Page VII
Study Guide & Reading Plan a twelve-week journey through the New Testament
A guided plan for reading the entire NT in twelve weeks, with focus questions for each block of texts, a tiered bibliography, and review questions for self-assessment. Each question comes with a source tag, the specific Bible passages to read, and links to relevant course pages.
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How to Use This Guide
Each focus question carries a source tag, scripture references, and (where relevant) links to course pages for background.
📖 Text
Answer comes from careful reading of the biblical text. The focus question is asking you to notice something in the passage itself.
📜 Course
Answer comes from this course site. Click the page links following the question. Mostly background, definitions, framework.
📖 + 📜 Both
Answer requires synthesis: read the biblical text first, then check the course page for the framework that organizes what you found.
🎓 Scholar
Answer goes beyond what the course covers — pick up a Tier I or II bibliography item below to go deeper.
The three-line metadata under each question: the colored tag shows where the answer lives (text / course / both / scholar). The 📖 Read line lists the specific NT passages to read, plus OT background where it directly illuminates the answer (marked with ⤳ OT bg). The 🔗 see line links to the relevant theme cards, glossary entries, or other course pages.
Twelve-Week Reading Plan
A pace of roughly 25–35 pages per week. Click any week to expand the focus questions and their suggested resources.
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Week I
The Gospels — Introduction & Matthew
Read Matthew 1–28; review the Gospels page (Canon)
Focus Questions
- Why does Matthew open with a genealogy? What is he claiming about Jesus?
- Identify Matthew's five discourses. Why might he have structured his Gospel this way?
- How does Matthew use OT prophecy? Track at least five 'fulfillment' citations.
- What does the Sermon on the Mount (chs 5–7) teach about the kingdom and its ethics?
- Why is the Great Commission (Matt 28:18–20) the natural conclusion to Matthew's particular Gospel?
How does Matthew present Jesus as the fulfillment of OT promise?
Week II
Mark — The Suffering Son of God
Read Mark 1–16
Focus Questions
- Track the word 'immediately' (euthys) through Mark. What rhetorical effect does this create?
- What is the 'messianic secret'? Why does Jesus repeatedly silence those who acclaim him?
- Where is the structural turning point of the Gospel? (Hint: Mark 8:27–9:1.)
- How does the centurion's confession at the cross (Mark 15:39) function in Mark's overall purpose?
- Read Mark 13:1–37. How do you understand its blend of near (the temple's destruction) and far (the parousia)?
Why does Mark drive everything toward the cross? What does this tell us about who Jesus is?
Week III
Luke — The Universal Savior
Read Luke 1–24
Focus Questions
- Read Luke's prologue (Luke 1:1–4) carefully. What does Luke claim about his sources and method?
- Examine the canticles of chs 1–2 (Magnificat, Benedictus, Nunc Dimittis). What OT theology saturates them?
- Track the theme of mercy — to the poor, women, sinners, Gentiles, outcasts. Where does Luke distinctively emphasize it?
- How does Luke 24 (the Emmaus road, the appearances) prepare for Acts?
- What is the role of the Holy Spirit in Luke? (Compare with Acts.)
How does Luke's portrait of Jesus differ in emphasis from Matthew's and Mark's?
Week IV
Acts — The Spirit-Empowered Mission
Read Acts 1–28
Focus Questions
- Identify the geographical movement of Acts (Acts 1:8 as the structuring verse). How does the gospel travel?
- Study Peter's Pentecost sermon (Acts 2:14–41). What is its OT exegetical method? What does this teach about apostolic preaching?
- Why is the conversion of Cornelius (ch 10–11) so theologically important?
- Read the Jerusalem Council (ch 15). What is at stake? How is it resolved? What does this teach about church decision-making?
- Track Paul's three missionary journeys. What patterns of evangelism emerge?
- Why does Acts end with Paul preaching in Rome 'with all boldness and without hindrance' (Acts 28:31)?
How does the Spirit drive the geographical and ethnic expansion of the gospel?
Week V
John — The Eternal Word
Read John 1–21
Focus Questions
- Study the Prologue (John 1:1–18). What major themes of the Gospel does it announce?
- Identify the seven signs. How does each function christologically?
- Identify the seven I AM sayings (with predicates: bread, light, door, etc.). What is John doing with the divine name?
