From Jesus to the Gospels
September 16
From the Temple to the Upper Room
September 23
The Kerygma of the Early Church: Sermons in Acts
September 30
The Kerygma According to Paul: 1 Corinthians 15
October 7
The Teaching of Jesus: Embedded into the Letters
October 14:
What Are the Gospels?
October 21
Choosing to Follow Christ into the New Covenant Community
From Jesus to the Gospels
Basic Questions of Series
How did we get from Jesus to the four Gospels?
It is a very different journey from what you might think.
What are the Gospels? When were they written? What was the
purpose of writing them? How do they fit into the establishing
process? And when?
The Quest of the Historical Jesus
The Quest
The Quest for the Historical Jesus, by Albert Schweitzer (1911).
So this is a 100-year quest or conversation.
The New Quest (of the 1950s and 1960s)
Jesus was a prophet (or a poor peasant). Over time, the Church
propagated the resurrection myth.
The 3rd Quest (1980s and 1990s; N. T. Wright’s work)
Jesus Seminar, lost gospels, Da Vinci code, etc.
The Quest of the Historical Jesus
The 3rd Quest (1980s and 1990s)
N. T. Wright’s work
The Quest of the Historical Jesus
The 3rd Quest (1980s and 1990s)
The Graeco-Roman biography conversation
The Quest of the Historical Jesus
How important is this quest?
The whole discipleship movement has to be radically rethought, if these
conclusions are accurate.
The orality/literacy debate is distorted, if these matters are
misunderstood. This shapes the whole curricular approach to oral
converts in the massive, Global South church-planting movements.
It has huge implications for setting out curricular processes in
establishing churches and believers.
The Quest of the Historical Jesus
False dichotomies are everywhere, adding to the confusion:
•
Jesus vs. Paul
•
Following Jesus vs. joining a church
•
Story/experience vs. theology/cerebral
•
Eastern (story) vs. Western (analytical)
•
Modern (academic) vs. postmodern (spiritual)
The Quest of the Historical Jesus
In short, almost all contemporary discipleship material
•
misuses the Gospels
•
misinterprets the Gospels
at almost every turn.
Let’s put the Gospels in context.
Gospels in Context
Three Stages of Gospel Formation:
1. The public ministry and activity of Jesus of Nazareth (the
first third of the 1st century AD).
2. The (Apostolic) preaching about Jesus (the second third of
the 1st century AD).
3. The written Gospels (approximately the last third of the 1st
century AD).
An Introduction to the New Testament by Raymond Brown
Gospels in Context
First Century Reality
Kerygma (the Gospel proclamation)
Eyewitness notebooks (+ oral)
Theological reflection
Gospels with full understanding of Kerygma
Church emerges from Judaism solidified
Jesus and the Eyewitnesses by Richard Bauckham
From Jesus to the Gospels
Week 1 Questions
Who exactly was Jesus?
What did He come to do? What was His core mission?
Who did the disciples think He was? . . . before and right after
his crucifixion?
Jesus and His Mission
He was the Messiah, the coming Jewish deliverer who was prophesied in
the OT, who would deliver Israel and bring in the kingdom of God.
1. Saved from the coming judgment on the Jewish leaders, the
Temple and Jewish system, and the faithless generation.
2. He was creating a new community built around Him rather
than Judaism—that is Christianity (the Church).
The Unfolding Kerygma (Gospel)
1.
Forgiveness of sins—show receptiveness and readiness to follow Jesus into
the New Community.
2.
Repent and believe and you will be saved—from the judgment coming to
this generation.
3.
Gospel (“news of victory”)—the time has arrived for God to fulfill OT
promises to Israel, for the Messiah to arrive, and for God to set up His
kingdom.
4.
Sermon on the Mount—preparation for choosing to follow Jesus into the
New Community, cracking open their “Judaism worldview.”
5.
Rich young ruler challenge—what is necessary to let
Jesus into the New Community.
go and follow
The Jerusalem Churches
Week 2 Questions
How did the Jerusalem churches understand Him? . . . and His
work? (after His resurrection and ascension?)
What did they not yet understand?
