The New Testament begins with the birth and ministry of Jesus Christ, but “when the New Testament begins” can mean a few different things depending on what you’re really asking. Are you asking where the New Testament sits in the order of the Bible, when the events it describes actually happened, or when the “new covenant” it describes came into effect? Each question has a clear, scripture-based answer.
Where the New Testament Begins in the Bible
In the order of the printed Bible, the New Testament begins immediately after the Old Testament ends, with the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew opens with the genealogy of Jesus: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). The Old Testament closes with the book of Malachi, which points forward to a coming messenger: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD” (Malachi 4:5). Between Malachi and Matthew, roughly 400 years pass with no new scripture written, a period often called the “silent years.” The New Testament then opens with the arrival of the one that Old Testament prophecy had been pointing toward all along.
When the Events of the New Testament Actually Happened
Historically, the New Testament’s story begins with the births of John the Baptist and Jesus, generally dated to around 6-4 BC, during the reign of Caesar Augustus. Paul describes the timing this way: “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law” (Galatians 4:4). The New Testament writings themselves, the four Gospels, the book of Acts, the letters, and Revelation, were written over the following several decades, mostly within the first century AD, by eyewitnesses and close associates of Jesus and His apostles.
When the New Covenant Itself Began
There’s a third, more theological way to ask this question: when did the “new covenant” that gives the New Testament its name actually take effect? Scripture points to the night before Jesus’ crucifixion, at the Last Supper, when He told His disciples, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:20). The book of Hebrews explains why His death was the turning point: “And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:15). In that sense, the New Testament “begins” at the cross, where the new covenant it describes was established once for all.
Key Bible Verses
Matthew 1:1 – “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.”
Luke 22:20 – “Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.’”
Galatians 4:4 – “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there a gap between the Old and New Testaments?
The roughly 400 years between Malachi and Matthew is often called the “intertestamental period” or “silent years” because no new scripture was written during that time. It was a real historical period, though, marked by significant events in Jewish history, and it ends with the New Testament picking up exactly where Old Testament prophecy left off.
Does the New Testament replace the Old Testament?
The New Testament fulfills and completes the story the Old Testament begins rather than erasing it. Jesus Himself said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). Both Testaments together tell one continuous story.
Related Bible Topics
- What Is the New Covenant in the Bible?
- What Are the Books of the Prophets in the Bible?
- Read the Bible
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