Sayings Of Jesus Research Articles

Christian Prophecy and the Sayings of Jesus: the State of the Question

This essay does not attempt to give evidence for a particular answer to a question, but discusses the question itself. I would like first to present a sketch of the history of how the question has been handled, and then make some suggestions for its reformulation. The question is: ‘Are sayings of Christian prophets included in the canonical Gospels as sayings of Jesus?’

Evidence corroborating a modified Proto-Matthean Synoptic Theory

In an earlier paper, one of the co-authors pointed out that the extant Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and Thomas employed a common source which contained a certain series of parables and sayings of Jesus concerning John the Baptist. Thebasic structureof this ‘Baptist-sequence’ is best preserved by far in Matthew's Gospel, although various details of the original wording are better preserved in Luke and Thomas. It was suggested that one way of explaining these phenomena was to suppose the existence of a Proto-Matthew, of which the extant Matthew's Gospel contains revisions made in part under the influence of Mark's Gospel.

Near Expectation in the Sayings of Jesus

Near Expectation in the Sayings of Jesus

Discourse and Tradition: the Use of the Sayings of Jesus in the Discourses of the Fourth Gospel

Discourse and Tradition: the Use of the Sayings of Jesus in the Discourses of the Fourth Gospel

Christian Origins in Sociological Perspective

Why are there four Gospels, each apparently written for a different purpose? Why did certain writers use a letter-like form for what seems to be essentially a theological treatise? Why is there no New Testament gospel consisting entirely of the sayings of Jesus, as there is, say, in the Gnostic Nag Hammadi discoveries? Why does John's Gospel speak of God's love for the world and yet distinguish the community so sharply from the world? Common to all these important questions is their connection with an understanding of the world in which Christianity arose. One of the most important developments in recent years has been the application of methods and perspectives derived from the social sciences to illuminate that world. Professor Kee's own Community of the New Age, a detailed examination of the church in which Mark's Gospel was written, was a pioneering work in this respect, as was Gerd Theissen's sociological study, The First Followers of Jesus. This new book is simpler, and more general, and is meant as an introductory report on the use of sociological approaches to New Testament theology. The opening chapter outlines the ways in which these approaches are used and describes in broad terms how earlier historians of primitive Christianity have correlated their history writing with a variety of non-historical factors. Subsequent chapters consider the different attitudes towards contemporary cultures adopted by the various groups, documented in the New Testament, varying modes of leadership, the nature of other religious movements in the Graeco-Roman world that also claimed special revelation or access to divine mysteries, and the way in which ritual and myth tended to develop. Finally, the functions of the New Testament writings themselves are reconsidered in a survey which takes into account not only their original aims but also the uses to which they were actually put. Here is a fresh approach which shows that the New Testament still has surprises in store for us.

The Four Beasts of Daniel's Vision in the Night in the Light of Rev. 13.2

Daniel's vision of the Son of man (Dan. 7. 2 ff.) is undoubtedly a most important passage for the interpretation of the Gospels and of the ‘Son of man’ sayings of Jesus in particular. In this article however, I will try to answer a number of preliminary questions concerning the identity of the four beasts in this vision that should perhaps be answered before we attempt to solve the problem concerning the enigmatic figure ‘like a son of man’. Why, for instance, does the fourth beast remain anonymous although the other three, weird as they are in appearance, show at least a likeness to known animals:like a lion (v. 4),like a bear (v. 5),like a leopard (v. 6)?

John and the Synoptic Gospels: A Test Case

The question whether John used one or more of the Synoptic Gospels continues to be hotly debated. It is obvious that John is indebted to other sources for much of his information. But where his material overlaps the Synoptic Gospels, it is more difficult to decide whether he is using independent traditions or not. In one case, however, it can be shown that he had a saying of Jesus which he received in a Greek form transmitted independently of the forms in Mark and Q. All go back to a common Aramaic original. The saying in question is Jn. 3. 3, 5.

