Chapter 51: Gospels

1. A. The story of Nathaniel tells of someone important coming to a place. The people excitedly	 anticipate his coming, but he never arrives. This is similar to the promised messiah in the Old Testament (OT). People plan for the promised messiah, but he never comes.
B. The OT is a covenant between God and the Jews through the mediation of Moses
The NT is a covenant between God and all people through the mediation of Jesus.
C. NT fulfills the OT a.k.a. adulthood fulfilling childhood. OT is the foundation for the NT. Jews / all people + Moses / Jesus !
D. Gospels: Tell the good news: the messiah’s coming!
Acts: tells how the good news was preached to the world. 
Letters: tells how the good news was lived in the world
	Revelation: tells how the good news is opposed by the world but will re-create it.

Note: Christian scriptures do not erase and replace the Hebrew scriptures, they complete them!! Jews are our spiritual brothers. God’s covenant with the Jews also applies to us. Jews are the foundation for Christianity. The covenants are important.

Chapter 52: Birth of Gospels 

1. Jesus foretold Pentecost. He said when the Spirit comes, who reveals the truth about God, he will lead you into all the truth. 
2. They thought that Jesus would return after they preached the Gospel to all nations. 
3. Recording it before they died was to guard against having it distorted or changed by people. They also knew that they could not preach it to the entire world in their time. 

Note: Pentecost is the oral stage. Pentecost is the birth of the church. The oral stage came after the Pentecost, and the gospel was born. 

Chapter 53: Three Gospel Stages

A. 
1. Life Stage: what the disciples experienced. Began with Jesus’ birth and ended with his ascension to heaven. This is the actual events. 
2. Oral Stage: what the apostles preached.
3. Written Stage: what the evangelists recorded. 

B. 
1. Historical: Record the events in chronological order. 
2. Biographical: Follow one person through his life. 
3. Invitational: Take the important high points and arrange them thematically. 

C. So that you may believe that Jesus is the messiah, the son of God, and that 
through your faith in him, you may have life.  

Note: Oral is more important than written. The disciples and apostles carried 
on the oral tradition. The apostles + bishops (& pope) together with the Holy Spirit 
have the authority to interpret the scriptures because they are the direct descendants 
of the people who actually started + carried on the oral tradition. Why is oral more
important? They wrote it down to prove that oral is the absolutely correct and 
true. Oral is the original statements. There was some things that weren’t written
 down. Oral is the full + real truth. Written proves the oral tradition. If it’s
 not from the oral tradition, it cannot be true. 

Also Note: Apostolic; tradition which comes from the apostles. Main purpose of communities, is to stay true to the apostolic traditions. 

Also Note: The gospel is written down to prove that the oral tradition is authentically true. Bishops withhold the apostolic tradition. Oral is the original. The bishops are spiritual descendants, not physical. How you get a new bishop / leader. 3 others come in, lay on hands. Truth is Oral Tradition + Scriptures : one cannot contradict the other. 

Chapter 54: Four Gospel Perspectives

Evangelist + Time + Place + Primary Audience + Jesus Portrait

Mark + -70CE + Rome + Persecuted Romans + Suffering messiah

Matthew + 70+CE + Syria + Converted Jews + teaching messiah

Luke + 70+CE + Greece + Lower class Greeks + Compassionate messiah

John + 90+CE + Ephesus + All Christians + Life giving messiah

Chapter 55: Mark’s Gospel

1. 
A. Tradition says Mark was the young man who guided the apostles to the upper room where Jesus celebrated the Last Supper. 
B. Some think the room belonged to Marks’ mother and eventually became a meeting place for Christians. 
C. Tradition says Mark eventually ended up in Rome with Peter. 
D. Mark wrote his gospel primarily for Christians suffering persecution.

2.	
A. Part One: Jesus is the Christ
     Part Two: Jesus is the Son of God. 
B. Mark teaches the “suffering messiah” to remind the Christians of Rome that their Lord and God suffered, and that they, too, can expect to suffer. 

Chapter 56: Matthew’s Gospel

A. Prologue: Jesus’ early years Body: Jesus’ kingdom teaching Epilogue: Jesus’ death and rising. 
B. It compares to the Torah in that it is divided into 5 books, which he calls “five instructions of Jesus.” 
C. Because the audience that he is preaching to is Jewish Christians. 
D. The phrase according to is significant because it leaves open the possibility that an associate of Matthew could have recorded it, as is all the other gospels. 
E. Jesus portrait of a teaching messiah. 