- Read the Upper Room Discourse (chs 13–17). What does it teach about the Spirit, the church, and union with Christ?
- Compare John's account of the cross and resurrection with the Synoptics. What is distinctive?
- Why does John conclude with the purpose statement of John 20:30–31?
How does John's high Christology differ in presentation (not substance) from the Synoptics?
Week VI
Early Paul — Thessalonians & Galatians
Read 1–2 Thessalonians; Galatians
Focus Questions
- What occasion prompted 1 Thessalonians? What pastoral problems is Paul addressing?
- Study 1 Thess 4:13–5:11 carefully. What does Paul teach about the parousia and its consequences for Christian living?
- How does 2 Thess 2 correct an opposite error to that addressed in 1 Thessalonians?
- Galatians is Paul's sharpest letter. Why? Identify the specific error Paul is fighting.
- Track Paul's argument in Galatians 3 — Abraham, the Law, the promise. How does he relate them?
- What is the 'Israel of God' (Gal 6:16)? Different interpretations have major implications.
How does Paul's earliest theology already exhibit the already / not yet structure?
Week VII
Corinthian Correspondence
Read 1–2 Corinthians
Focus Questions
- Read 1 Cor 1–4 on wisdom and foolishness. How does the cross subvert worldly categories?
- How does Paul handle pastoral problems — divisions, immorality, lawsuits, marriage, idolatry — in 1 Cor 5–10? What pattern emerges?
- Study the love chapter (1 Cor 13) in context. Why is it placed between chapters on spiritual gifts?
- 1 Cor 15 is a major theological treatment of resurrection. What does Paul argue, and against what objections?
- 2 Cor is Paul's most personal letter. How does he defend his apostleship? What is the theology of weakness in 2 Cor 12:1–10?
How does Paul's pastoral theology address the concrete situations of a divided church?
Week VIII
Romans — Paul's Magnum Opus
Read Romans 1–16 (slowly!)
Focus Questions
- Identify the structure of Romans. How do chs 1–11 build into chs 12–16?
- Trace Paul's argument from Rom 1:18 to Rom 3:20 — the universal sinfulness of Jew and Gentile.
- Study Rom 3:21–26 phrase by phrase. This is one of the most theologically dense passages in the NT.
- How does Paul use Abraham (ch 4) to establish justification by faith?
- Romans 6 connects justification and sanctification through union with Christ. How does this work?
- Romans 8 is the great Spirit-chapter. What does it teach about the Christian life?
- Read chs 9–11 carefully. What does Paul claim about Israel's place in God's plan?
- How do the practical chapters (12–15) follow from the theological argument?
How does the gospel justify, sanctify, and reconcile Jew and Gentile?
Week IX
Prison & Pastoral Letters
Read Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, 1–2 Timothy, Titus
Focus Questions
- Study Eph 2:1–22. How does Paul move from individual salvation to the corporate new humanity?
- Memorize Phil 2:5–11. What does this hymn claim about Christ's pre-existence, incarnation, and exaltation?
- What error is Colossians addressing? How does Paul's exalted Christology of Col 1:15–20 answer it?
- Read Philemon as a single document. What gospel logic underlies Paul's request?
- The Pastoral Epistles emphasize 'sound doctrine.' Why is this concern so central to the late Paul?
- What qualifications does Paul list for elders/deacons (1 Tim 3, Titus 1)? What do they have in common?
- 2 Tim is Paul's farewell. Read 2 Tim 4:1–8 with special attention. What is the apostle's last word?
How does Paul's later theology emphasize the church as the cosmic new humanity?
Week X
Hebrews — The Superior Covenant
Read Hebrews 1–13
Focus Questions
- Outline the argument: greater than angels, greater than Moses, greater than Aaron. Why does the author build this way?
- Study Heb 4:14–5:10 on Christ's high priesthood. What does Melchizedek (Ps 110:4) contribute?
- Read chs 8–10 on the new covenant and the once-for-all sacrifice. What is the relationship between the OT system and Christ's work?
- Why is Heb 11 called the 'roll-call of faith'? What is the author's working definition of faith?
- What are the warning passages (esp. Heb 6:4–8; 10:26–31)? How should we understand them?
