A Brief Introduction to the New Testament

Bart D. Ehrman is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has written or edited more than thirty books, including six New York Times best sellers. His publications include The New Testament, Seventh Edition (2019), The Bible, Second Edition (2017), and After the New Testament, Second Edition (2014), all published by Oxford University Press.

This is the best available textbook on the market for an introductory course. Ehrman's writing style is clear, flowing, and interesting. Throughout the book, it is quite evident that he is sensitive to the variety of opinions regarding the New Testament that today's students bring into the classroom.

• Each chaper ends with Questions to Ponder and Debate, Suggestions for Further Reading, and Key Terms. Maps, Time Lines, and Diagrams Boxes Preface for Instructors AcknowledgmentsNotes on Suggestions for Further Reading Credits Master Time Line Introduction 1. What is the New Testament and Why Should We Care?WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTERWhy Study the New Testament?Other Early Christian Writings The Development of the Christian Canon Implications for Our Study Do We Actually Have the Original New Testament IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: The Intriguing Diversity of the New Testament EXCURSUS 1: The Historian and the Believer PHOTO ESSAY 1: Ancient Manuscripts of the New Testament 2. The Greco-Roman World of Early Christianity WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER The Problem of Beginnings One Remarkable Life The Environment of the New Testament: Religions in the Greco-Roman World IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: The World of Early Christianity 3. The Jewish World of Early Christianity WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER Monotheism: The Belief in the One True GodThe Covenant: Israel's Pact with Its God The Law: Israel's Covenantal Obligations Temple and Synagogue: Israel's Places of Worship Forms of Early Judaism Political Crises in the Jewish Homeland and Their Ramifications The Formation of Jewish Groups The Jewish Context for the Traditions About Jesus Jewish Apocalypticism IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: The World of Early Judaism 4. The Traditions of Jesus in Their Greco-Roman Context WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER Oral Traditions Behind the GospelsThe Gospels as Biographies of Jesus IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: The Traditions of Jesus Some Additional Reflections: The Authors of the Gospels 5. Jesus, the Suffering Son of God: The Gospel According to Mark WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER The Synoptic Problem Mark, Our Earliest Gospel The Beginning of the Gospel: Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God Who Fulfills Scripture Jesus, the Authoritative Son of God Jesus, the Opposed Son of God Jesus, the Misunderstood Son of God Jesus, the Acknowledged Son of God Jesus, the Suffering Son of God Jesus, the Crucified Son of God Jesus, the Vindicated Son of God Conclusion: Mark and his Readers IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: The Gospel of Mark 6. Jesus, the Jewish Messiah: The Gospel According to Matthew WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER A Redactional Approach to Matthew The Importance of Beginnings: Jesus, the Jewish Messiah in Fulfillment of the Jewish Scriptures The Portrayal of Jesus in Matthew: The Sermon on the Mount as a Springboard Jesus Rejected by the Jewish Leaders Matthew and His Readers IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: The Gospel of Matthew 7. Jesus, the Rejected Prophet: The Gospel According to Luke WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER A Comparative Overview of the Gospel The Preface to Luke's Gospel Luke's Birth Narrative in Comparative Perspective From Jew to Gentile: Luke's Portrayal of Jesus, the Rejected ProphetLuke's Distinctive Emphases throughout His GospelConclusion: Luke in Comparative Perspective IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: The Gospel of Luke 8. Jesus, the Man Sent from Heaven: The Gospel According to John WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER The Gospel of John from the Perspective of Genre CriticismThe Gospel of John from a Comparative Perspective The Gospel of John from a Redactional PerspectiveThe Author of the Fourth Gospel IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: Historical Methods for Studying the New Testament 9. The Life of Jesus and Its Aftermath WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER Problems with Sources Using Our Sources Jesus in His Apocalyptic Context The Beginning and End as Keys to the MiddleThe Apocalyptic Teachings of Jesus The Apocalyptic Deeds of Jesus The Apocalyptic Death of Jesus IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: Jesus, the Apocalyptic ProphetJesus's Resurrection from an Apocalyptic PerspectiveJesus's Death in Light of the Scriptures Different Understandings of Jesus IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: From Jesus to the Gospels PHOTO ESSAY 2: The Material World of Jesus and the Gospels 10. Luke's Second Volume: The Book of Acts WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER The Genre of Acts and Its Significance The Thematic Approach to Acts From Gospel to Acts: The Opening Transition Themes in the Speeches in Acts Conclusion: The Author and His Themes in ContextIMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: The Book of Acts EXCURSUS 2: Methods of Ideological Criticism 11. Paul the Apostle: The Man and His Mission WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER The Story of Paul: Methodological Difficulties The Life of Paul IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: Paul and His Mission 12. Paul and His Apostolic Mission: 1 Thessalonians as a Test Case WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER The Founding of the Church in Thessalonica The Beginnings of the Thessalonian Church: A Sociohistorical PerspectiveThe Church at Thessalonica after Paul's Departure Conclusion: Paul the Apostle xxxIMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: 1 Thessalonians 13. Paul and the Crises of His Churches: The Corinthian Correspondence WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER 1 Corinthians IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: 2 Corinthians 14. Paul and the Crises of His Churches: Galatians, Philippians, and Philemon WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTERGalatians IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: Galatians Philippians IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: PhilippiansPhilemon IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: Philemon 15. The Gospel According to Paul: The Letter to the Romans WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER The Occasion and Purpose of the Letter The Theme of the Epistle Pauline Models for Salvation The Flow of Paul's Argument Conclusion: Paul and the Romans IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: RomansPHOTO ESSAY 3: The Cities and Roads of Paul 16. In the Wake of the Apostles: the Deutero-Pauline and Pastoral Epistles WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER Pseudonymity in the Ancient World The Deutero-Pauline Epistles IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: The Deutero-Pauline Epistles The Pastoral Epistles The Historical Situation and Authorship of the Pastoral Epistles Women in Paul's Church and Later Paul's View of Women in the Church Women in the Aftermath of Paul IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: The Pastoral Epistles EXCURSUS 3: Ideologies of Gender in the Bible 17. Christian Conflicts with Jews and Pagans: Hebrews and 1 Peter WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER Christians and Jews Early Christian Self-Definition Continuity and Superiority: Epistle to the Hebrews IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: Hebrews Christians and Pagans Christians in a Hostile World: The Letter of 1 Peter IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: 1 Peter 18. Christian Interactions with Christians: James, 2 Peter, Jude, and the Johannine EpistlesWHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER Christian Interactions with Christians The Epistle of James Jude 2 Peter The Johannine Epistles Understanding the Johannine Epistles Reflections on the Contextual Method for Understanding the Johannine Epistles Conflicts within the Early Christian Communities IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS EXCURSUS 4: The Digital Bible 19. Christians and the Cosmos: The Book of Revelation WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CHAPTER The Content and Structure of the Book of Revelation The Book of Revelation from a Historical Perspective xxxApocalyptic Worldviews and the Apocalypse Genre xxxThe Revelation of John in Historical Context xxxIMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS: The Book of Revelation xxx Glossary Index