New Testament: Overview

Consider assigning students to read entries in the Bible Dictionary and summarize information about the New Testament books. Entries to consider would be:



Gospels

Matthew, Gospel of

Mark, Gospel of

Luke, Gospel of

John, Gospel of

Harmony of the Gospels

Pauline Epistles

James, Epistle of

Peter, Epistles of

John, Epistles of

Jude, Epistle of

Revelation of John



Explain that the New Testament is divided into several different kinds of writings:



The Gospels

Acts

The Pauline Epistles/Pastoral Epistles

The General Epistles

The Revelation



Basic information on each of these writings follows:

The New Testament: Overview

(Title of the Book: The New Testament of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ)

The Gospels

Matthew
(The Gospel According to St. Matthew)

Matthew, one of the Lord’s apostles, was also known as Levi, the publican.
The central message of this account is that Jesus of Nazareth is the fulfillment of the prophecies about the Messiah that are found in the Old Testament. Great emphasis is placed on the contention that existed between Jesus and the rulers of the Jews.

Mark
(The Gospel According to St. Mark)

Mark was a disciple of Christ and a missionary companion of Peter and Paul. This account focuses on the power that Jesus of Nazareth had over unclean spirits and devils.

Luke
(The Gospel According to St. Luke)

Luke was a Gentile convert who often traveled with the Apostle Paul. The overarching theme of this account is that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah who came to redeem all mankind; men and women, righteous and sinner, on conditions of repentance. Great emphasis is placed on his miracles and teachings during his final journey from Galilee to Jerusalem.

John
(The Gospel According to St. John)

John was an Apostle of the Lord, together with his brother, James. Initially, he was a disciple of John the Baptist. This account is different from the other three. It focuses on Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God, the Creator of the World, the Word of God, the Living Water, the Bread of Life, the Good Shepherd. Great emphasis is placed on the discourse Jesus gave his disciples the night before his crucifixion.

The Acts of the Apostles

This account is a continuation of The Gospel According to St. Luke. It is a short account of the efforts made by the apostles to fulfill the Lord’s commandment to take the gospel to Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth. Great emphasis is placed on the missionary journeys of Paul to the Gentiles.

The Pauline Epistles

Romans

(The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans)

This is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the members of the church who lived in Rome. Rome was the capital city of the Roman Empire and the center of political and military power in the Western world.

Major topics addressed in the Epistle:

We are made righteous through faith in Christ,

Jews are a privileged people, but all have sinned, both Jew and Gentile,

Joy comes through Jesus Christ,

When we unite ourselves with Christ we acquire joy and deliverance from sin,

Israel has been rejected by God because of faithlessness, but the rejection is not final.

1 Corinthians
(The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians)

This is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the members of the church who lived in Corinth. Corinth was a city located in Greece on the isthmus between the mainland of Greece and the Peloponnese.

Major topics addressed in the Epistle:

Chastisement for sins,
Answers to questions about ordinances,
Doctrines related to the resurrection,
Instructions for collecting money for the Saints in Jerusalem.

2 Corinthians
(The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians)

This is a second letter written by the Apostle Paul to the members of the church who lived in Corinth.

Major topics addressed in the Epistle:

The character of true disciples,
Collection of money for the Saints in Judea,
Testimony of Paul’s Apostleship.

Galatians
(The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians)

This is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the members of the church who lived in the province of Galatia. The province of Galatia was located in modern-day Turkey.

Major topics addressed in the Epistle:

Testimony of Paul’s Apostleship,
Those who have the faith of Abraham will receive the rewards of Abraham,
Christianity liberty does not justify moral excesses.

Ephesians
(The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians)

This is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the members of the church who lived in Ephesus. Ephesus was located on the western shores of modern-day Turkey.

Major topics addressed in the Epistle:

All converts to Christianity, whether Gentile or Jew are fellow-citizens;
Each disciple must magnify his own special gifts,
Disciples must put on the armor of God.

Philippians
(The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Philippians)

This is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the members of the church who lived in Philippi. Philippi was located in the Macedonia portion of Greece.

Major topics addressed in the Epistle:

The progress of missionary work,
Christians should be unified, humble and endure to the end,
Beware of false teachers,
Gratitude for help of members.

Colossians
(The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Colossians)

This is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the members of the church in Colossae. Colossae was located in modern-day Turkey.

Major topics addressed in the Epistle:

Christ unifies all things with God,
Disciples must be unified with Christ,
Beware of false religious practices,
Subdue all evil,
Seek for righteousness.

