...Hebrew Bible or “Old Testament”. They believe him to be the savior of mankind, and the son of God. However, in modern times, the use of critical scholarship in analysis of the Bible and to the New Testament Gospels in particular, has lead to an accelerating rate of disintegration in the traditional Christian belief system. The term "scholarship" implies the application of the scientific method of the evaluating evidence on the basis of objective standards unhindered from any personal involvement or biases. The main source of information on Jesus is from the Christian Gospels. Some scholars claim that the sources on which the Gospels are based were written within the living memory of Jesus' lifetime. There are four such Gospels the earliest being Mark (68-73 AD), followed by Matthew (70-100 AD), Luke (80-100 AD), and John (90-110 AD). Many conservative Christians accept these writings as evidence for a historical Jesus and as an account of his life and death. According to the Christian Gospels, Jesus was born in Bethlehem between 6 BC and 6 AD. The Gospel Mark, reports that Jesus was "the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon" he also states that Jesus had sisters. Nothing of Jesus is recorded between 7 AD when Jesus visits the Temple in Jerusalem as a boy, and 25 AD when John baptized Jesus in the river Jordan. The Gospels states that starting around 27 AD, Jesus began traveling the country side performing miracles and preaching sermons around Galilee. Jesus reportedly preformed...
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...with them, and he simply responds with “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Levi is chosen to emphasize that he is of the worst sinners. The dinner with the sinners is a part of Jesus’ mission of this passage. The sinners were considered unclean and profane, yet Jesus is there to be their physician. He is there to pursue the faith in them (Just 96). Historical Analysis The Gospel of Luke was originally written in Koine Greek (McKenzie 525). The intended audience is Greek-speaking, meaning Christianity was an international religion. The Gospels of Luke, Mark and Matthew have many of the same stories, but sometimes in different words or order. One of the problems of these Synoptic Gospels is the synoptic problem. The synoptic problem is the interrelationship of the three of them and the similarity in content (Mueller 75,77). One solution is that Matthew used information from only Mark, and Luke wrote last, using both of the gospels before him (McKenzie 524). The two main theological parties in Judaism were Sadducees and Pharisees. The Sadducees are not mentioned much in the New Testament, but the Pharisees are debated with in this book. ‘Pharisees’ means righteous. Pharisees were the only ones who could keep the skill of being righteous (Green 246). Levi is presented as a tax collector from Capernaum. Levi is of low status and is...
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...and can it be solved? The first three (3) books of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, are commonly called the Synoptic Gospels. They have gained this title because they are very similar to each other yet commonly different from John's Gospel. In fact, their similarities and relation to each other have created one of the most debated subjects in the realm of New Testament Studies. This area of scholarship has adopted the name The Synoptic Problem. Determining the dependence or interdependence of each Gospel then attempts to conclude, which Gospel was written first, and subsequently, which Gospel then used the other as a primary source, and if not what source was then used to compile the gospel in question. “Mark's Gospel is the shortest of the three, yet large portions of it are also found in Matthew and Luke. Additionally, Matthew and Luke share a significant amount of verses (more than 200) that are not found in Mark. The similarities include subject matter, exact wording, and even order of events. When material is found in all three Synoptic Gospels, it is referred to as triple tradition. The material that is only found in Matthew and Luke is called double tradition, or Q. Also, the material that distinctively belongs to Matthew is called the M tradition, while that which belongs to Luke is called the L tradition” (The) The content of M suggests that the community for which this gospel was written, as stricter than the others in its attitude to keeping the Jewish...
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...BOOK CRITIQUE: WHY FOUR GOSPELS? Tiago Souza NBST 515 September 24, 2013 INTRODUCTION This work will analyze the book “Why Four Gospels” by David Alan Black. The main objective will be compare the Fourfold-Gospel Hypothesis opposed to the Markan Priority. In order to do that, this work will first analyze the historical background and reality context of the composition of each gospel. The author David Black has published over 100 scholarly articles and book reviews in such journals as Novum Testamentum, New Testament Studies, Bible Translator, Journal of Biblical Literature, and many others. He also serves as Professor of New Testament and Greek and the Dr. M. O. Owens Jr. Chair in New Testament Studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. SUMMARY The book starts by bringing up a description of the development of the gospels, and a not very known basic historical fact is that the Gospels were written through a not so brief period of time. The “Gospel according to Mathew” was published in 42 AD, and there was a 20-25 years gap between its publication and the publication of “Luke’s Gospel” and “The gospel according to Mark”. And than, another huge gap between the publication of those and finally “The Gospel of John” being published in 96 AD, so there was a 54 years interval between the publication of the 4 Gospels, and that fact shows that sometimes God likes to act in a way that takes time, seems unusual to human eyes, but in...
