An Introduction to the New Testament

This book is an excellent seminary-level introduction to the New Testament that should also be very helpful to the serious lay New Testament (NT) student. It starts with an introduction into NT studies, giving a short overview of the history of NT studies, and defines standard categories like historical, text, form and literary criticism. Other overview chapters that are interspersed at the appropriate points include a chapter on the Synoptic Gospels, the New Testament Letters, Paul, and the NT canon. The rest of the book goes through the biblical books according to the order found in the New Testament, at least in the common English translations (my German Bible according to Luther has a slightly different order for the general epistles).Each chapter is divided in the following sections (depending on which book they are discussing): contents, author, provenance (i.e. where was it written) and date, addressees (whom was it written to), integrity, literary history, text, nature and genre, purpose, >in recent studies<, theme and contribution.Since it is an introductory text, the content, i.e. what the biblical book actually says, is only given a couple of pages - if you are looking for a detailed discussion of the content of a biblical book (e.g. Romans), you need to read a commentary, not a NT introductory text!Some other readers have commented that they found the book dry reading - I personally didn't.The authors write from a conservative evangelical viewpoint, but, in my opinion, they give sufficient voice to contrary viewpoints and discuss the pros and cons. Overall, I found the book quite balanced.I like the structured and orderly approach to the biblical books, and the division into sections/subsections. This is a book to study, not an entertaining narrative or easy bedtime reading, but then this is not its purpose.I used this textbook as an adjunct to a New Testament seminary course I took online via distance education, and I greatly helped me in the weekly online discussions with other participants. The textbook assigned for that course was by Luke Timothy Johnson, The Writings of the New Testament, Third Edition. This book is different in style and purpose, and spends more time discussing the Jewish and Greco-Roman background to the New Testament, and goes into more details about the content and structure of each biblical book, but spends less time in discussing authorship, provenance, date, text critical issues etc. I found both books to be quite helpful and complementary.Disclaimer: I am actually just studying theology >for fun<, not for a living, and I work in a completely different area. I still found this book easy to read and understand, though a college degree might be helpful.

D.A. Carson and Douglas Moo join together to write this introductory text to the New Testament. The authors take a book-by-book approach to breaking down the New Testament. Each chapter is a stand-alone study of a book or books of the Bible.Every chapter examines a particular book based on content, author, audience, date written, reason for the book, adoption into canon, recent studies, contribution and more. The authors make an in-depth examination of each book. They investigate and analyze each letter methodically. Carson and Moo do a balanced job and include the major dissenting opinions and the views of detractors.While the bulk of the book is theological in nature it includes scrutiny from historical, sociological, linguistic, and anthropological perspectives. The authors are brilliant at contextualizing the writers, recipients and settings for the original letters. There is a detailed picture painted explaining why each letter was written.Carson and Moo address historical and modern controversies within each letter. Liberal, conservative and outlandish viewpoints are represented. The authors critique the major positions and offer solid scrutiny to benefit the reader.This book is written at an academic level, but it is certainly practical for casual readers. The high level analysis within this book lends itself nicely to both individual reading and group studies. The novice theologian and the scholar will find this as beneficial read. Without a doubt, this is a superb introductory overview of the books of the New Testament.

This book is wonderful! After studying dozens of texts about the origins and modern historical analyses of the New Testament canon--ranging from Helmut Koester's Ancient Christian Gospels to Walter Bauer, Elaine Pagels, and Bart Ehrman's positivistic polemics--I finally found this book. I am a scientist (physician) and have not had the benefit of a seminary education, so I should, perhaps, have started here. The book presents thorough, well-reasoned critiques of the data and conflicting theories about the origin and significance of the entire New Testament canon, book by book. It contains ample references to the the key research and publications on various subjects, somewhat like a good scientific or medical review article. This was a very welcome contrast to the popular publications of Bart Ehrman, which typically reference only his own biased writings on any particular subject. My only criticism of this excellent text is that it gives short shrift to the history and profound exegesis of the Eastern Orthodox Church Fathers; viz. St. John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, and others. In the Orthodox tradition, we tend to view theology as a "fabric woven from on high," including revelations in the post-Apostolic era to those saints who have achieved "theosis," direct contemplation of the Divine mind.

