Synoptic gospels Jesus teachings cont.

1. The Gospel of Mark: Jesus’ Secret Identity
Echoing the words of the narrator from Mark 1.1, Peter identifies Jesus as Christ/Messiah in his
famous confession of Jesus in Mark 8.29: "You are the Messiah. However, Jesus immediately
clarifies that his messianic mission is very different from the Christ in Psalms of Solomon 17. For,
he tells the disciples that he must suffer and die at the hands of fellow Jews and be raised
(Mark 8.31). If there was one thing the expected Messiah was not supposed to do, it was die,
and certainly not at the hands of his own people (or the Romans!). Reflecting this conviction
and seemingly ignoring the reference to Jesus' resurrection, Peter cannot accept suffering and
death (and the defeat they indicate) as tasks for the anticipated Messiah-king. Peter rebukes
Jesus for his words and, in turn, receives a rebuke from Jesus (Mark 8.32-33).
Peter’s Confession of Jesus as the Messiah (Mark 8.27- 33)
Jesus as the Executed King of the Jews (Mark 15.16-32)
The intertwined nature of Jesus' crucifixion and his identity as the promised Davidic Messiah-king reach a breaking point in Mark's
narration of the events just prior to Jesus' death on the cross. Pilate asks Jesus explicitly, "Are you the King of the Jews?" (Mark 15.2).
Jesus' response literally reads in Greek, "You say" (su legeis; there is no "Yes" in the original text). Of course, Mark has already told his
readers that Jesus is, in fact, the "anointed one" in Mark 1.1. Mark has also shown that Jesus has his own understanding of his identity as
such and does not accept others' understandings of it, as revealed by the narrative of Peter’s confession. Knowing that Jesus accepts his
"anointed" status only when he can define its meaning, readers notice that Jesus neither affirms nor denies Pilate's question. He simply
says, as the NRSV translates, "You say so," implying that the question needs more specificity before he can give a proper answer.
17. 21ff: And gird him with strength, that he may shatter unrighteous rulers, And that he may purge Jerusalem from
nations that trample (her) down to destruction. Wisely, righteously he shall thrust out sinners from (the) inheritance, He
shall destroy the pride of the sinner as a potter's vessel. With a rod of iron he shall break in pieces all their substance, He
shall destroy the godless nations with the word of his mouth; At his rebuke nations shall flee before him, And he shall
reprove sinners for the thoughts of their heart. And he shall gather together a holy people, whom he shall lead in
righteousness, And he shall judge the tribes of the people that has been sanctified by the Lord his God.
Psalms of Solomon 17.21ff

2. The Gospel of Mark
Seeing and Hearing as Literary Device in Mark’s Gospel
Mark 8.22 They came to Bethsaida. Some people
brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch
him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him
out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his
eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Can you
see anything?" 24 And the man looked up and said, "I
can see people, but they look like trees, walking." 25
Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he
looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw
everything clearly. 26 Then he sent him away to his
home, saying, "Do not even go into the village."
Mark 7.31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre,
and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee,
in the region of the Decapolis. 32 They brought to
him a deaf man who had an impediment in his
speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him.
33 He took him aside in private, away from the
crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat
and touched his tongue. 34 Then looking up to
heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that
is, "Be opened." 35 And immediately his ears were
opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke
plainly.
Following these two accounts, Mark provides Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah. It is interesting to note the language Jesus
uses when expressing his frustration with his disciples just before Peter’s confession:
“Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and
fail to hear? And do you not remember?” Mark 8.17-18.
Prior to these accounts, Jesus performs great signs and wonders but no human can identify him. Following these accounts, Jesus’
identity becomes clearer and clearer to the characters of Mark’s Gospel until his death on the cross. In fact, the narrative itself has
slowly been working towards defining Jesus as the Christ and Son of God. From the Markan perspective: stumbling block and
foolishness be gone– let the reader see and hear the truth and speak it plainly to others. It is only with this “secret”
knowledge/faith that Jesus’ death will make sense in the gospel pf Mark, but the reader must come to it by him/herself.

