ECEC New Testament Lecture 3 PDF

English Christian Education Course T h e N e w Te s t a m e n t Dec 2024 1 The 8Or 1 Writers St. Matthew St. Mark “No prophecy of Scripture is of...

English Christian Education Course T h e N e w Te s t a m e n t Dec 2024 1 The 8Or 1 Writers St. Matthew St. Mark “No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for St. Luke (Gospel & Acts) prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of St. John (+ 3 Letters + The God spoke as they were moved Revelation) by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1: St. Paul (14 Epistles) 20-21) St. James St. Peter (2 Letters) St. Jude  Aspect St. Matthew St. Mark St. Luke St. John Aramaic 39 – 42 AD Writing Date 60 – 61 AD 58 – 63 AD 90 – 100 AD Greek 60 – 67 AD Location of Judea Rome Rome Ephesus writing Symbol Man Lion Ox Eagle The whole Audience Jews Romans Greeks world (Church) Power – Grace – Introduction Prominent Fulfil the Law Perform Save Glory - to the Idea (Messiah) Miracles Humanity Divinity Gospel Portrait of Servant of Perfect – Divine Son – King Incarnated Jesus mankind Son of Man Word In the Voice crying Genealogy of beginning Opening in the Offerings Christ was the 3  “ The Gospel as written by St. Mark Circumstanc Main Who is St. Unique es of the Characterist Mark? reference. writing. ics St. Mark “the beholder of God, the evangelist, the a p o s t l e & m a r t y r. ” His given name was John (God is gracious), and his Latin name was Mark or Marcus (Hammer). His father, Aristobulus, was the cousin of St. Peter’s wife. His mother, Mary, was a resident of Jerusalem and a sister to Barnabas (Acts 12:12, Col. 4:10). It was his house that had the upper room where Jesus met with His disciples the night before His crucifixion (Mark 14:12-16). The young man who followed Jesus after His arrest in Gethsemane and who later fled naked when captured by the arresting crowd (14:51-52) The author of one of the four canonical gospel in the New Testament. His gospel is noted for its straightforward and vivid account of Jesus's life and ministry. St. Mark is considered the founder of the Church of Alexandria, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. As a result, he is highly valued in the Coptic Orthodox Church. The Coptic Church celebrates the feast of St. Mark on the 30th of Baramudah (8th of May), honoring his role as an evangelist and martyr for the faith. His Ministry When St. Paul was imprisoned in Rome a second When St. Paul and time, awaiting his Barnabas planned martyrdom, he their second asked Timothy: missionary journey "Take Mark and (Acts 15:36-41), St. bring him with His active ministry Barnabas wanted you, for he is began when he to take St. Mark profitable to me accompanied St. again, but St. Paul for the ministry" Paul and Barnabas disagreed. So, St. (II Tim. 4:11). on the first Barnabas took St. missionary journey Mark and sailed to (Acts 12:25, 13:3- Cyprus, while St. He started his 13). When they Paul chose St. ministry, moved into Silas. according to holy Pamphylia, he tradition, with St. "departed from Peter in them and returned Jerusalem and to Jerusalem" (Acts Judea for ten 13:13). years following the descent of the Holy Spirit. 6  In the Pentapolis and Egypt: After his service with Barnabas around 52 AD and before rejoining St. Paul during his first imprisonment in Rome (61-63 AD), St. Mark went to preach in Pentapolis. In 61 AD, he went to Egypt where he established the church in Alexandria. After the martyrdom of St. Paul and St. Peter in 67 AD, he returned to Egypt where he was martyred in 68 AD during the reign of Nero. (Synaxarium – 30 Paremoude) The city of Alexandria, where St. Mark established the church, became one of the most important centers of early Christianity. It was known for its vibrant theological and cultural contributions, particularly through the Catechetical School of Alexandria. St. Mark's relics were later moved to Venice, Italy, in the 9th century, where they are enshrined in St. Mark's Basilica, a major landmark in the city. St. Mark's evangelistic journeys and his establishment of the Alexandrian Church are central to the history and identity of the Coptic Orthodox Church, which continues to honor his legacy through liturgical commemorations and traditions This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 7  Time and place The gospel of St. Mark is the oldest among the 4 gospels, only preceded by the Hebrew version of that of St. Matthew. The early 60s (60-64 AD), is the probable date. St Mark wrote his Gospel while living in Rome. 8 The Gospel of St Mark Overview Chart T h e P u r p o s e : C h r i s t ' s D i v i n i t y a n d S a c r i fi c i a l Death The opening verse presents the first obvious purpose: "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (Mark 1:1). In his biographical study of the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, St. Mark outlines: "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). His ministry of teaching and healing occupies the first part of the book (chapters 1-10), whereas the events surrounding His crucifixion are found in the lengthy second half (chapters 11-16). 10 10 Distinctive features 1. Book of action. 2. Book of power and authority. Since the Roman mind was interested in action more Since the Roman mind was interested also in power, St than words St. Mark deliberately omitted the birth and Mark showed that Jesus is clearly a man of power not just childhood accounts and moved quickly into miraculous words. Jesus did miracles to convince the people who He ministry of Christ (around 20 miracle stories). The word was and to teach His disciples His true identity as God. 