OHALAH PRESENTATION: SYNOPTIC GOSPELS FOR RABBIS

1. Led by Rabbi Ed Stafman OHALAH PRESENTATION:SYNOPTIC GOSPELS FOR RABBIS

2. Matthew & Luke As Editors of Mark and Q • Comparison of Mark 7 & Matthew 15: Clean & Unclean • Generally, attacks on Pharasaic extra-biblical tradition and Pharisees as hypocrites. Note: Jesus (according to gospel writer) was not only one rejecting Pharasaic tradition; so did Saducees and DSS community. • Compare Matthew 15:1-2 & Mark 7:1-4 Why does Matthew remove Mark 7:3-4? • Compare Matthew 15:15-17 & Mark 7:17-19 Why does Matthew remove last part of Mark 6:19? (Consider Matt 5:17-20, Sermon on the Mount). • Matthew 15:12-14 – why does Matthew add these verses?

3. First Century Religions in the Roman Empire • Early Judaisms • Early Christianities • Greaco-Roman Religions

4. First-Century Jewish Sects • Pharisees • Saducees • Essenes • Fourth Philosophy (zealots, revolutionaries), included various groups like Sicari, famous for guerilla tactics • Philo & Alexandrian Jews • Theraputae • Samaritans • Herodians • Priests and Levites: Temple functionaries • Scribes • Proto-kabbalists • Proto-gnostics • Non-affiliated • God-fearers in synagogue • Imodeans, Gileads, Galileans, Philistines, & similar neighboring groups • Followers of various charismatic figures, often miracle workers with messianic expectations, e.g., Jesus, John the Baptist, Honi, HaninabenDosa (killed by Romans), Simon bar Joseph (Josephus discusses, killed in 4 BCE, associated w/Gabriel’s revelation), Athronges (led a revolution, killed by Romans in 2 BCE), Menachemben Judah, bar Kochba (135 CE)

5. Some Main First Century Christian Groups • Marcionites: Jesus is solely divine • Jewish Adoptionist: Jesus is human • Gnostics: Jesus a teacher about deliverance from material existence • Proto-orthodox: Jesus is both human and divine

6. Divine Men, Mystery Religions, and Philosophy Mystery Religions Roman Persecution of Mystery Religions and early Christians Graeco-Roman religions: THE THIRD LEG OF THE STOOL

7. Divine Men • Kings and Emperors • Alexander the Great • Vespasian • Romulus • Philosophers and Teachers • Plato • Pythagoras • Heroes – Humans who became Gods • Hercules • Asclepius • Dionysus

8. Mystery Religions SECRET INITIATION involving ritual IDENTIFICATION with god by acting out SACRED STORY  or myth, including DEATH & RESURRECTION making one a member of HOLY COMMUNITY and giving one ETERNAL LIFE

9. Some Well-KnownFirst-Century Mystery Religions • Eleusinian Mysteries • Eleusis • Demeter and Persephone • Isis and Osiris • Egypt • Apuleius, Metamorphoses • Mithras • Persia • Mithraeum • Tauroctony – Bull Slaying

10. Grand Relief of Eleusis Demeter Persephone Triptolemus

11. Eleusis: Sacred Precinct Telesterion (Hall of the Mysteries)

12. Eleusis Telesterion

13. Mithraeum Rome: S. Clemente

14. Isis

15. Pompei: Temple of Isis

16. Pompei: Temple of Isis

17. Worship of Isis Herculaneum Fresco

18. Persecution of Christians • Romans intermittently saw Christians as a mystery cult, like Isis, and as an apocalyptic cult with a leader (messiah) whose goal it was to overthrow Rome. As such, Christians sometimes represented a threat to Roman order. • One Christian response to Romans was to claim Jewishness and corresponding antiquity. • Jewish response was to oppose Christian claims to avoid being lumped together by Romans and because of increasing gentile presence in Christian church. This sometimes resulted in Jewish persecution of Christians.

