Question: Can you recommend any surveys of the Old and New Testament?
Response: Happy to do so. The best of I know of are:
An Introduction to the Old Testament by Edward J. Young (rpr. 1983 Grand Rapids)
An Introduction to the New Testament by Henry C. Thiessen (rpr. 1953 Grand Rapids)
There are numerous other (and newer) titles which are more popular and more well known, but the two above proceed from a high view of inspiration and a careful, conservative point of view (and are therefore of some use). Nice-to-have intro's include on the NT side: D. Guthrie's Introduction to the N.T., M. Tenney's Survey of the N.T., and R. Gundry's Survey of the N.T., and on the OT side, La Sor / Hubbard / Bush's Survey of the O.T., G. Archer's Survey of the O.T., and R.K. Harrison's Introduction to the O.T..
Additionally, M.F. Unger's two volume Commentary on the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press) functions in a manner very close to a survey/introduction (with articles on every book which precede the commentary) and is a work I consider invaluable. Unger truly was one of the un-sung stars of the last generation, if under-appreciated today.
Here are some other links that may help you with your efforts:
Study Tools and Methodologies.
Can you recommend some word study tools for Bible study?
Only-Begotten, Mother-of-God, On-this-Rock: English-only Interpretation is Dangerous.
The Greek Text of the New Testament and some Issues of Textual Criticism.
The Book of Job and Biblical Interpretation.
Bible Interpretation: Interlinears, Academics, Versions et al.
How can we know whose interpretation of the Bible is right (Part 2)?
How can we know whose interpretation of the Bible is right (Part 1)?
Some Greek Questions in the Gospels (John 1:3; 2:19; 8:58; Luke 23:43)
Yours in Christ,
Bob L.