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Course Code: BBNO3

The Life and Faith of the People of God: New Testament
BDI, SemesterI1, 4 Credit Hours, College Paper

Course Objectives
10 introduce the books of the New Testament to students in order that they may unders tand the specitncity

time relate that book to other

of context, content, rhetoric and theology of each book and at the same
books of the New Testament.
lo help students read and hear each book in its original historical and cultural context and community
and then introduce and speak to the present day readers and hearers relevantly and contextually.

To identify the life, struggle and witness of the New Testament community
To orient students toward a broader perspective of the New Testament

Course Requirements
Final Examinations 60%
Internal Assessment 40%
1. Attendance 5%
2. Class participation 5%
3. Read each book of the Christian Testament and prepare
your outline with description of its content and identify

its key issues 20%

4. Assigned reading 10%

The Four Gospels

General Introduction
Issues of authority, inerrancy, etc of the New Testament, the New Testament as the Christian Testament; the
features of Koine Greek, geography of
Writing of the Christian Testament, oral traditions, language used, unique
the ancient Mediterranean, the cultural, philosophical socio-political etc. worlds behind the New Testament:
Semitic, Hellenistic and Latin; Semitism, Hellenism and Latinism in the text; use of the Hebrew Bible in the New
Testament, manuscripts and the received text, translations and versions, names of the books of the New Testament,.
The process of canonization,.

1. The Gospel of Mark: Literary Structure, Character andTheological Purpose/s; Mark and his possible
context and readers; Date; Major Themes: the Identities of Jesus; the Parables and Miracles of the Reign
of God; Disciples, Discipleship and the Litle followers of Jesus; the Way motif, Faith; Prayer, Jesus and the
Jewish Leaders; Issues of authority, power, purity, Sabbath; worship and spirituality; passion, death and
resurrection of Jesus.

2. The Gospel of Matthew: Literary Structure, Character and Theological Purpose/s; Matthew and his
community; Date; Major Themes: Infancy Narratives; Hebrew Bible Citations; the five long discourses of
Jesus; Ekklesia; Parables, Miracles and the Reign of Heaven; Apocalyptic instructions, passion, death and
resurrection of Jesus.

3. The Gospel of Luke: Literary Structure, Character and Theological Purpose/s; Luke and his readerss
Date: Major Themes: The Magnificent, Nazareth Manifesto, Inclusiveness of the Lukan Community
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alem
Lukan preferential option for the non-Jews, poor, women. Samaritans. gentiles; encounter with Jerusalc
authorities; woe to the rich; the Last Supper, passion and resurrection narratives.

The Acts of the Apostles: Literary Structure, Character (story, historv, theology), and theological se
s; Luke as a historian and missionary theologian, Luke's context and readers; date; major themes: tne p
of the Gospel of Christ and the churches from Palestine to the Gentile world, Jewish-Gentile Mission, tnc
Jews, the conservative cultural nationalist Jewish Christians; Hebrews' and Hellenists; the Stephene
"
and the
origin ofthe Pauline mission to the Gentile world; narratives; the Holy Spirt;
missionary journey
and worship in the early church.

4. The Gospel of John: Literary Structure, Character and Theological Purpose/s; Date; Johannine Communi
Epistles of John: Occasions and purposes, dates, major themes: humanity and divinity of Christ, loving o d

and fellow human beings, hospitality to strangers, obedience to godly leaders, unity.

II. Paul and His Letters

1. Chronology of Paul
2. Letters of Paul and the Pauline Circle
(a) I Thessalonians: Occasions, Purposes, Date, Major Themes: Christian life, Hope, Second Coming,
Work Ethics.
(b) Galatians: Occasion and purpose, major themes: Gospel and the Law, theology of the Jewish-
Christian cultural nationalists, Pauline challenge to Jewish cultural nationalism; Pauline hermeneutics
on the story of Abraham, the Jewish-Gentile ekklesia of God in Christ as the new Israel of God.

