1. Can the Bible be Trusted? (3)

The New Testament       

The 27 books of the New Testament were all written in Koine Greek (“street” or common Greek) by eight men, three of whom (Matthew, John and Peter) were original disciples and eyewitnesses of Jesus of Nazareth. Paul, author of 13 (some suggest 14) of the NT books, was not a personal disciple but had a special post-resurrection encounter with Jesus. Paul also had numerous meetings with the original disciples.

The books of the New Testament cover a little less than 100 years, from the birth of Christ to John’s vision of triumph in the book of Revelation. Most emphasis – from a historical perspective – is upon the three-year ministry of Jesus from 30-33 AD.

The Books of the New Testament

The books of the NT can be divided into five groups:

The Gospels: The New Testament begins with four records (books) of the life and teachings of Jesus, called the gospels. Most of what is known about the life of Jesus of Nazareth is found in these four books.  That’s why we will analyze in depth the background, dating, authorship and reliability of these books. Each one describes the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.  Some events are recounted in all four, but each biography presents Jesus in a slightly different light, the variations are determined by the audience and the writer’s intent. The four gospels provide a comprehensive, multi-facetted view of Jesus of Nazareth, known better as Jesus Christ.

Church History: The 28 chapters of the book of Acts record the birth of the church (after Jesus’ resurrection), how the faith was introduced to the non-Jewish believers, and the spread of the new faith through the Roman Empire through the efforts of Paul.

The Pauline Epistles: The majority of books in the New Testament are the 13 Pauline epistles. These were written by Paul (in the period 49-62 AD); some to churches he started, some to individuals, and others had a special message for a general readership. Paul, "the apostle born out of due time," was the intrepid missionary of the early church who did more to spread Christianity than any man on record in the Bible. His dramatic conversion is a classic testimony to the power of Jesus Christ to change lives, for he was transformed from a Christ-hating opponent to a Christ-serving advocate.

His letters – which can be traced in history by linking them to events described in the book of Acts – give profound answers to questions and solutions to problems in the early Christian church. Almost every human need is covered.

The General Epistles: This collection of letters – written for a specific need or to a group not reached by Paul – cover general truths needed by God’s people of every era. Authors include James and Jude (both brothers of Jesus) as well as the apostles Peter and John.

Prophecy: The last book is a book of prophecy about the coming judgment of Christ, and is called Revelation, also the Apocalypse.  

Gospel of Mark

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