19. Sources for Persecution of Early Christians • Correspondence between Pliny, Governor of Bythinia-Pontus, and the Emporer Trajan on crime of being a Christian (111-112 CE) • Christians and the Great fire in rome in 64 CE Tacitus, Annals 15.44.2-8 (completed around 117 CE) • Christians accused of cannibalism and sexual perversion (Minucius Felix, Octavius 9 (3rd [?] century defense of Christianity).    • Christians as scapegoats for every imaginable misfortune (Tertullian, Apology 40.1-2 (Defense of Christianity, 197 CE) • The Christian response: Martyrdom 

20. OUTLINE: Introduction and Three Sections THE ISSUES OF MARK’S COMMUNITY CONTEXT OF THE GOSPEL: Eschatological Persecution & Apocalyptic Answer, with Jesus as Apocalyptic Messiah RELATIONSHIP WITH OUTSIDERS: Jesus’ Power and AuthorityOver Judaism & Jewish-Christians ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝGospel according to Mark

21. Outline: Three Main Sections

22. The Issues of Mark’s community • Christians as a persecuted minority • Apocalypticism with Jesus as messiah as answer • Tension with Jewish community, with the Pharisees as opponents, further cementing Jesus’ role as messiah • Internal Christian debates (e.g., how important is law, with Mark opposing the Jerusalem church and its view on law).

23. The Context of the Gospel: Eschatological Persecution Chapter 13: An Apocalyptic answer to eschatological persecution, building on Jewish apocalypticism • Destruction of the Temple (70 CE) • Appearance of false prophets and false messiahs (See Josephus) • Persecution and witnessing (e.g., 64 CE under Nero). • Jesus will return soon in power and glory, at the end of the first generation 13:30; 9:1. c. 30CE 64 CE 66-70 CE Jesus’ Death Nero’s persecution Jewish War Jesus’ Return

24. Mark’s Answer to Persecution: Apocalypticism Apocalyptic Statements of Jesus • Mark contains predictions that “kingdom of God” will soon appear, where evil will be overthrown. 1:15; 8:38-9:1; 13:24-27,30 • Mark refers to the imminent coming of apocalyptic “son of man,” portrayed as a cosmic figure who will bring judgment at the end time. 2:10, 28; 8:31, 38; 9:9, 12,31; 10:33,45; 14:21, 41. “Son of Man” is sometimes referred to by Jesus in the third person. E.g., 8:38. Examples: • Mark 1:15: "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” • Mark 9:1: And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.“ Healing Miracles as Part of Apocalyptic Message • Jesus defeats DEMONS who are agents of SATAN causing illness. • Connection between healing and forgiving sins. • Eschatological significance of conquering Satan, bringing an end to his rule and bringing in Kingdom of God. 1:21-28.

25. Mark’s Jesus: Apocalyptic & Suffering Messiah Mark begins by calling Jesus messiah, but Jesus does not conform to Jewish ideas about messiah: • Messiah (mosiach=annointed one, used to refer to kings in Bible) • In Second Temple times, messiah figure comes in the end time. • Idea of messiah develops in response to the political situation on the ground (Seleucid-Ptolemy wars, Maccabean wars, Roman occupation) • Pharasaic idea: a warrior king who will restore Israel, but attitude towards expectation varies • Apocolyptic ideas are very diverse, including an archangel or heavenly figure who will restore the particular apocalyptic community • Varied ideas of what messiah will do: • Remove Romans (or other evil occupier) • “Correct” Jews who have gone astray in their practice, such as Temple cult • End all poverty, disease, and death • Ressurection of the dead in many sects No known Jewish idea that Messiah will suffer, die, or certainly not be executed. All Jewish sects connected messiah with messianic times (the new age of perfection) [so someone who died without ushering in such times could not be messiah].

