New Testament

• Matthew
• Markus
• Luke
• John

• Roman
• 1 Corinthians
• 2 Corinthians
• Galatians
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians
• 1 Thessalonians
• 2 Thessalonians
• 1 Timothy
• 2 Timothy
• Titus
• Philemon
• Hebrew

• Epistle of James
• 1 Peter
• 2 Peter
• 1 John
• 2 John
• 3 John
• Judas

The New Testament (abbreviated NT) is a collection of 27 writings of early Christianity in the Greek language, proclaim the Jesus Christ -down as the rescue of Israel and of the cosmos Messiah and Son of God. This New Testament writings often refer to the Old Testament. Old and New Testaments together make up the Bible; this is recognized by all branches of Christianity as the Word of God and the basis of faith.

The term is derived from the Latin Testament testamentum; this is a translation from Hebrew בְּרִית ( Berit ) or Greek διαθήκη ( Diatheke ). Instead of "New Testament" of even " New Covenant " or (rarely ) it is said " Second Testament".

The NT consists of four text types: First, the four canonical gospels, which unfold Jesus ' life, death and resurrection narrative, secondly, a book of Acts, thirdly, 21 letters to Christian communities and employees, and fourthly an apocalypse, the Revelation of John. Overall, the NT contains approximately 140,000 words.

Term

The term developed from the Greek " καινὴ διαθήκη " ( Kaine Diatheke ), which means " new covenant " is and has been translated into Latin with " Novum Testamentum ". The covenant between God and his people Israel is a central theme of the Tanakh (Ex 19.5 EU). According to the Gospel of Luke Jesus Christ used the term at the Last Supper ( Luke 22:20 EU). The term appears there probably in reference to the words of the prophet Jeremiah: "Behold, days are coming - declares the Lord - in which I 'm going to the house of Israel and the house of Judah a new covenant " ( Jer 31:31 EU ).

The writings of the New Testament were in Greek recorded ( " Novum Testamentum Grace "). It is the so-called Koine Greek. The Semitisms of inputs were the Greek language of the Bible called the Septuagint Greek Bible. Sometimes it was claimed that parts of the New Testament was originally written in Aramaic ( the language of Jesus and the first Christians ). However, there are no assumptions for such ancient textual evidence; all known New Testament manuscripts from the early centuries are written in the Greek language.

According to the book of Hebrews the new covenant between God and man begins with the death of the Jew Jesus of Nazareth:

" And that's why he's [Jesus ] is the mediator of a new covenant; His death has effected the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, so that those who are called to receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where there is a testament, the death of the testator must be proved; because a will is in force only in case of death, and shall not, so long as the testator is alive. "

In this translation of the Greek term is διαθήκη first as a "covenant ," then rendered as " Testament". The translation reflects as the two levels of meaning of the Christian concept. Jesus is portrayed in the writings of the New Testament as a practicing Jew and circumcised who teaches the commandments and the wisdom of the Tanakh. The New Covenant begins thus based on the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ at the end of the Christian Gospels.

The relationship of " the old " to "new " covenant or testament is an important issue in Christian- Jewish dialogue. Therefore, the Old Testament is also referred to as the " First Testament" to counter the understanding of the detachment of the Old Testament by the New. An analogous name of the New Testament as " Second Testament" however, there is rather rare.

Bibelkundlicher overview of the NT

The four Gospels

The NT begins with the four canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Although the gospels are at the beginning of modern editions of the Bible, they are created only after the letters of Paul. Content they want to give the good news (Gospel) of the reconciliation of man with God in Jesus Christ expression. To this end, they collect speeches and events mainly from the period from the first public appearance of Jesus to his death and resurrection. The presentation of the last days until his death by crucifixion is particularly detailed. Included are many sayings and summarized speeches and miracle stories, theological interpretations, parables and dialogues between Jesus, his followers and his opponents and stories about his resurrection from the dead.

The Acts

The Acts of the Apostles (also "Acta Apostolorum " ) is the continuation of the Gospel according to Luke by the same author. A key measure is the Pentecost event and the sending of the disciples. The " Acts of the Apostles ," as the Greek title is translated, contain stories about the first martyr Stephen and James the Just, brother of Jesus. In addition, the text provides information about the early church in Jerusalem ( Jerusalem community ) and over the life of the first Christians. The second half deals mainly with the Apostle Paul. It reports its early days as a persecutor of the Christian community, his conversion and his missionary work in Asia Minor and Europe. The book of Acts ends with the last station of Paul in Rome. The end of Paul, it is assumed, however, not disclosed.

