Ferguson, Everett; Backgrounds of Early Christianity – very good book with historical, political, social religious, other aspects of the intertestamental period and early christianity. parallels very well. ***

Blomberg, Craig; Jesus and the Gospels – a good overview of the Gospels. The first few portions about history, politics and society is same as Ferguson, but the gospels reveal a lot of Jesus, his ministry, critiques, theologies, history, culture, etc. ****