READING THE NEW TESTAMENT
St. Augustine emphasized the unity and continuity between the Old and the New Testaments: "There is nothing in the New Testament that is not foreshadowed in the Old Testament, and there is nothing in the Old Testament that is not revealed in the New Testament."
In the last lesson we looked at the Old Testament, or God’s "covenant" (in Hebrew berît) with the Hebrew people. Now we will look at the New Testament or "covenant." As we have seen, the word covenant means a pact or an agreement that God makes with a people. The prophet Jeremiah promised a "New" Covenant, in the sense of a "renewed" covenant. "The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt--a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (Jeremiah 31:31-33). At the Last Supper, Jesus echoed the language of Jeremiah’s "new" covenant. On the night before he died, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you" (Luke 22:19-20).
THE BIBLE IS A LIBRARY
The last time we studied the great variety of books in the Old Testament Library ̶ such as books of law, history, poetry, stories, wisdom, prophecy. This time we’ll look at the New Testament Library: Four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; one book of history, Acts of the Apostles; letters of Paul and other letters written by different authors. These are followed by a book called the Apocalypse, or the Book of Revelation. (Note: The Christian Bible includes both the "Old Testament" and the "New Testament.")
WHAT IS A GOSPEL?
The word Gospel comes from the Anglo-Saxon word God-Spiel meaning, "Good tidings," in Greek Euaggelion from the words "eu" (good), and "aggelion" (to announce), which means "Good News." Originally this meant a victory proclamation, such as when a man became a king. In the New Testament the word "Good News" has a specifically Christian meaning. When Mark wrote his gospel to Christians that were suffering Roman persecution, he began by saying, "Here begins the gospel [the good news] of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (Mk 1:1). The word "gospel" was probably developed by Paul who used the word 48 times in his letters. Jesus Christ is the gospel; he is the good news. Jesus is the center and fullness of God's revelation and plan for our salvation. The Vatican II Document on Divine Revelation says of Jesus, "God is with us to free us from the darkness of sin and death and to raise us up to life eternal" (Dei Verbum #4).
Like its predecessor the Hebrew Testament, the New Testament evolved out of the shared experience of a particular group of people and their experience, in this case, of Jesus. Christianity did not come into being in response to a book. The first Christians responded to the person of Jesus Christ. It was only after a long period of time, as the Church reflected on the meaning of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, that individuals began writing in response to the experience of their Savior.
According to the Pontifical Biblical Commission’s 1964 Document: "Instruction on the Historical Truth of the Gospels," we find three stages in the development of the New Testament, which can be divided roughly into thirds: Jesus’ life, death and resurrection: 1-33 AD; The Preaching of the Apostles: 30 - 50 AD; The Writing of the Evangelists: late 50 - 100+ AD.
In the last lesson we looked at the Old Testament, or God’s "covenant" (in Hebrew berît) with the Hebrew people. Now we will look at the New Testament or "covenant." As we have seen, the word covenant means a pact or an agreement that God makes with a people. The prophet Jeremiah promised a "New" Covenant, in the sense of a "renewed" covenant. "The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt--a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (Jeremiah 31:31-33). At the Last Supper, Jesus echoed the language of Jeremiah’s "new" covenant. On the night before he died, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you" (Luke 22:19-20).
THE BIBLE IS A LIBRARY
The last time we studied the great variety of books in the Old Testament Library ̶ such as books of law, history, poetry, stories, wisdom, prophecy. This time we’ll look at the New Testament Library: Four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; one book of history, Acts of the Apostles; letters of Paul and other letters written by different authors. These are followed by a book called the Apocalypse, or the Book of Revelation. (Note: The Christian Bible includes both the "Old Testament" and the "New Testament.")
WHAT IS A GOSPEL?
The word Gospel comes from the Anglo-Saxon word God-Spiel meaning, "Good tidings," in Greek Euaggelion from the words "eu" (good), and "aggelion" (to announce), which means "Good News." Originally this meant a victory proclamation, such as when a man became a king. In the New Testament the word "Good News" has a specifically Christian meaning. When Mark wrote his gospel to Christians that were suffering Roman persecution, he began by saying, "Here begins the gospel [the good news] of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (Mk 1:1). The word "gospel" was probably developed by Paul who used the word 48 times in his letters. Jesus Christ is the gospel; he is the good news. Jesus is the center and fullness of God's revelation and plan for our salvation. The Vatican II Document on Divine Revelation says of Jesus, "God is with us to free us from the darkness of sin and death and to raise us up to life eternal" (Dei Verbum #4).
