Institute
Lesson 1: Introduction to the New Testament

“Lesson 1: Introduction to the New Testament,” New Testament Teacher Manual (2018)

“Lesson 1,” New Testament Teacher Manual

1

Introduction to the New Testament

Introduction and Timeline

The New Testament consists of 27 separate books, written mainly, though not exclusively, by Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. They teach and testify of the ministry and Atonement of Jesus Christ and the rise of the early Christian Church. The Bible—the Old and New Testaments—has influenced more people than any other book ever written. Elder L. Tom Perry (1922–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated that the New Testament “is the centerpiece of scriptural history, just as the Savior Himself should be the centerpiece of our lives. We must commit ourselves to study it and treasure it!” (“The Sabbath and the Sacrament,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 6).

The chapter titled “Introduction to the New Testament” in the student manual contains a brief overview of the historical period between the Old and New Testaments, a short summary of the contents of the four Gospels with emphasis on the final week of the Savior’s mortal life, a brief history of how the New Testament came to be, information about the Joseph Smith Translation, and statements on the importance of the New Testament for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members.

Image
lesson 1 timeline

Suggestions for Teaching

Purposes of the Four Gospels

Invite students to briefly explain some of the differences between the following types of books. You may want to display books as visual aids:

  • A child’s book and a college textbook

  • A cookbook and a book of poetry

  • A biography and a science book

Ask:

  • In what ways is it helpful to understand the purpose of a book before reading it?

Have students turn to the chart “Overview of the Four Gospel Writers’ Testimonies of Jesus Christ” in the student manual “Introduction to the New Testament.” Give them time to examine its contents, looking for the different focus and purpose of each gospel writer.

Ask:

  • How would you describe the purpose of the New Testament?

  • Why is it important to understand that the writers of the four Gospels wrote with different audiences in mind?

  • What does the emphasis on the final week of the Savior’s mortal life reveal about the purposes of the Gospel writers?

Share the following principle with students: By studying the four Gospels we can deepen our testimony of the ministry and Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Share the following passage from the Bible Dictionary with your students:

“The word gospel means ‘good news.’ The good news is that Jesus Christ has made a perfect atonement for mankind that will redeem all mankind from the grave. … Therefore, the records of His mortal life and the events pertaining to His ministry are called the Gospels. … The four Gospels are not so much biographies as they are testimonies” (Bible Dictionary, “Gospels”).

Ask students to look again at the chart “Overview of the Four Gospel Writers’ Testimonies of Jesus Christ.” Read together the fourth row, “Focus on Jesus Christ.” Then assign students to four groups and have each group look up one of the sets of scriptures in the last row, “Examples of testimonies of the Savior.” After students have had time to search, have them report to the rest of the class, sharing examples of how certain scriptures illustrate each Gospel writer’s particular focus on Jesus Christ.

As a follow-up experience, you might invite students to open to any chapter in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John and take several minutes to identify a story or a teaching that shows them that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God. Give several students the opportunity to tell what they found. This can be a wonderful opportunity, as you begin a new semester, for your students to share their feelings for the Savior. As individuals explain what they found, you might ask follow-up questions such as:

  • Why does that account or teaching impress you?

  • What does that account or teaching help you to understand about the Savior?

Affirm to your students that the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were not written strictly as comprehensive biographies of Jesus Christ. You might point out to students that the Joseph Smith Translation changes the title of each Gospel to include the word testimony, as in “The Testimony of St. Matthew.” This change helps us understand that each Gospel writer was conveying his profound witness that Jesus of Nazareth was the long-awaited Messiah, the Son of God, who came to redeem all of God’s children—and that believing and following Him is the only way to eternal life. Encourage students as they study the four Gospels to keep this in mind and to regularly ask themselves:

  • How does this chapter, this parable, this teaching, or this miracle help me to better understand and rely on the teachings and Atonement of Jesus Christ?

You might also encourage students to write regularly in a study journal about what they are learning. This can help them extend their memory of these discoveries and deepen their love for the Savior.

