New Testament Theology

Jesus

• preached the kingdom of God, the coming rule of God on earth as it is in heaven.
• like John the Baptist, to prepare he urged repentance and faith in the good news (gospel) of God's coming reign.
• God as abba
• He saw himself as the Messiah, saw his death as salvific
• Used "Son of Man" to refer to himself, both has a generic sense (I'm a guy) and an apocalyptic/Daniel 7 sense (I'm going to come on the clouds to judge the world).
• Cast out demons, understood as part of the arrival of the kingdom of God.
• Taught love of neighbor and enemy as core ethic.
• Focused on the "lost sheep" of Israel

Paul

• Uses language that treats the persons of the Trinity as distinct persons yet unique in association/fellowship.
• One God, creator, for whom all things (1 Cor 8:6)
• God is righteous (Rom). God is sovereign (Rom).
• God should be known by the creation (Rom).
• God predestined the plan of salvation and future election of his people.
• In Adam all die. In Adam sin and death entered the world (Rom).
• All sin. All under power of Sin (Rom). 
• Flesh/spirit dualism--flesh under power of Sin, Spirit as power of freedom.
• God offered Jesus as atoning sacrifice, for our redemption.
• The risen Jesus is enthroned as Lord. "Jesus is Lord."
• Understood Jesus to be the "Son of God," the king of the cosmos, the "Son of David"
• Some indications of Jesus' pre-existence (Phil).
• Jesus is God. (Titus)
• Holy Spirit is essential to being a child of God. Holy Spirit is seal of God's ownership, an "earnest" of our inheritance.
• Holy Spirit intercedes for us. (Rom)
• We are "justified" by faith in God on the basis of the faithfulness of Jesus. We are reconciled to God.
• We are "sanctified" by the Holy Spirit, cleansed and set apart to God.
• We are adopted as children of God.
• Church is built on the trunk of Israel, with Gentiles grafted in.
• Church is temple, built on the foundation of Christ. Ephesians adds the apostles and prophets.
• Satan opposes God's people. Later letters like Colossians and Ephesians have more on spiritual powers and battle.
• We need to live holy and blameless lives; love fulfills the Law.
• Unity is a core goal of the church and love is the solution to the church's disunity.
• Lord's supper indicates unity, anticipates Lord's return to eat with us again.
• Later letters feature cultural structures (household-Ephesians, church-1 Timothy).
• To be absent from body is to be present with the Lord.
• All Israel will be saved in the eschaton (Romans).
• Christ will return and we will be caught up to participate in judgment (1 Thess).
• We will have a resurrection body (1 Cor).
• We will appear before judgment seat of Christ to be judged for deeds (2 Cor).
• The creation will be redeemed (Romans).
• All Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy).

Mark

• Jesus is the suffering servant, with possible overtones of Isaiah 53
• Jesus is the Son of God, most shown by Jesus on the cross.
• Uses "Son of Man" in relation to Jesus' suffering
• Jesus kept his messianic identity a secret while on earth.
• Jesus is a ransom for the sins of many.
• Israel faces great persecution, destruction of temple
• Jesus will return on the clouds
• Only those with ears to hear will hear.

Matthew

• Jesus is the "Son of David," the new Moses
• Church built on the rock of Peter and his confession of Jesus as the Christ.
• Not everyone in the church is in the church.
• Church is an expanded Israel. Israel suffered in part for its rejection of Jesus.
• Jesus gives the fulfilled understanding of the Law of Moses. Love fulfills the Law. We must love our enemies.
• All nations need to hear and obey the gospel, church sent
• Strongest imagery of hell fire and (eternal) apocalyptic judgment in the NT.

Luke

• Emphasis on Jesus' ministry to the poor and marginalized. Jesus potentially includes everyone into the people of God.
• Much less focus on atonement dimension of Jesus
• All those who are lost can repent and return (Prodigal Son)
• Everyone is my neighbor (Good Samaritan)
• We are in the "times of the Gentiles"
• General resurrection of everyone will take place
• Kingdom of God will be on earth

Acts

• Jesus enthroned as Lord, Christ, Son of God at the point of his resurrection
• The Holy Spirit gives birth to the church and is essential to being in the church.
• The power of the Spirit in Jesus continues into the church to today.
• Baptism as central to inclusion in the church

Hebrews and General Epistles

• God the creator of all things (Heb)
• God is the giver of perfect gifts. (James)
• Mercy triumphs over judgment. (James)
• Jesus the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. Jesus is the great high priest. (Heb)
• Christ is greater than the angels and the old covenant (Moses, priests, sacrifices). (Heb)
• Devil holds the power of death. (Heb)
• Some angels are bound awaiting final punishment. (2 Peter/Jude).
• Humanity created to have glory and honor in the creation. (Heb)
• Humans are created in the image of God. (James)
• We are justified by works. (James)
• Those who apostatize cannot find repentance. (Heb)
• Faith is essential. (Heb)
• World will be destroyed by fire. (2 Pet)
• Humanity will rule with Christ. (Heb)
• Prophecy came by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet)

John

• God is love. God is light.
• Jesus the Word who came from heaven
• The Son and the Father are one. We see the Father through the Son. The Son speaks for the Father.
• Jesus is the I AM.
• Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
• The Spirit is our advocate, who leads us into truth.
• The importance of believing in Jesus. Jesus is the only way to the Father.
• We all have sin. All have sinned. Those born of God shouldn't sin. (1 John)
• If we confess sins, he will forgive. (1 John)
• There are sins to death and sins not to death. (1 John)
• Strong spirit/flesh dualism
• Jesus goes to prepare a place for us.
• There is eternal life and eternal condemnation.

Revelation

• Holy, holy, holy God
• Jesus and God are to be worshiped.
• Lamb of God slain
• There will be lots of bloody wrath visited upon the earth.
• A large host of Israel will be saved.
• Two resurrections and a millennium
• Hell was created for Devil and angels
• new heaven, new earth, new Jerusalem