F. F.

Bruce
Frederick Fyvie Bruce FBA (12 October 1910 11
September 1990), usually cited as F. F. Bruce, was a
Biblical scholar who supported the historical reliability
of the New Testament. His rst book, New Testament
Documents: Are They Reliable? (1943), was voted by
the American evangelical periodical Christianity Today
in 2006 as one of the top 50 books which had shaped
evangelicals.[1]

confusion. He believed, however, that the passages that

were still open to debate were ones that had no substantial bearing on Christian theology and thinking. Bruces
colleague at Manchester, James Barr, considered Bruce a
conservative liberal.[4]

Bruce was in Christian fellowship at various places during his life, though his primary commitment was to the
Open Brethren among whom he grew up.[5] He enjoyed
the fellowship and acceptance of this group, though he
was very much a maverick in relation to his own personal
beliefs. He never accepted the dispensationalism[6] and
pretribulationism usually associated with the Brethren,
and he was also an advocate of the public ministry of
women[7] something that many Plymouth Brethren
would still disapprove of today.

3 Personal views

Early life

Bruce was born in Elgin, Moray, in Scotland, the son

of a Christian Brethren (Plymouth Brethren) preacher
and educated at the University of Aberdeen, Gonville
and Caius College, Cambridge and the University of Vienna, where he studied with Paul Kretschmer, an IndoEuropean philologist.[2]

Career
4 Honours

After teaching Greek for several years, rst at the

University of Edinburgh and then at the University of
Leeds, he became head of the Department of Biblical
History and Literature at the University of Sheeld in
1947. Aberdeen University bestowed an honorary Doctor
of Divinity degree on him in 1957.[3] In 1959 he moved
to the University of Manchester where he became Rylands Professor of Biblical Criticism and Exegesis. In his
career he wrote over 40 books and served as editor of
The Evangelical Quarterly and the Palestine Exploration
Quarterly. He retired from teaching in 1978.

Bruce was honoured with two scholarly works by his colleagues and former students, one to mark his 60th and the
other to mark his 70th birthday. Apostolic History and the
Gospel: Biblical and Historical Essays Presented to F. F.
Bruce on his 60th Birthday (1970) included contributions
from E. M. Blaiklock, E. Earle Ellis, I. Howard Marshall,
Bruce M. Metzger, William Barclay, G. E. Ladd, A. R.
Millard, Leon Morris, Bo Reicke, and Donald Guthrie.
Pauline Studies: Essays Presented to Professor F. F. Bruce
on his 70th Birthday (1980) included contributions from
Bruce was a distinguished scholar on the life and ministry Peter T. O'Brien, David Wenham, Ronald E. Clements,
of Paul the Apostle and wrote several studies, the best and Moiss Silva. C. F. D. Moule and Robert H. Gundry
known of which is Paul: Apostle of the Free Spirit (pub- contributed to both volumes.
lished in the United States as Paul: Apostle of the Heart Bruce was elected a Fellow of the British Academy, and
Set Free). He also wrote commentaries on many biblical served as President of the Society for Old Testament
books including Habakkuk, the Gospel of John, the Acts Study, and also as President of the Society for New Tesof the Apostles, Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, tament Study. He is one of a handful of scholars thus
Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, recognised by his peers in both elds.
the Epistle to the Hebrews, and the Epistles of John.
Most of Bruces works were scholarly, but he also wrote
many popular works on the Bible. He viewed the New
Testament writings as historically reliable and the truth
claims of Christianity as hinging on their being so. To
Bruce this did not mean that the Bible was always precise, or that this lack of precision could not lead to some

5 Selected writings
New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?
Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1981. (First
1

