Christian Studies Year 9: Messages from the Memory Banks
Unit 3: Telling it like it is
Requirements:
Video - Messages from the Memory Banks. Session #3 Telling it like it is (18 min.)
Booklet 'Messages from the Memory Banks' (in .zip format)
Main Question
Why are the books of the Bible written in the way they are? (The Gospels are taken as the major example.)
Sub-questions
What sort of books are the Gospels?
Does the lack of agreed order make the accounts unreliable sources?
So much for the differences - what about the similarities?
Do we have just the bare facts?
How does interpretation fit in with honest and truthful reporting?
Does interpretation help?
The Video
So far we have examined
1. How much of the Bible has reached us intact.
2. Were the writers telling the truth in the first place.
This session we will examine
3. Why was the Bible written the way it was.
The Bible is
� a collection of 66 different books by many different authors covering many genres such as history, poetry, biography and letters. These writings are considered to be inspired by God.
A contrast between the Biographical information of Jesus and John Lennon
� Both grew up in ordinary homes
� Both became famous and had an impact on many people
� Died violent death while still young
The distribution of Biographical information
� John Lennon - not much about birth, a bit about when he took an interest in music, and most about the Beetles.
� Luke's Gospel - a bit on the birth, an incident when Jesus was 12, then nothing till the last 3 years of his life (90% of book)
Percentage examining the last few days
� John Lennon 4%
� Luke 23%
� Mark 37%
Why are bits of the Gospel different?
� When Christians met together they would share memories. Rather than telling the whole story from beginning to end, they would share the parts relevant to the occasion.
Why are there bits that are the same?
� Mark wrote his gospel first. Matthew and Luke copied from Mark and bits of another source (Q)
� Most of Mark is included in Matthew and Luke
� Segments of Matthew and Luke are the same
� Less than � of Matthew and Luke is unique
� Suggested that Matthew and Luke copies from another source Q
These three books are know as the
� Synoptic Gospels from 2 Greek words meaning 'seen together'
Why did they select to record the events they did?
Luke
� Wants to show that the message of Jesus is for everyone, so he records the visit of ordinary shepherds to the stable
Matthew
� Was writing for a Jewish audience who were waiting for a messiah; a leader or a King, so he records the arrival of the wise men coming to worship Jesus as a King.
John
� About meaning and interpretation of the facts. i.e. The healing of the Blind man to show how Jesus was understood as the light of the world.
We can probably learn a lot
� From controversial issues Jesus doesn't teach on
How does interpretation fit with honest reporting
� When piecing together a news story, the director selects what images to use, choose individuals to feature in the story, and pick a headline which to group the information under
� We use what's there to get across what is important to the audience
� This is the same process as the writers of the gospels
Conclusion: Where does God fit in all this?
For personal reflection - tease out if necessary
What is God saying?
Why is God saying it?
What should it mean to us?
