Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Studying the New Testament -- The historical setting of the New Testament -- The world of Jesus in his Jewish homeland -- The Mediterranean world of the Apostle Paul -- Sources for the story of Jesus -- The story of Jesus -- The teachings of Jesus -- The Gospel according to Matthew -- The Gospel according to Mark -- The Gospel according to Luke -- The Gospel according to John -- The Acts of the Apostles -- Paul of Tarsus: life and teachings -- The letter to the Galatians -- 1 and 2 Thessalonians -- 1 Corinthians -- 2 Corinthians -- The letter to the Romans -- Ephesians and Colossians -- Philippians and Philemon -- The Pastoral Letters -- The letter of James -- The letter to the Hebrews -- 1 and 2 Peter and Jude -- The letters of John -- The Revelation of John -- Preservation and communication of the New Testament.

The New Testament in Antiquity skillfully develops how Jewish, Hellenistic, and Roman cultures formed the essential environment in which the New Testament authors wrote their books and letters. Written by three scholars with over fifty years of combined experience in the classroom, it shows readers how an understanding of the land, history, and culture of this world brings remarkable new insights into how we read the New Testament itself. Throughout the book, numerous features provide windows into the first century world. Nearly 500 full-color photos, charts, maps, and drawings have been carefully selected. Additional features include numerous sidebars that integrate the book's material with issues of interpretation, ample discussion questions, and bibliographies. - Back cover.

Today many Christians know the basic elements of this story and enjoy an intimate, deeply personal love for many passages of the New Testament. However, few understand the breadth of this story, much less how to interpret each book. Many of us gravitate to familiar texts but dont feel confident interpreting more difficult chapters. The aims of this book are simple: to assist students to become alert, capable readers of the New Testament -- to guide them through its many books, giving not only essential background information but also a digest of the New Testament's most important teachings. Scriptures by understanding not only our own interpretative contexts, but also the original context of the New Testament. The context of antiquity should control how we understand the New Testament today. - Publisher.