Chapter Two

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ChapterTwo
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The Roman Catholic Church is often distinguished
from other Christian Churches by its commitment
to BOTH Scripture and Tradition (with a capital
T as major sources for understanding Jesus and
His message.
Pg.29
Many Protestant Churches rely almost entirely on
the Christian Scriptures alone as the basis for
their teachings and practices

• A. Scripture

B. Tradition
Teachings of the apostles, and
Written, inspired Word of God
experiences of the earliest Christians
Holy Spirit speaks through the sacred writers
Holy Spirit at work in the community
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Pg.14
Old Testament
New Testament
are called faith sources
Not to be read in the same way as we read history
textbooks or newspaper stories.
meaning
explanation
meaning
Vs.
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The Development of the Gospels
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Part Two
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Three major steps in the Development of the
Gospels
30
Stage One Jesus life and works
Stage Two Early Church remembers, retells the
stories, preaches
Stage Three Gospels written down
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Three major steps in the Development of the
Gospels
30
Stage One Jesus life and works
Stage Two Early Church remembers, retells the
stories, preaches
Stage Three Gospels written down
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39
Birth of Jesus
Public life, death, rising
10 bce 0 10 c.e. 20 30 40
50 60 70 80 90 100
Public
Jesus early years in Nazareth
Stage One
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Stage One Jesus life and works
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A. The basic facts
1. Jesus born a Jew around 5 B.C.E.
Grew up in Nazareth (in Galilee)
2. Began public life about age 30
Preaching, wonder-working, teaching, proclaiming
the kingdom
3. Varied reactions to his preaching
Acceptance, skepticism, hostility
Crucified by Romans about 30 C.E.
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B. The Resurrection
1. The belief that Jesus rose from the dead.
2. Three days after his execution his followers
started to experience him alive and present among
them.
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B. The Resurrection
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3. The event that led early Christians to believe
that Jesus was more than an ordinary man.
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B. The Resurrection
4. The Pivotal Event
a. The apostles were afraid and in hiding after
Jesus execution.
b. Once they experienced the risen Jesus, though,
they were changed!
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c. They began to fearlessly proclaim their
belief that
Jesus is the Divine Messiah,
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!
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d. Calling Jesus Lord
was the first Christians way of expressing their
belief in the
divinity of Jesus
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!

JESUS IS DIVINE
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e. The Resurrection
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is the central event for Christians
Belief in the resurrection is essential to
Christian faith.
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B. the Resurrection
C. The name Jesus Christ
1. Jesus
is a common Hebrew first name,
Yeshua
which means Yahweh (God) saves
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2. Christ is not Jesus last name
Christ is a title from Greek
christos anointed one
Translating the Hebrew word
meshach
anointed one
messiah
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Three major steps in the Development of the
Gospels
30
Stage One Jesus life and works
Stage Two Early Church remembers, retells the
stories, preaches
Stage Three Gospels written down
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39
Stage Two
Birth of Jesus
10 bce 0 10 c.e. 20 30 40
50 60 70 80 90 100
Public
Early Church
Jesus early years in Nazareth
preserves retells stories sayings of Jesus
period of
oral
Stage One
tradition
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Question
What two major factors moved the early church to
start writing down the oral traditions?
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Two answers
P. 38
1. As the church realized that Christ was not
coming back immediately, they needed to preserve
the teachings for future generations.

1. The continuing need to instruct and inspire the
   already existing communities of faith around the
   Roman Empire.

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Three major steps in the Development of the
Gospels
30
Stage One Jesus life and works
Stage Two Early Church remembers, retells the
stories, preaches
Stage Three Gospels written down
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I Public life, death, rising
II Stories handed down orally
III Gospels Written Down
10 bce 0 10 c.e. 20 30 40
50 60 70 80 90 100
Public
Early Church
Mark
Jesus early years in Nazareth
John
Luke and Matt
Missionary activity
Stories about Jesus
Stage Three
Stage Three
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The Four Gospels
70 C.E.
80 C.E.
100 C.E.
90 C.E.
Luke
(80s C.E.)
John
Mark
(95ish C.E.)
(65-70 C.E)
Matt.
(90ish C.E.)
Three Synoptic Gospels
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Four Portraits of Jesus
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Part Three
The Gospels
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Cool Als notes
Introduction
Authorship of the gospels
It is very difficult to establish exact
authorship of the gospels.
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Cool Als notes
Authorship of the gospels
Notes from the Harper Collins Study Bible (1993)

MATTHEW Cumulative evidence suggests an unknown
Greek-speaking Jewish Christian, probably a
scribe
In the second century it was attributed to
Matthew primarily to lend it authority.
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Cool Als notes
Authorship of the gospels
Notes from the Harper Collins Study Bible (1993)

MARK Nowhere in the second gospel is the author
identified The authorship of Mark remains an
enigma puzzle.
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Cool Als notes
Authorship of the gospels
Notes from the Harper Collins Study Bible (1993)

LUKE It may be finally impossible to prove or
disprove the traditional identification of the
author, but the name of Luke may be used without
making too much of it.
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Cool Als notes
Authorship of the gospels
Notes from the Harper Collins Study Bible (1993)

JOHN The gospel itself neither mentions John
nor names its author. Its author can no longer
be identified.
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P. 40
Gospel of Mark
Some Facts
1. The earliest shortest gospel
2. Used by Lk and Matt
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P. 41
Some Themes
1. Stresses Suffering of Jesus
S
2. Jesus is truly a human being e.g. strong
emotions
H
3. The most intimate portrait of Jesus
I
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Gospel of Luke
Luke
Some Facts
ACTS
1. First of two volumes
with Acts of the Apostles
2. Written by gentile Christian
for gentile Christians
3. Probably written in Rome
P. 42-43
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P. 42-43
Some Themes
1. Jesus as compassionate, loving and healing
C
2. Outcasts and Sinners have main roles
S
3. Holy Spirit has central role
H
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P. 43-44
Gospel of Matthew
Some Facts
1. Written by Jewish Christians
for Jewish Christians
2. The longest gospel
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P. 43-44
Some Themes
1. Jesus is the Messiah
M
2. Jesus fulfills prophecies of Old Testament
P
3. Interest in the Church
C
itself organization, communal life
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P. 45-46
Gospel of John
Some Facts
1. The last gospel to be written
philosophical, theological
2. Very Greek,
3. Represents a different gospel tradition from
the synoptics
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P. 45-46
Some Themes
1. Jesus as divine Son of God
D
2. Use of Symbolism
S
WBLS
water, bread, light, shepherd
3. Deep reflection on meaning
L
Love
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End of Chapter Two