Biblical Traditions

2 approaches for interpreting the NT

Historical and literary

Historical approach

Human author’s intent

history behind a text

literary approach

texts on their own terms

taking into account genre

Narrative Criticism

a method of literary analysis that evaluates a text as a story, focusing on its internal elements rather than its historical or external background

Reader Response Criticism

a school of literary theory that focuses on the individual reader's active role in creating the meaning of a text rather than treating meaning as fixed within the writing itself

Historical Criticism

a method of academic study that investigates the origins, social background, and cultural environment of ancient and literary texts to understand the intent and context of their creators

Redaction Criticism

a method of studying the Bible that views biblical authors as editors who shaped, added to, or omitted source materials to highlight specific theological and spiritual messages

Source Criticism

a scholarly method used to identify and analyze the underlying written documents and independent sources that authors and editors used to create the final text of the Bible

Authorship of the Bible in Dei Verbum

dual authorship: God as the primary author and humans as the true authors

Hallmarks of Judaism at the time of Jesus

monotheism

Jerusalem temple

observance of Torah/law of moses

circumcision

Hellenization and its impact on Judaism and the New Testament

Septuagint: Greek translation of Jewish Scriptures

NT in greek

Mark’s riddling nature to Jesus’s authority

disciples ignorance

distance between characters and readers

secrecy motif

intertextuality (with scripture of israel)

Allusion

alluding to other texts, but not directly quoting them. Typically covering or using some of the same material.

Citation(marked and unmarked)

marked means they say where they got it from, unmarked means they don’t explicitly say.

Markan sandwhich

ABA format.

Secrecy Motif in Mark

jesus wants his identity to be hidden, people disobey him. Readers of mark know right away that Jesus is the messiah.

Disciples’ ignorance in Mark

feeding of 5000, then feeding of 4000 and they question how.

creates a distance between characters and readers

Apocalypticism in Mark

cosmic battle, jesus vs the unclean spirit.

the end: repent for the kingdom of god has come near

-son of man

Son of Man (in Daniel in Mark)

Jesus on trial publicly announces himself as son of man.

the centurion: ironic confession

Euangelion

good news- gospel, message of good news.

Dating of Mark: arguments and conclusion

The earliest possible date was crucifixion in 30 CE, latest possible date was the use/mention of mark (late first/early second century)

First jewish revolt was 66-73 CE and the little apocalypse was 66-73CE

but the first temple was destroyed in 70CE

so it was determined it was written after 66 but before 70CE

Matthew’s explicit nature and tendencies in rewriting Mark

Matthew takes a lot from Mark, but also adds to it, and makes it more explicit.

-mark alludes to scripture of israel and matthew writes it out

-matthew omits murder and protest of call, but he adds God proclaiming jesus as his son

New Moses Typology in Matthew

jesus as the new moses is a uniquely matthean theme

Fulfillment in Matthew

jesus fulfills the law by his teaching, and thus the law is still in effect

Jesus’s Jewishness

he quotes commandments from the scripture of israel, he wears jewish clothes, and preaches scriptures of israel (law and love of neighbor)

Matthew and the Law

jesus fulfills the law by his teaching, and grants premise that the law is still in effect

Wealth distribution in antiquity

socio-ecomomic approach: precarity of most people

10% of people in surplus

22% of people stable, at subsistence

40% of people at subsistence

28% of people below subsistence

Reversal of fortunes in Luke

God flips the status of the world.

Wealth ethics in Luke

luke is very direct that you should sell all.

Triangle theology in Luke

God is at the top, and he gives heavenly treasures to almsgivers as long as they are giving alms to impoverished people, and the impoverished then thank god.

Markan Priority

Mark was the first of the 3 synoptics

Farrer Hypothesis

Mark is 1st, he influences Matt, and luck uses both mark and matt

Two source hypothesis

there is a second unknown source that matthew and luck have independent access to. it is a hypothetical sayings gospel

Q

the hypothetical sayings gospel in the two document hypothesis

Criteria for historical Jesus: embarrassment, double discontinuity, and multiple attestation of independent sources

jesus was fully human,Through the process: underscores humanity by reinforcing particularity

Walsh’s critique of quests for the historical Jesus

believes we need to be very careful about reconstructing the stories of Jesus. Uses the mickey mouse thought paper to explain how it could be possible to see something as something that it is not.

Structure of synoptics v. john

john’s structure includes a prologue, book of signs, book of glory, and epilogue.

signs in john

there are 7 signs that reveal jesus as the divine son of god.

I am statements in john

Jesus doesn’t use parables, instead he uses long winded monologues to talk about himself. He uses a lot of I am statements.

chiasm in John’s prologue

a literary sequence where things are presented and then presented again in reverse order.

chronological differences about Jesus’s death (John and synoptics)

in the synopics thursday was the day of preparation, and thursday night/friday was passover.

in john, thursday night/friday was the day of preparation and friday was the passover. In john, jesus died on the same day of the passover lambs.

significance and experience of Jesus’s death in Mark and John

in mark (and matt) jesus’s death represented a suffering davidic messiah

in john, the cross is jesus’s glorification and exaltation.