As most seminary students at conservative seminaries across the country and world will attest— the standard text on introductions to the New Testament is the work of Dr. D.A. Carson in Introduction to the New Testament. While I’ve read this text and enjoyed it immensely fairly recently a new textbook The Lion And the Lamb by Andreas J. Kostenberger, L. Scott Kellum, Charles L. Quarles has come out. The Lion and the Lamb covers everything a standard New Testament introduction should—the background of the New Testament and every book in the New Testament. Rather than getting into every detail of the book I want to highlight a few features I thought were particular helpful.
First, this textbook is academic but very accessible. Many academic books are filled with stuffy language that may confuse readers without any Bible college or seminary training. This book combines rigorous academic scholarship with clear writing designed to help the reader understand the New Testament better. Second, relevant issues pertaining to the text and the issues it raised are examine but not in depth. Finally, this resource would be good for those in Bible college or seminary but using other introductory texts on the New Testament. Various introductions tend to major on various points while others on other points.
The Lion and the Lamb combines the best of scholarship in an accessible and easy to access way. I believe this introduction to the New Testament would be good for the lay person wanting to understand more about the New Testament. This book would also be good for the Christian to read to understand more about what the New Testament is, how it was put together and much more. The Lion and the Lamb is an excellent resource and one I will recommend to lay people and those more academically inclined to read and use in their studies of the New Testament.
Title: The Lion and the Lamb: New Testament Essentials from the Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown
Authors: Andreas J. Kostenberger, L. Scott Kellum, Charles L. Quarles
Publisher: B&H Academic
I received this book for free from B&H Academic for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
