Matthew 10
Jesus gives power to his 12 disciples to heal and drive out demons. These are the twelve - Simon-Peter, Andre, James & John, Philip & Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot.
Jesus sent them out like sheep among wolves, instructing them to be shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves. He told them to freely give because they had been given freely.
He warned them that there mission would be tough and they would be arrested. He told them not to worry about what to say because the Spirit of the Father will speak through them. He warned "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Matthew 10:22).
Matthew 11
The disciples went out into Israel to perform the work Jesus had instructed them to do. Jesus went on to preach in Galilee. John the Baptist was in prison and sent his disciples to go and ask Jesus if he was the one who was to come. Jesus replied to go back and report what you see, the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear and the dead rise.
Jesus then proclaims that John the Baptist was the greatest of all men born to woman, but less than the least in the kingdom of Heaven. He told the crowds that John the Baptist was the Elijah who was to come. That was an interesting verse:
"And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. He who has ears, let him hear" (Matthew 11:14-15).
Jesus proclaims the truth, but acknowledges that there are some who would be unwilling to accept this truth. He denounced the generation because they are fickle. John was fasting and the people said he had a demon. Jesus wasn't fasting and they called him a glutton.
Jesus denounces the cities where he performed most of his miracles because they had not repented. He stated that the gentile cities in the area, if he had performed his miracles there, would have already repented.
Jesus offers rest to the weary.
Matthew 12
Jesus' disciples are then decried by the Pharisees for picking up grain and eating it on the Sabbath. Jesus rebukes them because they do not understand the words 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice'. He then reminds the Pharisees that David and his men ate consecrated bread and that the Priests of the Temple work on the Sabbath but they are innocent. Jesus then healed a man's hand on the Sabbath. The Pharisees plotted how to kill Jesus.
Jesus then drove out a demon and the Pharisees tried to convince everyone he drives out demons by the power of the devil. Jesus denounces this and warns everyone that they will be forgiven of all sins except the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
12:35 "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him". Lord, help me to store good things in me.
Jesus calls those asking for signs wicked. He had already performed signs and they did not believe. Jonah preached in Nineveh and they repented, but God's own people won't repent when someone greater than Jonah is here.
12:43-45 "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left'. When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation". This is an interesting thing to think about. Jesus is out here at the moment casting out demons, healing people, sweeping up the house and putting it in order. But, they aren't fully accepting him in and the house remains unoccupied. The driven out spirits are unable to find rest and come back to find their old house unoccupied and return with their buddies to make things worse. I've had a few unclean spirits in my time Lord, sweep out and put my house in order. But, live in it so that the unclean spirits won't find it unoccupied and leave me off worse than I was before.
12:46-50 is a hard little passage, a 'difficult verse'. Jesus doesn't go to his mother and brothers who want to speak to him, instead he points out whoever does the will of the Father is his brother, mother and sister. It seems a bit harsh on his family.
Matthew 13 - The Parables
Parable of the sower
The seed that fell upon the path was eaten by the birds. These are those who hear the message of the kingdom but don't understand it.
The seed that fell upon the rock places grew quickly, but was scorched by the sun. These are those who accept the message of the kingdom with joy but quickly fall away at the first sight of trouble.
The seed that fell among the thorns was choked out. These are those who hear the message, but 'the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.'
The seed that fell on good soil grows and produces a crop. These are those who hear the message and understands it and produces a crop.
Parable of the Weeds
A farmer plants good seed, but his enemy plants weeds in the same field. When the crop starts to grow the servants ask if they should rip up the weeds. The farmer says, no, wait until harvest then the weeds and the crop can be separated, otherwise removing the weeds might damage the growing crop.
I hadn't thought of this now, but the harvester is not the servants, but the farmer. I think that the Church has often sought to rip up the weeds, maybe even in good intentions, but this has damaged the roots of the crop. It isn't my job to weed the field. The angels will harvest and throw the weeds into the fire at the end of the age.
Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast
-The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. Small when planted, but it grows to become a tree.
-The kingdom of heaven is like yeast, mixed into flour and worked throughout the whole dough.
Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
-The kingdom of heaven is like hidden treasure. A man finds it and sells everything he has to buy the field where he found it.
- The kingdom of heaven is like a great pearl, when the merchant finds it, he sells everything he has to buy it.
Parable of the Net
- The kingdom of heaven is a net, it will catch all kinds of fish, both good and bad. When it is brought ashore the angels will collect the good fish and the bad will be thrown away. Thus, the wicked will be separated from the righteous.
13:52 "He said to them, 'Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old". What are the old and new treasures?
Jesus did not do miracles in his hometown because of their lack of faith. Lord, let me have faith so you will not refuse to do your miracles.
Matthew 14
John the Baptist is beheaded and Jesus is told of his death. Jesus withdrew to a solitary place, but crowds followed him.
The disciples wanted to send the crowds away, but Jesus told his disciples to feed them with only five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus fed around 5,000 men plus women and children with that food after praying to God.
Jesus then walked out on the water to his disciples, throughly terrifying the disciples in the process. Peter then walked out on the water to meet him, but became afraid and began to sink. Jesus saved him and walked him out to the boat where the disciples bowed down and declared him to truly be the Son of God.
Jesus then healed all those who came to him on the other side of the lake.
Showing posts with label John the Baptist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John the Baptist. Show all posts
Saturday, February 13, 2016
Thursday, January 28, 2016
365 Day Bible 3 & 4
Day 3 of the 365 Day Bible (still have some catching up to do).
Genesis 5 - 10
Genesis 5:1-2 reminds us that when God created man He did so in the likeness of God, the Imago Dei. Interestingly here, the NIV says the "likeness of God" and not the "image of God". I wonder what the original text states? I know there are some Christian sects that believe that we were created in the image and likeness of God, but after the Fall we lost the 'likeness' and retained the 'image'.
Adam lived 930 years. Seth lived 912 years. Enosh lived 905 years. Kenan lived 910 years. Mahalalel lived 895 years. Jared lived 962 years.
Enoch lived 365 years and unlike his ancestors, the Bible doesn't say 'and then he died'. It states 5:24 "Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away". Is this poetic license? Is it just stating the same thing in a more flowery language? Or is it something else? I don't know.
Methuselah lived 969 years. Lamech lived 777 years. Lamech was the father of Noah.
Noah was the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.
Genesis 6 has some interesting stuff. First, "the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose" (6:2). "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days - and also afterward - when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown" (6:4). What on earth does that mean? Who were the Nephilim?
In spite of the wickedness of man, Noah alone found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Noah was righteous, blameless and walked with God. God decided to wipe out all living things on account of man who had brought violence to the earth. But, God makes a covenant with Noah (this is the first time God makes a covenant in the Old Testament).
Why does God command Noah to take two of every kind of bird in 6:20 and seven of every kind of bird in 7:2?
After the flood the first thing Noah does is to build an altar and sacrifice to God. God then states, "never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood" (8:21). That doesn't exactly paint a very good picture of man - every inclination is evil from childhood. So much for the theory that man is intrinsically good.
God then reminds us of the Imago Dei in a warning not to kill another man - 9:6 "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man".
God then makes his covenant with Noah never to destroy the earth by a flood and sets the rainbow as a sign to remember that He will remember the everlasting covenant between God and all the living creatures of every kind.
Noah then gets drunk and Ham dishonors him, but Japheth and Shem cover him up. Noah curses Ham (the father of Canaan) to be the slave of his brothers. Noah lived 950 years and died.
What are we to do with the ages in this passage? Are we to take literally that men lived nearly a thousand years? What can be the explanation for such longevity?
Matthew 3-4
John the Baptist bursts onto the scene in Matthew 3, calling for repentance. He prophesies about the coming Messiah who will baptize with fire and the Holy Spirit. He doesn't paint Jesus as a sort of wimpy guy either "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (Matthew 3:12).
John the Baptist then, after mild protestation, baptizes Jesus. A voice from Heaven declares that Jesus is God's son.
After baptism, Jesus goes into the desert to fast 40 days. After this he is tempted by the devil three times. The thing I have always found the most interesting about this passage is that both use Scripture in their back and forth. Of course one would expect Jesus to quote Scripture, but the devil uses it as well. That's an unsettling thought.
Just like John the Baptist, Jesus begins to preach calling for repentance. Jesus then calls his first four disciples Simon-Peter, Andrew, James and John (the sons of Zebedee). Jesus then begins his ministry by preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing the sick. People flocked to him from all over and brought their sick to be healed.
Psalms 3-4
Psalm 3 is one of those Psalms that has a difficult verse in it. "Arise, O Lord! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked" (Psalms 3:7). Not exactly one of those verses that makes God seem like the great redeemer He is. It's hard to reconcile the love of God with what David is calling on God to do. But, just as we saw in Matthew 3, Jesus who is healing the sick just one chapter later is being prophesied as standing with the winnowing fork ready to store up his wheat in the barn and burn the chaff forever in an unquenchable fire.
But there are two verses that really stick out to me in Psalm 3. Psalm 3:5 "I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me". Even something so simple as waking up is worthy of praising God, because He sustains us. Psalm 3:8 "From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people". David, for all intents and purposes is one of the most renowned warriors in the Bible, but he sees the Lord as his deliverance, not his own strength or might.
Psalm 4 also shows David seeing God as his safety. But, the verse in Psalm 4 that strikes me the most is verse 4. "In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent". Hear my prayer God, help me to search my heart so that I do not sin in anger.
Proverbs 1:10-23
Again we see a warning against sin - 1:10 "My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them". Again we see repentance and what it does for a man. 1:23 "If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you".
Genesis 5 - 10
Genesis 5:1-2 reminds us that when God created man He did so in the likeness of God, the Imago Dei. Interestingly here, the NIV says the "likeness of God" and not the "image of God". I wonder what the original text states? I know there are some Christian sects that believe that we were created in the image and likeness of God, but after the Fall we lost the 'likeness' and retained the 'image'.
Adam lived 930 years. Seth lived 912 years. Enosh lived 905 years. Kenan lived 910 years. Mahalalel lived 895 years. Jared lived 962 years.
Enoch lived 365 years and unlike his ancestors, the Bible doesn't say 'and then he died'. It states 5:24 "Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away". Is this poetic license? Is it just stating the same thing in a more flowery language? Or is it something else? I don't know.
Methuselah lived 969 years. Lamech lived 777 years. Lamech was the father of Noah.
Noah was the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.
Genesis 6 has some interesting stuff. First, "the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose" (6:2). "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days - and also afterward - when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown" (6:4). What on earth does that mean? Who were the Nephilim?
In spite of the wickedness of man, Noah alone found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Noah was righteous, blameless and walked with God. God decided to wipe out all living things on account of man who had brought violence to the earth. But, God makes a covenant with Noah (this is the first time God makes a covenant in the Old Testament).
Why does God command Noah to take two of every kind of bird in 6:20 and seven of every kind of bird in 7:2?
After the flood the first thing Noah does is to build an altar and sacrifice to God. God then states, "never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood" (8:21). That doesn't exactly paint a very good picture of man - every inclination is evil from childhood. So much for the theory that man is intrinsically good.
God then reminds us of the Imago Dei in a warning not to kill another man - 9:6 "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man".
God then makes his covenant with Noah never to destroy the earth by a flood and sets the rainbow as a sign to remember that He will remember the everlasting covenant between God and all the living creatures of every kind.
Noah then gets drunk and Ham dishonors him, but Japheth and Shem cover him up. Noah curses Ham (the father of Canaan) to be the slave of his brothers. Noah lived 950 years and died.
What are we to do with the ages in this passage? Are we to take literally that men lived nearly a thousand years? What can be the explanation for such longevity?
Matthew 3-4
John the Baptist bursts onto the scene in Matthew 3, calling for repentance. He prophesies about the coming Messiah who will baptize with fire and the Holy Spirit. He doesn't paint Jesus as a sort of wimpy guy either "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (Matthew 3:12).
John the Baptist then, after mild protestation, baptizes Jesus. A voice from Heaven declares that Jesus is God's son.
After baptism, Jesus goes into the desert to fast 40 days. After this he is tempted by the devil three times. The thing I have always found the most interesting about this passage is that both use Scripture in their back and forth. Of course one would expect Jesus to quote Scripture, but the devil uses it as well. That's an unsettling thought.
Just like John the Baptist, Jesus begins to preach calling for repentance. Jesus then calls his first four disciples Simon-Peter, Andrew, James and John (the sons of Zebedee). Jesus then begins his ministry by preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing the sick. People flocked to him from all over and brought their sick to be healed.
Psalms 3-4
Psalm 3 is one of those Psalms that has a difficult verse in it. "Arise, O Lord! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked" (Psalms 3:7). Not exactly one of those verses that makes God seem like the great redeemer He is. It's hard to reconcile the love of God with what David is calling on God to do. But, just as we saw in Matthew 3, Jesus who is healing the sick just one chapter later is being prophesied as standing with the winnowing fork ready to store up his wheat in the barn and burn the chaff forever in an unquenchable fire.
