Chapter 1: Who is Jesus? Searching inthe New Testament and Beyond CONCEPT C The New Testament

Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Who is Jesus?Who is Jesus?

Searching Searching

in in

the the

New Testament New Testament

and Beyondand Beyond

CONCEPT CCONCEPT C

The New The New TestamentTestament

The New TestamentThe New TestamentA Collection of “Books”A Collection of “Books”

27 separate 27 separate books – books – different different writings and writings and authorsauthors

personal personal letters, letters, homilies from homilies from early worship early worship services, services, some highly some highly symbolic and symbolic and imaginative imaginative writings, the writings, the 4 gospels4 gospels

The New TestamentThe New TestamentA Collection of “BooksA Collection of “Books””

developed developed about 20 years about 20 years after Jesus’ after Jesus’ death – about death – about 50 to 100 C.E.50 to 100 C.E.

all deal with the all deal with the life, death, & life, death, & Resurrection of Resurrection of Jesus and his Jesus and his impact on the impact on the community of community of those who those who believed in him – believed in him – the churchthe church


Only the Only the gospels deal gospels deal directly with directly with Jesus’ life, Jesus’ life, preaching, preaching, works, works, Resurrection – Resurrection –

only they offer only they offer anything like an anything like an historical historical portrait portrait

of Jesus.of Jesus.


Other writings Other writings address the address the early community early community of faith, the of faith, the meaning of meaning of Jesus’ life, death Jesus’ life, death & Resurrection & Resurrection for the believer, for the believer, difficulties of the difficulties of the 11stst Christians, Christians, etc.etc.

They are They are about the about the lives of the lives of the Christian Christian community community and individual and individual Christian more Christian more than the life than the life of Jesus of Jesus himselfhimself..

The New TestamentThe New TestamentWritings with Special AuthorityWritings with Special Authority

Prior to the Prior to the development development of the New of the New Testament, Testament, the earliest the earliest Christians - Christians - many devout many devout Jews -Jews -

used the Old used the Old Testament Testament during during worshipworshipand and community community prayer.prayer.

The NewThe New TestamentTestamentWritings with Special AuthorityWritings with Special Authority

..

New writings New writings first came first came about to meet about to meet the needs of the needs of that growing, that growing, worshiping worshiping community.community.

Some writings Some writings were lost, were lost, others became others became the New the New Testament.Testament.


By the end of By the end of the 2nd the 2nd century, more century, more than 150 years than 150 years after Jesus’ after Jesus’ death & death & Resurrection – Resurrection –

the church the church agreed on the agreed on the 4 gospels as 4 gospels as special and special and authoritative.authoritative.


By the end of By the end of the 4th century, the 4th century, the church gave the church gave final approval of final approval of the 27 books of the 27 books of the New the New Testament.Testament.

The Canon of The New The Canon of The New Testament: The GospelsTestament: The Gospels

Matthew, Mark, Luke, JohnMatthew, Mark, Luke, John–organized chronologicallyorganized chronologically–something like historical something like historical

records of Jesus’ life but more records of Jesus’ life but more concerned with his message concerned with his message

than with the details of his lifethan with the details of his life

Canon of The New Testament: Canon of The New Testament: The Acts of the ApostlesThe Acts of the Apostles

Luke’s account of the early Luke’s account of the early days of the Christian days of the Christian community under Peter’s community under Peter’s leadershipleadership– relates the initial development relates the initial development of the church in Jerusalem of the church in Jerusalem & the Roman Empire& the Roman Empire

Canon of The New Testament: Canon of The New Testament: The Acts of the ApostlesThe Acts of the Apostles

– the main focus is on Paul’s the main focus is on Paul’s

missionary endeavors that missionary endeavors that

spread the church throughout spread the church throughout

the Roman Empire.the Roman Empire.

