What Is the New Testament?

In the years shortly after Jesus died, the term "New Testament" would not have referred to a collection of books about the Lord's life and death but more precisely to something He said to His disciples on the night of the Last Supper: "This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:28; emphasis added). The Greek words translated as "new testament" actually refer to a covenant, the new covenant the Savior extends to us through the Atonement. The writings recorded in the Bible and referred to as the New Testament describe, document, and teach about that new covenant between the Lord and His people.

The writings preserved in the New Testament focus upon different aspects of the Savior's ministry. The New Testament begins with the Gospels, a term that means the "good news," referring to the life, ministry, and divine role of Jesus Christ. The New Testament also contains a history of the first missionary efforts of the Church (the book of Acts); letters from early leaders, such as Peter and Paul, that admonish the early Christians (who were also called Saints) to remain true to the faith; a testimony (Hebrews); and an apocalypse (Revelation) that promises the return of the Lord in the latter days. Each of the writers has a different perspective to offer, and each wrote with a specific audience in mind rather than attempting to fill in perceived gaps in the historical record. In the middle of the fourth century A.D., the 27 books that record the new covenant of the Lord were gathered together and ordered as they appear today.