- Study Heb 12:1–13 on perseverance. How does the author motivate endurance?
How is Hebrews the supreme example of NT biblical theology — every OT institution fulfilled in Christ?
Week XI
General Epistles — James, Peter, John, Jude
Read James, 1–2 Peter, 1–2–3 John, Jude
Focus Questions
- James is built around practical wisdom. Identify the major topics he addresses (the tongue, wealth, trials, etc.).
- Study Jas 2:14–26 carefully. How does this complement (not contradict) Paul on faith and works?
- 1 Peter speaks to suffering Christians. How does Peter use OT exile language to frame their identity (1 Pet 1:1; 2:9)?
- Read 1 Pet 2:13–3:7 on submission. What is the gospel-rooted logic?
- 2 Peter 3 addresses the delay of the parousia. How does Peter respond to scoffers?
- 1 John is built around three tests of genuine faith. Identify and explain them.
- Jude is a short but intense letter. What error is he confronting, and what biblical precedents does he invoke?
How does the second-generation church learn to live faithfully between the comings?
Week XII
Revelation — The Apocalyptic Consummation
Read Revelation 1–22; review the entire course
Focus Questions
- Study the seven letters (chs 2–3). What pattern do they share? What can we learn from each?
- Read the throne-vision of chs 4–5 carefully. Why is the Lamb the only one worthy to open the scroll?
- Identify the recursive structure — seals, trumpets, bowls. How do they relate?
- Who or what is the beast (ch 13)? Different interpretive traditions answer differently.
- Read chs 17–18 on Babylon. What does this represent in John's day, and what enduring referent might it have?
- Study the new Jerusalem (chs 21–22). How many OT themes does this vision gather?
- Final reflection: How does the canon close, and how does this final word relate to the opening of Genesis?
How does Revelation gather the entire biblical narrative into its final consummation?
Tiered Bibliography
Recommended secondary sources, sorted by depth. The 🎓 Scholar tags above point you here.
Tier I — Introductory
Strong foundations for the first-year student. Read at least three from this tier.
An Introduction to the New Testament (2nd ed., Zondervan, 2005)
The standard evangelical introduction. Authorship, date, occasion, contents, theological themes for every NT book.
A Theology of the New Testament (rev. by Donald Hagner, Eerdmans, 1993)
The classic evangelical NT theology textbook. Inaugurated eschatology as the organizing framework. Still widely used.
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth (4th ed., Zondervan, 2014)
Practical hermeneutics chapter by chapter through every NT genre. Excellent for developing reading skills.
The Theology of the Book of Revelation (Cambridge, 1993)
Short, brilliant, accessible. The best 200-page introduction to Revelation in print.
Surprised by Hope (HarperOne, 2008)
Wright at his most accessible — recovering the NT vision of new creation against various Greek-philosophical distortions.
The Cross of Christ (IVP, 1986)
A classic evangelical treatment of the atonement. Pastoral, biblical, comprehensive.
Tier II — Intermediate
For the student ready to go deeper, especially in Pauline theology and biblical theology.
A New Testament Biblical Theology (Baker, 2011)
Over 1000 pages of sustained Vosian biblical theology. Inaugurated new-creation kingdom traced across every NT corpus. Demanding but rewarding.
New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ (Baker, 2008)
A robust evangelical NT theology focused on the doxological center — God's glory in Christ's saving work.
The New Testament in Its World (with Michael Bird; SPCK, 2019)
Wright's substantial introduction to the NT. Updates the earlier NT and the People of God.
Paul: An Outline of His Theology (Eerdmans, 1975)
A Vosian student's masterly treatment of Paul. The standard Reformed Pauline theology of the post-Vos generation.
Jesus and the Eyewitnesses (Eerdmans, 2006)
A landmark argument that the Gospels rest on named eyewitness testimony, not anonymous traditions.
Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul (Yale, 1989)
Foundational for understanding NT use of OT. Patient, learned, beautifully written.
The Gospel According to John (Pillar, Eerdmans, 1991)
If you spend time in any NT commentary, let it be on John. Carson's is among the best evangelical options.
Tier III — Advanced
For the serious student. Many of these are technical. Take them slowly.
The Pauline Eschatology (1930; reprint P&R, 1979)
The fountainhead. Dense, learned, decisive. Read alongside a Pauline lexicon and a strong cup of coffee.
Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments (Banner of Truth, 1948)
Vos's Princeton lectures. The classical statement of Reformed biblical-theological method.
Paul and the Faithfulness of God (Fortress, 2013)
1700 pages. Wright's mature reading of Paul. Even those who disagree must engage.
Jesus and the God of Israel (Eerdmans, 2008)
Rigorous defense of NT high Christology. Argues Jesus is included in the unique divine identity of the God of Israel.
The Book of Revelation (NIGTC, Eerdmans, 1999)
A thousand-page commentary. The benchmark evangelical commentary on Revelation. Patient, learned, comprehensive.
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Baker, 2007)
Every NT quotation and significant allusion to the OT, catalogued and interpreted. Indispensable reference.
Where Is Boasting? (Eerdmans, 2002)
A tightly argued challenge to the New Perspective on Paul. Should be read alongside Dunn and Wright for balance.
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (BDAG) (3rd ed., Chicago, 2000)
The standard NT Greek lexicon. If you intend to do serious word-study, you need this. Acquire over time.
Review Questions
Self-test your grasp of the course. Each question is tagged with where to find the answer.
Section A
Short-Answer (one or two sentences each)
- Define the Greek phrase ho aiōn ho mellōn. Why is it central to NT theology?
- Name the seven movements of NT history covered in the timeline. Give the approximate dates of each.
- What is the Two-Source Hypothesis, and what problem does it attempt to solve?
- Distinguish charis and charisma. Where does each appear, and what does each mean?
- What do aparchē and arrabōn have in common as descriptions of the Spirit?
- What is the difference between justification and sanctification?
- Identify the four canonical Gospels and one distinctive theological emphasis of each.
- What does parousia mean? In what kinds of context did the word originally function in the Greco-Roman world?
- What is typology, and how does it differ from allegory?
- Name three of Vos's signature theological categories.
- What does pistis Christou mean? Why is the genitive grammatically ambiguous?
- Identify the four chronological phases of the Pauline corpus.
- What is the New Perspective on Paul, and who are its three best-known exponents?
- Why is Hebrews the supreme example of NT biblical theology?
- What is the difference between the kingdom of God and the church?
Section B
Mid-Length Essay Prompts (300–500 words each)
- Explain how the already / not yet structure illuminates the Christian doctrine of salvation. Give specific NT examples for each side of the structure.
- Trace the doctrine of the Holy Spirit through Acts. What does the narrative teach about the Spirit's relationship to the risen Christ and to the church?
- Compare the four Gospels' presentations of Jesus' identity. What are the distinctive contributions of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John?
- Explain Paul's argument in Romans 3:21–26. What theological claims does Paul make in these six verses?
- What is the relationship between Jewish and Gentile believers in the church, according to the NT? Give attention to Acts 10–11, Acts 15, Galatians 2–3, and Ephesians 2–3.
- Explain three different metaphors the NT uses for the cross. How do they each illuminate a different aspect of Christ's saving work?
Section C
Major Essay Prompts (1000–1500 words each)
- 'For Vos, eschatology is not an appendix to NT theology but its organizing architecture.' Defend or critique this claim, drawing on at least three specific NT texts and at least two scholars.
- Explain the New Perspective on Paul. What does it claim, what evidence supports it, and what evangelical objections have been raised? Conclude with your own provisional assessment.
- 'The NT is the fulfillment, not the replacement, of the Old.' Defend this claim with specific NT examples of OT fulfillment — typological, prophetic, and covenantal.
- Trace the theme of new creation through the NT. Begin with Jesus' miracles as signs, follow Paul's 'new creation' formula (2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15), and conclude with Revelation 21–22. What is the unifying theological vision?
- What is union with Christ, and why has it been called the master-category of Pauline soteriology? Discuss with reference to specific Pauline texts and at least two recent scholarly treatments.
A Final Word
The goal of NT theology is never merely intellectual. As Vos himself insisted, biblical theology serves doxology — the worship of the triune God whose redemptive acts these texts narrate. Read the NT carefully, but do not stop there. Read it prayerfully. Read it as one who is being read by it. The Word that became flesh still speaks through these apostolic witnesses, and the Spirit who first gave them is the same Spirit who illumines them today.