Book Review: “The Essence of the New Testament: A Survey”

By: Jason D. Kline | 3/23/18

The Essence of the New Testament: A Survey. 2nd edition. Edited by Elmer L. Towns and Ben Gutierrez. B&H Publishing Group. Nashville, TN. 2016. $28.99. 384 pages.

Book Overview

The Essence of the New Testament: A Survey is a gem for New Testament studies; a collaborated effort by some of the world’s leading New Testament scholars. Among them are James Borland (Th.D., Grace Theological Seminary) and my personal favorite, Ed Hindson (D. Litt. et. Phil., University of South Africa) to name only two. There are seven total contributors, all of whom are respected in their field. What this group of scholars provides is an excellent, introductory research level, conservative evangelical appraisal of the New Testament text.

The text itself is aesthetically appealing. It is not overwhelming in size or material, containing only 32 brief chapters. However, each page is rich in content and color printed, often presenting illustrations to enhance the material being discussed. For example, photos of a Greek Papyrus and fragment of an Exodus passage gives visual to the topic being discussed. Each Chapter is littered with regional maps of ancient Israel and surrounding countries bringing to reality the historical Israel. They close each chapter with a bibliography for further reading, study questions and end notes, all of which is worth the price of this book.

In the Preface of the text I found it helpful the editors provide a brief summary of the central message of the entire Bible (Old and New Testament), laying a good foundation for the material ahead. Their Gospel centered message is clear and concise and capturing the heart of the Bible – Jesus Christ and salvation in Him.

Chapters One through Four offer an introductory – preliminary – treatment of some of today’s most important, and controversial, topics. For example, Chapter One answers the questions of how we got the New Testament, who decided its canon (why some were included and others excluded) and the issue of why we have different translations today with a brief synopsis of how we came about them. This is a paramount beginning in my opinion because of mainstream attacks (erroneous in my opinion) on the New Testament by the likes of the Jesus Seminar and other non-Christian scholars (Bart Erhman). The authors provide a great service to the Church including these sections as it really builds upon a solid foundation for the historical veracity of the New Testament and its messages believability. Moreover, this book brings the academy to main street; a long overdue answer to the problem of anti-intellectualism facing the Church today. Because of topics like how we got the Bible and its historical veracity is a contested and hotly debated issue among scholars, mostly in popular level works, this is a much needed foundation in preparing one for a critical analysis of the New Testament in addition to preserving an evangelical view of the Bible through reasoned evidence.

The authors went above and beyond my expectations by including maps throughout the text allowing the reader to gain deeper context and greater insight into the land and culture of ancient Israel; the origin in which the Christian faith came. Chapter two is an excellent briefing on how to interpret the Bible using a “grammatical-historical approach” to draw out the passages literary, historical and theological context; a skill, I believe, we all desperately need to become trained in and proficient at this time (15).

This book appealed to me and I am grateful to B&H for allowing me the privilege of a media review copy because, having graduated from Liberty University, and learning under Towns and Hindson, I knew that this book would make a good addition to my growing library to pass down to my children. All the contributors really knock it out of the park.

I enjoy how Towns and Hindson can take what is often academic (dry and sophisticated) and turn it into something comprehensible even for the simplest of minds (like me). They have such a natural ability and gift in this area of teaching. Since they have made such a profound impact on my faith and understanding, I have made it my mission to get their work out to the public; one reason being so that others in the faith can be richly blessed as I am.

I cannot overstate its comprehensibility. Our Church, generally speaking, is currently in a state of what is called Bible illiteracy. Believers are just not being equipped enough to be able to know what we believe, and why. Moreover, how to defend the faith we believe and share it articulately with others. I believe that one good reason for this issue is due to the lack of availability of accessible literature. However, this book answers much of that void. Every Christian should have a level of understanding akin to what is contained in these pages. Many of us have not taken the time necessary to actually investigate, or survey, The Essence of the New Testament. Thanks to Essence, We now are without excuse!

My expectations for this text was met by its clear and concise presentation of the entire New Testament. It is comprehensive yet not overly technical. Each chapter is afforded a fair overview of the Gospels/ Letters, answering who the author is, its intended recipients, the occasion (and dating) for writing, and its message. What is more, they offer an analysis of some of the Greek wording and its meaning. All bring the Bible to life to enhance our understanding like never before. The Essence of the New Testament: A Survey is not only a major service to the Church but also to our current cultural climate; a beacon of light in an ever growing skeptical world.

Most importantly, this study has strengthened my faith and drew near to my heart the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. “How does one grasp the essence of the New Testament? Simply put, the New Testament is about promises fulfilled in Jesus” (348). This brings that to light taking the reader through an enjoyable and exciting journey through the New Testament. For this reason I give this book 5 stars and is a must have in one’s library.

Favorite Quote

“Our prayer is that you enjoy studying the New Testament and that, in your research, you reach out to touch God. But, more importantly, we pray that, in return, God may touch you” (xiv).

About the Author

Jason D. Kline is a Hospice Clinical Chaplain and a regular contributor of Bellator Christi.com. Jason graduated with a Master of Divinity from Liberty University and received his Certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. He is a full member of the International Society of Christian Apologetics. Jason proudly served his country in the United States Air Force and is a proud husband and father to his wife and three children. His current research involves the soul and how a sound theology of the soul influences the counseling process.

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