Religious and political views in the synoptic gospels

¶ … Gospels

Compare and contrast the religious, political, and social views of the Samaritans, Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes

The Samaritans were a sect largely opposed to mainstream Judaism, hence Jesus' use of a Samaritan as an example of someone who was surprisingly compassionate, despite being of an ostracized sect; the Pharisees were the priestly, institutionalized ruling class; the Sadducees emphasized the rule of the Torah, versus the oral law endorsed by the Pharisees; the Essenes were a mystical sect largely credited with bringing forth many of the ideas reflected in the gospels.

Describe some features of Greco-Roman religion. In what ways did religion function differently than it does for people today?

Greco-Roman religion was a social construct: it meant honoring the gods of the city through sacrifices and public rituals. Religion was linked to the state's leaders and social institutions rather than something that satisfied personal, religious needs. However, separate 'cult' religions did exist which formed a more personal function. Also, as a polygamous religion, it was not necessary to give exclusive allegiance to one deity over another.

What are differences between ancient biographies and modern ones?

It is presumed that modern biographers have a certain degree of objectivity and adherence to facts that can be backed up by multiple sources: in the ancient world, biographers were more intent upon conveying the spirit or the idea of the man rather than established factual data. There was often open partisanship, depending on the national origin or ideological orientation of the biographer. Anecdotes might be included of dubious veracity.

Discuss the themes of Luke

"Of course, at the center of all the gospels is the question, 'Who is Jesus?' Luke, more than the other evangelists, relates this question to the big picture, both theologically and historically. Jesus is the fulfillment and center of God's redemptive purpose for all humanity" (Abbott). Luke's gospel stresses the role of Jesus in bearing the sufferings of the world and the universality of his ministry vs. The Jewishness stressed in Matthew or the exclusive nature of salvation in Mark.

What is the synoptic problem? Which Gospels are part of it? Discuss the four-source hypothesisu (also called the two-source hypothesis) and the implication this hypothesis has for dating the synoptic gospels.

The synoptic 'problem' is the fact that there is a tremendous amount of overlap between the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke, while the Gospel of John is quite distinct. The consensus is that Mark is the earliest gospel and Matthew and Luke used Mark along with another source (Q) to craft their narratives (Abbott). Regarding the dating, since Matthew is credited with being earlier than Luke, it is possible that Luke used Matthew as well as Luke in creating his account.

What is the messianic secret? How does this motif function as a theme in Mark's Gospel?

The Jesus of Mark's Gospel is the most difficult to understand: there is no story of his origin and he is secretive and opaque in his pronouncements. He reveals the fact that he is the messiah (the 'messianic secret') relatively late in the Gospel and the theme of the Gospel is one of unknowing and disbelief in the true nature of Jesus by the majority of the world, including those who are close to him.

Discuss Mark's portrayal of the disciples, particularly Peter. How are they presented and why?

Mark contains the most unattractive version of all the disciples: Peter is portrayed as misunderstanding Jesus' true nature, which is intimately linked to his betrayal or denial of Jesus (which Jesus predicts).

Describe the development of the New Testament canon. What are the different stages of transmission?

Mark is widely credited with being the oldest of the Gospels: it is also the rawest and the angriest, reflecting Mark's discontent with the world. As Christianity became more established it began to seek justification for its authority, hence the 'Jewish' emphasis inherent in Matthew's Gospel. Finally, in Luke, the oldest of the synoptic gospels, there is a stress upon the universality of Jesus' ministry -- Jesus' ability to minister to both gentiles and Jews is stressed in the structure of a narrative that borrows heavily from Hellenistic biography.

Discuss the ways in which Matthew portrays Jesus as a new Moses. Give specific examples.

Jesus, like Moses, is saved as an infant when Herod tries to kill all the male babies in Israel; Jesus like Moses flees to Egypt from Israel and back again (the reverse of Moses) when his life is in danger; Moses gives the Law on Mount Sinai while Jesus delivers the Sermon on the Mount; both Jesus and Moses fast for 40 days and 40 nights (The Gospel of Matthew, Worldview Publications).

Discuss literary presentation and style of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Also discuss the presentation of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

Matthew's Gospel contains the longest 'speech' related passages of Jesus (including the Sermon on the Mount), harkening back to prophetic literature in the Old Testament. The Jewishness of Jesus is reinforced by tracing Jesus' lineage to the Jewish royal lines at the beginning of the book as well. In contrast, Mark's Jesus literally comes from nowhere and is highly secretive in his presentation of his true nature to the world, even to his own disciples. Even the end of Mark's Gospel is fairly opaque. Luke draws the most from Greek narrative traditions and sources and his Jesus is the most compassionate and beneficent of all the versions of Jesus -- Luke's Jesus quietly bears his suffering with great forgiveness.