1. The New Testament Unit 3: The arrest, trial and death of Jesus

2. Specification The arrest, trial and death of Jesus Candidates should be familiar with the accounts of these events in the synoptic gospels. Scholars’ views of the theological message and the teaching about the person of Jesus provided by the writers in these accounts The main similarities and differences between the three accounts: – Matthew 2636–2761 – Mark 1432–1547 – Luke 2240–2356 Issues arising Is there any satisfactory explanation of why the synoptic accounts of the arrest, trial and death of Jesus are so different from each other? Is it possible to deduce from them the reason why Jesus was crucified? Are the accounts of the arrest, trial and death of Jesus historically reliable? How convincing are the claims made about the person of Jesus and his ministry based on the synoptic accounts of his arrest, trial and death?

3. The Passion Narratives Passion comes from ‘passio’ which means suffering The Gospels include the passion to: Show Jesus was the Son of God Show the suffering was undeserved and Jesus died for no reason Show Jesus freely took the suffering as if his death was already pre-ordained Background The trial of Jesus took place in 2 stages: Before the High Priest and Sanhedrin where he was accused of saying he would destroy the temple Before Pontius Pilate where he was accused of being a revolutionary, forbidding payment of Roman taxes and being Christ the King

4. The Arrest of Jesus Differences

5. The Trial of Jesus Differences

6. The Crucifixion Differences

7. Crucifixion: The Person and Work of Jesus

8. The Passion Narrative in Mark Straightforward, factual account of the Crucifixion Showed what was happening and how people reacted Simon of Cyrene carries Jesus’ cross Jesus was taken to Golgotha ‘place of the skull’ Jesus was offered wine mixed with myrrh to each the pain however Jesus refused it The Roman’s shared Jesus’ clothes to compensate for their job ‘King of the Jews’ was put on the cross Isaiah 53 is fulfilled: ‘numbered with transgressors’ Jesus identifies with sinners and promises the Kingdom of God and forgiveness

9. Mark’s Account

10. The Passion Narrative in Luke Luke uses both Mark and his own source Innocence of Jesus is emphasised Jesus is portrayed as in control of events and accepting his death as atonement for the sins of the world Luke pays special attention to: the weeping women, Jesus’ conversation with the criminals, Jesus forgiving his executioners and the crowd repenting their complicity Women are singled out: ‘Daughters of Jerusalem’ to tell them his concern for the fate of Jerusalem Luke describes Jesus’ Crucifixion as the supreme sacrifice for salvation Jesus also identifies with sinners in Luke saying ‘Father forgive them’ showing forgiveness The conversation with one of the criminals stresses the universality of Jesus’ message

11. Luke’s Account

12. The Passion Narrative in Matthew Matthew relies heavily on Mark He is writing for the Jewish audience and shows how Jesus fulfilled the scriptures Matthew shows power and authority of Jesus, the Son of God. Omnipotent and omniscient Father entrusted everything to his Son and his death brings in the Kingdom of God The tone of Matthew is Eschatological and shows judgement is a consequence of not believing Matthew adds the suicide of Judas suggesting he has been judged for his actions The death of Jesus marks the end of the old world and beginning of a new one

13. Matthew’s Account

14. Old Testament Fulfilment

15. Biblical Criticism Mark may have put together pericope from the oral tradition Both Luke and Matthew used Mark as a source as well as ‘M’ ‘L’ and ‘Quelle’ Source Mark put his Gospel together from separate pericope Dibelius: Largely based on Old Testament material Psalm 22 and suffering from Isaiah 53 J. Knox: ‘The story of the passion had to be told in such a fashion that the stark reality of it be felt and the full redemptive meaning of it be realised’ Form Wrede: Jesus chose to die a criminals death to show who he was Conzelmann: Luke’s gospel was good news to the poor and shows universality Matthew's main themes are fulfilment of the Old Testament and the Supernatural Redaction