Bible Study Week 6
Part 1
Introduction to the New Testament
The books from Mathew through Revelation are called the New Testament, because the present the new covenant that Jesus made. Old Testament prophets had predicted the establishment of this new covenant.
>>> What have you learned from your study of the Old Testament that you think will be important to remember as we explore the New Testament?
The Old Testament pointed to the coming of Jesus and the new covenant He would establish. The principles and overarching themes from the Old Testament are prevalent in the New Testament as well because the same timeless, perfect God expresses Himself to His people throughout both covenants.
There are twenty-seven books in the new Testament. One can easily remember this number by counting the letters in the words "New Testament". There are three letters in the word New, and Nine letters in the word "Testament". Three time nine is twenty-seven. These books were written over a period of approximately fifty years and cover about one hundred years of history. Writers used by the Holy Spirit for this work include Mathew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James, Peter, and Jude.
The New Testament is divided into five sections: the four Gospels; one book of history; the thirteen Pauline Epistles; the eight General Epistles, and one book of prophecy.
It is vitally important to recognize the purpose of each book and to whom it was originally addressed. This information helps in the interpretation of Scripture.
The first four books of the New Testament--Mathew, Mark, Luke and John--are called the four Gospels. These books present a biography of Jesus Christ. They describe His birth, ministry, death, burial, and resurrection.
Mathew
Mathew addresses Jewish readers foremost. It strongly emphasizes Jesus Christ as the Messiah and king predicted by the Old Testament prophets.
Mark
Mark was written with Gentile readers in mind. It presents Jesus as a servant who ministered to the needs of people. It stresses the supernatural power of Jesus, demonstrating His deity by the miracles He performed. It emphasizes the things Jesus said by the things He did.
Luke
Luke presents Jesus as the son of God. It focuses especially on the humanity of Jesus, featuring His compassion for the weak, the suffering, and the outcast.
The Synoptic Gospels
The first three gospels are sometimes called the Synoptic Gospels, meaning they take a common view of the order of events surrounding the life of Christ. While each book was ultimately intended for all humanity, Mathew seems to have had foremost in his mind a Jewish audience; Mark a Roman audience; and Luke, a Greek audience.
Mathew and ScriptureThe Jews were diligently indoctrinated with the Scriptures. They were taught to view everything from a scriptural perspective. Mathew quotes from Old Testament again and again in support of the claim that Jesus is the Messiah.
Mark and Authority
The Roman mind focused on governmental authority and power. Mark stresses the miracles of Christ, emphasizing His supernatural authority over all things.
Luke and the Glorious Perfection of Jesus
The Greek mind was attracted to culture, philosophy, wisdom, reason, beauty, and education. Luke presents a complete, orderly, and classical story in what has been called "the most beautiful book ever written." The Gospel of Luke reveals the glorious beauty and perfection of the ideal man, the Lord Jesus Christ.
John and the Deity of Jesus
John balances the other three Gospels by its special emphasis on the deity of Jesus. This book begins in much the same was as the Book of Genesis. It reveals that Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh and that He was from the very beginning God, the Creator of all things. John stresses the things Jesus said rather than what He did. Someone has said, "The others were anxious to record; John was eager to interpret."
>>> What is something you have learned about Jesus from one of the four Gospels?
As we move throughout the study of the rest of the Bible, We will frequently see echoes of the Gospels since the disciples who followed Jesus were then moved upon by the Holy Ghost to pen words that would come to make up the rest of the New Testament.
Acts
The first four books of the New Testament present a historical account of Jesus Christ. The Next book, Acts, provides a historical account of the early church. The first chapter continues the story of the last moments of Christ while He remained on the earth and then records the establishment of the New Testament church in Jerusalem. There the promise of the Father (the Holy Ghost) was poured out upon the waiting believers (Acts 2). The establishment of the church was prophesied in the Gospels and accomplished in Acts. To understand how the church was founded, it is necessary to study the Book of Acts. This book records the history of how the New Testament church was born.
The Epistles
The next twenty-one books are epistles (letters) to the believers in the churches, tell them how to live the victorious Christian life. The Epistles are not written to one how to be saved; they are written to people who are already saved. They teach the church how to stay saved and how to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Pauline Epistles
Paul wrote thirteen epistles that identify him as author. They are called the Pauline Epistles. He wrote a letter to the church at Rome, two letters to the church at Corinth, one to the churches of Galatia, one to the church at Ephesus, and so forth. Within the Pauline Epistles are three books commonly called the Pastoral Epistles--I Timothy, II Timothy, and Titus--so called because they offer instructions concerning leadership in the churches.
The General Epistles
The next eight books--Hebrews, James, I Peter, II Peter, I John, II John, III John, and Jude--are called the General Epistles because most of them were originally written to the church at large, or in general. With the exception of Hebrews, each of these books bears the name of the author. The text of Scripture does not name the author of Hebrews, although an early tradition says Paul wrote it.
Prophecy
Finally, the Book of Revelation stands in a class by itself. It is largely prophetic in nature, although it begins with letters to seven churches located in Asia Minor. John was instructed: "Write the things which thou has seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter" (Revelation 1:19).