What did Jesus learn?

The Gospel according to Mark revolves around two questions: what is the kingdom of God in this world, and who am I to people and, most profoundly, to God (son of man and son of God)? In Mark, Jesus and his disciples struggle with these questions. Can you recognize this character arc in the gospel? Who is the mentor who raises the question? What is the ordeal and the big change in the middle? What is the elixir that the hero brings to the community? If you listen to the Gospel as a group, you can compare your notes immediately afterwards.

Questions for Christians

Listening to Jesus

The idea is that Mark was "performed" in the congregation. For example, watch David Suchet or Max McLean(in English) on YouTube, or listen to the My Bible app from the NBG. If you do this with several people, you could agree that everyone listens specifically from a certain role within and/or outside the story. Within the story, you could think of Jesus, his mother and brothers, John the Baptist, the disciples, the religious leaders (priests, Pharisees, teachers of the law), or the political leaders (Herod Antipas, Pilate). For the roles within the story: what ideas does your role have about the role of Israel's anointed one and how does Jesus fit into that or not? Name a text in which you saw that most clearly. What desires, does your role think, does Jesus fulfill for his followers?

Listening to Mark

You can also empathize with the proclaimers of the story in the 40s and 50s and their audience: Peter bringing the gospel to Rome, Mark, the young trilingual Jew who translates for his audience, the Jewish migrants in Rome who listen to them, or their Roman friends who have come along. For the roles outside the story, the question is: what could be the meaning of Jesus' life for people outside Israel? What desires, in your role, does he fulfill or could he fulfill for the people who join after his crucifixion?

Listening to each other

"And you," Jesus asks, "who do you say I am?"
Try to limit yourself to the Gospel of Mark when answering that personal question. Two concepts are central to this: in what ways is the Jesus of the Gospel of Mark a human being with questions and doubts? Why is or could that be important to you? In what ways is he a (or even the) son of God? And why is or could that be important to you?

Imagine that you could go to Galilee to meet Jesus himself, as the risen Lord, as the end of Mark's Gospel suggests. What would you ask him and tell him, and what would you thank him for?

Questions for theologians

Listening exercise

It has been said that modern literature is more about character development, while classical literature is more about the manifestation of an (unchanging) character. How do you experience this in the Gospel of Mark in the dynamic between "son of man" and "son of God"? How are the disciples characterized (as the teachers of the next generation or as fellow disciples)? How is the social context presented (as foreign to the audience or as familiar)? What is the nature of the "kingdom of God" or, if you translate it differently, the "kingship of God"?

Genre

To what extent is the Gospel according to Mark still the proclamation of Jesus as Lord and Son of God (as in Paul's letters) or already a Greco-Roman biography of Jesus (Richard Burridge, What are the Gospels?), like the biographies of famous people by Diogenes Laërtius, Plutarch, or Philo of Alexandria? Or is Mark's Gospel a story in which the reader is invited to identify with Jesus or the disciples? What do you think of Mark Rhoads' assertion that this Gospel was intended to support a performative recitation, so that Jesus was made 'present' in the community?

Plot

The story of Jesus has proven to be exceptionally powerful. Perhaps this is related to deeper symbolic story structures with which humanity has traditionally identified. Take, for example, the Hero's Journey in the suggestions for discussion groups. According to Christopher Booker (2004, also summarized at wikipedia ), there are 'Seven Basic Plots' that give meaning to existence, from the moment people began to tell stories: Overcoming the Monster, Rags to Riches, The Quest, Voyage and Return, Comedy (the hero's desire is fulfilled), Tragedy (the protagonist fails), and Rebirth. What psychological and pedagogical functions do such plot structures fulfill? Consider which plots you can recognize in the short Gospel according to Mark. Does that say anything about the psychological and pedagogical functions that this story fulfilled for the followers of Jesus?

Memory and memoirs

To what extent does this gospel contain the "memoirs of the apostles" (Justin Martyr) or the contributions of eyewitnesses (Richard Bauckham, Eyewitnesses)? Is it a collection of traditions (form criticism), a narrative creation of a storyteller (Geert van Oyen), or an expression of the social memory of a group (Sandra Hübenthal)? What does it say about Jesus, what does it say about the writer, and what does it say about the community in which it was created and used?

