New Testament Background by C.K. Barrett

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.