The Chapter 1 Historical Jesus

Historical Evidence For Existence of Jesus Tacitus Suetonius Pliny the Younger Josephus TACITUS : Roman Historian Writing early 2nd century A.D. His Annals provide us with a single reference to Jesus of considerable value. Rather frustratingly, much of his work has been lost, including a work which covers the years 29-32, where the trial of Jesus would have been had he recorded it. (tektonics.org) SUETONIUS: Roman Biographer Writing circa 120 Made one statement that may refer to Christ in The Twelve Caesars, about an incident that took place in Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius PLINY THE YOUNGER Governor of Pontus & Bithynia (111-113 AD) Writes to Emperor Trajan on several political matters JOSEPHUS Jewish Historian (a non-believer) Commanded Jewish forces in first Jewish revolt against the Romans (AD 66-70) Wrote Jewish Antiquities & mentions John the Baptist, James the Just (who he calls brother of Christ) Wrote account of Palestinian rule of Pontius Pilate (AD 26-36)

God’s Covenant 1900 BCE…….Abraham enters into a covenant with God 1300……………. The Exodus – Moses leads people out of Egypt 1000-961……. David moves gov’t to Jerusalem/rules ……………..Solomon’s kingdom divided into North & South ……………..Northern half of kingdom fell to Assyria ……………..Southern kingdom fell to Babylonians 587-537……..Captivity in Babylon 532………………Return from Babylonian Exile 167………………Maccabean Revolt 63………………..Pompey captures Jerusalem 4-6………………Birth of Jesus

Bible Biblia Inspired Word of God The Inerrancy of the Bible Canon Different kinds of truth The Inerrancy of the Bible Inerrancy Strict inerrancy Limited inerrancy Canon Septuagint Biblia - Greek word = the books Put together over approx. 1400 years Inspired Word of God Scripture is inspired – fundamental xtn doctrine Inspiration defined – The divinely guarenteed written record of revelation Dependable because of some sort of intervention by God It is “God-breathed” Ruah=spirit (2 Tim 3:16) Inspired by same Spirit whom the creed confesses as having “spoken through the prophets” CCC #105, 106 The Inerrancy of the Bible (Tradition & Incarnation by Portier) Inerrancy – (no error) without distortion Strict inerrancy – inspiration understood as factual errorlessness or inerrancy extends to every single word Limited inerrancy – focuses on content instead of words Primary purpose of bible is not to make assertions about science & history – strict inerrant wants to hold the bible as truth in regards to these two truths The God upon whom we can rely has given us a scripture that teaches without error the religious truths that we need for salvation

Canon = “rule or measure” table of contents The list of books contained in the bible Septuagint - Latin word = seventy For legendary 70 scholars who translated it Translation of Hebrew scriptures into Greek Most ancient translation of the Old Testament

Old Testament Number of Books Deutero-canonical/Apocryphal books (7) Jewish/Protestants vs. Catholic Deutero-canonical/Apocryphal books (7) Sirach Judith Wisdom Baruch Tobit 1&2 Maccabees Divisions of the Old Testament Jewish vs. Christian 1. Torah 1. Pentateuch 2. Prophets 2. Historical Books 3. Writings 3. Wisdom Writings 4. The Prophets Number of Books Jewish/Protestants: 39 books (total in bible = 66) canon set 80BC Catholic: 46 books (total in bible = 73) Deutero-canonical (second canon) Apocryphal (hidden) (7 books) Sirach Judith Wisdom Baruch Tobit 1&2 Maccabees Divisions of the Old Testament Jewish vs. Christian 1. Torah (Law) 1. Pentateuch (greek=“five books”) 2. Prophets 2. Historical Books 3. Writings 3. Wisdom Writings 4. The Prophets Pentateuch – 1st five books of the bible Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy

New Testament Testament Primary source/historical Jesus The divisions within the New Testament Gospels Acts Epistles Revelation Testament = covenant Xtns calling it the NT is a proclamation that God has established a new covenant with his people in Jesus Christ Primary source/historical Jesus The divisions within the New Testament Gospels – (4) Matthew, Mark, Luke, John Gospel=“good news” Synoptic = greek for “seeing together” Acts – 2nd half of Luke’s gospel Epistles = letters (21) Revelation or Apocalypse = revelation in greek

The Canon of the New Testament The Four Gospels Acts of the Apostles Epistles Thessolonians Revelation Dates to Know 65 CE 125 CE 75 CE 150-200 CE 85 CE 400 CE 95 CE 1545-1563 CE What inspired them to put NT canon together? Matthew Mark Luke John Acts of the Apostles Romans 1Corinthians 2Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1Thessalonians 2Thessalonians 1Timothy 2Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1Peter 2Peter 1John 2John 3John Jude Revelation The Four Gospels – narratives of life of Jesus Acts of the Apostles Ascension Pentecost Deeds and acts of the apostles Epistles – written to the xtn communities Pauline letters first (ordered longest to shortest) Rest of letters also ordered longest to shortest Thessolonians – oldest writing in NT (50 A.D.) Revelation Dates to Know 65 A.D. – Mark written 125 A.D. – writings were completed 80 A.D. – Luke written 150-200 A.D. – attempt to put Gospels together 85 A.D. – Matthew written 400 A.D. – By this time Canon of NT is completed 95 A.D. – John written 1545-1563 A.D. – Council of Trent decreed the canon of the bible for the church What inspired them to put NT canon together? Self-identity in face of martyrdom & persecution To fight/respond to heresy

