Theology: Gospels

1st quest

1853 Das Leben Jesu - Strauss: ends with his death not resurrection, rationalistic representation, rejection of supernatural 

2nd Quest

1950s-Present: R Bultman: mythical interpretation of 27 books, confirming faith

3rd quest

Smitscher (idk how to say his name): apocalyptic figure, Jewish prophet c

Theories:

sage, religious genius, social reformer

CS Lewis said:

don’t say Jesus was a prophet, not just a wise man, he was DIVINE

Rome:

• soteriological concepts: savior, son of god, good news

• religion

• social

• cultural

israel

• messiah: nazareth(Galilee), Jerusalem

• Sects(parties): saduces- religious politicians

• gentiles

Luke

written 60 AD - 30 year gap

31AD: crucified

From: Antioch , doctor

wrote luke and acts

Time + place

• individual gospels have different purposes; they talk to different audiences 

• Paul wrote half of the new testament 

Theology of Luke

1. universal salvation

2. liberation 

3. history

4. prayer

5. holy spirit 

universal salvation

everyone invited: poor, vulnerable, oppressed, women, children

Luke puts an emphasis on:

women and children

Luke is known for being:

a liberation gospel - christ depicted as a great liberator

Jesus in the temple

realised his mission, not lost he knows where he needs to be

• 12-13 yrs old -→ Barmitzvah 

• first time he addressed God as “my Father”

• temple

• father’s business→ to forgive -- things→ spiritual things 

“they understood nothing” - parents forget, in trouble spiritually 

• 3days: symbolism - lost - on the third day he rose again from the dead

Crucifixion narrative

1. narrative- suffering + death resolved 

2. meaning - forgiveness, loving your enemy 

FEELING OF SINFULNESS

• Jesus died before they broke his legs → my legs will not be broken Psalms

• darkness + earthquake → curtain split into 2

• “Father forgive them” “Father into your hands I commend my spirit”

Simon Cyrenian

North African? - race *inclusivity throughout Luke

how many prophecies about Jesus’ life and death and resurrection

300+

SIGN above Jesus’ cross:

Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews

“What I have written, I have written” - pilate 

Cross meaning:

meaning of the death of death

Meaning of Crucifixion

1. liberation theology

2. satisfaction for sin: substitutional atonement + self substitution

3. the salvation of sinners (liberation from sin and death)

4. The conquest of evil

5. suffering + glory pattern (participatory atonement)

6. forming of the cross centered community -→ CHURCH 

7. loving your enemies 

acts of the apostles

1. forming a new community 

2. the spirit coming 

Miracles - David Hume

natural law, not singular events must occur all the time 

• deductive reasoning

Resurrection - NT Wright

• inductive reasoning

• ppl then and now believe ppl don’t rise from the dead

• contradiction: if Jesus rlly died, then there would be a new leader for the movement, but today we continue to have Christ as a leader 

Theological Significance

eternal life → life without suffering sin and death

not biological life - higher form 

Resurrection Meaning

1. belief - main cornerstone of Christianity - its about resurrection

2. justification of Christ’s mission - if he stayed in the grave nothing makes sense

3. eternal hope

4. eternal life

5. victory over death

6. victory over old life (of sin)

7. victory over evil

Why do people reject?

because it means moral responsibility 

Luke 22-24

• last supper

• last narratives

• last agony

• Jesus before Pilate

• Jesus crucified\Jesus resurrection + appearances + ascension

Luke 23 crucifixtion

• Simon

• daughters of Jerusalem

• crucifixion

• penitent their

• death

• burial

Luke 1-4

• prologue 

• birth of John the Baptist 

• birth of Jesus 

• Jesus lost in the temple

• John the Baptist + Repentance 

• Jesus Baptism 

• Jesus genealogy