The Quest for the Historical Nicodemus

The quest for the historical Jesus was assumed by Schweitzer to have started from Reimarus in the eighteenth century; in fact it began with Mary, John, Peter, Caiaphas and many others in the first, and was found by them to be futile and doomed to frustration. The Gospels are a witness, all the stronger for being unreflective, implicit and probably unwitting, that Jesus was impossible to know as men are known. The Gospels tell you what people heard Jesus say, and what they saw him do. They record the effect he had on people, the things he prompted and provoked them to do and say. They enable you to know about Jesus, about his teaching, his activity and even his emotions. But to know Jesus, to enter his mind and heart, to see the world from his point of view, they recognized to be not susceptible to ordinary human empathy, and therefore to be beyond the scope of their narrative. Knowing Jesus is an act of faith and spiritual recognition or it is nothing. Getting to know others is a human gift, but getting to know Jesus is the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Sayings of Jesus by T.W. Manson (Eerdmans; 346 pp.; $7.95 paper)

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Les textes évangéliques sur le mariage (suite)

The sayings of Jesus concerning the indissolubility of marriage and their interpretation by the apostolic Church constitute the principal basis of the preaching and practice of the Church in this area. In a first article (RTL, 9, 1978, p. 259-286), Msgr. Descamps has shown that, according to the isolated saying in Mk 10, 11-12 and the controversy in Mk 10,2-12, Mark (with Jesus) denounces remarriage as adultery, as long as the spouse is living, and also criticizes separation. The examination of the other apostolic statements (the controversy ofMt 19,3-8 ; of Mt 5,31-32 ; the rules of Lk 16,18 and 1 Co 7,10-11) corroborate this conclusion. This authentic judgment of Jesus confirms the radical nature of his ethics and is founded upon the perfect will of the Creator which is imposed upon ail men. The theologian is concerned with retuming to the purity of the- origin, but also with responding to the questions of his community ; this hermeneutical principle also becomes clear in the exegesis of the New Testament passages which speak of the living Tradition of the apostolic Church. For Paul Jesus' teaching on marriage is a part of the charter of the created world, while in Mt 19,11-12 it is probably the charter of the Kingdom which clarifies the obligation of indissolubility assumed by the Christians. As for the redactional addition in Mt 19,9 (to be translatee/ except in the case of immoral conduct on the part of the wife), it is probably the echo of Jewish-Christian groups allowing exceptionally separation and remarriage ; however, the opinion which allows only separation retains a serious probability.

Nominalism and Divine Power in the Chester Cycle

In her recent article concerning emphasis on power of God within Chester mystery cycle, Kathleen Ashley attempts to find parallels to contemporary thought within plays themselves.1 She argues frequent references to posty (power) of God and theme of unlimited will of God within this cycle, in contrast to other English cycles, are not indications of folk origins (398) of Chester cycle, but are rather signs of influence from philosophical and theological movements of time (388-89, 393, 402). However, Ashley fails to note what she brings forward as nominalist features in plays often have another possible source, readily available within folk origins, namely New Testament.2 Ashley's first example of emphasis on God's power is at same time a clear example of this possibility. She refers to vivid and wellknown model for Christ's prayer in Garden of Gethsemane as Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me . (Matt. 26:39), and notes other cycles stay close to this Biblical wording. The Chester cycle, though, uses words that are because they are so recognizably close to Bible. Ashley continues by claiming the dramatist still has in mind, but chooses to change it slightly. He transforms a request based on a conditional if into a strong statement about God's absolute power: 'All thing to thee possible is; .' (399). Apparently unnoticed by Ashley, however, is fact what she here calls original speech is only one version of to be found in Synoptic Gospels.3 Thus, Luke 22:42 places more explicit emphasis on God's will by having Jesus say: Father, if thou be willing. .. . But, what is even more relevant here, significantly different words of Chester cycle are simply a citation of words of Jesus as found in Mark 14:36: Father, all things are possible unto thee. .. . The dramatist of Chester plays need not have been reading medieval nominalists in order to use these words; New Testament would have sufficed. A similar problem arises with several other examples. Ashley says, for instance: Within [Chester] cycle, as for nominalism, 'miracles are

