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The World of the New Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts
This volume addresses the most important issues related to the study of New Testament writings. Two respected senior scholars have brought together a team of distinguished specialists to introduce the Jewish, Hellenistic, and Roman backgrounds necessary for understanding the New Testament and the early church. Contributors include renowned scholars such as Lynn H. Cohick, David A. deSilva, James D. G. Dunn, and Ben Witherington III. The book includes seventy-five photographs, fifteen maps, numerous tables and charts, illustrations, and bibliographies. All students of the New Testament will value this reliable, up-to-date, comprehensive textbook and reference volume on the New Testament world.
640 pages, Paperback
First published August 15, 2013
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249 people want to read
About the author
Joel B. Green
108 books52 followersJoel B. Green (PhD, University of Aberdeen) is professor of New Testament interpretation and associate dean of the Center for Advanced Theological Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. Prior to moving to Fuller, he taught at Asbury Theological Seminary for ten years. He is editor-in-chief of the Journal of Theological Interpretation and has authored or edited numerous books, including the Dictionary of Scripture and Ethics.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 5, 2020
A good introduction to the social and historical background of early Christianity, organized around a few short essays on Second Temple Judaism topics; Greco-Roman society and daily life; and geographical insights on the Mediterranean basin. As in many of such edited volumes, the quality of the essays is uneven (e.g. I found the article on “family, women and children,” by Cohick with little insight on kinship building and the expectations on fathers; on the other hand, I really enjoyed the article on “Slaves and Slavery” and “monotheism”). The annotated bibliographies at the end of each chapter are really useful for further study. And a few chapters (not all of them) provide good direction to primary source references.
If you want a middle ground between a narrative “history” of the NT world, and a major dictionary of NT Background, this is a very nice choice!
If you want a middle ground between a narrative “history” of the NT world, and a major dictionary of NT Background, this is a very nice choice!
March 26, 2020
This volume has been so helpful as I teach through the gospel of Luke this spring. It consists of 44 chapters, plus additional resources. Chapter titles range from "Economics, Taxes, and Tithes" to "Jews and Samaritans" to "Jesus Research and Archaeology" to "Josephus and the New Testament" to "Galatia." It answers practical questions, and gives essential backgrounds for students of the Bible.
April 5, 2018
This is a great book to give you an extensive view of the New Testament world. Some articles are very interesting, some are not. Two I found particularly facinating were "Homer and the NT" and "Pharisees, Sadduccees, and the Essenes." I got very little out of the geography section.
December 22, 2020
Really great introductory material which would help you know where to look and where to dig if you needed to do more specific research.
December 9, 2021
Very useful resource.
May 28, 2023
VERY heavy. Great if read in bite size pieces. Need time to process it. The visuals and graphics are very helpful
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October 28, 2025We only read parts of this for class but I'm still counting it because I read SO MUCH for grad school that can't get logged. Let me live.
October 4, 2015
Joel B. Green is the Dean of the School of Theology and Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Fuller Theological Seminary. Green has written or edited more than 40 books, including several award winners. Lee Martin McDonald is President Emeritus and Professor of New Testament Studies at Acadia Divinity College, Acadia University, Nova Scotia. McDonald has written or edited 20 books and over 100 articles and essays on various New Testament topics. Together these two individuals have impacted, and continue to impact for that matter, the arena of New Testament studies far beyond many colleagues in the field. In The World of the New Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts, edited by Green and McDonald, the boundaries have been pushed once again.