Dating

To what extent is Mark rooted in an Aramaic setting (Maurice Casey, Aramaic sources of Mark’s Gospel), in Galilean fishermen (Mendel Nun, Sea of Galilee), and concerned with the Halacha of Jewish believers in the 40s (James Crossley, The Date of Mark’s Gospel)? How does this relate to the synoptic problem?

Is the prediction of the "abomination of desolation" in Mark 13 evidence for a late dating ("no one could have foreseen the destruction of the temple") or an early dating ("the prophecy is not an accurate representation of the events of the year 70")? We will return to this when reading Matthew.

Textual criticism and the reliability of Mark

The information in Mark 6 about Antipas, Philip, and Herodias is often corrected on the basis of the work of Josephus (written in Rome in the 90s), who assumes that Herodias had only been married to her uncle Herod, and that it was not she herself but her daughter Salome who was married to Philip (who died in the year 33/34). Does textual criticism have anything to do with the evaluation of the information in Mark 6?

Check out the four different versions of the Greek for Mark 6:22, "of his daughter Herodias," or "of the daughter of Herodias:"
1. τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτου Ἡρῳδιάδος (ℵ, B, D, L, Δ)
2. τῆς θυγατρὸς τῆς Ἡρῳδιάδος (ƒ1)
3. τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτῆς τῆς Ἡρῳδιάδος (A, C, K, N, Γ, Θ, ƒ13, majority)
4. of his daughter Herodias (W)
Compare also the variants of Matt 14:6:
i. ‘η θυγάτηρ τῆς Ἡρῳδιάδος (majority)
ii. ‘η θυγάτηρ Ἡρῳδιάδος (W, Θ, ƒ13)
iii. ‘η θυγάτηρ αυτου Ἡρῳδιας (D)

Is the girl the daughter of Herodias or of Herod Antipas (and is she also named Herodias, just like her stepmother, in that case)? The latter is historically unlikely, but at one point it became the preferred reading of Nestlé-Aland. From the works of Josephus himself, we understand that Herod Antipas was childless and married Herodias, who had a daughter named Salome from a previous marriage. In Mark 6:17 and 19, the woman's name is also Herodias, and in 6:24 and 28, the girl is her daughter ( ). Which do you consider the lectio difficilior and why? How do you explain all four variants in Mark? Do you see corrections from variant 1 to 4 and 2, and then 'harmonization' from 2 and 4 to 3? Do you see simplifications from variant 3 to 2 and 4, and then a transcription error from 4 to 1? Or do you see another alternative? What do you think is the weakest link in these options? Is there influence from Mar to Mat or vice versa? Or is there a third source?
I wonder if the problem goes back to an ambiguity in an Aramaic source with a genitive construction such as kṯāḇtāh d(î)-malkṯâ, 'writing-of-her-that-is-of-the-queen,' which became popular in laterAramaic (and first in Galilee). However, the particle dî could also be understood relatively (D.K. Andrews, “The Translation of Aramaic DÎ in the Greek Bibles,” 1947). This gives you ‘η θυγάτηρ αὐτῆς τῆς Ἡρῳδιάδος or ‘η θυγάτηρ αὐτῆς Ἡρῳδιας (in both cases, you can also omit αὐτῆς). In a Greek main clause, you can normally see the difference in the case of Herodias, but in Mar 6:22 this is not apparent because the entire construction is in the genitive (τῆς θυγατρὸς). Is the daughter's name Herodias, or is she the daughter of Herodias? This is unclear to us but not to an ancient audience that already had this knowledge. Only later readers need clarification. What does this say about the information in Mark? Could a later copyist, who did not have sufficient knowledge of the Herodian family tree, have clarified the text incorrectly here? Could Mark be more reliable than Josephus?

