3. Judaism at the time of Jesus
• Jerusalem Temple
• Synagogue
• Sadducees
• Samaritans
• Pharisees
• Zealots
• Essenes
• A broad spectrum of me
ssianic hopes and expec
tations
• Apocalyptic perspective
expressed in certain mo
vements and literature
4. The Development of the New Testament
• The New Testament is a coll
ection of writings that witne
ss to the faith of the early C
hurch in Jesus Christ, the So
n of God.
• It came about as a result of
a process that began with th
e public life of Jesus and en
ded with the last of the Gos
pels, probably John
The Public Life of Jesus
30 -33ad
The Preaching of the Apostles
The Letters of Paul
50-62ad
The Written Gospels
70-90ad
5. What a “historian” may say about
Jesus
• Grew up in Galilee in a family of modest means
• Was a Jew but his place on the spectrum is unclear
• Was baptized by John and was linked with his mov
ement for a while
• Called disciples to share in his mission
• Was a teacher and preacher
• Message focussed on the present and coming “Kin
gdom of God”
• Jesus was crucified by the Roman governor of Jude
a
6. The Sources of the Gospels
• Individual Memory – doubtless an influence but d
oes not account for the texts of the gospels as we h
ave them.
• Community tradition: the link between Jesus and t
he Gospels is the Christian community that collect
ed, preserved and interpreted these materials as th
e expression of a vibrant faith.
7. Types of material from and about
Jesus
• Individual stories and sayings circulated as separ
ate units and where then combined in various w
ays in the process of tradition and redaction - li
ke stringing beads!
• Narrative traditions
Miracle stories,
Historical stories,
Sayings,
Parables
8. The Synoptic Gospels
Mark
Q
M L
Matthew Luke
• Q is a source that Luke and Matthew used that containe
d sayings of Jesus not found in Mark. M and L are sourc
es unique to each evangelist.
9. The Evangelist
• Matthew the Apostle? (9:9)
• Why rely on Mark?
• Perhaps a signature in 13:52,
"Therefore every scribe w
ho has been trained for
the kingdom of heaven is
like the master of a hous
ehold who brings out of h
is treasure what is new a
nd what is old.“
10. Matthew
• A Jewish Scribe (expert in the Torah) who has beco
me a Christian.
• Well versed in the Jewish tradition yet steeped in a
resurrection faith
• Understands Jesus as the fulfilment of Jewish Mes
sianic hopes and more. (infancy narrative)
• Uses Mark, “Q” and “M” as sources.
• Writes a “ bios” – a biography of Jesus according t
o classical norms.
11. Gospel as Biography
bios
• In the ancient world biography did not atte
mpt a detailed and comprehensive presentat
ion of the subject.
• Readers expected a narrative account of the
career and contribution of a notable figure u
sually spanning from birth to death.
• Alexander the Great, Caesar Augustus, etc.
12. Function of the bios
The ancient audience expected a bios
• To present the figure’s life and teaching as a poss
ible model for its own living.
• To legitimate or discredit important community
values and practices.
• To shape the identity and guide the audience’s w
ay of life.
13. Matthew’s audience
• A minority community in Antioch a large an
d culturally diverse city in the Roman Empir
e.
• Recently separated from the synagogue
• Seeking to secure an identity and lifestyle wi
th words of legitimation, explanation and di
rection.
• On the margins both in relation to Empire a
nd synagogue.
14. What the Gospel of Matthew tells us
about its readers
They recognise:
1. The central importance of the Jewish heritage an
d the Scriptures, seen in the genealogy and the fre
quent use of “fulfilment” formulae.
(1:22, 2:5-6, 8:17, 12:17-20)
1. Jesus as Lord – they have heard and accepted the
Easter message. In the Gospel people “approach
” Jesus (51x proserchomai). In Greek used for ap
proaching God or the temple for worship. (4:11, 5:
1, 8:2, 15:30, 18:1)
15. The Shape of Matthew (1)
• Birth Narrative 1:1-2:23
• Narrative: preparation for ministry: 3:1-4:17
Discourse: Sermon on the Mount 4:18-7:29
• Narrative: Signs of the Kingdom 8:1-9:38
Discourse on Mission 10:1-11:1
• Narrative: A Divided Response 11:2-12:50
Discourse: Parables of the Kingdom 13:1-13:
53
16. The Shape of Matthew (2)
• Narrative: Preparation for the Church 13:54- 17:23
• Discourse: The Community 17:24-19:2
• Narrative: Preparation for the Passion 19:3-24:2
• Discourse: The Last Judgment 24:3-25:46
• Death and Resurrection 26:1-28:20
Five Discourses – Five Books of Torah!