But there are two verses that really stick out to me in Psalm 3. Psalm 3:5 "I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me". Even something so simple as waking up is worthy of praising God, because He sustains us. Psalm 3:8 "From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people". David, for all intents and purposes is one of the most renowned warriors in the Bible, but he sees the Lord as his deliverance, not his own strength or might.
Psalm 4 also shows David seeing God as his safety. But, the verse in Psalm 4 that strikes me the most is verse 4. "In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent". Hear my prayer God, help me to search my heart so that I do not sin in anger.
Proverbs 1:10-23
Again we see a warning against sin - 1:10 "My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them". Again we see repentance and what it does for a man. 1:23 "If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you".
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
365 Day Bible Day 2
Day 2 (still playing catch-up)
Genesis 3-4
The Fall of Man in Genesis 3- Why did God make the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? Why did God make the Tree of Life? Genesis 3 offers us the first look of the Problem of Evil in Scriptures. Why was the serpent crafty? Why did he defy God? Why did Eve mis-remember or lie about the tree in the middle of the garden and embellish what God had said? Eve, even in that innocent state at the least erred, if not fibbed. Who is to blame for the fall of man?
Was it God for setting Adam and Eve up to fail? Was it the serpent for seducing Eve? Was it Eve for eating the apple and seducing Adam? Was it Adam to succumbing to Eve and eating the apple? It just occurred to me, though I've probably thought of it before or so I'm not mis-remembering or fibbing, it's probably more accurate to state that it has been pointed out to me before that the problem of free will and the problem of evil are intricately related.
Why did God create the universe in the way He did? We may posit guesses, theories and plausible scenarios, but our answers will only reach probability standards and internally consistency. The fact of the matter is that the world is as it is because God created it as such (allowing a transcendental argument that presupposes that the Christian God did create the world, that I have no personal qualms with accepting on various levels that I'll not go into at the moment). But, as for the creation of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (whether this is a literal or metaphorical creation, a topic for another discussion) demands that God created the world as such to involve Free Will. Thus, sin, though not inevitable, is at least possible in the world that God created. The Problem of Evil comes about because we ask who is the author of evil. In a world that is created by God where evil is at least possible don't we have to accept that God is the ultimate author of evil? I tend to lean towards St. Augustine's way of dealing with the existence of evil as I sort of had a eureka moment when I learned of his theory. Evil is not something that exists independently and is really only the diminishing of the good. Thus, God who cannot be diminished at all can never be evil. Thus, we can rule God out as the author of evil.
But, we needn't get too deep into this as it really doesn't concern Genesis 3 only that it absolves God from any guilt in the scenario. God shows whose to blame as he doles out punishment. The serpent is cursed. The woman has her pain in childbearing greatly increased and Adam and the ground is cursed because of his role in the event.
Even after punishment though God takes care of Adam & Eve making them garments of skin.
Cain and Abel are then born to Adam and Eve in exile from the Garden. Cain offered "some" of his fruits and Abel offered "fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock". The Lord looked on Abel with favor for his offering, but not on Cain. Cain became angry. Then God says something interesting, combining a comforting and a warning - "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it".
That verse, 4:7 strikes some fear in me. I can vividly picture sin crouching at my door seeking to have me. Lord, help me master it.
Cain kills Abel and is cursed by God, but once again God even punishment doesn't totally destroy Cain, marking him so that nobody kills him.
This is where I start to get intrigued and thinking about the whole Adam & Eve and Cain & Abel and why is Cain scared stating, "I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me". If Adam & Eve are the first people and Cain and Abel their first children, and now that Abel is dead, who is Cain afraid of coming across when he is wandering? Who is his wife that he lay with in the next verse? Now I guess is as good of a place as any for me to posit my working and probably incredibly inaccurate thoughts on Creation, Adam & Eve and who the heck Cain is scared of.
First, with regard to the Genesis account of Creation and its literal/metaphorical interpretation. Actually, let's back up a second before I go into this. Firstly, anything and everything in Scriptures is relevant to our daily walk with God. But, if it doesn't deny the salvation through Jesus Christ or anything heretical about the nature of God, I think a debate can be had on certain things - one of which is Creation. Secondly, as long as there is no disagreement on how one is redeemed, which is through Jesus Christ and acceptance of Him as one's Lord and Savior, and on the Triune God of Christianity being the sole God, one can be called a Christian. I am sure that when I get to Heaven I will be surprised who I see and who I don't see. God's redemptive powers are greater than my conception of them. Lastly, I do not think it to be edifying the faithful or a good look to the un-believing for Christians to come to blows, literal or metaphorical about things related to faith. Where there is disagreement, let there be discussion unless discussion leads to heresy or disharmony. If there are in those rare spots places where Christians can disagree on points of theology that are not related to Christ, his redeeming ways or on the Trinity then let us simply do good works to show our faith. But when it comes to Creation, I am not a literalist. I don't think we can take the Biblical account of Genesis 1-2 and turn it into a scientific treatise because that is not what it was intended to be.
As for my take on Creation, I see no reason why a Darwinian account of evolution is incompatible with a Scriptural worldview. I see this because I don't think the Bible is a scientific textbook. Now, Darwinian evolution has the power to describe the process of how the earth came into being, but not the why or the intent of creation. I believe that when God set into motion the events of creation that would eventually lead to this point and to the final point in history, He did so in the full knowledge of the fall of man and that his creation act included the two seminal points in redeeming man - the crucifixion/resurrection of Jesus Christ and the second coming. They were woven into the fabric of creation because he had foreknowledge that man would fall and in the ultimate act of love and sacrifice he chose to create and redeem nonetheless. Why did God create in such a way that included Free Will? Again, this is one of those questions we can only posit theories to that approximate internal consistency because we cannot know the full mind of God.
Now, we come to Adam and Eve and some of the differences between Genesis 1 and 2. I think at some point in the distant past, when man was emerging out of East Africa, God chose, much in the way he chose Abraham, a certain man and placed him in the Garden to fulfill the purpose which God had set for man at the onset of creation - "to fill the earth and subdue it, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground" (Genesis 1:28). Through Adam naming the creatures of the garden, God gave him dominion over those in the garden. While I don't take creation as literal, I take the Garden of Eden and Adam as literal, as well as Eve being formed for Adam by God specifically as literal, historical events.
Now comes the question of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life and the serpent. This I vacillate back and forth on. On the one hand, if God set up a guard at the entrance to the Garden so that Adam & Eve couldn't return to the garden it would suggest that both trees are literal. But, on the other hand, the sin/fall of man could very well have been Adam & Eve exercising their free will in a way that resulted in sin and the story could be metaphorical and just Adam & Eve choosing to live their way instead of God's way. I'm not sure - to be honest, I'm not really sure about any of this; it's just my personal thoughts.
Cain & Abel is most definitely now entering a literal phase. I think that once Adam & Eve have been banished from paradise they are aware of other people throughout their little corner of the world. Cain being banished from his home territory would mean coming across other groups of humans who might not be overly receptive to someone wandering into their territory where they hunt and gather. Why do I think that Adam & Eve and their sons knew of other human beings in the vicinity of them? The wife of Cain, without the Biblical mention of Adam & Eve having a daughter makes me think that Cain (and probably Abel) acquired a wife from another band of humans in the general vicinity to where Adam & Eve were living. But, this could all be wrong. Lord, I pray for two things. First, that I don't get to caught up in intellectualizing your Word and thus, not gleaning the eternal truths from it by drowning out your voice. Second, that I don't lead myself or anyone else astray from you in thinking or writing these things.
To finish up today's reading in Genesis I have two things that puzzle me
1) Lamech. What is Lamech saying when he makes his declaration to his two wives?
2) Adam & Eve's third son Seth has a son called Enosh: "At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord". What does that mean? The Lord spoke to Adam & Eve, and to Cain (presumably to Abel). But had the fall caused enough rift that the Lord was pulling back and so the roles reversed to where man was beginning to call on the name of the Lord instead of the other way around?
Matthew 3
John the Baptist was baptizing and preaching in the desert and drawing crowds. He chastised the Pharisees and the Sadducees who seemed to be relying on their heritage as descendants of Abraham for salvation. "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance" (3:8) he warned them, continuing "The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire" (3:10).
Lord, hear my prayer - Help me to produce fruit in keeping with repentance. I repent of my sins and yet I am bearing no fruit. I continue to go to my sins often, even after repenting. I repent again. Help me to bear fruit.
The first words of Jesus in the New Testament come from Matthew 3:15 "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness". While the formation of the Scriptures as it is now may not be chronological in the order that events happened or were even recorded, I find it interesting to English readers of the Scriptures that Jesus' first words are essentially 'let's do it to fulfill all righteousness'. With that John the Baptist baptizes Jesus and God declares from Heaven who Jesus is - "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased". Righteousness pleases God.
Psalm 2
2:11 - "Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling"
2:12b - "Blessed are all who take refuge in him"
Lord, may I serve you and rejoice you and take refuge in you.
Proverbs 1:7-9
1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."
Lord, let this be yet another beginning of knowledge. Teach me not to despise your discipline. Hear my prayer Lord.
Genesis 3-4
The Fall of Man in Genesis 3- Why did God make the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? Why did God make the Tree of Life? Genesis 3 offers us the first look of the Problem of Evil in Scriptures. Why was the serpent crafty? Why did he defy God? Why did Eve mis-remember or lie about the tree in the middle of the garden and embellish what God had said? Eve, even in that innocent state at the least erred, if not fibbed. Who is to blame for the fall of man?
Was it God for setting Adam and Eve up to fail? Was it the serpent for seducing Eve? Was it Eve for eating the apple and seducing Adam? Was it Adam to succumbing to Eve and eating the apple? It just occurred to me, though I've probably thought of it before or so I'm not mis-remembering or fibbing, it's probably more accurate to state that it has been pointed out to me before that the problem of free will and the problem of evil are intricately related.
Why did God create the universe in the way He did? We may posit guesses, theories and plausible scenarios, but our answers will only reach probability standards and internally consistency. The fact of the matter is that the world is as it is because God created it as such (allowing a transcendental argument that presupposes that the Christian God did create the world, that I have no personal qualms with accepting on various levels that I'll not go into at the moment). But, as for the creation of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (whether this is a literal or metaphorical creation, a topic for another discussion) demands that God created the world as such to involve Free Will. Thus, sin, though not inevitable, is at least possible in the world that God created. The Problem of Evil comes about because we ask who is the author of evil. In a world that is created by God where evil is at least possible don't we have to accept that God is the ultimate author of evil? I tend to lean towards St. Augustine's way of dealing with the existence of evil as I sort of had a eureka moment when I learned of his theory. Evil is not something that exists independently and is really only the diminishing of the good. Thus, God who cannot be diminished at all can never be evil. Thus, we can rule God out as the author of evil.
But, we needn't get too deep into this as it really doesn't concern Genesis 3 only that it absolves God from any guilt in the scenario. God shows whose to blame as he doles out punishment. The serpent is cursed. The woman has her pain in childbearing greatly increased and Adam and the ground is cursed because of his role in the event.
Even after punishment though God takes care of Adam & Eve making them garments of skin.
Cain and Abel are then born to Adam and Eve in exile from the Garden. Cain offered "some" of his fruits and Abel offered "fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock". The Lord looked on Abel with favor for his offering, but not on Cain. Cain became angry. Then God says something interesting, combining a comforting and a warning - "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it".
That verse, 4:7 strikes some fear in me. I can vividly picture sin crouching at my door seeking to have me. Lord, help me master it.
Cain kills Abel and is cursed by God, but once again God even punishment doesn't totally destroy Cain, marking him so that nobody kills him.
This is where I start to get intrigued and thinking about the whole Adam & Eve and Cain & Abel and why is Cain scared stating, "I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me". If Adam & Eve are the first people and Cain and Abel their first children, and now that Abel is dead, who is Cain afraid of coming across when he is wandering? Who is his wife that he lay with in the next verse? Now I guess is as good of a place as any for me to posit my working and probably incredibly inaccurate thoughts on Creation, Adam & Eve and who the heck Cain is scared of.
