The New Testament in Its World: Audio Lectures, Part 1 of 2

By: N. T. Wright, Michael F. Bird

Narrated by: N. T. Wright, Michael F. Bird

Length: 5 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's Summary

The Zondervan Biblical and Theological Lectures series provides a unique audio learning experience. Unlike a traditional audiobook's direct narration of a book's text, The New Testament in Its World: Audio Lectures includes high quality live-recordings of college-level lectures that cover the important points from each subject as well as relevant material from other sources. 

Enter the world of the New Testament. A companion to The New Testament in Its World by N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird, these lectures serve as your passageway from the 21st century to the era of Jesus and the first Christians. In part 1, Professors Wright and Bird will guide you through how to listen to the New Testament, the world of Jesus, and the early church, approaches to studying the historical Jesus, the historical context of the death and resurrection of Jesus, and much more.

Part 1 includes lectures on:

• Beginning Study of the New Testament 
• The New Testament as History 
• The New Testament as Literature   
• The New Testament as Theology 
• The History of the Jews Between the Persian and Roman Empires  
• The Jewish Context of Jesus and the Early Church
• The Greco-Roman Context of the Early Church 
• The Study of the Historical Jesus 
• The Profile and Praxis of a Prophet 
• Who Did Jesus Think He Was? 
• The Death of the Messiah 
• The Afterlife in Greek, Roman, and Jewish Thought
• The Story of Easter According to the Apostle Paul    
• The Story of Easter According to the Evangelists 
• The Story of Paul’s Life and Ministry
• A Primer on Pauline Theology 

Short bonus lectures have also been included:

• The Bema Seat
• Critical Realism
• Faith in Jesus Christ or Faith of Jesus Christ
• Holy Spirit
• Major Philosophies
• Paul and Virtue
• Persecuted Church
• Principalities
• Why Do Historical Bible Studies?
• Resurrection
• Pauline Chronology
• Early Christian Baptism
• The Lord's Supper 

©2019 N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird (P)2019 Zondervan

The audio of a DVD lecture series

This is a series of video lectures that were released as audio. They are on sites in Israel for parts of them but you can’t see what they are talking about. And there are section that were recorded outside that are not very good audio.

There is some good content here. But also this does not seem well designed. There are short talks more than lectures. Many of them 5-10 minutes.

I have not read the big book that they are based on yet but this does not seem in any way equivalent. And splitting these into two makes sense if this was the whole of a 800-900 page book. But this is actually 12 hours of talking, stripped from the video, and split into two parts so you have to pay twice to get the whole thing.

5 people found this helpful

Great Material, Puzzling Audio

The content is excellent, but several of the audio recordings have a disappointing quality.

5 people found this helpful

Insightful and Focused Guide

I am always interested in N.T. Wright and this is typically excellent. Just as the title suggests, this audiobook frames the New Testament within the context of its contemporary culture and history, producing consistently useful insights. I particularly enjoyed the different ways in which the authors engaged with the accounts and implications of Jesus’ resurrection. The lecture format is engaging and the chapters are focused and listenable. I found ample opportunities for reflection and would highly recommend this audiobook to anyone who enjoys thinking about their faith.

4 people found this helpful

Bad Audio Quality

The content is great. The arrangement is clear. The audio/production quality (at least in parts) is abysmal. I expected better audio mastering by an Audible production.

3 people found this helpful

Rehash of NT Wright

This is very surface level if you’re at all familiar with NT Wright’s other work. I very much enjoy his scholarship but this was like a high-level overview without anything new to offer. I regret spending point on this.

3 people found this helpful

N.T talks to friend

The first part is boring, the rest is mediocre N.T., The background noise and bad audio are not helping the retelling of the stories NT and friend talk over each other about. Save your time the N.T Wright books before are way better. I won't even try the second part unless someone guarantees new material and clear audio with no background of a city cafe,

2 people found this helpful

Volume too low!

For some reason all titles by Zondervan have very low volume, except when Audible adds their 2 second spot, then it's too loud!
Frustrating. They should have equalized the audio properly before releasing.

1 person found this helpful

The content is excelent--the reading is difficult

N.T. Wright is a world-class scholar and this book, like of his other works, is excellent. Whoever is reading this on audible leaves much to be desired.. I finally gave-up trying to listen to him.

Even beginner Christians can sink their teeth into this teaching!

This book is exactly what it describes itself to be. It has challenged me to look at the word differently. It is a book the a beginner Christian can also get their teeth into.

Well done to the authors and narrators.

On a side note, when the narrators/authors were speaking from different historical places, it made me wish that I could see those places.

Connecting the Dots

This series of lectures was very insightful in how it directs the listener to step into the sandals of our early church ancestors, connecting the dots between many historical and theological themes. Wright and Bird guide the listener through the New Testament in a very generous, yet very precise way; making this a good listen for believers of any academic standing.

great audio book

loved it really inspirational and well written. can't wait to hear book two next month.

Excellent Evangelical Exegesis

Wonderful exploration of the New Testament, delivered in cup size nuggets of knowledge.

Despite the depth and breadth of this study we never stray too far from the central character or message of Jesus.

Unsure why though it requires 2 Volumes - thereby twice the cost?

Good overview.

Easy to follow guide to the New Testament with N.T and Michael taking turns in leading you through the various topics. Good stuff.

* I don't know why Judea kept getting referred to as Palestine though - Judea was never called Palestine in the Bible.