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THE NEW TESTAMENT THE WORLD OF JESUS
THE NEW TESTAMENTTHE WORLD OF JESUS
The BibleThe New Testament belongs to what larger book?
Bible
The word Bible in Greek (biblia) means what?
A collection of books
How many books are in the Old Testament? And How many books are in the New Testament?
OT = 46 Books
NT = 27 Books73 TOTAL BOOKS
¼ of the Bible is the NT
¾ of the Bible is the OT
What’s New about the New Testament?
The “NEW” Testament was written almost 2000 years ago!
So if it was written two-thousand years ago, then what’s “new” about it?
In order to understand what’s new about the NT, one first needs to understand what the word Testament means?
Covenant
A promise, agreement or contract
So what do you think the difference is between the Old Testament and the New Testament?
It is referred to as the “New Testament” because God creates a new covenant with humanity.
The New Covenant
In the Old Testament, God’s covenant is always with whom?
His chosen people, the Israelites!
So then, in the New Testament, with whom is God’s covenant?
EVERYONE!
The New Testament reveals that our loving God has extended his loving kindness, his salvation, to all people.
Jesus is the New Covenant and his message is not just for Jews but for everyone!
Thus, all of the New Testament books focus on Jesus and his message which is for everyone!
PALESTINE:The Land of Jesus’ Ministry
PALESTINEBefore the Israelites, this land was known as?
Canaan
After the conquest of Joshua, this land became?Israel
After the division of Israel in 922 BCE, this land was divided into?
Israel and Judah
During the conquest of Alexander the Great:Greek geographers assigned the name Palestine to the entire region in the 4th
century BCENaming it after the Philistines who once inhabited the land.
By the time of Jesus, Palestine was a vassal state to the Roman Empire and divided into five regions:
Judea, Galilee, Samaria, Perea, Decapolis
PALESTINE:-Judea-Galilee-Samaria-Perea-Decapolis
JUDEALocated in the southern part of Palestine, what use to be known as Judah is now called Judea
The land is mostly arid and desert.
Who lived there?
The land was inhabited by Jews who were the descendants of the Israelites who returned from Babylon in 538 BCE.
Important Cities and Places:Jerusalem and Bethlehem The Herodian Temple
Of the five regions of Palestine, only Judea was a Roman province governed by a Roman prefect (governor)
Pontius Pilate (26-36 CE)
The Temple at the Time of Jesus
GalileeThe land of Galilee was in the north and was very green and fertile.
Jesus focused his ministry in the area of Galilee:
Nazareth is in GalileeSea of Galilee
Gave livelihood to many fishermen
The land was ruled by king Herod Antipas (son of Herod the Great)
He had to answer to the Romans
The inhabitants were made up of Jews and Gentiles
Jews from Judea looked down on Galileans because of their frequent interaction with gentiles. This is why Jesus was scoffed at by the Pharisees because he was a Galilean!
Jesus Boat
In 1986, archaeologists discovered a boat that dates to the time of Jesus.
There are about 20 different types of woods used to make up the boat, which suggests that it was constantly being repaired, reflecting the life of Galilean fishermen.
It has also allowed archaeologists to reconstruct a model of Galilean fishing boat:
SamariaSamaria is situated in the middle of Galilee and Judea, and made up of the land previously known as Israel (before demolished by Assyrians)
Who lived there?The inhabitants were the Samaritans who were made up mostly of foreigners who intermarried with the Israelites who survived the Assyrian onslaught in 722 BCE.
Jews in Galilee and Judea saw the Samaritans as a notch above the hated gentiles and avoided them at all costs.
Samartians practiced the same religion as Jews in Judea and Galilee, HOWEVER, they rejected the Temple as the proper place of worship.
Samaritans believed that God chose Mt. Gerizim as the proper place of worship.
Temple at the top of Mt. Gerizim
Decapolis and PereaDecapolis
Called so for its ten (deca) Greek cities.
The majority of the inhabitants are Greeks or gentiles
PereaGreen and fertile land
Ruled by Herod Antipas
Fortress MachaerusThis is where John the Baptist was beheaded!