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...Introduction to the Bible as Literature English/Religious Studies 115 CRNs: 32306, 32307, 32306, 35587 Lincoln Hall 120 Monday and Wednesday 9:00-9:50 am Friday Sections Professor Rachel Havrelock Associate Professor Department of English raheleh@uic.edu Office 1909 University Hall Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 1:00-2:00 pm Professor Scott Grunow Lecturer Department of English Cobelli@aol.com Course Description This introductory class presents a literary perspective on the Bible. Texts from the Bible stand at the center of analysis, while accompanying textbooks help us to contexualize biblical materials within history. Each week revolves around a particular theme with one lecture on the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and one on the New Testament. Themes include creation, birth, the hero, the mountain, the community, the Temple, suffering, and the end of time. As we place biblical texts in their historical contexts, we will consider the Bible as a literary work with distinct genres, themes and conventions. The thematic connections between the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament will be explored at the same time that differences in their style and message are investigated. While reading the Bible, we will develop a vocabulary for discussing literary texts as well as a vocabulary specific to texts from the ancient world. This lively and pluralistic course provides a thorough introduction to the literature of the Bible. Course...
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...exclusively on God and His agenda as believers adore, worship, and submit to His will before they introduce their own personal petitions. The second half of the prayer focuses on how should disciple invite God to their daily life and live upon God’s continuous spiritual provision. Even with the second half where their wills are introduced, God still takes dominant position in the relationship. The discipleship of the followers thus is being presented through day-to-day prayers. Socio-Historical Background To fully understand the meaning of the text, the first thing to do is to step back to examine the society where the text was written, back to the time where the incident happened, thus we can fully grasp the context of the paragraph. The Gospel of Matthew as we know it was almost certainly written before A.D 100. It is quoted by Ignatius (Smyrn. 1.1), writing in approximately 110-115 A.D., and probably referred to in the Didache, which may date to sometime in the late 90s. External evidence helps us to confirm that Matthew wrote...
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...tax collector and even thanks God that he is not like other men and women. This sense of self drives a wedge in the Pharisees relationship to God and also brings wrath and judgment upon himself. As I read this passage I found myself saying, "I must remain humble." Asking that question daily in every situation and circumstance will help each to avoid a mind set of self-righteousness as seen in Luke 18:9-14. (cf. Forerunner Commentary) The historical context of Luke is fairly interesting. Upon reading the gospels one might conclude that Matthew, Mark and Luke all pretty much say the same thing. This is slightly true; the gospels' sole purpose is centered on the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus. However, the gospel of Luke begins by dedicating the writing to Theophilus in order that he might know that what was taught was trustworthy and true. It is thought that the gospel of Luke was written in order to stress the fact that the events he described in his gospel...
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...Lexington Bennett Haile 11:00 T/TH Exegesis Paper Exegetical Analysis of Mark 10:17-31 17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 18Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.” ’ 20He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ 21Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ 22When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions. 23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’ 24And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ 26They were greatly astounded and said to one another, ‘Then who can be saved?’ 27Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.’ 28 Peter began to say to him, ‘Look, we have left everything and...
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...heated debates about speaking in tongues. This modern movement has been one of the most intriguing and apprehensive trends of the contemporary charismatic movement. Glossolalia (speaking in tongues) has been responsible for numerous divisions among Christians because advocates who observe and practice speaking in tongues take the matter seriously. The gap in this division is wide, ranging from accusations of mental instability and personal impairment to direct and holy communication with God. It is the purpose of this paper to show that biblical evidence demonstrates that glossolalia is irrelevant for today. We will first introduce a working definition of glossolalia, then look at some important historical facts revealed in Acts, the gospel of Mark, and 1 Corinthians, consider supporting arguments from each side of the debate, and finally conclude with a position that is supported by thoughts from informed theologians and more importantly, the Holy Bible (God’s word). DEFINITION Glossolalia is derived from the Greek noun glossa which is interpreted as “the tongue, a language,” and the verb laleo which is interpreted as “to speak”. Therefore, glossolalia is a literal translation of the Greek words “glosso” and “laleo” meaning “speaking in tongues”. Oxford Dictionary defines glossolalia as a phenomenon of (apparently) speaking in an unknown language, especially in religious worship. The most common usage for the phenomenon is the phrase “speaking in tongues”. There are two types...
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...books, as before I did not really take interest of the other books included bible, aside from the likes of the Gospels, Genesis, Exodus, Psalms, and Proverbs. Nevertheless, I realized that the books are all part of the bible as each has a purpose to serve and stands as a testament to the infidelity of mankind, and of God’s unfailing love for...
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...southeastern baptist theological seminary Richard Bauckham’s Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006) makes a persuasive argument that the Gospels display eyewitness testimony and thus renews the quest for the identity of the Beloved Disciple as the author of the Fourth Gospel. While Bauckham attributes this Gospel to “the presbyter John” mentioned by Papias, the authors of this study show that the patristic evidence more likely seems to support the authorship of John the apostle and that the literary device of inclusio in the Fourth Gospel, astutely observed by Bauckham, also favors the authorship of John the son of Zebedee. Key Words: Fourth Gospel, Beloved Disciple, John, authorship, apostle, Zebedee, John the Elder, Papias, Eusebius, Muratorian Fragment, Polycrates, Irenaeus, Bauckham Introduction Recent years have witnessed a significant number of publications on the identity of “the disciple Jesus loved” in John’s Gospel. The ever more daring proposals have included identifications of this figure as diverse as the apostle Thomas, Mary Magdalene, Lazarus, James the son of Zebedee, and even the Samaritan woman, among others. 1 Most recently, Richard Bauckham has weighed in on this debate in his landmark volume Jesus and the 1. Thomas: James H. Charlesworth, The Beloved Disciple: Whose Witness Validates the Gospel of John? (Valley Forge, PA: Trinity Press International, 1995), 414–21. He lists and evaluates...