Like its predecessor the Hebrew Testament, the New Testament evolved out of the shared experience of a particular group of people and their experience, in this case, of Jesus. Christianity did not come into being in response to a book. The first Christians responded to the person of Jesus Christ. It was only after a long period of time, as the Church reflected on the meaning of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, that individuals began writing in response to the experience of their Savior.
According to the Pontifical Biblical Commission’s 1964 Document: "Instruction on the Historical Truth of the Gospels," we find three stages in the development of the New Testament, which can be divided roughly into thirds: Jesus’ life, death and resurrection: 1-33 AD; The Preaching of the Apostles: 30 - 50 AD; The Writing of the Evangelists: late 50 - 100+ AD.
Stage One -- The Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus
We cannot understand the New Testament at all unless we view it as the response of a relationship between Jesus of Nazareth and those who followed him. Jesus asked his followers, "Who do you say that I am?" From a human standpoint, Jesus was a male Jew, a lay person. He was not a priest. He was not a member of the Sanhedrin, the religious legislative body. He did not belong to any of the religious sects within Judaism, such as the Pharisees (closely associated with the Scribes, strict interpreters of the Law), or the Sadducees (the wealthy, aristocrats who controlled the Temple and supported Roman rule), or the ascetic Essenes (who opposed Greek influence, Hellenization, and the corruption of the priesthood and temple). The Essenes isolated themselves at Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Jesus was not a part of the military or political powers, nor a member of the the Zealots who sought to overthrow those powers. Nevertheless, the religious and political environment that Jesus lived in shaped and influenced the content of his teaching. Jesus was a first century Jew and his proclamations followed the reasoning, thought pattern and images of his world and culture. We see Jesus participating in all the religious observances, the religious feasts, practices and institutions. He followed the Law of Moses even when he was most critical of it. For Judaism, God had become remote. God seemed to govern the world by means of law and ritual, a doctrine of righteousness, and 613 laws beyond the ten commandments. Jesus brought God near, made God accessible and approachable. When we see and hear Jesus, we see and hear God.
Through Jesus' words and works, his miracles and signs, Jesus revealed God's love to the world. Jesus drew all people into the loving embrace of the Father. When the disciples came to Jesus to ask him how to pray, he gave them a simple way to address God: "Father" (Abba in Aramaic), "Daddy," the name a little child calls a loving parent. Jesus said: "This is how you are to pray: Our Father." In Jesus the Father came to make a dwelling place in the heart of the believer. John said in his gospel, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we have seen his glory: The glory of an only Son coming from the Father, filled with enduring love" (John 1:14). Jesus reverenced God's name because God is holy. Jesus prayed for God's kingdom (Greek: basseleia) to come, to be accomplished in the lives of all who worked for peace and justice. Because Jesus heard and obeyed God, he prayed that all would be obedient to God's will on earth as God's will is done in heaven. The Father loves his children and listens to them and provides for their daily needs. The Father wants to deliver them from all that is evil.
This is the good news that Jesus came to announce. Jesus began his proclamation by challenging people: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). "Repent" and "Believe" are two commands that go hand-in-hand. Repent in Greek is metanoia, conversion, to change one's mind or direction. To believe (pistis), is to put faith and trust in someone or something. For Christians it is the person and message of Jesus.
Jesus' harshest words were for those religious leaders who saw no need to repent. The religious leaders turned their past experience of God's action in their lives into legalistic behavior, arguing about laws and regulations to obey. When a scribe (lawyer) asked Jesus what he must do to fulfill God's law, Jesus summed up the law with two basic commands: "Love God with your whole heart, soul, mind and strength, and your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:28-31).
By his words and deeds, Jesus taught what God's kingdom was like: healing, love, mercy, forgiveness. He taught by means of parables: the reign of God is like a pearl of great price, a mustard seed that starts off small but grows to huge proportions. God's word is like seed that appears to be wasted on rocks and thorns. The birds ate it before it got a chance to grow; yet in spite of that, the seed yielded an incredible harvest. Jesus taught by miracles and signs that in him, the kingdom of God had come. Jesus himself was the greatest sign that pointed to God's reign. He was God's new covenant that would be sealed, not by the blood of sacrificial animals, but by his own blood, the "Lamb of God" who takes away the sins of the world. On the night before he died, Jesus took the ordinary bread and wine of the Passover meal and gave it new meaning -- the body and blood of Jesus would be given for the salvation of the world. When the hour came, he took his place at table with the apostles he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you" (Luke 22:14-20).
