Bible Students

Abstract

This paper will aim to give an overview of the New Testament context as a whole and for the individual books. This paper will cover the historical background of the New Testament, the religious context, and the connection to the Old Testament. Additionally, this paper will explore some of the most prevalent themes of the New Testament, including Christ’s death and resurrection, the role of the church, the second coming of Jesus, and the response of the Christian after conversion. The New Testament is a long and complicated set of documents, so this short survey will aim to touch on some of the most common threads and themes running throughout, without being bogged down by the smaller themes. 

Intro

The New Testament is a long and complicated set of documents, many of which do not give the cultural or religious relevance without deeper study. The following will be a broad survey of the background and themes of the New Testament, as if speaking to someone with little to no knowledge of the New Testament, beginning with the backgrounds of the text. What culture was the New Testament written in, and why does it matter? The Middle-East in Jesus’ day was a politically and religiously diverse and chaotic landscape. There were many groups of the time, but it will be helpful to go back a few hundred years to prepare for the cultural setting of the coming of the Messiah. 

Background

Cultural:

Thousands of years ago, God chose a nation to represent Himself on earth. These were known as the Israelites. He made a covenant with them (the Old Testament) to make them His people, and they would represent Him. Through them the Messiah would come. Many ages go by, and God’s people show themselves to be wicked. God sent His people into exile by another nation in order to cause them to repent. A few generations later many did repent and were able to return to the land their fathers lived in. This return was a few hundred years before the time of Jesus. In this time, many Jewish (the new name for the returned Israelites) parties were established with different ways of understanding the Laws God has given them. 

The Pharisee sect believed in the strict adherence to the Old Testament, so much so that they made their own rules about the Law as a protection, that the people who followed the extra laws would not even come close to breaking the Law God gave them. The Saduccee sect believed in the adherence only to the first five books of the Old Testament, the Torah, which was the actual Law God gave, without the history of Israel, the poetic books, or the prophetic books. There was a great divide between the Pharisees and Saduccees due to their differing basis for their beliefs. There were a couple of other groups, but they are not especially significant for the study of the New Testament.

During the few hundred years between the return to Israel and the coming of Jesus, Greek and Roman powers took over the land of Israel. In fact, they took over most of the known world. The Romans oppressed the Jewish people harshly. The Jewish people, in response, expected their Messiah to be a political savior who would come and overthrow the Roman power. The Romans and Greeks were very pagan, serving pagan gods and their own desires. The strict adherence to moral code of the Jews and the hedonism of the pagans could not clash more. The land was incredibly tense. This is the context for the coming of Jesus, the humble Messiah. Many of the Jewish people who desperately wanted a political savior rejected the true Savior because they were not looking for Him. However, those who are looking for Him can find Him in the pages of the New Testament. This is the first theme of the New Testament: The New Testament is a stumbling block for those who do not want to know Jesus, but He can not be found anywhere more fully than in the pages of the New Testament. If anyone desires to know the true Messiah, the New Testament is all they need. The way the Old Testament connects to the New Testament will be covered in a later section. 

Composition

The New Testament is written in five major sections. These sections consist of the life of Jesus, the acts of His followers, the letters of Paul, the general letters, and the book about the future. The books about the life of Jesus, the Gospels, tell the story of Jesus’ life. They explain what He did on earth, why He came, who He was, why He died, and why He rose again. This is the foundation for the Christian faith. Then, the book about the acts of His followers, Acts, explains how the Spirit of God came on Jesus’ followers after His resurrection, and they represented Him throughout their world. Next, the letters of Paul give personal instruction to churches planted by a later follower of Jesus names Paul. These are usually very personal and tackle specific one-person issues, as well as whole-church issues. Next are the general letters, which have an audience, but are very general in their topics. They do not cover specific issues like Paul’s letters do. Finally, the book about the future, Revelation, is a book about the end of time. It describes what God will do, His patience, and His new creation of the world. These books were put together mostly as letters to individuals and churches, which were circulated and kept as authoritative for generations. 

