A Brief Introduction to the New Testament

by Ehrman, Bart D.

• ISBN13: 9780195161236
• ISBN10: 0195161238
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-02-19
• Publisher: OXFORD UNIV PR

Summary

This is an abbreviated and more pedagogical version of Ehrman's best-selling The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings 3/e. It approaches the New Testament from a consistently historical and comparative perspective, emphasizing the rich diversity of the earliest Christian literature. This concise version incorporates numerous study devices including key terms, chapter summaries, review and study questions, and more visual aids.

Table of Contents

Boxes	xiii
Preface	xvii
Acknowledgments	xix
Notes on Suggestions for Further Readings	xxi
Credits	xxiii
Master Time Line	xxv
Introduction: What Is the New Testament?	1	(13)
What to Expect	1	(3)
The New Testament: Some Basic Information	4	(2)
Other Early Christian Writings	6	(1)
The Development of the Christian Canon	6	(1)
Implications for Our Study	7	(1)
The New Testament: One Other Set of Problems	8	(2)
At a Glance: The New Testament Canon	10	(1)
Excursus: Some Additional Reflections: The Historian and the Believer	10	(4)
Suggestions for Further Reading	12	(1)
Key Terms	12	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	13	(1)
The Environment of Early Christian Traditions: The Greco-Roman World	14	(17)
What to Expect	14	(1)
The Problem of Beginnings	14	(1)
One Remarkable Life	15	(4)
The Environment of the New Testament: Religions in the Greco-Roman World	19	(9)
At a Glance: The World of Early Christianity	28	(3)
Suggestions for Further Reading	29	(1)
Key Terms	30	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	30	(1)
The Environment of Early Christian Traditions: The World of Ancient Judaism	31	(20)
What to Expect	31	(1)
Monotheism: The Belief in the One True God	32	(1)
The Covenant: Israel's Pact with Its God	33	(1)
The Law: Israel's Convental Obligations	33	(2)
Temple and Synagogue: Israel's Places of Worship	35	(2)
Forms of Early Judaism	37	(1)
Political Crises in Palestine and Their Ramifications	38	(2)
The Formation of Jewish Sects	40	(6)
The Jewish Context for the Traditions about Jesus	46	(2)
At a Glance: The World of Early Judaism	48	(3)
Suggestions for Further Reading	48	(1)
Key Terms	49	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	50	(1)
The Traditions of Jesus in Their Greco-Roman Context	51	(13)
What to Expect	51	(1)
Oral Traditions Behind the Gospel	51	(10)
The Gospels as Biographies of Jesus	61	(1)
At a Glance: The Traditions of Jesus	61	(1)
Some Additional Reflections: The Authors of the Gospels	62	(2)
Suggestions for Further Reading	63	(1)
Key Terms	63	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	63	(1)
Jesus, The Suffering Son of God: The Gospels According to Mark	64	(17)
What to Expect	64	(1)
The Synoptic Problem	64	(1)
Mark, Our Earliest Gospel	65	(1)
The Beginning of the Gospel: Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God Who Fulfills Scripture	65	(3)
Jesus the Authoritative Son of God	68	(1)
Jesus the Opposed Son of God	69	(2)
Jesus the Misunderstood Son of God	71	(1)
Jesus the Acknowledged Son of God	71	(2)
Jesus the Suffering Son of God	73	(2)
Jesus the Crucified Son of God	75	(2)
Jesus the Vindicated Son of God	77	(1)
Conclusion: Mark and His Readers	77	(2)
At a Glance: The Gospel of Mark	79	(2)
Suggestions for Further Reading	80	(1)
Key Terms	80	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	80	(1)
Jesus, the Jewish Messiah: The Gospel According to Matthew	81	(18)
What to Expect	81	(1)
A Redactional Approach to Matthew	82	(1)
The Importance of Beginnings: Jesus the Jewish Messiah in Fulfillment of the Jewish Scriptures	82	(5)