5
published in 1943 as Are the New Testament Documents Reliable?) ISBN 0-8028-2219-3
The Hittites and the Old Testament. Tyndale Old
Testament Lecture, 1947. London: The Tyndale
Press, 1947. Pbk. pp.28.
The Books and the Parchments. London: Pickering & Inglis, 1950 (2nd edn 1953; 3rd & revised
edn 1963; paperback revised edition 1971 ISBN 07208-0216-4)
The Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text With Introduction and Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI:
William B. Eerdmans, 1951.
The Book of the Acts (New International Commentary on the New Testament). Grand Rapids, MI:
William B. Eerdmans, 1954. ISBN 0-8028-21820
The Epistles to the Colossians and the Ephesians.
(New International Commentary on the New Testament) Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans,
1957. [title may be incorrect; Bruce wrote the
Colossians commentary, and E.K. Simpson wrote
the Ephesians commentary; see the 1984 replacement below entirely by Bruce]
The Teacher of Righteousness in the Qumran Texts.
London: The Tyndale Press, 1957. Pbk. pp.36.
The Apostolic Defence of the Gospel. London: InterVarsity Press, 1959. ISBN 0-85110-306-5
Biblical Exegesis in the Qumran Texts. London: The
Tyndale Press, 1960. Pbk. pp.88.
Paul and his Converts. Cambridge: Lutterworth
Press, 1962. ISBN 0-7188-0072-9
Romans (Tyndale New Testament Commentary).
Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1963.
ISBN 0-8028-1405-0
Israel and the Nations. Exeter: Paternoster Press,
1963. ISBN 0-85364-150-1
Epistle to the Hebrews (New International Commentary on the New Testament). Grand Rapids, MI:
William B. Eerdmans, 1964.
This is That. Exeter: Paternoster Press, 1968. ISBN
0-85364-168-4 (published in the USA as New Testament Development of Old Testament Themes. Grand
Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1968. ISBN 08028-1729-7)
New Testament History. London: Oliphants, 1969.
ISBN 0-551-00799-0
The Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text With Introduction and Commentary, 2nd ed. Grand Rapids,
MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1970.

SELECTED WRITINGS

An Expanded Paraphrase of the Epistles Of Paul.

R.N. Haynes Publishers; 1st USA edition (1981)
323 pages. ISBN 0-88021-016-8 ISBN 978-088021-016-4
Galatian Problems. John Rylands Library, 1971.
Answers to Questions. Exeter: Paternoster Press,
1972. 0-85364-101-3
The 'Secret' Gospel of Mark. The Ethel M. Wood
lecture delivered before the University of London
on 11 February 1974. London: The Athlone Press,
1974. Pbk. ISBN 0-485-14318-6. pp.20.
Jesus and Christian Origins Outside the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans,
1974. ISBN 0-8028-1575-8
Paul: Apostle of The Free Spirit. Exeter UK: Paternoster, 1977. ISBN 1-84227-027-3 (published
in the USA as Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free.
Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans,1977.
ISBN 0-8028-4778-1)
History of the Bible in English. Oxford, UK: Oxford
University Press, 1978. ISBN 0-19-520088-8
The Epistles of John. Grand Rapids, MI: William B.
Eerdmans, 1979. ISBN 0-8028-1783-1
Men and Movements in the Primitive Church. Exeter:
Paternoster, 1979. ISBN 0-85364-705-4
I & II Corinthians (New Century Bible Commentary).
Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1980.
ISBN 0-8028-1839-0
The Spreading Flame. Grand Rapids, MI: William
B. Eerdmans, 1980. ISBN 0-8028-1805-6
Bible History Atlas. N.Y.: Crossroad, 1982. ISBN
0-8245-0418-6
Epistle to the Galatians (New International Greek
Testament Commentary).
Grand Rapids, MI:
William B. Eerdmans, 1982. ISBN 0-8028-23874
1 & 2 Thessalonians (Word Biblical Commentary).
Thomas Nelson, 1982. ISBN 0-8499-0244-4
Hard Sayings of Jesus. Inter-Varsity, 1983. ISBN
0-87784-927-7
Jesus and Paul: Places They Knew. Thomas Nelson,
1983. ISBN 0-8407-5281-4
Abraham and David: Places They Knew. Thomas
Nelson, 1984. ISBN 0-8407-5402-7

3
The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and
to the Ephesians. (New International Commentary on the New Testament). Grand Rapids, MI:
William B. Eerdmans, 1984. ISBN 0-8028-25109 [This is Bruces new commentary on Ephesians
and Philemon along with a revision of his 1957
commentary from the Simpson and Bruce volume
above]
The Gospel of John. Grand Rapids, MI: William B.
Eerdmans, 1984. ISBN 0-8028-0883-2
Jesus: Lord & Savior. Inter-Varsity, 1986.
The Message of the New Testament. Grand Rapids,
MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1986. ISBN 0-80281525-1
Romans (Tyndale New Testament Commentary), revised. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans,
1986. ISBN 0-8028-0062-9
Second Thoughts on the Dead Sea Scrolls. Attic
Press, 1986. ISBN 0-85364-017-3 ( download online copy here)
The Canon of Scripture. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988. ISBN 0-8308-1258-X
The Book of the Acts, revised (New International
Commentary on the New Testament). Grand Rapids,
MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1988. ISBN 0-80282505-2
Philippians, (New International Biblical Commentary), 1989. Hendricksen. ISBN 0-943575-15-X
Epistle to the Hebrews, revised. (New International
Commentary on the New Testament) Grand Rapids,
MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1990. ISBN 0-80282514-1
The Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text With Introduction and Commentary, 3rd ed. Grand Rapids,
MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1990. ISBN 0-80280966-9
A Mind For What Matters: Collected Essays. Grand
Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1990. ISBN 08028-0446-2
Kaiser, Walter C., Peter H. Davids, F. F. Bruce, and
Manfred Brauch. Hard Sayings of the Bible. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996. ISBN 087784-927-7