Biblical Genres in the New Testament
HOW MANY ARE THERE?
27 Books of the New Testament
Literary Genres of the New Testament
The “books” that make up the New Testament can be divided into four literary genres (types of literature):
Gospels
Historical Narrative
Letters/Epistles
Apocalyptic Literature
The Bible is primarily literature of faith, however, as literature, certain books can be fiction, symbolic, historical, etc.
Literary Genres and Truth in the Bible
“From my own position as a novelist I wish to say that creative composing is not to be equated with telling a lie…. What might not be an historical fact can still be truth for our souls.”
Shisaku Endo, Author of A Life of Jesus
Awareness that biblical authors used many different kinds of literature, each with a particular purpose, prepares readers to understand what kinds of truth to expect, or not to expect, in the many different books and passages of Scripture. Some types of literature are grounded in actual events and so do contain at least some measure of factual truth. Others are works of fiction and so do not even pretend to present facts (Jonah and the Fish); they intend to convey symbolic truth that is deeper and broader than mere facts.
Four Genres of the New Testament
Gospels:Euangelion = “Good News”Literary Function:
Faith ProclamationsTo proclaim the good news about Jesus NOT a Biography
NT = Matthew, Mark, Luke, and JohnThe person of Christ is always bigger than Gospels themselves
Historical Narrative:Literary Function:
A historical narrative of a series of eventsNT = The Book of Acts
Letters/Epistles:Literary Function:
A letter (similar to a formal letter of today)Introduction (greetings), Body (main content or message), Closing (final greeting, peace wish)
NT = 21 of the 27 books are lettersSeven letters are by Paul of Tarsus
Apocalyptic Literature: Literary Function:
Highly symbolic, featuring visions about the end times and a future world
NT = The Book of Revelation(apokalypis)
It is KEY to be aware of what type of biblical genre you are reading in order to know what types of “truth” to expect!
Symbolic truth, historical truth, personal truth, etc.
Turtle and the HareNot historical but communicates a truth?
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
NT canon: stages of development
Witnessing Jesus’ ministryXP was an actual historical figure who lived, some information we have about him comes from Eye witness account
Preaching and teaching about JesusThen the apostles went out and started preaching and baptizing building up the kingdom of God aka “the Church” these letters were so important they were circulated, these works in the NT were read alongside the OT at the early Church service.
Composition of the written materials
Scriptio continua. Prologue to the Gospel of John ca. 200. P66
INTHEBEGINNINGWASTHEWORDANDTHEWORDWASWITHGDANDTHEWORDWASGD
Ambiguities of punctuation
• AWOMANWITHOUTHERMANISNOTHING
• A WOMAN, WITHOUT HER MAN, IS NOTHING
• A WOMAN: WITHOUT HER, MAN IS NOTHING
CONTEXT
What course is this?
Contextual W’s
WHEN and WHERE was the book written?
WHO wrote the book?
To WHOM was the book written?
WHAT literary genre is the book fall under?
WHY or for WHAT purpose was the book written?
WHEN
The 27 books of the NT were written during the latter-half of the 1st century CE (or AD)
Some 1950 years ago
Note: we live in the 21st century (2000 – 2099) whereas the first century makes up (0 – 99)
22nd century (2100-2199)
Jesus dies in 30-33 CE
Date Written:1 Thessalonians (c. 50)
(Oldest)
1 & 2 Corinthians (c. 54 – 55)
Gospel of Mark (c. 66 – 70)
Gospel of John ( c. 90 – 95)
Revelation (c. 95 – 100)
Original ManuscriptsAlthough scholars know that the books of the NT were written during the 1st century AD, no original manuscripts remain.
The oldest Greek versions of the New Testament date back to the 4th century AD. (about 300 years after the original manuscripts were written)
Oldest fragment dates to 125 AD
Gospel of John
Thus, scholars can not say with any certainty that what we read in the New Testament today, was exactly what was written in the original manuscripts: Gospels, letters, etc.
The Bible we read today was not put together until about 400 years after the death of Jesus
WHEREThe majority of the NT books were written in major cities encompassing the eastern half of the Roman Empire:
Ephesus
Antioch
Corinth
Damascus
Where the NT books were written is based off of scholarly speculation
No one knows for certain where they were written!
