THE EASTER NARRATIVES Part I |
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THE EASTER NARRATIVES Part I (The text book I used for this course is: Easter Gospels by Robert Smith, published by Augsburg Fortress – 1983. The # symbol refers to paragraphs in the Synopsis of the Four Gospels available from the American Bible Society.) Rev. Greg Kaufmann• Mark's Empty Tomb Account • Mathew's Account of the Empty Tomb • Luke's Account of the Empty Tomb • John's Account of the Empty Tomb • Mathew's Account of the Apperances of Jesus • Luke's Account of the Apperances of Jesus MARK’S EMPTY TOMB ACCOUNT (16:1-8) #352 16:1 Who comes to the tomb? Why do they come?
16:2 When did they come? Is Mark interested in merely the time of day?
16:3, 4 Did the women have any hope of a resurrected Jesus? Why does Mark wait until now to mention the size of the stone?
16:5 Do the women enter the tomb? What do they see in the tomb? What is their reaction to this young man? Refer back to Mark 14:51-52 (#331) for another young man! Refer to Mark 1:13 (#20) for the only other time an angel is referred to in this Gospel. 16:6 What does the young man say? Why does he give the women all those details? What does the young man tell the women to do? What does Galilee imply for Mark? What is meant by “there you will see Jesus?”
16:8 If the words of the young man are such good news, why did the women react as they did? Do the women disobey the messenger? Is trembling and astonishment the normal response to a word from God? What does Mark mean that they were afraid? Is there a contradiction between verses 7 and 8? 16:1-8 Is the way of the cross vindicated? Has Jesus’ prophetic word been validated? What is the good news for Mark’s persecuted Roman readers? What is the good news for you? Session 2 CLASS HANDOUT MATTHEW’S ACCOUNT OF THE EMPTY TOMB (MATTHEW 28:1-8) #352
27:62-66 Why does only Matthew include this detail? What should they have been doing on the Sabbath? How did they secure the tomb?
28:1 Why do the women come to the tomb? Who comes? When do they come? 28:2 Who opens the tomb? What is the significance of a great earthquake?
28:3 Why does Matthew add all the details about the angel?
28:4 What happens to the guards? 28:5-7 Compare this message to Mark’s. 28:8 Is this really any different from Mark 16:8?
28:9-10 While these verses are included in Session 3, I have also added them to Session 2 for the following reason. Why would Matthew want to sandwich the reaction of the guard and the Jewish leaders between two acts of worship by believers? Session 2 LUKE’S ACCOUNT OF THE EMPTY TOMB (LUKE 24:1-12) #352 23:56b How do the various translations handle the sentence that begins here and ends in 24:1? What picture do we get of the women if we leave it together? Would these women break the Sabbath by anointing a body?
24:1 When do the women come to the tomb? Why do they come? How does this compare with Mark and the rest of the canonical gospels?
24:3 Contrast what the women expected to find and what they saw. This verse reminds one of an earlier story in Luke’s gospel. (2:41-52) (#12) The account of Jesus disappearance and discovery three days later in the temple is a type of foreshadowing of this empty tomb account. 24:4 How did the women react to this perplexing development? Who appears to the women? How are they described? What is their function in this story? Read Deut. 17:6; 19:15, and note what is necessary for testimony to the legal and acceptable. Note how Luke uses two messengers in both the transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36) (#161) and resurrection scenes; and that Jesus sends out his first messengers in pairs. (10:1) (#177) 24:5 How do these pious women react to the two angels? What are they asked by the angels? Is. 8:19 includes the interesting quote “Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?” Isaiah was mocking the people who visited witches in an effort to find out from the dead the will of God. According to rabbinic tradition, Moses and Aaron had mocked Pharoh, “You fool! Does one seek the dead among the living or the living among the dead?” 24:6a Compare this part of verse 6 with Mark 16:6 and Matthew 28:6. 24:10 Who are the women? Note what Luke calls the 11 here. 24:11 Why does Luke say that the disciples thought it was humbug? Compare this to Acts 17:32; 26:8.
24:12 Does your translation include this verse? Does Peter come to faith? How does this compare with John’s version? It is interesting to note the similarities and differences between this account and John20:3-10. Why would a scribe add these words to Luke? Do the Gospels have to have the man/angel(s) say the same thing?
24:6b-7 How has Luke reworked Mark’s message? Where is the promise to meet them in Galilee? Why does Luke omit Galilee now? It is interesting to note that Luke omits Mark 14:28 in Luke 22:31-34. (#315).
24:8,9 Does remembering equal faith for Luke? What do the women do? Who do they tell it to? Session 2 CLASS HANDOUT JOHN’S EMPTY TOMB ACCOUNT (John 20:1-13) #352
20:1 Who shows up at the tomb? What does she discover? When? What does “dark” mean for John? (Refer to John 6:16-17; 8:12; 12:35; 13:30) Why does John omit any mention of anointing Jesus here?
20:2 What is Mary’s response to the empty tomb? Who does she talk to? Who is the “we” if she was the only one at the tomb?
20:3-5 Do they both go to the tomb? Who gets there first?
20:6-8 What do the two disciples see in the tomb? Who goes in first? Why does John spend so much time describing the grave clothes? Describe the reaction of the two disciples.
20:9-10 Why the reference to understanding Scripture? What do the two disciples do with their exciting news?
20:11 How did Mary get back at the tomb? Compare what she does with what the two disciples just did.
