Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Introduction / Joel B. Green and Lee Martin McDonald -- 2. New Testament chronology / Lee Martin McDonald -- PART 1. SETTING THE CONTEXT: EXILE AND THE JEWISH HERITAGE -- 3. Exile / Nicholas Perrin -- 4. The Hasmoneans and the Hasmonean era / Larry R. Helyer -- 5. The Herodian dynasty / Everett Ferguson -- 6. Monotheism / Nathan MacDonald -- 7. The scriptures and scriptural interpretation / Lidija Novakovic -- PART 2. SETTING THE CONTEXT: ROMAN HELLENISM -- 8. Greek religion / Moyer V. Hubbard -- 9. The imperial cult / Nicholas Perrin -- 10. Greco-Roman philosophical schools / John T. Fitzgerald -- 11. Civic and voluntary associations in the Greco-Roman world / Michael S. Moore -- 12. Economics, taxes, and tithes / David J. Downs -- 13. Slaves and slavery in the Roman world / S. Scott Bartchy -- 14. Women, children, and families in the Greco-Roman world / Lynn H. Cohick -- 15. Education in the Greco-Roman world / Ben Witherington III -- PART 3. THE JEWISH PEOPLE IN THE CONTEXT OF ROMAN HELLENISM -- 16. Temple and priesthood / David Instone-Brewer -- 17. Jews and Samaritans / Lidija Novakovic -- 18. Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes / Michelle Lee-Barnewall -- 19. The Dead Sea Scrolls / C.D. Elledge -- 20. Prophetic movements and zealots / James D.G. Dunn -- 21. Apocalypticism / Larry R. Helyer -- 22. Synagogue and Sanhedrin / Kenneth D. Litwak -- 23. Jews in the diaspora / David A. DeSilva -- 24. Noncanonical Jewish writings / Daniel M. Gurtner -- 25. Jewish identity, beliefs, and practices / Archie T. Wright -- 26. Jewish education / Kent L. Yinger -- 27. Healing and healthcare / Joel B. Green -- PART 4. THE LITERARY CONTEXT OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY -- 28. Reading, writing and manuscripts / E. Randolph Richards -- 29. Pseudonymous writings and the New Testament / Lee Martin McDonald -- 30. Literary forms in the New Testament / Thomas E. Phillips -- 31. Homer and the New Testament / Thomas E. Phillips -- 32. Josephus and the New Testament / Michael F. Bird -- 33. Philo and the New Testament / Torrey Seland -- 34. Rabbinic literature and the New Testament / Bruce Chilton -- 35. Early noncanonical Christian writings / Nicholas Perrin -- PART 5. THE GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT -- 36. Jesus research and archaeology / James H. Charlesworth -- 37. Egypt / John D. Wineland -- 38. Palestine / Thomas R. Hatina -- 39. Syria, Cilicia, and Cyprus / Mark Wilson -- 40. The province and cities of Asia / Paul Trebilco -- 41. Galatia / Mark Wilson -- 42. Macedonia / Gene L. Green -- 43. Achaia / Gene L. Green -- 44. Rome and its provinces / Thomas R. Hatina -- Money in the New Testament era / Lee Martin McDonald -- Measurements in the New Testament era / Lee Martin McDonald -- Glossary / Joel B. Green and Lee Martin McDonald.