““Modern approaches Modern approaches to the New Testament”to the New Testament”

Two ways of Reading the NT:Two ways of Reading the NT:

Objective rational = English DeistObjective rational = English Deist Subjective experiential = PeitistSubjective experiential = Peitist

• Doctrines to hold while reading the NT: Doctrines to hold while reading the NT: Inspiration of scripture, divinity of Inspiration of scripture, divinity of Jesus Christ, the sovereignty of a Jesus Christ, the sovereignty of a personal God in the world who does personal God in the world who does miracles like raise his crucified Son to miracles like raise his crucified Son to life, and the final day of judgment.life, and the final day of judgment.

• Making the NT like any other book Making the NT like any other book

Necessity of Criticism:Necessity of Criticism:

Criticism…what does critical mean?Criticism…what does critical mean?

There is a need for interpretation and There is a need for interpretation and this involves criticism this involves criticism

Roots of Historical criticism:Roots of Historical criticism:

Enlightenment:Enlightenment:• Bible is interpreted apart from the church and Bible is interpreted apart from the church and

in light of human reason in light of human reason • Jesus was not the divine Son of God, and he Jesus was not the divine Son of God, and he

did not teach about salvation through his did not teach about salvation through his death death

• Miracles cannot happen: Analogy principle.Miracles cannot happen: Analogy principle.• Bible is offensive to the modern mind Bible is offensive to the modern mind • Only way to interpret is the historical way Only way to interpret is the historical way

Contribution and limitations of Contribution and limitations of Historical criticism.Historical criticism.

The positive nature of Source, The positive nature of Source, Form, redaction, and literary Form, redaction, and literary analysis.analysis.

• Source: not as promisingSource: not as promising• Form: GenreForm: Genre• redaction: editingredaction: editing• Literary analysis: context…etc.Literary analysis: context…etc.

The Promise of Hermeneutics:The Promise of Hermeneutics:

““Hermeneutics refers to the theory and Hermeneutics refers to the theory and practice of interpretation.”practice of interpretation.”

What are the necessary conditions for What are the necessary conditions for apprehending and entering into fruitful apprehending and entering into fruitful dialogue with its message?dialogue with its message?

What methods are most important for What methods are most important for analyzing the data?analyzing the data?

What are the aims that shape our What are the aims that shape our observation and the application of our observation and the application of our findings?findings?

The Promise of Hermeneutics:The Promise of Hermeneutics:

Conditions for the interpreter: Mental capability, Conditions for the interpreter: Mental capability, regeneration “Hermeneutics when utilized to interpret regeneration “Hermeneutics when utilized to interpret the Scripture is a spiritual act, depending upon the the Scripture is a spiritual act, depending upon the leading of the Holy Spirit.”, must be seen as divine leading of the Holy Spirit.”, must be seen as divine revelation, progressive revelation, and genre recognition.revelation, progressive revelation, and genre recognition.

Methods: textual criticism, source criticism, form Methods: textual criticism, source criticism, form criticism, redaction criticism, literary criticism, canonical criticism, redaction criticism, literary criticism, canonical criticism, sociological criticism and structuralism (views criticism, sociological criticism and structuralism (views the text as an autonomous object).the text as an autonomous object).

The rise of many theologies to justify man The rise of many theologies to justify man Studying the NT should have a doxological aim: Leads to Studying the NT should have a doxological aim: Leads to

worship of God.worship of God. The NT was written in and for the community of faith, the The NT was written in and for the community of faith, the

church; thus, its interpretation should enhance the church; thus, its interpretation should enhance the community of faith. community of faith.

““The Modern search The Modern search for Jesus”for Jesus”

The Search for the Real Jesus: A The Search for the Real Jesus: A brief historybrief history

Enlightenment and rationalism swept in Enlightenment and rationalism swept in the front door of scholarship. “The the front door of scholarship. “The Gospels were not considered to be the Gospels were not considered to be the story of Jesus, but only stories about Jesus, story of Jesus, but only stories about Jesus, written by people who had not known him written by people who had not known him and perhaps a hundred years after Jesus and perhaps a hundred years after Jesus died. During that time many myths, died. During that time many myths, legends, and heavily edited accounts had legends, and heavily edited accounts had arisen and become part of the tradition. arisen and become part of the tradition. Hence, the real Jesus was buried in a mass Hence, the real Jesus was buried in a mass of questionable material and had to be of questionable material and had to be rediscovered.” rediscovered.”

