the new testament unit 2: aspects of jesus’ teaching and action, parables and healings

The New Testament

Unit 2: Aspects of Jesus’ teaching and action, parables and healings

SpecificationAspects of Jesus’ teaching and action, parables and healings • the role and the purpose of parables and healings as recorded in the synoptic gospels

scholars’ views of the theology and the teaching found in parables and healings.• Parables The Sower• Matthew 133–23 and Mark 43–20• The Tenants in the Vineyard• Matthew 2133–46 and Mark 121–12• Healings Centurion’s Slave• Matthew 85–13 and Luke 71–10• Legion• Mark 51–20 and Luke 826–39• Issues arising• In a scientific age, do Jesus’ healings have to be rationalised?• Is context so important that parables cannot be understood in the 21st century? • Are scholars necessary to ensure people have a true understanding of the theological

messages from the parables and the healings?

Jesus’ teaching and action, parables and healings

The Kingdom of God

It is God’s way of doing

things

Jesus set up the supreme example with

the agape principle

It is one of the major teaching

themes used by Jesus

It originates from the Old Testament,

Psalm 96V10: ‘King of the

People’

It applies to your earthly

life and spiritual life


Eschatology‘Eschatos’ means end and ‘Logos’ means to speak of

It is the study of the end things

• C.H. Dodd: ‘The Kingdom of God has come’• It is present in the person and ministry of Jesus and

within the individuals experience• Mark 10:15 ‘The Kingdom of God within you’

Realised Eschatology

• Albert Schweitzer: ‘Call to repentance before an immanent end’

• The Kingdom of God would be displayed to the world at large at the end of time

• After judgement is the end of things

Future Eschatology

• God’s Kingdom is in the person but also comes at the end of time

• It is the now and the futureInaugurated Eschatology


MiraclesDefinition: A ‘remarkable occurrence’

St. Augustine: ‘Miracles are not contrary to nature but only contrary to what we know about nature’

Greek for miracle is semeion which means sign, Hebrew is Oth

Dunameis means power and shows how the miracles were through the power of GodIncarnate: becoming flesh, Jesus was God-incarnate

• Jesus is presented in the Gospels as a healer and a miracle performer • His miracles worked by: touch, spoken word and faith• The 4 types of miracles used were: raising the dead, nature, exorcisms

and healing• Miracles were an integral part of Jesus’ ministry and they confirmed his

identity• Jesus never used incantations in his work

Background

• To demonstrate divine authority of Jesus: ‘It is by means of God’s power that I drive out demons’

• It fulfils his purpose to complete the Old Testament prophecies• Shows that the kingdom of God has arrived and is a reality through his

authority• Demonstrate his human as well as divine power since he shows human

compassion • Reward for faith that God’s love and power will help• Universality to show God is here for everyone

Why Jesus Performed Miracles


Purpose and Significance of Miracles

Miracles were seen as appendages that were added onto the gospels

Form Critics doubt the historicity of miracles undermining their purpose as during the oral period event accounts

were changed • Bultmann: ‘The purpose of miracles was to show Jesus’ superiority over

other miracle workers’• Miracles are proof of Jesus’ messiahship and promote faith

• Alan Richardson: ‘Purpose of the miracles as evidence of the arrival of the Kingdom of God’

• Josephus: ‘Doer of wondrous works’


God’s Relationship with the World

Miracles demonstrate god’s interaction with the work and that the Kingdom of God has arrived

The miracles are seen as signs of the Messianic age where salvation would be proclaimed

Matthew 12V 28: ‘I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you’


Characteristics of Miracles

Faith is required

People would repent their old ways

Demonstrate God’s forgiveness in action

Miracles are modified by Gospel writers for their themes .e.g. Mark is the Messianic Secret

Evidence of the Kingdom of God in Action and Jesus fulfilling his role as the Messiah

Show God’s power


Miracle Critic

David Hume: ‘miracles can never be proved to have

happened and therefore can give

little support to religion’

‘there has never been a miracle that has been witnessed by

sufficient men of sound mind and

intellect’

‘Miracles are generally observed

among ignorant and barbarous

nations’

‘Since miracles happen differently

in different religions they

cannot all be right and therefore

cancel one another out’