Through Jesus' words and works, his miracles and signs, Jesus revealed God's love to the world. Jesus drew all people into the loving embrace of the Father. When the disciples came to Jesus to ask him how to pray, he gave them a simple way to address God: "Father" (Abba in Aramaic), "Daddy," the name a little child calls a loving parent. Jesus said: "This is how you are to pray: Our Father." In Jesus the Father came to make a dwelling place in the heart of the believer. John said in his gospel, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we have seen his glory: The glory of an only Son coming from the Father, filled with enduring love" (John 1:14). Jesus reverenced God's name because God is holy. Jesus prayed for God's kingdom (Greek: basseleia) to come, to be accomplished in the lives of all who worked for peace and justice. Because Jesus heard and obeyed God, he prayed that all would be obedient to God's will on earth as God's will is done in heaven. The Father loves his children and listens to them and provides for their daily needs. The Father wants to deliver them from all that is evil.
This is the good news that Jesus came to announce. Jesus began his proclamation by challenging people: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). "Repent" and "Believe" are two commands that go hand-in-hand. Repent in Greek is metanoia, conversion, to change one's mind or direction. To believe (pistis), is to put faith and trust in someone or something. For Christians it is the person and message of Jesus.
Jesus' harshest words were for those religious leaders who saw no need to repent. The religious leaders turned their past experience of God's action in their lives into legalistic behavior, arguing about laws and regulations to obey. When a scribe (lawyer) asked Jesus what he must do to fulfill God's law, Jesus summed up the law with two basic commands: "Love God with your whole heart, soul, mind and strength, and your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:28-31).
By his words and deeds, Jesus taught what God's kingdom was like: healing, love, mercy, forgiveness. He taught by means of parables: the reign of God is like a pearl of great price, a mustard seed that starts off small but grows to huge proportions. God's word is like seed that appears to be wasted on rocks and thorns. The birds ate it before it got a chance to grow; yet in spite of that, the seed yielded an incredible harvest. Jesus taught by miracles and signs that in him, the kingdom of God had come. Jesus himself was the greatest sign that pointed to God's reign. He was God's new covenant that would be sealed, not by the blood of sacrificial animals, but by his own blood, the "Lamb of God" who takes away the sins of the world. On the night before he died, Jesus took the ordinary bread and wine of the Passover meal and gave it new meaning -- the body and blood of Jesus would be given for the salvation of the world. When the hour came, he took his place at table with the apostles he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you" (Luke 22:14-20).
Stage Two -- The Preaching of the Apostles -- Oral Tradition
We now trace a line of development from what Jesus said and did to what the Apostles said and did. From the beginning of his ministry, Jesus chose Twelve Apostles. This showed that he had come to gather a Messianic community descended from the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The Twelve Apostles were the eye-witnesses to his life and death, "What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life -- for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us" (1 John 1:1-2).
The events of Good Friday left his followers in a state of shock. They "had hoped that he would be the one to save Israel" (Luke 24:21). But three days later what seemed a defeat turned into victory: Jesus Christ had risen! Jesus was with them in a new way. All that Jesus said and did was now seen in the light of the resurrection. With the fulfillment of Jesus' promise of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, his words and actions were seen in a new light, which was not possible before. In the years immediately following the Resurrection (30-50 AD) there was no urgent need for Christians to write about the unique events surrounding the life and mission of Jesus for their living witnesses were still with them, the apostles whom Jesus sent to proclaim the gospel.
An apostle means "one who is sent" not just with a message, but with the power and authority of Jesus. The apostles were fulfilling Jesus' mandate: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20)
The Acts of the Apostles records how the early church met for the instruction of the apostles. "They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers . . . Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes" (Acts 2:42-46). At first, the followers of Jesus' saw themselves as Jewish-Christians. Gradually, they saw themselves as a distinct religious group. The Old Testament did not solve all their problems nor answer all their questions. Did Gentiles have to be circumcised like the Jews? Did they need to go on pilgrimages to the Temple or observe dietary laws? The questions stirred controversy.
Jesus had not given them a catechism or canon law to follow, nor did he leave a blueprint of how the Church should be run. He did promise that the Holy Spirit would be with them to "guide them to all truth" (John 16:13). Through the Holy Spirit, the stories and sayings of Jesus and their implication for their lives were communicated by word of mouth in teachings, sermons, examples, practices, testimonies, hymns and prayers. The Apostles adapted the teachings of Jesus in ways that suited their communities. Jesus was a Palestinian Jew who spoke Aramaic. Mid-Century, the gospel was preached to Greek-speaking urban Jews and Gentiles. For some thirty years, the Good News was not the written word, but the living word. The preaching of the apostles was vital for the church, for they were the living link with Jesus. It was not until the 50's that anything was recorded.
