A brief introduction to the New Testament [Fourth edition] 9780190276393, 9780190276454, 0190276398

Table of contents :
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW TESTAMENT......Page 1
Half Title Page......Page 2
Title Page......Page 4
Copyright......Page 5
Dedication......Page 6
BRIEF CONTENTS......Page 7
CONTENTS......Page 8
TIME LINES AND DIAGRAMS......Page 16
BOXES......Page 17
PREFACE FOR INSTRUCTORS......Page 22
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 24
NOTES ON SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING......Page 25
CREDITS......Page 26
MASTER TIME LINE......Page 28
HISTORICAL REASONS......Page 33
LITERARY REASONS......Page 34
WHAT TO EXPECT......Page 36
THE NEW TESTAMENT: SOME BASIC INFORMATION......Page 38
OTHER EARLY CHRISTIAN WRITINGS......Page 39
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN CANON......Page 40
IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR STUDY......Page 42
THE NEW TESTAMENT: ONE OTHER SET OF PROBLEMS......Page 43
AT A GLANCE: The New Testament Canon......Page 45
EXCURSUS: Some Additional Reflections: The Historian and the Believer......Page 46
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW AND REFLECTION......Page 47
KEY TERMS......Page 48
INTRODUCTION......Page 49
THE PROBLEM OF BEGINNINGS......Page 57
ONE REMARKABLE LIFE......Page 58
THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT: RELIGIONS IN THE GRECO-ROMAN WORLD......Page 61
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW AND REFLECTION......Page 69
KEY TERMS......Page 70
WHAT TO EXPECT......Page 71
MONOTHEISM: THE BELIEF IN THE ONE TRUE GOD......Page 72
THE COVENANT: ISRAEL’S PACT WITH ITS GOD......Page 73
THE LAW: ISRAEL’S COVENANTAL OBLIGATIONS......Page 74
TEMPLE AND SYNAGOGUE: ISRAEL’S PLACES OF WORSHIP......Page 75
POLITICAL CRISES IN PALESTINE AND THEIR RAMIFICATIONS......Page 77
THE FORMATION OF JEWISH GROUPS......Page 81
AT A GLANCE: The World of Early Judaism......Page 85
THE JEWISH CONTEXT FOR THE TRADITIONS ABOUT JESUS......Page 86
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING......Page 87
KEY TERMS......Page 88
ORAL TRADITIONS BEHIND THE GOSPELS......Page 89
AT A GLANCE: The Traditions of Jesus......Page 99
SOME ADDITIONAL REFLECTIONS: THE AUTHORS OF THE GOSPELS......Page 100
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING......Page 101
KEY TERMS......Page 102
THE SYNOPTIC PROBLEM......Page 103
THE BEGINNING OF THE GOSPEL: JESUS THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF GOD WHO FULFILLS SCRIPTURE......Page 104
JESUS THE AUTHORITATIVE SON OF GOD......Page 107
JESUS THE OPPOSED SON OF GOD......Page 108
JESUS THE ACKNOWLEDGED SON OF GOD......Page 110
JESUS THE SUFFERING SON OF GOD......Page 112
JESUS THE CRUCIFIED SON OF GOD......Page 114
JESUS THE VINDICATED SON OF GOD......Page 115
CONCLUSION: MARK AND HIS READERS......Page 116
AT A GLANCE: The Gospel of Mark......Page 118
KEY TERMS......Page 119
WHAT TO EXPECT......Page 120
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEGINNINGS: JESUS THE JEWISH MESSIAH IN FULFILLMENT OF THE JEWISH SCRIPTURES......Page 121
THE PORTRAYAL OF JESUS IN MATTHEW: THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT AS A SPRINGBOARD......Page 127
JESUS REJECTED BY THE JEWISH LEADERS......Page 132
MATTHEW AND HIS READERS......Page 134
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING......Page 136
KEY TERMS......Page 137
WHAT TO EXPECT......Page 138
THE PREFACE TO LUKE’S GOSPEL......Page 139
LUKE’S BIRTH NARRATIVE IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE......Page 141
FROM JEW TO GENTILE: LUKE’S PORTRAYAL OF JESUS THE REJECTED PROPHET......Page 145
LUKE’S DISTINCTIVE EMPHASES THROUGHOUT HIS GOSPEL......Page 146
CONCLUSION: LUKE IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE......Page 152
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW AND REFLECTION......Page 153
KEY TERMS......Page 154
WHAT TO EXPECT......Page 155
THE GOSPEL OF JOHN FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF GENRE CRITICISM......Page 156
THE GOSPEL OF JOHN FROM A COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE......Page 159
THE GOSPEL OF JOHN FROM A REDACTIONAL PERSPECTIVE......Page 163
THE AUTHOR OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL......Page 168
AT A GLANCE: The Gospel of John......Page 169
EXCURSUS: Methods of Ideological Criticism......Page 170
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING......Page 172
KEY TERMS......Page 173
PROBLEMS WITH SOURCES......Page 174
USING OUR SOURCES......Page 177
JEWISH APOCALYPTICISM......Page 178
JESUS IN HIS APOCALYPTIC CONTEXT......Page 180
THE BEGINNING AND END AS KEYS TO THE MIDDLE......Page 181
THE APOCALYPTIC DEEDS OF JESUS......Page 183
THE APOCALYPTIC TEACHINGS OF JESUS......Page 191
