Evolution of the Word: The New Testament in the Order the Books Were Written

by Marcus J. Borg

Overview

By presenting the New Testament books in the order they were written, bestselling Bible scholar Marcus Borg reveals how spiritually and politically radical the early Jesus movement began and how it slowly became domesticated. Evolution of the Word is an incredible value: not only are readers getting a deeply insightful new book from the author of Speaking Christian and Jesus, but also the full-text of the New Testament—and one of the only Bibles organized in chronological order and including explanatory annotations that give readers a more informed understanding of the Scripture that is so close to their hearts and lives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062082107
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	08/28/2012
Pages:	608
Sales rank:	360,625
Product dimensions:	6.38(w) x 9.24(h) x 1.26(d)

About the Author

Marcus J. Borg (1942–2015) was a pioneering author and teacher whom the New York Times described as "a leading figure in his generation of Jesus scholars." He was the Hundere Distinguished Professor of Religion and Culture at Oregon State University and canon theologian at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, and he appeared on NBC's The Today Show and Dateline, ABC's World News, and NPR's Fresh Air. His books have sold over a million copies, including the bestselling Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time, Reading the Bible Again for the First Time, Jesus, The Heart of Christianity, Evolution of the Word, Speaking Christian, and Convictions.

Table of Contents

Foreword Bishop Lowell Erdahl vii

1 A Chronological New Testament 1

2 Before Anything Was Written 11

3 Paul and His Letters 19

Time Line 31

New Testament

1 Thessalonians 35

The First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians 40

Galatians 45

The Letter of Paul to the Galatians 49

1 Corinthians 57

The First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 62

Philemon 85

The Letter of Paul to Philemon 89

Philippians 91

The Letter of Paul to the Philippians 94

2 Corinthians 101

The Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 105

Romans 119

The Letter of Paul to the Romans 126

Mark 149

The Gospel According to Mark 157

James 193

The Letter of James 197

Colossians 203

The Letter of Paul to the Colossians 206

Matthew 213

The Gospel According to Matthew 220

Hebrews 277

Letter to the Hebrews 283

John 301

The Gospel According to John 309

Ephesians 351

The Letter of Paul to the Ephesians 355

Revelation 363

The Revelation to John 371

Jude 401

The Letter of Jude 403

1 John 405

The First Letter of John 408

2 John 415

The Second Letter of John 416

3 John 419

The Third Letter of John 420

Luke 423

The Gospel According to Luke 429

Acts 489

The Acts of the Apostles 492

2 Thessalonians 547

The Second Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians 549

1 Peter 553

The First Letter of Peter 556

1 Timothy 563

The First Letter of Paul to Timothy 568

2 Timothy 575

The Second Letter of Paul to Timothy 578

Titus 583

The Letter of Paul to Titus 584

2 Peter 587

The Second Letter of Peter 589

What People are Saying About This

John Shelby Spong

“Marcus Borg has always been a great teacher. In his newest book Evolution of the Word, his teaching skills are obvious as he opens the New Testament, not only to its original, historical order, but also to insightful, refreshing and dramatic insights.”

Editorial Reviews

Borg introduces each book of the New Testament and, for the first time in most churches, readers will be receiving these sacred texts in the order men and women received them nearly 2,000 years ago. . . Evolution of the Word will light up book discussion groups.

Read the Spirit

The most helpful thing that Borg has to offer is a contextual introduction to each of the 27 books of the New Testament . . . An eminently readable and eye-opening addition to religion shelves, as well as a new and fascinating way to read the New Testament.

Booklist (starred review)

In Evolution of the Word, Borg has produced something of great usefulness. Reading the New Testament in the order suggested gives us a new perspective on biblical faith. …[It] tests and challenges our programmed ways of reading Scripture…. that can enrich our faith awareness.

The United Methodist Reporter

Borg (Hundere Distinguished Professor of Religion and Culture, emeritus, Oregon State Univ.; Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time), a prolific biblical scholar, guides the reader into understanding the New Testament (NT) by presenting its text in the New Revised Standard Version and arranged in the order in which its books were written. As such, the early Pauline epistles appear before the gospels, general epistles, and the book of Revelation. Borg finds this approach instructive since readers can understand the process by which the biblical material developed. He provides a helpful introduction to each NT book, ranging from three to eight pages in length. Additionally, he includes chapters addressing the oral period and Paul and his writings. A decade-by-decade timeline covering both events of the first century C.E. and the writing of biblical works offers helpful additional guidance. One problem with Borg's approach, however, is that he assumes general agreement among scholars as to the dating of each book's writing. This is not always the case. VERDICT This book will provide general readers and undergraduates with a good guide to the background and content of the New Testament. Of less value to specialists.—John Jaeger, Dallas Baptist Univ. Lib.

Library Journal

The most helpful thing that Borg has to offer is a contextual introduction to each of the 27 books of the New Testament . . . An eminently readable and eye-opening addition to religion shelves, as well as a new and fascinating way to read the New Testament.” — Booklist (starred review)

“Borg, a prolific biblical scholar, guides the reader into understanding . . . the process by which the biblical material developed. . . . A good guide to the background and content of the New Testament.” — Library Journal

“Marcus Borg has always been a great teacher. In his newest book Evolution of the Word, his teaching skills are obvious as he opens the New Testament, not only to its original, historical order, but also to insightful, refreshing and dramatic insights.” — John Shelby Spong, author of Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World

“Borg introduces each book of the New Testament and, for the first time in most churches, readers will be receiving these sacred texts in the order men and women received them nearly 2,000 years ago. . . Evolution of the Word will light up book discussion groups.” — Read the Spirit

“Some may still remember confrontational front-page headlines decades ago pitting Borg and other university-based Bible scholars against Christian traditionalists. However, Borg now is embraced in mainline congregations coast to coast. . . . To put it simply: Marcus Borg has become a friend to growing congregations.” — Read the Spirit

In Evolution of the Word, Borg has produced something of great usefulness. Reading the New Testament in the order suggested gives us a new perspective on biblical faith. …[It] tests and challenges our programmed ways of reading Scripture…. that can enrich our faith awareness. — The United Methodist Reporter

From the Publisher

Marcus Borg has always been a great teacher. In his newest book Evolution of the Word, his teaching skills are obvious as he opens the New Testament, not only to its original, historical order, but also to insightful, refreshing and dramatic insights.

John Shelby Spong

The most helpful thing that Borg has to offer is a contextual introduction to each of the 27 books of the New Testament . . . An eminently readable and eye-opening addition to religion shelves, as well as a new and fascinating way to read the New Testament.

Booklist (starred review)

"The most helpful thing that Borg has to offer is a contextual introduction to each of the 27 books of the New Testament . . . An eminently readable and eye-opening addition to religion shelves, as well as a new and fascinating way to read the New Testament."

Booklist