nts 501 nt intro and survey class ii: jesus and the gospels

NTS 501 NT INTRO AND SURVEY

Class II: Jesus and the Gospels

Jesus and the Gospels

1.1 Introduction • If you had to explain who Jesus was in 3 minutes

• What sources would you use? Why?

• Why four gospels in the NT instead of 1, 3 or 7?


2.1 Jesus & the Gospels – Traditional picture• Jesus

• Virgin birth• Teachings• Miracles & prophecies • Son of God – Son of Man • Death and resurrection

• Gospels• Four gospels – direct access to the life of Jesus• Reliable and accurate• Life of Christ – combination of the four gospels • Authorship of the gospels


2.2 Jesus and the Gospels – Historical Research • Current pictures of Jesus – popular culture

• Da Vinci code• New Age Jesus/Zen master• Moral teacher

• Historical Research• Cynic philosopher Jesus seminar/West Star Institute)• Charismatic healer (G. Vermes, M. Borg)• Apocalyptic prophet (E.P. Sanders, A. Schweitzer)

Why such radically different picture of Jesus?

Jesus and the Gospels• Preliminaries:

• Christian interpreters & their critics• Justin Martyr, Origen, Augustine; Trypho & Celsus etc.

• Enlightenment & Modern gospel study in 18th century • New way of thinking and seeing the world• The rise of historical criticism – some presuppositions

• The church has misinterpreted the Bible• Jesus was not divine• Miracles of Jesus results of outdated worldview• Bible is like any other religious book• Jesus of history and Christ of faith separated (cf. Matt 26:11; 28:20)• What can be known about Jesus according to historical research? • Historical –critical approach the only legitimate method


2.2.1 The “Quests” for historical Jesus• The First Quest (1778-1906)

• H.S Reimarus (1778)• D.F Strauss (1835)• A. Schweitzer – The Quest for Historical Jesus (1906)

• Separation of historical Jesus & Christ of faith• Christianity stood in contradistinction to historical Jesus• Miracles made more “palatable”• Jesus made into the ‘image’ of the questers

• Abandoned Quest (1906-1953)• Nothing can be known of the “true” Jesus – or it is irrelevant• R. Bultmann and demythologizing project

Jesus and the Gospels• The New Quest (1954-)

• E. Käsemann “The Question of the Historical Jesus (1953)• Gospels as ‘theological fiction’• The question and use of sources (GTh, GHb etc.)• The Jesus Seminar

• The Third Quest (1965-)• G.B. Caird Jesus and the Jewish Nation (1965)• Emphasis on Jesus’ Jewishness • Research w/o presuppositions is impossible


2.2.2 Some Recent Pictures of Jesus• Travelling cynic philosopher (J.D. Crossan)

• Radical egalitarianisms and social reform

• Charismatic Faith Healer (G. Vermes, M. Borg)• Channel of God’s power for all – healings and miracles

• Apocalyptic prophet (E.P Sanders, M. Casey)• Climax and imminent coming of the kingdom

• Social Reformer (G. Theissen, R. Horsley)• Renounced family & possessions – egalitarianism and classless society

• Feminist Jesus (E. Schüssler-Fiorenza)• Liberator of women from Roman male dominance and oppression

• Risen Messiah and embodiment of YHWH (N.T. Wright)• Messiah and prophet who delivers Jews from the Exile

Jesus and the Gospels3.1 The Preliminary Questions - the Gospels & Jesus• What sources to use and why?

• The process of oral transmission

• The Criteria for authenticity• Minimalist Jesus

• The Synoptic problem

• The gospel genre

• The chronology of Jesus’ life


3.2.1 The sources for the life of Jesus• Traditional sources

• The four gospels

• Other proposed sources• The Gospel of Thomas• The Gospel of Peter• The Secret Mark• Agrapha and other non-canonical gospels

Jesus and the Gospels3.2.2 The Process of Oral Transmission• Traditional view

• Medieval view – divine dictation theory• Original apostles and eyewitnesses

• Form-criticism of the 20th century (M. Dibelius)• Classification of gospel genre into forms (parable, miracle, passion…)• The use of the form in the context of early church• Tracing the process of oral transmission to written document

