NEW TESTAMENT STORY THE

THE NEW TESTAMENT STORY provides an informative introduction to the origins and message of the Christian Scriptures. In the first part of the book, Ben Witherington tells the story of how and why the New Testament documents were written and finally gathered together. He also links the Scriptures to their first-century context and explores their original oral nature. In the second part of the book Witherington examines the stories told in each New Testament book, noting their differences yet stressing their common focus. He looks particularly at the Gospels, examining how and why their stories differ and pointing out what these ancient biographies actually say about Jesus. He also surveys the ways that these stories were told and retold, cast and recast, and explains how this literary development has influenced Christian theology, ethics, and social thought. Popularly written, THE NEW TESTAMENT STORY is accessible enough for anyone interested in the Bible. Plus, each chapter ends with a section called "Exercises and Questions for Reflection and Study" (written by Darlene Hyatt), making this book especially useful for Sunday school classes and group study.
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Publisher Description

"Ben Witherington first tells how and why the New Testament documents were written and collected and how they came to be known as the New Testament that we have today. He then discusses the main stories and major figures in the New Testament. Witherington looks particularly at the Gospels, examining how and why their stories differ and pointing out what these ancient biographies actually say about Jesus. He also surveys the ways that these stories were told and retold, explaining how this literary development has influenced Christian theology, ethics, and social thought." "At once scholarly and accessible, Witherington's guide to the origins and message of the New Testament is suitable as a text for college and seminary students. With each chapter followed by a section called "Exercises and Questions for Study and Reflection," The New Testament Story will also prove valuable to individual readers and ideal for church classes and group Bible studies."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved