The New Testament in Its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature and Theology of the First Christians

ECPA Christian Book Award Bible Reference Works 2021  
  
A comprehensive single-volume study of the entire New Testament and Christian origins. "This is the New Testament introduction of all New Testament introductions." - Craig Keener.  
  
PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION:  
  
In The New Testament In Its World acclaimed biblical scholar N. T. Wright draws on a lifetime of distinguished scholarship to provide a thorough overview of the New Testament for students, church leaders, and everyday Christians.  
  
Wright, along with prominent New Testament scholar Michael Bird, explores the history, literature, and theology of the New Testament with an emphasis on its relevance for Christians today. Beginning with an overview of how to read the New Testament, the authors then survey its historical background to orient readers to the world of Jesus and the early church. This is followed by an in-depth study of Jesus' inauguration of the kingdom of God through his life, ministry, death, and resurrection.  
  
The next section explores the life and theology of Paul, who continues to unfold the significance of Jesus' life and ministry, and applies these to the issues faced by the early churches. Wright and Bird survey all of Paul's letters, providing a compact commentary on each, while explaining contemporary scholarly discussions on Paul and his teachings.  
  
They then turn to the gospels, written after Paul's letters, followed by the general epistles and Revelation, explaining the background, critical issues, important teachings, and contemporary applications for each.  
  
This is followed by a description of how the New Testament came to be, guiding the reader through issues of textual criticism and canonization. A concluding section brings all of the previous threads together to encourage readers to consider how their personal story fits into the larger story of God's redemption narrated in the New Testament.  
  
Students of the New Testament will not only be equipped with all of the technical information needed to understand the New Testament today but will see it as one cohesive story in which they are invited to play a vital role through their own lives and circumstances.  
  
This is a distillation of Wright's quarter-century, multi-volume project exploring Christian Origins and the Question of God. . . . If you want to introduce time-starved seminary students to the New Testament through the eyes of N. T. Wright but can't assign a thousand pages of reading, this is the book you need. - Dr J. P. Davies, Tutor of New Testament and MA Course Leader, Trinity College, Bristol, England  
  
Tom Wright and Mike Bird give us the opportunity to appreciate the breadth and detail of Wright's vision of the New Testament - one of the most far-reaching of recent times. The format of a New Testament introduction means that we also get to fill in the gaps on New Testament books that have not featured extensively in Wright's major books. We also get to find the answers to many "So, what would he say about . . .?" questions. This book will be highly valued by students, scholars, and churches. - Professor Peter Oakes, Greenwood Senior Lecturer in Theology, School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, University of Manchester, England  
  
Interpreting the New Testament is a complex task and Wright and Bird work at it with customary passion and a commitment to clarity and coherence. These qualities make it an ideal starting-point for anyone who wants to understand early Christianity and its canonical texts. - Dr Sean Winter, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity, Melbourne, Australia  
  
This is the New Testament introduction of all New Testament introductions! Not only is this a superb New Testament introduction from the keyboards of two of today's most prolific and balanced NT scholars, but more advanced students will find here an accessible and mature synthesis of and primer for N. T. Wright's voluminous work. - Craig S. Keener, F. M. and Ada Thompson Professor of Biblical Studies, Asbury Theological Seminary  
  
-Publisher.

In The New Testament In Its World acclaimed biblical scholar N. T. Wright draws on a lifetime of distinguished scholarship to provide a thorough overview of the New Testament for students, church leaders, and everyday Christians. Wright, along with prominent New Testament scholar Michael Bird, explores the history, literature, and theology of the New Testament with an emphasis on its relevance for Christians today. Beginning with an overview of how to read the New Testament, the authors then survey its historical background to orient readers to the world of Jesus and the early church. This is followed by an in-depth study of Jesus' inauguration of the kingdom of God through his life, ministry, death, and resurrection. The next section explores the life and theology of Paul, who continues to unfold the significance of Jesus' life and ministry, and applies these to the issues faced by the early churches. Wright and Bird survey all of Paul's letters, providing a compact commentary on each, while explaining contemporary scholarly discussions on Paul and his teachings. They then turn to the gospels, written after Paul's letters, followed by the general epistles and Revelation, explaining the background, critical issues, important teachings, and contemporary applications for each. This is followed by a description of how the New Testament came to be, guiding the reader through issues of textual criticism and canonization. A concluding section brings all of the previous threads together to encourage readers to consider how their personal story fits into the larger story of God's redemption narrated in the New Testament. Students of the New Testament will not only be equipped with all of the technical information needed to understand the New Testament today but will see it as one cohesive story in which they are invited to play a vital role through their own lives and circumstances.Read less