I purchased this book last summer for a New Testament Introduction course I took at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. Another book that was required for that class was The New Testament: Its Background and Message by Thomas D. Lea and David Alan Black. Both books are excellent books designed for seminarians, but Carson and Moo's book is much more scholarly. Carson and Moo's book is divided into 26 chapters and includes some special chapters such as Thinking about the Study of the New Testament, Paul: Apostle and Theologian and The New Testament Canon. Some New Testament books are combined into one chapter. This includes the Pastoral Epistles and 1, 2 and 3 John. The contents, author (s), origin, date, destination, purpose, text, adoption into the Canon, recent studies, theme, and contribution of the New Testament books are examined. A Scripture Index, Name Index, and Subject Index are found in the back of the book. This is a great resource to help you accurately understand the New Testament message within its historical setting.

All good

Great item and service

was just what I need to continue my studies with. Am looking at the Book of ACTS and Pastoral letters this semester, so will be most helpful with base information toward each area

Donald A. Carson/Douglas J. Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament. Second Edition. Nottingham, England: Apollos/Inter-Varsity, 2005, 782 pages.Sachlich-nüchtern und mit bemerkenswerter Gründlichkeit (die Zahl der Fußnoten mit Literaturangaben und Quellen geht wohl in die Tausende) analysieren Neustestamentler Donald A. Carson und Douglas J. Moo die Ergebnisse der auf Englisch, Französisch und Deutsch erschienenen Forschungen zum Neuen Testament und schildern aus moderat-konservativer, jedoch keinesfalls unkritischer Sicht die am häufigsten anzutreffenden Standpunkte bezüglich Verfasserschaft, Entstehung, Herkunftsort, Adressaten und theologischer Bedeutung jedes einzelnen Buches aus dem Neuen Testament. Häufig weisen sie nach, dass von europäischen Theologen vertretene Theorien eben das sind - bloße Theorien, ohne jeglichen Hinweis in den antiken Zeugnissen und Texten, die zu erklären sie behaupten. Es gibt faszinierende einleitende Kapitel zum Studium des Neuen Testaments mit für den Laien wertvollen Darstellungen der "Quellenkritik", der "Form-" bzw. "Redaktionsgeschichte" und der "Literarkritik". In einem Kapitel über die Synoptiker Matthäus, Markus und Lukas wird überaus scharfsinning und konsequent über die Entstehung der uns vorliegenden Evangelien nachgedacht. Und ein einleitender Abschnitt über die neutestamentlichen Briefe und über den Apostel Paulus behandelt wichtige theologische Fragestellungen, die ansonsten in jedem einzelnen Kapitel hätten in der einen oder anderen Form wiederholt werden müssen. - Die Literaturangaben sind auf dem Stand von 2005, die Autoren haben Literatur bis etwa 2003 in ihrem Text berücksichtigt, was in der sich etwas langsam bewegenden Welt der Theologie höchste Aktualität bedeutet. Das Buch ist stabil und schön gebunden und weist weniger als eine Handvoll Druckfehler auf, von denen die meisten deutsche Buchtitel in den Fußnoten betreffen. Absolut empfehlenswert als Hintergrundinformation nicht nur für Theologen, sondern auch für kirchliche Mitarbeiter jeder Couleur und Religionslehrer, die über den recht eng gefassten Tellerrand der deutschsprachigen historisch-kritischen Bewegung schauen möchten. Dass Carson und Moo sich am Ende dafür aussprechen, dass die neutestamentlichen Bücher tatsächlich das sind, wofür sie sich ausgeben, mag Anhänger dieser Bewegung verwundern und vielleicht auch ärgern, doch bezweifle ich, dass man in der Sache allzu viel dagegen halten kann.

The book servers as a good conservative introduction to the New Testament. As a Catholic I would have like there to be a section on each book in the liturgy (readings) and Tradition but overall It was very informative.