First, with regard to the Genesis account of Creation and its literal/metaphorical interpretation. Actually, let's back up a second before I go into this. Firstly, anything and everything in Scriptures is relevant to our daily walk with God. But, if it doesn't deny the salvation through Jesus Christ or anything heretical about the nature of God, I think a debate can be had on certain things - one of which is Creation. Secondly, as long as there is no disagreement on how one is redeemed, which is through Jesus Christ and acceptance of Him as one's Lord and Savior, and on the Triune God of Christianity being the sole God, one can be called a Christian. I am sure that when I get to Heaven I will be surprised who I see and who I don't see. God's redemptive powers are greater than my conception of them. Lastly, I do not think it to be edifying the faithful or a good look to the un-believing for Christians to come to blows, literal or metaphorical about things related to faith. Where there is disagreement, let there be discussion unless discussion leads to heresy or disharmony. If there are in those rare spots places where Christians can disagree on points of theology that are not related to Christ, his redeeming ways or on the Trinity then let us simply do good works to show our faith. But when it comes to Creation, I am not a literalist. I don't think we can take the Biblical account of Genesis 1-2 and turn it into a scientific treatise because that is not what it was intended to be.
As for my take on Creation, I see no reason why a Darwinian account of evolution is incompatible with a Scriptural worldview. I see this because I don't think the Bible is a scientific textbook. Now, Darwinian evolution has the power to describe the process of how the earth came into being, but not the why or the intent of creation. I believe that when God set into motion the events of creation that would eventually lead to this point and to the final point in history, He did so in the full knowledge of the fall of man and that his creation act included the two seminal points in redeeming man - the crucifixion/resurrection of Jesus Christ and the second coming. They were woven into the fabric of creation because he had foreknowledge that man would fall and in the ultimate act of love and sacrifice he chose to create and redeem nonetheless. Why did God create in such a way that included Free Will? Again, this is one of those questions we can only posit theories to that approximate internal consistency because we cannot know the full mind of God.
Now, we come to Adam and Eve and some of the differences between Genesis 1 and 2. I think at some point in the distant past, when man was emerging out of East Africa, God chose, much in the way he chose Abraham, a certain man and placed him in the Garden to fulfill the purpose which God had set for man at the onset of creation - "to fill the earth and subdue it, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground" (Genesis 1:28). Through Adam naming the creatures of the garden, God gave him dominion over those in the garden. While I don't take creation as literal, I take the Garden of Eden and Adam as literal, as well as Eve being formed for Adam by God specifically as literal, historical events.
Now comes the question of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life and the serpent. This I vacillate back and forth on. On the one hand, if God set up a guard at the entrance to the Garden so that Adam & Eve couldn't return to the garden it would suggest that both trees are literal. But, on the other hand, the sin/fall of man could very well have been Adam & Eve exercising their free will in a way that resulted in sin and the story could be metaphorical and just Adam & Eve choosing to live their way instead of God's way. I'm not sure - to be honest, I'm not really sure about any of this; it's just my personal thoughts.
Cain & Abel is most definitely now entering a literal phase. I think that once Adam & Eve have been banished from paradise they are aware of other people throughout their little corner of the world. Cain being banished from his home territory would mean coming across other groups of humans who might not be overly receptive to someone wandering into their territory where they hunt and gather. Why do I think that Adam & Eve and their sons knew of other human beings in the vicinity of them? The wife of Cain, without the Biblical mention of Adam & Eve having a daughter makes me think that Cain (and probably Abel) acquired a wife from another band of humans in the general vicinity to where Adam & Eve were living. But, this could all be wrong. Lord, I pray for two things. First, that I don't get to caught up in intellectualizing your Word and thus, not gleaning the eternal truths from it by drowning out your voice. Second, that I don't lead myself or anyone else astray from you in thinking or writing these things.
To finish up today's reading in Genesis I have two things that puzzle me
1) Lamech. What is Lamech saying when he makes his declaration to his two wives?
2) Adam & Eve's third son Seth has a son called Enosh: "At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord". What does that mean? The Lord spoke to Adam & Eve, and to Cain (presumably to Abel). But had the fall caused enough rift that the Lord was pulling back and so the roles reversed to where man was beginning to call on the name of the Lord instead of the other way around?
Matthew 3
John the Baptist was baptizing and preaching in the desert and drawing crowds. He chastised the Pharisees and the Sadducees who seemed to be relying on their heritage as descendants of Abraham for salvation. "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance" (3:8) he warned them, continuing "The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire" (3:10).
Lord, hear my prayer - Help me to produce fruit in keeping with repentance. I repent of my sins and yet I am bearing no fruit. I continue to go to my sins often, even after repenting. I repent again. Help me to bear fruit.
The first words of Jesus in the New Testament come from Matthew 3:15 "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness". While the formation of the Scriptures as it is now may not be chronological in the order that events happened or were even recorded, I find it interesting to English readers of the Scriptures that Jesus' first words are essentially 'let's do it to fulfill all righteousness'. With that John the Baptist baptizes Jesus and God declares from Heaven who Jesus is - "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased". Righteousness pleases God.
Psalm 2
2:11 - "Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling"
2:12b - "Blessed are all who take refuge in him"
Lord, may I serve you and rejoice you and take refuge in you.
Proverbs 1:7-9
1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."
Lord, let this be yet another beginning of knowledge. Teach me not to despise your discipline. Hear my prayer Lord.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Paul's Missionary Journeys and 1 Corinthians Notes
(Originally written January 19, 2006)
Pg. 472-505
-Paul's Second Missionary Journey (A.D. 50) starts with the split between Paul and Barnabas. Paul takes Silas and goes north to Galatia. Barnabas takes John Mark and goes to Cyprus.
-Paul strengthens the churches in Syria and Ciliciaby by giving encouragement and teaching and by giving a copy of the letter from the Jerusalem council.
-Paul picks up Timothy in Lystra
Carnal Christians have legalism, jealousy, guilt, aimlessness, fear, ignorance of spiritual heritage, disobedience, unbelief, poor prayer life, no desire for Bible Study
Church discipline/Restoration
The goal of Church discipline is always restoration.
What sins warrant this act?
-incest
-idle men
-the divisive
"Church discipline is needed when a given sin carries with it the serious possibility of corrupting the whole congregation"
Two extremes to avoid:
1) Becoming legalistic about forbidding all kinds of morally neutral practices
2) Refusing to engage in Church discipline because no one is perfect
I Corinthians 6:1-1: Lawsuits
What kind of cases are in view?
-trivial crimes
-ordinary matters along the lines of civil cases
Key question: will the gospel be promoted by contemplated litigation?
Paul used the courts to spread the Gospel throughout Acts.
Single vs. Marriage
Philosophical dualism background:
"matter" is evil (body)
"spirit" is good (soul)
Libertine/antinomian - "everything is permissible"
ascetic - no sex whatsoever
Do not deprive one another of sexual relations except for:
1) Total agreement
2) Limited time
3) devotion and prayer
(But after that, have at it!)
1 Corinthians 7:6: "this I say by way of concession, not command"
What does Paul allow?
1) Marital relations
2) Temporary abstinence
The ascetic view was pushed on the church by force.
The gift of celibacy comes from the gift of self-control.
What were Paul's reasons for staying single:
1) "The present distress"
2) "The shortening of the time"
3) "To promote what is seemly and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord"
When do spiritual gifts come to you:
1) When you become a Christian
2) More dynamic - when you need it
3) Pray for it, desire it (1 Corinthians 12:31, 14:1, 14:39)
Tongues - Ecstatic utterances or known foreign Languages?
-Both
What purpose do tongues have?
-The charismatic praise of God
Guidelines for tongues?
-two or three at the most should speak in Church with an interpreter. No interpreter, no tongues
Pg. 472-505
-Paul's Second Missionary Journey (A.D. 50) starts with the split between Paul and Barnabas. Paul takes Silas and goes north to Galatia. Barnabas takes John Mark and goes to Cyprus.
-Paul strengthens the churches in Syria and Ciliciaby by giving encouragement and teaching and by giving a copy of the letter from the Jerusalem council.
-Paul picks up Timothy in Lystra
-Paul had Timothy circumcised because his mother was Jewish (Father was Greek). Timothy was a believer before he met Paul, but Paul had Timothy circumcised so that he would not offend Jewish believers (because his mother was Jewish also) which gave him access to the Synagogue.
-Paul next goes to Troas because the Holy Spirit forbids him to go to Asia (Ephesus) or to Bithynia.
-While in Troas, Paul receives a vision to go to Macedonia. Paul relays the vision to his companions and they leave for Macedonia immediately (God's will for us??)
-The first church in Europe was probably in Rome, but going into Macedonia was a big step in Christianity's expansion into Europe.
Chapter 23
-Neapolis was the first city they went to. From Nepalis they went to Philippi.
-Philippi had no synagogue because it probably expelled the Jews after Rome did in A.D. 49
-Paul found a group of women praying on the Sabbath. He ministered to Lydia who accepted Christ. Lydia invited Paul and his companions to stay with her and her family. This was the start of the church in Philippi
-One day Paul cast a demon out of a slave girl, who then lost her ability as a fortune teller. Her master then took Paul for a trial because the girl was very profitable as a fortune teller.
-As a result of the trial Paul was beaten and imprisoned.
-During their night in prison an earthquake shook the prison, unlocking all the doors. To avoid trial the guard planned to kill himself. Paul convinced him not to and shared with him the good news. He became a Christian. Paul and Silas was freed in the morning.
-The next big stop was Thessalonica. In Thessalonica Paul preached in the Synagogue and many believed. Out of jealousy, Jewish leaders who did not believe in Jesus started a riot. They took Jason, whom Paul was staying with and brought him to court. They were told to post bond and were released. Later that night Paul was encouraged to leave, so he did.
-Paul then went to Berea. The Jews in Berea checked the facts of Jesus through the Old Testament and many were saved.
-The angry Jews of Thessalonica came to Berea to start riots and stop Paul. Paul left, but Silas remained.
-Paul and Timothy sailed for Athens. Timothy stayed in Athens teaching. Silas was in Berea and Paul returned to Thessalonica to encourage believers.
- In Athens Paul debated with Stoic and Epicurean philosophers. Many Athenians laughed at the idea of the resurrection but some believed. Paul left Athens to go to Corinth.
-Corinth had a population of 500,000. Paul met Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth and he worked with them as tent makers for several months. While in Corinth, Paul waited for updates from Silas and Timothy.
-Paul's first letter to Thessalonians was one of faith, hope and love. He was encouraging them to stay hopeful despite persecution.
-Paul said they are to avoid sexual immorality and to love one another.
-Paul encourages them that those who died would take part in God's kingdom to come.
-A couple of month's after the first letter Paul wrote a second one to the Thessalonians.
-This letter was to assure them that the day of the Lord had not come and when it did come it would be unmistakeable.
-It also praises them for growing in love and faith and encouraged them to keep hope despite the continuing persecution.
-Paul ended his letter with some prayer requests and some admonitions.
-Paul signs the letter (wrote it) by himself because forgeries were starting to confuse people.
-Paul "shakes out his clothes" in protest to the unbelieving Jews. This marks a shift in policy to ministering primarily to Gentiles.
-Paul remained in Corinth for a year and a half.
-Paul left Corinth to return to Antioch and give an update. While going through Ephesus he was asked to stay. He declined so that he could return to Antioch, but did leave Priscilla and Aquila to minister there.
-In Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila teach Apollos the resurrection of Jesus because he was already teaching about Jesus' life. Apollos then went to Greece as a missionary.
-Paul traveled to Antioch probably alone. His companions were probably still scattered teaching the good news: Luke in Philippi, Timothy and Silas in Corinth, and Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus.
Chapter 24
-Paul stayed in Antioch through the winter then headed back out to the churches he planted. (AD 53).
-When Paul returned to Ephesus he met a group of men who knew of John the Baptist (probably by Apollos before he knew all of Jesus' story). Paul preached to them about the Holy Spirit and they believed.
-Paul spoke and taught in the synagogues of Ephesus for three months and drove a wedge between the Jews. Some believed and some did not. Then Paul taught the Gentiles in Ephesus. This lasted over two years.
-Some Jews were trying to use the name of Jesus in an exorcism. The demon possessed man claimed to know of Jesus and Paul but not them. The demon possessed man then beat the exorcists and the name of Jesus was seen as powerful in that region because of it.
-In Ephesus the silversmiths started a riot because Paul had converted many idol worshippers and they were losing business because no one was buying dos anymore. The riot dispersed and Paul eventually left Ephesus.
Chapter 24
-Paul stayed in Antioch through the winter then headed back out to the churches he planted. (AD 53).
-When Paul returned to Ephesus he met a group of men who knew of John the Baptist (probably by Apollos before he knew all of Jesus' story). Paul preached to them about the Holy Spirit and they believed.
-Paul spoke and taught in the synagogues of Ephesus for three months and drove a wedge between the Jews. Some believed and some did not. Then Paul taught the Gentiles in Ephesus. This lasted over two years.
-Some Jews were trying to use the name of Jesus in an exorcism. The demon possessed man claimed to know of Jesus and Paul but not them. The demon possessed man then beat the exorcists and the name of Jesus was seen as powerful in that region because of it.
-In Ephesus the silversmiths started a riot because Paul had converted many idol worshippers and they were losing business because no one was buying dos anymore. The riot dispersed and Paul eventually left Ephesus.