26. Mark’s Explanation of Why Jesus is Messiah Mark will attempt to show Jesus is messiah through: • Prophecy • Messianic Secret • Declarations that he is Messiah, Son of Man, and/or son of God • Jesus’ tension with and defeat of the Jewish community • Jesus is a Kind of Messiah that the Jews didn’t understand: the suffering messiah who must die and will rise again in glory

27. Mark’s (Ch. 9) Use of Prophecy to Establish Jesus as Suffering Messiah • Gospel begins by telling us that Jesus’ story fulfills an ancient prophecy. Then comes John the Baptist, whose dress and diet are reminiscent of Elijah. • Jesus, Elijah and Moses convene on mountain when they are enveloped in a cloud (reminiscent of Sinai experience), when God pronounces Jesus his son, and announces that the disciples should listen to him. Moses and Elijah suddenly disappear. 9:1-8. Elijah’s presence fulfills the Jewish tradition that Elijah appears before messiah (Malachai 4:5-6). Jesus agrees with the doctrine about Elijah’s coming (9:12), but he gives it a twist by announcing that Elijah has already come, and expands Elijah’s role from the "restorer" of hearts, to include "all things.“ This all refers to John the Baptist, whom Mark described as coming in the garb of Elijah (1:6). • When Jesus is declared son of God, in 9:7, most would have understood this to mean he is like other sons of God – divinely inspired teachers or rulers who do miracles -- but the verse continues: “Listen to him,” portraying Jesus as authoritative son of God, who people follow and obey as he performs miracles, healings, casting out demons, etc. • Mark then creates a new prophecy by linking Daniel’s “Son of Man” and the heretofore unrelated idea of “suffering,” and applies it to Jesus: “How then is it written about the Son of Man, that he is to go through many sufferings and be treated with contempt?” (9:12). Yet, the Son of Man does not suffer in Daniel, so it is not clear where “it is written” that the Son of Man must suffer and be treated with contempt, as no scripture states this directly.

28. Where Might Mark Have Gotten the Idea That “It is Written” That the Son of Man Must Suffer and Be Treated with Contempt? Possibility” Isaiah 53, the “Suffering Servant” Text. But Mark does not cite it explicitly and: • Before Christianity, Isaiah 53 was never understood as messianic. It was rarely used by early church, and neither NT nor Paul [who is very interested in vicarious atonement] ever uses it to prove the vicarious atonement of messiah. [It is used in Acts 8:26-40, and is identified with Jesus, but still does not suggest vicarious atonement]. Novelty of much later Christian exegesis was to apply passage exclusively to messiah. • Rabbinic interpretation of Isaiah 53 – based on the surrounding passages which clearly say that the “servant” is Israel (41:8-9; 44:1; 44:21; 45:4; 48:20; 49:3; 52:12) -- considers the “servant” to be the nation of Israel who silently endured unimaginable suffering at the hands of its gentile oppressors.  The speakers are the stunned kings of nations who will bear witness to the messianic age and the final vindication of the Jewish people following their long and bitter exile. If Mark is referring to Isaiah 53, he is giving it a new messianic reading Possibility: Mark refers to suffering righteous person in Psalms 118, 22, 69, and 89, with a new messianic reading (some Greek words are same as Psalm 22, but not to Isaiah), but: • Voice of Psalms is David's, who has experienced times of suffering. • These Psalms never suggest that the sufferer is the messiah or the Son of Man. Possibility: Mark is referring to his own passion narrative where it says that Jesus will suffer Even if Mark is referring to one of these passages, none suggest a notion of a vicarious sufferer. But, Mark’s weaving together of these various ideas, for early Christians, goes a long way to establish Jesus as the Jewish messiah.

29. Mark’s Use of the Messianic Secret to Establish Jesus as Suffering Messiah • After performing miracles, Jesus routinely commands the observers to keep silent (1:25, 34, 44; 3:12; 4:41; 5:31; 5:43; 6:36-37, 51-52; 7:36; 8:4,26, 30; 9:9). He frequently talks in riddles to avoid saying that he is the messiah that the reader knows him to be. • Nobody (except for the reader) understands the type of messiah Jesus claims to be. The Jews, of course, do not understand, so that Jesus’ own people reject him. Not even his disciples understand, and he is almost universally misunderstood. 8:31-33; 9:30-35; 10:23-43.; 14:10, 32-46, 50, 66-72). • Jesus must maintain this secret – keeping people in the dark – so people will not have wrong idea about him by thinking he is kind of messiah they anticipated • The reader must first learn that Jesus must first suffer, die, and be resurrected before he would be allowed to carry out his messianic role.