Note: Matthew was a tax collector, so his gospel is organized. He was rich. His gospel tells of Jesus fulfilling Jewish prophecies and teaching what he tries to show in his gospel. Prove that Jesus is the messiah!

Chapter 57: Luke’s Gospel

1. Paul’s letters: “Luke is with me” “Luke sends you greetings” “Luke, our dear doctor, and Demas send you their greetings.” Luke’s Acts: Alludes to Paul by shifting from “he” (Paul) to “we” (Luke and Paul)
2. A. Luke explains Jewish customs and locates Jewish towns, to help people unfamiliar with Jewish customs and geography. 
    B. “Happy are your poor; The Kingdom of God is yours! Happy are you who are hungry now; you will be filled! Happy are you who weep now; you will laugh!” proves his stressing poor. 

Chapter 58: John’s Gospel

1.  John begins his gospel somewhat as a musical composer begins a symphony: with a beautiful overture that previews and sets the tone for what is to follow. It tips us off that his approach to Jesus will differ dramatically from the other three evangelists. 
2. One reason for John’s different approach is that he writes at a later date and addresses more mature Christians. 
3. 1. He rarely uses the story format. 2. John has Jesus identify himself with God’s sacred name “I am”. 3. John identifies Jesus, almost immediately, as the messiah. 4. John substitutes eternal life, in the place of Kingdom of God. 

59: Birth

1. A. Jesus was born during lambing season in the spring. Lambs born in Bethlehem were destined for sacrifice in the nearby Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus’ birth during lambing season at Bethlehem act as a poetic preview of his mission. He is the “lamb of God” who mission is to be “sacrificed” in Jerusalem. 
B. Second, the place of Jesus’ birth points to his future lifestyle. He is born in a stable and his crib is a manger (animal food box). This suggests that Jesus will live on earth, not among the rich and powerful, but among the poor and helpless. 

60: Presentation

1. A. ‘Circumcision’: initiated the child into the community of God’s people. 
B. ‘Presentation’: consecrated the firstborn male to God in gratitude to God for saving Israel’s firstborn from the final plague in Egypt. 
C. ‘Purification’: welcomed the mother back into full participation in the worshiping community. 
2. “U have seen your salvation…a light to reveal your will to the Gentiles and bring glory to your people Israel.” He is stating that Jesus is the messiah. “This child will be a sign from God which many people will speak against…and sorrow, like a sharp sword, will break your own heart.” He says that Jesus will be oppressed, and Mary’s heart will be wrought with sadness. 

61: Magi

1. A. History: Remembered events; The first thread, says the magi, were not kings but advisors to kings in religious and scientific matters. 
B. Prophecy: Biblical prophecies; the 2nd thread, says the promised messiah will: Be born in Bethlehem + shine like a bright star + receive royal gifts. 
C. Inspiration: Divine guidance; 3rd thread, is the Holy Spirit’s guidance of the evangelist. 
2. Herod ordered a massacre of all male babies. Jesus escaped when Joseph was warned in a dream to flee. 
3. A. Gold: is the “king of metals” and points to his “kingship”.
B. Frankincense: is used in worship and points to his divinity. 
C. Myrrh: is used in Jewish burial rites and points to Jesus’ humanity. 
4. Herod’s hostile reaction to Jesus, opposed to magi’s positive reaction, previews how many people will react to Jesus. Many Jews will reject him, and many Gentiles will accept him. 

62: Baptism

1. Three images: heaven opening + dove descending + voice speaking.
A. New era: god, in the person of Jesus, has come down from heaven to correct things. 
B. New creation: dove descending recalls god’s power descending upon the waters before the creation of the world. Rabbis compared God’s power to a dove. Dove descending signals the dawn of a new creation. 
C. New Adam: voice speaking identifies Jesus as the new Adam of the new creation. 
2. A. John’s baptism involved rejecting an old life, and repentance. Christian baptism involves rebirth, receiving a new life. 
B. Taking holy water and blessing ourselves symbolizes the renewal of our original baptismal commitment. 

63: Temptations

1. A. Jesus’ clear-cut victory over Satan is a dramatic preview of his identity. He is not only human (Son of Man) but also divine (Son of God). 
B. Mission: he has come to right Adam’s wrong. Satan tempted Adam to sin. That sin brought death to all. Satan tempts Jesus, the new Adam. Jesus stands tall, and his victory restores life to all. 
C. 1. Lifestyle will be to suffer, not to avoid suffering: refusal to turn stone into bread. 
2. His style will be to serve, not be served: refusal to leap off the Temple and be saved.  
3. Destroy evil, not barter with it: refusal to bow to Satan. 