• “Laws” of oral transmission• Gospel materials - mixture of history and legend• Basic assumption – the deeds and words of Jesus significantly altered

• Modern “quests” use many of the older assumptions

Jesus and the Gospels• Are there signs of oral transmission in the gospels?• Important questions

• Grouping of Jesus’ sayings – connections vague (‘and then…’)• Same saying/parable different context (Mt 6:25-34//Lk 12:22-31)• Why some parables/sayings unique to one gospel (e.g. Lk 10;15)• Why is John so different• Why only Mt & Lk have infancy narrative• Sayings outside the gospels (e.g. Acts 20:35; 1Cor 9:14, 11:25)

• Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:15 & period of oral tradition• Not everything was written down (cf. John 21:25)

Jesus and the Gospels• Three models of oral transmission

• Uncontrolled and informal (R. Bultmann)• Critique: discounts the presence of eyewitnesses• Evangelists too creative/too little time for excessive legends

• Controlled and informal (K. Bailey & J. Dunn)• Critique: presumes rural transmission though Christians mainly in cities

• Formal and controlled (B. Gerhardsson)• Too rigid for synoptic variation

• Controlled informal probably best model • The presence of eyewitnesses (Lk 1:1-4; Acts 1:21-22; 1 Cor 15:1-8; Jh

21:24)


3.2.3 Criteria for Evaluation Authenticity• Historical research – probability vs. possibility

• Multiple attestation• Tradition appears in multiple sources - more likely authentic

• Multiple forms • Topic embedded in saying and narrative – more likely authentic

• Dissimilarity • No parallels in Judaism or Early Christianity – more likely authentic

Jesus and the Gospels in Modern Scholarship

• Simplest form of tradition• Tendencies for embellishments

• Embarrassment • A saying that seems embarrassing (e.g. Peter’s denial)

• Disagreement with the tendencies of the evangelist• E.g. a saying that praises rich in Luke

• Anachronism • Irrelevant in the Palestinian setting Mk 10:11-12 [woman initiating divorce]


• Coherence• Tradition that coheres with other authentic traditions

• Memorable form or content (humorous, surprising) • Difficult to evaluate

Wide variety of resultsWhich criteria is given most weight Other important features of authenticity


3.2.4 The Facts of Critical Scholarship about Jesus• Jesus came from Nazareth

• Jesus began his public life as disciple of John

• Jesus was a teacher and healer/exorcist

• Jesus had followers – 12 of inner circle

• Jesus focused his mission on israel


• Jesus preached the Kingdom of God

• Jesus clashed with Jerusalem authorities about the Temple

• Jesus was crucified as Messianic pretender by Pilate

• Jesus’ followers believed they encountered him after death

• Jesus’ followers formed a movement awaiting his return and winning new converts

Jesus and the Gospels3.3 The Synoptic Problem• What is it - does it even exist?

• How to explain similarities & differences b/w Matt/Mk/Lk?• Preliminaries: Eusebius and Augustine in the 4th century

• Comparison and harmonization

• Facts: 90% of Mark is found in Matthew; 65% of Mk in Lk

• Enlightenment skepticism• Undue harmonization by some evangelicals (Lindsell 1976)

• Peter denied Jesus six times!

• See hand out for examples• Matt 6:25-34//Luke 12:22-34• https://bible.org/sites/bible.org/files/ntsynopsis_download_ebook.pdf

https://bible.org/sites/bible.org/files/ntsynopsis_download_ebook.pdf



Matthew 15:17-20 Mark 7:18-19

17 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.

18 “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19 For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)


Matthew 7:11 Luke 11:13

11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”



• For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.

Mk 15:10

• For he knew that because of envy they had handed Him over.

Matt 27:18

Jesus and the Gospels• Some comments

• How to explain similarities and differences?• The “how” of inspiration?