-While in Ephesus Paul wrote four letters to Corinth (We have 2).
-First Corinthians was correcting them on instructions he gave in his first letter.
-First Corinthians deals with issues that the modern church still struggles with.
Review of Wednesday
Paul first visited Corinth on the Second Missionary Journey (Acts 18:1-18).
4 Letters to Corinth/3 Visits
1st is lost
2nd is First Corinthians (from Ephesus)
3rd is lost - a "sorrowful letter"
4th is Second Corinthians (from Macedonia)
Wrote Romans from Corinth
Sources for Paul in 1 Corinthians
-Chloe's household
-Three individuals
-Letter from Church at Corinth with questions for Paul
Two root problems at Corinth
1) An over-enthusiastic view of the Spirit
-abuse of flashy gifts (1 Corinthians 12-14)
2) An over-realized eschatology:
-felt the future was present (1 Corinthians 4:8-10)
4 Kinds of People
- Natural Person
- Baby Christians (Natural persons who receive salvation)
- Willful Carnal Christians (Baby Christians who experience no growth)
-Spiritual Christians (Baby Christians who grow)
-First Corinthians was correcting them on instructions he gave in his first letter.
-First Corinthians deals with issues that the modern church still struggles with.
Review of Wednesday
Paul first visited Corinth on the Second Missionary Journey (Acts 18:1-18).
4 Letters to Corinth/3 Visits
1st is lost
2nd is First Corinthians (from Ephesus)
3rd is lost - a "sorrowful letter"
4th is Second Corinthians (from Macedonia)
Wrote Romans from Corinth
Sources for Paul in 1 Corinthians
-Chloe's household
-Three individuals
-Letter from Church at Corinth with questions for Paul
Two root problems at Corinth
1) An over-enthusiastic view of the Spirit
-abuse of flashy gifts (1 Corinthians 12-14)
2) An over-realized eschatology:
-felt the future was present (1 Corinthians 4:8-10)
4 Kinds of People
- Natural Person
- Baby Christians (Natural persons who receive salvation)
- Willful Carnal Christians (Baby Christians who experience no growth)
-Spiritual Christians (Baby Christians who grow)
Carnal Christians have legalism, jealousy, guilt, aimlessness, fear, ignorance of spiritual heritage, disobedience, unbelief, poor prayer life, no desire for Bible Study
Church discipline/Restoration
The goal of Church discipline is always restoration.
What sins warrant this act?
-incest
-idle men
-the divisive
"Church discipline is needed when a given sin carries with it the serious possibility of corrupting the whole congregation"
Two extremes to avoid:
1) Becoming legalistic about forbidding all kinds of morally neutral practices
2) Refusing to engage in Church discipline because no one is perfect
I Corinthians 6:1-1: Lawsuits
What kind of cases are in view?
-trivial crimes
-ordinary matters along the lines of civil cases
Key question: will the gospel be promoted by contemplated litigation?
Paul used the courts to spread the Gospel throughout Acts.
Single vs. Marriage
Philosophical dualism background:
"matter" is evil (body)
"spirit" is good (soul)
Libertine/antinomian - "everything is permissible"
ascetic - no sex whatsoever
Do not deprive one another of sexual relations except for:
1) Total agreement
2) Limited time
3) devotion and prayer
(But after that, have at it!)
1 Corinthians 7:6: "this I say by way of concession, not command"
What does Paul allow?
1) Marital relations
2) Temporary abstinence
The ascetic view was pushed on the church by force.
The gift of celibacy comes from the gift of self-control.
What were Paul's reasons for staying single:
1) "The present distress"
2) "The shortening of the time"
3) "To promote what is seemly and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord"
When do spiritual gifts come to you:
1) When you become a Christian
2) More dynamic - when you need it
3) Pray for it, desire it (1 Corinthians 12:31, 14:1, 14:39)
Tongues - Ecstatic utterances or known foreign Languages?
-Both
What purpose do tongues have?
-The charismatic praise of God
Guidelines for tongues?
-two or three at the most should speak in Church with an interpreter. No interpreter, no tongues
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Jesus' highlight reel
(Originally written January 11, 2006 in Notebook 20)
Reading Notes
The Promise & the Blessing
John 1:1-11:57
Matthew 1:1-20:28
The New Testament is not a biography of Jesus' life and career; it is a highlight reel.
-John the Baptist was born to a priest named Zechariah and his barren wife, Elizabeth.
-John the Baptist was a Nazarite.
-After Gabriel informed Zechariah & Elizabeth of the baby to be born to them, Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her she would give birth. Joseph decided to quietly divorce her but an angel told him not to.
-Jesus is born. The Magi visit him. Joseph, Mary and Jesus flee to Egypt and return. Jesus grows up and at age 12 disappears only to be found teaching in the Temple. This is all that is written of Jesus' childhood.
-John's ministry led people to ask if John was the Messiah. He said, "no" and eventually baptized Jesus around A.D. 29.
-After being baptized Jesus left for the Wilderness and was tempted while he fasted for 40 days. Jesus resisted by quoting Scripture.
-After coming from the Wilderness Jesus calls his first disciples: Andrew, Simon (Peter), Philip and Nathaniel
-These four and Jesus go to the wedding in Cana where Jesus performs is first miracle.
-Jesus cleanses the Temple during his first recorded Passover.
-After cleansing the Temple Jesus stays and teaches a while, then goes to Samaria (woman at the well)
-Next Jesus heals the boy from a distance
The first portion of Jesus' career starts to show what he is about with two key incidents:
1) Jesus heals the Leper: this shows Jesus' power to heal and make a person "clean"
2) Jesus heals the paralytic: this shows Jesus has the power to forgive sins
Jesus' miracles were purposeful to validate his claim to being the Messiah.
Structure of Matthew's Gospel
Teaching about the Kingdom of God
"The Kingdom of heaven is near" - Matthew 4:17/Mark 1:15
"The Kingdom of God has come to you" - Matthew 12:28/Luke 11:20
"Thy Kingdom Come" - Matthew 6:10
Two Meanings of "Kingdom" in Jesus' teachings
1) Reign or rule (primary meaning)
2) Realm or territory over with one rules
Matthew 1-28:20
John 1-21:25
Acts 1-7
After the feeding of the 5,000 some disciples began to leave Jesus for political, material and theological reasons.
Chapter 19 Review Questions
1) Jesus refused to give a sign to the praises because the only sign they would see was that of the prophet Jonah
2) The Mount of Transfiguration was where Jesus was transformed in to his Glorious self and talked with Moses & Elijah. It was significant because Peter, James and John saw him in his glory.
3) Jesus came to the festival of Succoth later to avoid drawing a crowd, but appeared publicly to teach.
4) Jesus waited so that he could raise Lazarus from the dead.
5) We determine the date of the crucifixion by determining it happened after the last supper (passover) and by the customs of starting days at sunrise or sunset based on the culture
6) The triumphal entry was Christ riding into Jerusalem on the donkey with crowds laying palms at his feet saying, "Hosanna"
7) The Last Week of Christ
- Jesus' entourage arrived in Bethany on Friday
-Jesus eats with Lazarus, Mary and Martha where Mary pours perfume on his feet (Saturday)
-Sunday was the Triumphal entry (Palm Sunday)
-Monday: Jesus curses the fig tree
-Tuesday: Jesus goes into Jerusalem and confronts the religious leaders
-Wednesday: Prayer & Meditation
-Thursday: Last Supper
-Friday: Trial and Crucifixion
8) The last night of Jesus' life was prayer at Gethsemane where he was betrayed by Judas, arrested and tried.
9) Jesus' trials were mockeries for many reasons. First, he was brought to Ananias who had no authority to interrogate Jesus. Second, he was tried in Caiaphas's palace instead of the council champers. Third, the testimony was contradictory. Lastly, the death penalty was given which they had no authority to do.
10) We know Jesus was really dead because the Centurion in charge of the execution proclaimed him dead and they stabbed him with a spear to ensure of his death
11) The evidence that Jesus had risen from the dead was:
-That he appeared to Mary
-That he appeared to Cleopas and another
-Jesus appears to the disciples in a locked room. Then he appeared to the disciples and this Thomas believed
12) Jesus appeared to numerous people and taught his disciples more
Chapter 20 Review Questions
1) The last question the disciples asked Jesus about the kingdom was, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom of Israel?"
2) The events of Pentecost were: the disciples were praying when a strong wind came over the house. A tongue of fire came in to the room, split and hung over their heads. They spoke different languages to the men who came to listen. They spoke all the listener's native languages.
3) The Jews who accepted the Messiah were the early Church and preached in his name boldly, healed and performed signs. This frightened the Jewish leadership and they ordered the church to stop.
4) Some of the problems of the early Church were human problems:
-Ananias & Sapphira lied about the money they were giving and were struck dead for it
- The 12 were oppressed by the Sadducees and thrown in jail
- They were distracted by secondary issues like the Hebraic widows receiving more attention than the Hellenistic ones
5) Stephen was stoned for arguing with a group of men from the synagogue of freedmen. They couldn't defeat him in argument so they took him to court with false witnesses.
6) Saul was searching for the leaders of "The Way" (The Church) to stop their heresy. On the road to Damascus he encountered a bright light (Jesus) and he asked Saul why he was persecuting him. Saul was blinded for three days. He reflected inwardly. Ananias was called by God to restore Paul's sight. When Saul was unblinded he got up and was baptized as a believer.
Reading Notes
The Promise & the Blessing
John 1:1-11:57
Matthew 1:1-20:28
The New Testament is not a biography of Jesus' life and career; it is a highlight reel.
-John the Baptist was born to a priest named Zechariah and his barren wife, Elizabeth.
-John the Baptist was a Nazarite.
-After Gabriel informed Zechariah & Elizabeth of the baby to be born to them, Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her she would give birth. Joseph decided to quietly divorce her but an angel told him not to.
-Jesus is born. The Magi visit him. Joseph, Mary and Jesus flee to Egypt and return. Jesus grows up and at age 12 disappears only to be found teaching in the Temple. This is all that is written of Jesus' childhood.
-John's ministry led people to ask if John was the Messiah. He said, "no" and eventually baptized Jesus around A.D. 29.
-After being baptized Jesus left for the Wilderness and was tempted while he fasted for 40 days. Jesus resisted by quoting Scripture.
-After coming from the Wilderness Jesus calls his first disciples: Andrew, Simon (Peter), Philip and Nathaniel
-These four and Jesus go to the wedding in Cana where Jesus performs is first miracle.
-Jesus cleanses the Temple during his first recorded Passover.
-After cleansing the Temple Jesus stays and teaches a while, then goes to Samaria (woman at the well)
-Next Jesus heals the boy from a distance
The first portion of Jesus' career starts to show what he is about with two key incidents:
1) Jesus heals the Leper: this shows Jesus' power to heal and make a person "clean"
2) Jesus heals the paralytic: this shows Jesus has the power to forgive sins
Jesus' miracles were purposeful to validate his claim to being the Messiah.
Structure of Matthew's Gospel
Teaching about the Kingdom of God
"The Kingdom of heaven is near" - Matthew 4:17/Mark 1:15
"The Kingdom of God has come to you" - Matthew 12:28/Luke 11:20
"Thy Kingdom Come" - Matthew 6:10
Two Meanings of "Kingdom" in Jesus' teachings
1) Reign or rule (primary meaning)
2) Realm or territory over with one rules
Matthew 1-28:20
John 1-21:25
Acts 1-7
After the feeding of the 5,000 some disciples began to leave Jesus for political, material and theological reasons.
Chapter 19 Review Questions
1) Jesus refused to give a sign to the praises because the only sign they would see was that of the prophet Jonah
2) The Mount of Transfiguration was where Jesus was transformed in to his Glorious self and talked with Moses & Elijah. It was significant because Peter, James and John saw him in his glory.
3) Jesus came to the festival of Succoth later to avoid drawing a crowd, but appeared publicly to teach.
4) Jesus waited so that he could raise Lazarus from the dead.
5) We determine the date of the crucifixion by determining it happened after the last supper (passover) and by the customs of starting days at sunrise or sunset based on the culture
6) The triumphal entry was Christ riding into Jerusalem on the donkey with crowds laying palms at his feet saying, "Hosanna"
7) The Last Week of Christ
- Jesus' entourage arrived in Bethany on Friday
-Jesus eats with Lazarus, Mary and Martha where Mary pours perfume on his feet (Saturday)
-Sunday was the Triumphal entry (Palm Sunday)
-Monday: Jesus curses the fig tree
-Tuesday: Jesus goes into Jerusalem and confronts the religious leaders
-Wednesday: Prayer & Meditation
-Thursday: Last Supper
-Friday: Trial and Crucifixion
8) The last night of Jesus' life was prayer at Gethsemane where he was betrayed by Judas, arrested and tried.