(c) I and II Corinthians: How many letters did Paul write to Corinth?
ICorinthians-Occasion, purposes, majorthemes: division, immorality, litigation, marriage, divorce
and remarriage, freedom and environment, worship, the Lord's Supper, the rich and poor in
Corinth, use and abuse ofthe spiritual gifis, resurrection, diakonia mission (colilection).
II Corinthians: Occasion, purposes, major themes: the ministry of reconciliation, economic
mutuality, apostolic authority.
(d) Romans: the message to the Ekklesia of God in Christ in the capital of the Empire-occasion,
purpose/s, major themes: Paul's Gospel, justification by faith, faith/ faithfulness of Christ, 'in Christ
motif, baptism, life in the Spirit, new creation, participation in the socio-political order, mutual care

and support.
themes: Christ Hymn, unity within the Christian community
(e) Philippians: Occasion and purpose, major
Christian gratitude.
Philemon: Occasion, purpose, major theme: inside into Paul's apostolic ministry
()
Occasions, purposes, dates, major themes
(g) II ThessaBonians:
date, major themes: Jesus as the cosmic redeemer, fullness in
(h) Colossians: Occasion, purpose,
Christ, new life in Christ.
ne in Christ,
date, najortenes nystery new and transformed
Ephesians: Occasion and purpose, believers in Christ.
of the
humanity in Christ, unity
) I & II Timothy and
Titus: Occasions, purposes, dates, major tnemes: ministerial order, pastaral.
minister, pastoral
ofa Christian offices,
roles dutiec and
administration, qualifications

The General Epistles: above the angels, Moses

major themes: Jesus
aa

1. Hebrews: Occasion and Purpose, and sacrifice, covenant, models of faith

priesthood
the supremacy of Jesus'
naior
major themes: work and
themes: work and faith, patience
patience in sufferino
suffering, attitude to riches,
2. James: Occasion and purpose,
the practice of piety.
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e r e r : Occasion and purpose, major themes: persecution. response to suffering for Christ, noly iving,
following Christ.
r e t e r : Occasion and
purpose, major themes: warning against false teachers, delay ot the parousia.
5. Jude: Occasion and
purpose, major theme: warning against apostates
. h eKevelation to John
(The Apocalypse): Apocalyptic literature (genre), its features,
pseudonyuny,
symbolic visions, apocalypse and empire, vision ofthe empire of God, problem of approximation (repenion
despite displacement). Major themes: God's message to the churches in the City (chs. 1-3), God judges
the Great City (chs.
4-18), God redeems the Holy City (chs. 19-22).
New Testament in the Life and Faith
of the People of God Today
I. In
devotional, personal life
2. In proclamation
3. In Ethical discernment
4. In ministries of care and counseling
5. In informing theology
6. In ministries of care and
counseling
7. The Ekklesia of God

Bibliography
Basic Reading,
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels
Dictionary of Paul and His Letters
Carson, D.A. & D. Moo, Introduction to the New Testament, Grand Rapids: Zondervan. 2005
Brown, Raymond, E. Introduction to the New 7Testament. Bangalore: TPI, 2000.
Dunn, James, Beginning from Jerusalem: Christianity in the Making vol. 2, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009
Ehrman, Bart, D. The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian HWritings. New York: OUP, 2000.
Theissen, Gerd. The Social Seingof Paudline Christianity, Edinburgh: T &T Clark, 1982.
The Gospels in Context: Social and Political History of the Synoptic Tradition. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1992.
Oakman, D.E. Jesus and the Economic Questions ofHis Day: New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 1986.

