REL 202 -- New Testament

Synoptic Gospels Study Sheet

Terms

Synoptic Criticism Form Criticism Redaction Criticism Literary Criticism Narrative Narrator Implied Reader Plot Characterization Setting Narrative Gaps Diatessaron Synoptic Problem Two Source Hypothesis Gospel Q source Anonymous Authorship Messiah/Christ

Apocalyptic Discourse Chiasm Exorcism Frame Framing/Inclusio Galilee Kingdom of God (Reign of God) Messianic Secret Torah Oral Torah Written Torah Pharisees Sadducees Essenes Zealots Wilderness Allegory Messiah Parable

Righteousness Sermon on the Mount Suffering servant Jamnia Apostle Devout Gentile (God-fearer) Hellenist Parousia Patron Proleptic Prologue Samaritan Septuagint Synagogue Temple Canon Characters: Flat, Round, & Group

Historical Background

1. TIMELINE: Know the historical outline from 323 BC to 135 AD, i.e., from the death of Alexander the Great until the Bar Kochba revolt
2. Know characteristics of the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and Zealots.
3. Understand the significance of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD.

New Testament Basics

• Written in greek
• Four main divisions:
  • Gospels, Letters, History (Acts), Apocalypse
• Developed over time -- ca. 50-100 AD
• Oral tradition preceded the writing
  • songs, stories, liturgies, hymns
• Types of Questions asked by interpreters:
  • Historical (what history do you need to know? what history do you learn from the passage?)
  • Literary (what type of literature is the passage? how is that type ((genre)) interpreted?)
  • Theological (what does it say about God?)

Interpreting the Gospels

The Synoptic Problem

Given that there are four different (and differing) Gospels, how should they be interpreted? By using only one of the Gospels? By combining the four into one (as Tatian did with the Diatessaron in the 2nd century)?

The Two Source Hypothesis

Mark was the first written Gospel. Matthew and Luke used Mark and a second document, called Q (for the german "Quelle"), as sources for their Gospels.

Form Criticism

attempts to find the setting in which the Gospel traditions arose; the goal is to interpret the tradition as it would have been interpreted in its original setting

Redaction Criticism

attempts to discover evidence of the Gospel editor's activity; the goal is twofold: to discern the theological perspective of the editor; and to discern the community for which the editor prepared the Gospel

Literary Criticism

treats the Gospel narrative as a purposeful unity with the goal of discovering the meaning of the author's story. (Note: "Story" does not imply that the author's narrative is fictional, only that it is told in a narrative format.)

Distinction between story and narrative

The story is the whole realm of what happens to characters (e.g., the story of Jesus), whereas the narrative is that portion of the story that is told by a narrator (or written by an author; e.g., the Gospel According to Luke). Thus, in the four Gospels we have four different narratives that tell, in different ways, the one story of Jesus.

Gospel According to Mark: Issues & Characteristics

• The [Messianic] Secret: Jesus' suffering defines what it is to be the Messiah. Great deeds and miracles do not explain the Christ's identity.
• Disciples do not understand the secret
• Insight dawns slowly on people (e.g., two blind men are healed; the first requires two attempts!)
• The ending of the Gospel (Mark 16:8) is abrupt and controversial
• Apocalyptic expectations
• The Setting of Mark's Gospel: probably in the shadow of the destruction of the Jerusalem temple (70 AD)
• Purpose: to explain why Christians are suffering; to offer hope for redemption through suffering

Matthew: Issues & Characteristics

• Relationship of Matthew to Judaism: paradoxical
  • it is the most "Jewish" of the Gospels, but also the most hostile to Judaism of the Gospels
  • reflects debates over the identity of the True Israel. To Matthew, the Church is the True Israel, the fulfillment of scriptural promises. Thus, Jews who do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah forfeit the claim to be God's people Israel.
• Unique parts of Matthew: birth story, genealogy, Wise men, Herod's slaughter of the innocents, Sermon on the Mount (Beatitudes, antitheses, Lord's Prayer), Five Speeches (discourses), ministry to the Gentiles is stressed
• Disciples are characterized as understanding Jesus and his identity (in contrast to Mark's depiction of them as ignorant or confused)
• Date written: 80-90 AD
• Place: Antioch ?
• Purpose: This is debated. Why, after all, should Matthew write a gospel if he (and his community) already had access to Mark? Two suggestions are noteworthy: that Matthew's Gospel functioned as a manual of church instruction and administration; or that it preached the message that God, in Jesus (Emmanuel) is present with his people with a new era of salvation.

Luke-Acts: Issues & Characteristics

• Relationship between Luke & Acts: One narrative in two volumes? Or two separate narratives, the second of which is a sequel to the first?
  • The answer an interpreter gives this question will determine whether he/she will interpret the narrative of the Gospel of Luke alone, or only as it continues in Acts.
• Luke considered the most "literary" of the Gospels -- best style
• Uses authentic terminology (e.g., nautical terms during the episodes on board ship)
• "Journey" as a literary device: Geography structures the narratives of Luke & Acts
• Unique parts of Luke: birth, shepherds, centrality of Mary, parallels with the birth of John the Baptist, Simeon's prophecy, Jesus as a youth in the temple, genealogy goes back to Adam, multitudes of disciples are present but the Twelve are specially denoted "apostles"
• Necessity of Jesus' suffering: It is the divine plan.
• Disciples are not characterized as ignorant (as they are in Mark), nor are they understanding (as they are in Matthew). Their understanding unfolds as the narrative proceeds. At first, understanding is concealed from them, but it is later revealed as Jesus explains the Law and the Prophets (the OT scriptures) to them.
• Crucifixion of Jesus is portrayed as a moment of victory
• Innocence of Jesus is stressed
• Jerusalem is central. It is where the Gospel begins its narrative, where Jesus appears to his disciples after his resurrection, where the Church is founded in Acts, and where the proclamation of the message goes out "to the ends of the earth."
• Favorable depiction of women
• Purpose of Acts: not just to present history, but to interpret history
  • A new era has dawned: the era of God's messiah, Jesus. It is "already" present but "not yet" complete.
• "Devout gentiles" or "God-fearers" in Acts
• "Remnant Theology" helps explain the relationship of Luke-Acts and Judaism: A remnant in Israel believes in Jesus as the Messiah. This remnant joins the rest of the church as God's people in the New Age (New Era).
• Jerusalem Council (Acts 15): "official" opening of the church to gentiles; Jerusalem Jewish Christians decide not to "burden" gentiles with Jewish law
• Authorship issues:
  • not in Palestine
  • Date: 85-93 AD
  • Gentile or Jewish orientation? -- scholars disagree