3. 13The reason I speak to them in parables is that “seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.” 14With
them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: “You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never
perceive. 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look
with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn— and I would heal them.”
Matthew 13:13-15
34 Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. 35This was to fulfill what had been spoken through
the prophet: ‘I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.’
Matthew 13:34-35
3If anyone says anything to you, just say this, “The Lord needs them.” And he will send them immediately.’ 4This took place to fulfill what had been
spoken through the prophet, saying, 5 ‘Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a
colt, the foal of a donkey.’
Matthew 21:3-4
5Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and he went and hanged himself. 6But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver,
said, ‘It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are blood money.’ 7After conferring together, they used them to buy the potter’s field
as a place to bury foreigners. 8For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9Then was fulfilled what had been spoken
through the prophet Jeremiah, ‘And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one on whom a price had been set, on whom some of the
people of Israel had set a price, 10and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.’
Matthew 27:5-10
15 When Jesus became aware of this, he departed. Many crowds followed him, and he cured all of them, 16and he ordered them not to make him
known. 17This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 18 ‘Here is my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, with
whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. 19 He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor
will anyone hear his voice in the streets. 20 He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick until he brings justice to victory. 21And in
his name the Gentiles will hope.’
Matthew 12:17-21
Jesus, the rejected Jewish Messiah: Fulfillment Citations in Matthew
Jesus is portrayed as thoroughly Jewish in Matthew. Matthew portrays Jesus as the fulfillment of Jewish Law and Prophecy. But Jesus is not the Messiah the Jews
of the first century were hoping/looking for. Matthew’s use of the fulfillments citations throughout the gospel is Matthew’s formulaic way to “prove” Jesus is the
Messiah the Jews are waiting for:

4. Jesus in the Temple in Matthew: Jewish Leadership at Fault
Note that in Matthew, Judaism is not portrayed as an evil wicked religion nor are the Jewish people as a whole. Quite
the contrary, Jesus is portrayed as a Jew who expects his followers to accept and uphold a purity code based on the
Jewish Law. Nowhere in the gospel does Jesus condemn the Jews for being Jewish.
However, in Matthew, Jesus does lambast the leaders of the Jewish religion on several occasions (e.g. Pharisees,
scribes, chief priests, etc). The real culprits who put Jesus to death in Matthew’s gospel are the “chief priests and
elders” who stir up the crowds to condemn Jesus to death.
Thus, the real opponent(s) of Jesus in Matthew is not Judaism or the Jewish people but rather the Jewish leadership.
12 Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who
were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned
the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those
who sold doves. 13He said to them, ‘It is written, “My
house shall be called a house of prayer”; but you are
making it a den of robbers.’
14 The blind and the lame came to him in the temple,
and he cured them. 15But when the chief priests and the
scribes saw the amazing things that he did, and heard*
the children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the
Son of David’, they became angry 16and said to him, ‘Do
you hear what these are saying?’ Jesus said to them,
‘Yes; have you never read, “Out of the mouths of infants
and nursing babies you have prepared praise for
yourself”?’
Matthew 21:12-16
23 When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the
elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and
said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who
gave you this authority?’ 24Jesus said to them, ‘I will also ask
you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also
tell you by what authority I do these things. 25Did the
baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human
origin?’ And they argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From
heaven”, he will say to us, “Why then did you not believe
him?” 26But if we say, “Of human origin”, we are afraid of the
crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.’ 27So they answered
Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And he said to them, ‘Neither will I
tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
Matthew 21: 23-27