20:12-13 What does Mary see? How does that compare to the Synoptics? What is the message of the angels? Does it do Mary any good? Early in John’s Gospel (1:50-51) (#21) Jesus promises greater than mere earthly power. The rest of the Gospel builds our understanding that the hour of Jesus, the time of the greater things, must be the cross. Compare the details of what Mary sees to this promise to Nathaniel. Session 3 CLASS HANDOUT MATTHEW’S ACOCUNT OF THE APPEARANCES OF JESUS Matthew 28:9-20 (#353, 354, 359)
JESUS APPEARS TO THE WOMEN 28:9-10 (#353) Is anything new added to Matthew’s empty tomb account? What do the women do? What does Jesus do? Why is it inserted before the report of the guard? THE REPORT OF THE GUARD Matthew 28:11-15 (#354) Only Matthew includes this scene. Why? Why does Matthew sandwich it between two accounts depicting the worship of Jesus by the women and then by the disciples? This scene begs to be compared with the Magi and Herod of chapter 2:1-12, (#8) and the closing scene on the Galilean mountain in 28:16-20. (#359) All three of these scenes have authorities who wield impressive power and hold high office. All three include people who stand before them having seen signs and heard reports. All three picture these people as seekers. Compare the responses of the rulers. Who would you choose to believe? Who will you serve?
28:11-12 (#354) This is the second report to filter back to Jerusalem. Compare it to the first. Compare this meeting with the ones in Matthew 26:3, 14-15, 47, 57; 27:1. (#305, 307, 331, 332, 334) 28:13-14 (#354) What is ironic about this planned report? Is this what religious authorities should have been doing on the Sabbath? 28:15 (#354) Compare the response of the soldiers to the response of the disciples. 28:11-15 (#354) Compare the tone of the end of Matthew’s gospel with that of the beginning. Compare both with Luke. JESUS APPEARS ON THE GALILEE MOUNTAIN Matthew 28:16-20 (#359) Why did Matthew choose to end with the words of Jesus? Why didn’t he simply follow the pattern of Mark, and end with the empty tomb account? Why didn’t Matthew add some pictures of the triumphant Lord and his wounds etc., as John did? Why no long list of titles? Why simply end with words from Jesus? 28:16 (#359) Describe the setting. Why does Matthew spend more time on the angel’s description in 28:2, 3 (#352) than on Jesus’ description here? Who is with Jesus on the mountain?
28:17 (#359) What is the significance that some doubted? It is helpful to put this verse into the perspective of the whole gospel. Compare what Matthew says about the church elsewhere with this verse. (22:10; 13:24-30, 36-43; 25:32-33; 6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8) 28:18 (#359) Why does Jesus talk about authority? Compare this scene with Luke 24:30-43 (#355, 356) and John 20:19-29. (#356, 357) If Matthew wanted to show that Jesus had authority now that he had risen, why didn’t he show it in a more dramatic fashion? From the beginning of the gospel, Matthew has been talking about the authority of Jesus. Note for example 1:1 (#1) and 2:1-12. (#8) Why doesn’t Matthew heap titles of authority for Jesus at this point. 28:19-20 (#359) Is this really a “great commission?” Compare this with the sending of the 12 in Matthew 10. (#99) 28:19a (#359) How does your translation handle “go?” Try using “go” as a helping verb for the one main verb of the phrase (and of the book), which is “make disciples”. We might translate it as “hurry up and …” or “get started”. Where does the emphasis then land in this great commission? Does it land on the going, or on the making disciples of everybody?
28:19b (#359) What does baptism do? How does this relate to the problem in Matthew’s community? Note the order here and in verse 20. Does the Spirit have a separate, new mission? Earlier in his gospel, Mathew has tied the Spirit to the Father Matt. 3:16; (#18) 10:20 (#100) and to the Son Matt. 12:18, 28 (#113). With this formula for baptism, he deftly ties the three as closely together as is possible. He did it so well we continue to use his wording to this day! What good is baptism then? You might find it helpful to compare Matthew 20:22-23 (#263) and Mark 10:38-39. (#263) While they certainly are parallel passages, Matthew omits any reference to baptism. Why? 28:20a (#359) As in the previous verse, the order is terribly significant. Who should be receiving instruction? What should they be taught? Where does one find all that Jesus commanded? 28:20b (#359) What doesn’t Jesus say in this final verse? What is the point of his final message? What is all that is needed? What then does Jesus have to say that is so important for future generations of Christians?
Session 3 CLASS HANDOUT LUKE’S ACCOUNT OF THE APPEARNACES OF JESUS Luke 24:13-53 (#355, 356, 365) THE EMMAUS ROAD APPEARANCE 24:13-14 (#355) What day is it? Who were these two? Do you get the feeling that the disciples were beginning to scatter? Where is Emmaus? 24:15-16 (#355) What are the two men doing? Why don’t they recognize Jesus? What will it take to open their eyes? 24:17 (#355) What is the reaction of the two disciples to Jesus words? 24:18 (#355) Who is this Cleopas? Compare this answer with Luke’s theme that Christianity is above board and respectable. 24:19-21a (#355) How do they describe Jesus? In their opinion what is the meaning of Jesus’ death? Who crucified Jesus? 24:21b-23 (#355) How long has it been since Jesus died? Did they believe the report of the women? 24:24 (#355) Compare this verse to verse 12. (#352) Did Peter make a solo trip? What will it take to get them to see? 24:25-27 (#355) On the basis of the same passages, what had Jesus’ contemporaries concluded? What does Luke mean by “it was necessary?” How does Jesus attempt to get them to understand? ( Continued ) The Easter Narratives is a Large Document, to see the rest Click here: Part 2 |
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