Bible Overview: Introduction to the New Testament and the Gospels

The New Testament: Content

27 books

260 chapters

70-100 years

9 authors

Theme of the NT: New Covenant in Christ

God is fulfilling his promises of the new covenant in Jeremiah 31 by sending his Son, Jesus the Messiah

Sections of the NT

The Gospels

Acts (Church history)

The Epistles (Pauline and General)

Revelation

Historical Background to the NT

400 Silent years since Nehemiah, Malachi, and Joel

Greek culture and language became the common culture and language of the known world because of Alexander the Great.

The Septuagint was the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, translated around 250 B.C. under Egyptian rule and influence. The Septuagint became the Bible of the early church.

In the 160s B.C., Antiochus IV Epiphanes desecrated the temple by setting up an idol and sacrificing a pig; he also forced worship of false gods and made it illegal for Jews to own or read the Torah (Jewish Bible); religious practices like Sabbath and circumcision were also forbidden.

In 164 B.C., a revolt led by Judas Maccabeus (“the hammer”) successfully recaptured the temple and rededicated it to God, and started the Feast of Dedication (John 10)

Strife with Samaritans increased under leadership of John Hyrcanus. The Samaritans desecrated the temple and the Jews destroyed the Samaritans’ temple. This religious and cultural strife was still very active in Jesus’s day.

In 63 B.C. the Romans came and began to dominate Israel.

Antipater gained favor with the Romans, and his son Herod (the Great) became king of Judea under Roman authority. He was a very violent man, killing some of his family members, and eventually slaughtering all boys 2 and under in Bethlehem.

Religious background:

Pharisees (separated ones): movement striving for holiness and freedom from pagan influence; there were about 6000 Pharisees in Jesus’s day, and they were highly esteemed by the people.

Scribes / lawyers (experts in the law): mostly Pharisees who were thoroughly trained in the Scriptures

Sadducees: wealthy political authorities, priests, and nobility; only accepted the Pentateuch (first 5 books of OT)

Sanhedrin: religious supreme court, 70 members, presided over by high priest; also referred to as the council, the council of elders, the senate, or referred to by its members: the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees.

Synagogue: gathering or congregation; studying Scripture and worshiping God; only required 10 pious men, so they sprang up everywhere in Israel and abroad, wherever there were at least 10 men who worshiped God.

The Gospels

Synoptic problem: Matthew, Mark, and Luke share much common material; they “see together”

There are many questions about sources; it appears very likely Mark was the first gospel written, and Matthew and Luke both used Mark’s Gospel as they wrote their own; but Matthew and Luke both share common material that’s not in Mark, which likely means that they both used another common source as well. This isn’t actually a problem though. Luke explicitly says he’s using many sources.

Display chart comparison of the gospels

Key verses

Matthew 1:21 ESV

21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Mark 10:45 ESV

45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Luke 19:10 ESV

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.