5. Continued Conflict with Jewish Authorities
Jesus is frequently presented as being in debate with the Pharisees and scribes on the interpretation of the Law. Jesus’
views and practice with regard to the Sabbath (12:1-21), fasting (9:14-17), purity (15:10-20) and divorce (19:1-12) and his
association with tax-collectors and sinners (9:10-13) clearly stand in sharp contrast to the legal norms of the day. This
resulted in an increasing rejection of Jesus by the Jewish religious leaders and people.
On the one hand, Jesus is portrayed as altogether Jewish. He is the Jewish Messiah sent by the Jewish God to the Jewish
people in fulfillment of the Jewish scriptures. He is also the new Moses who gives the true interpretation of the Law.
On the other hand, he violently opposes the Jewish leadership throughout the gospel.
Somewhat paradoxically, in Matthew, Jesus commands his followers to adhere to the Jewish religion as it should be (i.e.
as he [Jesus] interprets it) while urging his followers to reject the Jewish authorities (whom Jesus labels as hypocrites).
The Seven Woes
At the start of his ministry, Jesus pronounced seven blessings on the
righteous in Matthew 5:3-10:
1. Theirs is the kingdom of Heaven (vv. 3 & 10).
2. They shall be comforted (v. 4).
3. They shall inherit the land (v. 5).
4. They shall be filled (v. 6).
5. They shall obtain mercy (v. 7).
6. They shall see God (v. 8). And…
7. They shall be called sons of God (v. 9).
At the close of his ministry, Jesus pronounces seven woes on the un-
and/or self-righteous Pharisees and scribes in Matthew 23:13-31.
Why? Because…
1. They kept people out of God's kingdom (v. 13).
2. They took advantage of widows (v. 14)
3. They misled men to eternal destruction (v. 15).
4. They were covetous of worldly things (vv. 16-22).
5. They refused to show compassion (vv. 23-24).
6. They were inwardly corrupt (vv. 25-28).
7. They afflicted the righteous (vv. 29-31).

6. Was Matthew a Jew?
Over twenty times in the gospel of Matthew, the author indicates that Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecy. However, the author of Matthew appears to make
numerous errors when quoting and/or interpreting the Hebrew Scripture from which he draws. Comparing what the author of Matthew wrote to the Hebrew
Scriptures; we find the following:
Difficulties between Matthew and the Hebrew Scriptures
Matt. 1:2-15 – The list of generations does not agree with l Chronicles Ch. 1―3
Matt. 1:16 – In naming Jesus as the Son of David, Jewish law is ignored. The Hebrew bible states that a Hebrew's
genealogy and tribal membership is transmitted exclusively through one’s physical father (Numbers
1:18 Jeremiah 33:17)
Matt. 1:23 – Interprets that Septuagint word for young woman to mean virgin.
Matt. 1:23 – Misquotes Isaiah 7:14, “they” will call Jesus Immanuel, whereas Isaiah wrote “his mother” would
call him Immanuel – not “they.”
Matt. 11.10 – Changes the pronoun in Malachi 3.1
“before me” or “before you”
Matt. 21:1-7– Misunderstands Zechariah 9:9 and
portrays Jesus riding on two donkeys
at the same time
Matt. 23:35– Mistakenly gave Zechariah’s father
the wrong son: Zechariah was the
son of Jehoiada, not Barachiah.
(II Chronicles 24:20―21)
Matt. 27:9 – Quoted the wrong prophet ― not
Jeremiah but Zechariah

7. The Golden Rule: A Quick Comparative Analysis
In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.
Matthew 7:12
The Golden Rule or ethic of reciprocity is a maxim, ethical code, or morality that essentially states either of the following:
(Positive form): One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.
(Negative/prohibitive form): One should not treat others in ways that one would not like to be treated.
Ancient China
Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself. – Confucius (c. 551 BCE – 479 BCE)
An early example of the Golden Rule that reflects the Ancient Egyptian concept of Maat appears in the story of The
Eloquent Peasant, which dates to the Middle Kingdom (c. 2040–1650 BCE): "Now this is the command: Do to the doer to
cause that he do thus to you." An example from a Late Period (c. 664 BCE – 323 BCE) papyrus: "That which you hate to be
done to you, do not do to another."
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Greece
"Do not to your neighbor what you would take ill from him." – Pittacus (c. 640–568 BCE)
"Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing." – Thales (c. 624 BC – c. 546 BCE)
"What you do not want to happen to you, do not do it yourself either. " – Sextus the Pythagorean. The oldest known
reference to Sextus is made by Origin in the third century of the common era.
"Do not do to others what would anger you if done to you by others." – Isocrates (436–338 BCE)

