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1. The Gospels are not eye-witness reports of what Jesus did and said, but are collections of
traditions about him, written from the perspective of the Resurrection in response to the
respective needs of the community (ND 241-244).
2. The true significance of the text, in fact, emerges from an open dialogue between the text
and its context on the one hand, and the reader and his/her context on the other (ND 272274).
3. Though the Synoptic Gospels have much in common they differ from one another in their
presentation of Jesus Christ. However, the Johannine perspective is significantly different
from them.
4. In their various kerygmata, the Gospels provide us with a basis for diversity in unity.
5.
This could serve as a model for Christians living in a multi-religious context like India.
Thesis can be divided into four parts.
a. Gospels are not eye-witness reports.
b. True significance of the text emerges from the text from its open dialogue through
historical critical method.
c. Synoptic and Johanine presentation of Christ.
d. Kerygma of the gospels as basis for diversity in unity.
ND 241-244 are from the Biblical Commission( Santa Mater Ecleisia(1964)
ND 241: The interpreter must take careful note of the three stages of tradition by which the
teaching and the life of Jesus came down to us.
ND 242 :
Christ attached to himself certain chosen disciples who had followed him from the
beginning, had seen his works and heard his words and thus were qualified to become
witnesses to his life and teaching.
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Jesus during his teaching of word of mouth used ways of reasoning and expression which
were common use at that time.
ND 243 :
Apostle bearing witness to Jesus first and foremost- the death and resurrection of Jesus.
They faithfully recounted the life and words, as regard the manner of their preaching
took into account the circumstances of the hearers.
Apotl s recounted Jesus life acts words in the light of the fuller understanding they
enjoyed as a result of being instructed by glorious events accomplished by Christ and
illuminated by the spirit of truth.
ND 244:
The sacred writers took the earliest body of instructions which were handed down orally
first and then in writing.
The truth of the narrative is not affected in the least by the facts that the evangelists report
the sayings or doings of our Lord in a different order or that they use different words to
express what he said, not keeping to the letters but nevertheless preserving the sense.
1. The Gospels are not eye-witness reports of what Jesus did and said, but are collections of
traditions about him, written from the perspective of the Resurrection in response to the
respective needs of the community (ND 241-244).
They are not an eye witness and they are not reports. They are by second generation Christians.
Report tells about somebody. They are proclamations, in the form of narrative Christology. That is
they tell about Jesus in a story form.
Gospels are collected and edited traditions, written from the perspective of resurrection according to
the needs of the community. This tells us about the formation about the gospels.
There is approximately 40 years of difference between the 1st to 2nd stage.
eg: Jesus died around 30 CE and the first gospel Mark comes only around 65-70 CE.
During these 40 years original life of Jesus Christ s transfigured. What we have in the gospels is a
transfigured memory.
6. Gospel Rayan Lobo, SJ
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Resurrection
Community needs
Words and deed of Jesus which were heard and seen by apostles
Oral tradition
Written gospels.
Biographies of Jesus
Historically trustworthy
Gospels considered words and deeds of Jesus transmitted by apostles like Matthew and John
and disciples of Apostles MK and LK(as literal authors).
With the application old the Historical critical Method the church affirms that gospels are not eye
witness reports(Santa Mater Ecclesia, 1964, Paul VI)
ND 240-245 mention about the 3 stages involved in the formation of the gospels.
1. Jesus Event: Words and deeds of Jesus as understood and interpreted by the apostles in the
light of their faith in the resurrection a transfigured memory.
2. Oral Tradition: Resurrection Needs of the Community Biblical Language.
Words of Jesus were circulated as Oral Tradition in the early church and were used for
various needs.
Catechesis
Liturgy
Worship
Teaching
6. Gospel Rayan Lobo, SJ
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Preaching
Apologetic
3. Gospels:
Oral traditions were
Collected
Adapted
Changed
Modified
Process of writing to suit the challenges, needs and problems of the reader and their theology.
2. The true significance of the text, in fact, emerges from an open dialogue between the text
and its context on the one hand, and the reader and his/her context on the other (ND
272-274).
On the one hand, and the reader and his/her context world before the text.
The author meaning is not immediately accessible to us because of the historical distance
and the cultural gap between the author and the reader.
