remem.me

Books OT 01-01

24 When Moses had finished writing down on a scroll every single word of this law,
25 he commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the Lord’s covenant,
26 “Take this book of the law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God
so that it may remain there as a witness against you."

Books OT 02-02

26 Joshua recorded these things in the book of the law of God; he also took a large stone and set it up there under the oak at the sanctuary of the Lord.

Books OT 02-01

32 There on the stones, Joshua copied the law of Moses, which he had written in the presence of the Israelites.

Books NT 05

1

Revelation

Genre:
Apocalypse / Prophecy

Alternate Names:
The Revelation to John
The Apocalypse
The Revelation of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1)
Johannine literature = John + 1, 2, & 3 John + Revelation
(Note that "Revelation" is singular, not plural.)

33 AD Jesus crucified, buried, and rose again!
65-68 (alternate date of Revelation under Emporer Nero)
70 Fall of Jerusalem under Titus (general)
95 Revelation written under Emporer Domitian

The late date of 95 AD has long been the common conservative interpretation. The alternate early date seeks to interpret many of the visions in Revelation as prophecies that were given just before they were fullfiled with the Fall of Jerusalem a few years later.

4 Interpretive Views:
These 4 views have been applied by different interpreters to the Revelation. Note that different perspectives may be applicable to different sections, such as the Letters to the 7 Churches may may be interpreted differently than the other visions.
• Preterist - sees fulfillment of a prophecy in the 1st century under Nero or Domitian.
• Futurist - sees fulfillment of a prophecy as still future, in the last days.
• Historicist - sees fulfillment of a prophecy through the course of history across the church age.
• Idealist (or Symbolic) - sees the symbols as applying to timeless truths that point not to specific historical events but to continuing actions and events throughout history.

Books NT 02

1

Acts

Genre:
Narrative/History

Alternate Names:
Acts of the Apostles
Some commentators have called it the "Acts of the Holy Spirit"

Organization:
Luke and Acts were written together by Luke as a 2-volume set, so Acts is kept close to Luke. These may have been written in part as a court brief for Paul's defense before Nero's court in 62 AD. This explains why Acts simply stops where it does--with Paul in Rome under house arrest awaiting trial.

33 AD Jesus crucified, buried, and rose again!
60 Luke written
61 Acts written

Books NT 01

4

Matthew
Mark
Luke
John

Genre:
Gospel = theological biography of Jesus
Narrative/History

Alternate Names:
Gospels (Greek: euangelion = “good news”)
The 4 authors are called the Four Evangelists
Synoptic Gospels = Matthew, Mark, and Luke
• "seeing together"
• common overall structure
• many of the same events
• similar wording

Johannine literature = John + 1, 2, & 3 John + Revelation

Organization:
At least some in the early church said the order is chronological, especially claiming that Matthew was written first. The thematic reasons for the order include:
1. Matthew is the most Jewish and aims at a Jewish audience, so it is next to the Old Testament.
2. Mark is the closest in content to Matthew so it comes next.
3. Luke is paired with Acts, so it is third among the 3 Synoptic Gospels.
4. John is the most unique, so it follows the Synoptics.

33 AD Jesus crucified, buried, and rose again!
50s-60s Matthew written
50s-60s Mark written; might be as early as 45 AD
60 Luke written
85-90 John written; might be earlier

Books NT 04

8

Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude

Genre:
Epistle = formal letter

Alternate Names:
General Epistles = to wider church audience
Catholic Epistles ("catholic" = universal)
Johannine literature = John + 1, 2, & 3 John + Revelation

Organization:
Partly by prominence of the author or the book. By size within each author. Considerations:
• Hebrews' author is unkown; sometimes attributed to Paul, or more likely to one of his associates such as Apollos, Luke, or others. Kept next to the Pauline Epistles. It's length, theological content, and influence also place it first.
• James the brother of Jesus was the leader of the church in Jerusalem (see Acts 15 and Galatians 2). His Epistle was also written first--likely the very first New Testament book.
• Peter was the most prominent among the 12 Apostles.
• John was also among the "inner three" (Peter, James, John) among the 12.
• Jude (Judas) the brother of James and also of Jesus (Jude 1, Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3) was another respected leader in the early church. His was one of the later Epistles written.

33 AD Jesus crucified, buried, and rose again!
44–49 James
60s Hebrews
62–64 1 Peter
64–68 2 Peter
65–80 Jude
85–95 1 John
85–95 2 John
85–95 3 John

Books NT 03

13

Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon

Genre:
Epistle = formal letter

Alternate Names:
Pauline Epistles
Prison Epistles = Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 2 Timothy, Philemon
Pastoral Epistles = 1&2 Timothy, Titus

Organization:
- Largely by size, descending order.
- Nine letters to churches come first, then 4 letters to individuals.
- Pastorals are grouped together, followed by Philemon.

33 AD Jesus crucified, buried, and rose again!
35 Conversion of Saul/Paul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1–19)
38 First visit to Jerusalem after conversion (Gal 1:18; Acts 9:26–30)
46 Famine-relief visit to Jerusalem (Acts 11:27–30)
49 Jerusalem Council visit to Jerusalem (Acts 15; Gal 2:1–10)
49 ? Galatians - if directed to churches of Acts 13:13-14.25
50 1 Thessalonians
51 2 Thessalonians
53 ? Galatians - if directed to churches of Acts 16:6
55 1 Corinthians
56 2 Corinthians
57 Romans
60 Colossians
60 Philemon
60 Ephesians
61 Philippians
63 1 Timothy
64 Titus
66 2 Timothy

Books OT 01

5

Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy

Genre:
*Law/Instruction
Narrative/History*

Alternate Names:
Books of Moses
Torah (Hebrew)
Pentateuch (Greek)

Organization:
Chronological. Most were written early in the exodus, but Deuteronomy ("Second Law") was written at the end of Moses' life.

