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New Testament Overview
Written under inspiration during the first century A.D., the New Testament presents and explains the gospel—or "good news"—of Jesus Christ. Jesus is identified as the incarnate Son of God, through whose sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection the redemption of mankind has been accomplished. The New Testament canon has been organized in such a manner to include: the gospels, which recount the life, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ; the book of Acts, which provides an account of the ministry of the original apostles and the formation of the early church; the epistles, inspired letters to believers which explain the gospel truth and provide insight on its application; and the book of Revelation, a prophetic work that affirms the identity of Christ and discloses how end time events will unfold.
A brief description of each book of the New Testament is provided below.
This material is currently being written and new entries will be posted as completed.
Gospels
Matthew • Mark • Luke • John
Epistles of Paul
Romans • 1 Corinthians • 2 Corinthians • Galatians • Ephesians • Philippians • Colossians
1 Thessalonians • 2 Thessalonians • 1 Timothy • 2 Timothy • Titus • Philemon
General Epistles
Hebrews • James • 1 Peter • 2 Peter • 1 John • 2 John • 3 John • Jude
Revelation
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” — Matthew 5:17
The book of Matthew is named after its traditionally assigned author, one of the original 12 disciples of Jesus, who left his job as a tax collector in Capernaum in order to follow Him. Bible scholars place the time of writing anywhere from c.60 and 90 A.D. Matthew is ordered first in the New Testament canon, and is one of the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke), which present accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus from a similar point of view, chronicling most of the same events and often in similar sequence.
The book is directed to a Jewish audience, as it focuses on identifying Jesus as the Messiah and King of Israel described in the Old Testament, that it is through Him that the awaited kingdom of God was offered to the Jews, and that the kingdom has now been established in Christ. To that end, Matthew cites or alludes to the Old Testament more times than any of the other gospels. The text emphasizes a distinction between God’s law and God’s grace with regard to man’s salvation, and introduces all other foundational doctrines of the Christian faith.
The unique structure of Matthew does not follow a strict chronological order but presents five discourses of Jesus coupled with an associated historical narrative. These are: the Sermon on the Mount, which clarifies God’s law, outlines the characteristics of true believers and proper Christian conduct and actions; the Missionary Discourse, which provides evangelistic instruction to the disciples; the Parabolic Discourse, in which numerous parables of the kingdom of God are recorded; the Church Discourse, which outlines the attitude and manner in which disciples are to operate as the church; and the Olivet Discourse, in which Jesus prepares His disciples for His departure and prophesies end time events.
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” — Mark 10:45
Generally believed to be the earliest completed gospel account, Mark is typically dated from 60-65 A.D. and is similar in perspective and content to the other synoptic gospels (Matthew, Luke). Mark, a ministry partner of the apostle Peter, is historically credited as the author. His gospel is a straightforward, concise account of events in Christ’s earthly ministry, geared toward a Roman gentile audience.
Though it references the Old Testament fewer times than the other gospels, the gospel of Mark reinforces the identity of Jesus as the suffering servant described in Isaiah 53. This aspect of His person and ministry models the standard for Christian service and discipleship. With its many occurrences of the word “immediately” in describing the actions of Jesus, the book underscores the urgency of His ministry and the short timeframe with which He had to work. Consistent with that emphasis, His miracles and acts of service are highlighted more frequently in the text than His teachings. His example of service in ministry makes a priority of evangelism, and the book concludes with His command to disciples to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” — Luke 19:10
The gospel of Luke is one of the three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark) which are very similar in the order and details presented in describing Christ’s life and earthly ministry. Tradition assigns authorship to Luke the Evangelist, a Gentile, a physician, and a close associate of the apostle Paul. Luke also wrote the book of Acts, and these two volumes comprise a seamless history that the author addressed to “Theophilus.” Based on the endpoint of the Acts narrative, the likely year of completion has been placed as early as 60 A.D. Luke was especially concerned with detail and the authenticity of the information he was presenting. In the book’s dedication he points out that his descriptions of events are organized, accurate transmissions of eyewitness accounts.
Luke’s gospel covers the period from just before the birth of John the Baptist to the ascension of Jesus into heaven, encompassing the birth, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus. Luke is the most detailed of the synoptic gospels. Over one-third of the content is unique to itself, with more insight into individuals and events provided here than in Matthew or Mark.
