The New Testament

We begin with the Gospels because they are the most important part of the Bible for Christians. They are the foundation of the New Testament and the lens through which the deepest meaning of the Old Testament is revealed. We start with the Gospel of Mark because it was the first one written, and it is the shortest and most straightforward. We continue with Matthew, which most closely follows Mark. The preaching fervor and stark realism of Mark prepare us for Jesus’ challenging teachings as reported by Matthew. As discussed in Chapter Nine, the first two Gospels have a subtle masculine flavor, which is nicely complemented by the feminine qualities of the third and fourth Gospels. The intense nature of the first two Gospels is balanced by the pastoral sensitivity of Luke, our next stop. He narrates the story of Jesus and the early Church in his stylish two-volume work, Luke and Acts of the Apostles. The first three Gospels emphasize Jesus’ humanity, which we can relate to more easily than to his divinity. They form a foundation for encountering his divinity more explicitly in the mystical/theological Gospel, John. Familiarity with the human Jesus prepares us for an account handed on by his most inti-mate associate, the beloved disciple. We read the letters of John in tandem with his Gospel because they share similar vocabulary, themes, and style. The first letter is like a homily on or exposition of the main themes of the Gospel, particularly love, truth, and the Holy Spirit. The second and third letters of John are brief correspondence that renew communications, address specific issues, and affirm key teachings.We then move to the most controversial, intense, and multifaceted New Testament author, St. Paul. We discover a man on fire for the Lord, yet whose discernible foibles we can relate to. Chapter Sixteen highlights his
key themes and pastoral concerns, and it offers several patterns for reading
his letters. Next we go to the least read part of the New Testament, the letters attributed to authors other than St. Paul. We discover a wellspring of wisdom, inspiration, and exhortation communicated by distinct personalities, each with particular pastoral concerns. For example, Peter imparts a concise theology of suffering;James, a moral theology; and John (the author of Revelation), an eschatology(a theological vision of the end times with moral implications for the present). Jude is a short letter that bridges the other letters; it parallels 2 Peter and Revelation in its focus on the end times, and it mirrors James’ emphasis of morality in practical circumstances. Having completed our tour of the New Testament, we are ready to encounter the Old Testament, which both stands on its own and deepens our understanding of the New Testament.