The events of Good Friday left his followers in a state of shock. They "had hoped that he would be the one to save Israel" (Luke 24:21). But three days later what seemed a defeat turned into victory: Jesus Christ had risen! Jesus was with them in a new way. All that Jesus said and did was now seen in the light of the resurrection. With the fulfillment of Jesus' promise of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, his words and actions were seen in a new light, which was not possible before. In the years immediately following the Resurrection (30-50 AD) there was no urgent need for Christians to write about the unique events surrounding the life and mission of Jesus for their living witnesses were still with them, the apostles whom Jesus sent to proclaim the gospel.
An apostle means "one who is sent" not just with a message, but with the power and authority of Jesus. The apostles were fulfilling Jesus' mandate: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20)
The Acts of the Apostles records how the early church met for the instruction of the apostles. "They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers . . . Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes" (Acts 2:42-46). At first, the followers of Jesus' saw themselves as Jewish-Christians. Gradually, they saw themselves as a distinct religious group. The Old Testament did not solve all their problems nor answer all their questions. Did Gentiles have to be circumcised like the Jews? Did they need to go on pilgrimages to the Temple or observe dietary laws? The questions stirred controversy.
Jesus had not given them a catechism or canon law to follow, nor did he leave a blueprint of how the Church should be run. He did promise that the Holy Spirit would be with them to "guide them to all truth" (John 16:13). Through the Holy Spirit, the stories and sayings of Jesus and their implication for their lives were communicated by word of mouth in teachings, sermons, examples, practices, testimonies, hymns and prayers. The Apostles adapted the teachings of Jesus in ways that suited their communities. Jesus was a Palestinian Jew who spoke Aramaic. Mid-Century, the gospel was preached to Greek-speaking urban Jews and Gentiles. For some thirty years, the Good News was not the written word, but the living word. The preaching of the apostles was vital for the church, for they were the living link with Jesus. It was not until the 50's that anything was recorded.
Stage Three -- The Writing of the Evangelists
When and how did the writing of the New Testament begin? We know that during the pre-gospel stage, material was already being shaped. As the Church grew and spread to foreign lands, Christians were led by the Holy Spirit to record sayings (logia) of Jesus Christ for these far-flung communities. These writings which no longer exist are sometimes referred to as "Q" for quelle (German for "source," abbreviated "Q"). Instruction also came to the communities of believers in the form of apostolic letters. Many of these were preserved. They were copied and passed on to other communities. The letter to the Colossians says: "Give greetings to the brothers in Laodicea and to Nympha and to the church in her house. And when this letter is read before you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and you yourselves read the one from Laodicea" (Col 4:15-16).
LETTERS OF PAUL
The earliest written documents that are preserved in the New Testament are Paul's letters or "epistles." Paul considered himself an eye-witness, an apostle equal to the Twelve, even though he never saw Jesus in the flesh. On the road to Damascus, Paul met the risen Christ who commissioned him to preach to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15). Jesus told Paul that he would serve as his "witness to what you have seen and what you will see" (Acts 26:14-18). Paul's primary mission was to preach the crucified, living Jesus Christ to the Gentiles (1 Corinthians 2:2).
Eventually, Paul wrote letters to various church he had visited and helped establish. As the church grew from loose communities to a more structured institution, Paul addressed questions that had arisen in the churches: What do we do until Christ's return? What sort of Jewish practices, if any, must we follow? What are the roles of men and women, slaves and converts? How do we celebrate the Eucharist? Paul gave advice, encouragement and even rebuke where needed. One of the major reasons why Paul wrote was to combat heresy. His letters abound with corrections of false teaching and incorrect understanding of the Christian message. Paul never intended his writings to be systematic presentations of the faith nor did he imagine them to be scripture. But by 90 AD, they were collected and formed the foundation of the New Testament. Peter wrote: "Consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, also wrote to you, speaking of these things as he does in all his letters. In them there are some things hard to understand that the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures" (2 Peter 3:15-16).
