Friday, April 21, 2017

New Testament Theology

Jesus
  • preached the kingdom of God, the coming rule of God on earth as it is in heaven.
  • like John the Baptist, to prepare he urged repentance and faith in the good news (gospel) of God's coming reign.
  • God as abba
  • He saw himself as the Messiah, saw his death as salvific
  • Used "Son of Man" to refer to himself, both has a generic sense (I'm a guy) and an apocalyptic/Daniel 7 sense (I'm going to come on the clouds to judge the world).
  • Cast out demons, understood as part of the arrival of the kingdom of God.
  • Taught love of neighbor and enemy as core ethic.
  • Focused on the "lost sheep" of Israel
Paul
  • Uses language that treats the persons of the Trinity as distinct persons yet unique in association/fellowship.
  • One God, creator, for whom all things (1 Cor 8:6)
  • God is righteous (Rom). God is sovereign (Rom).
  • God should be known by the creation (Rom).
  • God predestined the plan of salvation and future election of his people.
  • In Adam all die. In Adam sin and death entered the world (Rom).
  • All sin. All under power of Sin (Rom). 
  • Flesh/spirit dualism--flesh under power of Sin, Spirit as power of freedom.
  • God offered Jesus as atoning sacrifice, for our redemption.
  • The risen Jesus is enthroned as Lord. "Jesus is Lord."
  • Understood Jesus to be the "Son of God," the king of the cosmos, the "Son of David"
  • Some indications of Jesus' pre-existence (Phil).
  • Jesus is God. (Titus)
  • Holy Spirit is essential to being a child of God. Holy Spirit is seal of God's ownership, an "earnest" of our inheritance.
  • Holy Spirit intercedes for us. (Rom)
  • We are "justified" by faith in God on the basis of the faithfulness of Jesus. We are reconciled to God.
  • We are "sanctified" by the Holy Spirit, cleansed and set apart to God.
  • We are adopted as children of God.
  • Church is built on the trunk of Israel, with Gentiles grafted in.
  • Church is temple, built on the foundation of Christ. Ephesians adds the apostles and prophets.
  • Satan opposes God's people. Later letters like Colossians and Ephesians have more on spiritual powers and battle.
  • We need to live holy and blameless lives; love fulfills the Law.
  • Unity is a core goal of the church and love is the solution to the church's disunity.
  • Lord's supper indicates unity, anticipates Lord's return to eat with us again.
  • Later letters feature cultural structures (household-Ephesians, church-1 Timothy).
  • To be absent from body is to be present with the Lord.
  • All Israel will be saved in the eschaton (Romans).
  • Christ will return and we will be caught up to participate in judgment (1 Thess).
  • We will have a resurrection body (1 Cor).
  • We will appear before judgment seat of Christ to be judged for deeds (2 Cor).
  • The creation will be redeemed (Romans).
  • All Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy).
Mark
  • Jesus is the suffering servant, with possible overtones of Isaiah 53
  • Jesus is the Son of God, most shown by Jesus on the cross.
  • Uses "Son of Man" in relation to Jesus' suffering
  • Jesus kept his messianic identity a secret while on earth.
  • Jesus is a ransom for the sins of many.
  • Israel faces great persecution, destruction of temple
  • Jesus will return on the clouds
  • Only those with ears to hear will hear.
Matthew
  • Jesus is the "Son of David," the new Moses
  • Church built on the rock of Peter and his confession of Jesus as the Christ.
  • Not everyone in the church is in the church.
  • Church is an expanded Israel. Israel suffered in part for its rejection of Jesus.
  • Jesus gives the fulfilled understanding of the Law of Moses. Love fulfills the Law. We must love our enemies.
  • All nations need to hear and obey the gospel, church sent
  • Strongest imagery of hell fire and (eternal) apocalyptic judgment in the NT.
Luke
  • Emphasis on Jesus' ministry to the poor and marginalized. Jesus potentially includes everyone into the people of God.
  • Much less focus on atonement dimension of Jesus
  • All those who are lost can repent and return (Prodigal Son)
  • Everyone is my neighbor (Good Samaritan)
  • We are in the "times of the Gentiles"
  • General resurrection of everyone will take place
  • Kingdom of God will be on earth
Acts
  • Jesus enthroned as Lord, Christ, Son of God at the point of his resurrection
  • The Holy Spirit gives birth to the church and is essential to being in the church.
  • The power of the Spirit in Jesus continues into the church to today.
  • Baptism as central to inclusion in the church
Hebrews and General Epistles
  • God the creator of all things (Heb)
  • God is the giver of perfect gifts. (James)
  • Mercy triumphs over judgment. (James)
  • Jesus the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. Jesus is the great high priest. (Heb)
  • Christ is greater than the angels and the old covenant (Moses, priests, sacrifices). (Heb)
  • Devil holds the power of death. (Heb)
  • Some angels are bound awaiting final punishment. (2 Peter/Jude).
  • Humanity created to have glory and honor in the creation. (Heb)
  • Humans are created in the image of God. (James)
  • We are justified by works. (James)
  • Those who apostatize cannot find repentance. (Heb)
  • Faith is essential. (Heb)
  • World will be destroyed by fire. (2 Pet)
  • Humanity will rule with Christ. (Heb)
  • Prophecy came by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet)
John
  • God is love. God is light.
  • Jesus the Word who came from heaven
  • The Son and the Father are one. We see the Father through the Son. The Son speaks for the Father.
  • Jesus is the I AM.
  • Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
  • The Spirit is our advocate, who leads us into truth.
  • The importance of believing in Jesus. Jesus is the only way to the Father.
  • We all have sin. All have sinned. Those born of God shouldn't sin. (1 John)
  • If we confess sins, he will forgive. (1 John)
  • There are sins to death and sins not to death. (1 John)
  • Strong spirit/flesh dualism
  • Jesus goes to prepare a place for us.
  • There is eternal life and eternal condemnation.
Revelation
  • Holy, holy, holy God
  • Jesus and God are to be worshiped.
  • Lamb of God slain
  • There will be lots of bloody wrath visited upon the earth.
  • A large host of Israel will be saved.
  • Two resurrections and a millennium
  • Hell was created for Devil and angels
  • new heaven, new earth, new Jerusalem

1 comment:

Martin LaBar said...

Good summary.