New Testament Survey - Module 1: Introductory Material

Hi everyone, and welcome to the first module of the New Testament Survey Course. In this section, we'll be working through some preliminary information to give you introduction to some background issues that will hopefully help you better learn and understand later material.

This module will help you to put the New Testament into its historical background - to understand a bit about the world and society in which the New Testament was written, to understand the historical events that led up to the historical events described in the New Testament, and to understand the worldview and ideas that led up to the worldview and ideas expressed in the New Testament. This will highlight the connection with the Old Testament, and all that God had been doing with His people Israel in preparation for the revelation of Jesus in the New Testament.

This module will also give you an introduction to the geography in which the New Testament took place, and the actual literary documents that make up the New Testament. But this course will begin with a brief introduction why and how to read and study the New Testament most profitably.

Module Objectives and Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this module, the student will:

  • Favorably consider the necessity of and the means to study the New Testament.
  • Articulate the 'Big-Picture' history and the 'Big-Idea' themes of the New Testament.
  • Place the major historical events and people of the Intertestamental Period in a general chronology.
  • Articulate the connectedness of the Old Testament to the New Testament.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the literary divisions of the New Testament Scriptures.

Course Documents

In this section, you'll find links to important and supplemental documents for this module. Click the following links to open each document. The first group contains documents that explain and give instruction for all the course activities in this module. The second group is a set of blank lecture notes which you may use as a companion for the video lectures. And the last group contains overview and supplemental documents for some of the topics covered in this module.

Instruction Guides


Lecture Notes


Supplemental Documents


Lecture Videos

In this section, you will find the video lectures for all the introductory course material module. They are designed to be watched in order, but each video should make sense on its own. Click each thumbnail to open access to each video. There are also links with each video if you prefer to watch on the Rumble or YouTube interface or download just the audio to listen offline.

1: Why Study the New Testament?

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1: Why Study the New Testament?
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2: How to Study the New Testament

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2: How to Study the New Testament
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3: The Old Testament Background

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3: The Old Testament Background
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4: The Intertestamental Background

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4: The Intertestamental Background
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5: The Social Background

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5: The Social Background
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6: The Kingdom of God Background

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6: The Kingdom of God Background
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7: NT History Overview

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7: NT History Overview
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8: NT Themes

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9: NT Geography

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10: NT Literature

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10: NT Literature
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Reviews

In this section, you will find the review slides from the course lectures for module 1. This is a convenient way to view and review the summaries for each lecture. Click the Thumbnail picture to begin the slide show.

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Click the prev. and next buttons (bottom right of the slide) to move through the slides. You can also click on any thumbnail to go directly to that slide.

Review Quiz

This section is a link to a review quiz to test your understanding of the objective material for Module 1. By clicking the link, you will be taken to a series of questions, in random order. Answer each question and then push the Submit button to check your answers. Every question must be answered before you can submit the quiz. At the end, you will be shown your score for the entire quiz. The quiz will be different each time, so feel free to take it more than once. Click the Thumbnail picture to begin the quiz.

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Here is a review quiz for the material covered in this module's lectures. Click the button next to the best answer for each question, or drag each term to its best definition. Then press the button at the bottom to see if your answers are correct.


Which is NOT a reason given to study the NT?

To know eternal life

Sorry, see Lecture 01

To know yourself

Sorry, see Lecture 01

To bring about the Kingdom of God

Good Job

To know God's plan

Sorry, see Lecture 01

To grow as a disciple

Sorry, see Lecture 01

To know Jesus

Sorry, see Lecture 01
As the good news of Jesus spread to wider territories, it also spread to different cultures and ethnic groups.

True

Correct

False

Sorry, see Lecture 09
Jesus fulfilled their expectations about the Kingdom of God in ways they did not expect, and so He had to correct their expectations.

True

Well done

False

Sorry, see Lecture 06
The New Testament is actually a collection of 27 individual writings gathered into one library

True

Well Done

False

Sorry, see Lecture 10
It is a problem and a danger to try to hear the Word of God while ignoring His words to us in history.

True

Good job

False

Sorry, see Lecture 02
The Old Testament ends with a mixture of hopeful expectancy and disappointment.

True

Well Done

False

Sorry, see Lecture 03
"Disciple" means "learner" or "student" and refers to Jesus's followers.

True

Well Done

False

Sorry, see Lecture 07
What does the textbook call the single most important view that unified the Jews?

That they must keep the Sabbath

Sorry, see Textbook ch. 2

That the Romans must be resisted and defeated

Sorry, see Textbook ch. 2

That they were God's chosen people

Good Job

That Jesus was an impostor

Sorry, see Textbook ch. 2
Which of these is NOT a Major division of the New Testament literature?

Pauline Epistles

Sorry, see Lecture 10

General Epistles

Sorry, see Lecture 10

Historical Books

Sorry, see Lecture 10

Prophets

Well Done

Revelation

Sorry, see Lecture 10
According to course material, Which of these is NOT one of the problems that people in the intertestamental times wrestled with?

Not all of the people had returned from the Babylonian exile

Good Job

God had stopped speaking to Israel through the prophets

Sorry, see Lecture 06

Israel continued to suffer oppression under foreign nations

Sorry, see Lecture 06
Which of these was NOT an expected result when the Kingdom of God arrived?