9) Jesus' trials were mockeries for many reasons. First, he was brought to Ananias who had no authority to interrogate Jesus. Second, he was tried in Caiaphas's palace instead of the council champers. Third, the testimony was contradictory. Lastly, the death penalty was given which they had no authority to do.
10) We know Jesus was really dead because the Centurion in charge of the execution proclaimed him dead and they stabbed him with a spear to ensure of his death
11) The evidence that Jesus had risen from the dead was:
-That he appeared to Mary
-That he appeared to Cleopas and another
-Jesus appears to the disciples in a locked room. Then he appeared to the disciples and this Thomas believed
12) Jesus appeared to numerous people and taught his disciples more
Chapter 20 Review Questions
1) The last question the disciples asked Jesus about the kingdom was, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom of Israel?"
2) The events of Pentecost were: the disciples were praying when a strong wind came over the house. A tongue of fire came in to the room, split and hung over their heads. They spoke different languages to the men who came to listen. They spoke all the listener's native languages.
3) The Jews who accepted the Messiah were the early Church and preached in his name boldly, healed and performed signs. This frightened the Jewish leadership and they ordered the church to stop.
4) Some of the problems of the early Church were human problems:
-Ananias & Sapphira lied about the money they were giving and were struck dead for it
- The 12 were oppressed by the Sadducees and thrown in jail
- They were distracted by secondary issues like the Hebraic widows receiving more attention than the Hellenistic ones
5) Stephen was stoned for arguing with a group of men from the synagogue of freedmen. They couldn't defeat him in argument so they took him to court with false witnesses.
6) Saul was searching for the leaders of "The Way" (The Church) to stop their heresy. On the road to Damascus he encountered a bright light (Jesus) and he asked Saul why he was persecuting him. Saul was blinded for three days. He reflected inwardly. Ananias was called by God to restore Paul's sight. When Saul was unblinded he got up and was baptized as a believer.
Monday, January 9, 2006
Quick notes on Sources for the Synoptic Gospels
(Originally written January 9, 2006 in Notebook 20)
Three Stages of Composition of Luke
1) Eyewitnesses who handed down the words of Jesus
2) The many who had already written accounts of Jesus and the early church
3) Luke himself, who carefully investigated and composed his own orderly account
Study Guide
Two Unique Births
- John the Baptist
- Jesus
Requirements of the Messiah
1) The Genealogical strand from the descendants of Abraham, tribe of Judah, line of David
2) The Prophetic strand: be born in Bethlehem, mother would be a virgin, and would flee to Egypt and be called back by God
3) Physical Evidence: he would have to perform certain acts
Primary Proof of Jesus as the Messiah
- The resurrection
The Synoptic Problem: Why are there so many similarities, yet differences in the three synoptic Gospels?
Marcan Priority: Matthew and Luke used Mark as a source
Matthean Priority: Mark and Luke used Matthew as a source
Q-Source: A Source that Matthew and Luke used alongside of Mark
- Problems with the Q-Source: It no longer exists and doesn't explain for when Matthew and Luke differ
Two-Source Theory: Matthew & Luke used Mark and the Q-Source to write their gospels
Four-Source Theory:
-Matthew and Luke used Mark and the Q-Source
-Matthew used an M-source as well
-Luke used an L-source as well
M-Source vs. L-Source
M-Source is material unique to Matthew
L-Source is material unique to Matthew
Importance of 2 Peter 3:15-16: Peter calls Paul's letters scripture in this passage
Three Stages of Composition of Luke
1) Eyewitnesses who handed down the words of Jesus
2) The many who had already written accounts of Jesus and the early church
3) Luke himself, who carefully investigated and composed his own orderly account
Study Guide
Two Unique Births
- John the Baptist
- Jesus
Requirements of the Messiah
1) The Genealogical strand from the descendants of Abraham, tribe of Judah, line of David
2) The Prophetic strand: be born in Bethlehem, mother would be a virgin, and would flee to Egypt and be called back by God
3) Physical Evidence: he would have to perform certain acts
Primary Proof of Jesus as the Messiah
- The resurrection
The Synoptic Problem: Why are there so many similarities, yet differences in the three synoptic Gospels?
Marcan Priority: Matthew and Luke used Mark as a source
Matthean Priority: Mark and Luke used Matthew as a source
Q-Source: A Source that Matthew and Luke used alongside of Mark
- Problems with the Q-Source: It no longer exists and doesn't explain for when Matthew and Luke differ
Two-Source Theory: Matthew & Luke used Mark and the Q-Source to write their gospels
Four-Source Theory:
-Matthew and Luke used Mark and the Q-Source
-Matthew used an M-source as well
-Luke used an L-source as well
M-Source vs. L-Source
M-Source is material unique to Matthew
L-Source is material unique to Matthew
Importance of 2 Peter 3:15-16: Peter calls Paul's letters scripture in this passage
Friday, January 6, 2006
Quick outline of Mark
(Originally written January 6, 2006 in Notebook 20)
Mark 1:1 - 9:50
1:1-8 John the Baptist prepares the way for Jesus: "After me will come one more powerful than I, ... I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with he Holy Spirit"
1:9-13 Jesus is baptized by John, then sent to the desert by God where he is tempted by Satan.
1:14-20 Jesus gathers his first four disciples, Simon, Andrew, James and John (the fishermen)
1:21-28 Jesus was teaching on the Sabbath when a demon possessed man confronted him. Jesus cast the demons out of the man and all the people wondered what this new teaching and authority was.
1:29-34 Jesus heals Simon's mother-in-law and word spread about Jesus' healing powers. Many people brought the sick and demon possessed to Jesus to be healed. Jesus healed them and cast the demons out but would not let the demons speak, for they knew who he was.
1:35-39 Jesus went to pray one morning. His disciples went looking for him and then they left to go to other villages to preach.
1:40-45 Jesus heals a man with leprosy and informs him not to tell anyone. The man disobeys and tells everyone. Jesus can now no longer enter any town without a mob rushing him. He stays outside the cities, but crowds still flock to him.
2:1-12 When Jesus returned to Capernaum a crowd so large gathered that no one else could get inside. Four men ripped a hole in the roof and lowered the paralytic in to see Jesus. Jesus said to the man, "your sins are forgiven". Some teachers began to wonder and accuse Jesus of blasphemy in their heads. Jesus knew this and asked the men, "is it easier to forgive someone's sins or to heal him of his injuries?" To prove that he was the Christ he ordered the man to rise up and walk home. Everyone was amazed by this and praised God.
2:13-17 Jesus eats dinner with the tax collectors and "sinners". The Pharisees ask his disciples why he eats with those people and Jesus replies, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but the sinners"
2:18-22 Jesus is asked why his disciples are not fasting. Jesus answers they will fast after he has filled them with what they need to be sustained.
2:23-28 Jesus and his disciples pick some grain to eat on the Sabbath. The Pharisees ask why Jesus allows his disciples to break the law and Jesus replies that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
3:1-6 Jesus asks the men in the synagogue if it is right to do good or evil on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill; but, no one answers. Jesus then heals a man with a gimp hand and the Pharisees seek to kill Jesus for healing on the Sabbath.
3:7-12 People from all over the area came to see Jesus after they heard of the miracles. Demons bowed at his feet and said, "You are the son of God" but Jesus told them not to say who he was.
3:13-19 Jesus appoints twelve apostles who will preach and drive out demons: Simon (Peter), James, John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas
3:20-30 Jesus is accused of being possessed by Satan and driving out demons in the name of Satan. Jesus replies with, "How can Satan drive out Satan? A house divided against itself cannot stand. If Satan opposes himself his time is over".
4:1-20 Jesus tells the parable of the Sower. A farmer throws seeds and some land on the path where the birds ate them. Some fell not the rocks where they grew but withered in the sun. Some fell on the thorns where they grew but were choked. Other seeds fell on good soil where they grew and produced a crop. Jesus asked if the people understood. The people didn't understand so Jesus explained it. The seeds on the path are like the people who hear the word but Satan takes it away. The seeds on the rocks are those who hear and accept but fall away at the first sign of persecution. The seeds that fell in the thorns are those who hear the word but it is choked away by worldly things. The seeds that fall in the good soil and produce fruit are those that hear the word and accept it and produce a crop of believers.
4:21-25 Jesus asks if a lamp is hidden, no of course not! It's put on a stand. He says what is hidden will be disclosed. He says you will be judged as harshly and more as you judge others. And says those who have will be given more (the saved) and those without will have more taken away (the lost).
4:26-29 The parable of the growing seed is what the kingdom of God is like. Seeds continue to sprout up without him knowing how. And when the grain is ripe it will be harvested.
4:30-34 The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. It is the smallest of all seeds but produces the largest of all garden plants. Jesus also explains all the parables he taught to his disciples.
4:35-41 Jesus is asleep in the boat when a massive storm comes over the sea. The disciples woke Jesus and he calmed the sea. The disciples were amazed at His power.
5:1-20 Jesus comes on man who was possessed by a legion of demons. The demons beg Jesus not to torture them or banish them from the area. They beg to be released to a flock of pigs nearby. Jesus lets them and they enter the pigs and cause them all to drown. The town came out to see what had happened and asked Jesus to leave. The formerly demon-possessed man begged to go with Jesus, but Jesus told him to stay with his family and tell how the Lord has been good to him.
5:21-43 Jesus after crossing the lake was approached by a synagogue leader begging Jesus to come heal his dying daughter. On the way a woman who had been bleeding touched Jesus garment and was healed.
6:1-6 Jesus spoke in his hometown and was not accepted. He was appalled by their lack of faith.
6:7-13 Jesus sent the 12 out to preach and cast out demons.
6:14-29 John the Baptist is beheaded by Herod.
6:30-44 Jesus feeds the 5,000.
6:45-56 Jesus walks on the water out to the 12 in the middle of the lake.
7:1-23 Jesus is approached by the Pharisees about why his disciples don't follow the Jewish traditions. jesus calls the men hypocrites for holding to Jewish traditions but ignoring God's law. Jesus then declares it is not the external world that makes a man unclean, but it is man's hearth that makes him unclean.
7:24-30 Jesus enters a house secretly but is found by a Greek woman. This woman begs Jesus to drive a demon out of her daughter. Jesus replies, "first let the children eat... for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs". The woman replies, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs". Jesus states that because of the woman's faith her daughter is freed of the demon.
7:31-37 Jesus heals a deaf and mute man. He commands the people not to talk about it but they are amazed and talk about it.
8:1-13 Jesus feeds 4,000 men with 7 loaves of bread and a few small fish. He then rebukes the Pharisees for asking for a miracle.
8:14-21 Jesus warns the disciples about the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod. The disciples take this literally and Jesus rebukes them
8:22-26 Jesus heals a blind man and orders him not to go into the village.
8:27-30 Jesus asks Peter who he thinks he is. Peter replies to Jesus, "you are the Christ". Jesus warns him not to tell anyone.
8:31-9:1 Jesus predicts his death and resurrection. Jesus rebukes Peter for rebuking him.
9:2-13 Jesus, Peter, John and James go up a mountain where Jesus is transfigured and talks with Moses and Elijah.
9:14-32 Jesus drives a demon out of a boy that his disciples could not. Jesus again predicts his death and resurrection. The disciples were afraid.
9:33-37 Jesus asks the twelve what they were arguing about. The twelve were arguing over who is the greatest disciple. Jesus says the greatest is the least. Those who serve will be great.
9:38-41 Jesus tells his disciples whoever is not against him is for him.
9:42-50 Jesus tells them if your hand causes you to sin it is better to cut it off than go to hell. Then Jesus tells the twelve to be salt.
10:1-12 Jesus condemns divorce.
10:13-16 Jesus rebukes his disciples for not letting the little children come to him.
10:17-31 Jesus tells a young rich man for him to enter heaven he must sell all his possessions, give it to the poor and follow him. The man did not.
10:32-34 Jesus again predicts his death to the twelve.
10:35-45 James and John ask to sit next to Jesus in glory. The other disciples are upset at this and Jesus tells them that to be great they must become a servant.
10:46-52 Jesus heals a blind man who begs for his sight, "By your faith you are healed".
11:1-11 Jesus has his disciples go and get him colt and he rides into Jerusalem while a crowd sings, "hosanna"
11:12-19 Jesus, hungry, walks to a fig tree in the distance. When there is no fruit Jesus says, "may no one eat fruit from you again". Then Jesus goes to the Temple and drives out all the merchandisers and money lenders. The leaders looked for a way to kill him. Then Jesus and the twelve left the city.
11:20-25 The fig tree Jesus cursed withered and died. Jesus tells his disciples that what you ask for in prayer if you have faith will happen and he tells them to forgive others.
11:27-33 The leaders of the temple ask Jesus who give him his authority. Jesus answered with a question: did John the Baptist baptize from heaven or from men? The Pharisees decided not to tell him their answer, so Jesus did not answer their question.
