Chronological and Background Charts of the New Testament: Second Edition

By H. Wayne House

Approach the New Testament with confidence.

Chronological and Background Charts of the New Testament will help students organize and synthesize the vast amount of biblical and extrabiblical information on the New Testament by providing a helpful visual overview of the data, chronology, historical background, and criticism.

This format allows facts, relationships, parallels, and contrasts to be grasped quickly and easily. Perfect for enhancing every type of teaching and learning situation and style, including homeschooling curricula and tutoring, church classes and Sunday school.

The 90 charts in this updated, expanded edition are divided into four broad categories:

• General material for reading and understanding the New Testament.
• Backgrounds to the New Testament, such as historical and cultural settings.
• The Gospels—information on their authors, differences, audiences, etc.
• The apostolic age—chronology, theology, history, interpretations, etc.

These charts cover a wide range of topics, from basic information to extrabiblical data such as "The Roman Military System," "Rabbinic Writings," and "The Five Gospels of the Jesus Seminar."

ZondervanCharts are ready references for those who need the essential information at their fingertips. Accessible and highly useful, the books in this library offer clear organization and thorough summaries of issues, subjects, and topics that are key for Christian students and learners. The visuals and captions will cater to any teaching methodology, style, or program.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Jan 15, 2019
• ISBN: 9780310100348

H. Wayne House

H. Wayne House (ThD, JD) is distinguished research professor of theology, law, and culture at Faith Evangelical Seminary, Tacoma, Washington. He is the author of numerous books, including Charts of Cults, Sects, and Religious Movements; and Charts of Christian Theology and Doctrine; and Charts of Apologetics and Christian Evidences. Dr. House is past president of the Evangelical Theological Society. He and his wife Irina reside in Silverton, Oregon.

Book preview

Foreword

When working with the New Testament, one soon realizes the enormous amount of data within it. Many times it is difficult to see how the various factors mentioned in the New Testament relate to each other. Or other interesting questions may be raised: How many miracles are there, and what Gospels record them? When was Paul at Corinth? What books did Paul write on his second missionary journey? Who were the leading statesmen and thinkers in the Roman Empire during Christ’s ministry? One could go on.

Chronological and Background Charts of the New Testament will serve as a useful tool to Bible students in their search for answers to questions mentioned above, as well as to a myriad of other facts. Wayne House has put in one volume information that would take a library of books to give, in a format beneficial to all who read and study their Bible.

I hope many will utilize the materials in this book so that they will have a clear understanding of God’s message revealed in the Holy Scriptures.

Harold W. Hoehner

Distinguished Professor of New Testament

Dallas Theological Seminary

Preface to the Second Edition

The first edition of Chronological and Background Charts of the New Testament was published more than a quarter-century ago. This was my very first book, one that continues to have value for students, pastors, and others in their study of the New Testament. This new edition updates some information and also corrects some minor errors, typos, and discrepancies.

I have also added a number of new charts that will prove helpful to the reader. These include various parallel and similarity charts, such as Luke and Acts, Matthew and Mark, Luke and Mark and Ephesians and Colossians, and 2 Peter and Jude. Some new charts deal with authorship—for example, Ephesians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians, the Pastorals, and 2 Peter. Other new charts concern the date of Revelation and the Jesus Seminar’s perspectives on the Gospels.

I have been encouraged over the years by comments from students, pastors, and professors who have found the New Testament charts book helpful to them in their academic training and useful as a reference after college and seminary. It is truly gratifying to produce a book that has been of such value to tens of thousands.

I need to give appreciation to those who have made suggestions over the years, particularly students of mine who have used the book. Also, much thanks is due to the Rev. Bart Box, who as a student at New Orleans Baptist Seminary provided some important research work on the charts book. His assistance was invaluable. I also wish to thank research assistant Robert Drouhard, who helped me on the project.

I would be remiss not to thank again Stanley Gundry in suggesting the revision and Jim Ruark for his excellent editing work. I must also give my appreciation to Dr. Harold Hoehner of Dallas Theological Seminary and Dr. Craig Blomberg of Denver Seminary for carefully reviewing the first edition, making numerous corrections and suggestions about how to make the second edition a much better work.