There are many authors of the New Testament, though many books are anonymous. Some of the authors which are not anonymous include James and Jude (which were likely the brothers of Jesus), John and Peter (two of the closest disciples of Jesus), and Paul (a later disciple who wrote many of the New Testament letters). There are many books whose authorship is anonymous, though it is likely that they were written by close associates of Jesus and used sources to make sure their information was accurate. Some people make a big deal out of the anonymous authorship of New Testament books, but the anonymity is not an issue worth worrying about. 

There are also many audiences which the New Testament books address. Some books address Gentile audiences, such as the Romans, Greeks, and other pagans. These audiences did not have a monotheistic foundation, and so the books demonstrated Christ’s superiority over other religions and worldviews. These include many of the letters of Paul, and some of the Gospels. Other books address Jewish audiences, which were monotheistic. In these books, Christ is shown to be the fulfillment of true monotheistic religion. Additionally, there are books written to an audience of a whole community, which often is very general, like a Gospel or general letter. There are books written to an audience of a church, which is often personal to the church and covers specific issues they are dealing with, like a letter of Paul. Lastly, there are also books written to an audience of one, which include personal letters of Paul and other authors, and these cover very specific issues to the specific people.

3) Main Themes

There are a great multitude of themes throughout the New Testament, though none more important than the resurrection of Christ. Now, what does this resurrection exactly entail? Why is it so important? How does the New Testament develop the idea of the resurrection throughout its pages? The following will offer a short survey of the development of the resurrection (as the highest New Testament theme) throughout the New Testament. 

The Connection to the Old Testament:

First, the New Testament is intrinsically dependent on the Old Testament. Through even the first pages of the Old Testament the need for a “Messiah” is needed. The Messiah is the deliverer. What this exactly looks like is expanded upon by the whole of the Old Testament. From the beginning of Genesis, human sin and rebellion introduced a large chasm between mankind and God. This chasm (also seen in debt imagery) could not be crossed (or paid) by humankind, but neither did God make the chasm or owe the debt. However, God promised one who would deliver humankind. Through the Law (the next few books of the Old Testament), the concept of “covering of sins” is introduced. The sacrifice of animals gives a “covering” for rebellion and helps to bring humanity and God back together. However, as seen throughout the rest of the Old Testament, this covering was not enough to change the hearts of those sacrificing. Throughout the next few books, a nation God chose for Himself (Israel) painfully learns the need for a righteous king through hundreds of years of wars and evil rulers. However, even the best of kings, David, was wicked in many areas. Eventually, God’s people were destroyed and taken away by a handful of evil nations, reminding the people of the need for sole devotion to God. The next major section of Scripture, poetry, gives the culturally-felt need for God’s deliverance from evil, the desire to live on the righteous path, and the foolishness of the world apart from God. The final major section of the Old Testament, the prophets, mainly covers the words of God to His people to repent and return to Him. Throughout history, even the people of God did not desire God, and would not obey the commands of God, only deepening the chasm between God and mankind. However, God promised the people that eventually a Messiah would come and fix the chasm. 

A few hundred years after the exile of God’s people (and the return of some to their original homeland), Jesus arrives on the scene. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament Messianic expectation. Apart from the Old Testament, one would not know what to expect in the Messiah, nor the need for a Messiah. With the Old Testament in view the Messiah, Jesus, would be the one to fill the gap which man could not. He would be the one to do more than cover the sins of God’s people. He would be the one to be a godly leader of God’s people. He would be the one to change the hearts of God’s people. He would be the one to call them to repentance. He would fill the need for redemption, deliverance, righteousness, and direction. 

The New Testament gives exactly this. Jesus is God who came down in the form of a man (not in appearance only, but also taking on the nature of a person) who paid the debt which man could not pay, and God did not owe. Through His own sacrifice (not the sacrifice of an animal, but the better sacrifice of the Messiah) he cleansed the sins of His people. He gave the Spirit, God dwelling in the hearts of those who follow Him, which changes believer’s hearts from the inside out. While Christ is a passive leader now (currently leading through His Word and His people), He will come again in power and reunite heaven and earth, where He will dwell fully and rule. The first coming of Christ is the first death blow to the chasm, and His second coming is the full actualization of the chasm closing between man and God. Now that there is a general understanding of the way the Old Testament relates to the New Testament, the importance of Christ’s historicity can be visited. 