12:1-12 Jesus spoke the Parable of the Tenants to the people
12:13-17 Jesus says, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's
12:18-27 Jesus tells them there will be no marriage in the resurrection, people will be as angels
12:28-34 Jesus says the Greatest commandment - Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second greatest - Love your neighbor as yourself.
12:35-39 Jesus warns the people of the teachers of the law's hypocrisy.
12:41-44 The poor widow gave her offering and it was greater than the wealthiest person's gift.
13:1-31 Jesus predicts the end times and tells them what will happen before it comes.
13:32-37 Jesus tells the disciples no one knows the hour when the Son of Man will return except the father.
14:1-11 A woman pours expensive perfume on Jesus and Jesus says it will prepare him for his burial. Judas went to the chief priests to betray Jesus for pay.
14:12-26 Jesus predicts his betrayal, then has the passover dinner.
14:27-31 Jesus predicts Peter's denials.
14:32-42 Jesus prays at Gethsemane where his disciples fall asleep. jesus asks for the cup to be taken away, "but not my will, but thine be done".
14:43-52 Jesus is arrested in Gethsemane, when Judas kisses him.
14:53-65 Jesus is brought to trial and declares He is the Son of Man an the Messiah.
14:66-72 Peter denies Jesus three times, just as predicted
15:1-15 Jesus appears before Pilate. Barabbas is released and Jesus is condemned to be crucified.
Mark 1:1 - 9:50
1:1-8 John the Baptist prepares the way for Jesus: "After me will come one more powerful than I, ... I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with he Holy Spirit"
1:9-13 Jesus is baptized by John, then sent to the desert by God where he is tempted by Satan.
1:14-20 Jesus gathers his first four disciples, Simon, Andrew, James and John (the fishermen)
1:21-28 Jesus was teaching on the Sabbath when a demon possessed man confronted him. Jesus cast the demons out of the man and all the people wondered what this new teaching and authority was.
1:29-34 Jesus heals Simon's mother-in-law and word spread about Jesus' healing powers. Many people brought the sick and demon possessed to Jesus to be healed. Jesus healed them and cast the demons out but would not let the demons speak, for they knew who he was.
1:35-39 Jesus went to pray one morning. His disciples went looking for him and then they left to go to other villages to preach.
1:40-45 Jesus heals a man with leprosy and informs him not to tell anyone. The man disobeys and tells everyone. Jesus can now no longer enter any town without a mob rushing him. He stays outside the cities, but crowds still flock to him.
2:1-12 When Jesus returned to Capernaum a crowd so large gathered that no one else could get inside. Four men ripped a hole in the roof and lowered the paralytic in to see Jesus. Jesus said to the man, "your sins are forgiven". Some teachers began to wonder and accuse Jesus of blasphemy in their heads. Jesus knew this and asked the men, "is it easier to forgive someone's sins or to heal him of his injuries?" To prove that he was the Christ he ordered the man to rise up and walk home. Everyone was amazed by this and praised God.
2:13-17 Jesus eats dinner with the tax collectors and "sinners". The Pharisees ask his disciples why he eats with those people and Jesus replies, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but the sinners"
2:18-22 Jesus is asked why his disciples are not fasting. Jesus answers they will fast after he has filled them with what they need to be sustained.
2:23-28 Jesus and his disciples pick some grain to eat on the Sabbath. The Pharisees ask why Jesus allows his disciples to break the law and Jesus replies that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
3:1-6 Jesus asks the men in the synagogue if it is right to do good or evil on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill; but, no one answers. Jesus then heals a man with a gimp hand and the Pharisees seek to kill Jesus for healing on the Sabbath.
3:7-12 People from all over the area came to see Jesus after they heard of the miracles. Demons bowed at his feet and said, "You are the son of God" but Jesus told them not to say who he was.
3:13-19 Jesus appoints twelve apostles who will preach and drive out demons: Simon (Peter), James, John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas
3:20-30 Jesus is accused of being possessed by Satan and driving out demons in the name of Satan. Jesus replies with, "How can Satan drive out Satan? A house divided against itself cannot stand. If Satan opposes himself his time is over".
4:1-20 Jesus tells the parable of the Sower. A farmer throws seeds and some land on the path where the birds ate them. Some fell not the rocks where they grew but withered in the sun. Some fell on the thorns where they grew but were choked. Other seeds fell on good soil where they grew and produced a crop. Jesus asked if the people understood. The people didn't understand so Jesus explained it. The seeds on the path are like the people who hear the word but Satan takes it away. The seeds on the rocks are those who hear and accept but fall away at the first sign of persecution. The seeds that fell in the thorns are those who hear the word but it is choked away by worldly things. The seeds that fall in the good soil and produce fruit are those that hear the word and accept it and produce a crop of believers.
4:21-25 Jesus asks if a lamp is hidden, no of course not! It's put on a stand. He says what is hidden will be disclosed. He says you will be judged as harshly and more as you judge others. And says those who have will be given more (the saved) and those without will have more taken away (the lost).
4:26-29 The parable of the growing seed is what the kingdom of God is like. Seeds continue to sprout up without him knowing how. And when the grain is ripe it will be harvested.
4:30-34 The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. It is the smallest of all seeds but produces the largest of all garden plants. Jesus also explains all the parables he taught to his disciples.
4:35-41 Jesus is asleep in the boat when a massive storm comes over the sea. The disciples woke Jesus and he calmed the sea. The disciples were amazed at His power.
5:1-20 Jesus comes on man who was possessed by a legion of demons. The demons beg Jesus not to torture them or banish them from the area. They beg to be released to a flock of pigs nearby. Jesus lets them and they enter the pigs and cause them all to drown. The town came out to see what had happened and asked Jesus to leave. The formerly demon-possessed man begged to go with Jesus, but Jesus told him to stay with his family and tell how the Lord has been good to him.
5:21-43 Jesus after crossing the lake was approached by a synagogue leader begging Jesus to come heal his dying daughter. On the way a woman who had been bleeding touched Jesus garment and was healed.
6:1-6 Jesus spoke in his hometown and was not accepted. He was appalled by their lack of faith.
6:7-13 Jesus sent the 12 out to preach and cast out demons.
6:14-29 John the Baptist is beheaded by Herod.
6:30-44 Jesus feeds the 5,000.
6:45-56 Jesus walks on the water out to the 12 in the middle of the lake.
7:1-23 Jesus is approached by the Pharisees about why his disciples don't follow the Jewish traditions. jesus calls the men hypocrites for holding to Jewish traditions but ignoring God's law. Jesus then declares it is not the external world that makes a man unclean, but it is man's hearth that makes him unclean.
7:24-30 Jesus enters a house secretly but is found by a Greek woman. This woman begs Jesus to drive a demon out of her daughter. Jesus replies, "first let the children eat... for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs". The woman replies, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs". Jesus states that because of the woman's faith her daughter is freed of the demon.
7:31-37 Jesus heals a deaf and mute man. He commands the people not to talk about it but they are amazed and talk about it.
8:1-13 Jesus feeds 4,000 men with 7 loaves of bread and a few small fish. He then rebukes the Pharisees for asking for a miracle.
8:14-21 Jesus warns the disciples about the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod. The disciples take this literally and Jesus rebukes them
8:22-26 Jesus heals a blind man and orders him not to go into the village.
8:27-30 Jesus asks Peter who he thinks he is. Peter replies to Jesus, "you are the Christ". Jesus warns him not to tell anyone.
8:31-9:1 Jesus predicts his death and resurrection. Jesus rebukes Peter for rebuking him.
9:2-13 Jesus, Peter, John and James go up a mountain where Jesus is transfigured and talks with Moses and Elijah.
9:14-32 Jesus drives a demon out of a boy that his disciples could not. Jesus again predicts his death and resurrection. The disciples were afraid.
9:33-37 Jesus asks the twelve what they were arguing about. The twelve were arguing over who is the greatest disciple. Jesus says the greatest is the least. Those who serve will be great.
9:38-41 Jesus tells his disciples whoever is not against him is for him.
9:42-50 Jesus tells them if your hand causes you to sin it is better to cut it off than go to hell. Then Jesus tells the twelve to be salt.
10:1-12 Jesus condemns divorce.
10:13-16 Jesus rebukes his disciples for not letting the little children come to him.
10:17-31 Jesus tells a young rich man for him to enter heaven he must sell all his possessions, give it to the poor and follow him. The man did not.
10:32-34 Jesus again predicts his death to the twelve.
10:35-45 James and John ask to sit next to Jesus in glory. The other disciples are upset at this and Jesus tells them that to be great they must become a servant.
10:46-52 Jesus heals a blind man who begs for his sight, "By your faith you are healed".
11:1-11 Jesus has his disciples go and get him colt and he rides into Jerusalem while a crowd sings, "hosanna"
11:12-19 Jesus, hungry, walks to a fig tree in the distance. When there is no fruit Jesus says, "may no one eat fruit from you again". Then Jesus goes to the Temple and drives out all the merchandisers and money lenders. The leaders looked for a way to kill him. Then Jesus and the twelve left the city.
11:20-25 The fig tree Jesus cursed withered and died. Jesus tells his disciples that what you ask for in prayer if you have faith will happen and he tells them to forgive others.
11:27-33 The leaders of the temple ask Jesus who give him his authority. Jesus answered with a question: did John the Baptist baptize from heaven or from men? The Pharisees decided not to tell him their answer, so Jesus did not answer their question.
12:1-12 Jesus spoke the Parable of the Tenants to the people
12:13-17 Jesus says, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's
12:18-27 Jesus tells them there will be no marriage in the resurrection, people will be as angels
12:28-34 Jesus says the Greatest commandment - Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second greatest - Love your neighbor as yourself.
12:35-39 Jesus warns the people of the teachers of the law's hypocrisy.
12:41-44 The poor widow gave her offering and it was greater than the wealthiest person's gift.
13:1-31 Jesus predicts the end times and tells them what will happen before it comes.
13:32-37 Jesus tells the disciples no one knows the hour when the Son of Man will return except the father.
14:1-11 A woman pours expensive perfume on Jesus and Jesus says it will prepare him for his burial. Judas went to the chief priests to betray Jesus for pay.
14:12-26 Jesus predicts his betrayal, then has the passover dinner.
14:27-31 Jesus predicts Peter's denials.
14:32-42 Jesus prays at Gethsemane where his disciples fall asleep. jesus asks for the cup to be taken away, "but not my will, but thine be done".
14:43-52 Jesus is arrested in Gethsemane, when Judas kisses him.
14:53-65 Jesus is brought to trial and declares He is the Son of Man an the Messiah.
14:66-72 Peter denies Jesus three times, just as predicted
15:1-15 Jesus appears before Pilate. Barabbas is released and Jesus is condemned to be crucified.
15:16-20 Jesus has a purple robe put on him, a crown of thorns on his head and is mocked
15:21-32 Jesus is crucified, they cast lots for his clothes and mock him
15:33-41 Jesus dies. The curtain splits in the temple. The centurions who saw Jesus die proclaimed Jesus must be the Son of God.
15:42-47 Joseph of Arimethea asks for the body of Christ. He laid the body in the tomb and wrapped it.
16:1-8 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James went to the tomb to find Jesus was gone and an angel told him that He had risen.
This is where most early manuscripts end. But later ones contain 16:9-20.
16:9-20 Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene and to two others but no one believes them. Jesus appears to the eleven and charges them to preach throughout the world.
Book notes on the Gospels
(Originally written January 6, 2006 in Notebook 20)
Bible Study: Mark Ch. 1-10
The Promise and The Blessing Pg. 373-383
There were two important births in the New Testament: John the Baptist and Jesus.
400 years after the Old Testament the Jews were oppressed by the Romans but hopeful of the coming Messiah.
Anyone professing to be the Messiah would have to meet three criteria:
1) Genealogical requirement
- be a descendent of Abraham
- be from the tribe of Judah
- be from the line of David
2) Prophetic Strand
- Must be born in Bethlehem
- Mother must be a virgin
- He must flee to Egypt and be called back by God
3) Physical evidences
- his public actions, i.e. healing the sick
The gospels are not a biography of Jesus' life
What is a gospel?
- The word, 'gospel', comes from the Greek word for "good news"
- A gospel is a document that proclaims that Jesus was the promised Messiah, and gives evidence to demonstrate that claim
The primary proof that Jesus was the Messiah is His resurrection
Why are the four gospels so similar and yet at the same time different?
- Marcan priority: Matthew and Luke used Mark as a source
- Matthean priority: Mark and Luke used Matthew as a source
Today it is widely held that Mark is the oldest Gospel. The reason for this belief of Mark being the oldest for:
- The dating of the books (65 A.D.)
