R. T. France (1938-2012)

By Brent Parker –

Nearly a week ago a significant Christian scholar passed away.  His death seems to have not attracted a great deal of attention (Peter Head seems to be the one who first brought attention to the sad news), but the death of R T France will certainly leave a void in NT studies, especially in regard to studies in the gospels. 

France was a prolific NT scholar with particular concentration on the Gospels of Matthew and Mark.  Anyone wanting to study the Matthew’s gospel in depth will not want to pass up France’s Matthew: Evangelist and Teacher where he adeptly addressed issues such as the setting, literary character of Matthew and provided helpful chapters on critical themes in Matthew such as the role and meaning of “fulfillment,” the nature of Israel and the church in Matthew’s portrait, and the person and work of Jesus in Matthew’s gospel.  These keen insights and thorough study of Matthew may also be found in his major Matthean commentary.  One of France’s most significant articles on Matthew was “The Formula-Quotations of Matthew 2 and the Problem of Communication,” New Testament Studies 27 (1981): 233-51 (also reprinted in The Right Doctrine from the Wrong Texts, edited by GK Beale). In this article France demonstrated that beyond the “surface meaning” of the text that could be recognized by the most naïve reader, Matthew deliberately composed a chapter with rich bonus meanings that could be caught by those who shared the scriptural erudition of Matthew’s use of the OT.  One other work that I personally benefited from was the required reading of France’s top notch commentary in my Mark exegesis course at Southern Seminary. The Gospel of Mark (NIGTC) requires its readers to have a knowledge of Greek, but France’s overview of Mark, for example on the messianic secret and the sandwiching technique of Mark, were always insightful and helpful, as was his thorough and evenhanded treatment of the text of Mark’s gospel throughout the commentary.  France also wrote thoughtfully on the topic of inerrancy and how that issue related to biblical studies and critical scholarship.

More information about France as well as a thorough list of his written works may be found on the website of the Committee for Bible Translation for the NIV.  France was an honorary member of the CBT. 

We mourn the loss of R T France, but are so thankful for his life and the fruits of his labors in providing an array of contributions that have helped us to be better readers of the gospels and in turn, more devoted to Jesus Christ.

Brent Parker is a P.h.D. candidate at The Southern Baptist Theologoical Seminary.