Chapter I: Preface

This book is intended to meet the widely prevalent need of an introduction to the New Testament which is neither a mere hand-book nor an elaborate treatise for specialists. It is written in a conservative spirit, and at the same time an ample use has been made of recent critical investigation.

It has been impossible to give an exhaustive proof of the position maintained, but no matter of great importance has been overlooked. The arguments will be intelligible to educated persons who are unacquainted with the Greek language.

The author has sometimes derived much help from the articles in Dr. Hastings' _Dictionary of the Bible_. The dates which have been adopted are in most cases those adopted in {vi} that Dictionary by Dr. Sanday and Mr. C. H. Turner.

His best thanks are due to the Rev. E. W. Pullan, Mr. J. F. Briscoe, and Mr. E. W. Corbett, for the kind help which they have given him in the preparation of the book.

{vii}

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

TABLE OF APPROXIMATE DATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . x
I. THE NEW TESTAMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
II. THE GOSPELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
III. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW . . . . . . . . 33
IV. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK . . . . . . . . . . 49
V. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE . . . . . . . . . . 64
VI. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN . . . . . . . . . . 80
VII. THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
VIII. THE EPISTLES OF ST. PAUL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
IX. 1 AND 2 THESSALONIANS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
X. THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE
CORINTHIANS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
XI. THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE
CORINTHIANS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
XII. THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE GALATIANS . . 150
XIII. THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE ROMANS . . . 158
XIV. THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE
COLOSSIANS--THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO PHILEMON . . . 170
XV. THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE EPHESIANS . . 180
XVI. THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 188
XVII. THE PASTORAL EPISTLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
XVIII. THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
XIX. THE CATHOLIC EPISTLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
XX. THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JAMES . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
XXI. THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER . . . . . . . . . 235
XXII. THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER . . . . . . . . 246
XXIII. THE EPISTLES OF ST. JOHN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
XXIV. THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JUDE . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
XXV. THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE . . . . . . . 270