Chapter 2: The Gospels: Central Sources for Understanding Jesus

Chapter 2: The Gospels  Central Sources forUnderstandingJesus  CONCEPT A  How Do We Read the Gospels

The Gospels  were written under the influence of the Holy Spirit,  & from a certain perspective were shaped in part by the early Christian culture, perspective were shaped in part by the early Christian culture,  offer basic information about Jesus & his message,  are not strictly biographies of Jesus,  but testimonies of faith.

The Gospels  are part of the faith sources of information about Jesus – what we learn about Jesus from the Gospels is revealed through the eyes of people who believed him to be “THE CHRIST”.

The Gospels  The Gospels’ concern is religious truth, the deeper meaning God intends to reveal to people through historical events.  The discernment of religious truth is the task of the entire Christian community, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Tradition  The Roman Catholic church believes that the same Holy Spirit who guided the Scriptures’ authors continues to guide the church & help it clarify, develop, & preserve particular teaching & practices.  This is known as Tradition.

Objectivity: The Only Test of Truth? Some have the mistaken notion that because the Gospels were written by believers in the risen Jesus, the accounts are unreliable sources of information about Jesus.Some have the mistaken notion that because the Gospels were written by believers in the risen Jesus, the accounts are unreliable sources of information about Jesus.  They think that to be accepted as the truth, the information about Jesus has to be totally accurate & objective.

Objectivity: The Only Test of Truth?  Others believe that because the Gospels were written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they are exact factual accounts of the people & events they describe. They read the Gospels in much the same way they read newspapers or current events.

Both of these positions emphasize objectivity  That is - the reporting of facts alone, without interpretation through a personal viewpoint – as a measure of the truthfulness of the Gospels;  But objectivity is not the only test of the truthfulness of the story.  A clearer understanding of what is meant by history will help to show why this is so.

What Do We Mean by “History”?  The simple recording of observable facts & events – as if these facts & events were captured by cameras; This is a simplistic understanding of history since life is too complex for this kind of objective description.

A World Event  Think of a world event & how it may be reported by 2 different newspapers or TV stations.  Some similarities but some differences in reporting & understanding may be startling.

Why would “objective recordings” of historical events contain such differences? All historical information is interpreted through the eyes & perspective of the one doing the reporting.All historical information is interpreted through the eyes & perspective of the one doing the reporting. 2 reporters covering the same event may focus on different details, interview different people, & convey the collected information in different styles.2 reporters covering the same event may focus on different details, interview different people, & convey the collected information in different styles.

Even the firsthand knowledge we gain through our own experiences is interpreted by us. We see it from a certain perspective – influenced by past experiences, family & community, the culture we live in, etc. No one’s perspective is totally objective since that would require one to be without a point of view – impossible!

The Good News, Not the Daily News Gospels written from a certain perspective – shaped in partGospels written from a certain perspective – shaped in part by the culture the early Christians lived in – a culture with a different language, geography, technology, history & religious tradition than our own - Literary style of Gospels differs from what we find in a modern newspaper account or biography of someone famous -Literary style of Gospels differs from what we find in a modern newspaper account or biography of someone famous -

Their writing styles & devices were what was common in their own time: exaggeration, figures of speech, approximation & poetry –Their writing styles & devices were what was common in their own time: exaggeration, figures of speech, approximation & poetry – They were writing for the peopleThey were writing for the people of their time, a fact that can make it difficult for us to understand what they meant -

They selected just some of what had to be handed on by word of mouth or in writing.They selected just some of what had to be handed on by word of mouth or in writing. Sometimes theySometimes they summarized the story of Jesus or combined certain elements. Sometimes they explained the Good News in view of the situation in their own faith communities.Sometimes they explained the Good News in view of the situation in their own faith communities.

In this sense, Gospels are not biographies of Jesus  What are they?

Faith sources  Writings that came out of the community of Jesus’ followers

“Gospel”  from Middle English word “Godspell”  Which means “good news” or “good news” or “glad tidings” “glad tidings”

“Evangelion” Gospel, in turn, is a translation of the Greek word “evangelion” meaning the “proclamation or announcement of good news”Gospel, in turn, is a translation of the Greek word “evangelion” meaning the “proclamation or announcement of good news” writers of the Gospels are called the “Evangelists” – proclaimerswriters of the Gospels are called the “Evangelists” – proclaimers of the Good News

From the origins of the word “Gospel” – THEIR PURPOSE: to proclaim a message of faith in Jesus – they are testimonies of faithto proclaim a message of faith in Jesus – they are testimonies of faith not to provide accurate historical accounts of the daily life of Jesusnot to provide accurate historical accounts of the daily life of Jesus they are attempts bythey are attempts by the early followers the early followers of Christ to share of Christ to share their experiences their experiences of Jesus with the world

Similar to our telling others about a significant happening in our lives Sharing preciselySharing precisely every detail is often not the main concern Giving whatever information willGiving whatever information will best help convey the meaning & significance for the event in our life Leaving out many of the details does not lessen the truth of our storyLeaving out many of the details does not lessen the truth of our story

That the Gospels are not historical biographies  does not automatically make them untruthful

 Rather, because they were written from a certain cultural & faith perspective,  understanding them requires more than simply reading them as if they were newspaper or biographical accounts of Jesus.

