New Testament Review
Episodes
Ian Mills, The Hypothesis of the Gospels
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did the first readers of the gospels think about their relationship to one another? A discussion of Ian's first book, The Hypothesis of the Gospel...
64. Ramsay MacMullen, "Persecution" from Paganism and Christianity in the Fourth to Eighth Centuries
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Where did all the pagans go? A discussion of Christian persecution of pagans from Ramsay MacMullen's book, Paganism and Christianity in the Fourth to ...
Ian N Mills, "Marcion as Textual Critic?"
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Was Marcion an ancient textual critic? A discussion of Ian N Mills, "Marcion as Textual Critic? The Conventions of Roman Scholarship and Heresiologica...
63. Nils Dahl, "The Crucified Messiah"
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Was Jesus crucified for claiming to be the Messiah? Or did Christians only attribute this title to Jesus after his resurrection? A discussion of Nils ...
62. Margaret Davies, Rhetoric and Reference in the Fourth Gospel
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How does the Gospel of John tell its story? A discussion of Margaret Davies, Rhetoric and Reference in the Fourth Gospel with Mark Goodacre.
61. Bernadette Brooten, "Junia Outstanding among the Apostles (Romans 16.7)"
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who was Junia? And was that really her name? A discussion of Bernadette Brooten's "Junia Outstanding among the Apostles (Romans 16.7)."
60. John P Meier, "Josephus" from A Marginal Jew, Vol. 1
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Did Josephus talk about Jesus? A discussion of a chapter from John P Meier's The Marginal Jew about the Testimonium Flavianum, featuring T.C. Schmidt.
59. James Barr, "Abba isn't Daddy"
17 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Does the aramaic word "abba" mean "daddy"? A discussion of James Barr's "Abba isn't Daddy."
58. Ross Shepard Kraemer, Her Share of the Blessings
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How did religious institutions and practices affect the lives of women in the ancient Mediterranean? A discussion of Ross Shepard Kraemer's Her Share ...
57. Ronald Hock, Infancy Gospels
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What are the infancy gospels? A discussion of Ronald Hock's edition, translation, and commentary with Tony Burke.
Ian N Mills, "Crucifying the Musical Christ"
11 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Who was responsible for Jesus' death? How do artistic adaptations of the gospel story represent Jesus' Jewish opposition? https://therevealer.org/cruc...
56. James Dunn, "The New Perspective on Paul"
20 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is the relationship between Paul's Judaism and his faith in Christ? A discussion of James Dunn's "The New Perspective on Paul."
55. Janice Capel Anderson, "Matthew: Gender and Reading"
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is the symbolic significance of gender in the Gospel according to Matthew? A review of Janice Capel Anderson's "Matthew: Gender and Reading."
54. Bart Ehrman, Orthodox Corruption of Scripture
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Did copyists intentionally change the text of the New Testament? A discussion of Bart D. Ehrman's Orthodox Corruption of Scripture. To register for t...
53. Sebastian Brock, The Bible in the Syriac Tradition
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is the Syriac Bible? A discussion of Sebastian Brock's The Syriac Bible with Nathan Tilley.
52. Elaine Pagels, The Gnostic Gospels
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What made gnostics different from other Christians? And did it matter? A discussion of Elaine Pagels' 1979 monograph, The Gnostic Gospels.
Laura Robinson, "Hidden Transcripts? The Supposedly Self-Censoring Paul"
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Did Paul self-censor his anti-imperial sentiments? A discussion of Laura Robinson's "Hidden Transcripts?: The Supposedly Self-Censoring Paul and Rome ...
51. John H. Elliott, "1 Peter in Recent Research: The Rehabilitation of an Exegetical Step-Child"
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why do scholars ignore 1 Peter? A discussion with Shane Patrick Gormley of John H. Elliott's essay, "The Rehabilitation of an Exegetical Step-Child: 1...
50. Günther Bornkamm, "The Stilling of the Storm in Matthew"
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How did Matthew rewrite one of Mark's miracle stories? What is reaction criticism? A discussion of Günther Bornkamm's "The Stilling of the Storm in M...
49. Harvey McArthur, "The Eusebian Sections and Canons"
04 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is the Eusebian Apparatus? How have readers throughout history navigated the four-fold gospel? A discussion of Harvey McArthur's "The Eusebian Se...
48. Paula Fredriksen, "Paul and Augustine: Conversion Narratives"
28 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Did Paul become a Christian? What are conversion narratives for? A discussion of Paula Fredriksen's "Paul and Augustine: Conversion Narratives, Orthod...
47. Paul Coleman-Norton, "An Amusing Agraphon"
01 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What traditions about Jesus survive outside of the gospels? Did Jesus have a sense of humor? A discussion of Paul Coleman-Norton's "An Amusing Agrapho...
46. Adolf von Harnack, 1 Clement
01 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is Clement's Letter to Corinth? A discussion of Adolf von Harnack's A Letter of the Roman Church to the Corinthian Church from the Era of Domitia...
45. Raymond Brown, The Birth of the Messiah (Part 4)
21 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What is the Magnificat? Our fourth annual discussion of Raymond Brown's The Birth of the Messiah.
