GOSPELS, PROPHECIES, AND

SCRIPTURESOH MY! ;)

{RECAP}• The Evangelists wrote the Gospels

because:

• 1. Eyewitnesses were dying

• 2. To keep the message accurate

• 3. The end of the world had not yet arrived (they thought it would come in their lifetime, but it didn’t)

4 SOURCE HYPOTHESIS OF THE GOSPELS

• The SOURCE HYPOTHESIS explains the “Synoptic Problem” showing Mark and 3 lost sources in addition to the Gospels themselves which informed their writings.

• The idea is that there were at least four sources to the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke:

• the Gospel of Mark

• and three lost sources:

• Q

• M-Source

• L source.

THE LOST SOURCES

• Q from German: Quelle, meaning "source“

• collection of sayings of Jesus defined as the "common" material found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke but not in their other written source, the Gospel of Mark.

• According to this hypothesis, this material was drawn from the Oral Tradition of the Early Church

• M-source, which is sometimes referred to as simply M, comes from the M in "Matthean material".

• Textual source for the Gospel of Matthew.

• M-source is defined as that special material of the Gospel of Matthew that is neither Q-source or Mark.

• L source is an inferred oral tradition that Luke used when composing his gospel.

• It includes the Virgin Birth of Christ and many of Jesus' best loved parables.

GOSPEL COMPARISONS {RECAP} --MARK

Written around 65-70ADAuthor: John Mark? A follower of PeterAudience: Gentile Christians during

persecutionBased on cultural context, likely lived in

Rome, Syria, or Palestine

MARK- {CON’T}

• Theme

• Jesus is dea, betrayed , and all alone

• Jesus as the suffering Messiah

• Encourages suffering Christians to remain faithful to God

• Shows failure of disciples to have faith

• Sources:

• Oral tradition

• Collection of parables & saying of Jesus

• Miracle Stories

• Outline of Jesus’ Passion

GOSPEL COMPARISONS {RECAP} --MATTHEW

Written around 70-90AD (likely the 80’s)Author was a well educated Jew, perhaps a former Jewish

scholarAudience: Jewish ChristiansBased on cultural cues, likely lived in Palestine, Syria, or Antioch

MATTHEW – {CON’T}• Theme:

• Jesus as the fulfillment of Prophecy

• Jesus as the heir of David’s Kingdom

• Jesus as the new Moses – giving new laws

• Salvation is for everyone

• Judgment of God

• Sources

• Mark

• Q

• M

GOSPEL COMPARISONS {RECAP} --LUKE

Written around 85ADAuthor was likely one of Paul’s companions, and an artist or

physicianAudience: Gentile Christians and other outcastsIf he was Paul’s companion, he would have traveled extensively

with Paul

LUKE – {CON’T}

• Theme:• Salvation History (Israel, then Jesus, the

then Church)• Importance of Prayer• God’s love is for everyone

• Sources:• Mark• Q• L• Mary?

GOSPEL COMPARISONS {RECAP} --JOHN

Written around 90ADAuthor was a disciple of John “the beloved

disciple”Audience: A diverse community of Christians Based on contextual cues, the author was a

member of the Johanine community.

JOHN – {CON’T}

• Theme:

• Higher Christology

• Christology is the field of study within Christian theology which is primarily concerned with the nature and person of Jesus as recorded in the canonical Gospels and the epistles of the New Testament

• Jesus is the Eternal Word

• Jesus is the WAY and the TRUTH and the LIFE

• New creation in Christ

• Jesus as the new Paschal Lamb, new Passover, new Temple, new Judaism

• Sources:

• Johannine Tradition (NOT THE SYNOPTIC SOURCES!!! JOHN IS DIFFERENT!)

SCRIPTURE, DOCTRINE, AND TRADITION

• Read aloud in class and briefly discuss:• http://www.catholic.com/tracts/scripture-and-tradition

• Read at home: (be prepared for group work on this tomorrow)• Munificentissimus Deus (Pope Pius XII)• http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/P12MUNIF.HTM