Common Good, Social Ethics and Community

AKC 4 General – Autumn Term 2008 – The Good Book: the Bible and its Impact 20/10/08

4. JESUS AND THE FOUR GOSPELS

THE REVD PROF RICHARD BURRIDGE, DEAN OF KING’S COLLEGE LONDON

NOTICES

1. Lectures: you must attend one of the lectures each week – see timetable in booklet or online.

2. Registration: all students need to register via the online registration form. 2nd and 3rd year students should have passed the AKC last year to continue.

3. Exam: 27 March 2009 - prizes are awarded to the best 1st & final year student in each School.

4. Website: www.kcl.ac.uk/akc for full details, handouts & Discussion Board.

1. DIGGING DOWN - QUESTS FOR THE HISTORICAL JESUS

a) The Quest for the Historical Jesus: 18th & 19th centuries

H S Reimarus (1694-1768); Albert Schweitzer (1906).

b) The early 20th century: the early critics

History of the text; source-criticism. The Synoptic Problem: Mark, Matthew & Luke.

Rudolf Bultmann (1884-1976): the development of form-criticism.

c) The New Quest for the Historical Jesus: 1950-1980's

Kasemann, lecture Oct. 20th 1953; Criteria of authenticity: Titles: Christ; Son of Man; Lord; Son of God; The development of Redaction-criticism, study of each gospel.

d) The Jesus Seminar: the Californian approach

Claremont School, California; R Funk 'Jesus Seminar'. D. Crossan

e) The 'third' Quest: Jesus in his Jewish context

Jesus within Judaism: E P Sanders; N T Wright.

2. BUILDING UP - WHO WAS JESUS?

a) Jesus of Nazareth existed as an historical figure

New Testament; non-canonical sources: Thomas, Jewish-Christian gospels (Nazarenes, Ebionites, Hebrews) and other fragments (Secret Mark, Peter). Jewish sources: Josephus Antiquities 18.63f; 20.200, Jesus the 'so-called Christ'. Rabbinic sources: bSanhedrin 43a, sorcery and leading people astray. Roman sources: Pliny 'Christ as a god'(Epistles, 10.96), Tacitus 'Pilate' (Annals, 15.44) and Suetonius 'disturbances' in 49CE (Claudius, 25.4).

b) A brief outline of Jesus' life

Jesus’ Jewish background, restoration eschatology (the 'End'); apocalyptic; prophetic movements.

Baptized by John the Baptist, preaching of the kingdom of God and repentance; Matt. 3; 4.17

An itinerant prophet with followers, including women; Luke 6.12-16; 8.1-3; 10.38-42

The coming of the kingdom of God; parables, Matt. 13

Preaching and teaching, ministry of healing /accepting people, especially outsiders Mk 2.1-17.

Debate with various groups within Judaism, growing opposition; temple incident, Mk 11.15-19

c) Jesus' death

He was arrested and crucified by the Roman authorities on a charge including political and religious elements as a kingly pretender or messianic claimant; John 19.19-22.

d) After his death

Empty tomb: Mark 16; Appearances: Matt 28; Luke 24; John 20-21; 1 Corinthians 15.1-10

Theories & explanations: fraud; wrong tomb; hallucinations? But death of Jesus did not end it all.

The church: the claims of Jesus' resurrection led to growth of the early Christian communities.

e) Is it possible to discover Jesus' own self-understanding?

Sense of teasing authority in 'Son of Man' and 'Amen'; Acting on God's behalf; ‘wisdom' ideas. Relationship to God seen in 'Abba' and parables (Mk 12. 1-12). John compared to other gospels

3. THE GOSPELS AS BIOGRAPHIES - What kind of book?

a) Genre and interpretation

Genre key convention: a kind of 'contract' between an author and a reader.

b) Genre and the gospels

Karl Ludwig Schmidt and Rudolf Bultmann: the gospels are unique, sui generis - and certainly not biographies of Jesus. Rise of redaction criticism. Talbert and Aune – back to biography.

c) Rabbinic material and the gospels

Traditio-historical analysis often parallels gospel stories with Rabbinic anecdotes. Yet notable absence of Rabbinic biography: Jesus as the centre v Torah at centre; Jesus and Hillel.

d) The generic features of the gospels compared with biography

Formal structure: continuous prose narrative, between 10,000 and 20,000 words bare chronological outline, inserted material about the subject.