Biblical Criticism: Healing of the Centurion Servant

Similarities with Matthew and Luke

Jesus heals a man Go to Capernaum

Centurion has faith in JesusThe Kingdom of God is in action

Realised Eschatology

Differences in Matthew

Differences in Luke

Mentions being thrown out of the KingdomWords written changeThe Old Testament is mentionedIt is a specific healing

Uses Jewish elders to get JesusJesus didn’t say anything to heal the servantA synagogue is builtDevelops the person of Jesus portraying him as human

Source CriticismBoth used Quelle however also used their own

sources

Form CriticismEarly Church impressed as don’t have to be a Jew to

become a Christian: Sitz im LebenRare example where Jesus deals with Gentiles which

shows universality

Redaction CriticismMatthew and Luke Both show universality

and faith

Luke UniversalismHuman character of

JesusFaith is important

Matthew Writing for the Jews so Old Testament reference

of the prophetsEmphasises compassion


The Centurions ServantHuman DivineWalked into Capernaum ‘Lord’: Divine title‘Astonished’: human emotion Knows about Kingdom of God‘I will go’: suggests action Heals servantShows compassion Dunamist power: heal from afar‘Go!’ shows human authority Judgement: ‘gnashing teeth’Popular: people followed Established God’s KingdomUniversalism: talked to gentiles Above authorityAgape

Person of Jesus:

Work of Jesus: (Teaching): Can heal without sight, doesn’t need objects, bridged gap as God incarnate, fulfilled purpose, saves people (realised eschatology), shows judgement and universalityKingdom of God: Jesus fulfilling his role as the messiah and that God created the world and is active in it


The Centurion’s Servant• Dunameis: Mighty Power (Greek used in Synoptic Gospels)• Type of miracle: Healing• Jesus didn’t use incantations and in Luke Jesus didn’t even

speak• Done by voice, faith or touch: Faith is required• The nature was not to attract people but people followed• Done to confirm who Jesus was• Shows Universality – Helped a Centurion who was Roman• Done out of good will and compassion as a reward for faith

Nature

• To show God’s power• Oths occurred in the Old Testament and expected of Jesus

(Hebrew word for miracle)• Proved Jesus was divine: Lord was used• Reward for faith just like in the Centurion• Shows relationship with God – Kingdom of God ‘Gods way of

doing things’ and was for everyone Jew or Gentile if they accepted God: Jesus bridges the gap

• Realised eschatology: Kingdom of God is here and now• Superiority of Jesus as able to heal from afar without seeing

the servant. In Luke he didn’t even speak

Purpose


Biblical Criticism: The Healing of a Demon possessed Man

Similarities with Mark and Luke

Both show the theme of rejectionA man is healed from his demons

Demons taken into the pigsRealised Eschatology

Differences in Mark Differences in Luke

In Mark Jesus says go home to your family

Universality is shown by the man having no clothes

Source CriticismSimon Peter most likely witnessed the exorcism and

Luke’s account is based on Mark’s

Form CriticismSuggested that Mark V15-20 were added by the Early Church so show the beginning of Gentile Christianity,

Jesus refusing the man to join his journey suggests start of Gentile mission. J. Marshall: ‘Conversion

brings the responsibility to evangelise’

Redaction CriticismMark and Luke Theme of rejection

Salvation of God is present

Mark Secret Messiahship

Luke Edited Mark’s adding detail of the man having no clothes: Universality

Old Testament Fulfilment


The Healing Of Legion• Dunameis: Mighty Power (Greek used in Synoptic Gospels)• Type of miracle: Healing• Jesus didn’t use incantations• Done by voice, faith and touch: Faith is required• The nature was not to attract people but people followed• Showed human compassion

Nature:

• Show universalism: ‘When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him.’ Mark 5V2

• Show power of God: ‘He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned’. Mark 5V13

• Show Jesus was the son of God: What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Luke 8V28

• Power and authority: Dunameis:For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”

• Power over Satan – demons are afraid: And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss. Luke 8V31

• Kingdom of God removes evil• Jesus demands faith

Purposes:

• Why if compassionate did Jesus kill the pigs• Why didn’t he let the man join him• Eschatological event with a message of mercy

Problems:


Parables CharacteristicsC.H. Dodd:

‘The parables are perhaps

the most characteristic

element in the teaching of

Jesus as recorded in the

Gospels’

Greek: Parabole:

‘para’ means by the side of

and ‘ballo’ means I put

Parables were the teaching

method Jesus chose to

explain the Kingdom of

God

Definition: Earthly story

with a heavenly meaning

Taken from everyday life and

invite the listener to

pass judgement

Focus on God, His Kingdom

and his expectations of humans

Parables of the

Parousia show the Kingdom of God is here and

in the future

Show God as the loving father

To encourage

good discipleship


Scholars

Adolf Julicher: Parables cannot be regarded as

allegories but as a means to

make a moral point

R. Bultmann: Parables

reflected the Sitz im Leben of the

Early Church

C.H. Dodd: Parables show

realised eschatology

J. Jeremias: ‘Eschatology in the process of

realisation’


The Parable of the Sower• A farmer sows his seeds in which some fell on the

path were birds ate them, others on rocky ground where they withered away due to no roots, some threw into the thorns which choked them but some fell on good soil and produced grain with a yield up to 100 times

• It focuses on the soil• Jesus tells the parable to a large crowd showing

popularity• Teaches that the seeds spread the word of God and

the Kingdom of God grows

Summary

• The Farmer: Christ• The Word: Of the Kingdom • Path: Shallow reception• Rocky places: Persecution• Thorns: Reception choked by daily worries

Allegorical Words


Criticism of the SowerSource Criticism

Both Matthew and Luke used Mark as their source

Form CriticismMark 4V 10-12 seems to be addition from the early church to explain Jesus’ parables as Jesus wouldn’t explain his parables and it is most likely a message of reassurance

for the early church

Redaction CriticismMark: Emphasises crowd size, includes Jesus’ rebuke to the disciples, refers to Isaiah

(Old Testament), showed Messiahship Secret. Luke: Universalism as mentions women and mentions the twelve giving the idea of

mission of the Early ChurchMatthew: Disciples stand for those whom God has given the ability to know the

secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven and are the only ones taught, the crowd is ‘told’: Fenton. The Isaiah reference is written out in full as writing for the Jews


Jesus in the Sower

Person

(Theology

)

• Popular: ‘The Crowd gathered round his was large that he got into a boat’ • Teacher: ‘He taught them many things by parables’• Authority: 'Listen!’• Impatient: ‘Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you

understand any parable?’• Messiah: Brings God’s Kingdom

Work (Theology

)

• Universality: ‘While all the people’• Realised Eschatology: ‘The secret of the Kingdom of God has been given to

you’• Success: Promise of abundant harvest• Inspire belief: Encouraged those being persecuted to have faith


The Tenants in the Vineyards• The Landlord sends his servants to the tenants who work on his

vineyards to collect his share but they beat and kill the servants. The owner then sends his only son to the tenants who reject him and kill his son. Jesus then tells how God will take the land away from the tenants and give it to people who will provide yield of up to 10 times more

• The Tenants refer to the Jews who had become selfish and refused to listen to the prophets

• Jesus is the ‘Capstone’ of the faith as he set up the foundation : Psalm 118 it was originally rejected

Summary

• Landlord: God• Vineyard: Israel• Tenants: Leaders of the Nations• Servants: Prophets• Son: Jesus

Allegorical Words


Redaction CriticismMatthew follows Mark’s order however at some points goes into

more detail

Mark Matthew12V8: The casting out occurs after the

killing21V39: Changes the order so Jesus dies

‘outside of the gate’Jesus answers his own question The hearers answer the question

V1: It is a man V33: Landowner; specifically for God

V2: It is a servant V34: Servants linked to prophets

Details of the Vineyard conform to Isaiah 5V2

V35: Stoned another is the persecution of prophets in Israel

V9: ?He will come and kill those tenants

V41: Wretches to a wretched end’ emphasis on God’s wrath


The Person of Jesus

Humanity

• Universality: Message is universal and all have access to God through Jesus

• Patience: ‘Send servants to them, more than the first time’• Judge: ‘He who falls on the stone will be broken to pieces, he who

falls will be crushed’

Divinity

• Hope: The Kingdom of God would be available• Rejection: ‘Tenants seized his servants, they beat one, killed

another, stoned third’• Messiah: Seen as the new vine and a cornerstone • Omniscient: ‘Become the capstone’• Obedience: ‘Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and

given to people who will produce fruit’

the new testament unit 2: aspects of jesus’ teaching and action, parables and healings

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