Into the World of the New Testament: Greco-Roman and Jewish Texts and Contexts

Description

Daniel Lynwood Smith orients readers of the New Testament to its historical and cultural settings, introducing the cast of characters, and illuminating key concepts by exploring their use in ancient texts. Smith includes quotations from many primary sources including Josephus, Tacitus, the Qumran Community, Pliny the Younger, and other carefully chosen texts from lesser-known ancient sources. These texts are all carefully woven together with commentary, to provide a narrative framework for the material and guide students through the text. A glossary of complex terms is provided, to make everything as clear as possible for the newcomer to New Testament studies. This integrative approach both introduces the key sources to the reader and elaborates on their significance for understanding the New Testament. In an admirably concise format Smith is able to cover the military-political history of Israel-Palestine, the messianic movements of Second Temple Judaism, the ancient practice of crucifixion and the development of the Christian canon. Through immersion in these ancient Jewish, Christian, and Greco-Roman texts and contexts, contemporary readers take a step closer to experiencing the New Testament with first-century eyes and ears. Cover page Halftitle page Title page Copyright page Epigraph Contents Acknowledgments Maps Abbreviations Illustrations Preface 1 What is the New Testament? “Do you understand what you are reading?” Th e New Testament is a library Th e literary forms of the New Testament Why “Testament”? The New Testament as drama Voices from the New Testament world Bibliography and suggestions for further reading Part I The Setting 2 The Kingdom of . . . God? What is in a name? Th e land of Israel-Palestine and the kingdoms of the world Jesus, the kingdom, and the good news Summary timeline Bibliography and suggestions for further reading 3 When in Rome . . . Talking the talk Of gods and mortals Romans and Christians Roman emperors Bibliography and suggestions for further reading Part II The Cast of Characters 4 John the Baptist and Other Movers and Shakers A man named John Wilderness renegades Desert dwellers Salvation in the wilderness Bibliography and suggestions for further reading 5 A Virgin, a King, a High Priest, a Governor, and a Rabbi The Virgin Mary King Herod Caiaphas the High Priest Pontius Pilate Rabbi Gamaliel Bibliography and suggestions for further reading 6 Joshua the Carpenter’s Son . . . or the Christ, the Son of God? Who was Jesus of Nazareth? Jesus the “wise man” Jesus the miracle worker Jesus the Messiah “Who do you say that I am?” Bibliography and suggestions for further reading 7 The Twelve Learners What are disciples? Models for discipleship Philosophers and disciples The Jewish philosophies Disciples in the New Testament Bibliography and suggestions for further reading 8 The Jews Jews, anti-Judaism, and the New Testament Second Temple Jews Being Jewish Second Temple Judaisms Jews and Gentiles and Gentiles- becoming-Jews? Jews and Christians Bibliography and suggestions for further reading 9 “I am a Jew”: Saul, or Paul Paul the Jew Paul the letter-writer Paul the prisoner Bibliography and suggestions for further reading Part III Reading Old Words 10 The Crux of the Matter Honor, shame, and crucifixion The shame of the cross The glory of the cross Epilogue Bibliography and suggestions for further reading 11 Faith(fulness) Religion, then and now On faith and faithfulness Faithful humans, faithful God Bibliography and suggestions for further reading 12 Apocalypse Then What apocalyptic literature is What apocalyptic literature does Scenes from an apocalypse The apocalypse: a final word Bibliography and suggestions for further reading Post-Script: Loose Canons Marcion, Irenaeus, and the Two-God Hypothesis From Marcion to the Council of Trent Bibliography and suggestions for further reading Glossary Index of Ancient Sources Index of Subjects