• Literary dependence seems inevitable…• Similar wording in sayings/parables (Matt 6:25-34//Luke 12:22-34)

• OT quotes (Mk 1:2//Mt 11:10//Lk 7:27 – Ex 23:20 & Mal 3:1)

• Similar wording in narrative (Mk 5:1//Lk 8:26//Mt 8:28)• Similar wording in parenthetical statements (Mt 24:15/Mk 13:14)

• Mark 15:10//Matt 27:18

• Matt, Mark, Luke – follow closely similar order though not arranged chronologically [e.g Mark 1:22-3:19//Lk 4:31-6:16//Matt 8:14-10:4]

Jesus and the Gospels• Attempts to solve the synoptic puzzle• Augustinian view

• Matthew’s priority

• The two gospel hypothesis• J.J Griesbach 1783• Matthew’s priority

Jesus and the Gospels• Markan prority

• Brevity not due to

abbreviation• Comments in Aramaic

(e.g. 5:41 talitha kum)

• Two-Source hypothesis• Priority of Mark & Q

hypothesis (Holzmann 1863) • Material common to Mt & Lk

Jesus and the Gospels• What is the Q-source?

• Hypothetical source• Common material between Matt & Lk that’s not in Mark• Temptation story; Beatitudes; Anxiety saying; parables

• Did actually it exist? – some arguments pro and con• Similar works (GTh; OT prophets; wisdom collections)• Shared tradition and verbal similarity b/w Mt & Lk• Doublets in Mt & Lk against Mk’s one saying (cf. ‘taking the cross’)

• Triple tradition – Mt & Lk agree against Mk – stylistic improvements?• Disagreements over its length & wording (e.g. Lk 12:12-21)• No tangible evidence for Q

Jesus and the Gospels• The Four source hypothesis

• B.H Streeter The Four Gospels:

A Study in Origins (1924)

Unique materials in Mt & Lk

• For more info http://www.hypotyposeis.org/synoptic-problem/

• Reasons for Mark’s priority• Mark includes number of Aramaic words• Brevity not due to abbreviation (Mk has longer narratives)• Mark’s archaic language and grammar• Mark’s ‘primitive’ theology

http://www.hypotyposeis.org/synoptic-problem/

http://www.hypotyposeis.org/synoptic-problem/

Jesus and the Gospels• Historical reliability?

• Ipsissima verba vs. ipsissima vox• Paraphrase, summary, abbreviation, clarify the idea

• Nature of ancient evidence• Gaps in narrative, fragmentary nature of evidence; lack of dates• Source question• Presuppositions (cf. Cicero “For nothing happens without a cause”)• Criteria for authenticity• Eyewitness testimonies and oral tradition• Testimony of the early church fathers • Clear chronological markers and ancient evidence


3.4 The gospel genre • What is a gospel?

• LXX euaggelion (Is 40:9) – Gospel message – written genre

• Ancient vs. modern biography• Person, motivations, significance, lack of dates• No psychological development per se• Teaching, propaganda & rhetorical effects • Plutarch (45-125 AD) – < 50 biographies

• Gospel genre • Genres within genre [compilations of parables, stories, sayings etc.]• Influence of OT and Jewish literature• Fiction-like narrative (not inaccurate)• Overtly evangelistic and persuasive


3.5 The Chronology of Jesus’ life – is it possible?1.) Jesus’ birth and youth (6/4BC-AD 26/28)

2.) The Beginning of Jesus’ Public Ministry (AD 26-27/28-29)

3.) The Galilean Ministry (AD 27-29/29-31)

4.) Jesus travels outside Galilee (AD 29/31)

5.) The Perean and Judean Ministry (AD 29-30/31-32)

6.) Jesus’ Last Week and Crucifixion (April, AD 30/33)

7.) The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus (April-June, AD 30/33)

Jesus – Life and Teachings• Some reasons for the dates:

• Three years for Jesus’ public ministry – John’s three Passovers• AD 30/33, Nisan 14 on which Jesus died, is Friday (follow John)• Temple had been under construction for 40 yrs. (John 2:20)

• Herod’s reconstruction began in 19 BC Passover in AD 27/30• Jesus’ baptism just before – AD26/29?

• ‘Jesus was about 30 yrs.’ – Lk 3:21-23 when baptized • Calculating back Jesus’ birth around 4BC (give or take few yrs.) • Herod the Great died in March/April 4BC – Jesus’ birth before it

• John mentions three Passovers (2:13, 6:4, 12:1)• 5:1 Passover as well? 3,5 yrs. of public ministry

• Other chronologies: 7BC-AD30/33

nts 501 nt intro and survey class ii: jesus and the gospels

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