New TestamentRevelation

The Jesus Story

Divine RevelationREVELATION comes from the

Latin, “to unveil”; it is divine gift from God;

took place gradually over time. • Two forms of revelation: • immediate (for now) • mediate (for future )

DIVINE means it comes from God and is about God

Divine Revelation

THE CATHOLIC FAITH BASED ON REVELATION from comes to us from GOD through

BOTH• SCRIPTURE - the written word that is divinely inspired (AKA the “Bible”)

AND• TRADITION - spoken and other written

sources NOT included in the Bible, rituals and actions, experiences of the divine

Tradition came FIRST

• Stories about God experiences were TOLD, not WRITTEN, for MANY YEARS before human beings learned to read and write• LATER. . . .writers felt inspired by God to document

what their experiences were and WROTE them down• EVENTUALLY, the writings got sorted out, prayed

over, scrutinized, and patterns emerged. . . . • Compiled and Shared – “The Canon”

Old Testament – Ancient Accounts•Faith of Israel: God has intervened in history•God thus takes a personal interest in the fortunes of Israel and ultimately of the whole of humankind•God's communications take many forms:

•created things, •theophanies,

•oracles,• dreams,

•prophecies, •laws,

•wise sayings, •historical events

Old Testament • Particularly the Covenant with Moses and the

Exodus from Egyptian bondage• CHOSEN PEOPLE • FREEDOM FROM SLAVERY• PROMISED LAND• UNBROKEN BOND OR COVENANT

• It is the covenant/Exodus theme which runs throughout the entire Old Testament • It shapes Israel's fundamental understanding of

God and of the "word" of God

New Testament – Life of Jesus & Early

Christian Church•OT themes repeated in NT but are now focused on

JESUS CHRISTthrough whom God has spoken the final word.

•Jesus reveals the Kingdom of God and is himself the "Word made flesh” (John 1:1-18).

•Apostles and the early Church witnesses and heralds of Christ;

•Look forward to the day when the"unveiling of God” (the literal meaning of the word

revelation) will be completed with the Second Coming of the Lord.

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New Testament Themes• 27 Books, written in 4 styles:• Gospels, • Epistles, Pastorals• Apocalyptic Vision

• Major Themes:• “Emmanuel” ~ God With Us• Jesus is Lord, Messiah, King• A new Covenant for ALL people

(not just Jews)• Kingdom of God at Hand: Faith,

Hope, Love, Peace, Justice, Charity, Forgiveness, Repentance

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About The Gospels• The Jesus Story• Unique: nothing like it in religious or secular literature

• Greek = “Good News”• Viewed as 1 unit: first 4 books of NT• Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John

• First 3 books = “synoptics” (Matthew, Mark, Luke)• Similar in content, structure, wording, timing

• Book of John• Last written, divine origins of Jesus + early Church

• To be taken together…• Like watching 4 nightly news shows, each saying

essentially the same things, with some differences

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More About The Gospels• Messiah Arrives and Fulfills (no more waiting)• Written for believers & converts• Like OT: Revelation about God, how to live, more

important than details• Authorship ~ not one person• Written for “communities”• Not intended to be accurate by modern

journalism standards

Gospels are “The Experience Of Christ” – stories meant to relate, awaken, reach out, and strengthen faith to those who never met him

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History of Gospels

• Gospels were written over a period from 65 A.D. – 100 A.D• Mark is oldest (65 A.D. – 70 A.D.)• John is youngest (90 A.D. – 100 A.D.)

• “Triple Tradition”: Mark is the basis for Matthew & Luke• “Two Source Theory”: Matthew & Luke

different from Mark:• “Q” Document: “Quelle” in German means

“Shared content” from Matthew & Luke• Didache: sayings of Jesus

Markan Priority(Triple Tradition)

Mark

Matthew Luke

“Q” Hypothesis(Two Source)

Mark “Q”

Matthew Luke

Gospel of Mark

• Oldest record: 65 A.D. – 70 A.D.; shortest

• John Mark, disciple from Jerusalem• Not an apostle• Companion of Peter and Paul

• Wrote for Roman Followers of Jesus

• Recorded Peter’s preaching in Rome

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Gospel of Mark• Themes• Emphasis on the CROSS • Jesus is Lord: brings life, salvation, redemption through

belief in Him; • Challenges to enter into the mystery of suffering to find

redemption

• Mark’s Jesus• “Harried”: A man in a hurry!• Human, emotional• No infancy recorded; appears• Surrounded by many

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Gospel of Matthew80-90 A.D.

• “Tax Collector Levi”• Themes• Jesus: Teacher of Israel• Reign of God is now• God loves us the way we are & His power is within us

• All we have to do is repent• The Kingdom begins with us, making it real in this world

• Matthew’s Jesus• The New Moses – Liberator/Law • The Messiah, fulfillment of OT scripture• Lists family tree - 14 generations of Abraham through David• Reflective and thoughtful Man; Compassionate and Strong

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Gospel of Luke:70-90 A.D.

