Unit 1's Intro (class notes) Flashcards
Describe our Working Model of the 4 Gospels
4 portraits, not photographs. Interpretive aspect for each artist.
How many miracle stories does John’s gospel have? What does this have to do with the ‘working model’?
7 miracle stories. He chose the stories to put in his gospel.
What two types of answers are there to the question: why did Jesus die?
A historical answer (because of blasphemy/disturbance and tried by Roman gov.)
and
A theological answer (for our sins)
What did Matthew add to the Baptism of Jesus?
An explanation of why Jesus should be baptized (not because of sin, but to fulfil all righteousness)
Matt and Luke vs. Mark (Baptism of Jesus) when addressing Jesus
Matt and Luke: “This is my son.”
Mark: “You are my son.”
What’s a big theme in Luke and Acts about Jesus?
Praying. Luke is more descriptive.
Genre of gospels
Ancient biography
What is a Gospel in old days?
A proclamation of “good news” (it wasn’t something written/read until 2nd century).
Something to do with proclaiming good news from winning war battle = gospel
Ancient vs. Modern biography
Ancient has no character development (it’s who they are already)
Ancient is less objective (there’s a goal or interest)
When were names attributed to authors of the gospels?
around 125 AD
When were the gospels written?
35-70 years after death of Jesus
What were the gospels based on?
Probably not eyewitness, but rather oral tradition or earlier written sources.
Synoptic problem
Who used who’s material? Explaining the relationship between the 3 synoptic gospels.
Two-Source Theory (Markan Priority with Q) 3 main elements
1) Markan priority
2) Matt and Luke are independent
3) A hypothetical source Q (Quelle = source)
What does Q mean and what’s contained in Q?
Quelle (German for source). A collection of Jesus’ sayings
Farrer Theory
Markan priority without Q (Luke used Matthew’s stuff)
Mark –> Luke, Matthew
Matthew –> Luke
Diachronic methods (getting behind the texts) 3 types
Source criticism (sources of a text), form criticism (oral traditions of a text), and historical Jesus studies (what happened historically).
Synchronic methods (final form)
Redaction criticism (the editing done by author, similar to form crit),
narrative criticism (critique as narratives),
rhetorical criticism (how text persuades),
audience criticism (how audiences reacted or responded)
Symbolic Reading (4 Living Creatures)
Human (matt), Lion (mark), Ox (luke), Eagle (john)
Political timeline before 1st Century Judaism
Northern and Southern Kingdom split (Israel/Judea). After solomon.
Assyrians destroy Israel
Babylonians destroy Judea
Persians take over
Greek (Alexander the Great)
Alexander the Great dies (332BCE), Ptolemy and Seleucid
Under Seleucid rule, Maccabean Revolt (142BCE. relates to Hanukkah)
Hasmonean Dynasty: an independent Jewish kingdom (142 till 63 BCE)
Romans take over (63 BCE)
When did Herod the Great rule?
40-4 BCE. As a client king
Ethnarch
A ruler from that region (like how Herod Archelaus was ethnarch of Judea after Herod the Great died)
Who was king when Jesus born?
Herod the Great (end of his reign)
What was the Jewish conflict (which groups) happening in Jesus’ time?
Jews vs. Samaritain
Where was Jesus’ ‘territory’?
Galilee (where nazareth is)
Who was Pontius Pilate?
A governer of Judea
Who was Joseph Caiaphas?
High Priest in Jerusalem (politically like a mayor)
Where did Pilate live in?
Caesarea
When does Pilate go to Jerusalem?
During passover or big festivals (eg. Jesus’ trial)
Which role in Rome had day-to-day control?
High priest
Is it true that there was an edge of revolt when Jesus was executed?
No
Did Jews expect Davidic Messiah?
Little did. Jews just wanted freedom from Rome.
Central beliefs of 1st Century Judaism
Monotheism, divine election, Torah practice, Temple is house of prayer
5 Diverse Sects of Judaism in 1st Century
Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots, Samaritans
Pharisees
Concerned purity for daily life, interpretation traditions were authoritative, believed in demons, angels, resurrection.
There was a fence around the Torah. The fence was oral tradition.
Sadducees
Aristocrats, Roman corroborators (liked Romans),
Rejected Pharisees’ oral tradition (Torah authority)
Essenes
Stricter than Pharisees, connected to Dead Sea Scrolls, critical of the temple
Zealots
Revolutionary group against Roman rule (60s), First Jewish Revolt
Samaritans
Israelite descendants (northern kingdom), Mt. Gerazim
Purity meaning in 1st century
Not necessarily moral, but how group boundaries happen
How each Jewish group looked at ‘purity’
Pharisees privatized purity (extended priestly regulations to the home)
Zealots politicized purity (engaged in conflict with outsiders)
Sadducees institutionalized purity (architectural space in temple)
Essenes isolated purity (made an alternative community)
How was Early Christianity viewed in relation to Judaism?
It was a sect within Judaism (eg. “The Way”)
What were Messianic Expectations in 1st century?
Some didn’t have expectations. Christ referred to a royal figure who would act on behalf of God.
Misconceptions of Jesus’ view of Judaism
That Jesus wanted to abolish purity laws.
That Jesus wanted to do away with Judaism.
