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
- Individual Student Guide for Module 1
- Group Student Guide for Module 1
- Bible and Textbook Reading List for Module 1
- Timeline Project Instructions
Lecture Notes
Supplemental Documents
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.
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.
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 separate page which contains a review quiz to test your understanding of the objective material for Module 7. 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.
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.
The following questions are for your thoughtful consideration and discussion:
- Describe the Old Testament expectation of the "Day of the Lord." How does this help us understand the New Testament?
- Describe in general what you have learned about the background and nature of the New Testament. How will this knowledge help you to understand the New Testament better?
- According to the course textbook, why should we STUDY the New Testament in addition to just reading it devotionally?
- Describe how the Old Testament both prepared for and predicted the coming of Jesus. What does this tell us about Jesus and His mission?
- 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?
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.
