An Introduction to the New Testament

by Puskas, Charles B.

• ISBN13: 9781565634848
• ISBN10: 1565634845
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-07-01
• Publisher: Hendrickson Pub

Summary

Most New Testament introductions on the market take the "survey" approach or the "method" approach" both unsatisfactory. Puskas offers a new format. He describes the New Testaments historical setting, explains basic critical tools, and introduces the diverse strands that contributed to the formation of early Christianity. Students who master these three essentials will be equipped to understand the New Testament, confidently assess critical theories about it, and construct their own analyses.

"The author of this work has undertaken a formidable task and accomplished it in a masterful and quite balanced fashion, with a firm stamp of scholarly integrity. This is truly an introduction to the New Testament, with emphasis on the kind of world in which it took shape.

"The breadth of its topical coverage, combined with a strong bibliographic support base, makes this work an academic time-saver for both teachers and students. The former need not spend time on transmitting data that are now readily accessible within the covers of one book, and the latter will find t

Table of Contents

Dedication	v
List of Illustrations, Charts, and Maps	xiii
Abbreviations and Select Bibliography	xv
Introduction	xxi
PART I: THE BACKGROUNDS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT	1	(80)
The Greco-Roman context of the NT	3	(27)
A Pervasive Hellenism	3	(3)
Hellenism under Alexander the Great	3	(1)
Hellenization after Alexander the Great	4	(2)
A Stable Roman Empire	6	(8)
Augustus Caesar	7	(2)
The Julio-Claudian Emperors	9	(1)
The Flavian Dynasty	10	(3)
The Emperors of the ``Golden Age''	13	(1)
An Age of Anxiety and Aspiration	14	(14)
The Anxieties of the Age	15	(2)
The Aspirations of the Age	17	(11)
Summary	28	(2)
The Jewish Background of the NT	30	(30)
The Tragic History of Judaism	30	(12)
The Babylonian Exile	31	(1)
The Resettlement under Persia	32	(1)
The Greco-Syrian Opression	33	(1)
The Interval of Jewish Independence	34	(1)
The Roman Occupation	35	(7)
The Persistent Faith of Judaism	42	(11)
The One God	42	(1)
The Sacrificial System	43	(2)
The Feasts	45	(1)
The Law	46	(3)
The Synagogue	49	(1)
The Final Destiny	49	(4)
The Competing Parties within Judaism	53	(5)
The Sadducess	53	(1)
The Pharisees	54	(1)
The Essenes	55	(1)
The Zealots	56	(2)
Summary	58	(2)
The Language of the New Testament	60	(7)
The History of the Greek Language	60	(4)
The Classical Period (1000--322 BC)	61	(1)
The Hellenistic Period (322 BC--AD 529)	62	(1)
The Byzantine Period (AD 529--1453)	63	(1)
The Modern Period (AD 1453--Present)	64	(1)
The Greek Language of the NT	64	(3)
Semitisms	64	(1)
Latinism	65	(1)
Christian Vocabulary	65	(2)
The Text of the New Testament	67	(14)
The Manuscripts of the NT Text	67	(1)
Papyri	68	(2)
Parchment Uncials	70	(1)
Minuscules	71	(1)
Ancient Versions	72	(1)
Patristic Citations	72	(1)
The Transmission of the NT Text	73	(5)
The Handwritten Text	73	(1)
The Printed Text	74	(4)
Textual Criticism of the NT	78	(3)
PART II: METHODS FOR INTERPRETING THE NEW TESTAMENT	81	(78)
The Historical Methods of Criticism	83	(26)
Two Presuppositions	83	(4)
The Modern Reader and Ancient Texts	84	(1)
The Writings and the Events	84	(3)
Common Objectives and Conclusions	87	(1)
Three Methods of Criticism	87	(22)
Source Criticism	88	(9)
Form Criticism	97	(6)
Redaction Criticism	103	(6)
The Genres of the Gospels and Acts	109	(30)
