Between the Testaments: Important Events & Ideas

b Influence of Greek culture on the Jewish worldview

b Initiates a love of learning, writing, and reflection on the meaning of life, the nature of the covenant, and the relationship between humans & God

b New ideas = life after death, divine judgment & and resurrection of the dead

The Messiah/Messianic Hope

b Messiah = Hebrew term meaning “anointed one” (designates King of Israel)

b Davidic covenant = (2 Sam. 7: 1-29); all David’s descendents were Yahweh’s messiahs

b After the end of the Davidic monarchy (587 b.c.e.), a future heir would restore the Kingdom of David (God’s Kingdom)

Apocalypticism:
Visions of the “End of the World”

b Flourished in Judaism before and after Jesus’ life (and is alive and well today!)

b Visions describing describing the imminent “end of the world” battle between Good and Evil

b Results in the establishment of messianic rule and the end of evil and oppression

b Roman oppression fuels this worldview

Jesus: History & Faith

Christ of Faith

• The Gospels tell the story of Jesus as seen through the eyes of faith

• He is the promised Messiah

• He came to redeem the sins of the world

• He initiates a new covenant between God and human beings

• His presence radically changes “the game” of life

Jesus: History & Faith

Jesus of History:

• Born between 7 and 3 b.c.e., probably in Bethlehem

• Grew up as a Jew in Nazareth

• Began his formal ministry in conjunction with his baptism by John the Baptist

• Gathers disciples

Jesus of History

b Has both an apocalyptic and messianic dimension to his ministry

b Teaches about the Kingdom of God

b Teaches in parables

b His teaching puts him in conflict with the Roman & Jewish establishment of the time

b He dies on the cross at the hands of the Romans, probably for sedition

3 HISTORICAL STAGES IN GOSPEL DEVELOPMENT

Four Portraits of Jesus

b Mark = the hidden messiah and eschatological judge

b Matthew = the great teacher and interpreter of the Hebrew scriptures

b Luke = savior for all nations

b John = Divine wisdom made flesh

THE SYNOPIC GOSPELS

b Synoptic gospels = Mark, Matthew, Luke; so named because they share a large quantity of material in common, allowing their texts to be viewed “with one eye.”

b John contains a strikingly different order of events; represents a different tradition

THE TWO DOCUMENT THEORY: Mark and “Q”

b Explains the literary relationship of the 3 Synoptic gospels

• Mark is a major source for Matthew and Luke

• Matthew and Luke use material from “Q” - a hypothetical source of teaching materials

• Matthew contains unique material = “M”

• Luke contains unique material = “L”

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK

b Mark’s portrait of Jesus: the HIDDEN MESSIAH AND ESCHATOLOGICAL JUDGE

b Author:

• Faith community = John Mark, traveling companion of Paul and “interpreter” for Peter in Rome

• Academic study = the work is anonymous

• Date: 66-70 c.e. during the Jewish revolt against Rome

MARK’S PURPOSES IN REDACTING MATERIALS

b Mark’s primary purpose is to PROMOTE FAITH IN JESUS

b Explains the mysterious relationship of suffering and salvation to the Gentiles

b Works to strengthen Christian resolve in the face of Roman persecution

b Stresses Gentile inclusion in the Church

KEY FEATURES OF MARK

b Shortest and simplest of the 4 gospels; the oldest; audience = Gentile Christians suffering persecution; probably written in Rome or Syria-Palestine

b Jesus is presented as an apocalyptic figure

• apocalyptic urgency - immediacy of events

• no time for birth/resurrection narratives

• destruction of the Temple - 70 c.e.

KEY FEATURES OF MARK

b Ontological dualism

• Demonic vs. Divine control

• Jesus battles Satan

• Classic theodicy = an explanation for EVIL in the world - evil as a cosmic force

• Satan in the O.T. = Job, Zech.3, Daniel

• Zoroastrian influence on Jewish thinking

• Supernatural evil today

KEY FEATURES OF MARK

b Mark is not an eye witness to the events he vividly describes

b Mark’s unusual theme = Jesus as the “hidden” messiah

• Key question: Did Jesus with to start a church?

• Mark reflects Paul’s eschatological concerns

• Compare to the musical, “Jesus Christ Super Star”

KEY FEATURES OF MARK

b Mark’s tragic element

• grim, graphic story of pain and suffering

• Jesus’ death and suffering are necessary

• 2 Parts: Miracles = power

Suffering = vulnerability

• Least read of the 4 Gospels

• Where is the love and compassion characteristic of Luke or John?

ORGANIZATION OF MARK’S GOSPEL

1. Prelude to Jesus’ public ministry (1:1-13)

• journey from Nazareth

• begins ministry after associating with John the Baptist’s reform movement

• after baptism, Jesus hears a heavenly voice assigning him Divine sonship

• Son of Man is a key Markan theme

ORGANIZATION OF MARK’S GOSPEL

2. The Galilean Ministry: inaugurating the Kingdom (1:14 - 8:26)

• Jesus is an apocalyptic figure/calls for repentance

• stresses expulsion of demons, healings, and other miracles

• demands that miracles be kept secret

• the disciples fail to understand the significance of Jesus

ORGANIZATION OF MARK’S GOSPEL

3. The Journey to Jerusalem (8:27 - 10:52)

• Mark emphasizes the hidden or unexpected quality of Jesus’ messiahship

• stresses the necessity of suffering

• Peter identifies Jesus as the Messiah

• Jesus makes 3 predictions of his coming rejection and death: 8:22-33; 9:30-32; 10: 32-45

• restores sight to Bartimaeus

ORGANIZATION OF MARK’S GOSPEL

4. The Jerusalem Ministry (11:1 - 15:47)

• enters the Holy City (11:1-11)

• assaults Temple money changers (11:15-19)

• debates with Jewish leaders (11:27-12:40)

• predicts the Temple’s destruction (13:1-37)

• holds final passover (14:1-25)

ORGANIZATION OF MARK’S GOSPEL

5. Postlude: the empty tomb (16:1-8)

• Mark describes the first Easter

• women followers discover that His tomb is empty

• Verses 9-10 = post-resurrection scenes that were edited in later; probably taken from Matthew or Luke

• Mark expected Jesus’ immediate return; no need for post-resurrection sightings