The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown

“
The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown
rightly takes its place among the standard works in the field of New Testament Introductions. It is simply an outstanding work. Its up-to-date research alone makes it an invaluable resource. Add to this its comprehensive survey of the crucial issues related to New Testament studies and you have a textbook well suited for the college or seminary classroom. This book will be widely used and the Church of the Lord Jesus will be blessed by the instruction it provides.”

—Daniel L. Akin
, President, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC

“During a time when there are so many astonishing and confusing things being claimed about the Bible, this volume brings exceptional clarity and careful scholarship to the task of introducing the New Testament. The authors not only provide the reader with a solid orientation to every NT book, but they also directly address a broad range of issues that scholars have raised. The end result is a richly informative text that is very readable and abundantly helpful. I enthusiastically recommend this volume to all who want to better understand their New Testament.”

—Clinton E. Arnold
, Professor and Chairman, Department of New Testament, Talbot School of Theology (Biola University)

“Clear, thorough, up to date, and engaging all the contemporary alternatives people are putting forward. Not only that, but this book is discerning and judicious. What more could one want from a NT Introduction? Well done and highly recommended.”

—Darrell L. Bock
, Research Professor of New Testament, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, TX

“
The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown
is a comprehensive and informative introduction to the New Testament. Written from a convictional evangelical perspective, this marvelous volume carefully interacts with the most up-to-date issues in modern scholarship. This well-written textbook invites students to grasp the meaning of the various books of the New Testament in their historical, religious, political, cultural, and geographical setting while offering applicable theological insights into the New Testament's message for today. I have no doubt that this splendid work will become a standard resource for New Testament studies for years to come. I offer my heartiest congratulations to the authors for this fine publication.”

—David S. Dockery
, President, Union University, Jackson, TN

“Of making of New Testament Introductions there seems to be no end, and the use of them is often a weariness of the flesh for the student. Yet from time to time, fresh breezes blow life into the genre, and such is the case with
The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown
. Here we have a substantive, up-to-date introduction to the New Testament, for those preparing for ministry in the church. While broadly conversant with New Testament studies in general, the authors keep their target audience squarely in view, using information boxes, review questions, and even devotionals to good effect. Graded blocks of information for beginners, intermediate students, and those more advanced demonstrate an awareness of the range of competencies found in almost any classroom. This introduction should prove helpful to professors and edifying to students for many years to come.”

—George H. Guthrie
, Benjamin W. Perry Professor of Bible, School of Christian Studies, Union University, Jackson, TN

“Among available New Testament introductions for theological students this one stands out for meticulously thorough coverage, bibliographical fullness, attention to canonical issues, juicy pastoral reflections, and lashings of masterful common sense. I recommend it highly, as a leader in its field.”

—J. I. Packer
, Professor of Theology, Regent College, Vancouver, BC

“
The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown
sets a new standard for excellence among textbooks dealing with New Testament Introduction. In addition to the usual matters associated with general and special introduction relative to the discipline, this book offers a veritable gold mine of information often found only in several texts. The authors' exhaustive research in a wide range of primary and secondary sources and insightful interaction with various approaches to the subjects under consideration are in evidence throughout the work.

Carefully conceived and organized with the student in mind, each New Testament book is consistently examined in accordance with the “hermeneutical triad” consisting of historical, literary, and theological data. In addition, the text contains many helpful sidebars, tables, and maps designed for the reader's benefit as well as goals for personal development, study questions, and a compendious bibliography for each section. The result is a distinctively unique textbook that displays not only careful and balanced scholarship, but is lucidly written and user friendly.”

—Richard D. Patterson
, Emeritus Professor, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA

“Köstenberger, Kellum, and Quarles have written a very useful introduction to the New Testament for beginning college and seminary students that provides an up-to-date survey of the individual books of the New Testament as well as succinct and helpful essays on the nature of Scripture (canon, text, inspiration), backgrounds (historical, political, and religious), the life of Jesus (sources, quests), the life of Paul, unity and diversity, and a helpful glossary of terms. The material is very readable and understandable and is certain to prove a very popular text for evangelical students.”

—Robert H. Stein
, Senior Professor of New Testament Interpretation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY

“
The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown
is an outstanding introduction to the New Testament, which should be warmly welcomed not only by teachers and students but by anyone desiring an up-to-date, comprehensive, judicious survey of the historical, literary, and theological context of the New Testament. Among the user-friendly features of this volume are clear objectives for different levels of study, helpful review questions, recommended reading lists, numerous sidebars, and an extensive glossary. I expect to turn to this volume and recommend it to others for years to come.”

—Justin Taylor
, Managing Editor of the
ESV Study Bible
, blogger (“Between Two Worlds”)

“This volume ranks among the finest such studies of recent decades in classic matters of ‘New Testament introduction.’ What sets it apart includes: (1) attention to theology and the history of interpretation; (2) extended presentation of the history of New Testament times and the rise of the canon; (3) appropriate rigor; (4) frequently creative layout features; and (5) conceptual clarity. It is also written with Christian conviction. Beyond an impressive digest of scholarship, it is an appeal to faithful appropriation of the New Testament's message. It will and should see widespread graduate classroom use.”

—Robert W. Yarbrough
, Professor of New Testament and Department Chair, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL

The Cradle, The Cross, and The Crown, Digital Edition

Based on Print Edition

Copyright © 2009

by Andreas Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum, and Charles L. Quarles

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-8054-4365-3

Published by B&H Publishing Group

Nashville, Tennessee

Dewey Decimal Classification: 225.7

Subject Heading: BIBLE. N.T.—STUDY \ JESUS CHRIST—HUMANITY \ JESUS CHRIST—DIVINITY

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible. © The Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NET are from The NET Bible: The Translation That Explains Itself™ Copyright © 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2001 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyrighted 1946, 1952, © 1971, 1973.

BWHEBB, BWHEBL, BWTRANSH [Hebrew]; BWGRKL, BWGRKN, and BWGRKI [Greek] Postscript® Type 1 and TrueTypeT fonts Copyright © 1994–2009 BibleWorks, LLC. All rights reserved. These Biblical Greek and Hebrew fonts are used with permission and are from BibleWorks, software for Biblical exegesis and research.

List of Abbreviations

Preface

PART ONE: INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1: The Nature and Scope of Scripture

Chapter 2: The Political and Religious Background of the New Testament. …

PART TWO: JESUS AND THE GOSPELS

Chapter 3: Jesus and the Relationship between the Gospels

Chapter 4: The Gospel According to Matthew

Chapter 5: The Gospel According to Mark

Chapter 6: The Gospel According to Luke

Chapter 7: The Gospel According to John

PART THREE: THE EARLY CHURCH AND PAUL

Chapter 8: The Book of Acts

Chapter 9: Paul: The Man and His Message

Chapter 10: Paul's Letter to the Galatians

Chapter 11: Paul's Thessalonian Correspondence: 1–2 Thessalonians

Chapter 12: Paul's Corinthian Correspondence: 1–2 Corinthians

Chapter 13: Paul's Letter to the Romans

Chapter 14: The Prison Epistles: Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon

Chapter 15: The Pastoral Epistles: 1–2 Timothy, Titus

PART FOUR: THE GENERAL EPISTLES AND REVELATION

Chapter 16: The Letter to the Hebrews.

Chapter 17: The Letter of James

Chapter 18: The Petrine Epistles (1–2 Peter) and the Letter of Jude

Chapter 19: The Johannine Epistles: 1–3 John

Chapter 20: The Book of Revelation

PART FIVE: CONCLUSION

Chapter 21: Unity and Diversity in the New Testament

Glossary