Alan Jacobs Vrej Nersessian

The New Testament represents the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, focusing on the life, teachings, and impact of Jesus, alongside the emergence of first-century Christianity. It comprises 27 distinct texts composed in Koine Greek by various authors, including four Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, epistles attributed to Paul and others, and the Book of Revelation. These writings were gradually recognized and compiled over the first few centuries of Christianity, solidifying into the 27-book canon by the end of the 4th century, a collection widely accepted across Christian traditions since Late Antiquity.

The term 'New Testament' signifies a new covenant established by God through Jesus, which Christians believe fulfills the older covenant made with Israel. This concept of a 'testament' or covenant is rooted in the translation of Hebrew biblical terms into Greek and Latin, where 'diathēkē' (Greek) and 'testamentum' (Latin) carry connotations of a will or final disposition, in contrast to the Hebrew 'brit' which primarily signifies an alliance or pact. The acceptance and interpretation of these texts have varied among Christian denominations, with some viewing them as sacred scripture alongside tradition, and others as the direct, inspired word of God.

The term 'New Testament' refers to a Christian understanding of a new covenant, believed to supersede or fulfill the Mosaic covenant established with Israel. This concept is derived from the Greek word 'diathēkē' and its Latin translation 'testamentum,' which carry the sense of a will or final disposition, often associated with the death of the testator. This interpretation, particularly as applied to the covenant between God and Israel, originated with Jewish translators in Alexandria who used 'diathēkē' to translate the Hebrew 'brit.' Christian theology has embraced this translation, viewing the New Testament covenant as a testament established through the death of Jesus. This linguistic choice has sparked scholarly debate regarding the translators' intent and its theological implications, contrasting with the Hebrew 'brit,' which more broadly signifies an alliance or pact.

The New Testament is a compilation of 27 texts written in Koine Greek, developed over the first few centuries of Christianity. This collection includes four Gospels, which narrate the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus; the Acts of the Apostles, detailing the early spread of Christianity; numerous epistles (letters) from figures like Paul and others; and the Book of Revelation, an apocalyptic text. The process of canonization involved distinguishing apostolic writings from heretical texts through debate and recognition, culminating in the formalization of the 27-book canon by the late 4th century. Literary analysis suggests many texts originated in the mid-to-late first century, though precise dating remains a subject of scholarly discussion. The earliest surviving manuscripts date from the late second to early third centuries AD.

The four canonical Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—form the core narrative of the New Testament, recounting the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. The term 'gospel' itself originates from the Old English 'gōd-spell,' meaning 'good news,' corresponding to the Greek 'euangélion.' These Gospels present the 'good news' of the coming Kingdom of God through the Messiah, Jesus, and his redemptive work. Starting in the late second century, they became known as 'The Gospel of …' or 'The Gospel according to …,' with Irenaeus of Lyon being an early proponent of the four-gospel collection. While these four were ultimately accepted, numerous other early Christian gospel traditions and non-canonical writings also existed, often reflecting diverse theological viewpoints, including Gnostic perspectives. The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) are considered primary for reconstructing Jesus' ministry in modern scholarship.

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; forasmuch as they broke My covenant, although I was a lord over them, saith the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the LORD, I will put My law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people; and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying: 'Know the LORD'; for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.”

“the Divine Word, who is doubly edged with the two testaments of the law and the gospel.”

“it is certain that the whole aim at which he [Marcion] has strenuously laboured, even in the drawing up of his Antitheses, centres in this, that he may establish a diversity between the Old and the New Testaments, so that his own Christ may be separate from the Creator, as belonging to this rival God, and as alien from the law and the prophets.”

“But all scripture is divided into two Testaments. That which preceded the advent and passion of Christ—that is, the law and the prophets—is called the Old; but those things which were written after His resurrection are named the New Testament. The Jews make use of the Old, we of the New: but yet they are not discordant, for the New is the fulfilling of the Old, and in both there is the same testator, even Christ, who, having suffered death for us, made us heirs of His everlasting kingdom, the people of the Jews being deprived and disinherited. As the prophet Jeremiah testifies when he speaks such things: "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new testament to the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not according to the testament which I made to their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; for they continued not in my testament, and I disregarded them, saith the Lord." ... For that which He said above, that He would make a new testament to the house of Judah, shows that the old testament which was given by Moses was not perfect; but that which was to be given by Christ would be complete.”