The Historical Setting of the New Testament

Have students read the commentary for “The Intertestamental Period” in the student manual section “Introduction to the New Testament.” As students read, have them look for answers to the following questions:

  • What were some changes that occurred within Jewish society during this time?

  • At the time of the Savior, what kind of deliverance were the people in the land of Judea most likely looking toward?

After discussing the previous questions, help students see that what occurred during the intertestamental period had a great bearing on the setting of the New Testament. Emphasize to students the importance of this idea: Understanding the historical and cultural setting of the New Testament can help us understand and apply its doctrines and principles. Help students discover the value of understanding the New Testament setting by having them read the entry “Scriptures” under “The New Testament Setting” in the student manual section “Introduction to the New Testament.” Have students read Luke 24:44, and then ask:

  • How does the information about the scriptures in New Testament times help you better understand Luke 24:44? (Help students understand that the Savior told the disciples that all three divisions of Old Testament scripture—the “law,” the “prophets,” and the “writings” or “psalms”—testified of Him.)

Provide another example by having students turn to Matthew 22. Briefly share with students the contents of verses 23–28. Point out to students that the Savior did not directly answer the Sadducees’ question; rather, He taught them about the resurrection (see verses 29–33). Then have students read the entry “Sadducees” under “The New Testament Setting” in the student manual section “Introduction to the New Testament.” Ask:

  • How does understanding some of the religious beliefs of the Sadducees help you to understand why the Savior responded to the Sadducees’ question the way He did? (They accepted the truthfulness of the scriptures, but they rejected belief in immortality and the resurrection; thus, He taught them that the scriptures verify the reality of the resurrection. The reality of the resurrection is more important than the answer to the question they asked.)

  • Why do you think it is important when studying the New Testament to keep in mind the conditions that existed at that time?

Encourage students as they study the New Testament to be mindful of the conditions and setting in which events took place. Point out that helpful information about the setting is contained throughout the student manual. An awareness of the cultural conditions of that day will help students to understand the Savior’s teachings and the events of His ministry.

Introduction to the Gospel According to St. Matthew

Ask your students:

  • What are some things people look forward to? (Note that there is no specific answer students should give here; rather, this is a readiness question to prepare students for the questions and teaching ideas that follow.)

Read Matthew 11:2–3 with your class. Ask:

  • What details in these verses suggest that the people were looking forward to something?

Have your students read John 1:37–41, 45 and John 4:25.

  • What were the people waiting and watching for?

Ask a student to read aloud the entry “Messiah” under “The New Testament Setting” in the student manual section “Introduction to the New Testament.” Ask another student to read Matthew 16:13–16.

  • What is the significance of Peter’s declaration in verse 16? (Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah.)

Write Matthew 1:21–23; 8:16–17; 13:34–35; 21:4–5; 27:35 on the board, and invite students to silently read these scriptures, looking for a phrase that is repeated in each reference.

  • What phrase is repeated in these verses? (“That it might be fulfilled.”)

Write the following statistics on the board.

Number of occurrences of “that it might be fulfilled” or “was fulfilled”

Matthew: 12

Mark: 1

Luke: 0

John: 5

  • What do you think Matthew wanted his readers to know by repeatedly using the phrases “that it might be fulfilled” and “was fulfilled”?

Emphasize the following truth for students: Matthew wrote to testify that Jesus Christ’s life and mission were the fulfillment of Old Testament messianic prophecies. Consider writing this truth on the board.

If time permits, you might invite students to quietly study the section titled “Introduction to the Gospel According to St. Matthew” in chapter 2 of the student manual. Ask them to share with the class information they find important to keep in mind when studying Matthew. Conclude by explaining that Matthew assumed his audience was already familiar with Jewish traditions and customs. Therefore, he frequently quoted from or alluded to Old Testament sources and prophecies so his readers might recognize that the life and ministry of Jesus Christ were the fulfillment of ancient messianic prophecies.