- Mark is the shortest Gospel and any gospel written after the first would not omit events
- Matthew and Luke contain things like genealogies and the Sermon on the Mont which are not found in Mark
There is called the two-source theory, meaning Matthew and Luke used Mark and another source for their gospels
The second source is the Q-source.
- Problems with the Q-source is that we have no evidence of it and it does not account for differences in Matthew and Luke
There is a four source theory that uses four sources for Matthew & Luke
1) Mark
2) Q-Source
3) M-Source
4) L-Source
Unfortunately these theories reduce Matthew and Luke to mere copies or redactors (research writers)
The early church began with a few convictions:
1) Eye witness accounts of the resurrection
2) a belief that Jesus would return soon
3) there was a need to spread their beliefs to as many folks as possible
The eye witness accounts were given as oral tradition
Jesus used the oral tradition and his followers would have heard the same message preached at every town they visited.
As well as oral tradition, events in Jesus' life that were important were recorded in the Gospels
- the story of feeding the 5,000 is the only one to be in all four Gospels
- Other events were included in each of the gospels according to the writer's personal interests
The spread of the gospel began on the day of Pentecost. Eye witness accounts were given for years. New Christians memorized these accounts and spread the news throughout the world. This lasted 20-25 years.
The Gospels began to be written after James, the brother of Jesus was executed. The apostles were seeing that they too could be killed.
Then Paul sets out on his missionary visits and starts writing letters. These letters were being collected as the gospels were being written.
Matthew remained in Judea 15 years after James' death (45 A.D.) then traveled east to Syria and Persia. It is stated Matthew wrote his gospel in Hebrew or Aramaic and it was copied in Greek later.
Luke followed Matthew in the late 50's A.D.
Mark wrote Peter's account around 64 A.D. either just before or just after Peter's death.
John wrote his book in 90 A.D. when the Church was in the third generation and no other eye witness accounts were left.
John's book contains less events but more explanation and is more theological than the other gospels.
Bible Study: Mark Ch. 1-10
The Promise and The Blessing Pg. 373-383
There were two important births in the New Testament: John the Baptist and Jesus.
400 years after the Old Testament the Jews were oppressed by the Romans but hopeful of the coming Messiah.
Anyone professing to be the Messiah would have to meet three criteria:
1) Genealogical requirement
- be a descendent of Abraham
- be from the tribe of Judah
- be from the line of David
2) Prophetic Strand
- Must be born in Bethlehem
- Mother must be a virgin
- He must flee to Egypt and be called back by God
3) Physical evidences
- his public actions, i.e. healing the sick
The gospels are not a biography of Jesus' life
What is a gospel?
- The word, 'gospel', comes from the Greek word for "good news"
- A gospel is a document that proclaims that Jesus was the promised Messiah, and gives evidence to demonstrate that claim
The primary proof that Jesus was the Messiah is His resurrection
Why are the four gospels so similar and yet at the same time different?
- Marcan priority: Matthew and Luke used Mark as a source
- Matthean priority: Mark and Luke used Matthew as a source
Today it is widely held that Mark is the oldest Gospel. The reason for this belief of Mark being the oldest for:
- The dating of the books (65 A.D.)
- Mark is the shortest Gospel and any gospel written after the first would not omit events
- Matthew and Luke contain things like genealogies and the Sermon on the Mont which are not found in Mark
There is called the two-source theory, meaning Matthew and Luke used Mark and another source for their gospels
The second source is the Q-source.
- Problems with the Q-source is that we have no evidence of it and it does not account for differences in Matthew and Luke
There is a four source theory that uses four sources for Matthew & Luke
1) Mark
2) Q-Source
3) M-Source
4) L-Source
Unfortunately these theories reduce Matthew and Luke to mere copies or redactors (research writers)
The early church began with a few convictions:
1) Eye witness accounts of the resurrection
2) a belief that Jesus would return soon
3) there was a need to spread their beliefs to as many folks as possible
The eye witness accounts were given as oral tradition
Jesus used the oral tradition and his followers would have heard the same message preached at every town they visited.
As well as oral tradition, events in Jesus' life that were important were recorded in the Gospels
- the story of feeding the 5,000 is the only one to be in all four Gospels
- Other events were included in each of the gospels according to the writer's personal interests
The spread of the gospel began on the day of Pentecost. Eye witness accounts were given for years. New Christians memorized these accounts and spread the news throughout the world. This lasted 20-25 years.
The Gospels began to be written after James, the brother of Jesus was executed. The apostles were seeing that they too could be killed.
Then Paul sets out on his missionary visits and starts writing letters. These letters were being collected as the gospels were being written.
Matthew remained in Judea 15 years after James' death (45 A.D.) then traveled east to Syria and Persia. It is stated Matthew wrote his gospel in Hebrew or Aramaic and it was copied in Greek later.
Luke followed Matthew in the late 50's A.D.
Mark wrote Peter's account around 64 A.D. either just before or just after Peter's death.
John wrote his book in 90 A.D. when the Church was in the third generation and no other eye witness accounts were left.
John's book contains less events but more explanation and is more theological than the other gospels.
Wednesday, January 4, 2006
Political, Historical and Cultural Context of the OT & NT
(Originally written January 4, 2006 in Notebook 20)
The Promise and The Blessing pg. 349-371
- 400 years in between the Old Testament and New Testament changes occurred in the Jewish culture. The Jews served under Persia an Greece then gained independence only to lose it again to Rome.
- The Apocrypha, Mishnah and the Pseudepigrapha were written
- Three bridges will be used to move from the end of the Old Testament to the New Testament over the 400 years of silence:
1) Literary Bridge
- just because there is a silent 400 years between the Old and New Testaments does not mean the Jews stopped writing
-The books written in this period are divided into three groups:
1) Apocrypha
2) Mishnah
3) Pseudepigrapha
- Apocrypha means, plural, "hidden" or "secret"
- The Apocrypha was not considered canonical by the Jews of the early church. However, the Catholics included it in their Bible
- The Apocrypha included a wide variety of books
- The Mishnah dealt with the Old Testament Law
- The Mishnah was a commentary on the Torah and a record of debate and conclusion among Jewish leaders
- The Gemorah was the completion of the Oral tradition and a commentary on the Mishnah
- The Mishnah and Gemorah together form the Talmud
- Modern Judaism is more based on the Talmud then the Torah
- The Tarsumin & Midrashim were translations written for Jews that did not read Hebrew, they were written in Aramaic and Greek
- The Pseudepigrapha includes many different types of works
- Pseudepigrapha is Greek for "written under a false name"
- These books mark a trend from the Israelites moving away from idolatry to being overly legalistic
2) Religious Bridge
- the major groups were the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Essenses
- These were also political affiliations
- After Ezra and Nehemiah the Jews split into traditionalists and accommodationists
- The traditionalists wanted to get back to their roots, the accommodationists wanted to set up a new culture
- Traditionalists - Hebraists; Accommodationists - Hellenists
The Hebraists:
- Lived in Babylon Or Palestine
- Followers of Ezra and Nehemiah
- Maccabean Revolutionists
- From the oral tradition
The Hellenists:
- Widespread
- Accepted other cultures as well
-The Sadducees were Hellenists
- Sadducees believed in free will, argued agains any resurrection, believed that the soul died with the body and did not believe in Angels or Demons
- The Sadducees were aristocratic
-The Pharisees were Hebraists
- The Pharisees believed in free will, but thought God was ultimately in control
- The Pharisees believed in resurrection, angels and demons and fought for the equality of all human beings
- The Pharisees were middle-class citizens
- The Essenes were much more conservative than the Pharisees
- The Essenes were a minority party and spread out thinly, thus their influence and significance in the New Testament is non-existence
- Scribes are either Pharisees or Sadducees that copied, read and interpreted the Law.
- The Zealots were the extreme nationalists that were determined to rid Judea of all foreign rule
3) The Political Bridge
Persian Rule then Greek Rule then Freedom, then Roman rule
-The Persians ruled the Jews at the end of the Old Testament
- Greece fought off the Persian advances and then were involved in a civil war
- Eventually Philip of Macedonia conquered all of Greece
- His son, Alexander then took over and captured Persia
- Alexander then died and four generals became the rulers of four divided lands
- The four eventually became two, the Kingdom of Egypt and the Syrian Kingdom
- Egypt fell to Rome in 30 B.C. Syria fell in 64-63 B.C.
- The Maccabees gained their independence from the Syrian Empire over a period of time
- They fought many bloody battles and aligned themselves with Rome against Syria
- Rome was originally a republic but Julius Caesar eventually became dictator for life
- After Julius Caesar was killed a civil war took place an Caesar's adopted son Octavian (Augustus) became the ruler
- Augustus ruled over a generally peaceful empire, the only serious problem was Judea.
- In 6 A.D. Rome took control of Judea
- In 70 A.D. Rome destroyed the Temple
- In 135 A.D. Rome exiled all of the Jews in Judea
Review Questions
1) The Old Testament ended with Malachi because none of the books written after were considered to be Canonical or as authoritative as the books in the Hebrew Scriptures
2) The Apocrypha was a collection of books written by Jewish authors between the Old Testament and New Testament times. They are viewed as less authoritative as the included Scriptures.
3) The Mishnah is a commentary on the Hebrew Scriptures and included debates of interpretation and the results of the debates. It is different than the Talmud because the Talmud contains the Mishnah as well as the Gemara. The Talmud is important because it is what modern Judaism bases its religion on.
4) The Pseudepigrapha are books that were written under false names. These books were written both prior to the New Testament and through the first century A.D. and beyond.
5) The Sadducees developed by trying to fit their religious beliefs into the cultural surroundings they were in.
6) The Pharisees developed out of a strong opposition to the Sadducees.
7) The Essenes were a strict, traditionalist sect of the Jews. They were important in that they practiced a strict way of the Law, but were a small minority and spread thin enough not to make an impact on the New Testament.
8) The scribes were the men who copied, read and interpreted the Law for the Jews. They were vital in the formation of Jewish doctrine and law.
9) Alexander's father, Philip, conquered and united much of Greece. After Philip was killed Alexander set out to conquer the world. He conquered the Persian Empire and his empire stretched from Egypt to India. Alexander's troops eventually revolted in India because they were tired of fighting. Alexander eventually died after a huge amount of eating and drinking.
10) After Alexander's death the kingdom was divided into four separate kingdoms.
11) The Ptolemies and the Seleucids were the rulers of Egypt and Syrian empires, respectively. They fought each other until they were both conquered by the Romans.
12) The Maccabees are a rebellious family that fought the Syrian Empire. They eventually gained freedom for Judea.
13) Herod became King of Judea by fleeing to Rome and convincing the Romans to name him King of Judea. They did and he returned to Judea with the Roman Empire.
14) Rome made Judea a part of the empire by revoking its independence and status in 6 A.D.
Jesus was counter-cutlrual, he disregarded some Jewish cultural customs.
The Samaritans came from the leftover Jews in the Northern Kingdom after the Assyrians exiled the majority of the Jews that intermarried with the local gentiles.
Key Dates in the Old Testament History
722 B.C. - Israel taken captive by Assyria
587 B.C. - Judah taken captive by Babylonia
539 B.C. - Persia defeats Babylon, ending Jewish captivity
Persia, 539 - 332 B.C.
Persia deposed Babylon; which, under Cyrus the Great, allowed the Jews to return Home.
Greece or Hellenistic Period, 333 - 63 B.C.
Greece deposed Persia; which, spread Hellenism and a common language throughout the world.
After Alexander the Great died the Empire was split into four kingdoms, two of which are important to New Testament History
1) The Ptolemaic (Egypt) 323 - 198 BC
- Ptolemy Philadelphus translated the Old Testament into the common language of Greek, which was called the Septuagint
2) The Seleucid Empire (198-143 B.C.)
- Antiochus IV, the prototype for the Anti-Christ in the 1st century A.D. Jews. He killed the Jews, destroyed the Torah, denied the Jews the rites of circumcision of their children and eventually desecrated the Temple of the Lord by sacrificing to Zeus on the altar.
The Hasmonean or Maccabean Period (143-63 B.C.)
Matthathias and the Maccabean revolt in 167 B.C. Judas Maccabaeus (The Hammer) and his men cleansed and rededicated the temple in 163 B.C. and waited for a prophet to come to fully restore it.
The Roman Period (63 B.C. on)
The Pax Romana (Peace of Rome) and the Roman road system aided in the spread of the gospel through the world.
Herod the Great, King of Judea 37 - 4 B.C.
- Ordered the slaughter of the innocents
Archelaus, tetrarch of Judea and Samaria, 4 B.C. - 6 A.D.
- Joseph and Mary fled from him
Herod Philip, tetrarch, 4 B.C. - 34 A.D.
Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, 4 B.C. - A.D. 39
- had John the Baptist beheaded
- was ruler when Jesus was killed
Herod Agrippa I, King of Judea 37 - 44 A.D.