The Jerusalem Churches
Peter’s Five Sermons
Look at several key sermons:
Acts 2:14–42 Peter
Acts 3:11–26 Peter
Acts 4:5–13 Peter
Acts 5:27–32 Peter and the Apostles
Acts 10:1–48 Peter
Essence of Message
• Every nation acceptable
• You know the message
 Jesus Christ—Lord of all
 Beginning with baptism of John
 Went about doing good
 Death and resurrection
 Appearances
 Judge of living and dead
 Everyone who believes receives forgiveness
The Jerusalem Churches
How did the Jerusalem churches understand Him? . . . and His
work? (after his resurrection and ascension?)
What did they not yet understand?
Jerusalem Churches
What did they understand?
1. They understood that Jesus was resurrected, was sitting at the
right hand of God, and would come back and judge the living and
the dead.
2. They understood that they were part of a new community,
formed by Jesus, and that the Spirit of God would instruct and
lead them.
3. They understood that everyone who believed in Jesus would
receive forgiveness of sins and be accepted into this community
(baptism).
Jerusalem Churches
What did they not understand?
At least two things:
1. They did not understand the Church yet. They thought that
this New Community of Jesus was to be contained inside
Judaism, like sort of the heart of God fulfilling all of His
kingdom promises to Israel.
2. They did not understand yet that Jesus would not come back
for a long time.
What Is This Kerygma Thing?
The Kerygma is the Gospel Proclamation. It is their explanation of
who Jesus was, what He came to do, and the testimony of His
resurrection.
It was a challenge to those hearing the proclamation—to repent and
believe for forgiveness of sins and for entrance into the New
Community.
What Was the Apostles’ Teaching?
It was the exposition of The Law, The Prophets, and The Writings (the OT Scriptures), in
light of the Kerygma.
Luke 24:7 “Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the
things about himself in all the scriptures.” …32 They said to each other, “Were not our
hearts burning within uswhile he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the
scriptures to us?”
They were working back through the Old Testament—every part of it, all three sections,
and discovering its true meaning as related to Christ. Passages were making sense that
had been veiled by Judaism.
Kerygma 15 Years Later
Paul preached the same Kerygma—proclaimed the same gospel and told
the same Jesus story. But now it was fuller—more of it and its implications
were revealed and understood by Paul, and increasingly by the Apostles and
the New Community, now known as the Church.
Embryonic form—Jesus’ preaching (proclamation)
Adolescent form—Jerusalem church / Peter’s Sermons
Reaching maturity—Paul’s letters
Eyes to See, Ears to Hear
Jesus’
preaching
Peter’s
Sermons
Paul’s
Letters
Kerygma in Paul’s Letters
Will be completed at the return of the
Messiah
Already anticipated in the lives of those who
have been grasped by the word of the Gospel
At that time:
New creation, dawning of a new day,
life in this new world
Jesus’ death and
resurrection
will be rescued from
corruption.
will share in the glory
enjoys.
N. T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God, p. 219
1. The dead will be raised.
living will be transformed.
So that all His people
ultimate
He already
2. The
Kerygma 15 Years Later
One of the key descriptions by Paul of the Kerygma (the
proclamation) is found in 1 Corinthians 15.
As we begin working with it, we see that the resurrection
becomes the clear focus. This will become central in all of Paul’s
writings.
1 Corinthians 15:1–11
1 Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters,of the good newsthat I
proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand,
2 through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the
message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in
vain.
1 Corinthians 15:1–11
3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had
received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures,
4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in
accordance with the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then
to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers
and sistersat one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have
died.
1 Corinthians 15:1–11
7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as
to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the
apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church
of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace
toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than
any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
11 Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come
to believe.
1 Corinthians 15:1–11
“Good news that Paul proclaimed” (Kerygma)
• I received it.
• I handed it on to you.
What did he receive?
• The gospel story (Kerygma).
• It was witnessed to by Peter, by the 12, by 500.
• The same story of Peter’s sermons 15 years ago.
Handed down
1 Corinthians 15:1–11
Kerygma Paul received
Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
He was buried, and raised from the dead according to the
Scriptures.
He appeared to many witnesses.
Why does Paul emphasize the many witnesses? That will become
clear as he unfolds this chapter.
1 Corinthians 15:12–19
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no
resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not
been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain
and your faith has been in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because
we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead
are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17 If Christ
has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who
have diedin Christ have perished. 19 If for this life only we have hoped
in Christ, we
are of all people most to be pitied.
Fuller Understanding of the Kerygma
Embedded in the Kerygma story is the promise to make those
who follow Him, into this New Community, to be part of His
kingdom and all the promises of the entire Old Testament.
