The New Testament in the Original Greek

Synopsis

The publication in 1881 of The New Testament in the Original Greek, by the Cambridge scholars Brooke Foss Westcott (1825-1901) and Fenton John Anthony Hort (1828-1892), marked the culmination of twenty-eight years of work and an innovation in the theory and methods of New Testament textual criticism. This first of two volumes contains a detailed discussion of the theories and methods behind the reconstructed text, sets out the editors' theory of text-types, and justifies their choice to break with the dominant use of the Textus Receptus. It argues for the Neutral Text, represented by the uncials Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus, as being the earliest and least corrupt form. Westcott and Hort's claim to reconstruct the 'original text' may seem extravagant today but according to Bruce Metzger theirs was the 'most noteworthy critical edition of the Greek Testament ever produced by British scholarship'.

Summary

Chapter 1: The Gospels

A. The Gospel of Matthew
- Author: Matthew, the tax collector
- Date: c. 60-70 AD
- Target audience: Jewish Christians
- Example: The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12)

B. The Gospel of Mark
- Author: Mark, the companion of Peter
- Date: c. 65-70 AD
- Target audience: Gentiles
- Example: The Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-20)

C. The Gospel of Luke
- Author: Luke, the physician
- Date: c. 75-85 AD
- Target audience: Theophilus, a Gentile
- Example: The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)

D. The Gospel of John
- Author: John the Apostle
- Date: c. 90-100 AD
- Target audience: Jews and Gentiles
- Example: The Prologue (John 1:1-18)

Chapter 2: The Acts of the Apostles

A. Author: Luke
- Date: c. 80-90 AD
- Target audience: Theophilus
- Example: The Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-41)

Chapter 3: The Epistles of Paul

A. The Epistle to the Romans
- Date: c. 57 AD
- Target audience: Christians in Rome
- Example: Justification by faith (Romans 3:21-26)

B. The First Epistle to the Corinthians
- Date: c. 55 AD
- Target audience: Christians in Corinth
- Example: Spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1-11)

C. The Second Epistle to the Corinthians
- Date: c. 56 AD
- Target audience: Christians in Corinth
- Example: The thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:1-10)

D. The Epistle to the Galatians
- Date: c. 49 AD
- Target audience: Christians in Galatia
- Example: Freedom in Christ (Galatians 5:1-15)

Chapter 4: The General Epistles

A. The Epistle of James
- Author: James, the brother of Jesus
- Date: c. 62 AD
- Target audience: Jewish believers
- Example: Faith and works (James 2:14-26)

B. The First Epistle of Peter
- Author: Peter the Apostle
- Date: c. 60-65 AD
- Target audience: Christians scattered in Asia Minor
- Example: Suffering for Christ (1 Peter 2:18-25)

C. The First Epistle of John
- Author: John the Apostle
- Date: c. 90 AD
- Target audience: Believers in Ephesus
- Example: Love for God and one another (1 John 4:7-12)

Chapter 5: The Book of Revelation

A. Author: John the Apostle
- Date: c. 95 AD
- Target audience: Christians in Asia Minor
- Example: The New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-27)