First taught on 28 Feb 2012 at Metro Manila Bible Community's Mentoring Tuesdays. Looks at the 3 synoptic gospels -- Matthew, Mark, & Luke.

2. www.facebook.com/seatsinc

3. Anoba’ngnapansin mo sa reading
assignment this week?

4. Introduction to the New
Testament
Synoptic Gospels

5. Definition: Gospel

6. evangelion
“The term has recently been translated as ‘good news.’
That sounds attractive, but it falls far short of the order of
magnitude of what is actually meant by the word
evangelion. This term figures in the vocabulary of the
Roman emperors, who understood themselves as lords,
saviors,&redeemers of the world…. The idea was that what
comes from the emperor is a saving message, that it is not
just a piece of news, but a changing of the world for the
better.

7. evangelion
“When the Evangelists adopt this word,&it thereby
becomes the generic name for their writings, what they
mean to tell us is this: What the emperors, who pretend to
be gods, illegitimately claim, really occurs here – a
message endowed with plenary authority, a message that
is not just talk but reality…. the Gospel is not just
informative speech, but performative speech – not just the
imparting of information, but action, efficacious power
that enters into the world to save&transform. Mark speaks
of the ‘Gospel of God,’ the point being that it is not the
emperors who can save the world, but God. And it is here
that God’s word, which is at once word&deed, appears; it
is here that what the emperors merely assert, but cannot
actually perform, truly takes place. For here it is the real
Lord of the world – the Living God – who goes into action.
“The core of the Gospel is this: The Kingdom of God is at
hand.”

8. evangelion
Itongsalita ay inilipatsa “MagandangBalita.” Pero,
kahitmagandaang dating ngsalitangito,
kulangitosatotoongibigsabihinngsalitang
“evangelion.”
GinamititongsalitangmgaEmperadorng Roma,
naakalanilanasilaangpanginoon,
mgatagapagligtas, at mgataga-tubosngmundo …
angkonseptonitonaanggalingsaemperador ay
angmensahenamakakapagligtas,
hindilangisangpirasongbalitakundiangisangpagba
bagongmundo.

9. evangelion
Noongginamitngmga may-akdaangsalitangito, at naging
common naitoparasakanilangmgapagsulat,
angibignilangsabihin ay: Kung
anoangsinasabingmgaEmperador, nahinditotoongdiyos,
nasila’ymgapanginoon, tagaligtas, at taga-tubosngmundo,
ay nangyaridito – isangmensahena may
buongkapangyarihan,
isangmensahenahindisalitalamangkundikatotohanan … ang
Gospel ay hindilangpagsalitananagbibigaykaaalaman,
hindilangnagbibigayimpormasyonkundi may gawa,
kapangyarihannapumapasoksamundoparailigtas at baguhin.
Angpuntoni Marcos patungkolsaMabutingBalita,
AngsalitangDiyosnaminsa’ynagingsalita at gawa, at nakita,
Na
hindiangmgaEmperoangmakakapagligtaskundiangDiyoslam
angangmakakagawa. Ito angsinasabingmgaEmperona may
paninindiganngunithindinilatalagakayanggawin.
SapagkatnanditoangtunaynaPanginoonngmundo –
AngDiyosnabuhay –naSyangkumikilos.
Ito angcentrongMabutingBalia: DitonaangKaharianngDiyos!
- Pope Benedict XVI, from Jesus of Nazareth, pgs. 46-47.

10. Definition: The Synoptic Gospels
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, & Luke. These
Gospels are called synoptic (from the Greek syn-
together &opsis appearance) because they can be
compared column by column with each other. The 3
Synoptic Gospels have many parables & accounts in
common, as well as a general consensus on the
order of events, suggesting a common source for all
3.
-About.com

11. Interpreting the Gospels
Salaysay/ Narrative
Talinghaga/ Parable

12. Interpreting the Gospels
There are a few things to consider when
interpreting parables.
1. Jesus did not write them. They are stories written
about Jesus that contain his teachings but he
himself did not write them.
2. There are 4 gospels. Each written to meet the
needs of a different community.
– Each shows a historical concern for who Jesus was
– Each is a retelling of Jesus’ story for a new
community.

13. Tanong
• How can we retell Jesus’ story in our
communities? Anoba’ngkuwento mo tungkolkay
Jesus?

14. Interpreting the Gospels
May dalawangklasengkasulatan sa mga Gospels.
1. Una ay salaysayo narrative.
Itongklasengkasulatan ay mga kuwento kung
anongnangyarikay Jesus at sa kanyang mga
alagad.
2. Pangalawa ay talinghaga.
Itongklasengkasulatan ay isang
simplengkuwento na ginamitparailarawan ang
isang a simple story used to illustrate a moral or
spiritual lesson.