Historicity of the Faith:

The historicity of Christ’s life, and specifically His resurrection, is absolutely essential to New Testament theology. In fact, four books of the New Testament labor over the historical events of Christ’s life, and all comment on the resurrection of Christ. In fact, 1 Corinthians notes that apart from the historic resurrection, Christians are to be the most pitied of all people, because apart from the resurrection of Christ there is no resurrection of people. What does this mean?

The Messiah, Christ (another term for Messiah), lived a perfect life and died as a substitute, in order to close the chasm, pay the debt, and forgive the sins of God’s people. Christ’s payment is a real event in history, but does not stop at that one event. Christ lives forever to make intercession between man and God, eternally holding the chasm closed. This is accomplished through the resurrection. If the Messiah did not rise from the dead, there is no resurrection for anyone else. The historicity of the resurrection is the defining aspect of the Christian faith: Without it, there is no Christianity. 

Christ’s Humanity and Servanthood:

Another of the biggest themes of the New Testament is the humanity and servanthood of Christ, especially in His first coming. Philippians 2 gives an especially concise understanding of this theme. Christ came in the form of man, taking on the nature of a man, as a servant, becoming the most low in order to be proven as the most high. The lowness of Christ is especially interesting when looking at 1 Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians Paul, the author, dwells a lot on the difference between human wisdom and godly wisdom. Human wisdom looks at visible glory as the highest thing to attain. Godly wisdom, on the other hand, looks at lowness as the highest thing one can attain. Humility is greater than pride. Christ’s humility actually turned out to be glory, because through His humility He brought salvation and gifts to many. If Christ has not lowered Himself a little below the angels, as Hebrews says, none would be saved. 

Those who believe in the rejection of the humanity of Christ are also mentioned often in the New Testament. Those who do not believe Christ came in the flesh (as a human) are to be cut off, as Christ’s humanity is an essential part of the New Testament witness. As noted previously under the historicity of Jesus’ life, Jesus’ physical presence is a key theme the New Testament authors dwell on. This is made especially clear in John chapter 1, as well as 1 John chapter 1, where John explains that Christ was made into flesh and was witnessed by the Apostles. The rejection of this is the rejection of the reality of the Christian message, as revealed by God in history through Jesus, and so is rejection of the Christian faith as a whole. 

Christ’s Deity and Kingship:

However, Christ is not only a man and a servant, but God and King. This is the next major theme of the New Testament. Christ is God. Throughout the Gospels (the accounts of Jesus’ earthly life), Jesus claims the authority, power, and glory of God. It is through Christ that the whole of the world was created and for His glory. Ephesians and Colossians, especially, deal with the cosmological aspect of Christ’s being. In other words, Jesus is the God of the whole universe. His power is over all other spirits.

Not only is Jesus God, but Jesus is also King of the earth. He is over all other spirits, but He is also King and Lord of the whole earth. For Christians, this means Christ is made to be the ruler of their individual lives. Christians choose to submit themselves under the authority of Christ, who is their King and Lord. In fact, this is the reason Christians are called to obey the words of Jesus, and more generally the Word of God. Jesus’ Lordship is the foundation for the obedience of the Christian. However, not only is Christ the King over the life of the believer and God of the universe, but He will be a physical King of the whole world some time in the future. 

Second Coming:

Some time in the future, Christ will make His second coming. This is the next theme of the New Testament. Through the New Testament there is a claim that just as Christ has gone back up into heaven after His resurrection (known as the ascension) He will also come back down and claim His kingdom for Himself. Currently, Jesus rules from the background, orchestrating the world for His purposes. However, in the future, Christ will come back and physically reign. In this new kingdom, believers will be made like Him in a glorified body. They will no longer desire anything other than Him. Christ will be their center. This kingdom is a future event, when heaven and earth are brought back together, similar to how they were in the Garden of Eden, but better and more fully. However, there is also another kingdom which is not the kingdom of God. 