Chapter 4.      Fighting for Freedom

Questions for discussion groups

Paul translates Jesus

Paul translated Jesus' radical love for all people into a revolutionary statement, at least for his time. Freed from laws and rules that divide people, we are no longer defined by our social status as Jew or Greek, slave or free, man or woman: we are all children of the Most High and each and every one of us is valuable (Gal 3:26-29). This was also a learning process for Paul. To what extent have we learned and internalized this lesson? Or does it remain a pious ideal for us as well, and do we still divide humanity into boxes and categories based on race, gender, or social class?

How important are Jewish roots?

What do you think of the discussion between Paul and James? Do you have to be religious to follow Jesus on his hero's journey?

• James thinks so: Jesus is a Jew, and without his Jewish faith, you cannot understand him. How can you build a house if you don't know where your foundations lie?
• Paul disagrees: all religions and ideologies are time-bound. Before you know it, they become oppressive structures that dictate rules to people and divide them into us and them. They are only useful in an educational sense, as long as you realize that God's promise to Abraham transcends them: in you, all people will be blessed.

The promise to Abraham

What do you think of this "blueprint" for life: to be a blessing is to be blessed. Happiness is not achieved by striving for it; it can come to you when you make others happy. Is that true? Do you have any examples of this?

How important are Christian roots?

Paul fought for the full community of all people, regardless of their differences or religion. Do you think you could follow Jesus as a humanist (after all, he was human), a Muslim (he is the prophet Isa and the coming Messiah in the Koran), or a Jew (he was a practicing Jew)?

Is following Jesus nowadays an individual choice or something that people seek out with others? What do you think of people who do not go to church but remain Christian, or who do not want to be Christian but do follow Jesus?

How does your thinking relate to the individualization of the past century or to the idea that humans are social beings par excellence? To what extent is spirituality something individual or collective for you?

What do you think of Tom Holland's argument (Dominion, 2020) that both the culture wars (against abortion, gay marriage, and the like) and the social justice movement can be traced back to the internal Christian conflict between traditional faith and radical equality, which we already see clashing here?

Questions for Christians

Paul and James today

The pastor and a youth worker, the synod and a church planter, parents and a child—they can differ in opinion. Sometimes with the best of intentions. Sometimes they both want to follow Jesus or do good, but each in their own context and in their own way. And sometimes those contexts come together painfully. What is sacred and essential to one person is an obstacle to another that can or even must be sacrificed and replaced.

Our church wants to be a missionary congregation: a church where newcomers are welcome and people from different backgrounds can participate fully. But in practice, it is mainly the same faces—slightly grayer, slightly balder—that sit in the pews. Year in, year out. The biggest change in the last 20 years has probably been the introduction of a new Bible translation containing a new version of the Lord's Prayer. We find it very difficult to give up our forms, which hundreds of people are familiar with, in favor of experiments with little chance of new growth. Before you know it, you lose the people you still have. Seen in this light, we seem more like James, with his responsibility for the large groups of followers in Israel, than the missionary Paul.

Who do you feel you are?

Can you describe some specific situations in which you are or were involved (and which you still find difficult)? Then consider how Paul would reason and how James would put it. Which one do you feel most connected to? And then think about the role of Peter, Barnabas, or Timothy: what are you going to do? Will you take sides, or are there other possibilities? And if those don't work, what would you want to say to Paul and James? Or when you come home: what do you pray for?

Prayer

Perhaps it would be a good idea to pray for the situation that the person next to you has brought up and for the role that he or she may play in it.

Questions for theologians

Were the Galatians mixed congregations?

This chapter focuses on the tension between Paul's mission to all nations and the specifically Jewish aspirations of Jesus' followers, particularly in Jerusalem. I suggest that we save Paul's theology in Galatians until we read the Epistle to the Romans and first seek to better understand the conflict. For now, the important question is whether we can use the letter to the Galatians and the letter of James to better understand that tension.