Content: ancestry, birth, public debut. Aims include apologetic, polemic or didactic. Concentration on subject's death – detailed treatment at the end.

e) The subject of the gospels

25%-30% of verbs have hero as subject plus another 15% to 30% in sayings, speeches or quotations from Jesus. About half of John's verbs either have Jesus as the subject or on his lips.

f) Narrative Christology and biographies of Jesus

More like stained glass than window or mirror: Christology in narrative form, the story of Jesus.

4. SYMBOLIC READINGS OF GOSPELS

The four living creatures: Ezekiel 1, Revelation 4; Irenaeus, Adv. Haer. III.11.8-9.

a) The roar of Mark's lion

Date: ? late 60s, Jewish War period; Rome? Asia Minor? Peter? 11,250 words, 665 verses

Mark 1.9. 'and immediately' 10x in chap.1, 40x overall. Conflict in 1-8: Jesus' ministry in the face of rising opposition 3.19b-35. The disciples in Mark. Chapters 8-10 raise identity: Jesus is the enigmatic wonder-worker; the eschatological prophet, the Messiah, Son of God and Son of Man. Jerusalem and the Temple (chaps 11-13). Jesus passive, suffers and dies in desolation: 'my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' (15.34). Ending full of enigma and awe (Mk. 16.1-8).

b) Matthew's human face - the teacher of Israel

Mid 80’s? Antioch? Jewish? 18,305 words, 1069 verses; half Mark, ¼ from Q(uelle), ¼ unique.

Jewish background, genealogy and Joseph. Jesus is another Moses, who teaches from mountains (5.1) and fulfils the law and the prophets. Five great blocks like the Pentateuch, (5-7, 10, 13, 18, 24-25). Mission to 'the lost sheep of the house of Israel' (10.6), opposition leads to a new community of faith, the Church (18). Woes to the leaders of Israel (23). Passion: additions Matt. 27.3-10, 17-25. abandonment (27.51-54). Resurrection and the division of Israel, (28.1-20).

c) Luke's burden-bearing ox – the Gospel for Gentiles

80’s v. Paul? 19, 400 words; 1149 verses; 29% from Mark; 13% Q; 43% unique; 15% mixed.

Luke's Preface (Lk. 1.1-4); infancy from Mary's viewpoint, among women and the lowly poor (1.5-2.52). Historical perspective and geography. Journey from Galilee to Jerusalem (9.51). Jesus' human development (2.40, 42) yet Saviour and Lord (2.11). Disciples include women (8.1-2), the seventy(-two) (10.1-16) and the enthusiastic crowds (12.1; 23.5). The disciples are better; Pharisees invite Jesus to dinner (7.36; 11.37; 14.1); opposition religious leaders in Jerusalem. Jesus is concerned for the poor, the lost and unacceptable, outcasts, women and Gentiles; prayer (11.1-4) and the Holy Spirit (4.18). Passion: concerned for the women (24.27-31) and praying for forgiveness (23.34, 43). Resurrection: he dines with friends (24.30, 35, 43); it ends 'in Jerusalem with great joy, in the Temple blessing God' (24.51-52).

d) John's high-flying eagle – the spiritual Gospel?

Date: 90s? connection with Apostle John? several editions? Asia Minor – Ephesus? 878 verses, 15,400 words. John’s Prologue (Jn. 1.1-18). Jesus centre stage; 'signs' and discourse, the Son, equal with the Father (10.30), yet dependent (5.19). Opposition from "the Jews" (2-12); disciples (13-17). Passion: Jesus in control, directing events (19.11), organizing his mother and disciple (19.26-27), fulfilling scripture (19.28) until 'it is accomplished' (19.30). Resurrection to comfort Mary (20.14), challenge Thomas (20.26) and restore Peter (21.15-19).