The New Testament should be read within its first-century Jewish and Greco-Roman setting because historical context clarifies the claims, conflicts, and mission of the early church. 1. Historical context does not replace theological reading; it disciplines and enriches it. N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird, The New Testament in Its World. Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. E. P. Sanders, Judaism: Practice and Belief.