Thirteen Letters are attributed to Paul (Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon). These are often subdivided:
OTHER LETTERS
Eventually letters were written by other disciples, sometimes in the name of the apostles Paul, Peter, James or John. Some were written to individuals (Timothy and Titus), others to whole communities (Ephesians and Colossians). These letters are:
LETTERS OF PAUL
The earliest written documents that are preserved in the New Testament are Paul's letters or "epistles." Paul considered himself an eye-witness, an apostle equal to the Twelve, even though he never saw Jesus in the flesh. On the road to Damascus, Paul met the risen Christ who commissioned him to preach to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15). Jesus told Paul that he would serve as his "witness to what you have seen and what you will see" (Acts 26:14-18). Paul's primary mission was to preach the crucified, living Jesus Christ to the Gentiles (1 Corinthians 2:2).
Eventually, Paul wrote letters to various church he had visited and helped establish. As the church grew from loose communities to a more structured institution, Paul addressed questions that had arisen in the churches: What do we do until Christ's return? What sort of Jewish practices, if any, must we follow? What are the roles of men and women, slaves and converts? How do we celebrate the Eucharist? Paul gave advice, encouragement and even rebuke where needed. One of the major reasons why Paul wrote was to combat heresy. His letters abound with corrections of false teaching and incorrect understanding of the Christian message. Paul never intended his writings to be systematic presentations of the faith nor did he imagine them to be scripture. But by 90 AD, they were collected and formed the foundation of the New Testament. Peter wrote: "Consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, also wrote to you, speaking of these things as he does in all his letters. In them there are some things hard to understand that the ignorant and unstable distort to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures" (2 Peter 3:15-16).
Thirteen Letters are attributed to Paul (Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon). These are often subdivided:
- Almost all scholars agree that Paul wrote seven letters. These "authentic" or "undisputed" Pauline letters are: (Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians and Philemon).
- Six "disputed" or "Deutero-Pauline" letters are (Colossians, Ephesians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus). Some scholars think these are "authentic" [written by Paul], while others argue they were written by Paul’s followers.
OTHER LETTERS
Eventually letters were written by other disciples, sometimes in the name of the apostles Paul, Peter, James or John. Some were written to individuals (Timothy and Titus), others to whole communities (Ephesians and Colossians). These letters are:
- Three letters were written to early "pastors" (1 & 2 Timothy and Titus). They are usually called the "Pastoral Epistles."
- Seven "Catholic Epistles" (James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1 & 2 & 3 John and Jude). The word "catholic" means "universal" or "general", indicating that these letters were written to a wider audience of many different Christians, not just one community.
- Hebrews is considered more of a sermon than a letter. It was written by anonymous author apparently "To the Hebrews." Most scholars agree it was not written by or attributed to Paul!
The Gospels
As the Apostolic Age came to an end with the death of the eye-witnesses of Jesus, there was a pressing need for the Church to have a written record of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. It was vital for the disciples of Christ to put the record straight during their lifetime, so that the true message would be passed on to future generations of believers.
Another key factor that motivated writing was the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in 70 AD. As Christians moved away from Jerusalem and their Jewish roots they began to understand themselves as a separate group.
The first known list of 27 books of the New Testament (all written in Greek) was made in 367 AD by St. Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria. This list was adopted by the bishops of North Africa, Hippo at Carthage in 393 AD. Not until 1546 AD was the list officially ratified by the Council of Trent. It was only since 1450 AD, with the advent of the printing press, that the bible was available to the general public, and still more recently that the average person was able to read. So it was that the early Church created the New Testament. The New Testament did not create the Church. A body of believers already proclaimed the gospel before any written document appeared. It was the Church that decided which of the many writings circulating in the first century were clearly canonical or "sacred scripture."
The Four Evangelists
From 65-100 AD, the four evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote their gospels. Scholars believe Mark was the first to write his gospel in the late 60's of the first century, some thirty years after the death and resurrection of Christ. In the 80's Luke wrote his gospel and his companion volume the Acts of the Apostles, followed by Matthew's gospel. It was not until the last decade of the first century that John's community published the fourth gospel. Already by the year 110 AD the early Church writers were quoting the gospels that we know today. By the year 200 AD, the gospels held undisputed authority.
The first three gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, are called Synoptics (Syn means "with" and optic means "eye"). We can say that these three gospels "see with one eye" because of their close similarities. Someone once told me, "Then it must mean that John sees with two eyes!" That is close to the truth. John's gospel is the most unique, and in many ways the most spiritual. John's gospel is also the most symbolic, using contrasting words like light and dark, above and below, spirit and flesh, life and death. John's gospel does not follow the same order as the other gospels, and it contains stories not found in the other gospels. John's gospel is considered by scholars to represent "High Christology," because of his exalted view of the Risen Christ, the Christ of Faith; whereas, the synoptic gospels are considered "Low Christology" because they are more concerned with the Jesus of History.