The Portrayal of Jesus in Matthew: The Sermon on the Mount as a Springboard	87	(6)
Jesus Rejected by the Jewish Leaders	93	(2)
Matthew and His Readers	95	(2)
At a Glance: The Gospel of Matthew	97	(2)
Suggestions for Further Reading	97	(1)
Key Terms	98	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	98	(1)
Jesus, the Savior of the World: The Gospel according to Luke	99	(17)
What to Expect	99	(1)
A Comparative Overview of the Gospel	100	(1)
The Preface to Luke's Gospel	100	(3)
Luke's Birth Narrative in Comparative Perspective	103	(3)
From Jew to Gentile: Luke's Portrayal of Jesus the Rejected Prophet	106	(1)
Luke's Distinctive Emphases Throughout His Gospel	107	(6)
Conclusion: Luke in Comparative Perspective	113	(1)
At a Glance: The Gospel of Luke	114	(2)
Suggestions for Further Reading	115	(1)
Key Terms	115	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	115	(1)
Luke's Second Volume: The Book of Acts	116	(17)
What to Expect	116	(1)
The Genre of Acts and Its Significance	116	(1)
The Thematic Approach to Acts	117	(1)
From Gospel to Acts: The Opening Transition	118	(3)
Themes in the Speeches in Acts	121	(9)
At a Glance: The Book of Acts	130	(1)
Conclusion: The Author and His Themes in Context	130	(3)
Suggestions for Further Reading	132	(1)
Key Terms	132	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	132	(1)
Jesus, the Man Sent from Heaven: The Gospel According to John and the Johannine Epistles	133	(25)
What to Expect	133	(1)
The Gospel of John from a Literary-Historical Perspective	134	(2)
The Gospel of John from a Redactional Perspective	136	(5)
The Gospel of John from a Thematic Perspective	141	(1)
The Gospel of John from a Comparative Perspective	142	(4)
The Author of the Fourth Gospel	146	(1)
At a Glance: The Gospel of John	147	(1)
The Johannine Epistles	147	(1)
The Questions of Genre and Author	148	(2)
The New Testament Epistolary Literature and the Contextual Method	150	(2)
The Johannine Epistles from a Contextual Perspective	152	(2)
Reflections on the Contextual Method	154	(2)
At a Glance: The Johannine Epistles	156	(2)
Suggestions for Further Reading	156	(1)
Key Terms	157	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	157	(1)
The Historical Jesus	158	(27)
What to Expect	158	(1)
Problems with Sources	158	(2)
Using Our Sources	160	(1)
Jewish Apocalypticism	160	(4)
Jesus in His Apocalyptic Context	164	(1)
The Beginning and End as Keys to the Middle	164	(1)
The Apocalyptic Deeds of Jesus	165	(10)
The Apocalyptic Teachings of Jesus	175	(5)
The Apocalyptic Death of Jesus	180	(2)
At a Glance: Jesus the Apocalyptic Prophet	182	(3)
Suggestions for Further Reading	183	(1)
Key Terms	184	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	184	(1)
From Jesus to the Gospels	185	(10)
What to Expect	185	(1)
The Beginning of Christianity	185	(1)
Jesus' Resurrection from an Apocalyptic Perspective	186	(3)
Jesus' Death, According to the Scriptures	189	(1)
The Emergence of Different Understandings of Jesus	190	(3)
At a Glance: From Jesus to the Gospels	193	(2)
Suggestions for Further Reading	194	(1)
Key Terms	194	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	194	(1)
Paul the Apostle: The Man and His Mission	195	(17)
What to Expect	195	(1)
The Study of Paul: Methodological Difficulties	196	(5)
The Life of Paul	201	(9)
At a Glance: Paul and His Mission	210	(2)
Suggestions for Further Reading	210	(1)
Key Terms	211	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	211	(1)
Paul and His Apostolic Mission: 1 Thessalonians as a Test Case	212	(15)
What to Expect	212	(1)
The Founding of the Church in Thessalonica	213	(5)
The Beginnings of the Thessalonian Church: A Socio-Historical Perspective	218	(2)
