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Understanding the New Testament

Series: Understanding the New Testament

4.7

(55)

Episodes

Rating

TVPG

Year

2019

Language

English

Publisher

The Great Courses

About

In these 24 eye-opening episodes, Professor David Brakke takes you behind the scenes to study not only the text of the New Testament, but also the authors and the world in which it was created. You'll explore Jewish lives under Roman occupation, reflect on the apocalyptic mood of the first and second centuries AD, and witness the early Christians' evangelism beyond the Jewish communities.

Related Subjects

Episodes

1. The Paradox of the New Testament

31m

The New Testament is comprised of 27 books by more than a dozen authors, yet it is also presented as a single, unified text. How do you resolve the paradox of one book versus many? In this opening episode, see how historians view the New Testament and why they are excited by its diversity of voices.

2. The Jewish Origins of Christian Faith

31m

Before delving into the New Testament, you first must look at ancient Judaism for context about the birth of Christianity. Here, explore key stories and themes of the Old Testament (including God's covenants with Abraham, Moses, and David, as well as Jewish eschatology) to understand the world of Jesus of Nazareth.

3. 1 Thessalonians and Paul's Ministry

29m

The New Testament includes many types of narrative, among them gospels, epistles, and revelations. In this first episode on Paul's epistles, reflect on the chronologically earliest book of the New Testament, examine the structure of a Pauline letter, and find out what his mission of evangelism was all about.

4. The Salvation of Gentiles in Galatians

30m

Continue your study of Paul's epistles with a detailed look at his letter to the Galatians. In it, he offers a scathing rebuke to a congregation he believes has backslid after his departure. Find out why he believed it was so important to establish faith in Jesus as the one and only quality that gets you into heaven.

5. Romans on God, Faith, and Israel

29m

Paul's letter to the Romans is his theological masterpiece. Because he had never been to Rome, he wrote this letter to introduce himself and his teachings to lay the groundwork for his arrival. Unpack the key message of his theology: namely, that one is made righteous solely through faith in Jesus Christ.

6. Community Conflicts in 1-2 Corinthians

29m

In this first of two episodes about Paul's letters to the Corinthians, you will consider one tension inherent to Christian congregations. In Paul's theology, everyone is equal in the eyes of the Lord, yet Corinth was a prosperous and diverse city. How did Paul reconcile economic, intellectual, and educational diversity with religious unity?

7. Worship and Leaders in Paul's Congregations

30m

The two letters to the Corinthians give us great insight into Paul's theology, but they also provide interesting historical evidence for how early Christian congregations operated. How did believers worship? Who were the church leaders? What were the roles for men and women? Find out what the letters tell us about the community.

8. Paul's Theology on Slavery and Christ

31m

Although Paul's letters to Philemon and to the Philippians are very different, they have two important things in common. Paul wrote them both from prison, and they each concern slavery. Gain insight into Paul's views around imprisonment, as well as his ideas about Christ's humanity and divinity.

9. Adapting Paul's Teachings to New Situations

31m

Not all of Paul's letters were composed by the apostle himself. The three "Deutero-Pauline" letters (2 Thessalonians, Colossians, and Ephesians) likely date to the years after Paul's death. In content, they seek to reassure readers that a series of events must occur before the end times arrive and that faith in Christ is all that is necessary for salvation in the present.

10. Jesus as the Suffering Son of Man in Mark

30m

Shift your attention from Paul's epistles to the gospels, starting with the Gospel According to Mark. After reviewing what historians know about the author and the book's composition, Professor Brakke surveys the time of Jesus' ministry and death and explicates the key themes of Mark's gospel.

Extended Details

SeriesUnderstanding the New Testament

Closed CaptionsEnglish

Artists

The Great CoursesDirector

The Great CoursesProducer

David BrakkeActor