1 / 15

The Synoptic Gospels

The Synoptic Gospels. Bible 333. PURPOSES OF COURSE. Gain a better understanding of the life and ministry of Jesus Develop an understanding and appreciation for the Jewish culture in which Jesus lived and taught Study Jesus’ teachings within the Jewish cultural setting of his time.

tilden
Download Presentation

The Synoptic Gospels

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Synoptic Gospels Bible 333

  2. PURPOSES OF COURSE • Gain a better understanding of the life and ministry of Jesus • Develop an understanding and appreciation for the Jewish culture in which Jesus lived and taught • Study Jesus’ teachings within the Jewish cultural setting of his time

  3. Purposes of Course • Learn how to study the gospels individually as well as together • Study the distinctive aspects of each of the four Gospels • Trace the development of the early Church

  4. Purposes of Course • Learn how to apply the teachings of Jesus to our own lives even though his culture was very different from ours • Learn about different theories of gospel origins and the birth and development of early Christianity

  5. Israel’s history Israel’s culture The Roman world Religious groups in Israel Theories of Gospel origins Important events in Jesus’ life Jesus’ teachings People who worked with Jesus Characteristics of each Gospel TOPICS WE WILL STUDY

  6. Things to Remember When Studying the Life of Jesus • Jesus was Jewish • He was speaking to Jewish people in a Jewish setting • The discussions Jesus had with the Jewish authorities were about Jewish issues • None of this means Jesus’ teachings are not relevant today – just that we need to allow Jesus to be Jewish – not make him American

  7. Things to Remember When Studying the Gospels • There are four – each should be studied for its individual message about Jesus • The four should not be blended into one • Each was written to help Christians in different settings/places • The same story can be told with a different emphasis and/or perspective

  8. Things to Remember When Studying the Gospels • The Gospels contain biographical information, but were not intended to be what we call biographies • Much of Jesus’ teaching was handed down orally before it was put in writing • The Gospels do not contain all that Jesus said and did – the authors selected what to include (guided by Holy Spirit and the needs of their readers)

  9. Possible Reasons the Gospels Were Written • The Church was expanding rapidly – help in evangelization and teaching new converts • Some things might be forgotten or neglected • Some things might be changed in the oral transmission process

  10. Studying the Gospels on Three Levels • The historical context of Jesus’ ministry • The historical context of the author and his audience • The message for us today

  11. The Gospels and History • A Negative Perspective • By the time the gospels were written stories were already being “made up” about Jesus. • These stories addressed their problems. • These stories were included in the gospels. • WWJD/ WWJS Led to creation of stories and sayings of Jesus. • Gospels lack historical verifiability

  12. The Gospels and History • A Negative Perspective • The gospels tell us more about the early Christian communities than about Jesus.

  13. The Gospels and History • A Positive Perspective • Disciples and other eyewitnesses preserved the teachings of Jesus. • Disciples applied Jesus’ teachings and actions to their own. • Used Jesus’ teachings to encourage struggling disciples. • WJD/WJS – applied to their situation

  14. History and Theology • Not an either/or situation – one finds both history and theology in the gospels. • Gospel writers shaped (not created) the stories. • Interpreted Jesus’ teachings and actions for the early Christians.

  15. Theology in the Gospels • Helped them see the significance of Jesus for their lives. • Helped them see the connection between: • Jesus and the Jewish law • Sabbath, food, purity, temple, etc. • Jesus and the prophets • Their faith and everyday life

More Related