Essential reading for any student of the New Testament, C.K. Barrett's
classic The New Testament Background gives the reader a well-rounded
sense of the time and place in which Christianity was formed. The author
provides an exhaustive survey of life in the first century C.E., from
the world of the Roman Empire, to the teachings of Plato and Aristotle,
and the mysteries of Gnosticism. Of course, Barrett gives the reader a
thorough look at Judaism during the time that produced John the Baptist
and Jesus Christ.
With everything from letters from everyday life to the Dead Sea Scrolls,
C.K. Barrett's classic work presents 280 ancient writings that bring the
spiritual world of the first century vividly to life.
C. K. Barrett is Professor of Divinity at the University of Durham,
England. He has established himself it the front rank of contemporary
New Testament scholars by such works as The Holy Spirit in the Gospel
Tradition, Commentary on St. John, and The New Testament Background.