Therefore we need to go back to the Sitz im Laben of the historical critical method.
There is a historical distance between the text and what happened before (context of the
text).
We need to understand the text in its context. For that we have historical critical
method. This helps in reading the intention of the author. But it does not tell us what
should we do now.
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Text riticism:
Key to restore the original text.
Literary Criticism:
determines the authenticity of the biblical book
Source of the text
Form Criticism:
This deals with how the text developed.
This deals with literary forms(genre)0f a peri-cope. eg: a miracle story, parable,
Psalm etc.
Redaction Criticism:
Affirms that evangelists primarily are not computers of traditions but the
authors of their own right.
gives the theology of the author.
It establishes the theology of the evangelists.
Historical Criticism:
It attempts to establish the historicity of the deeds and words of Jesus in a scientific
manner.
Historical critical method speaks of the text as Single Meaning or Author meaning
HC method studies the text(gospel) objectively a an academic enterprise. Gospels on the
other hand are meant for personal transformation of the reader.
HC method/exegesis has too often tended to limit the meaning of the texts by taking them
too rigidly, to precise historical circumstances.
It should seek/ rather determine the direction of the thought expressed by the text and so
there emerges a new method known as Hermeneutical Method.
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To make it relevant to todays context we need to bring reader and is context the text. To
make the meaning for today, we need to dialogue between the reader and the context
with texts original meaning.
True meaning emerges from a creative and dialogical encounter between the reader and the
text.
H-C method cannot satisfy us fully because its a religious text. Religious text has
openness to the past and to the future. we can go back in history to find what did the
community mean at that time. It also has openness to the future. The goal of the
religious text is transformation. Therefore it can have an effect on the reader even
today.
Modern hermeneutical methods say that the text has a surplus of meaning. Intention of
the author is not the closure of the text. There is a semantic autonomy in the text.
However we cannot do away with the historical critical method for it can play a supportive
role in our interpretation.
In the Christian interpretation of the sacred scripture the text meaning should be in continuity
with the author meaning.
Therefore we can bring these two worlds to dialogue and make them relevant to
todays context.
3. Though the Synoptic Gospels have much in common they differ from one another in
their presentation of Jesus Christ. However, the Johannine perspective is significantly
different from them.
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Order/sequence
Wordings
1. Content:
Most narratives and sayings are common to all three gospels.
Baptism
Temptation
Galilean Ministry
Content: for example we have triple tradition double tradition and single tradition.
Ex:
2. Order/ Sequence
1. -Prelude to Galilean ministry
2. Galilean Ministry
3. Journey to Jerrusalem
4. Minitry in Jerusalem
5. Passion/Death and Reurrection.
Wordings:
Mk 8:37 9:1 || MT& Lk Jesus fortells his death.
Mk 11: 27 -33 || Mt: 21. 23-27 and Lk 20: 1-8 Jesus authority quesstionned in Jerusalem
Similarity is due to the common source Q (Quelle)
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When authors edited, they edited according to their own perspectives, to the needs of the
community. They differ in their presentation of Jesus Christ.
Mt Teacher
During the time of Mark Nero was emperor. Christians were persecuted. People had
only 2 choices. Either deny Jesus Christ or enter into Collosium to b eaten by lions. Then
they aked the question Why must I die? and mark aks the question Why should Jesus
die?
In Matthew it is a settled Jewish community. The settled community wanted their life to
be guided by the words of Jesus. They wanted to know what are the words and deeds of
Jesus. Therefore Matthew arranges for them in 5 Discourses. Therefore
Mt 10 Mission
Mt 13 Parables
Mt 18 Community Discourse
Luke writes to gentile Christians. Therefore he presents Jesus as the universal saviour.
Even in order there is a difference. Here Jesus goes back and forth to Jerusalem. therefore
Mission in Galilee as well as in Jerusalem.
Here the themes are not KOG but symbolic themes like light and darkness death and
life etc.
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In Mark Jesus considered divine from his baptism. In Matthew and Luke he is considered
divine from his conception and in John Jesus is considered divine even before creation
Differences
Mark:
Suffering Messiah
Matthew:
Expected Messiah
Davidic Origin
Luke:
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John
Jesus reveals the Father that is the relationship between the Father and the son.
