The New Testament : A Student’s Introduction

Description

Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 2 Copyright......Page 3 Contents......Page 10 Preface......Page 6 PART ONE: An Invitation to the New Testament......Page 20 Key Topics/Themes......Page 21 What Is the New Testament?......Page 22 The New Testament and the Hebrew Bible......Page 23 Language and Literature of the New Testament......Page 30 Other Early Christian Literature......Page 35 Scholarly Approaches to the New Testament......Page 37 The New Testament Read from Different Social Perspectives......Page 39 Questions for Discussion and Reflection......Page 40 Recommended Reading......Page 41 Formation of the New Testament Canon......Page 42 The Jewish Revolt Against Rome and Its Consequences......Page 43 Different Church Canons......Page 46 The Role of Constantine......Page 48 Transmitting the New Testament Texts......Page 49 English Translations......Page 53 Questions for Review......Page 58 Recommended Reading......Page 59 PART TWO: The Three Worlds in Which Christianity Originated......Page 60 Photo Essay The Jewish and Hellenistic Background of Early Christianity......Page 61 The One God, Yahweh......Page 63 The Torah......Page 65 The Jerusalem Temple......Page 68 First-Century Jewish Diversity......Page 69 The Messiah: First-Century Expectations......Page 80 Messianic Claimants Before and After Jesus......Page 85 Questions for Discussion and Reflection......Page 87 Recommended Reading......Page 88 Alexander and the Diffusion of Greek Culture......Page 90 Greek Philosophy......Page 92 Greco-Roman Religion......Page 95 The Mystery Religions......Page 102 Summary......Page 105 Recommended Reading......Page 106 Key Topics/Themes......Page 108 Antiochus's Persecution and the Maccabean Revolt......Page 109 The Roman Emperors......Page 114 The Jewish Revolt Against Rome......Page 119 Summary......Page 126 Recommended Reading......Page 127 PART THREE: Diverse Portraits of Jesus......Page 130 Photo Essay Archaeological Sites and Artifacts Associated with Jesus' Life......Page 131 Key Topics/Themes......Page 134 The Gospel Writers' Emphasis on Jesus' Religious Meaning......Page 135 Different Approaches to Reading the Gospels......Page 140 The Gospels and Modern Scholarship......Page 141 Literary Analysis of the Gospels......Page 144 Synoptic Problem......Page 146 Terms and Concepts to Remember......Page 153 Recommended Reading......Page 154 Mark's Historical Setting......Page 155 Mark's Puzzling Attitude Toward Jesus' Close Associates......Page 157 Mark as a Literary Narrative......Page 160 The Galilean Ministry: Inaugurating the Kingdom......Page 163 The Journey to Jerusalem: Jesus' Predestined Suffering......Page 172 The Jerusalem Ministry: A Week of Sacred Time......Page 174 Mark's Passion Narrative: Jesus' Trial and Crucifixion......Page 178 Summary......Page 181 Terms and Concepts to Remember......Page 182 Recommended Reading......Page 183 Matthew's Relationship to the Hebrew Bible......Page 184 Authorship, Purpose, Sources, and Organization......Page 189 Introduction to the Messiah: The Infancy Narrative......Page 196 The Beginning of Jesus' Proclamation......Page 197 First Major Discourse: The Sermon on the Mount......Page 198 Second Major Discourse: Instructions to the Twelve Apostles......Page 201 Second Narrative Section: Questions and Controversies......Page 202 Third Narrative Section: From the Rejection in Nazareth to the Transfiguration......Page 205 Fourth Narrative Section: The Jerusalem Ministry......Page 206 Fifth Major Discourse: Warnings of Final Judgment......Page 208 Fifth and Final Narrative Section: The Passion Story and Resurrection......Page 211 Summary......Page 212 Questions for Discussion and Reflection......Page 213 Recommended Reading......Page 214 Key Topics/Themes......Page 216 Israel and the Church: Luke's Theology of History......Page 217 The Author and His Sources......Page 218 Infancy Narratives of the Baptist and Jesus......Page 227 Jesus' Galilean Ministry......Page 229 Luke's Travel Narrative: Jesus' Teachings on the Journey to Jerusalem......Page 232 The Jerusalem Ministry: Jesus' Challenge to the Holy City......Page 239 The Final Conflict and Passion Story......Page 241 Epilogue: Post Resurrection Appearances in the Vicinity of Jerusalem......Page 243 Questions for Discussion and Reflection......Page 244 Recommended Reading......Page 245 Photo Essay Diverse Portraits of Jesus......Page 247 Key Topics/Themes......Page 250 Authorship......Page 251 Hymn to the Word (Logos)......Page 261 The Book of Signs......Page 265 The Book of Glory......Page 271 John's Interpretation of the Passion......Page 273 Epilogue: Post Resurrection Appearances in Galilee......Page 276 