New Testament BCM 103 Dr. Dave Mathewson Gordon College/Denver Seminary

Literary Genres of the NT Narrative (Gospels and Acts) Narrative (Gospels and Acts) Epistolary (Paul’s and General letters) Epistolary (Paul’s and General letters) Apocalypse (Revelation) Apocalypse (Revelation)

Reliability Can we trust our Gospels? Can we trust our Gospels? C. S. Lewis’ famous trilemma: liar, lunatic, or Lord!—Legend? C. S. Lewis’ famous trilemma: liar, lunatic, or Lord!—Legend? Who was Jesus? Historical or Fiction (Brown) Who was Jesus? Historical or Fiction (Brown) Early church’s theology and faith or historical? Early church’s theology and faith or historical? Craig Blomberg, The Historical Reliability of the Gospels (IVP, 1987) Craig Blomberg, The Historical Reliability of the Gospels (IVP, 1987) Reconstructing Church History—Bart Erhman Lost Christianities Reconstructing Church History—Bart Erhman Lost Christianities

Reliability Early concern for what was true of Christ Early concern for what was true of Christ False dichotomy between history and theology False dichotomy between history and theology Evidence that the church was interested in accurately portraying the life and teachings of Christ—Luke 1:1-4 (eyewitnesses) Evidence that the church was interested in accurately portraying the life and teachings of Christ—Luke 1:1-4 (eyewitnesses)

We can trust our Gospels! Eyewitnesses Eyewitnesses Agreement between the Gospels Agreement between the Gospels Much can be confirmed historically Much can be confirmed historically The nature of the Gospels The nature of the Gospels

Who’s Using Who?-Synoptics Matt 17.1: And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves… Mark 9.2: And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves…. Luke 9.28: Now about eight days after this he took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.

MarkQ MatthewLuke MatthewLuke

Reasons Mark Wrote 1 st MT and LK smooth over and condense MK MT and LK smooth over and condense MK Most of MK is found in MT and LK Most of MK is found in MT and LK 97% found in MT 97% found in MT 88% found in LK 88% found in LK When MT, MK and LK are parallel, MT and LK almost never deviate together from MK; but MT and Mk do from LK and LK and MK do from MT When MT, MK and LK are parallel, MT and LK almost never deviate together from MK; but MT and Mk do from LK and LK and MK do from MT