• Early World
• Patriarchs
• Egypt & Exodus
• Desert Wanderings
• Conquest & Judges
• Royal Kingdom
• Divided Kingdom
• Exile
• Return from Exile
• Maccabean Revolt
• Messianic Fulfillment
• Church

• Herod the Great, then Herod Antipas,
Tetrarch of Galilee
• Jews are home, waiting for coming of the
Messiah, but who is the dominant world power?
• Rome
• How has God quietly prepared the world for this next stage in His plan?

• Common language
• Fabulous system of roads
• Hebrew Scriptures available in common language
• Which books tell the story of Messianic
Fulfillment?
• The Gospels!
• Acts & the Epistles tell story of the early
Church.

• The Primary source material about Jesus and earliest followers is the New Testament :
• The New Testament contains 27 books—6 classifications
• Most important are the four gospels
• Composed over a period of about 70 years
• Testament means “covenant”
• Jesus Christ represents the new covenant/ messianic fulfillment

• The covenant theme is central in the Old Testament :
• 46 books of inspired writings
• Began with the call to Abraham
• Many examples of God’s loving kindness
• Reveals how unfaithful the Chosen People were to the covenant
• God’s covenant was to be a new testament sealed in the blood of his Son Jesus is the “New Testament”
• NT continues and fulfills the Old Testament

Remember . . .
- Canon of the Bible : official list of books the Church considers its inspired writings
- 46 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books
- In order to be included in the Canon, the following criteria had to be met:
• Apostolic Origin
• Widespread Acceptance
• Conformity to the Rule of Faith

1. Apostolic Origin
-inspired by actual witnesses to original 12
-only Mt, Mk, Jn, Lk written in 1 st century; others were 2 nd century—too late for eyewitnesses
2. Widespread Acceptance
-widely circulated & accepted by Church at that time
3. Conformity to the Rule of Faith
True to traditional faith & teachings of Jesus; no heresies

•
The Gospels—the Good News of Jesus from 4 points of view
•
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
•
Acts of the Apostles (chapter 2 of Luke’s gospel)
– A history of the early Church after Jesus’ ascension
• The Epistles
•
Letters written by the Apostles tell us how to live as Christians
•
Book of Revelation
– Describes Church & God’s kingdom in images & symbols

• Matthew
• Mark
• Luke
• John
• Why are there 4 gospels about Jesus Christ?
• 4 variations/different points of view to find complete understanding
• Acts of the Apostles (written by Luke)

• Written to communities/churches
– Romans
– Corinthians 1
– Corinthians 2
– Galatians
– Ephesians
– Philippians
– Colossians
– Thessalonians 1
– Thessalonians 2

• Written to individuals
– Timothy 1
– Timothy 2
– Titus
– Philemon

• Probably not written by Paul
• Not a letter; a homily

• “catholic”—universal; for all; to the entire Church
– James
– Peter 1
– Peter 2
– John 1
– John 2
– John 3
– Jude

• Revealed to John
• Apocalyptic: visions
• Highly symbolic; secret code
• Hope and encouragement for early persecuted Church

• 4 types of books—
• The Law/Torah
• History
• Wisdom
• Prophecy

• The Law/Torah--??
• The 4 Gospels
• History--??
• Acts of the Apostles
• Wisdom--??
• The Epistles
• Prophecy--??
• The Book of Revelation

Formation of the Gospels
-Three stages involved in the formation of the gospels:
1.) Public life and teaching of Jesus
2.) Oral tradition and preaching by the apostles and early disciples of Jesus
3.) Written gospels themselves

Formation of the Gospels
Stage 1: Public Life
Apostles were eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life and ministry that helped to form and preserve the gospel in the first stage
Stage 2: Oral Tradition
Oral preaching took three forms:
1.) Kerygma - preaching to nonbelievers
2.) Didache - teachings
3.) Liturgy - worship of the Christians

Formation of the Gospels
Oral preaching had to be committed to writing for three major reasons:
1.) End of the world was not coming as quickly as the early
Christians thought it would
2.) Distortions were setting in
3.) More instruction was needed

Formation of the Gospels
Stage 3: New Testament Writings
Earliest New Testament writings are letters of St. Paul
- Gospels and various other writings such as Acts of the
Apostles and Revelations followed

• Tell the same story—good news of Jesus
Christ!
• From 4 different points of view, each writing to a different audience
• Synoptic—3 gospels that ‘see with the same vision/eye’—Matthew, Mark, Luke
• Together, all give a complete view of Jesus,
His life, and teachings; the gospels never contradict each other.

• Probably earliest written—64-70 AD
• Audience--
• Gentile Christians in Rome (being persecuted)
• Jesus is leader of New Exodus—why?
• Save from suffering under Roman persecution
• Mark’s source was probably Peter
• Shortest, simple, straightforward story; fast pace—word ‘immediately’ used <40 times

• Audience--
• Jewish Christians
• Emphasis--
• Jesus is the heir of David’s kingdom (check out the genealogy at beginning)
• Jesus is the Messiah for whom all Jews have waited
• Presents Jesus’ moral teachings & vision of the Church

• Audience--
• Gentile Christian converts
• “beloved physician,” Gentile convert himself
• Emphasizes Jesus’ ministry to all nations; all peoples, not just Jews
• Luke traveled with Paul
• Luke wanted to give an “orderly account” of Jesus’ life and teachings

• Luke is not an eyewitness
• Women & outcasts very prominent
• Possibly gotten details from Mary?
• Unique stories of Jesus’ conception and birth
– The Annunciation, baby in manger, shepherds,
Jesus lost in Temple

• Emphasis on divinity of Jesus
• Jesus is the Word of God Incarnate
• Let’s read the opening of John’s Gospel
• Last gospel written
• Not a synoptic. Why?
• Fills in picture of Jesus not mentioned in the synoptics
– Divinity of Jesus; Word Incarnate

• the symbols of the 4 evangelists develop?
• Read Supplementary Reading #1, page
315—Jerome, Against Jovinian , 1:26; plus, illustration, page 316
• Matthew—man (opens w/genealogy)
• Mark—lion
(opens w/voice crying out in desert)
• Luke—bull/calf (references the priesthood)
• John—eagle
(soars aloft/lofty opening language)