1 Thessalonians
(The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians)

This is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the members of the church who lived in Thessalonica. Thessalonica is located in modern-day Greece.

Major topics addressed in the Epistle:

Paul is anxious enough about their welfare that he sent Timothy to minister to them,
All, both leader and follower are encouraged to ponder the great Second Coming of Christ and to be prepared.

2 Thessalonians
(The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians)

This is another letter written by the Apostle Paul to the members of the church who lived in Thessalonica.

Major topics addressed in the Epistle:

The Second Coming will not be soon,
All must prepare for Christ’s coming,
Pray for one another and serve one another.

The Pastoral Epistles

1 Timothy
(The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy)

Timothy was Paul’s most trusted and capable assistant in the ministry.

Major topics addressed in the Epistle:

Counsel to members of the Church concerning wise and foolish practices,
Counsel to Timothy on how to serve well in the Church.

2 Timothy
(The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy)

Major topics addressed in the Epistle:

A report on the faithfulness or apostasy of members, How to meet the challenges that lie ahead, Confidence in the face of death.

Titus
(The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Titus)

Titus was one of Paul’s missionary companions and was sent on several errands among the Saints in various congregations.

Major topics addressed by the Epistle:

Qualifications for being an elder,
How members of the church should be treated,
Encouragement to follow the teachings of Christ.

Philemon
(The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon)

Philemon was converted by Paul to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Major topics addressed by the Epistle:

Philemon is encouraged to forgive Onesimus, a run-away slave, and fellow Christian.

Hebrews
(The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews)

This epistle was written to Jewish converts to Christianity. In this letter, Paul uses the Hebrew scriptures in an effort to persuade the Jews that, with the coming of Christ, they no longer need to live the Law of Moses.

Major topics addressed by the Epistle:

Jesus is greater than the angels, Jesus is greater than Moses,
The Jews followed Moses to the promised land, they must follow Jesus to reach heaven; The priesthood of Melchizedek is greater than the priesthood of Aaron;
Jesus is the great high priest who has offered himself as a sacrifice for us;
The first covenant (the law of Moses) was fulfilled by Christ (the author of the new covenant),
Principles related to faith.

The General Epistles

James
(The General Epistle of James)

James was the “brother of the Lord” and a prominent leader in the Church at Jerusalem.

Major topics addressed by the Epistle:

How to get wisdom,
The relationship between faith and works,
Control the way you speak, Be patient,
Call upon the elders when you are sick.

1 Peter
(The First Epistle General of Peter)

Peter was looked upon as the leader of the Christian faith after the death and resurrection of Christ.

Major topics addressed by the Epistle:

Live a life of holiness before God,
Christ is the cornerstone, we are the stones of his house;
The duties of husbands and wives,
Do not think of yourselves as better than others,
Subdue the will of the flesh,
Rejoice in suffering for the cause of Christ.

2 Peter
(The Second Epistle General of Peter)

Major topics addressed by the Epistle:

How to obtain the promise of eternal life,
The road to apostasy,
Christ will come in glory to judge the world.

1 John
(The First Epistle General of John)

John was a leader in the Church. He was commissioned by the Lord to care for Mary, the Mother of Christ. He and his brother, James, were the sons of Zebedee. His brother, James, was killed by Herod.

Major topics addressed by the Epistle:

The Word of God came into the world in the flesh,
Beware of false doctrine about Christ.

2 John
(The Second Epistle General of John)

Major topics addressed by the Epistle:

Condemnation of false doctrines.

3 John
(The Third Epistle General of John)

Major topics addressed by the Epistle:

Exhortations to the faithful members of the Church.

Jude
(The General Epistle of Jude)

Jude was a brother of James, and therefore one of the Lord’s brothers.

Major topics addressed by the Epistle:

Warning to members not to fall into apostate practices.

Revelation

(The Revelation of St. John the Divine)

St. John the Divine is John, the Beloved, the disciple of the Lord who wrote the Gospel According to John. He and his brother, James, were the sons of Zebedee and were also called the Sons of Thunder. John was given the power to remain on the earth until the Second Coming of the Lord in Glory. James was beheaded by Herod not long after the crucifixion of Christ.

Major topics addressed by the Revelation:

The blessings given to those who overcome the world,
The fate of the devil and his angels and followers,
The fate of Christ and his angels and followers,
The New Jerusalem,
Christ is King of kings and Lord of Lords.