Publisher's Description

First published in 1953 and revised in 1961, Merrill Tenney's comprehensive survey has served to introduce the general reader, student, and teacher to the world and message of the New Testament. Written in a clear, nontechnical style, New Testament Survey begins with a survey of the social, political, economic, and religious background of the New Testament, and then goes on to examine the various groups of New Testament books, which are considered in their historical settings. The book concludes with a penetrating study of the New Testament canon. Undertaken at the request of Dr. Tenney, and prepared with his full approval, this 1985 revision by Walter M. Dunnett includes an entirely new chapter on the Jewish background of the New Testament, plus several new short sections, including materials on the Gospels and the canon of the New Testament. The bibliography has been enlarged and updated, and many of the book’s numerous illustrations, maps, and charts are new. Great care has been exercised to retain the spirit and quality of the original work, ensuring that the book will remain a standard in the years to come.

Endorsement

Without a doubt, Tenney's book does indeed present an evangelical yet scholarly view of the New Testament. Tenney makes no hesitation to say that he does believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God from the beginning. Tenney's work, however, is not a textual commentary on textual criticism. His book is a brief introduction to the New Testament.
Tenney's book does a wonderful job of presenting the historical background of the New Testament and using the book of Acts, he traces the footsteps of the Apostles as they wrote the New Testament Canon. At the end of each chapter he includes a very helpful bibliograpy to help the reader study deeper the various books, archeology, and history of what he has dealt with rather quickly.
I used this book as a freshmen in Bible college and it had a profound influence on my personal understanding of the background and history of the New Testament and the early Church. I highly recommend anyone serious about studying Scripture to purchase and read Tenney's book.