30. Declarations that Jesus is Messiah, Son of Man, and/or Son of God • Son of God • Heavenly Voice(1:1 and 1:11; 9:7); 15:39 (Centurion). • Demons in exorcisms. • Jesus in 14:62. • Only human who declares Jesus Son of God is centurion at Jesus' death. Earlier possibility of misunderstanding him as divine man/miracle worker.   •  Son of Man    Authority to interpret Torah (2:28) and forgive sins (2:10).    Suffering and service.    Return in Power and Glory to Judge world. 8:38; 13:26; 14:62. • Tearing of curtain after Jesus dies (15:38)(not mentioned in any non-Christian source). • Only High priest could enter past curtain on Yom Kippur, which separated the holiest of places from the rest of the world. For Mark, God is no longer removed from his people, no need to rely on Jewish High priest and his sacrifice to atone for sins on YK.

31. As Suffering Messiah, Jesus identifies with people’s suffering/persecution) Just as Jesus was misunderstood and had to stand alone without the understanding and support of his own, so too will a follower of Jesus. • For Mark, following Jesus is not path to glory, but to suffering. Glorious Messiah suffers a terrible death. • Salvation comes through crucifixion. To gain eternal life, one must lose life: the greatest are the most humble; most powerful are slaves. • Prosperity is not a blessing but a hindrance. Leaving one’s home and family brings many fields and families. The first will be last and last first. • Mark encourages believers to stand firm, e.g., 13:13, in the face of troubles. All of this offers hope to a community in the throes of suffering from persecution.

32. Mark’s Tension with Jewish Community (Pharisees as opponents): Jesus’ Power and Authority, Further Cementing His Role as Messiah • Jesus encounters continuous opposition from Jewish leadership, e.g. 2:6, 16, 24; 3:2, 6, 22; 7:1-2; 10:2; 11:18, 28; 12:13, 18; 14:43, 55-65; and 15:1 • Through controversy stories, Jesus defeats JEWISH LEADERS with his authoritative TEACHING. • Son of God has the authority to reinterpret and even change Torah. 2:23-3:6 - Sabbath 7:1-23 - Food Laws, esp. 7:19b 10:2-12 - Divorce 12:18-27 – Resurrection

33. Outline – Five Books Jesus Fulfilling the Torah and the Prophets Jesus and the Church – The Role of the Disciples The Context of the Gospel: Matthew's Church (ekklesia) in conflict and competition with the Pharisaic Synagogue. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΘΘΑΙΟΝThe Gospel According to Matthew

34. Outline: Five Books

35. Context of Gospel:Matthew’s Church in Conflict & Competition with the Pharisaic Synagogue Matthew edits Mark toanswer charges of a Pharisee criticizing Matthew’s Church on the basis of Mark’s Gospel • If Jesus was the Messiah, where is the evidence he was a descendant of David? (1:2-17) • Why are the circumstances of Jesus’ birth so unknown/mysterious? (1-2) • How did Jesus fulfill the prophecies about the Messiah? (throughout) • Why did Jesus reject the Torah? (5-7) • If Jesus was the Messiah, why was he rejected by the people and handed over to the Roman governor to be executed? • How can you say Jesus was raised from the dead when there are no accounts of his appearance to anyone after his crucifixion? (28:11-15)

36. Jesus is Descendant of David • Climax of Jewish history: pattern of 14 generations (1:17) • Role of women in the genealogy: • Tamar (Gen. 38) • Rahab (Joshua 2), • Ruth (wife of Uriah (2 Samuel 11), • Mary

