Chapter 1: Who is Jesus?  Searching inthe New Testament and Beyond  CONCEPT C  The New Testament

The New Testament A Collection of “Books”  27 separate books – different writings and authors  personal letters, homilies from early worship services, some highly symbolic and imaginative writings, the 4 gospels

The New Testament A Collection of “Books ”  developed about 20 years after Jesus’ death – about 50 to 100 C.E.  all deal with the life, death, & Resurrection of Jesus and his impact on the community of those who believed in him – the church

The New Testament A Collection of “Books”  Only the gospels deal directly with Jesus’ life, preaching, works, Resurrection –  only they offer anything like an historical portrait of Jesus.

The New Testament A Collection of “Books”  Other writings address the early community of faith, the meaning of Jesus’ life, death & Resurrection for the believer, difficulties of the 1 st Christians, etc.  They are about the lives of the Christian community and individual Christian more than the life of Jesus himself.

The New Testament Writings with Special Authority  Prior to the development of the New Testament, the earliest Christians - many devout Jews -  used the Old Testament during worship and community prayer.

The New Testament Writings with Special Authority.  New writings first came about to meet the needs of that growing, worshiping community.  Some writings were lost, others became the New Testament.

The New Testament Writings with Special Authority  By the end of the 2nd century, more than 150 years after Jesus’ death & Resurrection –  the church agreed on the 4 gospels as special and authoritative.

The New Testament Writings with Special Authority  By the end of the 4th century, the church gave final approval of the 27 books of the New Testament.

The Canon of The New Testament: The Gospels  Matthew, Mark, Luke, John –organized chronologically –something like historical records of Jesus’ life but more concerned with his message than with the details of his life

Canon of The New Testament: The Acts of the Apostles  Luke’s account of the early days of the Christian community under Peter’s leadership –relates the initial development of the church in Jerusalem & the Roman Empire

Canon of The New Testament: The Acts of the Apostles –the main focus is on Paul’s missionary endeavors that spread the church throughout the Roman Empire.

Canon of The New Testament: 13 Pauline Epistles –to support and further educate individual Christians or small communities who believed in Jesus because of missionary work of Paul and others –7 written by Paul Romans Philippians 1 Corinthians 1 Thessalonians 2 Corinthians Philemon Galatians

Canon of The New Testament: 13 Pauline Epistles –6 by authors who wanted to honor Paul or sought special authority in the community by claiming community by claiming Paul as the author Ephesians1 Timothy Colossians2 Timothy 2 ThessaloniansTitus

Canon of The New Testament: The Letter to the Hebrews –attributed to Paul, but author is unknown –an extended sermon to a group in danger of falling away from their belief in Jesus

Canon of The New Testament: The 7 Catholic (general or universal) Epistles –addressed to believing Christians as a general audience, not to a particular community James2 Peter 2 JohnJude 1 Peter1 John 3 John

Canon of The New Testament: The Book of Revelation –highly symbolic and mysterious language –popular writing among Jews since 200 years before Jesus

Canon of The New Testament: The Book of Revelation –most was written for late 1st century Christians who were suffering persecution from Romans for their beliefs –encourages faith in Christ and expectation of his return at the end of time

The Canon of The New Testament  The 4 Gospels  The Acts of the Apostles  The 13 Pauline Epistles  The Letter to the Hebrews

The Canon of The New Testament  The 7 Catholic (general or universal) Epistles  The Book of Revelation

The Canon of The New Testament  Order of Writings –1 Thessalonians –  first book to be written, about 50 C.E. –Gospels  written between 70 and 95 C.E. –2 Peter  last book to be written, about 100 C.E.

The Canon of The New Testament Canon – from the Greek meaning “rule” or “standard”  Present order – from popularity of gospels within early community, length of Paul’s letters, etc.

A Look Ahead: Who is Jesus? What are we to make of his life, death and resurrection?

 TURNING TO THE GOSPELS

TURNING TO THE GOSPELS  They are the link between Jesus of Nazareth and the of every age who follow him of Nazareth and the people of every age who follow him  Just about everything the church teaches about Jesus is from the 4 Gospels Matthew MatthewMarkLukeJohn