Canon of The New Testament:Canon of The New Testament:13 Pauline Epistles13 Pauline Epistles

– to support and further educate to support and further educate individual Christians or small individual Christians or small communities who believed in communities who believed in Jesus because of missionary work Jesus because of missionary work of Paul and othersof Paul and others

–7 written by Paul 7 written by Paul RomansRomans Philippians Philippians1 Corinthians1 Corinthians 1 1 ThessaloniansThessalonians2 Corinthians Philemon2 Corinthians PhilemonGalatiansGalatians

Canon of The New Testament:Canon of The New Testament:13 Pauline Epistles13 Pauline Epistles

–6 by authors who wanted to 6 by authors who wanted to honor Paul or sought special honor Paul or sought special authority in the authority in the

community by claiming community by claiming

Paul as the author Paul as the author

EphesiansEphesians 1 Timothy1 Timothy

ColossiansColossians2 Timothy2 Timothy

2 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians TitusTitus

Canon of The New Testament:Canon of The New Testament: The Letter to the Hebrews The Letter to the Hebrews

–attributed to Paul, but author is attributed to Paul, but author is unknownunknown

–an extended sermon to a group an extended sermon to a group in danger of falling in danger of falling

away from their away from their

belief in Jesusbelief in Jesus

Canon of The New Testament:Canon of The New Testament:The 7 Catholic The 7 Catholic

(general or universal) Epistles (general or universal) Epistles

–addressed to believing addressed to believing Christians as a general Christians as a general audience, not audience, not to a particular communityto a particular community

JamesJames 2 Peter2 Peter 2 John2 John JudeJude1 Peter1 Peter 1 John1 John 3 3 John John

Canon of The New Testament:Canon of The New Testament:The Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation

–highly symbolic and highly symbolic and mysterious languagemysterious language

–popular writing among Jews popular writing among Jews since 200 years before Jesussince 200 years before Jesus

Canon of The New Testament:Canon of The New Testament:The Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation

–most was written for late 1st most was written for late 1st century Christians who were century Christians who were suffering persecution suffering persecution

from Romans forfrom Romans for

their beliefstheir beliefs

–encourages faith in Christ and encourages faith in Christ and expectation of his return at expectation of his return at the end of timethe end of time

The Canon of The New TestamentThe Canon of The New Testament

The 4 GospelsThe 4 Gospels

The Acts of the ApostlesThe Acts of the Apostles

The 13 Pauline EpistlesThe 13 Pauline Epistles

The Letter to the HebrewsThe Letter to the Hebrews

The Canon of The New TestamentThe Canon of The New Testament

The 7 Catholic The 7 Catholic

(general or universal) Epistles(general or universal) Epistles

The Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation

The Canon of The New TestamentThe Canon of The New Testament Order of WritingsOrder of Writings– 1 Thessalonians – 1 Thessalonians –

first book to be written, about 50 first book to be written, about 50 C.E.C.E.

– Gospels Gospels written between 70 and 95 C.E.written between 70 and 95 C.E.

– 2 Peter2 Peter last book to be written, last book to be written,

about 100 C.E.about 100 C.E.

The Canon of The New TestamentThe Canon of The New TestamentCanon – from the Greek meaning Canon – from the Greek meaning

“rule” or “standard”“rule” or “standard”

Present order – Present order –

from popularity from popularity

of gospels within of gospels within

early community, early community,

length of length of

Paul’s letters, etc.Paul’s letters, etc.

A Look Ahead: Who is Jesus?A Look Ahead: Who is Jesus?What are we to make of his life, What are we to make of his life,

death and resurrection?death and resurrection?

A Look Ahead: Who is Jesus?A Look Ahead: Who is Jesus?What are we to make of his life, What are we to make of his life,

death and resurrection?death and resurrection?

TURNING TO THE GOSPELS TURNING TO THE GOSPELS

TURNING TO THE GOSPELSTURNING TO THE GOSPELS

They are the link between Jesus They are the link between Jesus

of Nazareth and the of Nazareth and the people of of every age who follow himevery age who follow him

Just about everything the church Just about everything the church teaches about Jesus is teaches about Jesus is

from from the 4 Gospelsthe 4 Gospels MatthewMatthew

MarkMarkLukeLuke

JohnJohn

Documents

Chapter 1: Who is Jesus? Searching inthe New Testament and Beyond CONCEPT C The New Testament