Simon J. Kistemaker (October 21, 1930 – September 23, 2017) was a
New Testament
The New Testament (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus, as well as events relating to Christianity in the 1st century, first-century Christianit ...
scholar. He served as Professor of New Testament at
Reformed Theological Seminary
Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) is a theological seminary in the Reformed theological tradition with campuses in multiple locations in the United States. Founded by conservatives in the Southern Presbyterian Church, the Presbyterian Churc ...
.
Kistemaker studied at
Calvin College
Calvin University, formerly Calvin College, is a private Christian university in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1876, Calvin University is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reforme ...
and
Calvin Theological Seminary
Calvin Theological Seminary is a private Christian Reformed Church seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is closely tied to Calvin University, though each institution has its own board.
History
The seminary was founded in 1876 with the purpose ...
before obtaining a
Th.D.
Doctor of Theology (, abbreviated DTh, ThD, DTheol, or Dr. theol.) is a terminal degree in the academic discipline of theology. The ThD, like the ecclesiastical Doctor of Sacred Theology, is an advanced research degree equivalent to the Doctor of ...
from the
Free University in Amsterdam.
He served a term as president of the
Evangelical Theological Society
The Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) is a professional society of Biblical scholars, educators, pastors, and students "devoted to the inerrancy and inspiration of the Scriptures and the gospel of Jesus Christ" and "dedicated to the oral ex ...
, and completed the ''New Testament Commentary'' series that was commenced by
William Hendriksen
William Hendriksen (18 November 1900 – 12 January 1982) was a New Testament scholar and writer of Bible commentaries. He was born in Tiel, Gelderland, but his family moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1911. Hendriksen studied at Calvin Colleg ...
. Four of Kistemaker's volumes in this series won the
Gold Medallion Evangelical Book of the Year Award.
Early life and education
Kistemaker was born in the Netherlands and immigrated with his family to Ontario, Canada, shortly after World War II. Demonstrating a talent for languages, he pursued higher education at Calvin College, where he was invited by President Dr.
William Spoelhof
William Spoelhof (December 8, 1909 – December 3, 2008) was the President of Calvin College, and President Emeritus of the Grand Rapids, Michigan school.
Biography
Spoelhof was a native of Paterson, New Jersey, and graduated from Calvin College ...
to teach Latin and Greek while still a student. Kistemaker furthered his studies at Calvin Theological Seminary and the Free University of Amsterdam, earning his Doctorate of Theology in 1961.
Career
Following his ordination in 1961, Kistemaker served as a pastor at the Christian Reformed Church in Vernon, British Columbia. He later joined Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, as a professor of Bible and languages. In 1971, Kistemaker began his long tenure at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) in Jackson, Mississippi, where he taught New Testament studies until his retirement in May 1996. He was honored with emeritus status upon his retirement but continued to teach at the Orlando campus of RTS from 1996 to 2011.
Major works and contributions
Kistemaker was best known for his work on the 12-volume New Testament Commentary Set originally begun by Dr. William Hendriksen. The series, which was completed in 2001 with the publication of the volume on Revelation, has been highly regarded within Reformed and evangelical scholarly circles.
Personal life and death
Kistemaker was married to his wife, Jean, for 61 years, and had 7 children.
He died at his home in
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 258,308, making it the List of municipalities in Florida, fifth-most populous city in Florida and the most populous city in the sta ...
on September 23, 2017.
Works
Books
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Articles & chapters
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References
External links
Simon J. Kistemaker – Professor Interviewat goingtoseminary.com.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kistemaker, Simon J.
1930 births
2017 deaths
American Calvinist and Reformed theologians
Calvin University alumni
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam alumni
New Testament scholars
Bible commentators
20th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians
21st-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians
American biblical scholars
Presidents of the Evangelical Theological Society