NT 101-3 THE CANON AND THE TEXT OF THE NEW …



NT Survey - Lecture 3

THE CANON AND THE TEXT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

The canon of scripture refers to the question of how the 66 books of the New Testament that make up the protestant bible were chosen.

1. Canon – An English word from the Greek word “kanon” referring to a form of measurement.

2. The canon of scripture asked how the various books would be measures or analyzed.

3. Protestant Christian convictions concerning the OT simply followed the Jewish beliefs that were in existence at the time of Christ.

4. The Jewish people believed prophecy had ceased with Malachi in 400 BC, and subsequent religious literature was useful but not at same level of authority as the Jewish canonical scriptures.

Roman catholic emergence in the Christian world -

1. Books produced by Jews were treated as valuable.

Protestant Reformation (Middle ages, Catholic counter-reformation) -

1. OT apocrypha officially accepted as canonical.

2. Protestants and Catholics both agree on the precise 27 books of the NT canon.

Question – Why did Christians come to believe that any books at all should be added to the canon of scripture and treated on par with the OT books?

1. Most central answer – The open ended nature of the OT as a collection of books.

2. Open ended nature of the prophetical books at the end if the OT.

3. Record of both the old and new covenants required written records.

4. The record of the life of Jesus and its significant events.

Question – Why these particular 27 books?

1. Content of the books, all were about the nature and the person of Jesus, his work and ministry or immediate developments of these traditions in the first century.

Criteria for inclusion -

1. Widely accepted/recognized.

2. Linked to an apostle or an eyewitness of the life of Jesus

3. Non-contradiction with previous scripture. (OT or Hebrew scripture)

Question - What was left out?

Books possibly considered but left out mostly came from later areas of Christian history.

1. Second century Writings. (Apostlostic fathers)

2. NT apocrypha. (2nd – 5th century gospels)

3. Gnostic writings.

Question – Why were these left out?

1. Failure to satisfy all three of the inclusion criteria.

2. Highly unlikely that any new books will ever be added to the canon.

Reliability of the text of the NT scripture -

1. There are many copies of every portion of the NT books (not so with most other ancient books)

2. Oldest fragments of gospel of John come from first quarter of the 2nd century.

3. First complete copies of the NT preserved date to the 4th century AD.

4. Nearly complete copies of individual NT books emerge by the end of the 2nd to beginning of the 3rd century.

5. More than 5700 Greek manuscripts in existence prior to the printing press.

6. It is considered fortunate to have as many as 10 copies of other ancient books.

7. Meticulous comparison of the various documents provides a 99% or greater ability to reconstruct what was originally written.

Differences between copies -

1. Largely minor errors. Misspellings, minor omissions, and repetition of words.

2. Deliberate changes to clarify thought or harmonize content. (Modern versions contain footnotes to alert reader to differences)

3. No Christian doctrine depends alone only on disputed text.

4. Copies have been preserved with remarkable care allowing us to trust them.

Verse and Chapter references –

1. Not added until middle ages.

Modern language translations –

1. KJV produced in 1611.

2. Ancient scrolls had no chapter or verse references or paragraph divisions.

3. No titles, footnotes, or cross-references.

Four gospels vice one. How do they resemble and differ from each other?

1. First 3 (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) more alike than the fourth (John).

2. Synoptic gospels. Synopsis meaning look at together.

Question – How do we account for the first three gospels being alike and the fourth different?

1. Josephus and other ancient writers verify Jesus’ existence and execution.

2. Comparisons between the little historic writing on Jesus compared to the accounts in the gospels.

3. Most historical writings about royalty vice religious leaders.

Unity and diversity among the gospels –

1. Accounts compared side by side for harmonization of the accounts.

2. Chronological order of the life of Jesus does justice to all gospel data.

3. No impossible contradictions, however very minor differences do occur.

History of modern period of biblical study –

1. Begins by the late 1700’s, full bloom by mid 1800’s.

2. Provides more specific answers as to how the gospels were most likely related.

3. Source criticism referring to analysis by late 19th to early 20th century.

4. Analysis results in the conclusion that Mark was probably the earliest of the three synoptic gospels.

5. In late 20th century, form criticism or form history emerges.

- Oral cultures studies.

- Initial skepticism.

- Accurate preservation of traditions deemed sacred.

6. Minor deviations of wording in passages that occur in more than one gospel.

7. Gospel writers were editors/redactors.

8. Redaction criticism (analysis of editing) emerges in second half of the 20th century.

9. Matthew and Luke often explain potential confusion in Mark’s text.

Most recent years of formal biblical study-

1. Many additional methods added.

2. Understanding of sociology.

3. Understanding literary artistry.

Relationship between the synoptic gospels and John’s gospel –

1. Theological and stylistic differences.

2. Assumption that John did not rely on the synoptic gospels when writing.

3. Mediating perspective.

4. Consistent pattern of early Christian teaching.

NT Survey - Lecture 4

Introduction and Overview to the Gospels

Most scholars think Mark was written first

Mark

Gospel – εὐαγγέλιον Meaning “to bring good news”

• Marks writings where the first to talk about good news as Jesus preached, with the title being attached broadened the meaning to include the good news about Jesus Himself.

• Christians believed that because God was acting in a unique way in Jesus that the good news was supreme from any good news proclaimed by any Roman Emperor

• The gospels are like ancient Biographies in that they are selective, and spend a disproportionate time on the events surrounding the death of that person as the ancients believed that the manner in which someone died was an indicator of how they lived. This is why a disproportionate amount of Mark is spent on Jesus Death.

