This book is designed to provide essential information in a convenient format for anyone beginning the historical study of the Christian Gospels.With clarity and verve, Mark Allan Powell describes the contents and structure of the Gospels, their distinctive characteristics, and their major themes. An introductory chapter surveys the political, religious, and social world of the Gospels, methods of approaching early Christian texts, the genre of the Gospels, and the religious character of these writings. Included also are comments on the Gospels that are not found in the New Testament.Special features: map, illustrations, and more than two dozen special topics provide information that is important for the understanding of the Gospels.