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Description
Introducing the New Testament is an outstanding guide to the writings of the New Testament for readers ranging from Bible students to those approaching the Christian Scriptures for the first time. Written by three leading Bible specialists, this book discusses in a clear and balanced way the New Testament's literature, its message, and the issues raised by a careful reading of its pages. Wonderfully readable and well supplied with maps and photographs, this volume is both an ideal textbook for courses covering the New Testament and a superb introduction for general readers wanting authoritative, straight-forward instruction on the writings of the New Testament. Unlike other New Testament introductions that are primarily concerned with historical-critical issues or with what scholars have said, this book gets directly to the business of explaining the New Testament's background, content, and theology. The authors do not presume that readers need to be familiar with scholarly debates about the New Testament, nor do they assume those debates have necessarily raised the most important issues. Instead, this book is aimed at putting the message of the Christian Scriptures back within the reach of general readers. Although informed by the current scholarship in the history, traditions, and literature of the New Testament, this book is primarily designed to induct readers of the New Testament into sensitive appreciation and serious awareness of its major figures and concerns. After explaining the nature of the New Testament and the world in which it was written, the authors thoroughly discuss each of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. The content and essential message of these ancient works are described in simple but dynamic language that reveals why they continue to inspire and challenge readers today. Separate chapters also explore the types of literature found in the New Testament, the life and teachings of Jesus, Paul's life and world, and the formation of the New Testament canon. In addition, numerous sidebars offer a wealth of fascinating and highly relevant background information that helps modern readers more fully grasp biblical themes. No other work on the New Testament is so accessible and enjoyable to use.… (more)
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Contents
The literary angle --
The historical angle --
The New Testament as the church's scripture --
The world of the New Testament --
The many worlds of the New Testament --
Environmental conditions --
Institutional contexts --
The nature of the Gospels --
Jesus and the Gospels: milestones --
What is a "Gospel"? --
The Gospel tradition --
Literary forms in the Gospels --
Reading New Testament narratives --
Epilogue: The Gospels and Acts as Scripture --
The Gospel according to Matthew --
The plan of the Gospel of Matthew --
The narrative of Matthew --
The Gospel of Matthew, the Jews, and the Church --
The Gospel according to Mark --
Narrating the story of Jesus --
Jesus, the disciples, and the authorities in Mark --
Mark's dramatic narrative --
The setting and purpose of Mark's Gospel --
The Gospel according to Luke --
The character of Luke's Gospel (and Acts) --
The unity of Luke-Acts --
The narrative of the Gospel of Luke --
"He has lifted up the lowly" --
The Gospel according to John --
In the beginning --
Jesus, conflict, and confession --
John's narrative --
John and the other Gospels --
The setting and purpose of the Gospel --
Jesus of Nazareth --
The quest of the historical Jesus --
The beginning of Jesus' public ministry --
The kingdom of God --
The miracles of Jesus --
Jesus and the Messianic task --
The death of Jesus --
The resurrection of Jesus --
The Acts of the apostles --
Acts and the New Testament canon --
The Book of Acts as "history" --
The narrative progression of the mission in Acts --
The speeches in Acts --
The purpose of Acts --
The authorship of Acts --
Letters in the New Testament --
Writing materials and delivery of letters --
Development and purpose of letters --
Aramaic letters --
Hellenistic letters --
Letters in the New Testament --
Paul and his world --
The world --
The life of Paul --
Paul's intellectual world --
Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome --
The purpose of the letter --
Where the letter was written --
The letter's author and integrity --
The theme of the letter --
The content of the letter --
Paul and the Christians in Corinth --
Corinth as Paul knew it --
Corinthian correspondence --
1 Corinthians --
2 Corinthians --
The letter to the Galatians --
The letter --
Some problems --
The letter to the Ephesians --
Some questions --
Paul and the Christians in Philippi --
The letter --
Some questions --
Paul and the Christians at Colossae: Colossians and Philemon --
Colossians --
Philemon --
Paul's letters to the Thessalonian Christians --
1 Thessalonians --
2 Thessalonians --
1 and 2 Timothy and Titus --
1 Timothy --
2 Timothy --
Titus --
Some questions --
Hebrews --
Origins of "The epistle to the Hebrews" --
Use of the Old Testament --
"In these last days, He has spoken to us through a Son" --
Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith --
Pilgrim people of God --
"Such a great high priest" --
James --
"James, a servant of God" --
James and Jewish Christianity --
"To the twelve tribes in the dispersion" --
Genre of James --
James and Jesus --
Doers of the Word --
Hearing and doing, faith and works --
James within the Canon --
1 and 2 Peter, Jude --
"Catholic" epistles? --
1 Peter --
2 Peter --
Jude --
1, 2, and 3 John --
The setting of the epistles of John --
The conflict: data from the epistles --
Historical parallels and the shape of the false teaching --
1 John --
2 John --
3 John --
Revelation --
The genre of Revelation --
The historical context of the book of Revelation --
The revelation of Jesus Christ --
Formation of the New Testament canon --
Internal forces affecting the shape of the canon --
External forces affecting the shape of the canon --
The growth of the New Testament canon --
The process of canonical selection --
Criteria of canon selection.