• Mark 10:45 The verse before Marks treatment of the first week of Jesus death shows Jesus own perspective on the significance of His death.

THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE WRITING OF MARK

AUTHORSHIP

• Attributed to John Mark, originally a traveling companion of Paul and Barnabas, until he deserted them on the first Missionary Journey, and the catalyst that caused both Paul and Barnabas to have such a strong contention that they parted ways. Acts 13-15. Later as indicated by both Paul and Peters letters that he eventually became a valuable minister of the gospel. According to early Church tradition by the 60's AD Mark became a companion to Paul in Rome where Mark wrote the memoirs of Peter regarding Jesus.

• Mark's name does not appear in the Gospel, as in other 3

• Some scholars have questioned Mark's authorship

• If he wasn't then his inclusion by the early church would seem strange because:

▪ He is a minor character in the epistles.

▪ Why choose someone who was most famous for his desertion

DATE

• Mark was written either in the late 50's AD to the early 60's AD or between 67—70 AD

CIRCUMSTANCES

• The circumstances behind the writing of Mark was linked with the persecution of the Christians. Mark seemed to be written with a view to emphasize certain aspects of Jesus life and ministry with a view to encourage them.

THEMES

VIEWS OF JESUS CH 1 V1: “SON OF GOD” “CHRIST”

• “SON OF GOD” This title must be viewed against the Greco-Roman view that emperors, men of renown and certain philosophers where viewed as divine men, Christians asserted that Jesus was uniquely the “Son of God”. That is God Himself indwelling human flesh. Mark 15 the centurion's confession. This title seems to frame the gospel and provides a lens for viewing the entire Gospel.

• “CHRIST” The Jewish Messiah. Within Mark is contained the MESSIANIC SECRET which was Jesus ordering those who recognized Him for what He was not to tell those around them. This is probably to counter any problems that a public recognition of Him as Messiah would cause amongst Military, Political and Religious forces. John 6:15.

• “SUFFERING SERVANT” Mark 10:45

FAILURE OF THE DISCIPLES TO UNDERSTAND THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST.

3 Views 8:27-29,30

• Mark wanted to achieve several things in writing:

1. Present fundamental themes

1. Clear up any misconceptions regarding Jesus.

1. Encourage Christians even in the midst of their failures, that there is always repentance and restoration

MATTHEW

AUTHORSHIP

Attributed to Mattew/Levi apostle of Jesus Christ.

DATE

Early 60's probably 63 AD just after Mark was written (n.b. There is thought that because Peter was the leader of the church and the Apostles then it would be natural for the other Apostles to wait until Peter had a written document before doing so themselves)

AUDIENCE

Primarily written to Jewish Christians in the Eastern part of the empire either Jerusalem itself or the Provence of Syria, perhaps to Antioch.

THEOLOGICAL THEMES

JESUS

1. TEACHER: Matthew adds 5 major Blocks of teaching from Mark.

1. Ch 5-7 Sermon on the Mount

2. ch 10 Comm?

3. Ch 13 Parables

4. Ch 18 Disciples being taught on humility

5. ch's 24-25 Woes to scribes and Pharisees teaching of return.

1. SON OF DAVID: Key term in Matthew which summarizes his emphasis, Jesus descended from Kings, and demonstrating His legitimate candidature for the title of Messiah

PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL FROM JEW TO GENTILE CH 10:5-6

• Culminating in the Great Commission

• JESUS' FULFILLMENT OF THE LAWS AND THE PROPHETS CH 5:17-48

• KINGDOM BEING TAKEN FROM THE CURRENT TENNANTS CH 21:43

• COMING JUDGEMENT (SHEEP AND GOATS) CH 25

BEST USED WITH

Jews and those familiar with the Hebrew scriptures

LUKE

AUTHORSHIP

Luke the companion of Paul also attributed with the writing of Acts

DATE

The ending of Acts may be abrupt because Luke was writing at the time that those events where happening so therefore had nothing more to add. This would put the dating at about 61-62 AD. Some scholars put the dating at just after the events of AD 70 based on the way Luke words the prophecy of Jesus concerning the Abomination of Desolation ch 21, showing some familiarity with the event.

AUDIENCE

Luke writes primarily to Theophilus, an unknown, but obviously a benefactor of Luke's

THEMES

• JESUS' HUMANITY AND COMPASSION

• TEACHER: A teller of parables 20+ more than in other gospels

• THE POWER OF PRAYER

• THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

• THE NECESSARY RESPONSE OF THE RICH

JOHN

AUTHORSHIP

The apostle John Jn ch 21.

• John the baptist is simply referred to John this would cause confusion if John had not been the author as he is never mentioned in this Gospel

DATE

Late 80's early 90's AD

THEMES

JESUS

CHRISTOLOGY

• “CHRIST”

• “SON OF GOD”

• LOGOS

• LAMB OF GOD

• INCARNATION

• “I AM”

EVANGELISM:

Seems to be a key theme running throughout the book

PRESENCE OF ETERNAL LIFE

Signs of Gods indwelling life and its reality

MIRACLES:

Key signs pointing to the arrival of the Kingdom

PRIVATE TEACHINGS

Private teachings that seemed exclusively for the disciples, ie a more intimate teaching structure than the synoptics

ETERNAL SECURITY:

JN 6:39

AUDIENCE

Non and New Christians

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