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Introduction to the New Testament

Synoptic Gospels

Definition: Gospel

“The term has recently been translated as ‘good news.’ That sounds attractive, but it falls far short of the order of

magnitude of what is actually meant by the word evangelion. This term figures in the vocabulary of the

Roman emperors, who understood themselves as lords, saviors, & redeemers of the world…. The idea was that

what comes from the emperor is a saving message, that it is not just a piece of news, but a changing of the world for

the better.

evangelion

“When the Evangelists adopt this word, & it thereby becomes the generic name for their writings, what they

mean to tell us is this: What the emperors, who pretend to be gods, illegitimately claim, really occurs here – a

message endowed with plenary authority, a message that is not just talk but reality…. the Gospel is not just

informative speech, but performative speech – not just the imparting of information, but action, efficacious power

that enters into the world to save & transform. Mark speaks of the ‘Gospel of God,’ the point being that it is not the emperors who can save the world, but God. And it is

here that God’s word, which is at once word & deed, appears; it is here that what the emperors merely assert,

but cannot actually perform, truly takes place. For here it is the real Lord of the world – the Living God – who goes into

action. “The core of the Gospel is this: The Kingdom of God is at

hand.”

evangelion

Itong salita ay inilipat sa “Magandang Balita.” Pero, kahit maganda ang dating ng salitang ito,

kulang ito sa totoong ibig sabihin ng salitang “evangelion.” Ginamit itong salita ng mga

Emperador ng Roma, na akala nila na sila ang panginoon, mga tagapagligtas, at mga taga-tubos ng mundo … ang konsepto nito na ang

galing sa emperador ay ang mensahe na makakapagligtas, hindi lang isang pirasong balita

kundi ang isang pagbabago ng mundo.

evangelion

Noong ginamit ng mga may-akda ang salitang ito, at naging common na ito para sa kanilang mga pagsulat, ang ibig

nilang sabihin ay: Kung ano ang sinasabi ng mga Emperador, na hindi totoong diyos, na sila’y mga panginoon, tagaligtas, at taga-tubos ng mundo, ay nangyari dito – isang mensahe

na may buong kapangyarihan, isang mensahe na hindi salita lamang kundi katotohanan … ang Gospel ay hindi lang

pagsalita na nagbibigay kaaalaman, hindi lang nagbibigay impormasyon kundi may gawa, kapangyarihan na

pumapasok sa mundo para iligtas at baguhin. Ang punto ni Marcos patungkol sa Mabuting Balita, Ang salita ng Diyos na minsa’y naging salita at gawa, at nakita, Na hindi ang mga Empero ang makakapagligtas kundi ang Diyos lamang ang

makakagawa. Ito ang sinasabi ng mga Empero na may paninindigan ngunit hindi nila talaga kayang gawin.

Sapagkat nandito ang tunay na Panginoon ng mundo – Ang Diyos na buhay –na Syang kumikilos.

Ito ang centro ng Mabuting Balia: Dito na ang Kaharian ng Diyos!

evangelion

- Pope Benedict XVI, from Jesus of Nazareth, pgs. 46-47.

Definition: The Synoptic Gospels

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, & Luke. These Gospels are called synoptic (from the Greek syn- together & opsis appearance) because they can be compared column by column with each other. The 3 Synoptic Gospels have many parables & accounts in common, as well as a general consensus on the order of events, suggesting a common source for all 3.

-About.com

Interpreting the Gospels

Salaysay / NarrativeTalinghaga / Parable

Interpreting the Gospels

There are a few things to consider when interpreting parables.

1. Jesus did not write them. They are stories written about Jesus that contain his teachings but he himself did not write them.

2. There are 4 gospels. Each written to meet the needs of a different community.– Each shows a historical concern for who Jesus was– Each is a retelling of Jesus’ story for a new

community.

Tanong

• How can we retell Jesus’ story in our communities? Ano ba’ng kuwento mo tungkol kay Jesus?

Interpreting the Gospels

May dalawang klaseng kasulatan sa mga Gospels.

1. Una ay salaysay o narrative. Itong klaseng kasulatan ay mga kuwento kung anong nangyari kay Jesus at sa kanyang mga alagad.

2. Pangalawa ay talinghaga. Itong klaseng kasulatan ay isang simpleng kuwento na ginamit para ilarawan ang isang a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.

Nature of Narrative / Uri ng Salaysay

1. A narrative usually does not directly teach a doctrine.2. A narrative usually illustrates a doctrine taught explicitly

elsewhere. Nilalarawan ng salaysay ang isang katotohanan na tinuro ng malinwanag sa ibang bahagi ng kasulatan.

3. Narratives record what happened—not necessarily what should/ought to have happened. Therefore, not every narrative has an individual, identifiable moral of the story.