X64: Inauguration

1. When Jesus left the desert, “the power of the Holy Spirit was with him.” He went to Galilee and began preaching in towns and synagogues. He began to preach the message “The Kingdom of God is near! Turn away from your sins and believe the good news.” 
2. A. The prophecy Jesus read was written by Isaiah, and it prophecies about the coming messiah. Jesus explains that he is the fulfillment to the prophecies, the foretold messiah. 
B. The people are appalled at Jesus’ claim to be the messiah, because they probably thought that he was being blasphemous. Claiming to be the messiah is not something that people would take lightly. The people dragged Jesus to the top of the hill on which their city was built on. They meant to throw him off the cliff, but he walked through the middle of the crowd, and went his way. 
C. This episode recalls Simeon’s prophecy that Jesus will “be a sign from God which many people will speak against.” It also reminds us of the magi story and it’s revelation that many Jews will reject Jesus.  
3. The synagogue began in Babylon, when exiled Jews could no longer frequent the Temple. When they returned home, they continued to meet in synagogues, to pray and study. Israel’s only temple was in Jerusalem, but almost every town had a synagogue. 

X65: Sings

1. A. Teras: means “marvel”. It stresses that Jesus’ miracles makes people wonder. 
B. Dynamis: means “power” (dynamite). It stresses that Jesus’ miracles reveal a “godlike” power present in Jesus.
C. Semion: means “sign”. It stresses that Jesus’ miracles make people ask “What does this mean?”. 
2. A. To Proclaim: Jesus is the messiah, come to inaugurate God’s kingdom
B. To Invite: people to open their hearts to him and his teaching. 
3. A. The key is not the flashing light but the meaning of it. It is the same way with Jesus’ miracles. The key is not the miracles, rather, it is their deeper meaning. 
B. Jesus’ miracles operated at two levels : Sense Level (what people saw, ex blind man restored to sight) and Sign Level (the deeper meaning of the miracle. The photograph is the sense level, while the X-ray is the sign level, with a deeper meaning. 

X66: Proclamations

1.	A. Jesus performed a similar exorcism to that of the movie The Exorcist. It was in the synagogue at Capernaum. Jesus said that It proves that the Kingdom of God has come to you. He also proclaimed the coming of the Kingdom of God by: forgiving sinners, curing the sick, and raising the dead. Jesus’ power over these three evils is a dramatic sign pointing to the demise of Satan’s kingdom and the rise of God’s Kingdom. 
B. The prophet Isaiah has foretold that the following signs would proclaim the messiah’s arrival. The blind will see, the deaf will hear, and the lame will leap. When people asked if Jesus was the promised one, Jesus cites his miracles as fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecies. 
2.	A. Lourdes is a place in France where a 14-year-old girl reported seeing visions of Mary. Many people visited the site and were healed. 
B. Nobel prize winner and skeptic Dr Alexis Carrel traveled to Lourdes and stayed with a sick girl who has traveling there. He said if she was cured by Lourdes, he would believe. He accompanied the girl, and witnessed her cure with his own eyes. 

X67: Invitations

1. A. Besides serving as proclamations of God’s kingdom and the Messiah, Jesus’ miracles also served as invitations to people. 
B. 
1. The healing of the blind is an invitation to open our eyes to what Jesus does. 
2. The healing of the deaf is an invitation to open our ears to what Jesus says. 
3. The raising of the dead is an invitation open our hearts to Jesus’ teaching and             God’s Kingdom (let God reign as king over our hearts) 
2.

1. The Unnumbered Group: those who accepted Jesus’ teaching and put all their trust in him. 
2. The 72 Disciples: whom Jesus sent out two by two, to go ahead of him to every town, where he himself was about to go. He said to them, “There is a large harvest, but few workers to gather it in.”
3. “The Twelve”: The apostles under the leadership of Peter. Jesus entrusted to them God’s Kingdom. They are the tiny mustard seed from which grew the great tree we now call the Church. 

Luke 15:11

- Younger son demands inheritance.

Older Son
   +			>>>			Exotic game room 
FATHER					(Son spends inheritance)

						- ends up working with the pigs
						- Jews can’t eat + touch + talk 2 pigs
						- Son #2 : unclean + degraded. Outcast
						from Jews.

Hugging: welcomes him back 		
Shoes: sign of freedom			
Ring: “I forgive you” Re-entered the family