Scholars attest to a "Two-Source" theory for these gospels. One was the lost source called "Quelle," the sayings of Jesus Christ. Both Matthew and Luke rely heavily on on this "Q" source and also on Mark's gospel, believed to be the first written gospel. Each evangelist also had an independent sources.
The evangelists (gospel writers) did not write historical accounts or a biography of Jesus' life. The best phrase to define a gospel is that which we used for the Old Testament writings: a faith record. The evangelists did not record everything that Jesus said and did but rather those things that built faith in their communities. Each gospel was an invitation to their own particular communities to meet the Lord in their own particular needs.
MATTHEW - His symbol is a man because his gospel begins with the human genealogy of Jesus Christ
Matthew writes to Jewish-Christians as demonstrated by his frequent citing from the Old Testament. He writes after the destruction of the temple around 85 AD. He writes to Jewish converts who were cut-off from their Jewish traditions, disowned by their families and felt no longer welcome in the synagogue. Matthew showed that the promised Messiah was fulfilled in Jesus who did not come to do away with the Law and the Prophets (the Hebrew scriptures) but to fulfill them, to give new meaning to God's word as seen in Jesus' Sermon on the mount. Like Moses, Jesus preached radical submission to the will of God, not just external conformity: "You have heard it said . . . but I say to you . . . " (Matthew 5:21,22). Jesus forbid not only outward immoral behavior: murder, adultery, perjury, but inner motives such as anger, lust and deceit. God had claims on the whole person- thoughts, words and deeds.
Who responded to the message of Jesus? The Anawim, those outlined in his Sermon on the Mount -- the outcasts, the tax-collectors, sinners and harlots, women and slaves, the blind, deaf and lame, the poor who recognized their need and dependence on God (Matthew 5:3-12). God's blessings and judgment would be upon those who did or did not recognize the suffering Christ in the "hungry, the thirsty, the alien, the homeless, sick and imprisoned" (Matthew 25:31-40). All who who neglected these lowly ones would receive punishment, while those who did these corporal works of mercy would receive eternal life.
MARK - His symbol is a lion because his gospel begins with Jesus in the wilderness facing the wild beasts of temptation
Mark wrote to a community suffering persecution during the reign of Nero, the emperor of Rome. Peter and Paul already lost their lives as martyrs in Rome. Mark wrote for Gentile Christians who were unfamiliar with Jewish customs, and who faced persecution for their beliefs. The main question facing these Christians was why they were being asked to suffer and die for their faith. Mark reminded them that Jesus himself suffered. If Jesus' disciples wanted to follow Christ, they must take up the cross as he did. Jesus imposed silence on those who misunderstood his powerful works as some sort of Messianic "wonder worker." Jesus' power could only understood through the power of the cross. In the midst of their trials, Mark told the suffering community, "Here begins the good news, the gospel, of Jesus Christ" (Mark 1:1).
LUKE - His symbol is the ox because his gospel begins in the temple where animal sacrifice was performed
Luke wrote two volumes: the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. He wrote for Greek speaking Gentiles after the persecution of Nero, but while hostilities were still prevalent around the time of the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. The author is identified as a companion to Paul on his missionary journeys. Luke's gospel recounts Jesus' long journey from Galilee to Jerusalem where he suffered and died. His Acts of the Apostles relates Paul's journey from Jerusalem to Rome, fulfilling Christ's mandate to the Apostles to preach the gospel "to the ends of the earth."
JOHN - His Symbol is the Eagle because of his soaring theology
John wrote toward the end of the first century, around 90 AD. Like an Eagle in flight, Jesus came from the Father and through his death, resurrection and ascension, drew all who believed in him back with him to the Father. John responded to the theological needs of a maturing community. John was not so interested in the stories of Jesus, as in the Synoptic gospels, but the meaning behind these stories. John displayed artistic genius in presenting Jesus' words in long poetic discourses. Jesus identified himself as "I AM," the name of God given to Moses at the Burning Bush: "I AM who am" (Exodus 3:14). This mysterious name Yahweh has many meanings: "I cannot be named or defined. If I told you, you wouldn't understand who I Am. I AM who I AM." Jesus spelled out who God was through his many "I AM" statements. Jesus is the water of life without whom we cannot exist, "I AM the living water." Jesus is the daily nourishment which sustains us, "I AM the bread of life." Jesus is the light that drives out darkness from our lives, "I AM the light of the world." Jesus is the living vine; all who are united to him bear fruit, "I AM the vine." Jesus says, "I AM the Good Shepherd," the one who guides us to eternal life, "I AM the resurrection and the life." Jesus says, whatever is good and holy and true, I AM. Those who came through Jesus, the gateway to eternal life, would have life, not just ordinary life, but "life in abundance" (Jn 10:10).
