Jesus in the Gospels and Acts Is Clearly Written and Will Serve the Needs of Those New to the New Testament and Those More Seasoned in Reading It
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“Dan Scholz offers a thoroughly readable and informative introduc- tion to the Gospels and Acts. In this first of a two-part New Tes- tament introduction, Scholz provides a multiangled look at these books through historical, literary, and theological lenses. Each chap- ter on the Gospels and Acts begins with considerations about the book’s historical setting (author, dating, sources, and audience) and moves to significant exploration of how the story is told in that par- ticular narrative, providing insight into literary devices and themes. Additional discussions are included on the historical backdrop of these books, historical Jesus study, and noncanonical early Christian gospels. Jesus in the Gospels and Acts is clearly written and will serve the needs of those new to the New Testament and those more seasoned in reading it. Scholz invites his reader into relevant aspects of schol- arly discussion and does so in accessible ways. The book is easy to navigate and contains frequent sidebars and helpful chapter conclu- sions with additional information to enhance the reading experience.” —Jeannine K. Brown, professor of New Testament, Bethel Seminary “Dr. Scholz’s book fills a serious lacuna in the field, namely, a solid, up-to-date examination of the gospels in their historical and liter- ary context that, at the same time, is accessible to undergraduates of every age and creed. Reflecting the mainstream of modern biblical studies, this new edition is invaluable for any teacher struggling to give students a richer, more profound understanding of the multiple portraits of Jesus, within and beyond the canon, and their relevance for contemporary faith. This text, paired with Dr. Scholz’s volume on Paul, serves as the perfect guide for an introductory course on the New Testament.” —Lance Richey, University of Saint Francis 7052-Jesus in the Gospels_FINAL.indd 1 8/28/13 10:36 AM AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I offer my sincere thanks and gratitude to the faculty and staff of Cardinal Stritch University who allowed me the time and space for the writing of this project. Two other individuals warrant special thanks. This book would not have come to completion without the keen editorial eye of Jerry Ruff at Anselm Academic; his constant attention to detail was invaluable. Also, the assistance of Dr. James A. Kelhoffer proved invaluable. Dr. Kelhoffer spent countless hours combing through my manuscript, offering his biblical knowledge and insights to help shape the final product. Finally, and most especially, I thank my wife, Bonnie, for the patience, guidance, and wisdom she has provided for me throughout the process of writing this book. Publisher Acknowledgments The publisher owes a special debt of gratitude to James A. Kelhoffer, PhD, who advised throughout this project. Dr. Kelhoffer’s expertise and passion both as teacher and scholar contributed immeasurably to this work. Until 2010, Dr. Kelhoffer was associate professor of New Testament and Early Christian Literature at Saint Louis University, where he received the 2008 Alpha Sigma Nu Book Award in Theol- ogy. He is now Professor and Chair of New Testament Exegesis at Uppsala University (Sweden). The publisher also wishes to thank the following individuals who advised the publishing team or reviewed the first edition of this work in progress: Catriona M. K. MacLeod College of Notre Dame of Maryland Sheila E. McGinn, John Carroll University, Cleveland Judith Schubert, RSM Georgian Court University, New Jersey Jeffrey S. Siker Loyola Marymount University, California 7052-Jesus in the Gospels_FINAL.indd 2 8/28/13 10:36 AM Jesus in the Gospels and Acts NEW EDITION Introducing the New Testament Daniel J. Scholz James A. Kelhoffer, Academic Editor 7052-Jesus in the Gospels_FINAL.indd 3 8/28/13 10:36 AM Created by the publishing team of Anselm Academic. Cover image royalty free from Shutterstock The scriptural quotations in this book are from the New American Bible, revised edi- tion © 2010, 1991, 1986, and 1970 by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, D.C. Used by the permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Copyright © 2009, 2013 by Daniel J. Scholz. