Historical Background of New Testament Theology and Context
The New Testament, often referred to as the "gospel of Jesus Christ," presents a divine testament that supersedes the Old Testament [5]. Its historical context is deeply rooted in the Jewish tradition, particularly the Old Testament Scriptures, which provided the foundational wisdom for understanding Christ [3]. The New Testament builds upon and fulfills the promises and prophecies found in the Old Testament, shifting from a focus on temporal blessings in the "land of their possession" to spiritual promises [7, 2].
The historical backdrop of the New Testament begins with the genealogies that connect Jesus Christ to the lineage of Abraham and David, establishing his place within the historical narrative of Israel [9, 4]. These genealogies, while sometimes called "endless" by the apostle Paul, were crucial in demonstrating Christ as the culmination of Old Testament expectations [8]. The Old Testament Scriptures, which Timothy's Jewish grandmother and mother taught him from childhood, were understood to give the wisdom necessary to receive Jesus Christ [3]. Conversely, Jesus Christ is essential for fully comprehending the Old Testament Scriptures [3].
The New Testament itself comprises various writings, including Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Revelation, which were initially circulated as written texts. The early history of these apostolic writings mirrors that of other contemporary books, with authors like Paul often employing amanuenses to dictate their letters, adding a personal salutation in their own hand [1]. This practice highlights the common literary methods of the era.
A central theological concept in the New Testament is the "new covenant," which is established through the death of Jesus Christ. This covenant provides forgiveness for sins not covered by the "imperfect covenant" of the Old Testament and secures an "eternal inheritance" for those called [2]. The death of Christ is presented as the means by which this new covenant is ratified, enabling believers to receive the fulfillment of God's promises [2]. This understanding of Christ's death as a pivotal event for the new covenant is a cornerstone of New Testament theology.
The truth and reality of the gospel, as presented in the New Testament, are further supported by its connection to Old Testament prophecies. The apostles argued that the doctrine of Christ's power and coming was not a human contrivance but the "wise and wonderful counsel of the holy and gracious God," foretold by the prophets who wrote under divine inspiration [6]. This continuity between the Old and New Testaments underscores the belief that God's plan of salvation unfolded progressively through history.
The transition from the Old to the New Testament is not merely a chronological progression but a theological one, where the "new testament" is advanced above the "old" [5]. While the Old Testament provided the historical and theological framework, the New Testament reveals the Messiah promised and expected, presenting glad tidings of salvation through Jesus Christ [5]. The imagery used in the New Testament often draws from the former, but its focus shifts to spiritual realities [7]. This historical and theological continuity, coupled with the fulfillment of prophecy, forms the bedrock of New Testament theology.
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: New Testament — It is proposed in this article to consider the text of the New Testament. The subject naturally divides itself into-- I. The history of the written text; II. The history of the printed text. I. THE HISTORY OF THE WRITTEN TEXT.-- + The early history of the apostolic writings externally, as far as it can be traced, is the same as that of other contemporary books. St. Paul, like Cicero or Pliny often employed the services of an amanuensis, to whom he dictated his letters, affixing the salutation "with his own hand." (1 Corinthians 16:21; 2 Thessalonians 3”
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 9:15: for this cause--Because of the all-cleansing power of His blood, this fits Him to be Mediator (Heb 8:6, ensuring to both parties, God and us, the ratification) of the new covenant, which secures both forgiveness for the sins not covered by the former imperfect covenant or testament, and also an eternal inheritance to the called. by means of death--rather, as Greek, "death having taken place." At the moment that His death took place, the necessary effect is, "the called receive the (fulfilment of the) promise" (so Luk 24:49 uses "promise"; Heb 6:15; ”
- 2 Timothy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Timothy 3:14: 3:14-15 from childhood: Timothy’s Jewish grandmother and mother, Lois and Eunice (see Acts 16:1-3), provided his education in the Old Testament Scriptures (see 2 Tim 1:5), and their lives reinforced their teaching. • The Old Testament Scriptures give the wisdom to receive . . . Christ Jesus. In turn, Jesus Christ is needed to understand the Old Testament Scriptures fully.”
- 1 Chronicles (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Chronicles 1:5: 1:5-23 The record of Noah’s descendants establishes Abraham’s place in history. The ethnic backdrop of the seventy nations of the world provides the context for Israel’s history (cp. Gen 10).”
- Mark (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Mark 1:1: We may observe here, I. What the New Testament is - the divine testament, to which we adhere above all that is human; the new testament, which we advance above that which was old. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God, Mar 1:1. 1. It is gospel; it is God's word, and is faithful and true; see Rev 19:9; Rev 21:5; Rev 22:6. It is a good word, and well worthy of all acceptation; it brings us glad tidings. 2. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the anointed Saviour, the Messiah promised and expected. The foregoing gospel began with the generation of Jesus Christ -”
- 2 Peter (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 2 Peter 1:19: In these words the apostle lays down another argument to prove the truth and reality of the gospel, and intimates that this second proof is more strong and convincing than the former, and more unanswerably makes out that the doctrine of the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is not a mere fable or cunning contrivance of men, but the wise and wonderful counsel of the holy and gracious God. For this is foretold by the prophets and penmen of the Old Testament, who spoke and wrote under the influence and according to the direction of the Spirit of God. Here no”
- Isaiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Isaiah 1:19: Temporal blessings in "the land of their possession" were prominent in the Old Testament promises, as suited to the childhood of the Church (Exo 3:17). New Testament spiritual promises derive their imagery from the former (Mat 5:5).”
- Genesis (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Genesis 5 (introduction): This chapter is the only authentic history extant of the first age of the world from the creation to the flood, containing (according to the verity of the Hebrew text) 1656 years, as may easily be computed by the ages of the patriarchs, before they begat that son through whom the line went down to Noah. This is one of those which the apostle calls "endless genealogies" (Ti1 1:4), for Christ, who was the end of the Old Testament law, was also the end of the Old Testament genealogies; towards him they looked, and in him they centered. The genealogy here”
- Matthew (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Matthew 1:1: Concerning this genealogy of our Saviour, observe, I. The title of it. It is the book (or the account, as the Hebrew word sepher, a book, sometimes signifies) of the generation of Jesus Christ, of his ancestors according to the flesh; or, It is the narrative of his birth. It is Biblos Geneseōs - a book of Genesis. The Old Testament begins with the book of the generation of the world, and it is its glory that it does so; but the glory of the New Testament herein excelleth, that it begins with the book of the generation of him that made the world. As God, his outgo”