PREFACE<br > What is going on in the field of New Testament studies? This ques-<br > tion is repeatedly asked by theologian and layman， by preacher and<br > student. When we voice the question， we reveal a number of things;<br > for example， we are interested in studies of the New Testament， but we<br > are unable to keep up with the flood of literature because we do not<br > have the time.<br > We have time， however， to read summaries of studies in the area of<br > the New Testament. Precisely for this reason， I have set about to write<br > a book which surveys， condenses， and to a degree， popularizes these<br > studies.<br > A survey of all New Testament studies would be too extensive and<br > would result in an impressive volume. Therefore， I have summarized<br > only those studies pertaining to the Gospels. It has not been my aim to<br > present an exhaustive and complete compendium; rather， this book in-<br > tends to be a readable and informative survey of recent Gospel studies.<br > In short， this survey gives the reader a nodding acquaintance with and<br > an ability to speak intelligently about these studies.<br > Another reason for writing this book is time itself. More than a quar-<br > ter of a century has passed since the discoveries of the Gospel of Thomas<br >and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Also， during the last two decades， the gospel.<br >has been reinterpreted by leading form critics， the history of Jesus has<br >been reexamined， and redaction criticism has appeared among the disci-<br >plines of New Testament studies. The time has come to take inventory，<br >to assess the pursuits of New Testament theologians， to evaluate their<br >criticism and interpretation of the Gospels， and to test their theology<br >on the touchstone of Scripture.<br > By writing a survey which is both scho!arly and popular， I take the<br >risk of incurring the accusation from the theologian that this work is<br >not scholarly enough and from the general reader that it could have been<br >more popular. I trust， however， that the purpose of this book is fully<br >justified. For inaccuracies， whatever they may be， I take full responsi-<br >bility and offer my apologies.<br ><br >