This volume is designed as an introduction to the beginnings of Christianity and its early literature. The authors identify crucial questions current in biblical studies and present the reader with the views and arguments of an impressive array of highly respected scholars.

In their preface, the authors note that “the path from the Galilean Jesus of the synoptic Gospels to the risen Savior God of Paul and the pre-existent Christ of the Fourth Gospel is both intriguing and difficult. We have attempted the perhaps impossible task of engaging the reader in some involvement with a broad spectrum of insights from leading scholars, while at the same time preserving the substance of the narrative tradition that has been the historical foundation of the Christian religion … We are skeptical of the possibility of any definitive account of the events of Jesus’ ministry or the substance and meaning of his teachings. But while recognizing the innumerable disputes among historians and Bible scholars, we have tried to

Obert C. Tanner is the author of New Testament Studies, The New Testament Speaks, and Christ's Ideals for Living. He holds a juris doctor degree from the University of Utah. He studied at Harvard and Stanford Universities and was on the faculty of Religious Studies at Stanford. Tanner is a recipient of the National Medal of Arts and is the founder of the international series, “The Tanner Lectures on Human Values.” He is an Honorary Fellow of the British Academy; an Honorary Fellow of Linacre College, Oxford University; an Honorary Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge University; and Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at the University of Utah.

Lewis M. Rogers pursued biblical studies at the Pacific School of Religion and holds a Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Religion, University of Southern California. The author of several studies in biblical history and criticism, he has lectured extensively and is co-editor of And More about God. He is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Utah.

Sterling M. McMurrin, formerly on the faculty of philosophy at the University of Southern California, where he holds a Ph.D., has been a Visiting Scholar at Columbia University and Union Theological Seminary and a Ford Fellow in Philosophy at Princeton University. He was United States Commissioner of Education during the administration of President John F. Kennedy. He is the author of Religion, Reason, and Truth and co-author of A History of Philosophy, and he is E. E. Ericksen Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Utah.


title page

Toward Understanding the New Testament

Obert C. Tanner, Lewis M. Rogers, Sterling M. McMurrin

Signature Books Salt Lake City 1990


copyright page

© 1990 by Signature Books, Inc.
Signature Books is a registered trademark of Signature Books, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.

Except as permitted under the Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means or stored in a database or retrieval system without prior written permission of the publisher.

∞ The paper in this book is acid free and meets the standards for permanence and durability established by the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources.

On the jacket: The name ‘Jesus’ written in Hebrew on an early ossuary.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Tanner, Obert C. (Obert Clark), 1904-
Toward understanding the New Testament / Obert C. Tanner,
Lewis M. Rogers, Sterling M. McMurrin.
p. cm. Bibliography: p. Includes index.

1. Bible. N.T. –Introductions. 2. Bible. N.T.–Criticism, interpretation, etc. I. Rogers, Lewis M., 1918- . II. McMurrin, Sterling M. III. Title.

BS2330.2.T36 1990 225.7–dc19 88-22730
ISBN 0-941214-76-1

dedication page

To those resolute scholars
past and present
whose commitment to reason and knowledge
has brought us closer to
an understanding of the New Testament