Book Review: Seven Events that Shaped the New Testament World

What sort of world did the biblical authors and Early Christians live in? It is often very hard for us twenty-first-century, technology-driven, Western-thinking Americans to think of a culture different than our own; and this poses massive problems when it comes to Christians faithfully reading the New Testament texts and seeking to understand them in their original context.

Dr. Warren Carter, professor of New Testament at Brite Divinity School (TCU), has written a helpful little book that is accessible to Christians of all levels in order to help answer this question. In order to inform Christians today about what kind of world the Early Church found itself in, Dr. Carter looks at seven key events that shaped this world.

The events that Dr. Carter chose to focus on, each of which constitutes a chapter in the book, are as follows:

1. The death of Alexander the Great (323 BCE)
2. The process of translating Hebrew Scriptures into Greek (ca. 250 BCE)
3. The rededication of the Jerusalem Temple (164 BCE)
4. The Roman occupation of Judea (63 BCE)
5. The crucifixion of Jesus (ca. 30 CE)
6. The writing of the New Testament texts (ca. 50 – ca. 130 CE)
7. The process of “closing” the New Testament canon (397 CE)

Why these seven events? Dr. Carter gives an answer in the introduction:

What makes each event special? How were they selected? I take each events as a focal point for larger cultural dynamics and sociohistorical realities that were in some way significant for followers of Jesus and the New Testament. I use them as entry points, as launching pads, to talk about these significant and larger realities” (xvii)

While I completely understand that Dr. Carter had to be selective, and that choosing only seven events from over 700 years of human experience is a tough task for anyone, I was still surprised that the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD (or CE) did not find itself into this list.

While you may not agree with everything written, this book is a very useful, concise introduction into the world surrounding the New Testament. In this book, Dr. Carter helpfully intertwines religious, political, and economic factors that went into shaping the culture and society around the New Testament. I think that any Christian, whether a student, pastor, or lay member of a Church, who is interested in learning more about the original context in which the New Testament was written will be well served by making their way through this book.

You can purchase the book from Amazon by clicking here.

Also, here is a helpful video by the author, Dr. Warren Carter, introducing his book:

In accordance with FTC regulations, I would like to thank Baker Academic for providing me with a free review copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.