Battle between Good and Evil:

Another theme throughout the New Testament is the cosmic and personal battle between good and evil. In the current age, evil is fighting against God all throughout the earth and the heavens. There are spiritual beings (who Christ is higher than, but who are in rebellion to Him) who wage war on God in the spiritual realm. On earth, there are physical beings who wage war on God. Now, the battle has already been won from the start. God will win in the end and those who love Him will spend eternity with Him. However, those who rebel against Him want more to be with them in rebellion and to hate God. This is the battle between good and evil in this age. The evil ones want more, and the righteous ones want more. The battle lines lay in the every-day choices of Christians and non-Christians to love or hate, to be a part of the Christ-like kingdom or a part of the demonic kingdom. Does this mean those who work evil are a part of the evil kingdom, and only those who work righteously are a part of the righteous kingdom? This leads into the next major theme of the New Testament. 

Salvation by Grace through Faith apart from Works:

The New Testament has a unique claim for Christians: No one is saved by their own works, but rather only by the works of Christ. This means the Christian is saved only by the grace of God, through faith in His Son Jesus, apart from any works of their own. The believer is not saved through works, nor are they held by works, but only by faith in Jesus. There are many people addressed by the New Testament who teach contrary to this belief, and they are strictly reprimanded by Paul, an authoritative follower of Christ. Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, has to address many who claim to be Christians, but who believe they must do works in order to merit salvation. In this context, works are things the Christian does in order to be saved by God. The only thing which saves a person, according to the New Testament, is faith. Works do not save an individual. Ethnicity does not save an individual. Gender does not save an individual. The past does not disqualify an individual. All of those things are addressed by the New Testament as being inconsequential to the salvation which comes by faith in Jesus. 

Works, rather than being the foundation for salvation, are actually the result of salvation. Christians who are saved have a newfound desire to love God. It is by this love that Christians work for God, out of thankfulness and love. Works are only pleasing to God because of faith, and not the other way around. 

Now, there are three main groups which are addressed in the New Testament in terms of works. First are those who claim to be Christians but who still live like the world. Second are those who claim to be Christians but believe one must work for God to be saved. Third are those who claim to be followers of God but really only care about their works, not God. 

First, there are those who claim to be Christians but who still live like the world. In the New Testament, belief in Jesus will result in an eventual change in behavior. Now, this does not mean the Christian stops sinning. In fact, it should mean the Christian feels like they sin even more, because what once felt light now feels very heavy. Christians have a deeper understanding of their sin after being saved, and so begin to despise it. Christians begin to stop living like the world after being saved. Everything in the New Testament calls Christians away from the world (a symbol of evil) to God. 

Second, there are those who claim to be Christians but who believe they must do works to be saved. In the New Testament there is a group known as the Judaisers who believe Christians must continue to uphold at least some of the Old Testament Law in the form of circumcision. Circumcision is a physical “sign” of the Old Covenant (another word for testament, meaning a promise). When individuals would become Israelites, God’s people, they would take on this physical sign in order to symbolize their total adherence. In the New Testament, there is a better “sign” of the covenant, which is a circumcision of the heart (meaning a softening of the heart toward God). However, there are some groups who believed New Testament believers still needed to adhere to circumcision to be saved. Paul rebukes these groups harshly for believing Christians need to work in order to be saved, rather than be saved in order to please God. These groups are especially prominent in Galatians, though they can be seen many other places. 

Finally, there is another group which Jesus encountered known as the Pharisees. The Pharisees believed strict adherence to the Old Testament Law would please God, similarly to the Judaisers. However, while the Judaisers claimed to believe in Jesus as their way to God while really believing circumcision brought them to God, the Pharisees rejected Jesus altogether. They were the epitome of believing in their own works, apart from the sacrifice of Jesus, to get them into heaven. Throughout the four Gospels Jesus encounters this groups and continually rebukes them. 

Christ’s Death and Resurrection:

The death and resurrection of Christ is the most central theme in the New Testament. There is no basis for the Christian faith apart from the resurrection of Jesus. What is the resurrection? The life of Jesus on earth was culminated by, and for the purpose of, His death on a cross and resurrection from the dead on the third day in the grave. Jesus’ resurrection was by the power of the Spirit, and proved the legitimacy of His message. The resurrection of Christ is the template for the resurrection of the church, Christians, apart from which there is no resurrection of Christians. If Jesus did not rise, no one will rise, and so Christians should be pitied, for their lives and devotion are for nothing. Christ’s death and resurrection fulfills two necessary qualities of God. What is a necessary quality of God?