The letters

Of the 27 writings of the NT are 21 separate letters that are commonly classified according to the actual or alleged authorship, function or group of addressees.

The Pauline Epistles

In the New Testament there are several fonts that specify as the author of the Apostle Paul, the Pauline Epistles ( Pauline corpus ). Only seven of these letters, however, are written with the safety of Paul. For the other another and later authorship of pupils of Paul was adopted with different substantive reasons.

The "real Pauline " or proto Pauline include the Romans, both Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, First Thessalonians, and Philemon. As deutero the second Epistle to the Thessalonians, Colossians, Ephesians, both letters to Timothy and the Epistle to Titus apply. The proto- Pauline letters are the earliest writings of the New Testament.

Often assigns you the letters in categories. The captivity letters were written by Paul from prison (self certificate) and the Pastoral Epistles provide answers to management and community issues. The contents of the letters of Paul to deal with theological issues, with the states in the communities with ethical issues, with substantive differences of the first Christian groups and with the defense against heresies.

The Letter to the Hebrews

The book of Hebrews has a special role among the letters of the New Testament. He calls himself no author. The Old Church participated in traditional, Paul was the author. This idea was largely abandoned in modern biblical scholarship. The author is so anonymous, but does not mean that the letter is less important content. As the book of Hebrews was regarded as Paul's letter, he finds himself therefore integrated in older manuscripts in the Pauline corpus. For text- critical approach therefore the Hebrews is still one of the Pauline corpus, while it represented theology in their orientation differs significantly from Paul.

The Catholic Epistles

The Catholic Epistles are not directed at a specific person or to a particular community, but to all Christians. The term "catholic" in this case has no reference to the Roman Catholic denomination, but the Greek word Katholos means as much as "for all" in this context. All Catholic Epistles call one of the disciples of Jesus or the early Christians as a writer. Today's Bible science but denied often that these people are the authors of these writings and considers it Pseudepigrapha.

The Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation contains visions of the writer John in the form of a letter.

History and canonization of the New Testament

The formal canonization of the New Testament took place in the fourth century. Is given to the 39th Easter Letter from the Bishop Athanasius of Alexandria in the year 367, which lists the today recognized in all Christian churches 27 books of the New Testament, and as binding on the Church considers to be the most important letter in the history of the New Testament canon.

At the beginning of the individual books of the New Testament in Christian communities were independent of each other in circulation. A first collection is probably the Pauline corpus is, because it is known that the Pauline letters have been summarized in the late 1st century to get them. These summaries circulated in some communities.

From the second to the fourth century, various combinations of the canonical writings have been preserved, the Muratorian canon, as well as lists of Irenaeus, Origen, Eusebius of Caesarea, Cyril of Jerusalem, Gregory of Nazianzus.

Undisputed here were always the four canonical Gospels, Acts, the Epistles of Paul, the Pastoral Epistles, and the first letter of John.

Partial doubted, but eventually recognized were the Hebrews, the Epistle of James, the 1st and 2nd Letter of Peter, 2nd and 3rd Letter of John, the Epistle of Jude, and the Book of Revelation.

Some writings were partly recognized, but eventually not included in the New Testament: the 1st and 2nd Epistle of Clement, the Didache, the Epistle of Barnabas, the Shepherd of Hermas, the Gospel of the Hebrews, the Apocalypse of Peter.

The other New Testament apocrypha are not listed in any canon list.

Importance

The New Testament is one of the most influential works of world literature; it shaped European and American culture. Numerous art and music art process designs and texts from the New Testament.

As part of the Bible, the New Testament is the basis for the Christian faith in different forms. Texts from the New Testament to be read regularly in Christian worship and are an integral part of the liturgy. Also for the personal faith of the Christians it plays an important role.

New Testament Studies

The New Testament scholarship is a branch of science Bible and deals with the New Testament means of

• Of textual criticism of the New Testament and the history of the text of the New Testament
• Exegesis ( interpretation )
• Introduction of Science / New Testament Literature History
• The New Testament History and History of Early Christianity
• The theology of the New Testament and
• The New Testament hermeneutics.

New Testament expert scientists working in the German speaking mostly of Protestant and Catholic theological faculties.