1. To what extent is James representative of the Jewish followers of Jesus? Is the salutation in 1:1 meant symbolically or literally? To what extent do you recognize a Jewish milieu in the letter? Look for allusions in the text to the sayings of Jesus (in Q, Matthew, or Luke). Read, for example, Van de Sandt and Zangenberg: Matthew, James, and Didache: Three Related Documents in Their Jewish and Christian Settings (2009).
2. Galatians is a genuine argument in a concrete situation and, as such, has been frequently analyzed as rhetoric, beginning with Hans Dieter Betz (Hermeneia Commentary, 1979). The conflict with Peter and James's emissaries in Antioch is often seen as the narratio, the situation sketch, or the point of contention. What is the point of contention in the mixed congregation of Antioch? And how can that be relevant to the Galatians if they were not mixed? What does the conflict in Antioch (as opposed to Paul's rhetoric) say about the intentions of James's emissaries? And to what extent are those intentions the same as those of the emissaries among the Galatians to whom Paul is writing his letter? See, for example, Mark Nanos, The Galatians Debate (2002). Many people have read Galatians as a defense of non-Jewish believers against attempts from Jerusalem to make them Jews and force them to be circumcised. They find support for this in Acts 15:1. But in Acts 21:21, the writer defends Paul against a completely different accusation: Paul is said to have taught the Jewish people that they did not have to observe the purity laws and circumcision. Are we sufficiently sensitive to Paul's rhetoric, which slanders the intentions of James' emissaries with the possible consequences thereof? In "Jewish Recipients," an article in Stanley Porter, Paul: Jew, Greek and Roman (2009), I argue that if the same problems existed in Galatia as in Antioch (the narratio), these must have been mixed congregations. James's emissaries were primarily concerned with the Jews' observance of the law there.
3. Is Galatians addressed to ethnic Galatians around northern Ancyra, to Greek-speaking immigrants there (the Galatians spoke Celtic), or to the congregations in Greek-speaking Pamphylia, in the south of the Roman province of Galatia (as described in Acts 13-16)? William Ramsay (1890) literally put the latter possibility on the map. The main road from Antioch to Ephesus and Rome ran through the south (cf. Acts 18:23). This is important for the analysis of the situation: Jewish immigrants lived mainly in the south; we do not encounter them around Ancyra until the second century.
4. What does Paul actually mean by Ιουδαιος and Ιουdαϊσμός in Gal 1:13-14 and 3:28, or by Ιoυδαϊκως and ιουδαΐζειν in Gal 2:14? What made someone a Jew at that time (before the fall of the temple and the transition to a kind of "rabbinical Judaism")? See Shaye Cohen in Beginnings of Jewishness (1999), with his discussion of the case of Timothy.

How offensive was Paul's theology?

Paul needs his congregations to be allowed to deviate from the letter of the law (especially the laws that hindered the community of Jews and non-Jews). To this end, he argues that this effect is not the work of God himself, but of angels. How far does Paul's idea that it was not the supreme God but lesser "angels" who enacted the law actually go? How did this contribute to the Gnostic idea that lesser gods and angels try to enslave humans? See, for example, my article "Paul's lesser angels" in Gnosis (in preparation).

Sect and/or cult?

Is the conflict between Paul and James solely theological and practical, or is there also a difference in the nature of the Jewish communities in Palestine and the mixed communities outside Palestine? Rodney Stark, The Rise of Christianity (1999), discusses the differences between a sect and a cult. He speaks of a sect when mainly people within an existing religion separate themselves in order to enable a higher tension with the outside world; this is often accompanied by male leadership and conservatism. A cult mainly involves conversions from other religions, female initiative, and religious innovations. Is this difference relevant when comparing the Jesus movement under James in Israel and the new communities that attract pagans in the cities around the Mediterranean?

Chronology of Paul and the crucifixion

A completely different matter concerns the chronology of Paul and the year of the crucifixion, which we will return to in chapter 9 (on Luke/Acts). Ed Sanders, Historical Jesus (1993), argues that the crucifixion must be dated as early as possible in the 30s because of Paul's chronology. The background to this is the three and fourteen years in Gal 1:18 and 2:1. I see three problems:

1. What assumptions about the apostolic council of Acts 15, before the long journey to Corinth where Paul stood before Governor Gallio in the year 50/51, do you need to reason backwards from there to a crucifixion in the year 30? What should you then think of the historical reliability of the book of Acts? Which visit in or after those fourteen years are we actually talking about? Is Acts 18:22 also an option? Where did Titus come from, and why was he known in Galatia?
2. What can you actually say about the chronology of Paul and the crucifixion if you only base your argument on his letters: in particular these verses from Galatians and the reference to Aretas in 2 Corinthians 11:32 (Aretas died in the year 40 and may have gained control of the gates of Damascus after his military actions in 36)? Even if that was his second visit, a first visit before the year 34/35 would not fit. Shouldn't you then interpret Galatians 1 and 2 differently?
3. Look at Paul's rhetoric in this passage: what is the function of the long periods he presents to his readers? What could be the effects of his ability to make the period seem as long as possible (including counting, rounding off to sabbatical years, overlapping periods)? Is that why Paul uses different prepositions (μετὰ and διὰ), because διὰ can be interpreted in several ways (after, in, or during a certain time)? How does this allow him to make his independence from the apostles seem longer? How many possibilities do you see for those "14" years to begin or end?

Chapter 5.     Love and Debauchery

Questions for discussion groups

Life without rules?

Can you live without rules? Can you cherish values without becoming normative? When does the freedom of one person come at the expense of the well-being of another? Can you solve that with more rules? Where does that end?

Paul is not against rules, but he believes that laws are not divine but temporary. You should no longer do something because it is the right thing to do, or because God requires it. No, you must learn to argue from a position of love: What builds up? What is good? What sets us free?  He writes to the Corinthians:

"Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything."

"Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible, but not everything is constructive."

And remember: "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up."

People and rules

Jesus says: "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." How do you ensure that rules are there to serve people rather than the other way around? How do you maintain the balance between what is good and what liberates? How do you use knowledge out of love rather than arrogance? How do you apply that to yourself, your family, or your work? How does the government do that in something like a coronavirus crisis?

Or do you seek it in soft power and authority, by putting forward leaders whom everyone trusts, as in I Titus and I Timothy? How far can you go in this before it becomes a rigid hierarchy? What is the counterforce that prevents this from degenerating into arbitrary action at the top and coercion at the bottom?

Love

Read 1 Corinthians 13 in the context of well-meaning people who are also very status-conscious and want to dictate to each other in the name of God or goodness. Keep in mind that "faith" also and above all means "trust" and "loyalty." How does love influence how we deal with status, hierarchy, rules, and order? What do you think of the idea that, for Paul, love is a choice for "conscious naivety," basing your actions on the goodness in the beloved ( )? What effect does that have on you? What effect does that have on the other person? How does that change your communication?

Questions for Christians

Living without rules?

How do you do that: live in freedom? Did Paul really write to the Galatians that the law was only meant to be temporary, namely until the coming of Christ? Or did he mean it more specifically: until we are born again and truly allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit? How do you think that works?

Paul did not write 1 Corinthians to tell us whether or not we should marry, whether or not we (at least the ladies among us) should wear hats in church, and whether or not women can become priests or ministers. He was not concerned with the^21stcentury, but with saving as many people as possible before the impending end of the world! Now that it has all taken a little longer, it has proven very wise to continue to marry, learn a trade, emancipate ourselves, and abolish slavery. What is very beautiful to see is how Paul helps people learn to reason without appealing to divine laws and rules, as in 6:12, 8:1, and 10:23:

"Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything."

"Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible, but not everything is constructive."

And remember:

“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”

Parenting: rules, freedom, and love

This became very relevant to us when we were about to talk to our children about sexuality and relationships. How do you avoid presenting faith as a series of rules and prohibitions? How do you help your children reason from a place of love and freedom, with an eye toward what builds up and what prevents us from being enslaved by people or by our immediate needs? Perhaps some of you can describe a situation from your own life and how you tried to find a way through it. Ask for feedback: what kind of communication feels loving, constructive, and liberating? Where does it become tense or even unpleasant?

Love in the church

Read 1 Corinthians 13 now in the context of believers who want so much good in the church and yet can get in each other's way. How does love affect how we deal with status, hierarchy, rules, and order? What do you think of the idea that for Paul, love is a choice for "conscious naivety," assuming the best in others? What effect does that have on you and your communication in church? What effect does that have on the other person?

