Describe the economic and political scene for the Jews in the Roman Empire at the time of Jesus.
Jesus’ area was very poor, partly due to the Roman taxes. It was mainly a fishing area. Herod was the leader and Pilate was the governor.
Who were the saducees?
they were the priestly Jews on the Jewish council.
Who were the zealots?
Extreme Jews, violent against Romans.
Who were the essenes?
Also strict, waited for the messiah.
Who were the Pharisees?
They were laity who wanted to be Jewish, and they were against Jesus
What are the synoptic gospels and why are they named this way?
Matthew, mark, and Luke. They share many of the same stories.
How is John different from the other Gospels?
It focuses on Jesus’ divinity, using long passages and imagery
What were the sources for Matthew and Luke
Mark and the Q source
How are the gospels similar and different from one another?
They all portray the same historical Jesus, but they focus on different aspects of him.
What are the stages of stricture development in the Gospels.
- Life/teacings of Jesus 2. Oral tradition 3. Written tradition 4. Edited tradition 5. Canonical
What is the symbol of Mark.
A desert winged lion- the book begins with John making a speech in the desert.
What is the kerygma?
It is the abrupt ending of Mark which invites the reader to participate in preaching the gospel.
What language was mark written in? Who was it written for? Why was it written? Who was it written by?
It was written by John mark in Greek for Christians being persecuted by Emperor Nero. It was written for Gentile Christian’s who had been pagans.
How was Jesus viewed in each Gospel?
M- messiah/king
M- suffering servant
L- savior/son of man
J- divine
What is the messianic secret and how did mark portray it?
It is how Jesus reveals himself as the Messiah during his ministry. He tells the disciples not to preach it and wait for the right time.
What word is repeated 41 times in mark
immediately. It shows an immediacy to the gospel
What is the kingdom of God? Why is it significant?
the rule of God in the hearts of people. It represents a present reality and a future hope.
What is the messianic mystery
The paradox that Jesus, although the messiah, must suffer/die
How do Jesus’ apostles feel about him/
They struggled to understand him.