WHO
Who wrote the 27 books of the NT?Again, authorship is based off of scholarly speculation
Exception is Paul
Wrote 7 letters
Matthew, Mark, Luke, JohnGospels were given these names 150 years after they were originally written
Examples
Revelation 1:1-2:“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to show his servants what must happen soon. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who gives witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ by reporting what he saw.”
All that is known about the author is that his name was John and that his Greek has a lot of misspellings and grammatical mistakes.
Thus, he wasn’t well educated
2 Corinthians: 1:1-2“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, with all the holy ones throughout Achaia: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
This is one of the seven letters that Paul actually wrote, even though many other letters are attributed to him, he only wrote seven.
TO WHOMEach book was written for a particular audience or group of people.
In the 1st century (CE), small Christian communities had formed all over the Mediterranean world.
Many of these people had never met Jesus but had learned about him through oral stories.
The few people who had either personally known Jesus or had had contact with an original disciple of Jesus wrote the books of the New Testament!
These books served as guides for the first Christians in how to live their lives as follower of Jesus.
Paul would often address the city to which he was writing and also the people to whom he was writing.
“Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth….”Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timonthy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved and our co-worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church at your house.
Overall, it is often scholarly speculation as to whom individual NT books were written.
At the time of Jesus, there were two classes in Palestine: the poor and the rich. There was no middle class.
97% of the Roman Empire’s wealth and resources were controlled by 3% of the population.
Only 1 % of the population could read!Making 99% of the pop. illiterate
Jews in Judea would work all day long just to eat. The rest would often go to taxes $$$$
As much of 50% of a Jews income went to taxesThe Roman TaxHerod’s Tax (for the construction of the Temple and other buildings)Sadducee Tax (priestly tax)
Overall, the majority of the people at the time of Jesus lived in or near poverty as tenant farmers, day labors, or craftsmen.
Jesus was certainly part of the poor class, and worked as a carpenter“Gospels describe him as, “son of Joseph, the carpenter”
Greek word tekton, used to describe Joseph could mean a builder, construction worker, or craftsmen of wooden objects such as chairs, tables, and plow handles.
Thus, by the time Jesus had begun his ministry, the Jewish people were desperately looking for someone to deliver them from such economic oppression! Their were widespread rumors and hopes that a Messiah would save them from the oppressive wrath of the Romans and Jewish authority at the Temple. Many people were claiming to be this messiah in the form of priests, prophets, revolutionaries, and political leaders.
It is in this context that Jesus begins his ministry in the Galilee, not sure what to expect!!
Timeline• 3rd c. B.C.E. Septuagint. Translation work begun under Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-
246 BCE) in Alexandria. • end of 1st c. C.E. (?) Council of Javneh: Jewish canon closed with 39 books.
• NT canon:• 50ies: Pauline Epistles. Paul died ca. 60. • 60ies-early 70ies: Gospel of Mark.• 80ies: Gospels of Matthew and Luke.• 90ies: Gospel of John and the rest of the canon.
• 140ies Marcion produces his own canon. • 180ies Irenaeus attests the use of the four gospels.
• 200 ( or 4th c?): Muratorian canon. Some Gnostic Gospels and apocrypha rejected.
• 367: The first full list of the 27 NT writings mentioned in the letter of Athanasius of Alexandria
Irenaeus on the use of the four gospels
Irenaeus, Haer. 3.11.7: ‘So firm is the ground upon which these Gospels rest that the very heretics themselves bear witness to them, and starting from them, each endeavors to establish his own peculiar doctrine. For the Ebionites… use Matthew’s Gospel…; Marcion mutilates that accordning to Luke….; those who separate Jesus from Christ [Docetists]… prefer the Gospel of Mark…; those who follow Valentinus make copious use of that according to John…”
NT canon: informal selection criteria1. Use in public worship &
teaching. 2. Orthodoxy = agreement
with the apostolic tradition and rule of faith.
3. Apostolicity = attributed to apostles or ‘apostolic men’.
4. Antiquity =belong to the ‘apostolic age’.