44. Annette Yoshiko Reed, "Euangelion: Orality, Textuality, and the Christian Truth"
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What is the relationship between the gospel and the gospels? A discussion of Annette Yoshiko Reed's "Euangelion Orality, Textuality, and the Christian...
43. Karl Ludwig Schmidt, Der Rahmen der Geschichte Jesu
04 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What kind of books are the gospels? How much do they tell us about the sequence of Jesus' life? A discussion of KL Schmidt's Der Rahmen der Geschichte...
42. NT Wright, "On Becoming the Righteousness of God"
26 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean to "become the righteousness of God" in 2 Corinthians 5:21?
41. Carolyn Osiek, "The Family in Early Christianity"
02 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What does the "family" look like in the ancient world? Does Christianity reinforce or undermine traditional family roles?
40. James Rives, Christian Expansion and Christian Ideology
11 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How did Christianity "triumph"? What made Christianity different from paganism? A discussion of James Rives' "Christian Expansion and Christian Ideolo...
39. Raymond Brown, The Birth of the Messiah (Part 3)
21 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Who were the Magi? The third annual New Testament Review Christmas episode. A discussion of yet another chapter from Raymond Brown's The Birth of the ...
38. Allen Dwight Callahan, "'Brother Saul': An Ambivalent Witness to Freedom"
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How have Black Christians interpreted Paul on the topic of slavery? A discussion of Allen Dwight Callahan's "Brother Saul': An Ambivalent Witness to F...
37. Adolf Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East
06 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Can letters, shopping lists, and receipts from antiquity help us to read the New Testament? A discussion of Adolf Deissmann's Light from the Ancient E...
36. Candida Moss, "The Man with the Flow of Power"
01 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How can studying ancient notions of health inform our reading of the gospels? A discussion of Candida Moss' "The Man with the Flow of Power." Candid...
35. David Brakke, "Canon Formation and Social Conflict in Fourth-Century Egypt"
04 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What is a scriptural canon for? A discussion of David Brakke's "Canon Formation and Social Conflict in Fourth-Century Egypt: Athanasius of Alexandria'...
34. Hindy Najman, Seconding Sinai
07 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What is Second Temple Judaism? How did Jews who were roughly contemporary with the earliest Christians interpret the Hebrew Bible to apply it to their...
33. Percy Gardner-Smith, Saint John and the Synoptic Gospels (NT Pod Crossover)
09 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Did John know the Synoptic Gospels? A discussion of Percy Gardner-Smith's Saint John and the Synoptic Gospels with Mark Goodacre of the NT Pod.
32. Beverly R. Gaventa, "The Cosmic Power of Sin in Paul's Letter to the Romans"
28 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What is "sin" in Romans? Is it an abstraction for bad things people do or a cosmic force? Why does it matter? A discussion of Beverly Gaventa's "The C...
31. Donald Senior, "The Death of Jesus and the Resurrection of the Holy Ones"
11 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why does Matthew have "zombies" at Jesus' crucifixion? A discussion of Donald Senior's "The Death of Jesus and the Resurrection of the Holy Ones."
30. Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ
01 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How do historians treat sources, build arguments, and evaluate explanatory claims? How is that different from apologetics? A discussion of Lee Strobel...
Coronavirus Call-In
24 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We're social distanced and self-quarantining... and that's just to finish our dissertations! Also, there's a pandemic. We asked you to tell us about y...
29. Michael Williams, Rethinking Gnosticism
25 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What is "Gnosticism"? A discussion of Michael Williams' Rethinking Gnosticism along with scholarship by Karen King, Christoph Markschies, and David Br...
28. Margaret Mitchell, "New Testament Envoys in the Context of Diplomatic & Epistolary Conventions"
28 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What role did envoys and emissaries play in Paul's ministry? What cultural conventions influenced early Christian talk about envoys? A discussion of M...
27. Raymond Brown, The Birth of the Messiah (Part 2)
23 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Our second annual Christmas episode! Who was Quirinius? Was there a census? Where is Joseph from? Discussing Luke's nativity with Raymond Brown's The ...
26. Walter Bauer, Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity
02 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Are heresies always and everywhere secondary and subsidiary? How did the mainstream church of the fourth century achieve dominance? A discussion of Wa...
#SBLAAR19
19 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Laura and Ian preview their papers for the annual Society of Biblical Literature conference.
25. Richard Hays, "Psalm 143 and the Logic of Romans 3"
04 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What is the "Righteousness of God" in Romans? A discussion of Richard Hay's 1980 article "Psalm 143 and the Logic of Romans 3" with Jon Depue.
Ian N Mills, "Pagan Readers of Christian Scripture"
16 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Did pagans read Christian scripture? A discussion of Ian Mills' first peer-reviewed publication.
24. Judith Perkins, The Suffering Self
02 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How did early Christians understand suffering -- their own and others? A discussion of Judith Perkins, The Suffering Self.
23. Richard Bauckham, "For Whom Were Gospels Written?"
03 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For whom were Gospels written? A discussion of gospel audiences in light of Richard Bauckham's important article.
