Using the methods described in Introducing Literary Interpretation (BI131), Dr. Jeannine Brown shows how to interpret the Gospel narratives—not with a piecemeal approach, but by understanding each Gospel narrative as a whole. Gain insight on the literary context, genre, and historical setting of the Gospels. Understand how the Graeco-Roman and Jewish cultures combined to create the unique setting that God chose to reveal Himself in. Explore the setting, characters, and plot in the Gospels, as well as literary devices like the arrangement of pericopes and different points of view in the story.
After describing interpretive methods, Dr. Brown applies them to specific passages, providing step-by-step guidance and giving you confidence to interpret the Gospel narratives yourself.
Introduction
Introduction
Introducing the Speaker
1m
Introducing the Course
2m
What Are the Gospels?
Genre
3m
A Formal Resemblance to Graeco-Roman Biography
3m
A Substantive Resemblance to Graeco-Roman Biography
3m
Distinctions from Graeco-Roman Biography
6m
Implications for Interpreting the Gospels
8m
Reading the Gospels as Wholes
Literary Context
5m
The Two Levels of a Gospel
4m
The Story Level
6m
The Discourse Level: Themes
6m
The Discourse Level: Sequencing
4m
The Discourse Level: More Sequencing Strategies
5m
The Discourse Level: Point of View
7m
The Implied Reader
7m
Other Methods for Reading the Gospels
A Range of Methods
6m
Historical Criticism
3m
Source Criticism
5m
Form Criticism
8m
Redaction Criticism
10m
Reading the Gospels in Their First Settings
Two Potential Time Frames
6m
The Two Worlds of the First Century
8m
Political Background of First-Century Judaism
2m
Roman Occupation during the Time of Jesus
2m
Working with a Graeco-Roman Setting
4m
Rome and Jesus’ Crucifixion
7m
Core Beliefs of First-Century Judaism
8m
Expectations within First-Century Judaism
6m
Examples of Working with a Jewish Setting
Torah Adherence in Exodus and the Psalms
5m
Torah Adherence in the Prophets
3m
Purity Laws
6m
Pharisees
5m
Messianic Expectations
4m
The Royal Messiah
5m
Other Figures and Terms
7m
Reading Matthew as a Whole
Keeping Three Values in View
2m
The Title of Matthew’s Gospel
5m
Genealogy as a Subgenre
5m
The Pattern of the Genealogy in Matthew 1:2–17
2m
Breaks in the Pattern
5m
Themes in Matthew 1:2–17
4m
Themes Reiterated in Matthew 28:16–20
4m
The Scramble for Status
An Example from Matthew 20:20–28
2m
Backing up Slightly: Matthew 20:17–19
3m
Backing up Further: Matthew 20:1–16
5m
Backing up to the Key Juncture: Matthew 16:21
8m
Themes that Emerge
6m
Checking Themes across Matthew as a Whole
7m
Historical Assessment of Themes: Status Reversal
3m
Historical Assessment of Themes: The Servant of the Lord