The Old and New Testaments describe God as both love and justice. God is the epitome of love. He is also just. How can these two things come together? People, sinners, require justice for their sinful actions. This is the requirement of justice. However, God also desires to show mercy. How can this be done? Jesus’ death acted as a payment, or replacement, for all people, for their sins. Jesus’ sacrifice is the payment for sins. Through this, God can show Himself to be both just and merciful. Those who love Him and desire mercy can attain mercy free of cost. By this, God is shown to be merciful. For those who hate Him and do not desire mercy attain justice for their debts, and must pay them apart from God. By this, God is shown to be just. Jesus is the answer to God being shown just and loving. It is only through the resurrection of Christ that people can be saved from their sins, and apart from trusting in the resurrection of Christ none can be saved. 

Love for Brothers, Sisters, and God:

The next theme of the New Testament is love. God, in the New Testament, is described as being love itself. He Himself is the source of love. This means that Christians in the New Testament are expected to love each other and love God. The logic goes like this: God is love. If God is dwelling in His people through His Spirit, then you would expect His love to flow out of Christians and to other people. If there is no love flowing out, there may be no Spirit of God in the person. If there is no love, there may be no Spirit. This means that Christians who have the Spirit must love other people. This is similar to the logic for obedience after salvation. If a person has faith, works is a result. If a person is indwelled by the Spirit, love is a result. 

Division, not Acceptance:

Another key theme of the New Testament is summed up by the message of Jesus. Many people today have the misconception that Jesus came to bring acceptance and love. However, this is not the case. Jesus came to bring a sword and division. What does this mean? Love is not the same as acceptance. In fact, many times in the New Testament believers are called to break connections with people if they are drawing them away from Christ. Now, this does not mean to avoid them, but to treat them as one who does not believe, and not to allow them to negatively influence the believer. Jesus’ message depends on the righteousness of another, namely Jesus. The message of Jesus is offensive. It brings division between those who desire Him and those who despise Him. The message of Jesus is not one of unity, as light can not have unity with darkness. Rather, it calls people out of the darkness, because the darkness will be cast off forever. 

Christ’s Supremacy:

The supremacy of Christ is absolutely key to the New Testament. In fact, the whole of the New Testament demonstrates the supremacy of Christ over the rest of creation. This includes wisdom, life, family, sex, money, and eternity. Christ is better than the wisdom of the world. The wisdom of the cross, which is the death and resurrection of Christ, seems like weakness and foolishness to the world. However, it is true wisdom. God came in humility in order to lift up the humble. It is not the strong who are saved, but the weak. It is not the wise who are saved, but the foolish. Through human weakness and foolishness God shows His planning and power. Christ is better than life, as He is the source of true life, fulfilling what people were made to do. Christ is better than familial and sexual connections, because in Him the purpose of humanity is fulfilled. Finally, Christ is greater than eternity, as eternity only matters in Him. Eternity is made wonderful in Him. 

The Roles of the Godhead:

Jesus is not the only active force in the Godhead in the New Testament. The Father and Spirit are also active forces. The work and personhood of the Trinity is something spread throughout the whole of the New Testament (as well as the Old Testament). The word “Trinity” is not in the Bible, but the concept is. Trinity means that God is three and one at the same time. There is some distinction between the Father, Son, and Spirit, but they are also all equally God. Jesus is described as different from the Father and Spirit, and yet God. The Father and Spirit are likewise distinguished from each other, but still the same God. How are they distinguished?

The New Testament distinguishes their work in at least one major way: Their work. Jesus came to earth and died for us. The Father did not die. Rather, the Father planned this work from eternity past and was the initiator, sending His Son (Jesus) to die for humans. The Spirit also did not die on the cross, but rather applies the death of Jesus to the heart of the believer. The Father is the planner, the Son is the doer, and the Spirit is the applier. There are many other differences, but this may be the most simple way to understand the difference. 