22. Adolf von Harnack, Marcion: The Gospel of the Alien God
09 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Who was Marcion? How was the New Testament created? A critical discussion of Harnack's little book on Marcion.
21. Paula Fredriksen, “Judaism, the Circumcision of Gentiles, and Apocalyptic Hope”
10 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What did Jews expect of Gentiles? Was there a Jewish mission? Who were Paul's opponents in Galatia? A discussion of Paula Fredriksen's article and an ...
Joel Marcus' Retirement Lecture, "Thoughts on the Parting of the Ways"
04 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How did the earliest Jesus followers understand their relationship to wider Judaism? Joel Marcus delivers his retirement lecture at Duke Divinity Scho...
20. John Burgon, The Last Twelve Verses of Mark
21 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How does the Gospel of Mark end? There's more than one answer! A discussion of Burgon's The Last Twelve Verses of Mark for our Easter episode.
19. GEM de Ste Croix, ”Why were Early Christians Persecuted?”
03 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Why were the Early Christians persecuted? A discussion of GEM de Ste Croix's work by the same name.
18. FG Downing, "Towards the Rehabilitation of Q"
19 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Does Luke's use of Matthew require an implausible composition procedure? A discussion of Downing's influential argument for the two source theory.
17. Loveday Alexander, The Preface to Luke's Gospel
21 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Is the Gospel of Luke history? Who is Theophilus? A discussion of Loveday Alexander's The Preface to Luke's Gospel.
16. Wayne A Meeks, The First Urban Christians
16 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Were early Christians poor? How did economics influence early Christianity? A discussion of Wayne A Meeks' The First Urban Christians
15. Raymond Brown, The Birth of the Messiah (Part 1)
24 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What is the point of genealogies in the gospels? Are there differences? Why? A special Christmas-themed discussion of a chapter from Raymond Brown's T...
14. Margaret M Mitchell, "Paul's Letters to Corinth"
14 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
How many letters did Paul write to Corinth? How many of them are in the New Testament? How did Paul offend the Corinthian church? A discussion of Marg...
13. JL Martyn, History and Theology in the Fourth Gospel
30 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When did Christians separate from the synagogue? Is John a "two-level drama"? A discussion of JL Martyn's History and Theology in the Fourth Gospel.
#SBLAAR18
08 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A special episode discussing the annual Society of Biblical Literature and American Academy of Religion meeting. #SBLAAR18
12. Wayne A Meeks, "The Man from Heaven in Johannine Sectarianism"
30 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Why is the Gospel of John so weird? A discussion of Wayne A Meeks, "The Man from Heaven in Johannine Sectarianism."
11. Austin Farrer, "On Dispensing with Q"
11 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Are there good reasons to think that Matthew and Luke had a common source other than Mark? A discussion of "On Dispensing with Q" by Austin Farrer.
10. Morna Hooker, "Were There False Teachers in Colossae?"
27 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Who were Paul's opponents in Colossae? We discuss Morna Hooker's important essay arguing that there are no false teachers addressed in Colossians.
9. Graham Stanton, "Synagogue and Church"
13 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What is Matthew's relationship to Judaism? A discussion of one essay from Graham Stanton's A Gospel for a New People: Studies in Matthew.
8. EP Sanders, Paul and Palestinian Judaism
26 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What is the center of Paul's theology? Did Paul and the Jewish people have a problem with the law? A Discussion of EP Sander's paradigm shifting monog...
7. AY Collins, "Dating the Apocalypse of John"
15 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When was Revelation written? Who wrote it? AY Collins "Dating the Apocalypse of John" guides us through the relevant considerations.
6. Richard A Burridge, What Are The Gospels?
31 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Do the gospels belong to a recognizable genre of literature from antiquity? What is a genre anyways? A discussion of Richard A Burridge's What Are the...
5. JL Martyn, "A Law Observant Mission to the Gentiles"
06 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
With whom was Paul arguing in the letter to the Galatians? How can we know? A discussion of JL Martyn's classic article "A Law Observant Mission to th...
4. BH Streeter, The Four Gospels
28 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Matthew, Mark, and Luke are suspiciously similar. Who copied from whom? Did Matthew and Luke share a source that hasn't survived? Our first synoptic p...
Richard Hays and Joel Marcus on Approaches to New Testament Studies
12 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Special Episode: Richard Hays and Joel Marcus discuss literary and historical approaches to New Testament Studies and the relationship of both to Chri...
3. Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her
04 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What was the role of women in the Jesus movement, Pauline churches, and earliest Christianity? How did the men who composed and transmitted our earlie...
2. William Wrede, The Messianic Secret
14 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Why is Jesus so secretive in the gospel of Mark? How did the evangelists shape their stories of Jesus? A discussion of William Wrede's The Messianic S...
1. Krister Stendahl, "The Apostle Paul and the Introspective Conscience of the West"
26 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Did Paul struggle to keep the law? As a Christian, did Paul have a sin problem? A discussion of Krister Stendahl's "Paul and the Introspective Conscie...