Encountering the New Testament : a historical and theological survey

449 Pages·2013·33.24 MB·English

by  Elwell

EncountEring
≈he New TesTameNT
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Encountering Biblical Studies
Walter A. Elwell, General Editor and New Testament Editor
Eugene H. Merrill, Old Testament Editor
____________________________________________________________________________
Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey, Second Edition
Bill T. Arnold and Bryan E. Beyer
Readings from the Ancient Near East: Primary Sources for Old Testament Study
Bill T. Arnold and Bryan E. Beyer, editors
Encountering the New Testament: A Historical and Theological Survey, Third Edition
Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough
Readings from the First-Century World: Primary Sources for New Testament Study
Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough, editors
Encountering the Book of Genesis: A Study of Its Content and Issues
Bill T. Arnold
Encountering the Book of Psalms: A Literary and Theological Introduction
C. Hassell Bullock
Encountering the Book of Isaiah: A Historical and Theological Survey
Bryan E. Beyer
Encountering John: The Gospel in Historical, Literary, and Theological Perspective
Andreas J. Köstenberger
Encountering the Book of Romans: A Theological Survey
Douglas J. Moo
Encountering the Book of Hebrews: An Exposition
Donald A. Hagner
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EncountEring
≈he New TesTameNT
a HisTorical aNd THeological survey
Third EdiTion
Walter A. Elwell
robert W. Yarbrough
J
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 10: 0-0000-0000-0 (pbk.) © 1998, 2005, 2013 by Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough
ISBN 978-0-0000-0000-0 (pbk.)
1. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Published by Baker Academic
XX######. 2007 a division of Baker Publishing Group
#########—dc22 ########## P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakeracademic.com
Printed in the United States of America
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy,
recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is
brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Elwell, Walter A.
Encountering the New Testament : a historical and theological survey /
Walter A. Elwell, Robert W. Yarbrough. — 3rd ed.
p. cm. — (Encountering biblical studies)
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
ISBN 978-0-8010-3964-5 (cloth)
1. Bible. N.T.—Introductions. I. Yarbrough, Robert W. II. Title.
BS2330.3.E59 2013
225.61—dc23 2012030496
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International
Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission
of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com
Scripture quotations labeled ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®
(ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2007
Scripture quotations labeled NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible,
copyright © 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations labeled RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible,
copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National
Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission.
All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations labeled TNIV are from the Holy Bible, Today’s New International
Version®. TNIV®. Copyright © 2001, 2005 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zonder-
van. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com
The internet addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers in this book are accurate at
the time of publication. They are provided as a resource. Baker Publishing Group does
not endorse them or vouch for their content or permanence.
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Interior design by Brian Brunsting
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Interior design by Brian Brunsting
Contents
Preface vii 10. Modern Approaches to the New
To the Professor ix Testament: Historical Criticism
To the Student xiii and Hermeneutics 139
Abbreviations xv 11. The Modern Study of the
Gospels 155
12. The Modern Search
1. Why Study the New
for Jesus 167
Testament? 1
Part 2 Encountering Acts and the
Part 1 Encountering Jesus and the
Earliest Church
Gospels
13. The World and Identity of the
2. The Middle East in the Days
Earliest Church 179
of Jesus 21
14. Acts 1–7: The Earliest Days of the
3. The Gospel and the Four
Church 193
Gospels 53
15. Acts 8–12: Salvation for Both Jew
4. The Gospel of Matthew: The
and Gentile 207
Messiah Has Come! 63
16. Acts 13–28: The Light of Christ
5. The Gospel of Mark: Son of God, to the Ends of the Earth 221
Servant of All 73
6. The Gospel of Luke: A Savior Part 3 Encountering Paul and His
for All People 83 Epistles
7. The Gospel of John: Eternal Life 17. All Things to All People: Life and
through His Name 93 Teachings of the Apostle Paul 235
8. Man from Galilee: The Life of Jesus 18. Romans: Right with God 255
Christ 105 19. Corinthians and Galatians:
9. Lord, Teach Us: The Teaching Apostolic Counsel for Confused
Ministry of Jesus Christ 123 Churches 269
v
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20. Ephesians, Philippians, 24. Revelation: God Is
Colossians, and Philemon: Letters in Control! 357
from Prison 289
21. Thessalonians, Timothy, Epilogue: Matters to Ponder 369
and Titus: A Legacy
of Faithfulness 309 Glossary 377
Notes 391
Part 4 Encountering the General Credits 407
Epistles and the Apocalypse Scripture Index 409
22. Hebrews and James: Maintaining Name Index 421
