Gospels, Humiliation/Exaltation, and Translation Notes

Synoptic Gospels and John's Perspective

  • The four books about Jesus’ life: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
  • The first three are the Synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
    • They tell broadly the same life story of Jesus, with each emphasizing different events and perspectives.
    • They are regarded as eyewitness testimonies about Jesus.
  • The Gospel of John offers a distinct perspective, focusing on a deeper, closer relationship with Jesus.
  • The authors and their backgrounds shape their emphases:
    • Matthew: a Jewish tax collector; contributes a Jewish, tax-collector perspective.
    • Mark: the scribe to Peter; presents a fast-paced, action-oriented narrative (often starting with actions like “immediately”).
    • Luke: a doctor and researcher; a Greek Gentile who did extensive homework and compiled independent eyewitness testimonies; his material often aligns with Matthew and Mark but from his own perspective.
    • John: emphasizes the deeply intimate proximity to Jesus; presents a unique theological portrayal, including John’s self-designation as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”
  • The term “apostles” in Greek often denotes those who are witnesses (not just learners) of Jesus.
    • Jesus had 12 apostles who were witnesses and were closely associated with Him.
    • Three close companions who accompanied Jesus closely: Peter, James, and John.
  • Luke’s Gospel is especially notice-worthy for compiling a broad set of eyewitness accounts; it corroborates Matthew and Mark while adding independent testimony.
  • Key scenes and theological threads highlighted in these Gospels:
    • The birth narratives, baptism, ministry, crucifixion, death, resurrection, and post-resurrection appearances.
    • John’s Gospel adds a lens on what it meant to be “the disciple who Jesus loved” and to be near Jesus in life and teaching.
  • The Gospel of John contains famous prologue ideas and sayings, such as the “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
  • The overarching claim across the Gospels: Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law (Law and Gospel framework to be explained in future classes).

The Bible as Contract: Law and Gospel

  • The Bible is described as a cohesive collection written to illustrate human salvation, framed in terms of contract language:
    • Old Testament is framed like an old contract: to be perfect is the way to heaven, but humans fall short of perfect obedience.
    • The New Testament introduces the “new contract” explaining why people are saved despite not meeting the old standard.
  • The concept of evidence in legal terms:
    • A single eyewitness is weak; two independent witnesses strengthen the case.
    • The Bible presents this principle by providing multiple witnesses and corroboration; Luke notes multiple eyewitnesses and corroborations with Matthew and Mark.
  • The “two-witness” and “three-witness” motif:
    • God provides three eyewitness accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke) to strengthen the testimony about Jesus.
  • Narrators’ special backgrounds influence tone and emphasis:
    • Matthew (tax collector, Jewish) emphasizes Jewish expectations and fulfillment of the law.
    • Mark (Peter’s scribe) emphasizes action and immediacy.
    • Luke (doctor, Gentile, researcher) emphasizes careful compilation and independent witnesses.
    • John emphasizes a close, experiential understanding of Jesus.
  • The relationship between law and gospel is set up as: the Law shows humanity’s need; the Gospel demonstrates how Jesus fulfills the Law and grants salvation.
  • The prologue to the Gospel narrative includes the idea that the Bible is a record designed to lead people to salvation through Jesus.

Important Characters, Terms, and Narrative Frameworks

  • Sanhedrin: the religious court that sentenced Jesus to trial; described as a court that could act joustingly against Jesus.
  • Pontius Pilate: Roman governor who ultimately orders Jesus’ crucifixion after concerns about crowds and potential riots.
  • Kangaroo court: the portrayal of the Sanhedrin proceeding as a sham to justify a predetermined outcome.
  • The Great Exchange: the theological concept that Jesus, by dying on the cross, takes humanity’s sin and provides God’s gift of life in exchange for that penalty.
  • The cross and the burial: Jesus bears humanity’s sin and is buried in a tomb after death.
  • The empty tomb: the resurrection demonstrates Jesus’ victory over death.
  • The “humiliation” of Jesus (in Philippians 2:5–8):
    • Jesus, who was in the form of God, humbled himself by taking the form of a servant and becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. ext{Philippians 2:5-8}
    • This downward trajectory of Jesus’ life is called the humiliation.
  • The “exaltation” that begins with Jesus’ death and resurrection and continues through His ascension and future judging action:
    • Descent from heaven to the human condition; ascent back to heaven after victory over sin and death.
  • The Apostles’ Creed outline (briefly): conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified, died, and buried; He descended to the dead, rose again; He ascended into heaven; He will come again to judge the living and the dead; His kingdom has no end.
  • The concept of illocal presence: after the resurrection, Jesus is present with the disciples in a way that is not limited to a single physical location (illocal presence).
  • The purpose of Bible passages about immortality and resurrection:
    • Jesus’ statements about life after death emphasize the promise of resurrection for believers.
  • Key resurrection and life passages:
    • John 11:25–26: ext{John 11:25-26} - Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even though they die, and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
    • John 14:19: “Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me, because I live, you also will live.”
  • The about-to-appear-to-the-world: Jesus’ teachings emphasize the reality of life after death and the continuity of believers in Christ.

