioned that Heinrich W.J. Thiersch defended the genuineness of
the entire Canon against all the attacks of modern criticism and G.V. Lechler endeavoured to
refute the Tubingen view of the development of primitive Christianity in an historical way,
weaving his conservative views as to the origin of the N.T. books into the work. Author has
taken the example of Friedr. Bleek, who took an advanced part in the discussion so early as
1846, in his book, was foremost in carrying on, with roughest polemic, the struggle against
the Tubingen School. Also author took the example of Ed. Reuss, who took up a thoroughly
independent position, a scholar who though allied to the Tubingen School in many respects in
his fundamental views.

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Writing about the present state of the science, author has mentioned that with the close of the
year 1850, the elder representatives of the Tubingen School came virtually to an end.
According to Weiss, Adolf Hilgenfeld, who was the Baur’s most assiduous disciple, by his
defense of the genuineness of Philemon, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, and Romans, as well
as the tradition respecting the end of Peter, he sought to cut away the most prominent
excrescences of the Tubingen criticism, and this visibly strengthened his position. Author
has mentioned, Gustav Volkmar, devoting himself especially to a careful examination of the
apocryphal and apocalyptic literature, went beyond the criticism of Baur in daring, and
placed many of the N.T. writings lower down in the second century, although by putting the
Gospel of Mark first he completely shattered the Tubingen theory of the Gospels which was
already abandoned by Hilgenfeld and Holsten. While writing about the apologetic tendencies
and about the problem and method of the science of introduction, author came to the
conclusion that the origin of the Canon can only in reality be represented in the form of a
history imperfectly searched out as to its sources, and must necessarily be first investigated,
because the tradition as to the origin of the separate books, which forms the starting points of
all criticism respecting them, can only be rightly estimated in its continuity.

First Part: The First Part begins with the chapter fifth in which the author has given the
detail about the history of the origin of the New Testament Canon. In this, he has mentioned
about the Canon of the Lord’s Words. The author is right that Christ has left no written record
and he did not come to destroy the law or the prophet, but to bring the joyful message of the
fulfilment of the promise that had been given to them. According to Dr. Weiss, a written
record would have been as insufficient as it was superfluous or unnecessary. Writer correctly
stated that Jesus only needed witnesses to testify what his disciples had seen and heard. This
chapter has shown that the primitive documents of the apostolic time are concerned
throughout only with the speaking and preaching of the word, with its hearing and
acceptance.
While writing about the Paul’s letters to the Churches, author has mentioned that his letters
are quite different from the regular reading of Old Testament Scriptures which adopted from
the synagogue by the Gentile Christian Churches in their meetings for worships. Paul letter’s
sole object was that the letter should be made known to the whole community for whom it
was intended. Author assume that for the same reason Paul gives directions on another
occasion that two neighbouring Churches should exchange letters after they had first been
publicly read.
Author correctly has mentioned that God Himself speaks, who by His Spirit put His word
into the mouth of prophets. Author quoted the statement of Justine the Martyr in which he
stated that there is a clear enunciation of the principle that the authority of Christ stands side
by side with that of the prophetic word. According to the author, the words of the Lord in the
Didache are in no case borrowed from John’s Gospel and the Eucharistic prayers are replete
with Johannine idea and expressions and these prayers which influenced the life of the
Church are because of the Johannine writings.

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The chapter sixth is about the oldest traces of the New Testament Epistles where the author
has given the brief detail Pauline Epistles in which Paul occasionally enjoined upon his
Churches to hold fast that which he had taught them in the name and Spirit of Christ, whether
orally or in writing and afterwards spoke of obedience to his written instructions. According
to the author only once in the New Testament are Apostolic which is Pauline Epistles
mentioned, where a warning is given against intentionally misinterpreting them.
Author has given a brief sketch of Apostolic authority in the Apostolic fathers in which the he
presented the views and ordinances adopted by the Church are in fact simply assumed to have
their origin in the apostles and through them in Christ. While discussing about the traces of
the New Testament Epistles in Clement, author has mentioned about the ‘First Epistle of
Clement’ which points directly to the Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians in its detailed
description of the state of parties and contains plain imitation of the Pauline psalm of love.
Author tried to relate Barnabas and Hermas, and Ignatius and Polycarp with New Testament
Epistles in which Barnabas echoes of Paul and the Epistle to the Ephesians is the only Pauline
Epistle of which find echoes in Hermas. According to the author, the epistle most freely used
in the Ignatian letters is 1 Corinthians and in Polycarp the epistle most used is 1 peter. Author
stated that the use of the apostolic writings in the Clemenline Homily is very scanty and
according to him, the use of a single passage does not fully appear in the Didache. At the end
of the sixth chapter, the author has given so many Scriptures and different sources which
directly or indirectly became the cause to spread of the New Testament Epistles into the
world.
Chapter seventh is about the Gospel Canon in which the author has given the remembrance of
the Apostles in Justin the Martyr who made the use of an extra-canonical, heretical, or
apocryphal Gospel. According to the author, Justin the Martyr consciously distinguished
between the older Gospels as historical documents and the fourth as a doctrinal work which
according to him, must be decidedly rejected. Author has given the real fact that the image of
the historical life and teaching of Christ, mirrored in the Church, was formed from the older
Gospels, is still decisive for his use of the Apomnemoneumata (memories of the Apostles).
After considering the Apostolic writings in Justin, author assumed that Justin has no
knowledge of a Canon of Apostolic writings, not even of a Canon of the Gospels and also
after Justin’s time the fourth Gospel was more and more definitely placed on an equality with
the three older ones. The author rightly stated that a fixed Canon of the Gospels based on the
exclusive ecclesiastical validity of the four Gospels gradually arose. The author has given the
brief sketch of the first foundation of a New Testament Canon in his book. Author has point
out that there is no reference to the apostles as an authority for doctrine, may have its origin
in the circumstance that the documents considered treat as an antithesis within Christianity.
The eighth chapter is about the Canon of Apostolic traditional doctrines, in which the author
discussed about the oral Apostolic traditional doctrine, Heretics and their secret tradition and
their scripture criticism, also about the Canon of Marcion and the raising of the Apostolic
writings to the sacred writings. In these above headings, author has mentioned about the
heretical tendencies to which neither the sacred scripture of the Old Testament could suffice,
nor the simple words of the Lord could suffice. According to Weiss, the heretics were first