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher, Anselm Academic, Christian Brothers Publications, 702 Terrace Heights, Winona, MN 55987-1320, www.anselmacademic.org. Printed in the United States of America 7052 ISBN 978-1-59982-476-5, Print 7052-Jesus in the Gospels_FINAL.indd 4 8/28/13 10:36 AM CONTENTS Preface to New Edition 7 Introduction: Studying Jesus and the Gospels 9 1. Understanding the World of Jesus and Interpreting the Gospels 15 Introduction / 15 Part 1: Understanding the World of Jesus / 17 Part 2: Interpreting the Gospels / 45 2. The Gospel of Mark: Jesus as the Suffering Messiah 58 Introduction / 58 Part 1: Historical Setting of Mark’s Gospel / 59 Part 2: How Mark Told the Story / 65 3. The Gospel of Matthew: Jesus as the New Moses 85 Introduction / 85 Part 1: Historical Setting of Matthew’s Gospel / 88 Part 2: How Matthew Told the Story / 93 4. The Gospel of Luke: Jesus as the Universal Savior 114 Introduction / 114 Part 1: Historical Setting of Luke’s Gospel / 120 Part 2: How Luke Told the Story / 125 7052-Jesus in the Gospels_FINAL.indd 5 8/28/13 10:36 AM 5. The Acts of the Apostles: The Spirit-Driven Church 143 Introduction / 143 Part 1: Historical Setting of the Acts of the Apostles / 148 Part 2: How Luke Told the Story of the Early Church / 150 6. The Gospel of John: Jesus as the Word Made Flesh 174 Introduction / 174 Part 1: Historical Setting of John’s Gospel / 179 Part 2: How John Told the Story / 187 7. The Historical Jesus 210 Introduction / 210 Part 1: The Search for the Historical Jesus / 212 Part 2: Sketching a Profile of the Historical Jesus / 228 8. Other Early Christian Gospels 244 Introduction / 244 Part 1: Witnesses to and Discoveries of the Extracanonical Gospels / 248 Part 2: Introducing the Extracanonical Gospels / 252 Index 271 7052-Jesus in the Gospels_FINAL.indd 6 8/28/13 10:36 AM PREFACE TO NEW EDITION This new edition of Jesus in the Gospels and Acts is part of a two- volume series titled Introducing the New Testament. The other text in the series is The Pauline Letters (2013) also by Daniel J. Scholz. Like the first edition of Jesus in the Gospels and Acts, this edi- tion does not supplant the Gospels and Acts but complements them, offering literary, historical, and theological insights that help readers make sense of the biblical text. The text’s organization and language, considerate of a religiously diverse audience, enhance the accessibility of the author’s exploration of Jesus and the New Testament. The charts, maps, sidebars, images, and summaries offer the visual variety and graphic support essential to visual learners. The layout of the text conveys the hierarchy and types of information, calling out biblical book outlines, core concepts, and supplemental information. Each chapter concludes with questions for review and theologi- cal reflection. An annotated bibliography at the end of each chapter provides recommendations for further reading that can serve as start- ing points for writing papers. The recommended works and authors are some of the best in biblical scholarship. New elements in this edition include minor content updates, footnotes in place of endnotes so readers can find references and additional information without turning pages, an updated interior lay- out, and additional photographs and paintings intended to enhance the visual appeal and educational value of the text. 7 7052-Jesus in the Gospels_FINAL.indd 7 8/28/13 10:36 AM 7052-Jesus in the Gospels_FINAL.indd 8 8/28/13 10:36 AM INTRODUCTION Studying Jesus and the Gospels This book focuses on the central figure of the Christian Scriptures: Jesus. Arguably, no other figure in history has had more influence in shaping many of the religious and cultural norms in the world today. Regardless of one’s faith tradition or lack thereof, possessing a work- ing knowledge of Jesus and the Gospels is important for religious, historical, and cultural literacy. In the Christian Scriptures, the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are the primary sources of information about Jesus. Other sources close to these Gospels (for example, the Acts of the Apostles, writings of the early church fathers, and second-century extracanonical gospels) augment them. To begin, three points must be stressed about Jesus and the Gos- pels. First, Jesus of Nazareth was a first-century Jew of the ancient Mediterranean world; therefore, any understanding of the histori- cal Jesus must be grounded in situating him within his Jewish social, political, and religious environment. Second, the Hebrew Scriptures, especially the prophetic books, heavily influenced the authors of the four Gospels and Acts; thus, a working knowledge of the entire Bible, as well as of the types of Judaism that existed in Jesus’ time, will help make sense of Jesus and the Gospels. Third, first-century authors who believed that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah and Son of God wrote the Gospels and Acts. The four Gospels and Acts are, in fact, a complex interweaving of history, literature, and theology that is not easily disentangled. This is highlighted here because much of the content and structure of this book reflects this reality. For Christians, the Bible divides into two parts: the first testa- ment, also called the Hebrew Scriptures or Old Testament; and the 9 7052-Jesus in the Gospels_FINAL.indd 9 8/28/13 10:36 AM 10 jESUS IN THE GOSPELS AND ACTS second testament, also called the Christian Scriptures or New Testa- ment.