The World of the New Testament brings together household names from within the field of biblical and New Testament studies to guide the reader through the cultural, social and historical milieu of the New Testament. The World of the New Testament has brought together scholars such as, Ben Witherington III, David A. DeSilva, Micheal F. Bird, James H. Charlesworth, James G. D. Dunn, Bruce Chilton, and many more, to address vital topics relating to the New Testament. The articles are vast and variegated in scope, aligned under five sections: (1) Setting the Context: Exile and the Jewish Heritage, (2) Setting the Context: Roman Hellenism, (3) Jewish People in the Context of Roman Hellenism, (4) The Literary Context of Early Christianity, and (5) The Geographical Context of the New Testament. Within these major sections, the reader is skillfully guided through the backdrop of the New Testament world chronologically from the exile to the early Church. The articles are largely summaries of broader conversations within the field, and include such topics as, “The Hasmoneans and the Hasmonean Era” (pp. 38-53), “Greek Religion” (pp. 105-123), “Women, Children, and Families in the Greco-Roman World” (pp. 179-187), “Jews in the Diaspora” (pp. 272-290), “Josephus and the New Testament” (pp. 398- 404), and much, much more.
I found The World of the New Testament to be one of the most helpful resources that I have ever interacted with on New Testament backgrounds—both in the breadth and scope of the articles and the overall layout of the book. In regards to the former, I really enjoyed the vast array of topics this book discusses. Each article was well written, well documented, and authoritatively addressed. Some of the standout articles will include, “Healing and Healthcare” by Joel B. Green (pp. 330-341), “Noncanonical Jewish Writings” by Daniel M. Gurtner (pp. 291-309), and the entire section on the literary context of early Christianity (pp. 343-435). Also, many will enjoy the chapter, “Jesus Research and Archaeology” by James H. Charlesworth (pp. 439-466), which provides an up-to-date summary and collation of two independent, and yet imperative fields of study. In regards to the latter, the overall layout of the book, I found the chronological arrangement of the material well-structured and thoughtfully executed. I also enjoyed the various photographs, maps, tables and diagrams. At some points, the photographs are difficult to discern due the lack of color, but this is to be expected with a black and white image. Lastly, each article concludes with an annotated bibliography that is certain to point the curious reader in the right direction (I followed a few rabbit trails, I mean research trails myself).
The World of the New Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts brings together some of the leading voices of biblical and New Testament studies into a single volume. The articles are clear, concise, and comprehensive. The scope of the book is exhaustive and the layout strategically structured with the reader in mind. If you are a pastor, teacher, or student of the New Testament you will need this resource. It is hands down one of the best starting points for all things related to the cultural, social, and historical context of the New Testament. If none of that describes you, and you are simply interested in the world behind the pages of the New Testament you will still benefit greatly from this volume. I couldn’t recommend it more!
I received this book for free from Baker Academic in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
The World of the New Testament brings together household names from within the field of biblical and New Testament studies to guide the reader through the cultural, social and historical milieu of the New Testament. The World of the New Testament has brought together scholars such as, Ben Witherington III, David A. DeSilva, Micheal F. Bird, James H. Charlesworth, James G. D. Dunn, Bruce Chilton, and many more, to address vital topics relating to the New Testament. The articles are vast and variegated in scope, aligned under five sections: (1) Setting the Context: Exile and the Jewish Heritage, (2) Setting the Context: Roman Hellenism, (3) Jewish People in the Context of Roman Hellenism, (4) The Literary Context of Early Christianity, and (5) The Geographical Context of the New Testament. Within these major sections, the reader is skillfully guided through the backdrop of the New Testament world chronologically from the exile to the early Church. The articles are largely summaries of broader conversations within the field, and include such topics as, “The Hasmoneans and the Hasmonean Era” (pp. 38-53), “Greek Religion” (pp. 105-123), “Women, Children, and Families in the Greco-Roman World” (pp. 179-187), “Jews in the Diaspora” (pp. 272-290), “Josephus and the New Testament” (pp. 398- 404), and much, much more.