The Role of the Church:

The responsibilities of the church and Christians is another key aspect of the New Testament. The responsibility of individual and corporate Christians is greatly emphasized. There are a few key responsibilities which have not already been covered. First, all Christians are called to make new Christians and disciple other Christians. Second, gifts are given to the church for the purpose of equipping all Christians for ministry. Third, some Christians are called to special ministry in the church to lead and serve. First, all Christians are called to evangelism and discipleship. Christians have been given an amazing message, and have the responsibility to spread the message to other people. Additionally, Christians are called to help guide those who are younger in the faith through the difficult trials the older Christians have already been through. Second, the Spirit gives gifts to the church for building it up. Gifts can include regular gifts teaching, helping, shepherding, or miraculous gifts like healing or speaking in other languages unknown to the speaker. While there are regular gifts, they are gifts that are given supernaturally by the Spirit. Some gift is given to every person in order that they may contribute to the church as one big organization. Each part of the church is like a part of the body, needing both unity and uniqueness. Finally, there are some Christians who are called to shepherd churches, which are known as pastors, elders, presbyters, or bishops. These Christians have a special responsibility to set the example for the flock and lead them through teaching. Jesus lives through His followers through the Spirit, in order to encourage and build up the church on the local level. These responsibilities of the church are frequently touched on by the New Testament. 

The Second Coming of Christ:

The final New Testament theme is the events of the future. The New Testament looks into the future of the world and God’s people very often. In fact, this is a theme that spans many of the books of the New Testament, especially in the form of the theology around the resurrection. There are three main eschatological (relating to the end of time) themes which will be touched on here: First, the second coming of Christ. Second, the believer’s new body. Third, the new heaven and the new earth. 

First, Christ’s second coming is a key component of the New Testament. The hope which Christians look forward to, especially in times of persecution, is the second coming of Jesus. The first coming of Jesus refers to His incarnation on earth, where He died, rose, and ascended into heaven. The second coming of Jesus refers to the next time He will come to earth, which is in glory and as a judge of the whole earth. Christ’s second coming will be one of the last events of this earth, because He comes to judge it. Though this sounds scary, it is not something to be feared by Christians. Christ’s second coming is a great encouragement, because He comes to judge those outside of Himself. All those inside of His covering are safe. 

In fact, Christians are more than safe at Christ’s second coming. When Christ judges the world, He will also make things anew. This recreation includes the body of believers. Christians, when Christ comes again, will be made like Him in their bodies. In other words, Christians will become like Christ in glory. Of course, this does not mean they will become God, but they will have bodies like the body of Jesus after His resurrection: Bodies that do not corrupt and do not have evil desire. This is known as glorification, and it is the body Christians will have in heaven for eternity. 

Third, not only will the bodies of believers be remade, but the earth and heavens will be remade as well. Way back in the beginning, heaven and earth were connected in the Garden of Eden. At the end of time, after Jesus judges the earth, He will remake the whole world to be His temple. He will connect His dwelling and earth again in a very present way, and dwell on earth with His people forever. Christians will not live in heaven forever, but instead will be remade on earth to be with God forever. 

Conclusion

The New Testament clearly covers a lot of ground. It is important to remember that the absolute central thing about the New Testament is the resurrection of Christ. Apart from the resurrection of Christ, there is no hope for the Christian. All of the New Testament hinges on the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus. Now, there is one last theme of the New Testament which needs to be covered. The New Testament is not any good apart from faith in Jesus and response to His Words. The New Testament is not a document to be abstractly deconstructed and examined under a microscope. It is a living document which needs to be applied to the life of the reader. In this, it is similar to a dog. A dog can be a living best friend, or it can be a dead, dissected specimen. Do not allow the New Testament to be a dead document, dissected into an inapplicable state. The New Testament must be understood, and can be dissected, but that can not be done apart from the careful application to your life. This survey was not for the purpose of an academic exploration, but for the purpose of understanding what the New Testament, and Jesus, find to be the most important things to apply to each person’s life.

Bibliography

Elwell, Walter A. and robert W. Yarbrough. Encountering the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998. 

Geisler, Norman L. A Popular Survey of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2007.