37. Jesus Fulfilling the Torah and Prophets (5:17) • 5:17: Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them • Fulfilling the Torah • New Moses • Sermon on the Mount • Debate with Pharisees • Contrast with Mark • Fulfilling the Prophets • Fulfillment Passages • Genealogy: Son of David

38. Did Matthew’s Jesus reject the Torah? • One view: Jesus’ view of the Law in the Sermon on the Mount reflects no animosity towards Torah. There is no challenge to law as affecting salvation. Jesus’ “fulfillment” of law must entail its continuity. If anything, Matt. 5:17-48 offers a more radical form of Torah obedience for its readers: • Sabbath controversies (12:1-14 & Mk. 2:23-3:6; Lk 6:1-11): in each redactional case, Jesus maintains the importance of keeping the Sabbath, even if he places it in the context of his lordship of the Sabbath. • Dietary & Purity Regulations (15:1-20, Mk 7:1-23): in each redactional case, Jesus avoids overturning laws. Jesus’ objection is that the Pharisees are hypocrites. • Moses’ seat and Pharasaic law is legitimized (23:2,5,23), suggesting law still applied to Jesus’ community. Jesus’ objection is that the Pharisees are hypocrites.

39. Did Matthew’s Jesus reject the Torah? • Another view: Jesus approves of the law in theory, but significantly modifies the normative practice of his time in disregard of both written and oral Torah. Many modifications assume the coming end of days and his lordship: • Jesus exempts the disciples from the obligation to fast on account of their presence with Jesus (9:14-17), at odds with the Hebrew Bible (Lev. 16:29,31; 23:27,32; Num 29:7), the Pharisees and John the Baptist. • While Mosaic law and the Pharisees allowed divorce, Jesus forbids it except in cases of an unfaithful wife (19:3-9) • While the Torah enjoins only the making of a false oath (Lev. 19:12), Jesus prohibits oaths altogether (5:33-37). • While the Pharisees understand “an eye for an eye” to refer to monetary compensation, Jesus tells his followers to “turn your other cheek” (5:38-42)

40. If Jesus was the Messiah, why was he rejected by the people and handed over to the Roman governor to be executed? • This is partially answered in Mark: “it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over [and stirred up the crowd].” But, Pilate freely participated (Mk 15:10-11). Matthew, however, says that Pilate went along begrudgingly and shifts the guilt from a combination of the priests and Pilate to exclusively on the Jews, claiming the Jews are guilty of mob rule and blindness, admitting their guilt, and they are punished. • Pilate’s is not wanting to take part since his wife sent word to him to “have nothing to do with Jesus.” (Mt. 27:19). • The chief priests are expanded to include the elders (Mt. 27:20). • Pilate gives the crowd a second chance and they still insist that Barabbas the criminal be released rather than Jesus (Mt. 27:21). • The crowd begins to riot rendering Pilate helpless, so that he ‘washes his hands declaring himself innocent of this man’s blood.’ The people [not just the priests] as a whole answered ‘His blood be on us and our children!’” (Mt27:24-25). • As punishment, Temple is destroyed (“blood on their children”) Cf. Mt 23: 34-36 (this generation will pay the price for killing all the prophets).

41. How can you say Jesus was raised from the dead when there are no accounts of his appearance to anyone after his crucifixion? (28:11-15) • Matthew 28: an angel appears at tomb and tells women Jesus has risen and is in Galilee. The women then encounter Jesus. Jesus appears to disciples in Galilee, where he tells the disciples that “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

42. Matthew Advances the Separateness of the Church Through the Role of the Disciples • Disciples start out fearful and misunderstanding, as in Mark. • But, unlike Mark, in Matthew, with Jesus as Teacher, they gain confidence and understanding and are prepared to lead and teach (with Jesus’ help) in the newly founded church after the resurrection (See Discourse on Leaven 16:5-12; Walking on Water (14:22-23); Confession of Peter (16:13-23); Community Rules (18:15-20) [all modifying roles of disciples from Mark]

