Rethinking the Dates of the New Testament: The Evidence for Early Composition

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Rethinking the Dates of the New Testament: The Evidence for Early Composition. By Jonathan Bernier. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2022. 318 pp. Paper, $29.99.

Bernier is an assistant professor of New Testament at Regis College, University of Toronto.

I was drawn to this book by the subtitle. I thought Bernier would follow the lead of Robinson fifty years ago in arguing that all the books of the NT were written by AD 70.

He does not. But he comes close. And the fact that he is open to some books being written in the second century makes his pronouncements on the other books that much more powerful.

According to the author (see, for example, pp. 181-82, 277-78), Mark was first, being written between AD 42-45. That is a very early suggested date for Mark. Next, he suggests Matthew (45-59), Galatians (47-52), 1-2 Thessalonians (50-52), Hebrews (50-70), Romans (56-57), the prison epistles (57-59), Luke (59), 1-2 Corinthians (56), 1-2 Peter (60-69 if Petrine; 2 Peter 60-125 if pseudo-Petrine), 1-2 John (60-100), James (prior to 62), Acts (62), the pastoral epistles (63-64 if Pauline, 60-175 if pseudo-Pauline), Revelation (68-70), Jude (prior to 96), 3 John (prior to 100).

It is interesting to see how Bernier determines the dates of books. He does not cite the findings of church history (other than to establish the latest possible date for various books) or the commonly accepted dates suggested by most NT scholars today. Instead, he considers correlation with other books, incidents reported and other contextual clues, the ecclesiology, and other aspects of theology.

I recommend this book. While Bernier is not coming from a conservative position, most of his findings match up with the views of conservatives. The fact that he leaves some doubt on some books serves to strengthen his unreserved early dating of most of the rest of the NT.

I think this is a must-read book for seminary students and faculty, pastors, and theologians. I think many missionaries would find it helpful as well.

Robert N. Wilkin
Executive Director
Grace Evangelical Society

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Bob Wilkin (ThM, PhD, Dallas Theological Seminary) is the Founder and Executive Director of Grace Evangelical Society and co-host of Grace in Focus Radio. He lives in Highland Village, TX with his wife, Sharon. His latest books are Faith Alone in One Hundred Verses and Turn and Live: The Power of Repentance.