Why a ''New Testament''?: Covenant as an Impetus for New Scripture in Early Christianity (Texts and Editions for New Testament Study, 19)

Book info: Why a ''New Testament''?: Covenant as an Impetus for New Scripture in Early Christianity (Texts and Editions for New Testament Study, 19) (Hardcover, 388 pages) – Brill, 2025. Language: English.

Why would early Christians perceive the need for a ‘New Testament’? Unfortunately, most studies on the NT canon concentrate on its development and closing to the neglect of its impetus. Yet NT texts like 1 Tim. 5:18 and 2 Pet. 3:16 reveal that, within the first century, early Christians began receiving recent Christian texts as “Scripture”, on par with their Old Testament scriptural collection. What explains this rapid and remarkable development? Levi Baker traces the connection between Scripture and covenant in early Judaism and early Christianity, arguing that the answer lies in early Christianity’s conviction that Jesus had inaugurated the new covenant. Editorial Reviews About the Author Levi S. Baker (Ph.D., Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) is Associate Professor of New Testament at William Tennent School of Theology. His research and writing focus on elucidating the New Testament’s relationship to the religious world of Second Temple Judaism, including the Old Testament.