One of the daunting challenges facing the New Testament interpreter is
achieving familiarity with the immense corpus of related literatures.
Scholars and students alike must have a fundamental understanding of the
content, provenance, and utility for New Testament interpretation of a
wide range of pagan, Jewish, and diversely Christian documents.
Ancient Texts for the Study of the New Testament provides descriptions
of all ancient literature that is relevant for serious study of the New
Testament writings. Readers can quickly survey the literature clustered
under various headings (such as the Apocrypha, Dead Sea Scrolls, or
early Rabbinic literature), easily access brief definitions and
descriptions, and then consider examples of how the literature sheds
light on the background and interpretation of specific passages in the
New Testament. There are several helpful appendices, including one that
lists, beginning with Matthew and ending with Revelation, potentially
significant parallels between New Testament passages and the ancient
writings treated in the book.
This thoroughly revised and significantly expanded edition of
Noncanonical Writings and New Testament Interpretation examines a vast
range of ancient literature, masterfully distilling details of date,
language, text, and translation into an eminently usable handbook. Craig
Evans evaluates the materials' relevance for interpreting the New
Testament and provides essential biographies. Although the book is
written at an introductory level, its comprehensive scope makes it
useful even for the seasoned scholar.