43. Is Matthew’s Harsh Polemic Anti-Judaism? • In chapter 23, Jewish leaders are “hypocrites, children of hell, blind guides, blind fools, blind, children of those who murdered the prophets, serpents, brood of vipers.” Is Matthew’s a Jewish community arguing against non-messianic Judaism or an outsider whose polemic represents its anti-Judaism? • Theory: #1 Polemic demonstrates Matthew’s anti-Judaism. Matthew reorients and redefines Jewish symbols in a christocentric manner. Baptism becomes the initiation rite into the community of those bound for heaven. [Baptism is investigated with suspicion by Pharisees and Sadducees, called a “brood of vipers.” (3:7-10)]. See 21:25. Jesus has replaced the law and Christians have therefore replaced Jews as God’s people. • Theory:#2: Matthew had split from Jewish community, but does not reject Jews as a race or people. Matthew stands outside of Jewish community: apart from its leadership, apart from its institutions (Temple, synagogue), its interpretation of torah, its geographic center in Jerusalem, even its ethnic basis. Moreover, Matthew redefines these Jewish concerns. The polemic is against Jewish leaders, but not Judaism or Jews as a race or people. • Theory:#3: Israel was the concrete community of Jews from which Matthew had been banned. Matthew’s polemic is vicious because Rabbis were expelling Jesus followers from synagogues and denouncing Christians to Roman authorities, so Matthew’s community was experiencing persecution by Jews. [It is not clear that this was happening: synagogue flogging (10:17) seeks to keep them in synagogue, not drive them out)]. Matthew does not abrogate covenant (Mt 10:6), so Jews do not lose privilege, but gentiles get it. Matthew felt he still belonged and was a Jew fighting for his interpretation of Judaism.

44. Is it the leaders or the people that are the subject of Matthew’s contempt? Certainly, either can be argued from the text. • But, by the Second century, as the parting became more pronounced, many early Christians chose to focus on the people, rather than leaders. • In the Roman Catholic tradition, Matt. 26:14-27:66 or 27:11-54 is the Cycle A reading for Passion Sunday. Both selections contain the infamous Matt. 27:25 (“All the people answered, ‘Let his blood be on us and on our children!’”), and both therefore suggest that “all the people” –usually interpreted by church congregants as “the Jews”—are responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus.

45. OUTLINE: Parallel Structure CONTEXT THEMES Christianity in Historical Perspective Holy Spirit Continuity with Judaism Witnessing Eschatology Apologetics Christian Beginnings as Golden Age ΚΑΤΑ ΛΟΥΚΑΝThe Gospel According to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles

46. OUTLINE LUKE

47. Context for Luke’s Gospel Just as Matthew responds to the Jewish critique of Mark that Mark’s messiah is outside the Jewish paradigm, Luke responds to the Roman critique of Mark that Christianity is an apocalyptic cult. • Christianity Becoming Part of the Graeco-Roman world. Luke, like Josephus, is writing a history explaining his movement to non-Christians and to Christians concerned about whether joining the new movement meant being rejected by Roman society. • Luke offers a world and society view that allows Christianity to eventually take over the Roman empire. • Luke moves Christianity from an apocalyptic sect to a world religion

48. Christianity in Historical Perspective A. Sacred History: Three Periods • B. Secular History • Style • Dates and Events • Genealogy to Adam C. Implications: Christians and the World

49. II. Holy Spirit: Motivating Principle in History • Luke 1-2 (frequent reference to Holy Spirit, 1:15, 34, 41,67,80; 2:25-27) • Luke 4:14 (compare Mark 1:14 & Matthew 4:12) • Luke 10:21 (compare Mat 11:25) • Luke 11:13 (compare Matthew 7:11) • Acts 2:1-42 (Pentecost); 8:39; 10:44; 16:6

50. III. Continuity with Judaism • Holy Spirit • Biblical (Septuagint) Style • Begins in Jerusalem Temple and Diaspora Synagogues • Observance of Jewish Laws and Customs • Jesus • Disciples • Paul • Pharisees as Allies of Christians