New Testament Survey Overview

BY REV. WILLIS C. NEWMAN, Ph.D., D.Min.

Formerly titled: New Testament for the South Pacific

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this brief work is to give you a basic overview of the New Testament. Included in this birds-eye-view are general facts regarding the Bible as a whole and the New Testament in particular. I also introduce some basic concepts about interpretation and canon. 

From there I go into areas of the historical and cultural context where the New Testament took its form. It is important to anchor the words of the New Testament into the events, history, social structures, culture, and places of this world. 

I give a basic background and outline of each of the books of the New Testament. Included in the background is the author of the book, the immediate intended audience, occasion of writing, and the date and place it was written. There is a selected list of over 90 excellent evangelical resources at the end. The ebook is about 118 compact pages in all.

An outline of the life of Christ is given, the ministry of the early disciples explored, and the history of early church expansion is unfolded. 

The text is written in outline form, as it consists of my New Testament lecture notes. It may seem somewhat choppy, but it boils down the essential facts of the New Testament. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Table of contents

About the author

How to be saved

PART ONE:

I. INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

A.  The purpose of the Bible

B.   The name New Testament

C.  General facts

D.  Christ the key to the Bible

E.  Factors used to prepare the world for Christ

F.  Outline of the New Testament

G.  The world of the New Testament

Political, Hellenistic, religions, literature, Judaism, social, land

PART TWO:

ISSUES OF INTERPRETATION AND CANON

II. ISSUES OF INTERPRETATION AND CANON

A.  Foundational concepts of God's message to man

B.  Assumptions of interpretation summarized

C.  Concepts of verbal, plenary inspiration summarized

D.  Concepts of canonicity summarized

E.  Language of the NT

F. The NT Texts are reliable

G.  The Synoptic Problem

H.  Form Criticism

PART THREE:

THE APOSTOLIC PERIOD:

JESUS TO JOHN (TO A.D. 100)

III. THE APOSTOLIC PERIOD:  JESUS TO JOHN (TO AD 100)

A.  The Life of Jesus Christ

1.  Jesus came in the fullness of time

2.  Christ presented as the pre - incarnate Word

3.  Jesus presented in birth and childhood

4.  Christ presented in ministry

B.  The ministry of the Apostles

1.  From Pentecost to the Apostle Paul

2.  From Paul's conversion to the Jerusalem council

3.  From the Jerusalem council to Nero's persecution

4.  From Nero's persecution to John's death

5.  The construction of the Christian church

6.  The worship of the apostolic church

7.  Methods of Christian evangelism

8.  Forms of heresy in the apostolic church

9.  The spread of the apostolic church

C.  Status of the world at Christianity's inception

PART FOUR

IV. THE NEW TESTAMENT BOOKS SUMMARIZED

A.  Matthew

B.  Mark

C.  Luke

D.  John

E.  Acts

F.  Romans

G. 1, 2 Corinthians

H. Galatians, Ephesians

I.  Philippians, Colossians

K. 1 - 2 Thessalonians

L. 1 - 2 Timothy, Titus

J.  Philemon

M.  Hebrews, James

N. 1, 2, 3, Peter; 1, 2, 3, John, Jude

O.  Revelation

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY