Jesus and the Synoptic Gospels

galilee

where Jesus did 3 years of ministry

nazareth

where Mary and Joseph lived before having Jesus

samaria

land of the Samaritans, enemies to the jews

judea

where Jesus was born

jerusalem

site of the temple, seen as holy, capital

sepphoris

urban center where trades were made and crafts were sold

gentile

someone frowned upon by jews; a sinner

pax romana

time period of roman peace

caeser augustus

roman emperor thought to be a savior/son of god

herod the great

ruled during time of baby Jesus

pontius pilate

roman governor responsible for Jesus’ crucifixion

dead sea scrolls

mostly intact jewish scriptures made by essenes

pharisees

strict adherence to Torah, protested Temple disrespect, teachings of rabbis and Torah, established synagogues, believed in resurrection of dead

saducees

priest aristocrats, temple no rabbi worship, no belief in afterlife, cooperate with romans

zealots

radical jewish revolutionaries, led to revolt and destruction of temple

essenes

isolation for purity, rejection of others and corruption, extreme asceticism, dead sea scrolls

Christ/ Messiah

anointed one

Logos

word, second person of trinity, divine, eternal

incarnation

word made flesh

hypostatic union

Christ is fully human and divine

kenosis

“self-emptying” refers to humbling of God

christology\`

attempt to understand Christ as equally human and divine

gospel

“good news” books written about Jesus’ life

parable

a story with a deeper moral meaning

synoptic

“same eye” seeing things the same way

q

the unknown source used by matthew and luke but not mark

relation to pax romana and politics

if anyone threatened pr they would be eliminated

greco-roman culture relating to Jesus

would have experienced it at sepphoris

2nd temple judaism

judaism after building of the 2nd temple

jewish sects

essenes, zealots, pharisees, sadducees

significance of non-christian texts

to verify events in Jesus’ life that were miraculous