On Priestly Marriage: A Response To Father Hastings On Celibacy

Scandalous news has a way of getting around the world at a speed which is truly mystifying. The news of what was described to me as Adrian Hastings’ latest eccentricity was no exception. “Fr. Hastings,” I was told some time in May right here in Ngara, “is this time proclaiming disobedience to his bishop as a virtue and trumpeting the announcement of his forthcoming wedding”.In late September, I finally got hold of the offending piece (“On Celibacy”, New Blackfriars, March 1978. pp. 104-111). I soon felt less sorry for Fr. Hastings than for his detractors. In truth, I know of many priests who feel the way Fr Hastings says he does, with the difference that being better able to articulate the reasons for his feeling he can express it as a legitimate stand. Before I could quite make out the value of Fr Hastings’ arguments, I already felt sure that the most solid support for his position came from the saying of Jesus: “Go learn the meaning of the words: what I want is mercy, not sacrifice” (Mt. 9:13).The fact, however, that so many members of the Church who cannot lightly be accused of hypocrisy still maintain that all priests must lead a celibate life prevents me from sharing Fr Hastings’ certainty in upholding the opposite view. Perhaps there are reasons beyond my understanding yet within theirs which make it wrong or at least inopportune to repeal the law of celibacy. Yet, one cannot be blamed for voicing an opinion and mine is that Fr Hastings, as a Catholic priest, is indeed free to marry, as are all Catholic priests who did not choose celibacy for its own sake but only agreed to it as to a conditio sine qua non to fulfil their vocation to the priesthood.

The Sayings of Jesus in the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies. By Leslie L. Kline. Montana Society of Biblical Literature (Dissertation Series 14), 1975. Pp. 198. No price.

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Prophetic ‘I’-Sayings and the Jesus tradition: The importance of testing prophetic utterances within early Christianity

The Church drew no distinction between such utterances by Christian prophets (ascribed to the ascended Christ) and the sayings of Jesus in the tradition, for the reason that even the dominical sayings in the tradition were not the pronouncements of a past authority, but sayings of the risen Lord, who is always a contemporary for the Church.

The Sayings of Jesus in the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies

Book Review| December 01 1977 The Sayings of Jesus in the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies The Sayings of Jesus in the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies, Leslie L. Kline. Arthur J. Bellinzoni,, Jr. Arthur J. Bellinzoni,, Jr. Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Journal of Biblical Literature (1977) 96 (4): 616–617. https://doi.org/10.2307/3266022 Cite Icon Cite Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Permissions Search Site Citation Arthur J. Bellinzoni,; The Sayings of Jesus in the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies. Journal of Biblical Literature 1 December 1977; 96 (4): 616–617. doi: https://doi.org/10.2307/3266022 Download citation file: Zotero Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All Scholarly Publishing CollectiveSBL PressJournal of Biblical Literature Search Advanced Search The text of this article is only available as a PDF. Copyright 1978 Society of Biblical Literature1978 Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.

L. L. Kline. The Sayings of Jesus in the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies

L. L. Kline. The Sayings of Jesus in the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies

Book Reviews : Patterns in Sa Yings of Jesus

Book Reviews : Patterns in Sa Yings of Jesus

REVIEWS

REVIEWS Get access The Sayings of Jesus in the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies. By LESLIE LEE KLINE. Pp. ix+198. (The Society of Biblical Literature: Dissertation Series, no. 14.) Missoula, Montana: Society of Biblical Literature and Scholars Press, 1975. N.p. J. C. O'NEILL J. C. O'NEILL Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar The Journal of Theological Studies, Volume XXVII, Issue 2, October 1976, Pages 482–486, https://doi.org/10.1093/jts/XXVII.2.482 Published: 01 October 1976

Harmonized Sayings of Jesus in the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies and Justin Martyr

Harmonized Sayings of Jesus in the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies and Justin Martyr

“Amen, I Say Unto You” in the Sayings of Jesus and in Early Christian Literature

“Amen, I Say Unto You” in the Sayings of Jesus and in Early Christian Literature