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The New Testament: A Very Short Introduction 1st Edition

by Luke Timothy Johnson (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 188 ratings
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As ancient literature and a cornerstone of the Christian faith, the New Testament has exerted a powerful religious and cultural impact. But how much do we really know about its origins? Who were the people who actually wrote the sacred texts that became part of the Christian Bible? The New Testament: A Very Short Introduction authoritatively addresses these questions, offering a fresh perspective on the underpinnings of this profoundly influential collection of writings.
In this concise, engaging book, noted New Testament scholar Luke Timothy Johnson takes readers on a journey back to the time of the early Roman Empire, when the New Testament was written in ordinary Greek (koine) by the first Christians. The author explains how the Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, and Revelation evolved into the canon of sacred writings for the Christian religion, and how they reflect a reinterpretation of the symbolic world and societal forces of first-century Greco-Roman and Jewish life. Equally important, readers will find both a positive and critical reading of the New Testament--one that looks beyond its theological orientation to reveal an often-surprising diversity of viewpoints. This one-of-a-kind introduction engages four distinct dimensions of the earliest Christian writings--anthropological, historical, religious, and literary--to provide readers with a broad conceptual and factual framework. In addition, the book takes an in-depth look at compositions that have proven to be particularly relevant over the centuries, including Paul's letters to the Corinthians and Romans and the Gospels of John, Mark, Matthew, and Luke.
Ideal for general readers and students alike, this fascinating resource characterizes the writing of the New Testament not as an unknowable abstraction or the product of divine intervention, but as an act of human creativity by people whose real experiences, convictions, and narratives shaped modern Christianity.
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  1. ISBN-10
    9780199735709
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0199735709
  3. Edition
    1st
  4. Publisher
    Oxford University Press
  5. Publication date
    February 10, 2010
  6. Part of series
    Very Short Introductions
  7. Language
    English
  8. Dimensions
    6.8 x 4.3 x 0.5 inches
  9. Print length
    146 pages
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Book Description

A brief yet essential introduction to the New Testament that chronicles the real people--and historical and literary movements--that created it

About the Author

Luke Timothy Johnson, a former Benedictine monk, is currently the Robert W. Woodruff Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at the Candler School of Theology, Emory University.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0199735700
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; 1st edition (February 10, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 146 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780199735709
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0199735709
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.9 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 188 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
188 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

The Wolf
5.0 out of 5 stars Great explanation of what the NT is all about
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2012
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Whether you are a Christian, of another faith, or of no faith, this book can can help you understand the NT...perhaps even learn much that surprises you. It is well written, easy to understand but not simplistic, and interesting. I have read a lot of theology, and I have taken many religion classes, and yet I feel that this short book opened my eyes, or helped me organize my understanding, in a way that had not happened before. In a relatively short book Johnson gives one a very comprehensive explanation of the NT and of the early followers of Jesus and what they believed and how the canon of the NT came to exist. Johnson neither slams religion down one's throat nor apologizes for Christianity, as one other reviewer seem to think. Johnson gives a balanced objective overview of a book that has influenced more people than any other book in history...for better or worse. You will not be disappointed.
15 people found this helpful
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R. J. Karris
5.0 out of 5 stars A Highly Informative and Inspiring NT Introduction
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2010
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I stand in awe of Johnson's ability to write so concisely and clearly and to do so with inspiration and enthusiasm. While we have the usual territory to be covered in a NT Introduction, there are some pleasant surprises, e.g., his superb treatment of Hebrews and the Letter of James. Of the discussions of the Gospels I appreciated most what he had to say about apocalyptic Mark. Because this is 'a very short introduction,' he didn't get into as much depth with Paul as I would have liked. Thankfully, though, he did not ride his special hobby horse on the authenticity of 1-2 Timothy and Titus, but stuck with positions generally accepted by the majority of NT scholars.

What is the audience for this tiny book? Clergy needing a quick review. Interested lay people who want a general overview before plunging into one or the other NT books in some detail.
21 people found this helpful
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julie vanalstine
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2018
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It is just as described.My kid loves it!
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judith A. Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars quick, clean, free postage
Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2021
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Needed this book for online course, it came quickly, was in good condition and relatively inexpensive. Free shipping a plus. thank you.
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Ward K.
5.0 out of 5 stars A good historical consideration of the development of early Christianity.
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2013
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Very worthwhile book(bought it on Kindle). it is a consideration of the development of Christianity for a historical approach, not theological, or faith based. Many, many historical approaches to Jesus and the influences of the Jewish "sacred writings" are available but this introduction avoids excessive discussions and cut through to what wanted. Recommend it to the "open minded" folks looking for some reasonable or probable "facts" of the way it was 2000 years ago.
5 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars The VSI series at it's finest.
Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2015
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The book takes you through a very dense tour of the bible. Rather than wasting space with quotations, the author simply provides many passage citations on each page. This lead me to downloading a bible app on my phone so that I could quickly reference the passages. Due to all the citations, this is a much lengthier book than it's size suggests.

