In this classic New Testament studies text, Tenney provides a concise reconstruction of the cultural milieu in which Christianity arose and developed from the time of the Maccabean Revolt to AD 138. He begins with an explanation of the relevance of the historical, political, social, and economic background of the first century which helps furnish a proper understanding of the New Testament.
Recognizing the embryonic church rose out of three cultural tensions—Judaism, Roman imperialism, and Hellenism—Tenney traces its development under several Roman emperors: Christ’s birth under the age of Augustus, Christ’s ministry under the reign of Tiberius, church persecution under Nero and Domitian, and the new era of Christianity under Trajan and Hadrian. New Testament Times demonstrates how the biblical message was able to speak clearly and meaningfully within the historical framework in which it was set.
