Video Lecture 1/15/2026

Introduction to the New Testament

  • Today's class focuses on answering the question: What is the New Testament?

  • Make sure you have read Erman Mendez before class.

Syllabus and Readings

  • Access the syllabus on Brightspace for assigned readings.

  • For today (Class 15), your readings are:

    • Erman Chapters One and Two

  • You can access Erman Mendez both electronically and as a hard copy.

Important Concepts from the Readings

  • Focus on the diversity of early Christianity.

  • Understand the significance of the following groups, which represented early Christian diversity:

    • Ebionites

    • Marcionites

    • Gnostic Christians

    • Proto-Orthodox Christians

  • The aim is to highlight the diversity within early Christianity, which was greater than it is today.

Implications of Early Christian Diversity

  • The importance of studying the diversity of early Christianity and its implications will be discussed in class.

  • Why is it important to understand this diversity?

Manuscript Tradition

  • Chapter Two Overview: There are no original New Testament autographs.

    • Original manuscripts are lost but many copies exist.

    • Textual Criticism is the method used to study these copies, focusing on establishing the earliest known manuscript and identifying discrepancies among them.

Structure of the New Testament World

  • A map of the New Testament world will be reviewed, highlighting significant cities that will be mentioned throughout the semester.

Hermeneutics in Class Structure

  • Hermeneutics: The study of interpretation.

    • Three perspectives:

    • World Behind the Text (Historical Context)

    • World of the Text (What the text says)

    • World In Front of the Text (Reader's interpretation)

  • Basic assumption for this class: The New Testament was written by humans.

  • Read Excursus One: The Historian and the Believer.

Review of Early Christian Groups

  • The reading emphasizes that early Christianity was diverse, particularly in the second century, evidenced by:

    • Ebionites: Estimated to practice a Jewish form of Christianity.

    • Marcionites: Known for rejecting the Old Testament and proposing a New Testament canon distinct from the Proto-Orthodox.

    • Gnostic Christians: Presented alternative understandings of Jesus and salvation.

    • Proto-Orthodox: Formed a basis for what would become mainstream Christianity.

  • The diversity discussed is crucial for understanding how the New Testament canon developed.

Understanding the Concept of Canon

  • Definition of Canon: The Hebrew and Greek words for canon mean “ruler” or “standard.”

    • In a religious context, it refers to the texts that define a faith community’s beliefs and practices.

  • Meaning of the word Canon:

    • Represents a ruler or measurement stick by which faith or doctrine is constructed.

    • Examples of measurement standards:

    • Rulers in North America (12 inches) vs Europe (1 meter).

    • Similar to the standard dimensions for building walls (e.g., distance between studs).

Jewish Tradition and Early Canon Evidence

  • Old Testament Canon: Before the New Testament, the Jewish canon existed.

    • Sirach: A key text dating around 250 years before the New Testament, mentioning three parts of the canon:

    • Torah (Law)

    • Nebim (Prophets)

    • Ketubim (Writings)

  • Sirach’s Grandson describes these divisions in a foreword to Sirach.

The Composition of the New Testament Canon

  • The New Testament consists of 27 books recognized as canonical by Christians.

Formation Progression

  1. **Stage One: Era of Jesus Christ (30-33 CE) **

    • The oral tradition begins with Jesus preaching and teaching.

  2. Stage Two: Oral Traditions and Paul of Tarsus

    • After Jesus's death and resurrection, oral accounts circulate, containing his sayings and deeds.

    • The influence of Paul of Tarsus grows as he establishes churches and writes letters to communities (13 letters included in the New Testament).

    • Reference:

      • 2 Thessalonians 2:15: Paul mentions oral traditions and written letters.

  3. Stage Three: Later Paul and the Gospel Writing

    • Discussions around Paul’s later letters attributed to him may have been written by followers.

    • Gospels: The earliest Gospel is believed to be Mark (68-72 CE), followed by Matthew and Luke (80-85 CE), and John (90-100 CE).

    • Gospels—not firsthand accounts, written much later than Jesus's lifetime.

    • Evidence for dating the Gospels significantly relies on literary references and historical events such as the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE (Mark 12).

  4. Stage Four: Composition of Later Letters

    • Letters including James, Peter, John, and Hebrews formed during the late first century.

  5. Stage Five: The Book of Revelation

    • This book likely composed late first century or early second, presenting challenges for acceptance into the canon due to its complex imagery.

  6. Stage Six: Proto-orthodox Collection

    • Christians begin to collect texts based on apostolic authority, community importance, and alignment with the rule of faith.

  7. Stage Seven: Establishment of the Canon

    • From the early second century to 367 CE, the canon starts to crystallize; Athanasius's Easter letter includes all 27 books recognized today.

Conclusion on What is the New Testament?

  • The New Testament is a collection of 27 canonical books significant for Christian faith.

  • The development of these texts took approximately 300 years from their origins to their formal recognition as canon.

  • Importance of Discussion: What are the implications of early Christian diversity for our understanding of the New Testament?