- Had James, the half-brother of Jesus killed
Herod Agrippa II, king of Judea
Titus and the Fall of Jerusalem (A.D. 70)
The Apocrypha
- Tobit
- Judith
- Additions to Esther
- Wisdom of Solomon
- Ecclesiasticus
- Baruch
- Letters of Jeremiah
- Prayer of Azariah
- The Song of the 3 Jews
- Bel and the Dragon
- I & II Maccabees
- I & II Esdras
- Prayer of Manasseh
Jewish Religious Parties
The Sadducees
- Influenced by power & wealth
- Aristocratic class
Sadducees References in the New Testament: Matthew 22:23, Acts 4:1, Acts 5:17
The Pharisees
- Legalistic
- Rules and Regulations, but little joy
Pharisees References in the New Testament: Matthew 11:9, Mark 2:16, Luke 15:1-2, Luke 19:7. Matthew 5:43-48, Mark 11:25, Luke 19:10, Luke 21:20-24
The Pharisees vs. Jesus
-The Pharisees Separated from unholy sinners, Jesus associated with them
-The Pharisees believed the Messiah would gather and sanctify his people, no evil or unrighteousness allowed; Jesus came to seek and save the Lost
- The Pharisees believed in victory for Israel and Jerusalem based on violent exclusion of the Gentiles; Jesus preached forgiveness to the enemy and the destruction of Jerusalem by the gentiles.
The Essenes
- Abdicated responsibility to confront the culture, as they retreated to the desert where they died, oblivious of the Teacher of Righteousness they sought
Significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls
- The Oldest of the Old Testament Documents was the Masoretic Text (A.D. 900).
- The Dead Sea Scrolls come from 150 B.C. - A.D. 68
- We can now check the accuracy of our copying technicians and how accurate the Masoretic Text was
The Scribes
- Teachers of the Law
- Neither a religious sect or political party (but most were Pharisees)
The Zealots
- Revolutionaries dedicated to overthrowing Roman power
- Refused to pay taxes, were not loyal to Caesar, led the Jewish Revolt that led to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
Judaism's response to Hellenism
- Wealthy Jews caved into Hellenism
- Poorer Jews reacted bitterly to Hellenism
- Early Hasmoneans reacted violently
- The Hasideans reacted passively
- The Pharisees expressed a separation by strict adherence to the law of the covenant
- The Essenes withdrew from society and into the desert
Proselytes (Gentiles who worship God and got circumcised) and God Fearers (Gentiles who worshipped God, but didn't snip)
- Syncretism: the combo of different forms of practice and belief
- Pagans were synchronistic
- Jews and Christians were exclusivistic
The Promise and The Blessing pg. 349-371
- 400 years in between the Old Testament and New Testament changes occurred in the Jewish culture. The Jews served under Persia an Greece then gained independence only to lose it again to Rome.
- The Apocrypha, Mishnah and the Pseudepigrapha were written
- Three bridges will be used to move from the end of the Old Testament to the New Testament over the 400 years of silence:
1) Literary Bridge
- just because there is a silent 400 years between the Old and New Testaments does not mean the Jews stopped writing
-The books written in this period are divided into three groups:
1) Apocrypha
2) Mishnah
3) Pseudepigrapha
- Apocrypha means, plural, "hidden" or "secret"
- The Apocrypha was not considered canonical by the Jews of the early church. However, the Catholics included it in their Bible
- The Apocrypha included a wide variety of books
- The Mishnah dealt with the Old Testament Law
- The Mishnah was a commentary on the Torah and a record of debate and conclusion among Jewish leaders
- The Gemorah was the completion of the Oral tradition and a commentary on the Mishnah
- The Mishnah and Gemorah together form the Talmud
- Modern Judaism is more based on the Talmud then the Torah
- The Tarsumin & Midrashim were translations written for Jews that did not read Hebrew, they were written in Aramaic and Greek
- The Pseudepigrapha includes many different types of works
- Pseudepigrapha is Greek for "written under a false name"
- These books mark a trend from the Israelites moving away from idolatry to being overly legalistic
2) Religious Bridge
- the major groups were the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Essenses
- These were also political affiliations
- After Ezra and Nehemiah the Jews split into traditionalists and accommodationists
- The traditionalists wanted to get back to their roots, the accommodationists wanted to set up a new culture
- Traditionalists - Hebraists; Accommodationists - Hellenists
The Hebraists:
- Lived in Babylon Or Palestine
- Followers of Ezra and Nehemiah
- Maccabean Revolutionists
- From the oral tradition
The Hellenists:
- Widespread
- Accepted other cultures as well
-The Sadducees were Hellenists
- Sadducees believed in free will, argued agains any resurrection, believed that the soul died with the body and did not believe in Angels or Demons
- The Sadducees were aristocratic
-The Pharisees were Hebraists
- The Pharisees believed in free will, but thought God was ultimately in control
- The Pharisees believed in resurrection, angels and demons and fought for the equality of all human beings
- The Pharisees were middle-class citizens
- The Essenes were much more conservative than the Pharisees
- The Essenes were a minority party and spread out thinly, thus their influence and significance in the New Testament is non-existence
- Scribes are either Pharisees or Sadducees that copied, read and interpreted the Law.
- The Zealots were the extreme nationalists that were determined to rid Judea of all foreign rule
3) The Political Bridge
Persian Rule then Greek Rule then Freedom, then Roman rule
-The Persians ruled the Jews at the end of the Old Testament
- Greece fought off the Persian advances and then were involved in a civil war
- Eventually Philip of Macedonia conquered all of Greece
- His son, Alexander then took over and captured Persia
- Alexander then died and four generals became the rulers of four divided lands
- The four eventually became two, the Kingdom of Egypt and the Syrian Kingdom
- Egypt fell to Rome in 30 B.C. Syria fell in 64-63 B.C.
- The Maccabees gained their independence from the Syrian Empire over a period of time
- They fought many bloody battles and aligned themselves with Rome against Syria
- Rome was originally a republic but Julius Caesar eventually became dictator for life
- After Julius Caesar was killed a civil war took place an Caesar's adopted son Octavian (Augustus) became the ruler
- Augustus ruled over a generally peaceful empire, the only serious problem was Judea.
- In 6 A.D. Rome took control of Judea
- In 70 A.D. Rome destroyed the Temple
- In 135 A.D. Rome exiled all of the Jews in Judea
Review Questions
1) The Old Testament ended with Malachi because none of the books written after were considered to be Canonical or as authoritative as the books in the Hebrew Scriptures
2) The Apocrypha was a collection of books written by Jewish authors between the Old Testament and New Testament times. They are viewed as less authoritative as the included Scriptures.
3) The Mishnah is a commentary on the Hebrew Scriptures and included debates of interpretation and the results of the debates. It is different than the Talmud because the Talmud contains the Mishnah as well as the Gemara. The Talmud is important because it is what modern Judaism bases its religion on.
4) The Pseudepigrapha are books that were written under false names. These books were written both prior to the New Testament and through the first century A.D. and beyond.
5) The Sadducees developed by trying to fit their religious beliefs into the cultural surroundings they were in.
6) The Pharisees developed out of a strong opposition to the Sadducees.
7) The Essenes were a strict, traditionalist sect of the Jews. They were important in that they practiced a strict way of the Law, but were a small minority and spread thin enough not to make an impact on the New Testament.
8) The scribes were the men who copied, read and interpreted the Law for the Jews. They were vital in the formation of Jewish doctrine and law.
9) Alexander's father, Philip, conquered and united much of Greece. After Philip was killed Alexander set out to conquer the world. He conquered the Persian Empire and his empire stretched from Egypt to India. Alexander's troops eventually revolted in India because they were tired of fighting. Alexander eventually died after a huge amount of eating and drinking.
10) After Alexander's death the kingdom was divided into four separate kingdoms.
11) The Ptolemies and the Seleucids were the rulers of Egypt and Syrian empires, respectively. They fought each other until they were both conquered by the Romans.
12) The Maccabees are a rebellious family that fought the Syrian Empire. They eventually gained freedom for Judea.
13) Herod became King of Judea by fleeing to Rome and convincing the Romans to name him King of Judea. They did and he returned to Judea with the Roman Empire.
14) Rome made Judea a part of the empire by revoking its independence and status in 6 A.D.
Jesus was counter-cutlrual, he disregarded some Jewish cultural customs.
The Samaritans came from the leftover Jews in the Northern Kingdom after the Assyrians exiled the majority of the Jews that intermarried with the local gentiles.
Key Dates in the Old Testament History
722 B.C. - Israel taken captive by Assyria
587 B.C. - Judah taken captive by Babylonia
539 B.C. - Persia defeats Babylon, ending Jewish captivity
Persia, 539 - 332 B.C.
Persia deposed Babylon; which, under Cyrus the Great, allowed the Jews to return Home.
Greece or Hellenistic Period, 333 - 63 B.C.
Greece deposed Persia; which, spread Hellenism and a common language throughout the world.
After Alexander the Great died the Empire was split into four kingdoms, two of which are important to New Testament History
1) The Ptolemaic (Egypt) 323 - 198 BC
- Ptolemy Philadelphus translated the Old Testament into the common language of Greek, which was called the Septuagint
2) The Seleucid Empire (198-143 B.C.)
- Antiochus IV, the prototype for the Anti-Christ in the 1st century A.D. Jews. He killed the Jews, destroyed the Torah, denied the Jews the rites of circumcision of their children and eventually desecrated the Temple of the Lord by sacrificing to Zeus on the altar.
The Hasmonean or Maccabean Period (143-63 B.C.)
Matthathias and the Maccabean revolt in 167 B.C. Judas Maccabaeus (The Hammer) and his men cleansed and rededicated the temple in 163 B.C. and waited for a prophet to come to fully restore it.
The Roman Period (63 B.C. on)
The Pax Romana (Peace of Rome) and the Roman road system aided in the spread of the gospel through the world.
Herod the Great, King of Judea 37 - 4 B.C.
- Ordered the slaughter of the innocents
Archelaus, tetrarch of Judea and Samaria, 4 B.C. - 6 A.D.
- Joseph and Mary fled from him
Herod Philip, tetrarch, 4 B.C. - 34 A.D.
Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, 4 B.C. - A.D. 39
- had John the Baptist beheaded
- was ruler when Jesus was killed
Herod Agrippa I, King of Judea 37 - 44 A.D.
- Had James, the half-brother of Jesus killed
Herod Agrippa II, king of Judea
Titus and the Fall of Jerusalem (A.D. 70)
The Apocrypha
- Tobit
- Judith
- Additions to Esther
- Wisdom of Solomon
- Ecclesiasticus
- Baruch
- Letters of Jeremiah
- Prayer of Azariah
- The Song of the 3 Jews
- Bel and the Dragon
- I & II Maccabees
- I & II Esdras
- Prayer of Manasseh
Jewish Religious Parties
The Sadducees
- Influenced by power & wealth
- Aristocratic class
Sadducees References in the New Testament: Matthew 22:23, Acts 4:1, Acts 5:17
The Pharisees
- Legalistic
- Rules and Regulations, but little joy
Pharisees References in the New Testament: Matthew 11:9, Mark 2:16, Luke 15:1-2, Luke 19:7. Matthew 5:43-48, Mark 11:25, Luke 19:10, Luke 21:20-24
The Pharisees vs. Jesus
-The Pharisees Separated from unholy sinners, Jesus associated with them
-The Pharisees believed the Messiah would gather and sanctify his people, no evil or unrighteousness allowed; Jesus came to seek and save the Lost
- The Pharisees believed in victory for Israel and Jerusalem based on violent exclusion of the Gentiles; Jesus preached forgiveness to the enemy and the destruction of Jerusalem by the gentiles.
The Essenes
- Abdicated responsibility to confront the culture, as they retreated to the desert where they died, oblivious of the Teacher of Righteousness they sought
Significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls
- The Oldest of the Old Testament Documents was the Masoretic Text (A.D. 900).
- The Dead Sea Scrolls come from 150 B.C. - A.D. 68
- We can now check the accuracy of our copying technicians and how accurate the Masoretic Text was
The Scribes
- Teachers of the Law
- Neither a religious sect or political party (but most were Pharisees)
The Zealots
- Revolutionaries dedicated to overthrowing Roman power
- Refused to pay taxes, were not loyal to Caesar, led the Jewish Revolt that led to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
Judaism's response to Hellenism
- Wealthy Jews caved into Hellenism
- Poorer Jews reacted bitterly to Hellenism
- Early Hasmoneans reacted violently
- The Hasideans reacted passively
- The Pharisees expressed a separation by strict adherence to the law of the covenant
- The Essenes withdrew from society and into the desert
Proselytes (Gentiles who worship God and got circumcised) and God Fearers (Gentiles who worshipped God, but didn't snip)
- Syncretism: the combo of different forms of practice and belief
- Pagans were synchronistic
- Jews and Christians were exclusivistic
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