The New Testament in Its World

In The New Testament In Its World acclaimed biblical scholar N. T. Wright draws
on a lifetime of distinguished scholarship to provide a thorough overview of
the New Testament for students, church leaders, and everyday Christians.
Wright, along with prominent New Testament scholar Michael Bird, explores the
history, literature, and theology of the New Testament with an emphasis on its
relevance for Christians today. Beginning with an overview of how to read the
New Testament, the authors then survey its historical background to orient
readers to the world of Jesus and the early church. This is followed by an
in-depth study of Jesus' inauguration of the kingdom of God through his life,
ministry, death, and resurrection.
The next section explores the life and theology of Paul, who continues to
unfold the significance of Jesus' life and ministry, and applies these to the
issues faced by the early churches. Wright and Bird survey all of Paul's
letters, providing a compact commentary on each, while explaining contemporary
scholarly discussions on Paul and his teachings.
They then turn to the gospels, written after Paul's letters, followed by the
general epistles and Revelation, explaining the background, critical issues,
important teachings, and contemporary applications for each.
This is followed by a description of how the New Testament came to be, guiding
the reader through issues of textual criticism and canonization. A concluding
section brings all of the previous threads together to encourage readers to
consider how their personal story fits into the larger story of God's
redemption narrated in the New Testament.
Students of the New Testament will not only be equipped with all of the
technical information needed to understand the New Testament today but will see
it as one cohesive story in which they are invited to play a vital role through
their own lives and circumstances.