A major theme of the text is Jesus’s outreach beyond the Jewish population to the Gentiles and other outcasts of society. His ministry to sinners and compassion for the downtrodden is emphasized, as well as His self-identification as the “Son of Man”, the rejected Messiah of Israel who extends His gospel message to a universal audience. The lengthy central section of Luke, the “travel narrative”, chronicles Christ’s final journey to the cross and underscores His mission of salvation.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” — John 3:16
Often dubbed “the fourth gospel,” the book of John is believed to have been written by the apostle between 85 and 100 A.D. John has a different tenor and structure than Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and strongly emphasizes the deity of Jesus Christ. Its stated purpose is “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”
John provides an account of Christ’s earthly ministry that harmonizes neatly with the synoptic gospels. Though it records none of the parables which appear in the other accounts, it presents many significant discourses, teachings and statements of Jesus, among which include: His discussion with Nicodemus regarding substitutionary atonement and God's sovereign, spiritual regeneration of believers; the evangelistic encounter with the woman at the well; the intercessory “high priestly prayer”; and the I AM statements that identify Him as the living God incarnate. Fewer miracles are described in John than in the other gospels, though it exclusively records the raising of His deceased friend Lazarus. Nine of John’s 20 chapters are dedicated to Jesus’s last week on earth, during which He prepares the disciples for their future ministry. Events leading up to and including His crucifixion and resurrection are described in detail. Eternal life and the redemptive ministry of the Holy Spirit are also prominent themes of the text.
The gospel of John gives us the clearest and most emphatic expression of the identity of Jesus Christ as the transcendent, eternal Son of God, “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” by which man is redeemed.
“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” — Acts 4:12
The Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke, a ministry partner of the apostle Paul, and originally formed one book with his gospel. It concludes the historical narrative of the New Testament with an account of the early days and growth of the Christian church, focusing on the ministries of the apostles, particularly those of Peter and Paul, and the spread of the gospel beyond the borders of Israel into Asia Minor and Europe.
Christianity’s supernatural aspect is highlighted in Acts through its description of the advent of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit-empowered works of the apostles, and God’s direction of the church through them. The ministry of the Holy Spirit under the new covenant, in which He spiritually indwells and strengthens each and every believer—effectively applying the salvation Christ achieved at the cross—is an important revelation of the book.
Significant events recorded in the book of Acts include the day of Pentecost, the martyring of Stephen, the conversion of Paul, the evangelism of Gentiles, the first Jerusalem council, and Paul's missionary journeys. Numerous sermons of Peter and Paul are featured, and the historical context for many of Paul’s epistles can be gleaned from the text.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”” – Romans 1:16-17
Romans begins the New Testament’s collection of epistles – letters dictated to churches or individuals by the apostles of Jesus Christ under inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The epistles interpret and explain the significance of Christ’s atoning work as recorded in the gospels, teach and reinforce Christian doctrine, and guide believers in living a life of obedience and faith. Of the 21 epistles found in the New Testament, 13 are specifically credited to Paul the Apostle (c. 5-65 A.D.). His letter to the Christian church in Rome is perhaps the most essential, written in the Greek city of Corinth around 57 A.D. It delivers the most comprehensive treatment of fundamental doctrine to be found in the scriptures.
The major theme of Romans is the righteousness of God, developed through five major sections: the need for righteousness due to universality of sin (1:18-3:20); the justification of man by faith through the righteousness of Christ (3:21-5:21); the sanctification of man through the imparting of righteousness by the Holy Spirit (6:1-8:39); God’s sovereignty and the vindication of his righteousness (9:1-11:36); and the practical application of righteousness in the life of the believer (12:1-15:13).
In Romans, Paul offers scripture’s clearest articulation of core doctrines including man’s fallen condition and God’s righteous judgment, the substitutionary atonement and imputed righteousness of Christ, and man’s justification by grace alone through faith alone. It explains how an individual can be made holy by the righteousness of Christ, and thus cleansed of sin and reconciled to a holy God.
“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” – 1 Corinthians 3:16
First Corinthians is the first of two surviving letters sent to the Christian church at Corinth by the Apostle Paul. Writing from the city of Ephesus in A.D. 55, Paul addresses conflicts and corrupting influences that he has become aware of within the church. A few years before writing this letter, between his second and third missionary journeys, Paul had spent about a year and a half in the city establishing the church. Corinth was a large international hub located in the Peloponnesian region of Greece, where pagan influence and worldly temptations were rampant.