• NOT an apostle, but claimed Paul’s authority• Companion of Paul • Greek Convert – Medical Man?• Masterful writer balancing diversity of themes and

teachings• Themes• Holy Spirit is among us always and forever• Infancy narrative: Holy Spirit, angels, & Mary• Wrote Acts of the Apostles too; ends with Holy Spirit

enabling early church to spread to Rome• Justice will always prevail because of the presence of the

Spirit

• Luke’s Jesus• Compassionate, forgiving• Universal salvation through Holy Spirit• Gospel of Women ~ Know About Mary from Luke

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Gospel of John90 A.D – 100

A.D• Author unknown: “beloved disciple”?• More advanced theology for Christian audiences who already knew the story • Themes• Book of Signs: bread, wine, wind, water, vine,

light, divinity, shepherd• Pre-existence of Jesus• Faith walk important as a community

• John’s Jesus• Father & Jesus are one• Majestic• Eternal source

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Gospel Perspective

• The Church teaches: • The Gospels are the heart of all the

Scriptures…"because they are our principal source for the life and teaching of the Incarnate Word, our Savior.” (CCC 125)

Treat each Gospel as if it were the four chambers of a heart… each beating in unison with the other chambers to move the source of Life through us

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Acts Of The Apostlescirca 95 A.D.

• “The Gospel To The Nations”•Written by Luke; 2nd half of his

Gospel • Covers first 30 years after

Resurrection• Early church formation,

mission, challenges• Summarizes the Gospels and

begins sets stage for Pentecost• Not intended to be historical;

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Acts Of The Apostles• God’s providence worked through

Apostles Peter and Paul to bring forth the Church• Establishes a reference point for future

generations of Christians: what it was like to be missionary, forming communities, evangelizing• Taught churches to be responsible for

teaching and leading others so that the community did not fall victim to divisions and predatory teaching• Story of Peter and other apostles is

dropped when narrative shifts to Paul’s journeys – martyrdoms not a part of the story

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The Epistles

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Epistles BackgroundLetters from Paul & others

• Oldest NT writings: 51 A.D.

• Used to guide, direct, form, strengthen early Church

Jesus Ministry 30 A.D.

Crucifixion33 A.D.

Paul51 A.D.

Mark, Matthew, Luke, & John70 - 90 A.D.

Mark(Paul & Peter

Disciple)

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St. Paul• Saul of Tarsus• Roman citizen; “Hebrew of

Hebrews”; Educated• Persecuted early Christians; not nice• Road to Damascus conversion story• “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute

me?”

• Called himself “Apostle to the Gentiles”• Skilled orator, writer, and organizer• Actuated his gifts

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St. Paul• Themes• Christianity was for all• Didn’t have to become a

Jew first• Evangelization• Always asked to leave

or run out of town• Often taken literally, but

always connects to OT• Faith, Body of Christ• Sacraments & works

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St. Paul• Attribution – 10 Epistles (“Letter of St. Paul”)• Romans• 1 & 2 Corinthians• Galatians• Ephesians• Philippians• Colossians • 1 & 2 Thessalonians• PhilemonHebrews

• Letters were written to the communities afterward as reminders for the issues facing each of them

Pastorals of St. Paul

• Attribution – 3 Epistles (“Letter of St. Paul”)• Attributed to Paul, written late in his

ministry, directed to a “pastoral community”:• 1 & 2 Timothy• Titus

• Less about Parousia; more about church organization and correct church doctrine

• Warning against heretical teachings

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Catholic Epistles• Attribution – 7 Epistles• James• 1 & 2 Peter• 1, 2, 3 John• Jude

• Not addressed to a specific church or community• Viewed as “catholic” (lower-case “c”), meaning

“universal”• 1, 2, 3 John written by same Johannine

Community, and considered sequel/clarification to Gospel of John

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The Apocalyptic Vision

The Book of Revelation

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Book of Revelation• Prophetic, apocalyptic form• Rich tradition of myth and imagery

from OT• Written by “John” (but not the Evangelist)• Exiled to island of Patmos,

Roman penal colony• Time of Christian persecution (95 A.D.)• Nero, Domitian, & Caligula

• Evolved Christian style; a letter to the faithful

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Themes of Revelation• “Seven” = important• 7 letters to the angels, 7 visions, 7

seals, 7 diadems, 7 trumpets, 7 bowls of wrath, 7 plagues

• Visions describe political powers• Roman empire and its rulers• Written in code, for believers• Symbols only the faithful could

understand• “Beast” = Devil?• 666 = Semitic spelling of “Nero

Caesar”• Constant war between Good / Evil

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Revelation Take-Aways

• Being Christian• Martyrdom: baptism by blood• Loss of wealth & property• Dangerous!

• Divine Signs• People will still blaspheme God rather than

repent• Meant as encouragement to keep faithful,

especially during times of suffering• Heavenly victory of The Lamb

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Revelation Take-Aways

• JESUS IS TRIUMPHANT OVER EVIL• Interpretations•Many!• End times? Or, did Revelation already

happen?• Study; stick to modern scholarship &

tradition

• Great Art!

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“Fall of Rebellious Angels”,

Fran Floris the Elder

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Hans Memling – “The Last Judgment”

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“Angus Dei” Stained Glass,St. Ignatius church in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Questions about the New Testament & Divine Revelation

•Where do we derive our "information about God?•How does God communicate with us?•Under what conditions and circumstances

does such communication occur?•How can we be sure that we have, in fact,

been "in touch with" God rather than with our own wish-projections and imaginings?•Or is God hidden, almost as a matter of

principle, from great segments of the human family?

• Is the FORM of communication verbal, pictorial, dramatic, mystical, historical, social, political, natural or what?•WHAT is communicated or disclosed?• Is it facts about God and the "other world"• Is it God's own self communication?

•Would we have "known" that which is revealed even if it were not revealed?• If God does indeed reveal, why is it that so

many creatures of God seem either indifferent to or ignorant of God's revelation?• Or is it perhaps very difficult to pick up God's

signals?

“Visio Divina” – Images of Jesus• Gazing on Icons as Prayer• Which image speaks to you of who Jesus is?