Abstract
In terms of excellent and measured introductory handbooks on the New Testament, there is perhaps not the embarrassment of riches one might expect. This first volume of a three-part collection on the New Testament (Volume 1: The Gospels and Acts; Volume 2: Paul and the Pauline Letters; Volume 3: The General Letters and Revelation), all written by Matthew L. Skinner, is an assured contribution which helps to fill this partial lacuna. Its aim is to provide an invitation and orientation into the ‘raging debates that the New Testament has provoked over the centuries’ (p. x), and its target audience is seminarians, graduate students, and advanced undergraduates (p. 3).
The introduction sets out the importance of considering theological, literary, and historical components in approaching the New Testament. Skinner signals five appropriate foci that his volumes will highlight: the Old Testament, the Roman Empire, women in the early church’s life and theology, apocalyptic theology, and the New Testament’s ongoing theological relevance. Four further chapters follow which offer a big-picture approach as orientation: ‘What is the New Testament?’, ‘The New Testament World’, ‘The Gospels’, ‘Jesus of Nazareth’. Skinner then tackles the five documents in canonical order. Space is distributed very evenly to each text. Each chapter has a basic pattern involving: some initial remarks on the given text; an outline of its context; four or five principal themes that are especially emphasised. There is a selective bibliography which offers a sufficient starting point for further enquiry, as well as a brief subject index.
Skinner’s approach is unashamedly conventional and, while often perceptive, there is little here that will surprise. He comes to standard positions on issues like the Synoptic Problem and is rightly cautious in judgments about the authorship of the Gospels. All the content is thoughtful, but highlights include a terse, yet comprehensive, summary of Israel’s history within the ancient Mediterranean world (pp. 29-39), and the final chapter on Acts, which is especially well-conceived. The volume is clearly written and is refreshingly uncluttered without footnotes, although the occasional map or ancient artefact might have been beneficial for students. While this volume might be too traditional or austere for non-confessional institutions, I would have no hesitation in recommending it for seminarians for pre-lecture reading. The coverage of the primary texts is focused, thorough, and stimulating. Overall, one would be hard-pressed to find anything more balanced and reliable as an introductory companion to the Gospels and Acts for this environment.