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compelled to go back to the written memorials of the apostolic time in the hope of being able
to prove form them, that the doctrines in which they differed from the traditional teaching of
the Church were apostolic.
Author is correct, that it was necessary to carry over to the Gospels and the apostolic
writings, the allegorical method of interpretation of the Old Testament which was current in
the Church itself. Weiss has mentioned that even the heretics were soon convinced that they
could make little way by their perversion of Scripture, and had recourse to the falsification of
it. According to the author, Church itself always recognized as a prophetic authority side by
side with apostolic, but the gift of prophecy was not limited to the divine men of the old
covenant, whose prophecies were recorded in O.T. Scripture, it lived in the Church. Author
has given the account of Marcion, who deliberately rejected those Gospels which proceeded
from the primitive apostolic circle, for the very reason that they went back to the authority of
the primitive apostles which he refused to recognize. Author has correctly mentioned that the
Gospels became sacred writings in consequence of being read in the Church, the
ecclesiastical reading of the Epistles first began after they had been raised to the rank of
sacred writings.
Chapter ninth is about the New Testament at the close of the second century in which author
has mentioned that how the apostolic writings promoted to the rank of sacred books equal in
importance to those of the Old Testament. According to Weiss, the two portions of which the
New Testament consisted at the close of the second century, had been formed from totally
different points of view. Author has correctly mentioned that the apostolic writings were
concerned, the question turned on the written memorials of the men who by virtue of their
calling and equipment had the sole right of decision as to what alone was the true doctrine of
Christ. According to Weiss, Luke's Acts of the Apostles also belonged to those writings
which were highly prized by the Church on account of their value as early documents, and
the recognition of which she must see to be absolutely assured. Author has given the account
of Clement regarded it as Pauline at least in its alleged Hebraic basis it is frequently cited in
closest connection with passages in other Pauline epistles. According to the author, Clement
calls the Roman Clement an apostle and Barnabas too, who was one of the Seventy and a co-
worker with the apostle Paul. Weiss assumed that there was yet another point of view, under
which the circle of sacred N. T. writings was still further extended. Author agreed that it was
impossible to form a Canon, i.e. to come to a decision as to what writings should exclusively
belong to the New Testament and when the need of such a settlement did arise, the Church
was already bound by her own past, and so hindered from forming a decision on any fixed
principle.
Dr. Bernhard Weiss, from the chapter ten to chapter twelve, has given the brief history about
the beginnings of the formation of the New Testament Canon and the close of the Canon in
the East and in the West. According to the author, the proper criticism of the Canon began in
the Evangelical Church with Semler. Author has mentioned that the doubts regarding the
Apocalypse, which swayed the East so long, never penetrated to the West. According to the
author, the reconciliation of the "West with the East, the way to which was hitherto being
prepared of itself, was designedly completed at the end of the fourth century by Rufinus and

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Jerome, scholars who were equally at home in both sections of the Church. Author assumed
that the Acts sometimes retain their old place after the Gospels, sometimes they form the
transition to the Catholic epistles as in Jerome, while occasionally they are even put after
these, as in Augustine and the Apocalypse invariably forms the conclusion. According to
Weiss, a decision respecting the Canon of binding efficacy for the whole Church, was not
arrived at, even in the West. Author has written that the necessity of making fixed regulations
respecting the Canon was likewise felt in the Greek Church of the 17th century. Author has
correctly mentioned that it was Luther who first ventured on an entirely free criticism of the
traditional Canon, but this, however, was not historical but only dogmatic and in accordance
with its whole aim directed to the kernel of evangelical doctrine. Author do agree that the
Historical research respecting the origin of individual writings must liberate itself from their
assumptions, as well as from the traditional view of the Canon, and in particular ascertain by
a more minute exegetical analysis the actual historical relations which these writings
presuppose.
Conclusion: Dr. Bernhard Weiss has beautifully presented the history of the origin of the
New Testament Canon and the problems and methods of the science of introduction. He has
given the proper proof about the apostolic authority and about the Canon as the Lord’s Words
by presenting the various scholars and writers, through their opinion and study research. He
also has the good knowledge of Greek language which helped him to understand the fourth
Gospel. The author tried his best to put all the things, to justify the title of the book which is
‘A Manual of introduction to the New Testament.’ By reading this book I understood that
there are so many things which we need to research and study about the history of Canon,
apostolic writings and so many other things. This book has inspired me to get more and more
knowledge about the New Testament and about its history. I strongly suggest this book to the
new beginner theological students to please get this book, read and get the next level
understanding.