Before I can fully dive into the presentation of both of the gospel’s depictions of Jesus, I must give a background of each text. Though the authors of the Gospel are anonymous, the early church fathers identify the traditional authors as the authors of each gospel. Matthew was written sometime after the early 50’s to the early 60’s which is the earliest date for Mark, since Matthew used Mark. Matthew wrote with a strong Jewish influence which can be seen by his identification of Jesus as the son of Abraham and the Son of David, however this doesn’t mean Matthew wrote exclusively to Jews. In analyzing Matthew, we must acknowledge his state of mind. Christians who believed in Jesus but wanted more information about Jesus and Non-Christians needed to be evangelized to.
Matthew emphasizes the Kingdom of Heaven, whereas Mark focuses on the Kingdom of God. In both the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God, God’s rule and reign through the person of Jesus, so that wherever Jesus is, the Kingdom is too. Matthew likely wants to highlight the point that what goes on in Heaven with Jesus, can now occur on earth, as evidenced by the Lord’s prayer. The Gospel of Matthew is littered with parables. Though each of the parables is unique in story, they all focus on the Kingdom. Jesus infuses each character with symbolic and occasionally literal meaning with the hope that the reader will learn something about themselves and about others, but primarily about the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew’s Jesus resembles Moses.
Matthew saw Jesus at the ultimate Immanuel. When the conception of Jesus was announced to joseph, the angel told him that a son would be born who would be called Immanuel, God is with us. The meaning of this may be emphasizing the truth of the gospel that God became a human man in Jesus Christ. Matthew is also emphasizing that God is faithful to his promises in sending Immanuel to help his people. One of the main expectations of the 2nd temple Jews was that in some way, Yahweh was going to appear on the Earth, and Matthew is saying that in Jesus, God has fulfilled that promise. Immanuel rests intimately among his people.
Each of the other gospels begin their writing in either the beginning or end of Jesus’ life; John takes a different approach and begins at the beginning of time. The crux of his purpose is belief. He wants them to believe Jesus is the messiah, the son of God, and the result will be life. John tells us what he means by life and that they may know you and the one you’ve sent its knowledge of Christ and the one who sent him. John portrays Jesus as the eternal son of God and questions his origins. John’s Jesus resembles the Jewish ideal of heavenly Wisdom. In John’s gospel, Jesus tends to speak in long monologues, rather than in statements or parables (like in Matthew). He openly proclaims the divinity of Jesus and insists that the only way to the Father is through him. The central theme of John is ascent and descent. Jesus is presented as the medium who travels freely between the dual realms of heaven and earth.
2. Write an essay explaining the significance, background, conversion, and ministry of the Apostle Paul.
Christianity reached a new milestone with the advent of Paul of Tarsus, who was Jewish by birth, Roman by citizenship, and Greek by culture. While on his way to Damascus to restrain further spread of what he viewed as a heretical sect dangerous to Judaic orthodoxy, Paul was overwhelmed by a vision of the risen Christ. He then ardently espoused the very religion of which he had been the most forceful opponent, and indeed became its preeminent missionary and foundational theologian. Under Paul’s leadership, the small religious movement rapidly spread to the other parts of the empire—Asia Minor, Egypt, Greece, to Rome itself—and began to constitute itself as a world church. Paul effectively turned Christianity towards its universal mission.
Before his conversion, Paul had been a Pharisee and a fervid defender of the Law. But after his conversion, he testified with self-deprecating zeal to the impotence of the Law compared with the power of Christ’s love and the presence of the Spirit working within the human person. Paul’s understanding of the Law, however, was viewed by Jews as a parody of its true nature. For them, the Law was itself God’s gift and called forth moral responsibility in man. It upheld human autonomy and good works as necessary elements in the economy of salvation. Paul, too, recognized a role for those elements, but asserted that his own life exemplified the ultimate futility of a Law-governed religiosity. For Paul, the Law was no longer the binding authority, because the true end of the Law was Christ.
Paul embarked on three missions throughout his lifetime as an advocate for the Lord. Paul zealously carried out his assignment, as he was drug throughout the Roman empire. His first trip took him through Cyprus and into Asia Minor. He was thrown out of cities by angry mobs, even stoned and left for dead. On his second trip, he reached Macedonia and Greece, hubs for intellectual activity. He was able to bare witness in Athens. On Paul’s third trip, he preached for around three years in Ephesus, a crossroads of the Roman world. Then he went on to Macedonia and Greece to construct the congregations there. While imprisoned by the Roman government, Paul used his time to write inspired letters that remain part of the Bible today.
1. Based on the principles and tools for interpreting the Bible given in Unit 3 (historical context, literary context, genre, etc.) and the discussion of Paul’s letters in the book and in Unit 9, explain how you would go about “exegeting” or getting the meaning out of Galatians 2:16. Be sure to explain briefly how the different principles might help you understand the message Paul is trying to convey, and be sure to give what you believe to be the appropriate application of the text.
Galatians is the only one of Paul’s letters addressed neither to an individual nor to Christians in one specific city. In the period of late antiquity, Galatia was an elastic term reflecting the changing political sphere in central Asia Minor. Galatians is an epistle, written to a specific audience (Galatia) that are practical for use today. In his opening salutation, Paul addressed his letter to the “churches of Galatia”. Later, with a tone of exasperation, he breaks his train of thought and speaks to them directly. Paul’s letters attempt to remedy problems within the communities to whom he writes, problems of sufficient magnitude that they merited additional instruction from Christ’s foremost apostle. What troubled Paul about Galatia was unique from what troubled him about Rome or Philippi. Paul wrote his letter in the late 40’s or early 50’s CE. Paul’s letter reveals the difficulty in negotiating the relationship between being a Jew or Gentile and also being a follower of Jesus. Paul asserts to the people of Galatia that they must remain true to the gospel which includes justification through faith in addition to sanctification through faith.
Verse 16 defines the status before God which Jewish Christians claim as Christians. This verse contains what is traditionally called Paul’s doctrine of justification by faith. These are two important considerations which one must bear in mind when one approaches this very famous doctrine. The context of this doctrine of justification by faith is part of a Judeo-Christian theology. It is based upon the self-definition of Jewish Christians as Jews. Paul was not saying that Jews were perfect or free from sin. He knew very well that both the OT tradition has much to say about repentance, forgiveness, and atonement. All Christians are to realize the works of the law cannot effect justification. Paul is concerned that by agreeing to circumcision, the Galatians think they will have to abide by the entirety of the Jewish law. The doctrine of justification by faith alone is what distinguishes biblical Christianity from all other belief systems. In other religions, humans must strive to work to God. In Christianity, man is saved as a result of grace through faith. Without a comprehensive understanding of justification by faith alone, we can’t truly perceive the divine gift of grace from the Father. 2 Corinthians 11:3 states that the doctrine of justification through faith helps us maintain “pure devotion to Christ”.