New Testament Bible

Emergence of the Roman Republic

• Roman Republic took control of Greek kingdoms

• Hellenistic (Greek) culture still dominant and influential

• 200-0 BCE (~150 yrs before Jesus’ birth)

27 BCE

• Octavian (Augustus Caesar) was made the sole ruler of Rome

• Republic was dissolved → became the Roman Empire

Greco-Roman Culture

• Hellenistic/Greek culture stays prevalent in the Roman Empire

• Greco-Roman culture is the combination of Greek/Roman culture in the empire

Popular Philosophic Schools

• Platonists

• Stoics

• Epicurea

Philosophists in ancient world was more like a religion + way of life.

There are ways of thinking, culture, etc. other than religion now.

Religion in Rome

Greco-Roman religion was Syncretistic

• Syncretistic- local regions had their own gods that were often interchangeable; the sense of gods were much looser

• Religions/gods weren’t exclusive

Participation in religious life was part of your duty as a citizen → punishments if you weren’t religiously involved

Being called an atheist = terrible charge, meaning you weren’t a believer in the Empire

Elements of NT World

• Greek/latin speaking

• Pax Romana- stable with good infrastructure + large cities

• Devoted to worship of traditional pagan gods + emperor

• Philosophically sophisticated

Importance of Paul’s letters

Theology- Christian theology is built on Paul’s letters

Chronological Priority- Paul’s letters were first (35-40 BC)

Saul/Paul

• Apostle + missionary

• Paul’s letters give windows into early Christian believes, practices, rituals, and community life

• Jew from Tarsus (Turkey); stayed Jewish

• Cosmopolitan- Roman citizen, urbanite, multilingual, educated (philosophy, math, etc.)

• Member of the Pharisees

  • Jewish authoritative group known for great knowledge of and adherence to the Jewish law

  • Belief in the resurrection and afterlife

  • One of the leading Jewish groups that debated with Jesus in his lifetime

• Persecuter (persecuted the early Christian movement) → believer/has an awakening

  • Jesus spoke to Saul and blinded him for 3 days, became Paul and a believer

• NOT a conversion, he didn’t convert from Judaism, he stayed Jewish

• Saul → Paul

  • His change in beliefs symbolized through his name change

Mark’s Opening

• “Beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the son of God”

• Good news → gospel

• Messiah → anointed one, the Christ

• Son of God → divine title, typically only the emperor deserved the title of Son of God

Messianic Secrecy

Growing reputation in tension w secrecy in Mark → Jesus insists on secrecy

Problem of Misunderstanding

• Confusion about Jesus’ identity (Christology)— if he is the messiah, etc.

• Confusion about Jesus’ teachings

• Messianic Secret

Mark 13

• Apocalypticism: “uncovering what was hidden”— sometimes about the end of the world, not always

• Destruction of the Temple

• Signs/warnings → false prophets, wars, natural disasters, famines

• Persecution

  ^ Vigilance/watchfulness ← the time of judgement is unknown

Matthew Themes

• Birthline (geneology) → Abraham, David

• Joseph’s acceptance of Mary (more central)

• Jesus = fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies

• Written towards a strong, Torah-believing Jewish audience

• Jesus born in Jerusalem bc fleeing from Herod

• Jesus in image of Moses (escaping to egypt)

• Jesus preaching about law about (Torah law appeals to Jews)

Luke Themes

• Begins with John the Baptist

• Joseph = not important

• Mary = central figure (emotions, thoughts, song of Mary)

• “Son of God”

• Mixed audience, appeals towards gentile learnings

• Jesus born in Jerusalem bc Roman Census for taxes

Salvation to the Nations (Luke)

Messiah for all, not just the chosen people

Jews not expecting a universal savior, one just for them

Examples of theme in Luke:

Lk 2- Simeon’s proclamation

Lk 3- John the Baptist’s proclamation

Lk 24- Jesus’ final instructions