THE NEW TESTAMENT
THE FOUR GOSPELS
The four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—tell us about the life of Jesus. Yet they are not true biographies. They say little about Jesus' family background and youth, and nothing about His physical appearance. They concentrate almost totally on the three years of Jesus' ministry, but even here they do not give enough information to reconstruct a complete history of those years. Rather, attention is focused on the Person of Jesus and His teachings, and all four Gospels climax with Jesus' death and resurrection, and the events associated with them.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the “Synoptic Gospels.” The term “Synoptic” means they view the life of Jesus from a common perspective. After introducing Jesus in different ways depending on their purpose, they record the ministry of John the Baptist, the baptism and temptation of Jesus, His ministries in Galilee and in Judea, His final week in Jerusalem, His death and resurrection. In the Synoptic record Jesus characteristically refers to Himself as the Son of Man, and He proclaims the kingdom of God.
Despite the similarities in the Synoptic accounts, these Gospels vary in what material they include and in the arrangement of specific events. Furthermore, each Gospel was written to emphasize certain aspects of Jesus' Person and work. Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is the true Messiah and the object of Old Testament prophecy and expectation. Mark's fast-moving account was written to appeal to Roman Christians, and Luke's Gospel is addressed to a cultured Gentile and stresses Jesus' concern for all kinds of people.
The Gospel of John differs from the Synoptics in a number of ways. It tells more about Jesus' early ministry in Judea. John also records long thematic discourses by Jesus instead of the shorter sayings typical of the Synoptic accounts. In John, Jesus refers to Himself as God's Son and speaks of salvation as eternal life. More than the Synoptics, John includes theological reflection on the meaning of Jesus' life and death.
The question of the literary relationship between the Synoptic Gospels is not easily answered. In general, the Synoptics follow the same general outline and record similar material. Sometimes the accounts are almost identical, but at other times important differences are observed. This phenomenon is called the “synoptic problem,” and a number of theories have been advanced to explain the literary relationship of these three Gospels.
1. Some suggest that the writers of the three Synoptic Gospels drew their material from an earlier Gospel which has not been preserved.
2. Others have argued that oral tradition regarding the deeds and teachings of Jesus became fixed very early and that the similarities we see in the Synoptic Gospels are due to their dependence upon oral tradition. This theory is, however, insufficient to account for the possible existence of early written sources (see Luk_1:1-4), and the evident variations in form and content.
3. The most popular current theory maintains that Mark was the first Gospel and that Matthew and Luke utilized Mark as well as other sources in composing their own works. Some scholars who affirm Marcan priority hold to a “two-source theory,” in which Matthew and Luke also utilize another source commonly called “Q,” from the German word Quelle, meaning “source.” This second source is said to account for about 250 verses (mostly teaching material) common to Matthew and Luke but not found in Mark.
Other theories of Marcan priority hold that Matthew and Luke utilized multiple sources in addition to Mark. In a “four-source theory,” an M-source is postulated to account for material unique to Matthew, and an L-source for material peculiar to Luke.
4. Following a view widely supported by the early church fathers, some argue that Matthew was the first of the Synoptics. Luke, which utilized Matthew, is usually viewed as second; and Mark is third, being an abbreviated combination of Matthew and Luke. The preaching of Peter is also seen as a significant influence on Mark's Gospel.
Harmonizing the Gospels
A precise historical chronology, both internal and external, for the events described in the Gospels is difficult to determine. There is some uncertainty with regard to both the external historical events and the relationships between some events depicted in the Gospels themselves. For this reason, the Harmony of the Gospels presented here, together with the historical dates assigned, should be regarded as approximate.
Such uncertainties should not surprise us, however, for the Gospels do not pretend to be complete biographies of Jesus. The Gospel writers do give some historical markers, but their primary intention is to present the saving Person and work of Jesus Christ. While we may have full confidence in the historical character of the events described, there is much that the Gospels do not tell us (cf. Joh_21:25).
Traditionally, the life of Jesus was dated from 1 B.C. to A.D. 33. More recently, the birth of Jesus has been reckoned by many scholars c. 5-6 B.C. Suggestions for the date of Jesus' death range from A.D. 27 to A.D. 33, with the Passover period of A.D. 30 being perhaps the most probable.
The birth of Jesus probably took place a year or two prior to the death of Herod the Great in 4 B.C. (cf. Mat_2:1-23). There is considerable uncertainty regarding the census under Quirinius (Luk_2:2), usually dated c. A.D. 7. Some have suggested that Quirinius may have governed Syria twice, or that the census which took place at the time of Jesus' birth was the initial registration stage of a census completed during the time of Quirinius.
Luk_3:1 dates the beginning of John the Baptist's ministry to the “fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,” a date of some uncertainty (either A.D. 26 or 29, depending on the system of reckoning). According to Luk_3:23, Jesus began His ministry when He was “about thirty years of age.” While the Synoptic accounts of Jesus' ministry could take as little as a year, the record in John of Jesus' Passover visits to Jerusalem indicates a ministry length of about three years (though some argue for a two-year period of ministry). Thus, if Jesus' ministry began in A.D. 27, a three-year ministry yields a date for the crucifixion and resurrection in A.D. 30.
The Herodian Dynasty
Herod was the family name of several Roman rulers who served as provincial governors of Palestine and surrounding regions during New Testament times.
The first Herod, known as Herod the Great, was the Roman ruler of Palestine during the days of the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus when Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Mat_2:1; Luk_3:1). All the other different Herods mentioned in the New Testament were the sons or grandsons of this Herod.
Herod the Great (ruled 37-4 B.C.), was known as a master builder, organizer, and developer, although his policies were considered cruel and ruthless by the Jewish people. His most notable achievement was the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem—a project that required almost fifty years. He also rebuilt and enlarged the city of Caesarea into a port city on the Mediterranean Sea. Caesarea served as the Roman provincial capital for Palestine during the New Testament era. The magnificent aqueducts that he built at this city are still visible today.
Herod's son Antipas succeeded him as Roman governor of Galilee and Perea (Mat_14:1). Antipas was responsible for the imprisonment and death of John the Baptist (Luk_3:19, Luk_3:20; Mat_14:1-12).
Herod the Great's grandson Agrippa was named ruler over all of Palestine by the Roman emperor Caligula. Agrippa is known as a persecutor of early Christians. He had James put to death and had Peter arrested. Because of his cruelty and blasphemy, Agrippa was slain by an angel of the Lord (Acts 12).
In A.D. 50, Agrippa's son, known as Agrippa II, was made ruler of the king of Chalcis's territory. Later he was given Abilene, Trachonitis, Acra, and important parts of Galilee and Perea. The only reference to this Herod in the New Testament occurs in Act. 25:13-26:32, which deals with Paul's imprisonment in Caesarea. Agrippa listened to Paul's defense, but the apostle appealed to Rome. Agrippa had no power to set him free.
The other two Herods mentioned in the New Testament are Herod Archelaus (Mat_2:22) and Herod Philip (Luk_3:1). Both of these rulers were sons of Herod the Great; they ruled parts of the territory previously administered by their father.
No comments:
Post a Comment