The political and social background of Palestinian Judaism -- The cultural and religious background of Palestinian Judaism -- The philosophical and religious background of Greco-Roman paganism -- The sources for our knowledge of the life and teaching of Jesus Christ -- A summary of the life of Christ -- Aspects of the teaching of Christ -- The sources and the chronology of the apostolic age -- Primitive Jewish Christianity -- The expansion of Christianity through the work of the Apostle Paul -- Paul's letters to churches and individuals -- The general letters and the Book of Revelation -- Appendix : the formation of the canon of the New Testament

Supplies the reader with basic information concerning both the content and the historical background of the New Testament and shows the critical processes by which scholars have sought to solve some of the chief literary problems of the Gospels. The author succeeds in presenting an abundance of complicated material in a clear, straightforward style -- without distortion or oversimplification. He avoids technical discussions and critical debates, but at the same time shows the main problems to be considered in this type of study. -- Book jacket