The Synoptic Gospels General Flashcards
A combination of notes / the outline and the book The Synoptic Gospels af Keith F Nickle
What does A.D. mean?
What does B.C. mean?
What does C.E. mean?
What does B.C.E. mean?
AD stands for Anno Domini, Latin for “in the year of the Lord”, while BC stands for “before Christ”.
CE stands for “common (or current) era”, while BCE stands for “before the common (or current) era”.
An important reason for adopting BCE/CE is religious neutrality. Since the Gregorian calendar has superseded other calendars to become the international standard, members of non-Christian groups may object to the explicitly Christian origins of BC and AD.
By whom were the 4 Gospels written?
We are not sure. But if the Gospels were named after their writers:
- Matthew, tax collector, 12
- Mark, assistant of Peter
- Luke, companion of Paul
- John, son of Zebedee, 12
Why is John not a part of the Synoptic Gospels?
Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called “Synoptic Gospels” because they can be “seen together.” What that actually means is that these gospels contain many of the same stories, and that those stories are sometimes even presented in the same sequence within each of the three different synoptic gospels.
John’s Gospel differs from the Synoptic Gospels in several ways: it covers a different time span than the others; it locates much of Jesus’ ministry in Judaea; and it portrays Jesus discoursing at length on theological matters. The major difference, however, lies in John’s overall purpose. The author of John’s Gospel tells us that he has chosen not to record many of the symbolic acts of Jesus and has instead included certain episodes in order that his readers may understand and share in the mystical union of Christ’s church, that they “may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name”
John
Why This Gospel Was Written
30Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Gospel-According-to-John
Most scholars believe Jesus was not creating a new religion during his ministry. Why is that?
- Jesus was called Rabi > The word rabbi means “my master” in Hebrew. A rabbi is a Jewish religious leader.
- Most of his ministries were in the Jewish area’s
- Jesus affirmed the old testament many times. By being without sin according to it, by using old testament scriptures to make a point, by being the Messiah described in the old testament
Nowhere in the New Testament does Jesus or Paul say he is rejecting Judaism and starting a new religion. In fact, the term “Christian” doesn’t appear at all in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), which chronicle Jesus’ spiritual mission; and only later, three times in the rest of the New Testament. The first utterance of the word “Christian” occurred when Paul was preaching in Antioch more than a decade after the crucifixion.
But the word “Jew” appears 202 times in the New Testament, with 82 of those mentions in the Gospels.
The evidence in the New Testament persuasively suggests that both Jesus and Paul viewed their teachings as Jewish revisionism—not a rejection of Judaism or the proposal for a new religion.
Why did lot of Jewish people not believe Jesus was the Messiah?
Because of there cultural standards. They expected a military leader that would free them from the Roman oppression, not a suffering servant. They were not awake enough to let go of their human expectations and read the signs.
What is the meaning of the name Jesus?
What is the meaning of the word Messiah?
Jesus: Salvation
Messiah: The literal translation of the Hebrew word mashiach (מָשִׁיחַ, messiah), is ‘anointed’, which refers to a ritual of consecrating someone or something by putting holy oil upon it.
Why were the Gospels written?
When Jesus passed away, people were expecting his second coming any time soon. But this did not happen, and witnesses of Jesus His life started to pass away as well. The stories about Jesus needed to be saved.
There were many people named Yeshua in that time. Also was Messiah a common term. The Gospels are selected stories to give the people a clear vision of the Messiah Jesus.
Other reasons for writing the Gospels were deepening faith and worship.
Which languages did Jesus speak?
In which language was the Gospel shared?
Jesus spoke or at least understood three languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.
As more and more gentiles were interested in the Word, Greek became the most commenly used language under Christians.
The word Messiah was not known ouside of Israel. Imagine what a change the Gospel needed to make when translated to Greek. It needed to be clear, to not mix pagan believes with Christianity.
We do not have Aramaic writings. Information was probably passed orally.
In which temple in Jerusalem did Jesus preach?
In the Second Temple.
The First Temple was built in 1000 BC by King Solomon after King David conquered Jerusalem and made it his capital. The Temple was destroyed in 586 BC by Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, when he conquered Jerusalem.
The Jews returned to Jerusalem from their exile in Babylon in 538 BC. By 515 BC the reinstated Jewish residents had completed building the Second Temple.
https://www.moon.com/travel/arts-culture/jerusalem-history-first-second-temples/#:~:text=During%20the%20First%20Temple%20period,Babylon%2C%20when%20he%20conquered%20Jerusalem.
What is Hellinism?
What were Hellinistic Jews?
Hellenism is rooted in the history of the Greek people, but it is bigger than Greek culture. It is part of humanity’s shared heritage.
Hellenistic Judaism was a form of Judaism in classical antiquity that combined Jewish religious tradition with elements of Hellenistic culture.
When was a seperate religion created, apart from Judism? Even though this might not have been Jesus intention while He was alive?
The tension between Jews and Christians grew after Jesus His death, this is obvious when reading Acts and Paul’s letters. The more the Good News was spread, according to Jesus His will, the more resistance His followers met. Till they had no choice to create their own places of worship, outside the Jewish temples.
Why did we not hear more from Joseph, the father for Jesus?
(I feel guided to say it in this way. Joseph the father for Jesus, instead of OF.. )
Jesus to God as a Father. This was shocking to a lot of Jews, as they do not dare to speak God’s name. Jahweh.
Father or.. papa? Here translation come in. Did Jesus say it in a formal or informal way?
Men were ussually older then women when they got married as they needed to make sure they could take care of a family before. Maybe he already passed away?
Oral communication is still most common nowadays > most people can still not read.
In the first century around 4% of the people could read. What are charactarisics of Oral traditions in general? When passing over specific information?
- repetation of phrasis to emphasise
- interaction with the audience
- using sounds
- word plays
- I dare say rhytm