The Historical Genere: A Comparison with Luke--Acts	111	(7)
Jewish and Greco-Roman Histories	111	(2)
Points of Comparison with Luke--Acts	113	(5)
The Biographical Genre A Comparison with Matthew	118	(8)
The Basic Objections Addressed	119	(1)
Characteristics of Laudatory Biography	120	(5)
The Biographical Genre: Conclusions	125	(1)
The Dramatic Genre: A Comparison with Mark	126	(5)
Reasons for a Comparison with Mark	126	(1)
Points of Comparison with Mark	127	(4)
The Dramatic Genre: Conclusion	131	(1)
The Gospel of John and Genre	131	(8)
John and the Synoptics: A Comparison	131	(4)
The Dramatic Genre: A Comparison with John	135	(4)
The Ancient Letter Genre	139	(11)
The Letter Genre: Its Importance	139	(1)
Basic Characteristics of Ancient Letters	140	(2)
Six Basic Types	140	(1)
Fixed Patterns	141	(1)
The Use of the Letter Form by Early Christians	142	(8)
Four Official Features	142	(1)
Eight Literary Forms	143	(1)
Four Stylistic Features	144	(6)
The Genres of the Revelation of John	150	(9)
The Diverse Genres	150	(3)
The Prophetic Genre	151	(1)
The Apocalyptic Genre	151	(1)
The Epistolary Genre	152	(1)
Literary Techniques	153	(3)
Intercalation	154	(1)
Interludes	154	(1)
Numerical Arrangements	155	(1)
Chiasm	155	(1)
Literary Devices	156	(1)
Pre-Announcements	156	(1)
Cross-references	156	(1)
Contrasts	156	(1)
Symbolism	156	(1)
The Symbolic World View	157	(2)
PART III: THE FORMATION OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY	159	(94)
Reconstructing a Chronology of Jesus' Life	161	(8)
Ministry of Jesus, AD 29--33	162	(2)
Crucifixion, AD 33	164	(5)
The Historical Jesus	169	(10)
The Cultural Problem	169	(1)
The Source Problem	170	(5)
Sources Outside the NT	170	(2)
NT Sources	172	(3)
The Criteria of Authenticity	175	(2)
Palestinian Coloring	175	(1)
Discontinuity	175	(1)
Multiple Attestation	176	(1)
Coherence	177	(1)
Jesus' Life in Outline	177	(2)
The Message of Jesus	179	(12)
The Cultural Context: Messianism	179	(1)
The Rhetorical Techniques	180	(1)
The Content of Jesus' Message	181	(10)
God's Rule Is Present	181	(1)
God Alone Brings about His Rule	182	(1)
God's Rule Defies Human Standards	183	(3)
God's Rule Challenges Conventional Wisdom	186	(1)
God's Rule Reveals God as a Merciful Father	187	(4)
A Chronology of Paul's Life	191	(13)
Conversion and Call, AD 34	193	(1)
First Jerusalem Visit, AD 37	194	(1)
Missionary Activity, AD 37--51	195	(2)
Second Jerusalem Visit, AD 51	197	(2)
Further Missionary Activity, AD 52--57	199	(1)
Final Jerusalem Visit, AD 57	200	(1)
Journey to Rome, AD 59--60	201	(1)
Execution, AD 62	202	(2)
The Major Phases of Early Christianity	204	(19)
The Controversial Subjects	204	(2)
Phase 1 (AD 30--70)	206	(6)
The Rural Itinerant Charismatics	206	(2)
The Urban Community Organizers	208	(4)
Phase 2 (AD 70--95)	212	(11)
Markan Christianity	212	(1)
Matthean Christianity	213	(1)
Lukan Christianity	214	(3)
Pauline Christianity	217	(3)
Johannine Christianity	220	(3)
Emerging Christian Orthodoxy: Part One	223	(15)
Conflicts with ``False Teachings''	225	(13)
Introductory Concerns	225	(1)
Gnosticism	226	(12)
Emerging Christian Orthodoxy: Part Two	238	(15)
A Fixed Organizational Structure	238	(3)
The Preservation of Apostolic Traditions	241	(3)
Formulated Creeds and Confessions	244	(3)
Established Worship Patterns	247	(2)
Normative Christian Ethics	249	(1)
A Distinct Collection of Writings	250	(3)
Appendix A: The Formation of the New Testament Canon	253	(16)
Appendix B: English Translations of the New Testament	269	(8)
Indexes	277	(1)
Index of Ancient Texts	277	(16)
Author Index	293