5.1

Articles

The Chester Beatty Papyri, The Harvester 11

(1934): 163, 164.

What Do We Mean By Biblical Inspiration?"

Journal of the Transactions of the Victoria Institute
78 (1946): 121139.
The Speeches In Acts: Thirty Years After, Robert
Banks, ed., Reconciliation and Hope. New Testament
Essays on Atonement and Eschatology Presented to L.
L. Morris on his 60th Birthday. Carlisle: The Paternoster Press, 1974. pp.5368.
The Background to the Son of Man Sayings, Christ
The Lord. Studies in Christology presented to Donald
Guthrie. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1982. Hbk.
ISBN 0-85111-744-9. pp.5070.
The Curse of the Law, M. D. Hooker & S. G. Wilson, eds., Paul and Paulinism. Essays in Honour of
C. K. Barrett. London: SPCK. Hbk. ISBN 0-28103835-X. pp.2736.
Colossian Problems: Part 1: Jews and Christians
in the Lycus Valley, Bibliotheca Sacra 141: 561
(1984): 313.
Colossian Problems: Part 2: The 'Christ Hymn'
of Colossians 1:1520, Bibliotheca Sacra 141: 562
(1984): 99112.
Colossian Problems: Part 3: The Colossian
Heresy, Bibliotheca Sacra 141: 563 (1984): 195
206.
Colossian Problems: Part 4: Christ as Conqueror
and Reconciler, Bibliotheca Sacra 141: 564 (1984):
291301.
Lukes Presentation of the Spirit in Acts, Criswell
Theological Review 5.1 (1990) 1529.
annual Rylands lectures at the John Rylands Library, Manchester (published in Bulletin of the John
Rylands Library, vols. 4360; including Galatian
problems, 5 pts, and St Paul in Rome, 5 pts.)

6 References
[1] Tim Grass, F. F. Bruce: A Life, p. 40 (Paternoster, 2012).
ISBN 978-0-8028-6723-0
[2] Hippenhammer, Craighton T., F.F. Bruce: A Life, by
Tim Grass (2013). Faculty Scholarship Library Science. Paper 15. http://digitalcommons.olivet.edu/lsci_
facp/15.
[3] W.W. Gasque, Bruce, F(rederick) F(yvie)", Historical
Handbook of Major Bible Interpreters, ed. Donald K.
McKim, InterVarsity Press, 1998, p. 444.
[4] Iain Murray, Evangelicalism Divided, Edinburgh: Banner
of Truth (2000), pp. 181; John Wenham, Facing Hell:
An Autobiography, Carlisle: Paternoster Press (1999), pp.
195.

[5] Arnold Pickering, F.F. Bruce as a Fellow-Elder, Christian Brethren Research Fellowship Journal 22 (Nov.
1971), p. 15f.
[6] F.F. Bruce, The End of the First Gospel, The Evangelical Quarterly 12 (1940), pp. 203214.
[7] see http://answers.net.nz/Other/bre.3.htm for a criticism
of Bruce for supporting Womens Ministry based on a review of one of his articles

Further reading
W. Ward Gasque & Ralph P. Martin (eds). Apostolic History and the Gospel: Biblical and Historical
Essays Presented to F. F. Bruce on his 60th Birthday.
Exeter: Paternoster; Grand Rapids, MI: William B.
Eerdmans, 1970. ISBN 0-85364-098-X
D. A. Hagner & M. J. Harris (eds). Pauline Studies:
Essays Presented to F. F. Bruce. Exeter: Paternoster; Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1980.
ISBN 0-8028-3531-7
F. F. Bruce. In Retrospect: Remembrance of Things
Past. Revised edition. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1993.
ISBN 0-8010-1055-1
Tim Grass. F. F. Bruce. A Life. Milton Keynes:
Paternoster, 2011. ISBN 978-1-84227-737-9

External links
FF Bruce as a Fellow-Elder by Arnold Pickering

EXTERNAL LINKS

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