As with all four gospels, John selected those things necessary for the circumstances of his audience. He made a choice as to the material he included in his gospel to benefit the faithful. John wrote: "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name (John 20:30-31).
The Final Book in the New Testament is the Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation (not plural!) is also called "The Apocalypse." This book contains seven short letters addressed to the "Churches of Asia," and a long series of highly symbolic "visions" attributed to a certain man named "John," culminating in the destruction of all evil and the establishment of "a new heaven and a new earth" and "the new Jerusalem."
Another key factor that motivated writing was the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in 70 AD. As Christians moved away from Jerusalem and their Jewish roots they began to understand themselves as a separate group.
The first known list of 27 books of the New Testament (all written in Greek) was made in 367 AD by St. Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria. This list was adopted by the bishops of North Africa, Hippo at Carthage in 393 AD. Not until 1546 AD was the list officially ratified by the Council of Trent. It was only since 1450 AD, with the advent of the printing press, that the bible was available to the general public, and still more recently that the average person was able to read. So it was that the early Church created the New Testament. The New Testament did not create the Church. A body of believers already proclaimed the gospel before any written document appeared. It was the Church that decided which of the many writings circulating in the first century were clearly canonical or "sacred scripture."
The Four Evangelists
From 65-100 AD, the four evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote their gospels. Scholars believe Mark was the first to write his gospel in the late 60's of the first century, some thirty years after the death and resurrection of Christ. In the 80's Luke wrote his gospel and his companion volume the Acts of the Apostles, followed by Matthew's gospel. It was not until the last decade of the first century that John's community published the fourth gospel. Already by the year 110 AD the early Church writers were quoting the gospels that we know today. By the year 200 AD, the gospels held undisputed authority.
The first three gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, are called Synoptics (Syn means "with" and optic means "eye"). We can say that these three gospels "see with one eye" because of their close similarities. Someone once told me, "Then it must mean that John sees with two eyes!" That is close to the truth. John's gospel is the most unique, and in many ways the most spiritual. John's gospel is also the most symbolic, using contrasting words like light and dark, above and below, spirit and flesh, life and death. John's gospel does not follow the same order as the other gospels, and it contains stories not found in the other gospels. John's gospel is considered by scholars to represent "High Christology," because of his exalted view of the Risen Christ, the Christ of Faith; whereas, the synoptic gospels are considered "Low Christology" because they are more concerned with the Jesus of History.
Scholars attest to a "Two-Source" theory for these gospels. One was the lost source called "Quelle," the sayings of Jesus Christ. Both Matthew and Luke rely heavily on on this "Q" source and also on Mark's gospel, believed to be the first written gospel. Each evangelist also had an independent sources.
The evangelists (gospel writers) did not write historical accounts or a biography of Jesus' life. The best phrase to define a gospel is that which we used for the Old Testament writings: a faith record. The evangelists did not record everything that Jesus said and did but rather those things that built faith in their communities. Each gospel was an invitation to their own particular communities to meet the Lord in their own particular needs.
MATTHEW - His symbol is a man because his gospel begins with the human genealogy of Jesus Christ
Matthew writes to Jewish-Christians as demonstrated by his frequent citing from the Old Testament. He writes after the destruction of the temple around 85 AD. He writes to Jewish converts who were cut-off from their Jewish traditions, disowned by their families and felt no longer welcome in the synagogue. Matthew showed that the promised Messiah was fulfilled in Jesus who did not come to do away with the Law and the Prophets (the Hebrew scriptures) but to fulfill them, to give new meaning to God's word as seen in Jesus' Sermon on the mount. Like Moses, Jesus preached radical submission to the will of God, not just external conformity: "You have heard it said . . . but I say to you . . . " (Matthew 5:21,22). Jesus forbid not only outward immoral behavior: murder, adultery, perjury, but inner motives such as anger, lust and deceit. God had claims on the whole person- thoughts, words and deeds.
Who responded to the message of Jesus? The Anawim, those outlined in his Sermon on the Mount -- the outcasts, the tax-collectors, sinners and harlots, women and slaves, the blind, deaf and lame, the poor who recognized their need and dependence on God (Matthew 5:3-12). God's blessings and judgment would be upon those who did or did not recognize the suffering Christ in the "hungry, the thirsty, the alien, the homeless, sick and imprisoned" (Matthew 25:31-40). All who who neglected these lowly ones would receive punishment, while those who did these corporal works of mercy would receive eternal life.