1446 BC (the exodus) - 1406 BC (the conquest)

Books OT 03

5

Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Songs (Song of Solomon)

Genre:
Poetry, Wisdom

Alternate Names:
Books of Poetry
Wisdom Literature
Writings (Hebrew)

Organization:
Basically chronological, except that the compilation of the Psalms extended from David all the way to Ezra after the exile.

Job lived ca. 2000 BC
Psalms were compiled from David ca. 1000 BC to Ezra ca. 450 BC
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs are by Solomon ca. 950 BC

Books OT 04

5

Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations (of Jeremiah)
Ezekiel
Daniel

Genre:
Prophecy, + Apocalyptic (Daniel)

Alternate Names:
Major Prophets
Latter Prophets (Hebrew) (all but Lamentations)
Writings (Hebrew) (Lamentations)

Organization:
Largely chronological, but with significant overlap; Daniel is a somewhat different genre and audience than the others, and was also the last of these books completed.

8th Century BC Prophet
ca. 740–680 BC – Isaiah
⇒ to Judah, and oracles about Israel and the nations; called in the year of King Uzziah’s death, prophesied through kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah; both judgments and messianic hope; from Jerusalem.

7th–6th Century BC Prophet
ca. 627–585 BC – Jeremiah
⇒ to Judah and surrounding nations; called in Josiah’s 13th year, warned of judgment through Babylon, lived through the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC, and prophesied hope for a new covenant; from Anathoth in Benjamin.

ca. 586 BC – Lamentations
⇒ concerning Jerusalem/Judah; poetic laments of Jeremiah over the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple right after 586 BC.

#Exilic Prophets
593–571 BC – Ezekiel
⇒ to the exiles of Judah in Babylon; symbolic actions and visions announce judgment on Judah and nations, and promise future restoration and a renewed temple; from Jerusalem and a priestly family, exiled by the Kebar River.

605–536 BC – Daniel
⇒ to the courts of Babylon and Medo-Persia and to God’s people; exiled under Nebuchadnezzar, interpreted dreams and received visions about future kingdoms and God’s everlasting rule; from a noble Judean family exiled to Babylon.

In Relation to Exile dates:
722 BC Isaiah prophesied before and after the fall of Samaria
605 BC Daniel taken to Babylon
597 BC Ezekiel taken to Babylon
586 BC Jeremiah taken to Egypt

Books OT 05

12

Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi

Mnemonic:
Ho-Jo-A-O / Jo-Mi-Na-Ha / Ze-Ha-Ze-Ma

Genre:
Prophecy

Alternate Names:
Minor Prophets
Latter Prophets (Hebrew)
The Twelve (Hebrew) - all 12 written on 1 scroll

Organization:
Largely chronological, but with significant mixing of the first 5 Minor Prophets as well as switching places between Zephaniah and Habakkuk.

9th Century BC Prophets
ca. 845 BC – Obadiah
⇒ against Edom on behalf of Judah; early crisis involving Edom’s hostility.

ca. 835 BC – Joel
⇒ to Judah; locust plague/drought warn of the coming Day of the LORD.

8th Century BC Prophets
ca. 760 BC – Jonah
⇒ to Nineveh; sent to warn Assyria of judgment, which led to their repentance; from Israel.

ca. 755 BC – Amos
⇒ to Israel; condemned injustice and empty worship during Jeroboam II’s prosperity; from Tekoa in Judah.

ca. 755–715 BC – Hosea
⇒ to Israel; during the turmoil leading to Samaria’s 722 BC fall.

ca. 740–700 BC – Micah
⇒ to both Israel and Judah; warned of judgment on Samaria and Jerusalem, yet promised messianic hope; from Moresheth in Judah.

7th Century BC Prophets
ca. 650 BC – Nahum
⇒ against Nineveh; foretold Assyria’s collapse to comfort Judah; from Elkosh (perhaps Capernaum in the North).

ca. 625 BC – Zephaniah
⇒ to Judah; proclaimed the coming Day of the LORD upon Judah and the nations; preparation for Josiah’s reforms.

ca. 607 BC – Habakkuk
⇒ to Judah; wrestled over God’s use of Babylon for judgment.

Post-Exilic Prophets
520 BC – Haggai
⇒ to Judah; urged temple rebuilding in Darius’s 2nd year; part of the restored community.

520–518 BC – Zechariah
⇒ to Judah; gave apocalyptic visions encouraging restoration and future hope; alongside Haggai.

ca. 435–425 BC – Malachi
⇒ to Judah; confronted spiritual apathy and foretells of both John the Baptist and Jesus.

Books OT 02

12

Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther

Genre:
Narrative/History

Alternate Names:
Historical Books
Former Prophets (Hebrew) (Joshua-Judges, 1Samuel-2Kings)
Writings (Hebrew) (Ruth, 1 Chronicles-Esther)

Organization:
Largely chronological, but with some overlaps: Ruth took place during the time of the Judges; 1 & 2 Chronicles is a rehearsal by Ezra of God's dealings with Israel from David to the return from Babylon, overlapping with 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings.

The Conquest and the Period of the Judges
1406 BC the conquest begins

United Monarchy
1050 BC Saul began to reign
1010 BC David began to reign
970 BC Solomon began to reign

Divided Kingdom
931 BC Divided Kingdom began
722 BC fall of Samaria to Assyria
586 BC final fall of Jeruselm to Babylon

Return from Exile
538 BC Cyrus initiates the return of the exiles
473 BC Esther delivers the Jews
433 BC Nehemiah calls the people to repentance