The Church at Thessalonica after Paul's Departure	220	(4)
Conclusion: Paul the Apostle	224	(1)
At a Glance: 1 Thessalonians	225	(2)
Suggestions for Further Reading	225	(1)
Key Terms	225	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	226	(1)
Paul and the Crises of His Churches: The Corinthian Correspondence	227	(17)
What to Expect	227	(1)
1 Corinthians	227	(10)
At a Glance: 1 Corinthians	237	(1)
2 Corinthians	237	(5)
At a Glance: 2 Corinthians	242	(2)
Suggestions for Further Reading	242	(1)
Key Terms	242	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	243	(1)
Paul and the Crises of His Churches: Galatians, Philippians, and Philemon	244	(17)
What to Expect	244	(1)
Galatians	244	(8)
At a Glance: Galatians	252	(1)
Philippians	253	(3)
At a Glance: Philippians	256	(1)
Philemon	257	(2)
At a Glance: Philemon	259	(2)
Suggestions for Further Reading	259	(1)
Key Terms	259	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	260	(1)
The Gospel According to Paul: The Letter to the Romans	261	(14)
What to Expect	261	(1)
The Occasion and Purpose of the Letter	262	(2)
The Theme of the Epistle	264	(1)
Pauline Models for Salvation	265	(5)
The Flow of Paul's Argument	270	(3)
Conclusion: Paul and the Romans	273	(1)
At a Glance: Romans	273	(2)
Suggestions for Further Reading	274	(1)
Key Terms	274	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	274	(1)
In the Wake of the Apostle: The Deutero-Pauline and Pastoral Epistles	275	(20)
What to Expect	275	(1)
Pseudonymity in the Ancient World	275	(3)
The Deutero-Pauline Epistles	278	(9)
At a Glance: The Deutero-Pauline Epistles	287	(2)
The Pastoral Epistles	289	(1)
The Historical Situation and Authorship of the Pastoral Epistles	290	(3)
At a Glance: The Pastoral Epistles	293	(2)
Suggestions for Further Reading	293	(1)
Key Terms	294	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	295	(1)
From Paul's Female Colleagues to the Pastor's Intimidated Women: The Oppression of Women in Early Christianity	295	(12)
What to Expect	295	(1)
Women in Paul's Churches	295	(1)
Women Associated with Jesus	296	(3)
Paul's Understanding of Women in the Church	299	(1)
Women in the Aftermath of Paul	300	(2)
Ancient Ideologies of Gender	302	(1)
Gender Ideology and the Pauline Churches	303	(2)
At a Glance: Women in Early Christianity	305	(2)
Suggestions for Further Reading	305	(1)
Key Terms	306	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	306	(1)
Christian Conflicts with Jews and Pagans: Hebrews and 1 Peter	307	(23)
What to Expect	307	(1)
Christians and Jews	308	(1)
Early Christian Self-Definition	308	(1)
Continuity and Superiority: The Epistle to the Hebrews	309	(8)
At a Glance: Hebrews	317	(1)
Christians and Pagans	317	(7)
Christians in a Hostile World: The Letter of 1 Peter	324	(4)
At a Glance: 1 Peter	328	(2)
Suggestions for Further Reading	328	(1)
Key Terms	329	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	329	(1)
Christian Conflicts with Christians and With the Cosmos: James, 2 Peter, Jude, and the Book of Revelation	330	(23)
What to Expect	330	(1)
Christian Conflicts with Christians	330	(1)
The Epistle of James	331	(2)
Jude	333	(1)
2 Peter	334	(2)
Conflicts within the Early Christian Communities	336	(1)
At a Glance: Christian Internal Conflicts	337	(1)
Christian Conflicts with the Cosmos	337	(1)
The Content and Structure of the Book of Revelation	338	(1)
The Book of Revelation from a Historical Perspective	339	(1)
Apocalyptic World Views and Apocalypse Genre	340	(4)
The Revelation of John in Historical Context	344	(6)
At a Glance: The Book of Revelation	350	(3)
Suggestions for Further Reading	350	(1)
Key Terms	351	(1)
Questions for Study and Reflection	351	(2)
Glossary of Terms	353	(16)
Index	369