Full Commitment to Christ 329 Subject Index 425
23. Peter, John, and Jude: A Call
to Faith, Hope, and Love 343
vi Contents
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Modern approaches
to the New Testament
Maintaining Full Commitment to Christ
Preface
Outline
• The Bible: A High Stakes Book
F
or this third updated edition dozens The comments we have received are per- • Old and New Testaments
of professors who use this book in haps most striking in their diversity of theo- • Why Study the New Testament?
the classroom made suggestions for logical vantage point: Baptist, charismatic, It Mediates God’s Presence—
improvements. We thank them for their Roman Catholic, Reformed, Lutheran, Wes- and with It, Truth
thoughtful input and have accommodated leyan, independent, Restoration, Salvation It Is of Ultimate Personal Significance
many requests. Some suggestions, however, Army, and more. While most thoughtful It Is Foundational to Cultural Literacy
could not be incorporated because the rec- reviewers proposed improvements, none • Why These Twenty-Seven Books?
ommendations for improvements were found Encountering the New Testament in- Old Testament Precedent for a Canon
generally offset by others: Some wanted appropriate for use given their academic The Divine Authorship of the
less exposure to critical matters, others more. setting and associated community of faith. New Testament: Inspiration
Some wanted easier review questions; oth- The book’s broad appeal is also reflected in Recognition of the Canon in the
ers wanted harder ones. Some complained its translation into several languages, includ- Church
of wordiness; others complained of brevity. ing Spanish, Dutch, German, and Chinese. • The Integrity of the New
Some wanted to see less theological emphasis It seems the text succeeds at presenting Testament Text
and more Bible content; others called for the New Testament from an academic point Wealth of Evidence
the opposite. Pleasing some reviewers, then, of view yet also in a light compatible with an Brief Time Lapse
would have meant frustrating others. understanding of Christ and Scripture that Versions and Fathers
We have done our best to correct vague predominates in confessional circles across So Many Translations!
wording, update the bibliography, rewrite many denominational lines on various conti- • Why Study the New Testament?
outdated sections, and add material where nents. From the beginning this was our hope To Avoid the Tyranny of Preformed
the previous edition was culpably brief. It and goal. Personal Opinion
did not seem wise to undertake a thorough- We trust this freshly revised edition will To Avoid Misguided Reliance on the
going revamping—to produce a different continue to contribute to Christian under- Holy Spirit
work, as it were. Too many professors begged standing, unity, service, and proclamation To Enable Historical-Theological
that we not tamper too much with a book across a wide range of settings to the glory Interpretation
that seems generally effective in classroom of Jesus Christ.
use. Students largely like it and seem well Walter A. Elwell
served by it. Robert W. Yarbrough
vii
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To the Professor
S
urveying the New Testament in one up in chapters devoted to synthesizing their
relatively short book is, as someone views. Chapters covering individual Gospels
has said in another connection, a bit or the Pauline Letters often omit or touch
like trying to whistle a Wagner opera. The lightly on important themes, deferring their
authors wish to state in advance what this handling to the summary chapters.
particular New Testament survey is, and is Chapters on historical criticism, herme-
not, designed to accomplish. neutics, and modern study of Jesus and the
Like all other surveys, this one is no sub- Gospels are placed after treatment of the
stitute for earnest and repeated reading of Gospels and Jesus. This reflects a couple of
the New Testament itself. It is at best an aid convictions. One is that basic knowledge of
and encouragement to take up such reading. New Testament background and content is
The goal has not been to produce a run- necessary for intelligent consideration of
ning biblical exposition. In other words, critical and theoretical deliberation on how
this is not a commentary or a commentary to construe its message. An analogy: before
survey—for that see D. A. Carson, New delving very deeply into literary criticism of
Testament Commentary Survey, 6th edition Shakespeare, we need to have read his works
(Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), as and understand his times. Some who read
well as John Evans, A Guide to Biblical Com- this survey may have never read much of the
mentaries and Reference Works for Students and New Testament.
Pastors, 9th edition (Oakland, TN: Doulos Another conviction is that the New
Resources, 2010). We have sought rather to Testament’s basic message is accessible to
provide enough theological and thematic the general reader without knowledge of
discussion to do justice to most major New the sophisticated debates in technical New
Testament themes, without necessarily gen- Testament studies since the Enlightenment.
erating this discussion out of verse-by-verse Historical criticism is important, and in due
or even chapter-by-chapter explication. course we show why. But there are dangers
The thematic treatment of the teachings of in giving the impression that knowledge
major figures like Jesus and Paul is summed of secondary discussion is equal, or even
ix
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