New Testament
New Testament THE (ἡ καινὴ διαθήκη ), the general title appropriated by early and inveterate usage throughout the Western Church to the latter portion of the Holy Scriptures — to the collection of writings forming the authoritative records of the Christian, as contrasted with the earlier Jewish, revelation. As the various questions relating to the genuineness of the several books of the New Testament, their title to a place in the sacred volume, and their special characteristics, are discussed in the separate articles devoted to them, SEE CANON, and each book, we have now to speak only of those matters which relate to the collection as a whole. For the title, SEE TESTAMENT. I. Content and Arrangements. The New Testament differs remarkably from the Old in this respect, that while the writings comprehended in the earlier collection range over a period of a thousand years, those included in the later were produ...