Summary......Page 277 Questions for Discussion and Reflection......Page 278 Recommended Reading......Page 279 The Christ of Theology and the Jesus of History......Page 280 Early Historical References to Jesus......Page 282 The Current Quest for the "Real" Jesus......Page 284 Some Criteria for Testing the Authenticity of Jesus' Words and Deeds......Page 285 A Nonapocalyptic Wisdom Teacher......Page 288 An Apocalyptic Jesus......Page 289 Some General Agreements About the Historical Jesus......Page 291 Wisdom and the Kingdom of God......Page 293 Questions for Review......Page 296 Recommended Reading......Page 297 PART FOUR: An Account of the Early Church......Page 300 Photo Essay Themes and Settings in the Book of Acts......Page 301 Key Topics/Themes......Page 304 The Divine Plan of Humanity's Salvation......Page 306 Prologue and Account of the Ascension......Page 308 Founding the Jerusalem Church......Page 309 The Work of Peter and the Apostles......Page 311 Persecution of the Hellenistic-Jewish Christians: The First Missions......Page 312 Preparation for the Gentile Mission: The Recruitment of Paul and Cornelius......Page 314 The First Missionary Journey of Barnabas and Paul: The Jerusalem Conference......Page 315 Paul's Second Missionary Journey: Evangelizing Greece......Page 319 Paul's Third Missionary Journey: Revisiting Asia Minor and Greece......Page 323 Paul's Arrest in Jerusalem and Imprisonment in Caesarea......Page 326 Paul's Journey to Rome and His Preaching to Roman Jews......Page 328 Questions for Review......Page 329 Recommended Reading......Page 330 PATR FIVE: Paul and the Pauline Tradition......Page 332 Photo Essay Paul and His World......Page 333 Key Topics/Themes......Page 335 The Historical Reliability of Acts......Page 336 Paul's Radical Change......Page 337 Dating Paul's Career......Page 339 Paul's Letters......Page 341 Paul's Characteristic Theology......Page 344 The Importance of Women in Early Christianity......Page 347 The Supremacy of Love......Page 350 Questions for Review......Page 351 Recommended Reading......Page 352 Key Topics/Themes......Page 354 First Letter to the Thessalonians......Page 355 First Letter to the Corinthians......Page 358 Second Letter to the Corinthians......Page 368 Summary......Page 371 Recommended Reading......Page 372 Key Topics/Themes......Page 374 An Angry Letter to the "Stupid" Galatians......Page 375 Letter to the Romans......Page 379 Questions for Review......Page 389 Recommended Reading......Page 390 Place of Origin......Page 392 Letter to the Philippians......Page 393 Letter to Philemon......Page 398 Paul's Lasting Influence......Page 400 Questions for Review......Page 403 Recommended Reading......Page 404 Key Topics/Themes......Page 405 The Problem of Pseudonymity......Page 406 Second Letter to the Thessalonians......Page 407 A Disputed Letter to the Colossians......Page 409 Letter to the Ephesians......Page 411 The Pastorals: Letters to Timothy and Titus......Page 414 Recommended Reading......Page 419 PART SIX: General Letters and Some Visions of End Time......Page 422 Key Topics/Themes......Page 423 Authors and Dates......Page 424 The Book of Hebrews......Page 425 James......Page 430 1 Peter......Page 433 Jude......Page 436 2 Peter......Page 438 Letters from the Johannine Community......Page 440 Terms and Concepts to Remember......Page 444 Recommended Reading......Page 445 Photo Essay The Tension Between Caesar and Christ......Page 447 Key Topics/Themes......Page 449 Revelation and the Apocalyptic Tradition......Page 450 Jesus' Letters to the Seven Churches......Page 459 Visions in Heaven......Page 460 Signs in Heaven: The Woman, the Dragon, the Beast, and the Seven Plagues......Page 461 Other Hellenistic-Jewish and Christian Apocalypses......Page 468 Summary......Page 473 Questions for Discussion and Reflection......Page 474 Recommended Reading......Page 475 Noncanonical Gospels......Page 477 The Gospel of Judas......Page 482 The Gospel of Peter......Page 483 Gospels About Jesus' Infancy and Childhood......Page 484 1 Clement......Page 487 The Teaching (Didache) of the Twelve Apostles......Page 488 The Epistle of Barnabas......Page 490 Questions for Review......Page 492 Recommended Reading......Page 493 A......Page 496 B......Page 498 C......Page 499 D......Page 500 E......Page 501 F......Page 502 G......Page 503 H......Page 504 I......Page 505 J......Page 506 L......Page 508 M......Page 509 N......Page 512 P......Page 513 S......Page 517 T......Page 521 V......Page 523 Z......Page 524 Credits......Page 526 A......Page 528 C......Page 529 E......Page 531 G......Page 532 H......Page 533 J......Page 534 L......Page 536 M......Page 537 N......Page 538 P......Page 539 R......Page 541 S......Page 542 T......Page 544 Z......Page 545