Everything in the gospels had to be Everything in the gospels had to be proven true on rationalistic proven true on rationalistic scientific grounds.scientific grounds.

Supernatural has to be ruled out…Supernatural has to be ruled out…analogy principle. (virgin birth, analogy principle. (virgin birth, resurrection, divine healings, resurrection, divine healings, casting out demons, and predictive casting out demons, and predictive prophecy.)prophecy.)

The early church then created The early church then created someone that they could believe in, someone that they could believe in, known as the extraordinary “Christ known as the extraordinary “Christ of Faith.”of Faith.”

D.F. Strauss D.F. Strauss The Life of Jesus Critically The Life of Jesus Critically ExaminedExamined

E. Renan E. Renan Life of JesusLife of Jesus Albert Schweitzer, Albert Schweitzer, The Quest for the The Quest for the

Historical Jesus.Historical Jesus. (scholars had found (scholars had found themselves)themselves)

Bultmann said that nothing could be Bultmann said that nothing could be known about Jesus. “The only thing that known about Jesus. “The only thing that matters is matters is thatthat Jesus was, not Jesus was, not whatwhat Jesus Jesus was.” (famous for demythologizing)was.” (famous for demythologizing)

Ernst Kasemann “The Question of the Ernst Kasemann “The Question of the Historical Jesus” Set out on the NEW Historical Jesus” Set out on the NEW QUEST.QUEST.

Old Quest: Began with the enlightenment in Old Quest: Began with the enlightenment in 1700s1700s

New Quest: died out because nothing New Quest: died out because nothing substantial was produced about Jesus.substantial was produced about Jesus.

Third Quest: No agreement on what is to be Third Quest: No agreement on what is to be done, how to go about doing it, or what the done, how to go about doing it, or what the results should be.results should be.

• The options are: a political agent, a street-corner The options are: a political agent, a street-corner Greek preacher, a zealot, a magician, a moralistic Greek preacher, a zealot, a magician, a moralistic prophet, a confused Galilean peasant, a Marxist-prophet, a confused Galilean peasant, a Marxist-atheist, or an outright fraud.atheist, or an outright fraud.

• Where does this leave us: To study Christ without Where does this leave us: To study Christ without faith and by secular methods, we will only arrive at a faith and by secular methods, we will only arrive at a confusing picture of ourselves. Because it is by our confusing picture of ourselves. Because it is by our presuppositions that we guided into this “quest.” presuppositions that we guided into this “quest.”

The search for Jesus’ real words.The search for Jesus’ real words.

Since the actions of Jesus were called Since the actions of Jesus were called into question by the critical scholars, a into question by the critical scholars, a new search began to find Jesus’ real new search began to find Jesus’ real words.words.

A problem arises with this attempt: How A problem arises with this attempt: How do we shift through the gospels to find do we shift through the gospels to find what Jesus really said. (What does this what Jesus really said. (What does this assume?)assume?)

Twenty-five criteria have been espoused Twenty-five criteria have been espoused that will get the scholar to the true words that will get the scholar to the true words of Jesus.of Jesus.

Jesus Seminar: sought to find out what Jesus Jesus Seminar: sought to find out what Jesus really said. Only 18% of the words in the really said. Only 18% of the words in the

Gospels are actually his. The gospel of John Gospels are actually his. The gospel of John cannot be trusted.cannot be trusted.

Multiple Multiple attestation: attestation:

Palestinian Palestinian Environment: Environment:

Aramaic Language: Aramaic Language: Dissimilarity: Dissimilarity: Embarrassment: Embarrassment:

Consensus of Consensus of Scholars:Scholars:

Multiple forms of Multiple forms of statement: statement:

The Jesus of History and the Christ The Jesus of History and the Christ of faith are one and the same of faith are one and the same

person.person.

Elwell’s story of getting lost in the Elwell’s story of getting lost in the woods woods