'immediately' appears often (39 times). The Roman mind Jesus has all the power of Almighty God, He raised the would be far more impressed with what Jesus did than dead, gave sight to the blind, quieted stormy seas etc. with His genealogical record or teaching. 3. The most Chronological Gospel. 4. Jesus as a servant. Of the four Gospels, St. Mark's narrative is the most In this Gospel, Jesus is portrayed as a servant and the chronological - that is, most of the stories are positioned redeemer of humanity. Although He had all the power of in the order they actually occurred. Almighty God, He came to serve mankind: (Mark 10:45). He did not come as a conquering king, but as a servant. He helped mankind by teaching about God and healing them, ultimately giving His life as a sacrifice for sin— the ultimate act of service. 5. Simplicity of the language 6. The audience St. Mark has a style that features simplicity of language The reader must have been unfamiliar with Judea and a rapid pace of narration. By the end of the first geography and customs, St. Mark points out that the chapter, Christ has been baptized by John the Baptist Jordan was a river (1:5), that the Pharisees used to fast and performed numerous miracles. (2:18), and that the Mount of Olives overlooked the temple area (13:3). Sure, the reader was not the Jews who were living in Palestine, He wrote to the Romans who were not familiar of Jews life. And Quoted- much less from the Old Testament. Unique References The Parable of the The Discourse on a The Healing of the The Healing of Blind Jesus Returns to Seed (4:26-29) Kingdom Divided Blind Man in Bethsaida Bartimaeus (10:46-52) Bethany and the Fig Against Itself (3:20- (8:22-26) Tree Cursed (11:11- 30) 14)  So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. (Mark 16:19-20) The Great Divine Support: The Commission: The Jesus' Ascension: After Lord worked with the disciples went out and speaking to His disciples, disciples, confirming preached everywhere, Jesus was taken up into their message through fulfilling Jesus' command heaven and sat at the accompanying signs. to spread the gospel right hand of God. This indicates that to all nations. This This signifies His divine servants of God are underscores the authority and the not alone in their importance of completion of His earthly mission and have evangelism and mission. divine support in spreading the word of their ministry God. 13  “ The Gospel as written by St. John Circumstanc Main Who is St. Unique es of the Characterist John? reference. writing. ics Who is St. John the evangelist ? John's name means God is Gracious. He is from Bethsaida the city of Galilee He was the son of Zebedee and brother to James (who was known as James the Greater). John's dad was a fisherman, and it's likely they were well-off since they had hired servants to help out (Mark 1:20). His mom, Salome, was a devoted follower of Jesus. She was one of the women who followed Jesus, served Him, and was there even at the cross. St. John the Disciple St. John the Disciple: St. John was one of the first people Jesus called to follow Him. In Mark 1:19-20, we see Jesus calling John and his brother, James, while they were mending fishing nets. They immediately left their father and their work to follow Jesus. According to St. Jerome, John was about 25 years old at the time. John was one of three disciples Jesus chose to be especially close to Him —along with Peter and James. These three were the only ones to witness some important moments, like: The raising of Jairus' daughter, The Transfiguration, Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. John and James had fiery personalities, so Jesus gave them the nickname "Boanerges," which means "Sons of Thunder." At the Last Supper, St. John sat right next to Jesus, leaning on His chest. He was the one who asked Jesus who was going to betray Him. John stayed loyal to Jesus, following Him all the way to the cross. Because of his faithfulness, Jesus entrusted John to take care of His mother, Mary, after His death  The disciple that Jesus loved At the Last Supper, St. John sat right next to Jesus, leaning on His chest. He was the one who asked Jesus who was going to betray Him. John stayed loyal to Jesus, following Him all the way to the cross. Because of his faithfulness, Jesus entrusted John to take care of His mother, Mary, after His death. 17  St. John in the Early Church In the book of Acts, we see St. John and St. Peter working together. They healed a lame man at the temple and preached about Jesus, which got them arrested. But the authorities had to release them because they were afraid of how the people would react (Acts 3, 4). Later, the Church sent Peter and John to Samaria to pray for the people there, so they could receive the Holy Spirit. St. John was also at the Council of Jerusalem in 50 A.D. St. Paul even called him one of the pillars of the Church, along with James and Peter (Galatians 2:9). 18  S t. J o h n ’ s M i s s i o n a n d F i n a l Ye a r s St. John preached the Gospel in Ephesus and to the seven churches of Asia Minor. The Roman Emperor Domitian exiled him to the island of Patmos, where he received the Revelation. When Emperor Nerva came to power in 96 A.D., St. John was released and returned to Ephesus. Some of his famous disciples were Polycarp, Papias, and Ignatius of Antioch. St. John passed away peacefully (he wasn’t martyred) in 98 A.D. He was the last of the disciples and lived until the end of the first century. Overview of St. john gospel The theological gospel: Who Is Jesus? The Gospel of John is all about revealing the identity of Jesus as the Son of God. Through His teachings, actions, and miracles, St. John shows us that Jesus is eternal. Salvation Through Jesus John's Gospel highlights that Jesus offers salvation to everyone through the 'True Life' and 'True Light.' This salvation comes to those who believe in Him and are ‘born again.’ St. John divides people into two groups: believers and unbelievers, unlike other Gospels that often talk about the righteous and sinners. In the Gospel according to ST. John, faith and love are the foundation of living a moral life—made possible through Jesus' sacrifice for us. The theological gospel: Who Is Jesus? Bread of Life (John 6:35, 48) – Jesus is our spiritual food, nourishing our souls. Light of the World (John 8:12) – He lights up our darkness and guides us. Door of the Sheep (John 10:7, 9) – Jesus is our safe place, protecting us when we fall. Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14) – He cares for us and sacrificed Himself for our sake. Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25) – Through Him, we conquer death and gain eternal life. The Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6) – Jesus is the path to salvation. The True Vine (John 15:1, 5) – He connects us to Himself, giving us strength and life. 22 W h y D i d S t. J o h n Wr i t e H i s G o s p e l ? St. John wrote his Gospel to prove that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God, so that by believing in Him, people could have eternal life (John 20:31). Show Jesus Is God: John emphasizes Jesus’ divinity by sharing His miracles and teachings. Unique Content: John didn’t repeat the other Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke). Instead, he shared details they didn’t cover, like Jesus’ early ministry and all the Passover feasts He attended. Defend Against False Teachings: John fought against heresies like: Cerinthianism: Saying Jesus was just human, and "Christ" Gnosticism: Saying Jesus didn’t have a real body. Ebionism: Viewing Jesus as just a regular person. was a spirit that came at His baptism. Focus on Key Moments: John didn’t cover all of Jesus’ life but focused on His divinity, especially during the events from Covenant Thursday to Good Friday, which take up one-third of the Gospel. The Prologue In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (1: 1-5) The word "λόγος" (logos) carries a wide range of meanings. Primarily, it means "word," but it also signifies "speech," “or "story," all of which share a similar essence. Additionally, "logos" can mean "reason," "cause," "matter," and "command. In Greek "logos" was seen as The Rational Divine Intelligence/Wisdom. Saint John was the first to use "logos" in the New Testament, presented Jesus Christ as the incarnate Logos, emphasizing the theological significance of His divine nature. Pre-Nicene Fathers: "Logos" was used to describe the relationship between the Son and the Father in a way that avoided any material connection or separation from the Father's essence The term "logos" remains in use in Coptic Church hymns today, reflecting its theological importance.  The testimony of John the Baptist John answered, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear witness that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before Him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and listens, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore, my joy is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth speaks as earthly. But He who comes from heaven is above all. What He has seen and heard, He testifies, yet no one accepts His testimony. But whoever receives His testimony confirms that God is true. For the one sent by God speaks the words of God, and God gives the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has given everything into His hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever does not believe will not see life, for the wrath of God remains on him" (John 3:27-36). Jesus' conversations & Miracles Jesus meets Nicodemus and discusses the second birth (1-21) Jesus meets the Samaritan woman (1-42) Jesus gives back the sight to the man born blind (9:1-12) Jesus raises Lazarus from the Dead after four days.(11:38:44) Jesus gives his last speeches to the disciples (John 14-16) c h a p t e r s o f t h e Pa r a c l e t e And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also (14: 3) If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him. (14:7) And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever (14:16) If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him (14:23) Jesus last prayer (John 17) I h a v e fi n i s h e d t h e w o r k w h i c h Yo u h a v e g i v e n M e t o d o. A n d n o w , O Fa t h e r , g l o r i f y M e t o g e t h e r w i t h Yo u r s e l f , w i t h t h e g l o r y w h i c h I h a d w i t h Yo u b e f o r e the world was. (17:4-5) Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I c o m e t o Yo u. H o l y Fa t h e r , k e e p t h r o u g h Yo u r n a m e t h o s e w h o m Yo u h a v e g i v e n M e , t h a t t h e y m a y b e o n e a s We a re. ( 1 7 : 1 1 ) I d o n o t p r a y t h a t Yo u s h o u l d take them out of the world, but t h a t Yo u s h o u l d k e e p t h e m f r o m the evil one. (17:15) I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word. (17:20) 28  This is the disciple who testifies of these things and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.(John 21:24-25) 29  God bless you THANK YOU Neal Creative ©