Notes on Marcus Borg,
Evolution of the Word, chapters 1-2
Borg on Christianity as a Spiritual Path
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPmPsTAMZKM)
Canonical vs. Chronological New Testament
• Canonical = “the official ordering of the books in Church
bibles”
• Chronological = “the actual historical order in which these
books were written”
• “Documents” vs. “Books”
• What is the value of each approach? What are possible
problems with each approach?
The Threefold Historical Context
of the New Testament
• The Context of Jesus and Early Christianity
• The Context of Judaism
• The Context of the Roman Empire
Before the New Testament Was Written
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Early Christian Oral Tradition
Oral Tradition and Memory
Oral Tradition and Development
Oral Tradition and Testimony
What was the Earliest Historical Memory of Jesus by Christian
Communities?
Earliest Memories of Jesus by His Followers
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Born c. 4 BCE during the reign of Herod the Great, and grew up in Nazareth
Baptized by John
Taught about the Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God concerned the transformation of this world, both personally
and politically
Spoke primarily to a rural audience: peasants and manual laborers
Taught in parables
Healed and exorcized
Broke social boundaries
Thought by followers to be anointed by the Spirit of God
Went to Jerusalem c. 30 CE to celebrate Passover, created a disturbance at the
Temple, and was arrested and executed through the collaboration of Judean
religious and Roman imperial authorities
Experienced by his followers after his death and designated by such titles as “Lord”