MARK - His symbol is a lion because his gospel begins with Jesus in the wilderness facing the wild beasts of temptation
Mark wrote to a community suffering persecution during the reign of Nero, the emperor of Rome. Peter and Paul already lost their lives as martyrs in Rome. Mark wrote for Gentile Christians who were unfamiliar with Jewish customs, and who faced persecution for their beliefs. The main question facing these Christians was why they were being asked to suffer and die for their faith. Mark reminded them that Jesus himself suffered. If Jesus' disciples wanted to follow Christ, they must take up the cross as he did. Jesus imposed silence on those who misunderstood his powerful works as some sort of Messianic "wonder worker." Jesus' power could only understood through the power of the cross. In the midst of their trials, Mark told the suffering community, "Here begins the good news, the gospel, of Jesus Christ" (Mark 1:1).
LUKE - His symbol is the ox because his gospel begins in the temple where animal sacrifice was performed
Luke wrote two volumes: the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. He wrote for Greek speaking Gentiles after the persecution of Nero, but while hostilities were still prevalent around the time of the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. The author is identified as a companion to Paul on his missionary journeys. Luke's gospel recounts Jesus' long journey from Galilee to Jerusalem where he suffered and died. His Acts of the Apostles relates Paul's journey from Jerusalem to Rome, fulfilling Christ's mandate to the Apostles to preach the gospel "to the ends of the earth."
JOHN - His Symbol is the Eagle because of his soaring theology
John wrote toward the end of the first century, around 90 AD. Like an Eagle in flight, Jesus came from the Father and through his death, resurrection and ascension, drew all who believed in him back with him to the Father. John responded to the theological needs of a maturing community. John was not so interested in the stories of Jesus, as in the Synoptic gospels, but the meaning behind these stories. John displayed artistic genius in presenting Jesus' words in long poetic discourses. Jesus identified himself as "I AM," the name of God given to Moses at the Burning Bush: "I AM who am" (Exodus 3:14). This mysterious name Yahweh has many meanings: "I cannot be named or defined. If I told you, you wouldn't understand who I Am. I AM who I AM." Jesus spelled out who God was through his many "I AM" statements. Jesus is the water of life without whom we cannot exist, "I AM the living water." Jesus is the daily nourishment which sustains us, "I AM the bread of life." Jesus is the light that drives out darkness from our lives, "I AM the light of the world." Jesus is the living vine; all who are united to him bear fruit, "I AM the vine." Jesus says, "I AM the Good Shepherd," the one who guides us to eternal life, "I AM the resurrection and the life." Jesus says, whatever is good and holy and true, I AM. Those who came through Jesus, the gateway to eternal life, would have life, not just ordinary life, but "life in abundance" (Jn 10:10).
As with all four gospels, John selected those things necessary for the circumstances of his audience. He made a choice as to the material he included in his gospel to benefit the faithful. John wrote: "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name (John 20:30-31).
The Final Book in the New Testament is the Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation (not plural!) is also called "The Apocalypse." This book contains seven short letters addressed to the "Churches of Asia," and a long series of highly symbolic "visions" attributed to a certain man named "John," culminating in the destruction of all evil and the establishment of "a new heaven and a new earth" and "the new Jerusalem."
The Message Proclaimed to You
Jesus, who we find in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, is the same Jesus proclaimed by Peter and Paul -- all written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It is therefore a living Jesus speaking to each new situation that the Church experiences. Questions we ask of scripture today -- the moral and ethical questions of the 21st century about the value of human life, the arms race, social justice and peace issues, were not those asked in the First or Fifteenth century. Similarly, people will be asking different questions in the future because they will be struggling with different problems than we are today.
Jesus is calling you to write a "Fifth" Gospel
No generation will exhaust the infinite depth found in the mystery of God's word. Each of us must write a "Fifth Gospel," the Jesus whom we experience as "the power leading everyone who believes to salvation" (Ro 1:16). Paul wrote: "For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring (the) good news!' But not everyone has heeded the good news; for Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?" Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ" (Ro 10:13-17).
Jesus is calling you to write a "Fifth" Gospel
No generation will exhaust the infinite depth found in the mystery of God's word. Each of us must write a "Fifth Gospel," the Jesus whom we experience as "the power leading everyone who believes to salvation" (Ro 1:16). Paul wrote: "For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring (the) good news!' But not everyone has heeded the good news; for Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?" Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ" (Ro 10:13-17).