Searching for Religious Truth The view of the Gospels that takes the Evangelists’ perspective into account does not place too much emphasis on the strict objectivity of their accounts.

Searching for Religious Truth Such a view instead focuses on the Gospels’ main message – which does not involve looking for historical truth as much as it involves looking for what is called religious truth. For Christians this is the deeper meaning God intends to reveal to people through historical events..

Biblical writers set out to do what modern reporters supposedly try to avoid: they interpreted events in light of their own faith convictions. Because Christians believed the biblical writers were inspired by the Holy Spirit, they are confident that the Scriptures contain the essential truth about Jesus.

The Stories of a Community: the Gospels  Offer basic information about Jesus & his message;  With the rest of the New Testament, they reveal the meaning & significance of Jesus for the people of his time.

They tell the story of the one whom Christians believed to be the Son of God – the one who fully reveals to humanity the very nature of God in his person.

In seeking the religious truth of the Gospels, Catholic Christians are careful not to rely solely on the interpretation of 1 person, or even 1 group of persons, from a particular time. Figuring out religious truth is the responsibility of the whole community of believers, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The ongoing task of the Christian church is to reassess the significance of Jesus’ life message for each new age & culture.

All are encouraged to read the Scriptures personally All are encouraged to read the Scriptures personally & prayerfully; but to look to Church for guidance in properly understanding the meaning of the Scriptures for today. but to look to Church for guidance in properly understanding the meaning of the Scriptures for today.

This course:  is not based on the personal opinions of 1 person -  its information & insights come from a whole host of sources within the Christian community

 including the official teachings of the Catholic church  which were developed with the help of respected biblical scholars & theologians.

Focus: Scripture & Tradition  Roman Catholic Church is committed to Scripture & Tradition as major aspects to understand Jesus & his message.  This distinguishes it from other Christian churches – many of whom rely only on Scripture as basis for teachings & practices.

Catholic church believes that the same Holy Spirit who guided the authors of the Scriptures continues to guide the church as it moves through history, leading it to clarify, develop, & preserve particular teachings & practices. These official teachings & practices are known as Tradition. Catholics view Tradition - along with the Scriptures as its companion - to be authoritative guides to truth.

The truth contained in the New Testament was actually part of the Tradition of the 1st generation of Christians before it was written down. On the basis of Tradition, Catholics accept as part of God’s revelation some things implied, but not mentioned explicitly, in the Scriptures.

Catholics have more sacraments than Protestant churches. Protestant churches usually accept only Baptism & Eucharist as sacraments because only these 2 are found explicitly in the New Testament.

Chapter 2: The Gospels  Central Sources forUnderstandingJesus  CONCEPT B  The Development of the Gospels

Stage 1: Jesus of Nazareth & His Disciples  The Basic Facts  The Resurrection: The Pivotal Event  Christ: Not Jesus’ Last Name

Stage 2: The Disciples & the Early Community of Faith  What Would You Do?  Spreading the Word Near & Far  Words & Deeds to Remember

Stage 3: The Early Community of Faith & the Evangelists  The Passage of Time  The Need for Continued Instruction  Common Threads

Focus: Like a Many-Layered Drawing On top of the “portrait of Jesus” that they had kept in their memories, the evangelists superimposed a portrait of the risen Jesus as they had come to understand him after the resurrection.

The Gospels can only be understood in light of faith in Jesus as the Risen One, Messiah, Christ, Son of God

Chapter 2: The Gospels  Central Sources forUnderstandingJesus  CONCEPT C  The Gospels: 4 Portraits of Jesus

 Not simply the result of 4 individuals sitting down independently & writing about Jesus based on their own personal recollections of him  Each evangelist had a wealth of material available to him The Gospels: 4 Portraits of Jesus

 Stories about Jesus were told over & over in community worship  Words of Jesus were recalled day after day in prayer & applied to life experiences  Insights drawn by preachers about the relationship between the life & message of Jesus & the history of the Jewish people

Mark’s Portrait of Jesus  The Human Jesus

Luke’s Portrait of Jesus  Jesus as the Compassionate Savior

Matthew’s Portrait of Jesus  Jesus as the Messiah of the Jews

John’s Portrait of Jesus  Jesus as the Divine Son of God

Who Do You Say That I Am?

Name Each of the 4 Gospels  Author  Approximate Date Written  Primary Audience  Central Themes

GospelAuthor Date Audience Themes