Paul’s letters to the Corinthians are letters of correction, applicable today to churches and individuals alike. In 1 Corinthians he addresses factionalism, litigiousness, arrogance, sexual immorality and other corruptions which have taken root among the congregation, and weighs in on church disputes involving issues related to Christian liberty, the use of spiritual gifts, and order in worship. Paul’s intent is to bring the church back in line with correct doctrine and to conduct themselves according to Christian principles. Despite the ubiquity of wickedness in Corinth, Paul reminds believers that they were “bought at a price” and they are to live in a manner that reflects the righteousness of Christ and awareness of the grace and mercy they have received by way of His sacrifice.
Within the apostle’s instructions to the Corinthians in this epistle are a number of valuable core teachings which include God’s plan for marriage, the excellence of love, the proper use of spiritual gifts, the significance and administration of the Lord’s Supper, and the doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus Christ – itself the very foundation of the Christian faith.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17
Composed in 56 A.D., 2 Corinthians is the second of the Apostle Paul’s two inspired epistles to the Christian church at Corinth. As determined from references within each epistle, it is at least the fourth letter Paul sent to the Corinthians to clarify doctrine and address disunity among the congregation.
In the year since 1 Corinthians was received, false teachers had infiltrated the congregation and vocal opposition to Paul’s authority had developed; he therefore dedicates a significant portion of the letter’s content to defending his ministry and authenticating his apostleship. Perhaps due to this approach, 2 Corinthians reveals more personal information about Paul and delves less further into matters of doctrine than his other epistles. Regardless of the difference in tenor, the epistle illuminates key Christian principles such as forgiveness and generosity, and essential doctrines such as the regeneration and sanctification of believers.
Paul contrasts the flesh (temporal things) with the spirit (eternal things), encourages faithfulness for reconciliation with God, and discourages ties with nonbelievers. He compares the glory of the old covenant of the law (“the ministry of condemnation”) with the surpassing glory of the new covenant of grace (“the ministry of righteousness”), affirming the greater covenant God has established for believers in Christ. Citing various ministerial support he has received and God’s own boundless generosity, he encourages charitable stewardship among the congregation in furthering the kingdom of Christ on earth. He concludes the letter by challenging the church to examine themselves to ensure they possess true faith, that they may be “made complete” in Christ.
“Nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.” – Galatians 2:16
Paul the Apostle’s epistle to the Galatians, written around 49 A.D., is commonly believed to be the earliest New Testament document. Similar to the letters to the Corinthians, Paul’s primary purpose here is to correct doctrinal error. He had established churches in the region of Galatia during his first missionary journey, and false teachings began to proliferate within these communities after his departure. A group of Jewish Christians known as the Judaizers rejected the idea of justification by faith in Christ and worked to convince congregants that adherence to the Levitical law was still necessary for justification. Paul repudiates this teaching and addresses the question of law versus grace.
After a short greeting, the apostle immediately rebukes the Galatians for falling under the influence of the Judaizers and declares that there is no other gospel apart from the one taught by him via the direct revelation of Jesus Christ. He goes on to defend his ministry and reassert his authority as an apostle before reaffirming that believers are justified by faith alone and that no person can ever be justified by the works of the law. He cites the example of Abraham, who was justified by faith (Gen 15:6) prior to taking the Levitical rite of circumcision, which was a focal point of the Galatian conflict. Works in adherence to the law cannot justify. If they could, the sacrifice of Christ would be unnecessary. The intent of the law is to demonstrate the need for a savior and lead believers to Christ.
Paul further contrasts law and grace, noting that justification by faith imparts spiritual freedom to the believer, contrasted with the “yoke of bondage” that the law brings. Revisiting the life of Abraham, Paul likens Christian believers to the children of Sarah (a freewoman, from whom Isaac was born the son of divine promise), not Hagar (a slave, from whom Ishmael was born the product of human action). Introduced in Galatians is Paul’s familiar device of contrasting the flesh and the spirit. Here he outlines the “works of the flesh” and declares individuals that practice these are effectively condemned under the law and will not inherit the kingdom of God. Conversely, those who exhibit the “fruit of the spirit” have “crucified the flesh”, belong to Christ, and are no longer under the insurmountable burden of the law.
Additional entries will be posted as completed.
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Most scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB)
