New Testament

New Testament
Name	New Testament
Caption	A page from Codex Vaticanus, a 4th-century manuscript.
Religion	Christianity
Language	Koine Greek
Chapters	260
Verses	7,957

New Testament. The foundational collection of scriptures for Christianity, it comprises 27 books written primarily in the first century CE. It details the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the formation of the early Christian Church, and theological instructions for believers. The texts are traditionally divided into the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Pauline epistles, the General epistles, and the Book of Revelation.

Content and structure

The first four books, the Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Luke, and Gospel of John, present narratives of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The historical account of the early church, focusing on the apostles like Peter and Paul the Apostle, is found in the Acts of the Apostles. A major portion consists of letters, or epistles, many attributed to Paul the Apostle, addressed to communities such as the Romans, Corinthians, and Ephesians, as well as individuals like Timothy and Titus. The collection concludes with the apocalyptic Book of Revelation, attributed to John of Patmos.

Composition and authorship

Scholarly consensus holds that these texts were composed in Koine Greek between approximately 50 and 120 CE. The Pauline epistles, including First Epistle to the Thessalonians and Epistle to the Galatians, are considered the earliest surviving Christian writings. The Gospel of Mark is generally viewed as the first gospel written, serving as a source for Gospel of Matthew and Gospel of Luke. Authorship of many books is traditionally ascribed to apostles like Matthew the Apostle and John the Apostle, though modern scholarship often views them as works of early Christian communities.

Historical context

These writings emerged within the religious and political landscape of the Roman Empire, particularly in provinces like Judea (Roman province) and Asia (Roman province). The ministry of Jesus Christ occurred during the rule of Roman prefects like Pontius Pilate and the client kingship of Herod Antipas. The early church developed amidst Second Temple Judaism, engaging with Jewish groups such as the Pharisees and Sadducees, and later expanded into the Hellenistic world through missionaries like Paul the Apostle, often facing persecution from authorities like Nero.

Major themes and theology

Central themes include the Kingdom of God, salvation through the atoning death and Resurrection of Jesus, and the concept of grace. The person of Jesus Christ is presented as both the promised Messiah from the line of David and the divine Son of God. Key theological developments articulated by Paul the Apostle include justification by faith and the inclusion of Gentiles into God's covenant. Eschatological expectation, culminating in the Second Coming and final judgment, is prominent, especially in the Book of Revelation and First Epistle to the Thessalonians.

Textual history and canonization

The original manuscripts, or autographs, are lost, but thousands of early copies survive, including major codices like the Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus. The process of canonization was gradual, with figures like Athanasius of Alexandria and councils such as the Council of Carthage (397) playing key roles in defining the 27-book canon. Disputed books, like the Epistle of James and Second Epistle of Peter, were eventually included, while others, such as the Shepherd of Hermas, were excluded. The standard scholarly critical edition is the Novum Testamentum Graece.

Influence and interpretation

These scriptures have profoundly shaped Western culture, influencing art, literature, law, and ethics for two millennia. They are the central text for Christian doctrine, liturgy, and personal devotion across denominations from the Roman Catholic Church to the Eastern Orthodox Church and Protestantism. Interpretive traditions range from the allegorical methods of Origen and Augustine of Hippo to the historical-critical scholarship of the Tübingen School and modern movements like Liberation theology. Translations, beginning with the Vulgate by Jerome and culminating in projects like the King James Version, have had an indelible impact on global languages.

Category:New Testament Category:Christian texts Category:1st-century books