Syllabus and Assignments
COS 321
Bible III: Gospels
Upper Midwest Extension Course of Study School
Morningside College, Sioux City, Iowa
Fall 2016
September 9, 10 and October 21, 22
Dr. Chet Cataldo, Instructor
701-378-2327
When contacting me, please put in the email subject line: Course of Study
COS 321---Bible III: Gospels
This course focuses on the content and messages of the Gospels, as well as the theological perspective of the Gospel writers. In addition, various approaches of understanding the Gospels will be discussed. The practice of exegesis will be emphasized.
Course objectives:
1. Understand the origin, message and purpose of each Gospel.
2. Exegete this form of literature.
3. Apply exegesis to preaching and other pastoral responsibilities and issues of the present day.
Required Textbooks (new or used):
Fee, G.D. (2002). New Testament Exegesis: A Hand book for Students and Pastors. 3rd edition. Westminster John Knox Press.
Johnson, L.T. (2010). The Writings of the New Testament: An Interpretation. 3rd edition. Fortress Press.
Malina, B. & Rohrbaugh, R. (1993). Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels. 2nd edition. Fortress Press.
Throckmorton, B. ed., (1992). Gospel Parallels: A Comparison of the Synoptic Gospels. 5th edition.
Assignments:
Assignments 1-6 are due two weeks before the first class begins. Assignments 7-12 are due one week before the second weekend of the class.
Note: Assignments #1 and 3 are to be brought to class by the students. Please do not email them to me.
For question #3, make a photocopy of the pages from Throckmorton and underline as follows: Blue ink=words found identically in Matthew, Mark and Luke. Yellow ink=words found identically in Matthew and Mark. Red ink=words found identically in Matthew and Luke. Green ink=words found identically in Mark and Luke.
1. Read the Introduction and chapter 1 of New Testament Exegesis by Gordon Fee. Using the steps listed by Fee, exegete John 3:16.
2. Read part 1 of The Writings of the New Testament. Summarize the contributions of the Roman, Hellenistic, Palestinian and Diaspora Judaism to the times and conditions of the New Testament environment.
3. For the periscope entitled The Conditions of Discipleship #123 and The Transfiguration #124 found in the book: Gospel Parallels, underline the words in the colors as indicated above.
4. Read pages 155-158, the section entitled: “The Synoptic Tradition” of The Writings of the New Testament. What is the Synoptic Problem? What is the “two-source” solution?
5. Read pages 187-202, Chapter 8: The Gospel of Matthew, The Writings of the New Testament. Why does Johnson call Matthew’s Gospel, the Gospel of the Church? Summarize his section on Jesus Son of David.
6. Read pages 159-169, Chapter 7: The Gospel of Mark, The Writings of the New Testament, summarize what Johnson says are some of the key characteristics of the Gospel of Mark.
7. Read pages 213-222, Chapter 9: The Luke-Acts, The Writings of the New Testament, list some of the key characteristics of the Gospel of Luke.
8. From the beginning of Luke’s Gospel, list the three sources the author of Luke says he used in writing the Gospel.
9. What parts of Luke 3:1-21 are not found in Matthew or Mark? What parts of Luke 3:1-21 are found in Matthew but not in Mark? List these verses.
10. In the account of Jesus’ death on the Cross, the Centurion’s confession is quite different in the Gospel of Luke than in Matthew and Mark (Gospel Parallels #250). What could be the reason for this if Luke had access to either Matthew of Mark’s Gospel?
11. Read pages 528-531, the section entitled “John and the Synoptic Tradition” in The Writings of the New Testament, list the major characteristics of the Gospel of John that Johnson mentions.
12. Read pages 541-544, section entitled: “Self-Identification by Jesus”, The Writings of the New Testament, list and discuss how the Gospel of John describes Jesus’ self-identification.
Instructions:
Read the pages assigned, take notes and answer the questions, if there are in the assignments. Digest the ideas of the readings, and answer the questions in your own words.
Follow approximate length given for each item of written work. Your work should be double-spaced, with a one-inch margin. Please use 12-point font. Do not use script, condensed, or all caps.
On each page of your work, include a header with your name, the class number, and the page number. Begin each new question on a new page, writing the number of that question at the beginning of your answer.
If you quote from a printed text, you must use quotation marks and not the source (including pages) in parentheses at the end of each usage. Quotations should never be more than a sentence or two long. Ideas and information should be stated in your own words, not in the words of the authors you have read. For assigned texts, you may abbreviate the titles by using the first letter of each word in the title. For example, if the source is Harper’s Bible Dictionary, the use (HBD, pp. 34-35 or the pages that are appropriate to your usage). If you refer to books that are not listed on the class reading list, then you must give full bibliographic information.
Add a title page to each course of each module that includes: (a) the name and number of the course (b) your name.
Submit your written work: for the September class---two weeks before the class and for the October class a week before the start of the class. Assignments maybe sent electronically. You may want to make a copy of your assignments and bring it with you for your own use.
Submission note: When contacting me by email, please put Course of Study in the memo line of your email. This will prevent me from deleting your email and greatly aid you in the successful completion of the course.
POLICY NOTE: Using other people’s materials without documentation, whether from a book, journal, teacher, another student, sermon service or lectionary aid, is unacceptable behavior. Such activity, otherwise known as plagiarism, usually means failure for the course with notification sent to the Conference Course of Study Registrar and the Division of Ordained Ministry. Professors will report all instances of plagiarism to the Director of the Course of Study. The Director will arrange for a meeting with the professor and the student, and the student will be given the opportunity to explain the situation. The Director, in consultation with the professor, will make a decision about what action is appropriate for a first instance of plagiarism. Such action could include, rewriting the material, or failure for the course. A brief summary of the meeting will be prepared by the Director, and placed in the student’s file in the Course of Study Office and kept there until the student completes the Course of Study Curriculum. If a second instance of plagiarism is documented, the student will fail the course and the Director will determine what other consequences may apply (policy rev. 6/00).
Grading System:
Your grade for this course will be based on the following:
50% assignments completed before the beginning of the class
50% class participation
As always, respect for each other and the views of others will be a priority.