Overall, the author keeps the pace moving, and there's never a dull moment.
3 people found this helpful
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Allan Kyu Heo
3.0 out of 5 stars Northwestern
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2014
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Got it for Northwestern's New Testament class, didn't read it once. but it's a good book.. came fast. very small book. Can finish in one sitting
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A. Huber
5.0 out of 5 stars The New Testament: A very short introduction
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2010
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This little book by a well-known authority provides a scholarly yet very readable and brief introduction to the "why" of the New Testament. Not in any way a Reader's Digest version; nor is it a quick read, but one to be read at leisure, re-read, and to be brought out again when studying the New Testament or early history of the Christian church. Very suitable for mature minds trying to make sense of ancient and initially disconnected appearing writings.
13 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

H, Jenny
5.0 out of 5 stars God loves us
Reviewed in Canada on September 23, 2019
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It’s a good book
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Mr. T. E. Rochester
5.0 out of 5 stars Fair and Balanced, Something for All
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 7, 2014
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This "Very Short Introduction" is written by Luke Timothy Johnson (LTJ), a former monk who is now a professor of New Testament studies, and does exactly what it says on the tin.

The work is divided into 11 Chapters.

Chapter 2 contextualises the NT in its contemporary setting, explaining the difference in belief and lifestyle of Jew and Gentile.

Chapter 3 focusses on the resurrection, and whilst not suggesting exactly what happened, LTJ lets the reader know that *something* significant must have happened in order for the Christian faith to begin. That *something*, he claims, is that the disciples of Jesus came to believe he had risen from the dead, but he refrains from passing personal comment on that issue.

Chapters 6-9 provide an overview of most of the documents of the NT, with only Jude and 1 + 2 Peter being passed over.
Chapter 6 looks at the Synoptic Gospels, going through each in turn.
Chapter 7 focusses on the life and works of Paul, and as a representation of his work provides a great mini-exegesis of his theology in 1 Corinthians and Romans.
Chapter 8 "Two Hidden Treasures" provides an exegesis of James and Hebrews.
Chapter 9 finishes this section looking at a Johannine school of thought as found in the Gospel of John, 1,2,3 John and Revelation, again, providing a mini-explanation of these works and their contexts.

Chapter 10 discusses the creation and importance of the NT canon in brief detail. Readers should then be aware of CE Hill's "Who Chose the Gospels?" for more info on this one.

Chapter 11 provides a neat summary of the continuing importance of the NT in contemporary society, despite the personal failings of Christians, and the ambiguities of the text that have led to oppression in Christ's name.

Overall this book is a brilliant introduction, fair and balanced, that presents a broad scholarly consensus of the relevant issues involved, whilst retaining some individual perspectives. However, because of this "catch-all" approach, there are several things that both liberal and conservative historians and believers may find disagreement with.

A liberal audience won't like (among other things): A. his suggestion that Paul made use of an amanuensis, so that the Pastoral Letters may indeed be genuine, B. his understanding that the "Gospel" of Thomas is most likely late 2nd century and C. that the canon of the NT represents the best and earliest of our documents about the initial phase of Christian history.

A conservative audience probably has more things to take issue with, but hopefully by reading will learn the difference between accepted church tradition and the current position of NT scholarship. For example: A. he dates 2 Peter to the 2nd Century, B. suggests that Millenialism is a gross misreading of the genre of Revelation, C. calling the Holy Spirit an "energy field" several times, D. dating the Gospels 'late' EG 70AD or later, E. suggesting that Daniel was actually written c.167BC and not during the Babylonian exile.

There is much of use in here, and it overall provides a fair introduction to key themes and topics of NT studies that both Christian and non-Christian, layman and scholar will find of use.
5 people found this helpful
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Marek C Slowikowski
5.0 out of 5 stars great product and service
Reviewed in Canada on April 4, 2015
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great product and service
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Maincaur
5.0 out of 5 stars Well worth buying
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 11, 2015
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A very concise overview of the new testament with many referenced examples shiwing a clear and deep understanding of the holy scriptures. I use it as a guide for reading and meditation. I thoruughly recommend it.
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R. S. Stanier
4.0 out of 5 stars Undoubtedly handy, concise but sometimes misleading about a consensus
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 30, 2012
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As with others in the series, this tight volume packs a lot of knowledge and understanding into a relatively short book.
It is divided into clear, useful chapter headings: some of these are overall questions, how the New Testament got put together, or what hermeneutics are applied to it; others are on individual sections: one on the Synoptic Gospels, one on Johannine literature, one on St Paul's letters etc..
The challenge here is that there can be a blur between when we are reading Johnson's summary of received opinion, and when we are reading Johnson's own personal take on something. For example, he describes the Gospel of Mark as in its essence a piece of Apocalyptic literature, with a few stories and life incidents of Jesus thrown in: his argument comes from emphasisising the otherwise slightly out of place Mark 13, full of wild apocalyptic imagery. Now Johnson may be right, and his view is well-argued, but I would say that his take on it is well left of centre in terms of how scholars in general view Mark's Gospel. (Yes, Mark 13's apocalpytic imagery is important, but there is a human truth in the Passion story and a focus on the kingdom of God in most of it that doesn't square with the book being primarily apocalyptic.)
When one picks up "A very short introduction", I believe one is looking more for scholarly consensus than an author's own hobbyhorses.
That said, I may have slightly overstressed this aspect. Johnson is excellent at compressing information and argument into a tight format, and - when one is writing this concisely - inevitably one cannot be entirely evenhanded as otherwise the book would be tedious and overlong.
He is very balanced in terms of commitment to faith: this can be read by believers and non-believers without alienating either and would be good for keen A-level students, undergraduates just starting the New Testament who need a bit of a basic overview, or just anyone with an interest. It might especially be good for someone who goes to church, listens to sermons but wants a little more learning to go with what they hear.
Very good, but not perfect.
15 people found this helpful
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