What are the Gospels?
The good news before the NT
What was the gospels applied towards?
The four canonical gospels
What are the two gospels brought up in class?
The Gospel of Thomas
The Gospel of Judas
What are the non-canonical gospels?
Infancy Gospel of Thomas
The Gospel of Peter
What types of gospels do not follow the genre?
Noncanonical Gospels
In the early centuries, gospels were not viewed as a separate genere. What were they instead?
Biography
Aretaology
Comedy
Tragedy
Parable
What is a biography?
Not by modern standards
What is aretalogy?
Episode in the life of a divine man; this usually exaggerates the feats of famous warriors
What is a comedy?
A story with a triumphant ending
What is a tragedy?
A story where the hero is defeated
What is a parable?
The whole gospel is one long metaphor
What was the Gospel of Thomas?
a loose connection of saying of Jesus
What was the Gospel of Judas?
Jesus asked Judas to betray him
What gospel was in the Gnostic late 2nd century?
The Gospel of Judas
What is the Infancy Gospel of Thomas?
A collection of unsustained childhood stories
What is the Gospel of Peter?
Resurrection stories
What is the gospel in reality?
A theological biography
What is a theological biography?
They are historical, but the author chooses the events to fit his theme
What are the two problems with the gospels?
Theological - biblical faith has historical character as its foundation
The writers claim to be historical
What is the main issue with the gospels?
They don’t always fit our idea of history
In a sense, what are the gospel writers?
Preachers
Where is the source of authority located?
Inspired writings, not facts
What were the authors?
Historians and theologians
What is a form of gospel?
Parables
What is a parable?
An earthly story with a heavenly meaning
What does parable mean in Greek
Para - alongside of
Ballo - throw down
Are parables new?
No, II Samuel 12:1-10
What are the purposes of parables (Matthew 13:10-15)?
Reveal the truth to believers
Hide the truth from those who hardened their hearts
How were parables interpreted historically?
Allegorically
How do we interpret parables now?
Explore the historical settings
Look for the main points - usually one main truth
What should we ask ourselves when we look for the main point?
Ask what the teaching about the Kingdom of God is. Does it refer to the Kingdom of God?
Consider the key characteristics
How much of the parables have three characters?
2/3rds
Most of the rest have two
What kind of attempts have been made toward miracle stories?
Demythologize them
What ways have miracles stories been demythologized?
Natural explanations - walking on a sandbar
Myths to promote the divinity of Jesus
What did miracle stories attempt to do?
Attempt to show who Jesus was
To show the inbreaking of the Kingdom of God
What are pronouncement stories?
A self-narrative that functions to introduce a climatic saying of Jesus
How is typology different from an allegory?
There is a historical meaning in the text, but prefigure subsequent events.
What does the OT do?
Foreshadows things to come
What are the differences between types and symbols?
Symbols need not have any similarity to what they represent: Type resembles what they prefigure.
Types point forward, while some symbols do not
What is the difference between types and allegories?
Types seek links between historical events and personal allegories and find hidden meanings under the obvious meanings.
What are the characteristics of types?
There must be some notable point of resemblance
There must be some evidence of divine affirmation of the type or antitype
Must prefigure something in the future
Adam is a type of what?
God
What are the classifications of types?
A person whose life illustrates some great truth of redemption
A typcial event
A typical institution
Typical offices
What is the most important aspect of types to find?
Historical-cultural situations
What should we search for?
Points of compassion
What theme is the book of Acts?
Theological history
What did St. Paul determine about Luke?
Luke was a historian of the 1st rank
What are some things we must remember about Acts?
Acts 1:8 seems to be the them. We must ask how the various stories fit?
Think of Luke-Act as one unit
We also must recognize the significance of Pentecost
What is the turning point of Acts?
Between the Mosaic and the new Covanent.
When did Acts happen?
Transitional period
What do the Epistles contain?
Arguments
Rhetoric
Other genres
The Epistles are not just what?
Not just personal letters
How do we interpret the Epistles?
Read the letter as a whole
The letters must be read historically
Read the letters as a literary document
What is the common structure of Pauline letters?
Address
Greeting
Thanksgiving
Main body
Closing
Benidiction
A specific letter was written for particular what?
People
Time
Problem
What does Hebrews not have?
Doesn’t begin with a letter
What is James missing?
Doesn’t end like a letter
What is 1 John missing?
No salutation or closing
What does Hebrews call itself?
A word of exhortation
1 John and James seem like what?
Sermons
Half of the verses in James are what?
Imperatives
What are genres within the Epistles?
Creeds and Hymns
Domestic Codes
Slogans or sayings
Vice and Virtue lists
Diatribe
Letter of introduction or recommendation
Apologetic recommendation
Family letter
What is a diatribe?
Answering a hypothetical objection
Who did not write a commentary on The Revelation?
John Calvin
Why did Calvin not write a commentary on The Revelation?
He did not know what to do with it
How many different genres can fit Revelation?
3
What are the three different genres in Revelation?
An epistle
Prophecy
Apocalyptic
What is Revelation 1:4?
A letter to 7 churches
If Revelation is an epistle, what must we do?
We must pay attention to the historical background
If Revelation was a letter, who was it written to?
An identifiable group of believers
If Revelation was a letter, why was it written?
To encourage then during a time of persecution
What is Revelation linked to?
To contemporary events in the Roman empire
What are the 4 interpretations for prophecy in Revelation?
Preterist
Futurist
Idealist
Historicist
What does a preterist mean?
All events are in the past
What does futurist mean?
all events in the future (at least after Revelation 6)
What does idealist mean?
Symbolic of timeless struggle of good and evil
What does historicist mean?
Development of the entire church age
A conservative view believes there is a combination between what two prophecy types?
Preterist and Futurist
Symbols are what?
Warnings not literal photographs
What is the revelation?
Visions and dreams at the end of world history
Why is it important to make applications of Scriptures?
The Scripture repeatedly claims that people glorify God by obeying, that is applying, God’s word
The Bible claims that its message is relevant for later generations
How do we assure that we speak so people can hear?
Climb down off the academic mountain
Live where the people live
Ask the questions they are asking
What have we’ve spent the whole semester saying?
The first principle is to determine the original application of the passage
What is the application for our present time a culture?
What questions should we ask ourselves to make the right application?
Is there a command to obey
Is there an example to follow or avoid?
Is there a promise to claim?
Is there a warning to heed?
Is there a truth to believe?
What is principilizing?
An attempt to discover in the biblical narrative, the spiritual, moral, or theological principles that has relevance to contemporary.
What are the two levels of principilizing?
The interpreter must bridge the gulf of the cultural elements in the text, acknowledging his own cultural baggage
Attept to transcend both issues to apply the original passage to a contemporary audience
What is at the center when we interpret the original message of the bible?
Universal and of enduring authority from that which is cultural
What three approaches do we have when we look at a text historically and culturally?
Retain the principle and expression
Retain the principle but suggest a modern expression
Change both principle and expression
What are the six principles for Cultural Application?
Observe the reason why the command
In some cases we can modify the cultural norm but retain the concept
Refuse practices that were an integral part of pagan culture
Notice when the application might need to be altered for a cultural equivalent
depend on the Holy Spirit
Practice Humility
What are the crucial elements for proper interpretation and application?
Salvation
Spiritual Maturity
Diligent study
Common sense and logic
Humble dependence on the Holy Spirit for disernment