Purpose of John: is to stimulate faith in the unbeliever and strengthen it in the believer.
I am sayings
John places more stress on Jesus as the one coming from the Father.
Oral Traditions
I am sayings
Pre-exitence
Cana
Anti thesis like like and darkness, Spirit and Flesh, Life and death.
4. In their various kerygmata, the Gospels provide us with a basis for diversity in unity.
Different evangelist portray the main thrust of the kingdom of God differently in the
synoptic gospels.( Lk 4, 43; 8,1;16.1)
Matthew Jesus as the new Moses abd church as the New Israel.
-Law of love
John talks about the relationship between Jesus and the Father.
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Johanine Jesus asks his disciples to enter into relationship with him, ultimately with
the Father.
Thus we can say that there is unity in diversity in the presentation of Jesus by the
evangelists.
Diversity in Unity
There is one Jesus Christ but many theologies un the NT, which shows the diversity.
Unity is maintained in the
Message
Preaching
Proclamation about Jesus Christ (Risen or exalted Christ)
Called for faith, acceptance of proclamation, commitment to Jesus.
The promise held out to the faith.
Christ event is central to all four gospels.
Proclamation in the name of Christ.
5. This could serve as a model for Christians living in a multi-religious context like India.
Language: Gospels were attempting inculturation in 2 ways. Gospels are written in Greek.
Although Jesus and disciples were Aramaic speaking, they adapted Greek language,
especially Koene Greek, which was the day today language of the common people.the didnt
want to make any difference between gospel and common people.
- different names.
-Worshipped in different ways.
-conditioned by historical situation and culture.
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ND 272:
Contribution of the modern philosophical hermeneutics, recent developments of literary theory
allows exegesis, deepen its understanding of the task before it.
Ancient Exegesis: Attributed to every text of scripture several levels of meaning.
Most prevalent distinction was between - literal sense and spiritual sense.
Medieval Sense: Distinguished within the spiritual sense three different sense :
to the truth revealed
to the way life commended
Final goal to be achieved.
ND 273:
Speaks of the importance of seeking the important meaning of the text as proclaimed by the
authors the literal meaning.
6. Gospel Rayan Lobo, SJ
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Since this is the fruit of the inspiration, this sense is also intended by God, as Principal author.
This is done by careful analysis of the text within its literary and historical context.
ND 274
LG 16:
All religions are inspired; other religions also have a ray of truth;
Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in other religions( NA)
However this is not to equate the gospels with other scriptures of other religions. The
gospels are the word of God for us.
Selvas version
Language: Gospels were attempting inculturation in 2 ways. Gospels are written in Greek.
Although jesus and disciples were Aramaic speaking, they adapted Greek language, especially
Koene Greek, which was the day today language of the common people.the didnt want to make
any difference between gospel and common people.
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There are very many religions diversity. Gospels had unity in proclamation and diversity in the
presentation of the proclamation, we also like the early Christian community, need to have unity
in the Jesus experience.
Jesus said love one another as I have loved you. Early Christians had no temple. They were
worshipping God everywhere. They all accepted Sunday as the Sabbath day, not Saturday. They
all came together to celebrate the sacraments.
Today too Christians can have certain unity in proclaiming the Jesus. Gospel has a message of
proclamation, that message should enter into each diverse cultures and religions of our times.
eg: Brahmo Bandu Upadyaay.
Also bring in
Ecclesi o Centic view extra ecclesia nulla salus- outide the church there is no salvation.
Therefore you need to be a member of the church in order to have salvation.
Theo-centric view John Right- he said normally Christ was the centre but now God is the centre
of all religions. Therefore has in its own authority salvation, which church documents also support.
NA2 What is true and holy in other religion. Rays of truth should enlighten us. Therefore ways
os salvation is in other religion also.
Theocentric there are two views.
1. Normative = In Jesus definitive revelation of Jesus has taken place. When we deal with
other religions we should take Jesus as the example.
2. Non normative : Jesus need not be the decisive pattern. Other religion can have their
own.
Please Note: This thesis need to further modification. I had left out this thesis. Therefore I did
not pay much attention to the thesis.
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