New Testament Times

by Merrill C. Tenney

New Testament Times provides a short reconstruction of the cultural background in which Christianity arose and developed from the time of the Maccabean Revolt to A.D. 138. The book begins with an explanation of the relevance of the historical, political, social, and economic background during the first century which helps furnish a proper understanding of the New Testament. Dr. Tenney takes into account all the possible historical sources—canonical and non-canonical, literary and archaeological. A survey of the world situation after the death of Alexander the Great includes a summary of the Maccabean revolt, crucial to the understanding of the messianic hopes of the Jewish people. Dr. Tenney saw three cultural tensions playing upon the embryonic Judaism, Roman imperialism, and Hellenism. The survey continues by tracing the growth of Christianity under the Roman • The birth of Christ and the age of Augustus
• Christ's ministry during the reign of Tiberius
• The rise of the church
• Persecutions under Nero and Domitian
• The new era of Christianity under Trajan and Hadrian. New Testament Times provides the reader with the historical framework in which the Christian gospel is set, and makes the biblical message speak clearly and meaningfully by placing it in the perspective of history. Included are 130 illustrations, 3 original maps, 6 helpful charts, 4 exhaustive indices and a detailed bibliography.

Genres: History, Biblical Studies, Nonfiction, Reference, Christian, Historical, Christianity

416 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1965

Reviews

[Randy Corn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tenney is a first-rate scholar and shows a real command of the NT world with this book. As I read it this time I thought of what a bloody world it was. The cruelty of men was on clear display. I have no doubt that had weapons of mass destruction been available in those days, the world would have ceased to exist. That sad picture makes the message of Christianity stand out. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone wanting insight into that era, but I believe it has been surpassed by more recent contributions to the field.

[Read1000books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great background information regarding the political and cultural events within the geographic area of the Roman Empire beginning with the Maccabean period (i.e. between the Old and New Testaments) through the end of the reign of Emperor Hadrian in A.D. 138. All the various individuals associated with the Maccabees can be tedious but those readers who persevere will be rewarded with many insights in the material about the time of Christ, the apostles, and the early church.

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informational and accessible. It was a text for a class I took which usually means 'b o r i n g' yet it was anything but.

[Joshua Lawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A concise overview of New Testament history. The serious student will want to go deeper, but this is a good place to start in understanding the times of Christ and the early church.

[Lisa Hemphill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book to get useful and understandable information regarding ancient Israel. For a novice like myself it helped me see scripture in a new light.