Source: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
MATTHEW
Author: Matthew (Levi), a former tax collector who became one of Jesus’ 12 disciples
Audience: Jews
Purpose: To prove that Jesus is the Messiah, the eternal King
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 60-65
Special Features: Matthew is filled with messianic language (“Son of David” is used throughout) and Old Testament references (53 quotes and 76 other references). This Gospel’s purpose was to present the clear evidence that Jesus is the predicted Messiah, the Savior.
MARK
Author: John Mark. He was not one of the 12 disciples, but he accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey (Acts 13:13) and is traditionally associated with Peter.
Audience: Christians in Rome, where the Gospel was written
Purpose: To present the person, work. and teachings of Jesus
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 55-60
Special Features: Mark was probably the first Gospel written. The other Gospels quote all but 31 verses of Mark. Marks records more miracles than any other Gospel.
LUKE
Author: Luke, a doctor (Col 4:14), a Greek (Gentile) Christian. He is the only known Gentile (non-Jewish) author in the New Testament. Luke was a close friend and companion of Paul. He also wrote Acts, and the two books go together.
Audience: Theophilus and other Gentiles
Purpose: To present an accurate account of the life of Christ, and to present Christ as the perfect human and Savior
Date Written: About A.D. 60
Special Features: This is the most comprehensive of the Gospels. The general vocabulary and writing style show that the author was educated. He makes frequent references to illnesses and diagnoses. Luke stresses Jesus’ relationship with people; emphasizes prayer, miracles, and angels; records inspired hymns of praise; gives a prominent place to women.
JOHN
Author: John the apostle, son of Zebedee, brother of James, called a “Son of Thunder”
Audience: New Christians and searching non-Christians
Purpose: To prove conclusively that Jesus is the Son of God and that all who believe in him will have eternal life
Date Written: Probably A.D. 85-90
Special Features: Of the eight miracles recorded, six are unique (among the Gospels) to John, as is the “Upper Room Discourse” (John 14-17). Over 90 percent of John is unique to his Gospel – John does not contain a genealogy or any record of Jesus’ birth, childhood, temptation, transfiguration, appointment of the disciples, nor any account of Jesus’ parables, ascension, or great commission.
ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
Author: Luke (a Gentile physician)
Audience: Theophilus
Purpose: To give an accurate account of the birth and growth of the Christian church
Setting: Acts is the connecting link between the Gospels and the Letters.
Special Feature: Acts is the sequel to the Gospel of Luke. Because Acts ends so abruptly, Luke may have planned to write a third book, continuing the story.
ROMANS
Author: Paul
Audience: The Christians in Rome
Purpose: To introduce Paul to the Romans and to give a sample of his message before he arrives in Rome
Date Written: About A.D. 54, from Corinth
Special Feature: Paul wrote Romans as an organized and carefully presented statement of his faith–it does not have the form of a typical letter.
1 CORINTHIANS
Author: Paul
Audience: The church in Corinth
Purpose: To identify problems in the Corinthian church, to offer solutions, and to teach the believers how to live for Christ in a corrupt society
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 53, during Paul’s three-year ministry in Ephesus, during his third missionary journey
Special Feature: This is a strong, straight forward letter.
2 CORINTHIANS
Author: Paul
Audience: The church in Corinth
Purpose: To affirm Paul’s ministry, defend his authority as an apostle, and refute the false teachers in Corinth
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 54, from Macedonia
Special Features: This is an intensely personal and autobiographical letter. In 1 Corinthians, Paul used strong words to correct and teach. Most of the church had responded in the right spirit; there were, however, those who were denying Paul’s authority and questioning his motives.
GALATIANS
Author: Paul
Audience: The churches in southern Galatia, founded on Paul’s first missionary journey (including Iconium, Lystra, Derbe)
Purpose: To refute the Judaizers (who taught that Gentile believers must obey the Jewish law in order to be saved), and to call Christians to faith and freedom in Christ
Setting: Paul writes an impassioned letter responding to the most pressing controversy in the early church: the relationship of new believers, particularly Gentiles, to the Jewish laws.
EPHESIANS
Author: Paul
Audience: The church at Ephesus, then circulated to neighboring local churches
Purpose: To strengthen the believers in Ephesus in their Christian faith by explaining the nature and purpose of the church, the body of Christ
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 60, from Rome, during Paul’s imprisonment there
Special Feature: The letter was not written to confront any heresy or problem in the churches. It was sent with Tychicus to strengthen and encourage the churches in the area.
PHILIPPIANS
Author: Paul
Audience: The church at Philippi
Purpose: To thank the Philippians for the gift they had sent Paul and to strengthen these believers by showing them that true joy come from Jesus Christ alone
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 60, from Rome, during Paul’s imprisonment there
Setting: The Philippian church had sent a gift to Paul in prison. He wrote this letter to thank them for their gift and to encourage them in their faith.
COLOSSIANS
Author: Paul
Audience: The church at Colosse, a city in Asia Minor
Purpose: To combat errors in the church and to show that believers have everything they need in Christ
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 60, during Paul’s imprisonment in Rome
Setting: Paul had never visited Colosse. Evidently the church had been founded by other converts from Paul’s missionary travels. The church had been infiltrated by people attempting to combine elements of paganism and secular philosophy with Christian doctrine. Paul confronts these false teachings and affirms the sufficiency of Christ.