4. What people do in narratives is not necessarily a good example for us. Many times, it is just the opposite. Ang ginagawa ng mga tao sa salaysay ay hindi palanging maging magandang halimbawa sa atin.

5. Most characters (& their actions) in narratives are not perfect. Hindi perfect ang karamihan ng mga tao sa salaysay.

6. We are not always told at the end of a narrative whether what happened was good or bad. We judge that on the basis of what God has taught us directly elsewhere in Scripture.

Nature of Narrative / Uri ng Salaysay (cont'd)

7. All narratives are selective & incomplete (cf. John 21:25). What does appear in the narrative is everything that the inspired author thought important for us to know. Walang kumpletong salaysay. Ang nakalagay sa salyasayin ay kung anong gusto ng may-akda na malaman natin.

8. Narratives are not written to answer all our theological questions. They have particular specific limited purposes & deal with certain issues, leaving others to be dealt with elsewhere. Hindi isinulat ang mga salaysay para sagutin ang lahat ng mga tanong natin. Ginamit lang sila para sa specific situation lamang.

9. Narratives may teach either explicitly (by clearly stating something) or implicitly (by clearly implying something w/out actually stating it).

10.In the final analysis, God is the hero of all biblical narratives. Isa lang ang bida sa bawat salaysay sa Biblia: Ang Diyos!

Adapted from Gordon D. Fee & Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth: A Guide to Understanding the Bible, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993), 83-84.

Mga Prinsipyo Sa Mga Talinghaga

A parable is a story that compares one or more characters in order to better illustrate its point.

Themes of the Parables. / Ang Mga Suliranin Sa Mga Talinghaga1. Jesus clearly has 3 main topics of interest: The graciousness of

God, the demands of discipleship, & the dangers of disobedience.2. The central theme of the parables is the Kingdom of God. The

Kingdom of God is the active power of God’s personal revelation of himself in creating a human community of those who serve Jesus in every area of their lives.

The following principles should help you to avoid obvious errors in interpretation whenever you seek to exegete parables.

• Adapted from Craig L. Blomberg, Interpreting the Parables, (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1990), 165-167, 325-327.

Parable Principles (cont'd)

1. Every parable of Jesus contains certain parts which point to a 2nd level of meaning & other parts which do not.• Not all the details of a story need to have a hidden

meaning. In Jesus’ parables, only the major points have a hidden meaning, but that hidden meaning is not hard to find. Hindi lahat ng details ay may pangalawang ibig-sabihin. May pangalawang ibig sabihin ang mga talinghaga ni Jesus sa mga main points lamang. Hindi mahirap hanapin itong pangalawang ibig-sabihin.

• Adapted from Craig L. Blomberg, Interpreting the Parables, (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1990), 165-167, 325-327.

Parable Principles (cont'd)

2. The meanings we give to the details must relate to, & be understandable by, the original audience. • One early interpretation of the Good Samaritan had

the innkeeper standing for the Apostle Paul. However, Paul was at that time unknown, and therefore would not have been understood by the original audience.

• Adapted from Craig L. Blomberg, Interpreting the Parables, (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1990), 165-167, 325-327.

Parable Principles (cont'd)

3.While the parables do present a largely lifelike portrayal of first-century Palestinian Judaism, key details in them are surprisingly unrealistic & serve to point out an allegorical level of meaning.1. In the parable of the Great Supper (Lu 14:15-24) is a good

illustration of this point. There are many elements which are unbelievable:

• All of the wedding guests refuse to come – & use excuses that aren’t really excuses.

• The host invites the poor & handicapped to his wedding as replacements.

• Adapted from Craig L. Blomberg, Interpreting the Parables, (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1990), 165-167, 325-327.

Parable Principles (cont'd)

4. The main characters of a parable will probably be the most common candidates for allegorical interpretation, & the main points of the parable will most likely be linked w/ these characters.

5. Jesus’ narrative parables w/ 3 main characters make 3 points, those w/ 2 main characters make 2 points, & those w/ 1 character make 1 point.

• Adapted from Craig L. Blomberg, Interpreting the Parables, (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1990), 165-167, 325-327.

Feeding 5000

Gospel Parallels

Feeding 5000 Summary

1. Total Number of words used to tell story– Matthew 157– Mark 194– Luke 153– John 199

2. Number of words common to all synoptics: 53

3. Number of words John has in common with synoptics: 8

Groupwork

1. Interpret the Parable of the Mustard Seed– Mt 13:31-31; Mk 4:30-32; Lk 13:18-19

2. Interpret the Parable of the Tenants– Mt 21:33-46; Mk 12:1-12; Lk 20:9-19

3. Interpret the Parable of the Fig Tree– Mt 24:32-35; Mk 13:28-29; Lk 21:29-31

Homework

Read Acts, Peter, Hebrews, Jude, & James for next class