Last of all, I hope that this second edition will prove valuable to many more thousands of students of the New Testament, all to the glory of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Soli Deo Gloria!

H. Wayne House

Distinguished Research Professor,

Biblical and Theological Studies

Faith Evangelical Seminary

Tacoma, Washington

Columbus Day, October 13, 2008

Preface to the First Edition

In 1978 John H. Walton’s Chronological Charts of the Old Testament was published and had an instant positive response from teachers and students of the Old Testament. This book filled a need for a reference tool on the myriad facts in the Old Testament and its historical background. Being a professor of New Testament, I sensed the need for a New Testament counterpart. Therefore I was delighted when Zondervan asked me to write such a book.

This reference tool to the New Testament and its times is intended for several audiences. Scholars may refer to it for examination of different points of view; for example, the duration of the ministry of Christ or the arguments on the authorship of Hebrews. The Bible student, pastor, or Bible teacher will find presentation of historical, cultural, chronological, and comparative information. The book covers issues of canon, gospel studies, textual criticism, biblical theology, ancient history, and numerous others.

I have sought to include the kind of information about which my students of New Testament have inquired or which I thought would be useful to the general Bible student. No attempt has been made to explain thoroughly all the topics presented. This book is intended to start a student on his way toward a comprehensive view of the subject in question. It should not be used as a substitute for in-depth study. Even though scholars disagree on dating, historical facts, meterology, chronology, and other matters, I have sought to be fair to all views and to be accurate.

Many people have contributed to this work. I want to give a special word of appreciation to my many professors of Bible and theology at Western Conservative Baptist Seminary and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. An expression of love and gratitude I offer to Daniel Preston. He nurtured my interest in the Bible while he was my Bible professor at Tomlinson College. Dr. Harold Hoehner and Dr. Elliott Johnson of Dallas Theological Seminary were a real encouragement to me for the past two years. Merland Miller wrote a thesis, listed in my bibliography, from which I was able to gain considerable information. I wish to thank Merland and Western Conservative Baptist Seminary for permission to borrow occasionally from his thesis. Merland has become my friend through our interchange over this awesome task. Several students have lent a hand, either in proofreading, typing, or some other task: Joel Barker, Stephanie Derksen, Vanessa Brandimore, Lorin Flagg, Chris Lange, Mark Lee, Dave Luckert, Steve Robinett, and Libby Stephens. To them I express my appreciation. I had to spend many hours away from my children, Carrie and Nathan, to write this book. I appreciate their patience.

Soli Deo Gloria!

H. Wayne House

LeTourneau College

Longview, Texas

PART I

General Material

Books of the New Testament

(arranged according to time of writing)

¹ All dates are A.D. Date of writing, place of writing, and addresses are disputed among scholars. For representative dates by conservative scholars, see Merrill C. Tenney, New Testament Survey, rev. ed., edited by Walter M. Dunnett (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1985); Robert G. Gromacki, New Testament Survey (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1989); Donald Guthrie, New Testament Introduction, 4th rev. ed. (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1990); Robert H. Gundry, A Survey of the New Testament, 4th ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003); D. A. Carson and Douglas J. Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006).

² See chart on authorship of Hebrews for details.

The base for this chart is from Robert H. Gundry, A Survey of the New Testament, 4th ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003). Adapted by permission.

Books of the New Testament

Literary Classification of the New Testament

¹ These are not ordinary biographies but rather the unique stories of the life of Jesus Christ.

² Acts is not merely history in the sense of a record of historical data. It is interpretive theological history—Salvation history.

³ The Book of Revelation shares similarities with Jewish apocalyptic works and later Old Testament books of apocalypticism, but also with Old Testament prophecy. Internally, the book is called a book of prophecy and an apocalypsis. Epistolary forms are also evident (e.g., Rev. 2–3).

Books of the New Testament Classified Doctrinally