1 THESSALONIANS
Author: Paul
Audience: The church at Thessalonica
Purpose: To strengthen the Thessalonian Christians in their faith and give them the assurance of Christ’s return
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 50 from Corinth
Setting: The church at Thessalonica was very young, having been established only two or three years before this letter was written. The Thessalonian Christians needed to mature in their faith.
2 THESSALONIANS
Author: Paul
Audience: The church in Thessalonica
Purpose: To clear up the confusion about the second coming of Christ
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 50, a few months after 1 Thessalonians, from Corinth
Setting: This follow-up to 1 Thessalonians clears up some misunderstandings. In this letter, Paul indicates various events that must precede the second coming of Christ.
1 TIMOTHY
Author: Paul
Audience: Timothy, Paul’s son in the faith
Purpose: To give encouragement and instruction to Timothy, a young leader
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 62, probably just prior to Paul’s final imprisonment in Rom
Special Features: This is a personal letter and a hand book of church administration and discipline. Timothy led the church in Ephesus.
2 TIMOTHY
Author: Paul
Audience: Timothy, Paul’s son in the faith
Purpose: To give final instructions and encouragement to Timothy, pastor of the church at Ephesus
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 64, from prison in Rome, where Paul awaited imminent execution
Special Features: Because this is Paul’s last letter, it reveals his heart and his priorities–sound doctrine, steadfast faith, confident endurance, and lasting love.
TITUS
Author: Paul
Audience: Titus, a Greek
Purpose: To advise Titus in his responsibility of supervising the churches on the island of Crete
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 62, around the same time 1 Timothy was written when Paul traveled between his Roman imprisonments
Setting: Paul sent Titus to organize and oversee the churches on Crete. This letter tells Titus how to do this job.
PHILEMON
Author: Paul
Audience: Philemon, a wealthy member of the Colossian church
Purpose: To convince Philemon to forgive his runaway slave, Onesimus, and to accept him as a brother in the faith
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 60, during Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome
Special Feature: This is a personal letter to a friend.
HEBREWS
Author: Unknown. Paul, Luke, Barnabas, Apollos, Silas, Philip, Priscilla, and others have been suggested. Whoever it was speaks of Timothy as “brother” (Heb 13:23).
Audience: Hebrew Christians who may have been considering a return to Judaism
Purpose: To present the sufficiency and superiority of Christ
Date Written: Probably before A.D. 70, because Jewish sacrifices and ceremonies are discussed, but no mention is made of the Temple’s destruction
Setting: These Jewish Christians were probably undergoing fierce persecution, socially and physically, both from Jews and from Romans. They needed to be reassured that Christianity was true and that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.
JAMES
Author: James, Jesus’ half brother, a leader in the Jerusalem church
Audience: First-century Jewish Christians residing in Gentile communities
Purpose: To expose hypocritical practices and to teach right Christian behavior
Date Written: Probably A.D. 48, prior to the Jerusalem council held in A.D. 49
Setting: James expresses concern for persecuted Christians who were once part of the Jerusalem church.
1 PETER
Author: Peter
Audience: Jewish Christians driven out of Jerusalem and scattered throughout Asia Minor
Purpose: To offer encouragement to suffering Christians
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 62-64, possibly from Rome
Setting: Throughout the Roman Empire, Christians were being tortured and killed for their faith, and the church in Jerusalem was being scattered.
2 PETER
Author: Peter
Audience: The church at large
Purpose: To warn Christians about false teachers and to exhort them to grow in their faith and knowledge of Christ
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 64, likely from Rome
Setting: Peter knew that his time on earth was limited, so he wrote about what was on his heart, warning believers about the presence of false teachers and reminding them of the unchanging truth of the gospel.
1 JOHN
Author: The apostle John
Audience: This pastoral letter was likely sent to several Gentile congregations.
Purpose: To reassure Christians in their faith and to counter false teachings
Date Written: Probably between A.D. 85 and 90, from Ephesus
Setting: John was an older man and perhaps the only surviving apostle at this time. As an eyewitness of Christ, he wrote to give a new generation confidence in God and in their faith.
2 JOHN
Author: The apostle John
Audience: To “the chosen lady” and her children–probably a local church
Purpose: To emphasize the basics of following Christ–truth and love–and to warn against false teachers
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 90 from Ephesus
Setting: This church had developed a strong relationship with John. John was warning them of the false teachers who were becoming prevalent in the area.
3 JOHN
Author: The apostle John
Audience: Gaius, a prominent Christian in one of the churches known to John
Purpose: To commend Gaius for his hospitality and to encourage him in his Christian life
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 90 from Ephesus
Setting: Church leaders traveled from town to town helping to establish new congregations. They depended on the hospitality of fellow believers like Gaius.
JUDE
Author: Jude, half brother of Jesus and brother of James
Audience: Jewish Christians
Purpose: To remind the church of the need for constant vigilance–to keep strong in the faith and to oppose heresy
Date Written: Difficult to determine; as early as A.D. 65, but likely around A.D. 90
Setting: From the beginning, the church has been threatened by false teaching; we must always be on our guard.
REVELATION
Author: The apostle John
Audience: The seven churches in Asia and all believers everywhere
Purpose: To reveal the full identity of Christ and to give warning and hope to believers
Date Written: Approximately A.D. 95 from Patmos
Setting: The persecution of Christian under Emperor Domitian (A.D. 90-95) was underway, and John had been exiled to the island of Patmos. John had a vision of the glorified Christ and what would take place in the future–judgment and the ultimate triumph of God over evil.