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Overview of the New Testament Canon by Genre

• The New Testament (NT) is divided into four main parts: Gospels, Acts, Letters, and Apocalypse.

• The Letters are further subdivided into three categories: Gospels, Acts, and Letters.

• The Gospels are narrative portraits of Jesus written for early Christian communities.

• The Synoptic Gospels include Matthew, Mark, and Luke, while the Fourth Gospel is John.

• Acts is a partial narrative account of the growth of the Early Church, serving as a continuation of Luke's Gospel.

• The Letters, or Epistles, are written by various early Christian leaders, known as apostles.

• Thirteen Letters are attributed to Paul, addressing local problems and issues in different communities.

• There are also Letters addressed to individual Christian leaders.

Pauline Letters

• The Pauline Letters are real letters written by Paul or his associates.

• They are addressed to Christian communities in various cities, including Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians.

• There are also Letters addressed to individual Christian leaders, such as Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.

• Some of the Pauline Letters are known as the "Pastoral Letters" and are addressed to leaders or "shepherds" of Christian communities.

• Others are called the "Prison Letters" as they were written by Paul while in prison.

• The "Undisputed Letters" are those most scholars agree were written by Paul himself.

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Other Letters and Apocalypse

• The "Disputed" or "Deuteropauline Letters" include Ephesians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians, and the Pastoral Letters.

• These letters are believed by some scholars to have been written by Paul's followers after his death.

• The authorship of these letters is a subject of debate among scholars.

• The Letter to the Hebrews is a biblical sermon that interprets Jesus in light of the Old Testament.

• The Catholic Epistles, or General Letters, are attributed to other apostles and are not written to specific communities.

• The Catholic Epistles include James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Jude.

• The Book of Revelation is an apocalypse that provides hope for a better future.

Canonical Arrangement of the New Testament

• The 27 books of the New Testament are not listed in chronological order.

• The overall order follows the life of Jesus, the beginnings and expansion of the Church, issues in early Christianity, and the End Times.

• The four Gospels are traditionally listed in their chronological order, with Matthew considered the oldest.

• However, most scholars now believe that Mark was the first written Gospel.

• The Acts of the Apostles was originally the second volume of Luke's two-volume work but is placed after John in the canon.

• The Pauline Letters are divided into two sub-groups: those written to communities and those addressed to individuals.

• Within each sub-group, the letters are arranged in decreasing order of length, with Galatians being slightly shorter than Ephesians.

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NT Formation and Transmission Stages:

• Historical Jesus

  • Words and deeds of Jesus during his lifetime on earth.

• Oral Tradition

  • Development and passing on of traditions and beliefs about Jesus by early Christian communities.

• Written Sources

  • Compilation and recording of some miracles and sayings of Jesus in early written documents.

• Written Texts

  • Writing of individual letters, full Gospels, etc. with specific messages for particular situations.

• Distribution

  • Copying and sharing of writings with other Christian communities throughout the Mediterranean.

• Collection

  • Collection of letters of Paul and gathering of different Gospels by certain Christians.

• Canonization

  • Acceptance of four Gospels, collections of letters, and other texts as authoritative scriptures.

• Translation

  • Translation of biblical texts into ancient and modern languages.

• Interpretation

  • Investigation of the meaning of scriptures on various levels.

• Application

  • Use of the NT for practical purposes by communities and individuals.

Criteria for Canonicity:

• Apostolic Origin

  • Attributed to or based on the preaching/teaching of the first-generation apostles.

• Universal Acceptance

  • Acknowledged by all major Christian communities in the Mediterranean world.

• Liturgical Use

  • Read publicly during the Lord's Supper in early Christian worship services.

• Consistent Message

  • Containing theological ideas compatible with other accepted Christian writings.

Four-Fold Role of the Evangelists as Authors:

• Selectors

  • Choosing which stories to include and omit from the many things Jesus said and did.

• Arrangers

  • Organizing materials in a particular sequence, often thematically.

• Shapers

  • Adapting and editing individual stories to emphasize desired themes.

• Proclaimers

  • Preaching the "good news" about Jesus in ways suitable for their audiences.

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Four-Fold Role of the Evangelists as Authors (continued):

• Selectors

  • Choosing which stories to include and omit from the many things Jesus said and did.

• Arrangers

  • Organizing materials in a particular sequence, often thematically.

• Shapers

  • Adapting and editing individual stories to emphasize desired themes.

• Proclaimers

  • Preaching the "good news" about Jesus in ways suitable for their audiences.