The Making of the New Testament

This study explores the paradox at the heart of the Christian scriptures: a collection that began as a protest against an established canon yet became that very authority. By tracing Jesus’ challenge to the scribal legalism of his day, the author shows how a message of inner, living faith was meant to replace rigid book‑religion. The narrative then turns to Paul, whose dramatic conversion highlights the clash between law and grace that shaped early Christian thought.

The book continues by mapping the gradual process through which these disparate teachings were collected, debated, and ultimately fixed into the New Testament canon. It examines the roles of early church leaders, the influence of Hellenistic culture, and the criteria used to judge authenticity. Readers are guided through the scholarly methods of criticism and exegesis that reveal the human and divine dimensions of the texts. By the end of the first part, the listener gains a clear picture of why the canon emerged the way it did, setting the stage for later theological developments.