SCRIPTURE HALLENGE Mt 25:31-46 1 Cor 11:27 Heb 11:1 Gal 6:1-10 Mk 16:15 Jn 13:34 2 Thes 2:13-15 3 Jn 11 HALLENGE The scriptures used by Peter & Paul were the Hebrew Scriptures usually in Septuagint version, interpreted in a Christ-centered way The canon of the NT comes to us from out of the life of the church, the communion of xtn churches ACTIVITY Give students list of passages to look up, utilizing abbreviations Mt 25:31-46 1 Cor 11:27 Heb 11:1 Gal 6:1-10 Mk 16:15 Jn 13:34 2 Thes 2:13-15 3 Jn 11

TIME LINE 4-6 BCE 30-33 CE 65 CE 75 CE 85 CE 95 CE Jesus' Birth Jesus' Death Mark Luke Matthew John

The Formation of the Gospels Stage 1- Public Life & Teaching of Jesus 4 BC – 33 AD Stage 2 – Oral Tradition 33 AD – 65 AD Stage 3 – New Testament Writings 50-110 AD Stage 1- Public Life & Teaching of Jesus 4 BC – 33 AD Stage 2 – Oral Tradition 33 AD – 65 AD Stage 3 – New Testament Writings 50-110 AD

SCRIPTURE HOW THE CHURCH INTERPRETS SCRIPTURE Author’s intentions Conditions of the time Must read in light of the Spirit Content and unity Read in “the living Tradition of the Church” Be attentive to analogy of faith INTERPRETING SCRIPTURE Have to discover the sacred author’s intention (ccc 110) To do this take into consideration conditions of the time Political, historical, cultural, literary genres Must be read and interpreted in light of the same Spirit by whom it was written (ccc111) Vatican II indicates three criteria for interpreting scripture in accordance with the Spirit who inspired it: Be especially attentive to content & unity of the whole Scripture Scripture is a unity (no matter how different the books might be) Read scripture within “the living Tradition of the whole Church” Be attentive to the analogy of faith The coherence of the truths of faith among themselves and within the whole plan of Revelation

THE TYPES OF CRITICISM Source Criticism MARK MATTHEW LUKE John Tries to determine what source/sources the gospel & other NT writers used Mark Matthew (Mark, Q, M) Luke (Mark, Q, L) “Q” Source = quelle (german) = source Look at sample p 48 of text

THE TYPES OF CRITICISMS Historical Criticism HISTORICAL CRITICISM Tries to discover what the evangelists really wanted to say when they wrote the text Asks questions related to the historical context Do Journal Activity on page 48

THE TYPES OF CRITICISMS Form Criticism FORM CRITICISM Focuses on the literary differences in each NT book and the individual literary units each contains Some Literary Forms in the Gospels: (see page 50 of text) Do activity on page 51

THE TYPES OF CRITICISMS Redaction Criticism MATTHEW’S GOSPEL Audience: Jewish-Christian Portrays Jesus: As the New Moses who gave humanity to the Law of Love Stresses: How Jesus fulfilled OT prophecies MARK’S GOSPEL Audience: Non-Jewish Christians (gentiles) experiencing persecution Portrays Jesus: As the suffering servant Stresses: Jesus’ followers should follow him by accepting the challenges of their own crosses LUKE’S GOSPEL Audience: Gentile-Christians Portrays Jesus: As the Universal Messiah Stresses: Jesus brings salvation to all, especially the oppressed/poor/despised JOHN’S GOSPEL Audience: Various churches around Roman empire Portrays Jesus: Word of God, Bread of Salvation, The Way Truth & Life Stresses: Jesus is source of eternal life REDACTION CRITICISM Redact means to “edit for publication” Focuses on the evangelists as editors How & Why they arranged their sources the way they did Tries to discover particular theological insight/slant of the evangelist & how it influenced the arrangement of material It helps us discover how the theology of each evangelist & needs of their audience helped shape & give form to their final work SEE NEXT PAGE FOR GOSPEL WRITER ANALYSIS

MATTHEW’S GOSPEL Audience: Jewish-Christian Portrays Jesus: As the New Moses who gave humanity to the Law of Love Stresses: How Jesus fulfilled OT prophecies MARK’S GOSPEL Audience: Non-Jewish Christians (gentiles) experiencing persecution Portrays Jesus: As the suffering servant Stresses: Jesus’ followers should follow him by accepting the challenges of their own crosses LUKE’S GOSPEL Audience: Gentile-Christians Portrays Jesus: As the Universal Messiah Stresses: Jesus brings salvation to all, especially the oppressed/poor/despised JOHN’S GOSPEL Audience: Various churches around Roman empire Portrays Jesus: Word of God, Bread of Salvation, The Way Truth & Life Stresses: Jesus is the source of eternal life

THE TYPES OF CRITICISMS Textual Criticism TEXTUAL CRITICISM Compares minor changes & mistakes that have been made through the centuries so translations are as accurate as possible