Supplies the reader with basic information concerning both the content and the historical background of the New Testament and shows the critical processes by which scholars have sought to solve some of the chief literary problems of the Gospels. The author succeeds in presenting an abundance of complicated material in a clear, straightforward style -- without distortion or oversimplification. He avoids technical discussions and critical debates, but at the same time shows the main problems to be considered in this type of study. -- Book jacket.