Other Readings
Aune, D.E. Greco-Roman Literature and the New Testament. SBL Sources for Biblical Study 21. Atlanta: Scholars Press,
1989.
Bauckham, R.J. The Climax of Prophecy: Studies in the Book of Revelation. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1992.
The Gospels for All Christians: Rethinking the Gospel Audience. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998.
Bornkamm, Barth and Held. Tradition and Interpretations in Matthew. London: SCM Press, 1963.
Evans, Craig and Stanley Porter, eds. Dictionary of New Testament Backgromd. Leicester: IVP, 2000.
Fee, Gordon. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. NICNT, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987.
Fiorenza, Elizabeth. In Memory of Her: A Feminist Theological Reconstruction of Christian Origins. London: SCM, 1983.
Invitation to the Book ofRevelation. New York: Doubleday, 1981.
ed. Searching Seriptures: A Feminist Introduction. London: SCM, 1993.
Vision ofa Just World. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1991.
Ialfakmawia, Joseph, Understanding the New Testament Its Historical
SCEPTRE, 2013 Background and Content, Kolkatta:
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Myers, Ched. Binding the Strong Man: A Political Readingof Mark 's Sory of Jesus,. Maryknol!: Orbis Books, 1988.

Naickanparampil, Michael. The Gospel of Mark. Vols. 1-3. Bangalore: NBCLC, 1996.
Furnish, Victor Paul. "II Corinthians." In The Anchor Bible. Vol. 32A. New York: Doubleday,
198*
Ferguson, Everett. Backgrounds of Early Christianity, 1987. Michigan: Eerdmans, 1993.
Dowd, S.E. Prayer, Power and the Problem of
Suffering.
Atlanta: Scholars 1988.
Press,
ctal.
Hafemamn,Leicester:
S.Letters to the Corinthians." In Dictionary of Paul and His Letters. Edited by Gerald F. Hawthorne,
IVP, 1993.
Haldar, Diapnkar. New Testament Revisited. Raghabpur-West Bengal: Raghabpur Seva Niketan, 2008.
Harrington, Daniel J. interpretimg the New Testament: A Practical Guide. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1990.
Hengel, Martin. Acts and the History of Earliest Christianity Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1979.
Hooker, M.D. 7he
Gospel According to Saint Mark. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1991.
Kec, Howard Clark. Communityofthe New 4ge: Studies in Marks Gospel. London: SCM Press, 1977.
Kee, et al., eds. The Cambridge Companion to the Bible. Cambridge: CUP, 1997.
Martin R. Mark: Evangelist and Theologian. Michigan: Zondervan, 1973.
Meeks, W.A. The First Urban Christians: The Social Worldof the Apostle Paul. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1983.
Murphy-OConnor, Jerome. "I and2 Corinthians." In The Cambridge Companion to St. Paul. Edited by James D.G. Dunn.
Cambridge: CUP, 2003.
Neyrey, J.H. The Social WorldofLuke-Acts. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1991.
Nickelsburg. Ancient Judaism and Christian Origins: Diversity, Continuity and Transformation. Philadelphia: Fortress,
2003.
Oppenheimer, A'haron. The Am Ha-aretz: A Study in the Social History of the Jewish People in the Hellenistic-Roman
Period. Leiden: Brill, 1977.
Philip, Abraham. "New Testament: An lntroduction" (Tiruvalla: TLC<2015).
Pudussery, Paul. Discipleship: A Call to Sulfering and Glory Rome: Pontificia Universitas Urbaniana, 1987.
Robbins, V.K. Jesus the Teacher: ASocio-Rhetorical Interpretation of Mark. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984.
Samuel, Simon. A Postcolonial Reading ofMark s StoryofJesus. Edinburgh: T& TClark, 2007.
Stambaugh, John and David Balch. The Social Worldofthe First Christians, 1986. London: SCM Press, I994
Thekekara, M. The Face Early Christianity. Bangalore: TPI, 1988.
of
Varughese, Koshy P. King-Servant Christology in Matthews Gospel, New Delhi: ISPCK, 2013.
Witherington, Ben I1. Conflict &Community in Corinth: A Socio-Rhelorical Commentary on I and2 Corinthians. Grand
Rapids, Eerdmans, 1995.