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The Formation of the New Testament

WHAT ARE THE LITERARY GENRES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT?

Letters:
  • Paul: 1 Thessalonians, Galatians, Phillipians, Philemon, 1 and 2 Corinthians, and Romans (50s)
  • deuteroPauline: 2 Thessalonians, Colossians, Ephesians, 1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus (70-100)
  • Pastoral Letters: 1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus
  • Catholic Letters: 1 and 2 Peter, James, Jude, 1, 2, and 3 John (70-100)
    Gospels:
  • evangelist; synoptic gospels: Mark, Matthew, Luke
  • synoptic problem, Q
  • John: differences and similarities with the synoptics, the Johannine community
    Other genres
  • Acts, Revelation (apocalyptic), Hebrews
  • remarks about 1 John, 1 Peter, James

    HOW WAS THE NEW TESTAMENT TEXT TRANSMITTED?

  • ca. 3000 mss. of Greek New Testament
  • ca. 2200 lectionary mss. with NT pericopes
  • Manuscript families: Alexandrian, Western, Caesarean, Byzantine -- Textus receptus
  • Codex Vaticanus

    HOW DID THE CANON OF THE NEW TESTAMENT COME INTO BEING?

  • criteria for canonicity: (1) apostolic origins, (2) importance of addressed communities, (3) conformity with the rule (or canon) of faith
  • Serapion of Antioch (190-203), Dionysius of Alexandria (248-265)
  • canon of Marcion (ca. 110-160) vs. Irenaeus of Lyon, Tertullian
  • Muratorian fragment / canon [Ludovico Antonio Muratori (1672-1750) ]
  • Athanasius of Alexandria: Easter Letter (367)

    NB Key terms are underlined. You should know when the Gospels and the NT letters were written.