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...RESEARCH PAPER “The Theology of the Emerging Church” THEO 510 LUO Dr. Sanders Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Joseph M. Yarbrough November 10, 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………1 History of the Church……………….……………………………………………………………2 Church Doctrine…………………………………………………………………………………..3 The Emerging Church…………………………………………………………………………….4 Beliefs of the Emerging Church…………………………………………………………………..5 Methodologies of the Emerging Church………………………………………………………….8 Strengths and Weakness of the Emerging Church………………………………………………..9 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………….10 Works Cited……………………………………………………………………………………...12 Introduction Churches all across America are working hard in their attempts to increase the kingdom of God with all kinds of innovative and inspirational ministries. Many of these churches are tuning their worship services to make them more attractive and exciting to reach a new generation. According to George Barna, “Millions of dollars flow from church budgets into events each year in an effort to influence people’s thinking and behavior. Literally billions of dollars are spent every year maintaining, upgrading, and expanding buildings and facilities to provide the space and equipment required for the ministries planned by the church. To appeal to people who have thus far turned a cold shoulder to God, churches and denominations launch sophisticated marketing campaigns that are designed to reposition...
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...For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and glory, forever. Amen I have include an excerpt from my thematic paper in reference to the author of this verse. I find that it is important and is relating to the structure of the Gospel and the verse. Matthew: Many sources have the Gospel of Matthew being written in Hebrew and its intended audience were the Jews. Many people say “there are no Hebrew manuscripts of this text.” Upon further investigation this is true to an extent. This question first arose in the 16th Century by the Dutch Theologian and patristic scholar Desiderius Erasmus.” He concluded that there was no evidence of an Aramaic or Hebrew original of Matthews Gospel; it is ineffective to argue Matthews Gospel originally appeared in Aramatic and was translated to Greek.” Matthew’s Gospel relies heavily on the quotations and prophecies from the Old Testament, some believe that the author was a Jew who wrote his gospel for other Jews. We later learned that the Gospel was written in Greek and the Old Testament references were taken from the Septuagint, an ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. For this reason we can conclude that he must have been writing for a Greek-speaking audience. If Matthew’s author was writing the Gospel for a Jewish audience, it would have been for Jews that speak Greek that believed in the Septuagint and had no idea of Hebrew. Imperato (16-17) states that Jesus repeatedly relates to the...
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...Strategy………………………………………………………………………………………......14 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………….18 References………………………………………………………………………………………19 Introduction In Genesis 17:4 God promised Abraham that he would be the father of “many nations.” We see the evidence of this promise that is revealed through the many different people groups on Earth. God went on to also extend a blessing to all those nations (Genesis 22:17), however everyone in every nation has not realized or fail to believe the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. Fortunately, God has also given a provision for hope to those who are considered to be “unreached” by the Gospel. It is through the command issued to his disciples in Matthew 28:19, “go ye therefore and teach all nations,” that Christians today can literally change the world by taking the gospel to all four corners of the earth. Paul’s missionary journeys took him to places he probably would not have gone without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. However, the challenges of safety, and expenses of that era made it virtually impossible for Paul to have the same mission opportunites that mission workers have today. In less than twenty-four hours one can travel over 10,000...
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...Captains of Industry? Or Robber Barons? [pic] Overview: The thirty years plus, following the end of the Civil War, is often referred to as the “Gilded Age”. This was a term coined by Mark Twain, the most renowned American writer of the period. It refers to a superficial period of intense economic growth. During this time, businessmen created large business organizations known as trusts. The ingenuity of these entrepreneurs earned the titles of “Captains of Industry”. Yet, their ruthlessness in building wealth at the expense of their competitors, workers and consumers often earned them the title “Robber Baron”. This DBQ (Document Based Questions) asks you to decide whether these businessmen were “Captains of Industry” or “Robber Barons”. Background Essay During the post-Civil War period, an era commonly referred to as the Gilded Age, the economy of the United States grew at a fantastic rate. With the exception of a recession during the mid-1870s, and another during the mid-1890s, the economic growth was in unprecedented in United States history. Manufacturing output increased by 180 percent. Railroads, an important catalyst of growth, increased in miles by 113 percent. Steel production grew to over 10,000,000 tons per year by 1900. Every aspect of the American economy expanded from traditional activities to new enterprises brought about by the huge influx of cutting-edge technological inventions. The gross national product almost doubled during the period and the per...
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