Victory over God's enemies, such as demonic oppression, foreign oppression, injustice, sickness, and disease, etc.

Sorry, see Lecture 06

God's people will be changed, with a new heart and new spirit

Sorry, see Lecture 06

God will take His people away to dwell with Him in Heaven

Well Done

A new and renewed people of God in special relation with Him

Sorry, see Lecture 06

God's salvation will extend to every nation, and all the Earth

Sorry, see Lecture 06
The concept of the Kingdom of God closely connects God's rule with the rule of the Messiah/Descendent of David.

True

Good Job

False

Sorry, see Lecture 06
The Kingdom of God is not primarily God's reign, but the realm over which He rules

True

Sorry, see Lecture 06

False

Good Job
After Alexander the Great's empire broke up after his death, the promised land became the battle ground between two of the empires.

True

Good Job

False

Sorry, see Lecture 04
The return from Babylon both renewed and crushed Jewish nationalistic hopes.

True

Well Done

False

Sorry, see Lecture 03
Jesus disagreed with and resisted everything the Pharisees said and did.

True

Sorry, see Lecture 05

False

Correct
In the time of Jesus, Judea was controlled directly by Rome, under Roman governors

True

Correct

False

Sorry, see Lecture 09
In the first 3 Gospels, Jesus talked about love more than He talked about the Kingdom of God.

True

Sorry, see Lecture 06

False

Good Job
Some Jews in New Testament times collaborated with the Romans while others resisted.

True

Well Done

False

Sorry, see Lecture 05
Which of these is NOT part of the nature of the Bible?

It comes to us in history

Sorry, see Lecture 02

It comes to us in human words

Sorry, see Lecture 02

It becomes the Word of God as we read and believe it

Well done, It is the Word of God even before we read it

It is the Word of God

Sorry, see Lecture 02
Which of these is NOT a key aspect of the Judaism that arose in the intertestamental period?

Rejection of all tradition beside the Bible

Well Done

Focus on the Law

Sorry, see Lecture 04

Synagogue

Sorry, see Lecture 04

Rulership by a Priestly caste

Sorry, see Lecture 04
The Jews won political independence for a time during the intertestamental period.

True

Well Done

False

Sorry, see Lecture 04
Which of these is NOT a political division of the land where Jesus lived?

Egypt

Well done

Samaria

Sorry, see Lecture 09

Galilee

Sorry, see Lecture 09

Judea

Sorry, see Lecture 09

Decapolis

Sorry, see Lecture 09
The NT continues the OT idea of sin and punishment, but also continues the OT idea of atonement and forgiveness.

True

Good Job

False

Sorry, see Lecture 08
Which of these is NOT an empire that ruled during the intertestamental period?

Babylonian

Sorry, see Lecture 04

Roman

Sorry, see Lecture 04

Greek

Sorry, see Lecture 04

Medio-Persian

Sorry, see Lecture 04

Egyptian

Correct
Which of these is NOT one of the major Jewish social groups in New Testament times?

The Zealots

Sorry, see Lecture 05

The Synagogues

Correct

The Sadducees

Sorry, see Lecture 05

The People of the Land

Sorry, see Lecture 05

The Pharisees

Sorry, see Lecture 05
The dispersion of Jewish people outsied the promised land before Christ aided the spread of Christianity after Christ.

True

Well Done

False

Sorry, see Lecture 05
Part of the expansion of the early church was to gather believers in Christ into local congregations.

True

Correct

False

Sorry, see Lecture 07
Which of these is not a part of the New Testament History summary?

Disciples

Sorry, see Lecture 07

Persecution

Good Job

Expansion

Sorry, see Lecture 07

Jesus

Sorry, see Lecture 07

Consummation

Sorry, see Lecture 07
We can know God's big picture plan for the universe, because He has made it known

True

Well Done

False

Sorry, see Lecture 01

Discussion/Reflection/Essay Questions

This section contains questions for further thought and discussion from Module 1. These questions can also be used as essay questions in a classroom setting exam. These questions are chosen randomly from a larger bank of questions, so you can refresh the page for more options. It is recommended that you take time to think through these issues in order to thoroughly grasp the significance and explore the application of the material you are learning. Click the Thumbnail to view the questions.

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The following questions are for your thoughtful consideration and discussion:

  1. In what ways has an understanding of the background of the "Kingdom of God" idea help you understand Jesus and the people's reaction to Him. What does it tell you about His mission and identity?
  2. Define and describe the "eternal perspective." What difference does this make for the lives of believers?
  3. Describe the Old Testament concept of SCRuB. How does it prepare for the New Testament? How is it fulfilled in the New Testament?
  4. According to the course textbook, why should we STUDY the New Testament in addition to just reading it devotionally?
  5. Describe how the Old Testament both prepared for and predicted the coming of Jesus. What does this tell us about Jesus and His mission?

Module Completed!

Congratulations, you have reached the end of the first module. I hope that you have found it rewarding and have noticed personal growth.

I encourage you to continue on the next module as soon as is convenient. The button below will take you to Module 2.