John Lee’s A History of New Testament Lexicography:
Lee presupposes that NT lexicography is foundational to the practice of biblical/theological studies.
“Lexicons play a pivotal role in all other subjects, yet they are commonly taken for granted and trusted as though they had no faults” (xi).
Yet, Lee presents the historical practice of NT lexicography as deeply flawed by faulty methodology.
Lee’s Four Flaws of NT Lexicography (xi, 177):
- Undue Reliance on Predecessors
- Unsatisfactory Method of Indicating Meaning
- In bilingual lexicography a gloss is a word of generally equivalent meaning.
- “A definition is a clear and succinct statement of the area of meaning covered by the word (or by one of its senses), including any fuzziness” (21).
- Interference from Translations (circular lexicography)
- Inadequate Means of Gathering Evidence and Opinion
Therefore, Lee proposes a future for NT lexicography in light of the digital revolution.
Lee’s Ideal Lexicographical Attributes (xi, 182ff):
- Definitional
- Comprehensive
- Open-Source
- Digital
- Generative
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