15. Nature of Narrative / Uri ng Salaysay
1. A narrative usually does not directly teach a doctrine.
2. A narrative usually illustrates a doctrine taught explicitly
elsewhere. Nilalarawan ng
salaysayangisangkatotohanannatinuro ng
malinwanagsaibangbahagi ng kasulatan.
3. Narratives record what happened—not necessarily what
should/ought to have happened. Therefore, not every narrative has
an individual, identifiable moral of the story.
4. What people do in narratives is not necessarily a good example
for us. Many times, it is just the opposite. Angginagawa ng
mgataosasalaysay ay
hindipalangingmagingmagandanghalimbawasaatin.
5. Most characters (& their actions) in narratives are not perfect.
Hindi perfect angkaramihan ng mgataosasalaysay.
6. We are not always told at the end of a narrative whether what
happened was good or bad. We judge that on the basis of what
God has taught us directly elsewhere in Scripture.

16. Nature of Narrative / Uri ng
Salaysay(cont'd)
7. All narratives are selective & incomplete (cf. John 21:25). What
does appear in the narrative is everything that the inspired author
thought important for us to know. Walangkumpletongsalaysay.
Angnakalagaysasalyasayin ay kung anong gusto ng may-
akdanamalamannatin.
8. Narratives are not written to answer all our theological questions.
They have particular specific limited purposes & deal with
certain issues, leaving others to be dealt with elsewhere. Hindi
isinulatangmgasalaysayparasagutinanglahat ng mgatanongnatin.
Ginamitlangsilaparasaspecific situation lamang.
9. Narratives may teach either explicitly (by clearly stating
something) or implicitly (by clearly implying something w/out
actually stating it).
10.In the final analysis, God is the hero of all biblical narratives. Isa
langangbidasabawatsalaysaysaBiblia: AngDiyos!
Adapted from Gordon D. Fee & Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth: A Guide to
Understanding the Bible, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993), 83-84.

17. Mga Prinsipyo Sa Mga Talinghaga
A parable is a story that compares one or more characters in order to
better illustrate its point.
Themes of the Parables. / AngMgaSuliranin Sa MgaTalinghaga
1. Jesus clearly has 3 main topics of interest: The graciousness of
God, the demands of discipleship,& the dangers of disobedience.
2. The central theme of the parables is the Kingdom of God. The
Kingdom of God is the active power of God’s personal revelation
of himself in creating a human community of those who serve
Jesus in every area of their lives.
The following principles should help you to avoid obvious errors in
interpretation whenever you seek to exegete parables.
•Adapted from Craig L. Blomberg, Interpreting the Parables, (Downers Grove: InterVarsity
Press, 1990), 165-167, 325-327.

18. Parable Principles (cont'd)
1. Every parable of Jesus contains certain parts
which point to a 2nd level of meaning& other
parts which do not.
• Not all the details of a story need to have a hidden
meaning. In Jesus’ parables, only the major points
have a hidden meaning, but that hidden meaning is
not hard to find.Hindi lahat ng details ay may
pangalawangibig-sabihin. May
pangalawangibigsabihinangmgatalinghagani Jesus
samga main points lamang. Hindi
mahiraphanapinitongpangalawangibig-sabihin.
•Adapted from Craig L. Blomberg, Interpreting the Parables, (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press,
1990), 165-167, 325-327.

19. Parable Principles (cont'd)
2. The meanings we give to the details must relate
to,& be understandable by, the original audience.
• One early interpretation of the Good Samaritan had
the innkeeper standing for the Apostle Paul.
However, Paul was at that time unknown, and
therefore would not have been understood by the
original audience.
•Adapted from Craig L. Blomberg, Interpreting the Parables, (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press,
1990), 165-167, 325-327.

20. Parable Principles (cont'd)
3.While the parables do present a largely lifelike portrayal
of first-century Palestinian Judaism, key details in them
are surprisingly unrealistic& serve to point out an
allegorical level of meaning.
1. In the parable of the Great Supper (Lu 14:15-24) is a good
illustration of this point. There are many elements which are
unbelievable:
• All of the wedding guests refuse to come –& use excuses that
aren’t really excuses.
• The host invites the poor& handicapped to his wedding as
replacements.
•Adapted from Craig L. Blomberg, Interpreting the Parables, (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press,
1990), 165-167, 325-327.

21. Parable Principles (cont'd)
4. The main characters of a parable will probably
be the most common candidates for allegorical
interpretation,& the main points of the parable
will most likely be linked w/ these characters.
5. Jesus’ narrative parablesw/ 3 main characters
make 3 points, those w/ 2 main characters make
2 points,& those w/ 1 character make 1 point.
•Adapted from Craig L. Blomberg, Interpreting the Parables, (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press,
1990), 165-167, 325-327.

22. Feeding 5000
Gospel Parallels

26. Feeding 5000 Summary
1. Total Number of words used to tell story
– Matthew 157
– Mark 194
– Luke 153
– John 199
2. Number of words common to all synoptics: 53
3. Number of words John has in common with
synoptics: 8

27. Groupwork
1. Interpret the Parable of the Mustard Seed
– Mt 13:31-31; Mk 4:30-32; Lk 13:18-19
2. Interpret the Parable of the Tenants
– Mt 21:33-46; Mk 12:1-12; Lk 20:9-19
3. Interpret the Parable of the Fig Tree
– Mt 24:32-35; Mk 13:28-29; Lk 21:29-31

28. Homework
Read Acts, Peter, Hebrews, Jude,& James for next
class