8. The Social Agenda of the Prophet Jesus in Luke
Among the New Testament writings, the Gospel of Luke shows the deepest concern about socio-economic factors. This can
be seen in the way Luke deals with the common materials shared with Matthew and Mark, and in the special materials
unique to Luke. Luke's special materials clearly show that the author was greatly concerned with the poor and the excluded.
This is why the Gospel of Luke is often referred to as the 'Gospel of the poor' and the 'Gospel of the outcast'.
6:24 "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
6:25a "Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.
10:29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 10:30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and
fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 10:31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road;
and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 10:32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 10:33
But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 10:34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having
poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 10:35 The next day he took out two denarii,
gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.' 10:36 Which of these three, do you
think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" 10:37 He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do
likewise.”
14:12 He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich
neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 14:13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the
blind. 14:14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
16:19 "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 16:20 And at his gate lay a poor man named
Lazarus, covered with sores, 16:21 who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores.
16:22 The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 16:23 In Hades, where he was being
tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. 16:24 He called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to
dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.' 16:25 But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your lifetime
you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 16:26 Besides all this, between you
and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.' 16:27 He
said, 'Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house-- 16:28 for I have five brothers--that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this
place of torment.' 16:29 Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.' 16:30 He said, 'No, father Abraham; but if someone
goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 16:31 He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if
someone rises from the dead."
A Sample of the Unique L Material in Luke

9. Luke emphasizes Jesus' importance for Gentiles. Although this is the primary theme of Luke's second volume, Acts of the
Apostles, Jesus' importance for Gentiles is apparent already in the Gospel. The mission to the Gentiles, moreover, is
understood as a part of the divine plan. Indeed, God is a significant actor in Luke's stories of Jesus and the spread of
Christianity through the Empire.
Luke: A Gospel to all People… including Gentiles
It is in Luke’s gospel that we find a message of hope for all mankind. There is no longer a distinction (Gentile or Jew, male or
female etc). Luke records Jesus’ dealing with the Samaritans and what is notable is the author’s lack of explanation of it.
Other gospel account, like John, point out that Jews have no dealing with Samaritans. The people to whom Jesus came to
preach after his rejection, Luke says "… will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline {at the
table} in the kingdom of God” (Luke 13:29). While in the other gospels the writer records Jesus sending his disciples to the
Jews and not the Samaritans and the Gentiles, Luke omits the whole idea and rather quotes Isaiah 40:3-5 very early in his
gospel (Luke 3:6), to show that, “all flesh shall see the salvation of our God”.
24.44 Then he said to them, "These are my words which I spoke to
you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in
the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be
fulfilled." 24.45 Then he opened their minds to understand the
scriptures, 24.46 and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the
Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 24.47
and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in
his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
28.18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven
and on earth has been given to me. 28.19 Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 28.20 teaching them to
observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you
always, to the close of the age."
The Great Commission
Matthew
Luke

10. The End Times from Mark to Matthew to Luke
In Luke, Jesus does not preach the imminent end of the world. Rather, the end will occur after the mission to the Gentiles is
completed. It is perhaps because of this delay of the end of time that Luke emphasizes Jesus' concern for social injustices.
In Mark, the verb tensing (future passive) suggests that the kingdom of God will come “with power” before any of the disciples die: will not taste
death before the kingdom has come. The statement is analogous to something like, “Before I go to bed tonight I will have walked my dog.” This
has led may scholars to assert that Mark must have been written before most of the disciples had died.
In Matthew, the Kingdom does not come “with power” but rather with the “Son of Man” figure. Most scholars agree that Matthew understood
the figure “Son of Man” as he is presented in Daniel “As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds
of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations
of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language worshiped him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be
destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14). This understanding follows Matthew’s presentation of Jesus as the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant.
Jesus proclamation about the coming kingdom in Luke is the least controversial of the three; note the absence of the coming “with power” or
the eschatological “son of man figure.” For Luke, the disciples already see the kingdom of God, because for him the kingdom is already present in
Jesus’ ministry. This is clear several times in Luke’s gospel:
8 Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; 9 cure the sick who are there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has
come near to you.'
Luke 10: 8, 9
20 Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, "The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be
observed; 21 nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There it is!' For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you."
Luke 17:20, 21