Reading the New Testament, Part 2: The Gospels (B)

The Voice of the Winged Ox presents the second part of a five-part series on Reading the New Testament team taught at St. Luke's Episcopal Church by our rector Eric Williams and our associate rector Susan Williams

It took the Christian church over 400 years to sort out many ideas about who Jesus is. Our four gospels give different answers. People taught, wrote and discussed these questions and came to some decisions regarding helpful ways to think about Jesus and not so helpful ways to think about Jesus. Below are some notes to clarify class materials.

• Paul of Samosata was a proponent of adoptionism in the 3rd century.


• Arius taught that Jesus was a creature of God, a being created by God and not equal to God.


• Apollinaris taught that Jesus did not have human intelect although in all other ways he was fully human.


• Finally, in 451 C.E., the Council at Chalcedon provided this formula:
  

  
  THEREFORE, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a reasonable soul and body; of one substance with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the Godbearer; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the fathers has handed down to us.
  

Part 2 is in two parts. In this podcast we look at the gospels of Mark, Luke and John.

Our music is Fortune Laisse (Attaingnant), artist: Edward Martin, album: Art of the Lute in Renaissance, available from magnatune.com
Reading the New Testament Part 2: The Gospels (B)

Helpful Resources

From time to time, we will post resources to assist you in your study.

The
New Testament: An Introduction

History
of the Christian Church

Gnostic
Gospels


The
Community of the Beloved Disciple

Contact Us

You may leave a comment here, call our comment line at **206**203**0972** or email us.

Reading the New Testament Part 2: The Gospels (A)

The Voice of the Winged Ox presents the second part of a five-part series on Reading the New Testament team taught at St. Luke's Episcopal Church by our rector Eric Williams and our associate rector Susan Williams

Part 2 is in two parts. In this podcast we compare and contrast the sermon on the mount found in Matthew 5 and the sermon on the plain found in Luke 6. Father Eric also goes into more depth about the Gospel of Matthew.

Because this is a live recording of a lively class, I have done some editing to make this podcast more accessible to listeners.

Our music is Fortune Laisse (Attaingnant), artist: Edward Martin, album: Art of the Lute in Renaissance, available from magnatune.com
Reading the New Testament Part 2A

Reading the New Testament: Part 1 of 5

Reading the New Testament is a 5-part class being taught at St. Luke's this month. The Lord willing and the creek don't rise (and there are no technical difficulties) The Voice of the Winged Ox will bring you these presentations in a lightly edited podcast. The topics we will cover are:

1. Expectations and sources for the New Testament writings


2. The four gospels


3. Everything Paul


4. Apocalyptic literature in the New Testament


5. Becoming more active and informed readers of the Bible

Here are some of the obstacles the class identified to reading the Bible:

• Where to begin


• the commitment involved


• I don't know enough to get anything out of it.


• Should I read literally, figuratively, from my own understanding or in some other way?


• We come to the Bible with baggage.


• so many different translations


• Is there a right and a wrong Bible?


• There are groups who insist "their" Bible is the correct one

What do you want to get out of reading the Bible? What are you looking for from the Bible or from this class?

• How do I find the verse(s) of Scripture that pertain to the subject at hand?


• What did the Bible mean to those who wrote it and what does it mean for me today?


• What is the larger story that surrounds our Sunday morning readings?


• Where can I find more background information to expand my understanding of a given text?


• What are helpful books to read in addition to the Bible?


• I look for God to use the Bible as a way to speak to me.


• What What do I do when God doesn't speak to me through the Bible?

In this podcast, we cover:

• class expectations and scope


• origins of the New Testament


• The time in which Jesus lived.


• Who wrote the New Testament?

Correction: The number of laws is 613.




Moscow on the Hudson
Bible Speaks controversy

Our music is Fortune Laisse (Attaingnant), artist: Edward Martin, album: Art of the Lute in Renaissance, available from magnatune.com
Reading the New Testament Part 1