Clearly then, those who have died will be resurrected when
Christ returns. There can be no other conclusion.
Our hope is not only for this life, but for the life to come.
1 Corinthians 15:20–28
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of
those who have died.21 For since death came through a human
being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human
being; 22 for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. 23
But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming
those who belong to Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:20–28
24 Then comes the end,when he hands over the kingdom to God the
Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and
power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his
feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “Godhas put
all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “All things are
put in subjection,” it is plain that this does not include the one who put
all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to
him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who put all
things in subjection under him, so that God may be all in all.
1 Corinthians 15:20–28
Paul now sets out an order.
He separates the eschatological event of the resurrection:
Christ first
then those who belong to Him at His coming.
Then when the Messiah comes, God will subject all creation to
Him and put everything under His authority, so that God may
be in everything (not like it will be in this phase of the
kingdom).
1 Corinthians 15:29–34
29 Otherwise, what will those people do who receive baptism on behalf of
the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their
behalf? 30 And why are we putting ourselves in danger every hour? 31 I die
every day! That is as certain, brothers and sisters,as my boasting of you—a
boast that I make in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If with merely human hopes I
fought with wild animals at Ephesus, what would I have gained by it? If the
dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 Do not
be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 34 Come to a sober and right
mind, and sin no more; for some people have no knowledge of God. I say this
to your shame.
1 Corinthians 15:29–34
If there is no future resurrection for the dead, then the
heart goes out of our faith.
Why not just live for today then?
No, the resurrection is true. It is the heart of our faith.
1 Corinthians 15:35–49
35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?”
36 Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And as for what you sow, you do
not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38
But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 Not all
flesh is alike, but there is one flesh for human beings, another for animals, another for birds,
and another for fish. 40 There are both heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of
the heavenly is one thing, and that of the earthly is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun,
and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; indeed, star differs from
star in glory.
1 Corinthians 15:34–49
42 So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is
imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in
power. 44 It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there
is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living being”; the
last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical,
and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is
from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of
heaven, so are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we
have borne the image of the man of
dust, we willalso
bear the image of the man of heaven.
1 Corinthians 15:34–49
We will be raised with a new body.
It will be a body like Christ’s (“we also bear the image of
the man of heaven”).
What was true of Christ after His resurrection, as seen at
His appearances and by Paul, will be what ours is like—
imperishable, enormously valuable, very powerful!
1 Corinthians 15:50–58
What I am saying, brothers and sisters,is this: flesh and blood cannot
inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the
imperishable. 51 Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die,but
we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the
last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised
imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable body must
put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54
When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body
puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:
1 Corinthians 15:50–58
54 “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks
be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved,be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in
the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not
in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:50–58
What does it mean to inherit the kingdom of God?
It means to become part of the kingdom as it will be set up when
the Messiah returns. The age that has been inaugurated with the
first resurrection (Christ) will reach its fullness (all promises) in
the future. For that we need new, powerful, indestructible,
enormously valuable bodies.
What about until then?
Be steadfast, immovable, excelling in the work of the Lord.
The 1 Corinthians 15 Kerygma
Based on the Kerygma of the Jerusalem churches:
Jesus is Messiah, baptism of John, doing good, death and
resurrection, appearance, judge of living and dead, forgiveness of
sins.
Resurrection anchored, as to its significance and implications:
• resurrection of those who have died
• imperishable bodies
• a lifestyle of dying daily
• can experience resurrection life now
Clues on Following Jesus
Final Message: Following Jesus into the New Covenant Community.
Dying daily. Paul in 15:31 “I die every day!”
Here the Kerygma permeates daily life!
What does Paul mean that he dies daily?
Let’s quickly peruse the Corinthian correspondence.
Clues on Following Jesus
8 We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,of the
affliction we experienced in Asia; for we were so utterly, unbearably
crushed that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had
received the sentence of death so that we would rely not on ourselves
but on God who raises the dead.
2 Corinthians 1:8–9
Clues on Following Jesus
7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear
that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from
us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not
driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not
destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the
life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. 11 For while we live,
we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of
Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh.
2 Corinthians 4:7-15
Clues on Following Jesus
16 So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting
away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. 17 For this slight
momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory
beyond all measure, 18 because we look not at what can be seen but at
what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what
cannot be seen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Clues on Following Jesus
28 And, besides other things, I am under daily pressure because of my
anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is
made to stumble, and I am not indignant? 30 If I must boast, I will boast
of the things that show my weakness.