The Birth of Jesus: Nativity and Luke 2

  • The most popular nativity account is Luke 2, which is familiar from cultural references like the Peanuts Christmas special where Linus recites the Luke 2 birth narrative.
  • Luke 2 coverage includes:”
    • The decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered (taxation) and the journey to Bethlehem to register.
    • The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the surrounding circumstances, and the shepherds’ visitation (as depicted in Luke 2).
  • The use of translations and translation issues:
    • There are many Bible translations (EHV, NIV, KJV, etc.).
    • The EHV (English Heritage Version) is used in the class; translations differ not in the core message but in language choices stemming from translation philosophies.
  • Translation philosophies discussed:
    • Wooden translation: stays close to the original wording; can be hard to understand in modern languages (e.g., “you were moved in your bowels”).
    • Dynamic equivalence: aims to convey the underlying thought or meaning; may adapt phrasing for readability (e.g., “you knew it in your heart”).
  • Examples illustrating translation challenges:
    • Modern English “moved in your bowels” could be cumbersome; a wooden translation might render as “moved in your guts” or similar to maintain sense.
  • The King James Version (KJV) is often used for traditional phrasing like “Art” in the Lord’s Prayer; NIV and other modern versions aim for clearer contemporary language.
  • Luke’s nativity account also aligns with the concept that Jesus’ life fulfills the Law and the Gospel.

Jesus’ Baptism, Temptation, Arrest, and Crucifixion

  • Baptism and temptation mark the start of Jesus’ ministry in Mark’s Gospel, aligning with Jesus’ human experience and obedience.
  • The events of Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin and before Pontius Pilate culminate in crucifixion.
  • Jesus’ death is presented as the payment for sin and includes the famous forensic and metaphoric language of the “great exchange.”
  • The burial in a tomb and the concern about Jesus’ death are described, including the Roman soldiers confirming death via piercing Jesus’ side (blood and water flow separately).
  • The resurrection demonstrates Jesus’ victory and the evidence for His divine identity and mission.
  • The ascension marks the end of visible, earthly appearances and the beginning of the church’s mission to go and make disciples of all nations.
  • The Great Commission (Matthew 28, associated wording discussed in class): go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey everything Jesus commanded; Jesus promises His presence with believers to the very end of the age.

Humiliation and Exaltation: Theological Framework and Historical Narrative

  • Humiliation: Jesus’ descent from heaven to a human birth, and to a life of service and crucifixion; the paradox of God becoming human and taking a servant’s role.
  • Exaltation: Jesus’ descent is followed by divine exaltation, including descent into hell to proclaim victory, resurrection, ascension, and eventual judgment.
  • The idea that Jesus’ life provides a model for how salvation is accomplished and accessed by faith in Him.
  • The practical implication: believers are saved through faith in Jesus’ atoning death and resurrection, not by works under the old law.

The Purpose of the Bible and Real-World Implications

  • The Bible is presented as the book of human salvation; its primary function is to guide humans toward reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ.
  • The discussion addresses broader theological questions that arise when considering non-human beings such as dogs or aliens:
    • The Bible focuses on human salvation; it does not explicitly address dogs’ eternal destinies in detail.
    • If aliens exist, their salvation would be a separate discussions since the Bible targets human salvation; God’s creation includes aliens, but the narrative target is humanity.
    • The speaker suggests that aliens, if found, would present interesting theological questions, especially regarding salvation and how God’s plan for humans would relate to other intelligent beings; however, the Bible centers on human salvation, and Jesus did not come to save aliens as a primary mission.
  • The speaker offers personal opinions and caveats about aliens and life beyond Earth and emphasizes that belief in aliens would not derail faith but would require careful theological reflection.
  • The librarian-like conclusion emphasizes a scientific and theological curiosity toward life in the universe while remaining confident that the core Christian message centers on human salvation through Jesus Christ.

Reflection on Language, Interpretation, and Classroom Practice

  • The class emphasizes careful listening and engagement with foundational texts, as well as an awareness of how translation choices affect understanding.
  • The importance of context when reading scriptures, including authorship, audience, and the historical-cultural background.
  • The use of familiar cultural anchors (e.g., Linus and Luke 2) can help students connect to biblical narratives.
  • The teacher indicates that this is foundational material to be revisited in future classes (e.g., the concepts of Law and Gospel will be addressed more fully in later courses).

Quick reference key verses and terms

  • ext{Philippians 2:5-8} – the humiliation of Christ: God, taking the form of a servant, obedience to death on a cross.
  • ext{Luke 2} – nativity account commonly referenced as the Christmas story; Luke’s birth narrative includes the journey to Bethlehem and the birth in a manger.
  • ext{John 11:25-26} – Jesus’ claim: I am the resurrection and the life; belief in Him grants life beyond physical death.
  • ext{John 14:19} – Jesus promises that His followers will see Him and share in life because He lives.
  • The Great Commission (paraphrased from Matthew 28): go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; teaching them to obey all that He commanded; He is with them always to the end of the age.
  • The “two-witness” and “three-witness” motif in biblical testimony: the Testamentary standard that two or more independent witnesses strengthen a claim.
  • Terms: Sanhedrin (religious court), Pontius Pilate (Roman governor), kangaroo court (unfair legal proceeding), the Great Exchange (Jesus pays the penalty for sin and grants life to believers).
  • The concept of illocal presence: Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances and His ongoing presence among disciples.
  • Translation concepts: wooden translation vs dynamic equivalence; English Heritage Version (EHV) and the King James Version (KJV) as examples in class discussions.
  • Core theological claim: the Bible centers on human salvation through Jesus Christ, with a focus on the life, death, and resurrection as the means of redemption.