THE APOCALYPTIC DEATH OF JESUS......Page 196
AT A GLANCE: Jesus the Apocalyptic Prophet......Page 198
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING......Page 199
KEY TERMS......Page 200
THE BEGINNING OF CHRISTIANITY......Page 201
JESUS’ RESURRECTION FROM AN APOCALYPTIC PERSPECTIVE......Page 202
JESUS’ DEATH, ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES......Page 205
THE EMERGENCE OF DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDINGS OF JESUS......Page 206
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW AND REFLECTION......Page 209
KEY TERMS......Page 210
STATUES AND BUSTS......Page 211
INSCRIPTIONS......Page 212
TEMPLES......Page 213
QUMRAN AND THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS......Page 214
CAPERNAUM......Page 215
ON THE SEA OF GALILEE......Page 216
FIGURES FROM THE LIFE OF JESUS......Page 217
THE CRUCIFIXION......Page 218
WHAT TO EXPECT......Page 219
THE GENRE OF ACTS AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE......Page 220
FROM GOSPEL TO ACTS: THE OPENING TRANSITION......Page 221
THEMES IN THE SPEECHES IN ACTS......Page 224
AT A GLANCE: The Book of Acts......Page 233
KEY TERMS......Page 235
WHAT TO EXPECT......Page 236
THE STUDY OF PAUL: METHODOLOGICAL DIFFICULTIES......Page 237
THE LIFE OF PAUL......Page 243
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING......Page 253
KEY TERMS......Page 255
WHAT TO EXPECT......Page 256
THE FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH IN THESSALONICA......Page 257
THE BEGINNINGS OF THE THESSALONIAN CHURCH: A SOCIOHISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE......Page 262
THE CHURCH AT THESSALONICA AFTER PAUL’S DEPARTURE......Page 265
CONCLUSION: PAUL THE APOSTLE......Page 268
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW AND REFLECTION......Page 269
KEY TERMS......Page 270
1 CORINTHIANS......Page 271
AT A GLANCE: 1 Corinthians......Page 281
2 CORINTHIANS......Page 282
AT A GLANCE: 2 Corinthians......Page 286
KEY TERMS......Page 287
GALATIANS......Page 288
PHILIPPIANS......Page 296
PHILEMON......Page 299
AT A GLANCE: Philippians......Page 300
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW AND REFLECTION......Page 303
KEY TERMS......Page 304
WHAT TO EXPECT......Page 305
THE OCCASION AND PURPOSE OF THE LETTER......Page 306
THE THEME OF THE EPISTLE......Page 308
PAULINE MODELS FOR SALVATION......Page 309
THE FLOW OF PAUL’S ARGUMENT......Page 314
CONCLUSION: PAUL AND THE ROMANS......Page 316
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW AND REFLECTION......Page 317
KEY TERMS......Page 318
EPHESUS......Page 319
ATHENS......Page 321
CORINTH......Page 322
ROME......Page 324
ROMAN ROUTES AND ROADS......Page 325
PSEUDONYMITY IN THE ANCIENT WORLD......Page 327
THE DEUTERO-PAULINE EPISTLES......Page 329
THE PASTORAL EPISTLES......Page 338
AT A GLANCE: The Deutero-Pauline Epistles......Page 339
THE HISTORICAL SITUATION AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE PASTORAL EPISTLES......Page 342
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING......Page 345
KEY TERMS......Page 346
WOMEN IN PAUL’S CHURCHES......Page 347
WOMEN ASSOCIATED WITH JESUS......Page 348
PAUL’S UNDERSTANDING OF WOMEN IN THE CHURCH......Page 352
WOMEN IN THE AFTERMATH OF PAUL......Page 353
ANCIENT IDEOLOGIES OF GENDER......Page 355
GENDER IDEOLOGY AND THE PAULINE CHURCHES......Page 356
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW AND REFLECTION......Page 358
KEY TERMS......Page 359
WHAT TO EXPECT......Page 360
EARLY CHRISTIAN SELF-DEFINITION......Page 361
CONTINUITY AND SUPERIORITY: THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS......Page 362
AT A GLANCE: Hebrews......Page 369
CHRISTIANS AND PAGANS......Page 370
CHRISTIANS IN A HOSTILE WORLD: THE LETTER OF 1 PETER......Page 378
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW AND REFLECTION......Page 381
KEY TERMS......Page 382
CHRISTIAN INTERACTIONS WITH CHRISTIANS......Page 383
THE EPISTLE OF JAMES......Page 384
JUDE......Page 386
2 PETER......Page 387
THE JOHANNINE EPISTLES......Page 389
UNDERSTANDING THE JOHANNINE EPISTLES......Page 391
REFLECTIONS ON THE CONTEXTUAL METHOD FOR UNDERSTANDING THE JOHANNINE EPISTLES......Page 393
CONFLICTS WITHIN THE EARLY CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES......Page 394
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW AND REFLECTION......Page 395
KEY TERMS......Page 396
WHAT TO EXPECT......Page 397
THE CONTENT AND STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION......Page 398
APOCALYPTIC WORLDVIEWS AND THE APOCALYPSE GENRE......Page 400
THE REVELATION OF JOHN IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT......Page 403
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING......Page 410
KEY TERMS......Page 411
GLOSSARY......Page 412
INDEX......Page 424