2 Corinthians 11:28-30
This is exactly what he was talking about in 1 Corinthians 15:31–32,
and in other references.
Clues on Following Jesus
19 I have been crucified with Christ; 20 and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who
lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,who loved
me and gave himself for me.
Galations 2:19-20
20 It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that
by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body,
whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. 22 If I am to live
in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. 23 I am hard
pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better;
24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you.
Philippians 1:20-24
Kerygma in Paul’s Letters
He retained the basic Kerygma he received.
Paul basically unpacked the resurrection
elements of the Kerygma.
1. Reaffirmed the bodily resurrection of the Messiah.
2. Taught the bodily resurrection of those who belong to the
Messiah when He returns.
3. Applied resurrection language to living in this age, before His
return (between resurrections).
Kerygma in Paul’s Letters
Will be completed at the return of the
Messiah
Already anticipated in the lives of those who
have been grasped by the word of the Gospel
At that time:
New creation, dawning of a new day,
life in this new world
Jesus’ death and
resurrection
N. T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God, p. 219
1. The dead will be raised.
living will be transformed.
So that all His people
will be rescued from
corruption.
will share in the glory
enjoys.
2. The
ultimate
He already
Resurrection in Paul’s Letters
Rich, varied, but fully integrated—saw three moments:
•
Bodily resurrection of Messiah
•
Future bodily resurrection of followers
•
Powerful metaphor for living between
1. Development of conviction that he would not see His return before he died.
2. Resurrection understanding rooted in Judaism
3. Worldview questions
•
Who are we? In the Messiah.
•
Where are we? In the kingdom, in travail, waiting return of Messiah.
•
What is the solution? Long term—new world. Short term—gospel to world.
•
What time is it? Between 2 resurrections, between the victories.
4. Resurrection, as prophets envisioned, had simply not happened.
N. T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God, pp. 271–276
Tremendous Apologetic
Culture—not idea at all of a future bodily resurrection after a
person dies.
Jewish religion has 20+ positions.
Yet instantaneously, the whole Church was one-minded on the
resurrection.
And it came front and center to the faith.
What, other than the actual resurrection, could produce that? (Note
also—power of eyewitness account in history!)
Power of Eyewitnesses
Base of Paul’s argument that
Kerygma story is real.
The most powerful historical
testimony we have is the power of
eyewitnesses. Many and varied
eye witnesses.
(Graeco-Roman biography)
Powerful Arguments Emerging
As we understand the Kerygma (the Gospel as proclaimed by Jesus
and then the Apostles), we begin to understand the whole Scripture.
We develop an ability to explain the Gospel with authority
(convincingly) to any audience, knowing it is true. . .
Even to a postmodern, skeptical audience.
Arguments that also lead followers of Jesus into our churches.
From Jesus to the Gospels
September 16
From the Temple to the Upper Room
September 23
The Kerygma of the Early Church: Sermons in Acts
September 30
The Kerygma According to Paul: 1 Corinthians 15
October 7
The Teaching of Jesus: Embedded into the Letters
October 14:
What Are the Gospels?
October 21
Choosing to Follow Christ into the New Covenant Community
Resurrection in Paul’s Letters
Resurrection in Paul
1.
Rich, varied, but fully integrated—saw three moments:
•
Bodily resurrection of Messiah
•
Future bodily resurrection of followers
•
Powerful metaphor for living between
2.
Development of conviction that he would not see His return before he died.
3.
Resurrection understanding rooted in Judaism, but 7 new developments:
•
Age to come began at Jesus’ resurrection.
•
There would be a big gap—he would not be alive.
•
Resurrection—a concrete referent (Is 53).
•
Light like stars—Christian witness.
•
Fresh position—flesh and body.
•
Final judgment—no condemnation (accomplishment of Messiah).
•
Centrality of resurrection (volume and frequency).
4.
Worldview questions
•
Who are we? In the Messiah.
•
Where are we? In the kingdom, in travail, waiting return of Messiah.
•
What is the solution? Long term—new world. Short term—gospel to world.
•
What time is it? Between 2 resurrections, between the victories.
5.
Resurrection, as prophets envisioned, had simply not happened.
N. T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God, pp. 271–276