I found The World of the New Testament to be one of the most helpful resources that I have ever interacted with on New Testament backgrounds—both in the breadth and scope of the articles and the overall layout of the book. In regards to the former, I really enjoyed the vast array of topics this book discusses. Each article was well written, well documented, and authoritatively addressed. Some of the standout articles will include, “Healing and Healthcare” by Joel B. Green (pp. 330-341), “Noncanonical Jewish Writings” by Daniel M. Gurtner (pp. 291-309), and the entire section on the literary context of early Christianity (pp. 343-435). Also, many will enjoy the chapter, “Jesus Research and Archaeology” by James H. Charlesworth (pp. 439-466), which provides an up-to-date summary and collation of two independent, and yet imperative fields of study. In regards to the latter, the overall layout of the book, I found the chronological arrangement of the material well-structured and thoughtfully executed. I also enjoyed the various photographs, maps, tables and diagrams. At some points, the photographs are difficult to discern due the lack of color, but this is to be expected with a black and white image. Lastly, each article concludes with an annotated bibliography that is certain to point the curious reader in the right direction (I followed a few rabbit trails, I mean research trails myself).
The World of the New Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts brings together some of the leading voices of biblical and New Testament studies into a single volume. The articles are clear, concise, and comprehensive. The scope of the book is exhaustive and the layout strategically structured with the reader in mind. If you are a pastor, teacher, or student of the New Testament you will need this resource. It is hands down one of the best starting points for all things related to the cultural, social, and historical context of the New Testament. If none of that describes you, and you are simply interested in the world behind the pages of the New Testament you will still benefit greatly from this volume. I couldn’t recommend it more!
I received this book for free from Baker Academic in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
February 19, 2014
This is one big book of information.
For those curious about the culture of the New Testament times, this read will give you a very nice overview. They tackle the many different sects, backgrounds, and ideas during the times of Jesus and his contemporaries.
I don't want to say some might be overwhelmed by the amount of information they pack into this book, but you will feel brain-packed if you can finished this cover to cover.
It's quite easy to pick a chapter from the beginning and just skip around to what interests you at the time. Spanning the time of the exile all the way beyond the Israelite borders to other cultures, you will get a decent sense of what the world was like in the ancient east.
The first couple segments will deal with outside religious practices and cultures. The third segment inserts Judaism into that Greco/Roman worldview while the last couple segments opens it up to the Christian mindset of the first century.
This is a good book for a university student or even for the shelf of a minister.
This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Baker Publishing.
For those curious about the culture of the New Testament times, this read will give you a very nice overview. They tackle the many different sects, backgrounds, and ideas during the times of Jesus and his contemporaries.
I don't want to say some might be overwhelmed by the amount of information they pack into this book, but you will feel brain-packed if you can finished this cover to cover.
It's quite easy to pick a chapter from the beginning and just skip around to what interests you at the time. Spanning the time of the exile all the way beyond the Israelite borders to other cultures, you will get a decent sense of what the world was like in the ancient east.
The first couple segments will deal with outside religious practices and cultures. The third segment inserts Judaism into that Greco/Roman worldview while the last couple segments opens it up to the Christian mindset of the first century.
This is a good book for a university student or even for the shelf of a minister.
This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Baker Publishing.
June 20, 2014
Read my complete review at: http://biblestudywithrandy.com
The World of the New Testament is a mini dictionary of New Testament background topics. It is edited by Joel B. Green and Lee Martin McDonald and consists of articles by scholars (seasoned veterans and new up and coming ones) who specialize in studies of the field known as Second Temple Judaism (meaning the period following the exile until the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD). Studies of this period have opened up a new window on understanding the New Testament. This book is an effort to treat many of the important topics related to a better understanding of the New Testament and the Roman World in which it was conceived.
The World of the New Testament is a mini dictionary of New Testament background topics. It is edited by Joel B. Green and Lee Martin McDonald and consists of articles by scholars (seasoned veterans and new up and coming ones) who specialize in studies of the field known as Second Temple Judaism (meaning the period following the exile until the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD). Studies of this period have opened up a new window on understanding the New Testament. This book is an effort to treat many of the important topics related to a better understanding of the New Testament and the Roman World in which it was conceived.
August 2, 2014
Good collection of essays providing a look at the cultural background of the NT.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews