My Bookshelf
From the Publisher:
From the experience of a lifetime of scholarship, preaching, teaching, and writing, Raymond E. Brown covers the entire scope of the New Testament with ease and clarity. He walks readers book by book through the basic content and issues of the New Testament. While a wealth of information is contained in these pages, the work's most impressive features are the basic summaries of each book, a historical overview of the ancient Greco-Roman world, discussions of key theological issues, and the rich supplementary materials, such as illustrative tables, maps, bibliographies, and appendixes. Using this basic data, Brown answers questions raised by today's readers, relates the New Testament to our modern world, and responds to controversial issues, such as those raised by the Jesus Seminar.
From the Critics:
Library Journal: During his career, Brown (emeritus, biblical studies, Union Theological Seminary, New York) has enlightened and challenged scholars. Here he brings his extensive knowledge to bear in a volume primarily for beginners, though it will serve equally well those who are not. Because of the intended audience, he has made certain choices about content and form. First, he focuses on the established 27-book New Testament canon based upon the "wide agreement about the twenty-seven works to be included in a normative or canonical collection." Second, he deemphasizes the prehistory of the documents (sources, editions, and so forth) and emphasizes the documents in their canonical form. He begins most chapters with a "General Analysis of the Message" and addresses issues such as authorship, date, and composition afterward. So, for example, readers are helped to understand the individual messages of Matthew, Mark, and Luke without getting bogged down in the "synoptic problem." Due to his emphasis on the finished form of the New Testament documents, even those who disagree with some of the author's critical judgments will benefit from this volume. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries.
Howard Clark Kee - Society of Biblical Literature: ...[A] monumental introduction to the NT.... unique....[T]he aim is to make these early Christian writings accessible for beginning students...and to encourage the careful reading of the NT....Its emphasis on theological and christological issues may make it inappropriate for undergraduates, but it should serve uniquely well as a resource for theological students and for scholars of any age who want to be updated on the issues as set forth in the substantive and extensive bibliography.