Themes & Storylines of the New Testament

Small groups

• What do you know about Jesus?
• Where do you get this knowledge?

How Catholics read Scripture

• Inspired - not dictated
• Historical & cultural context
• Intertextual reading

“The Word of God, which is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, is set forth and displays its power in a most wonderful way in the writings of the New Testament.” (CCC 124)

Dei Verbum 19: “ In composing the four Gospels, the sacred writers selected certain of the many traditions that had been handed on either orally or in written form; others they summarized or explicated with eye to the situations of the churches. Moreover, they retained the form and style of proclamation but always in such a fashion that they related to us an honest and true account of Jesus.”

“The fourfold Gospel holds a unique place in the Church, as is evident both in the veneration which liturgy accords it and in the surpassing attraction it has exercised on the saints at all times.” (CCC 127)

Overview of Gospels

• Witness of Jesus and early church
• Witness of Jesus
• Person of Jesus
• Kingdom of God
• God as Father
• Concern for marginalized

Overview of Gospels

• Love
• Forgiveness
• Jewish laws/law of love
• Jesus reveals God to us

Mark

• 65-70 CE
• Author: John Mark
• Audience: Gentile Christians
• Jesus as hidden Messiah/eschatological judge
• Jesus is suffering Messiah
• Attacks on Jesus - parallels
• Miracle worker

Matthew

• 85-90 CE
• Author: Matthew, aka Levi
• Audience: Greek speaking Jewish Christians and Gentiles
• Jesus as teacher greater than Moses
• Jesus = inaugurator of New Covenant, fulfills prophecies
• Jesus - true Messiah; supreme teacher of Torah and morality
• Placement in canon

Luke

• 85-90 CE in Greece
• Author: Luke
• Audience: Gentile Christians
• Jesus as savior for all
• Jesus lives out teachings
• Continuity with time of disciples

John

• 95-100 CE
• Author: John
• Audience: Jewish Christian community
• High Christology
• Jesus as Divine Wisdom; Word of God; Son of God; dual role

Letters/epistles

• Witness to early Christianity
• Dei Verbum 20
• Impact of life, death, resurrection
• Movement outside Israel
• New identity of Christians

Letters/epistles

• 13 from Paul
• To Hebrews
• "Catholic" letters

Pauline letters

• Former Pharisee
• Revelation of risen Jesus
• Broad influence
• Addresses early Christian concerns
• Canonical order

Revelation

• 92-96 CE
• John of Patmos
• Message of hope
• Symbols, images

Who is Jesus?

Jesus

• Son of God
• Son of Man
• New Adam
• Messiah
• Rabbi
• Teacher
• Healer
• Savior

“All the Scriptures - the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms - are fulfilled in Christ. The Gospel is this ‘Good News.’ “ (CCC 2763)

Why Jesus?

Why Jesus?

• Salvation
• Forgiveness of sins
• Extension of the law
• Show us how to live

Kingdom of God

Small groups

• Kingdom of God?
• God?
• Our actions?

How are we to live?

How we are to live

• Jesus' second coming
• Heal divisions
• Apostolic authority
• Faith
• Christian love