Praying for love

In the closing prayer, you could pray for each other, that your pious feelings of pride, your sincere request for clear rules, and your desire for spiritual gifts will not stand in the way of love for one another.

Titus and Timothy

Paul is stricter in his letters than in personal encounters (2 Corinthians 10), and he is resented for this. The same applies to the "mandate letters" to Titus and 1 Timothy. What do you think of this approach: being sharp in an email or article but seeking consensus when you have to look someone in the eye? Is that a sign of weakness or of humanity? What does that mean for us when we read Paul's letters or apply them in our church?

Now look at the requirements for overseers and ministers (literally: bishops and deacons) in 1 Timothy 3, and for widows (a kind of pastoral workers with financial support from the church) in 1 Timothy 5:4-10. Think about the wisdom of such requirements in Paul's circumstances. Which requirements would you still find useful today? What would you consider to be "job requirements" today?

What challenges and temptations do you see for men and women who lead in the church? Perhaps you could remember them in prayer?

Questions for theologians

A growing collection and a growing story?

What do you think of Walter Trobisch's suggestion in Paul's Letter Collection (Die Entstehung der Paulusbriefsammlung) that Paul himself edited and published a first collection of Galatians, I and II Corinthians, and Romans before his trip to Jerusalem, and that he also sent it to Rome with the greetings in chapter 16? In doing so, he would have recorded his view of the conflict with James and Peter. The Corpus Paulinum collection would then have been expanded in three subsequent steps by his disciples: first with the letters to the other churches, then with the pastoral letters, and finally with Hebrews. In this way, the story within this "epistolary novel" was continually updated and expanded in new circumstances. What happens if you read the Corpus Paulinum as a coherent collection of letters?

Reading Paul on different levels

Anyone who reads the letters to the Corinthians, which may have been compiled from several letters, but ignores the 'mandate letters' to Titus and Timothy because most theologians believe that they are not from Paul himself, can easily step out of the story of the Corpus Paulinum. Therefore, take a look at Paul's letters from a literary perspective. In the diagram below, I use some terms that literary scholar Mieke Bal has explained. Yellow is what you are reading now, gray is the whole narrative. Blue is the world that is created in your head while reading, and white is the reality of you and the writer that falls outside of that.

When I apply this diagram to a collection of letters from a historical figure, such as Paul's letters, two additional aspects come into play: history (our image of the historical Paul) and form (the collection). It looks like this:

Using such a diagram, you could think about the way you read the letters. It is more about reflecting on the questions than about finding the correct answers:

• Can you read these letters as a fabula of the life of the literary Paul, or do you read them as illustrations to the book of Acts, or do you keep them separate and classified as genuine and spurious?
• Consider the formation of the collection (see also the Epilogue of this book). Were the letters to a particular city first compiled, abridged, combined, and edited, and only then combined with letters to multiple churches? Did Philemon belong to Colossae from the outset? Were the letters to the churches first collected and only then supplemented with the letters to Titus and Timothy? Was there a core collection surrounding the controversy surrounding Paul for which he was tried (Galatians, Corinthians, and Romans)? Were comments in the margins included in the main text when transcribing? Was Hebrews sometimes added later and sometimes not?
• Did the editors make the implicit authors/editors and occasions of writing explicit in inscriptions and captions?
• In which collections did the individual letters take on meaning for readers in the second century? How did their context influence the further collection and editing of the Corpus Paulinum?
• How does the current arrangement by length and addressees influence the way we recreate the implicit narrative as we read?

Reading 1 Corinthians 13 on two levels

Take a famous passage such as 1 Cor 13. To what extent do you read it differently when you approach it:

• In the specific context of the letter itself (particularly chapters 12 through 14)?
• As part of the message of the collection of letters as a whole (particularly in relation to the story of the controversy in the core collection of letters to the Galatians, the Corinthians, and the Romans)

What happens when you read the isolated passage today in a wedding service?

II Corinthians on two levels

In this reading guide, we start from the story as it appears in the current text of II Corinthians, although many commentators and Bible translators believe that it is composed of several letters that testify to an interim visit by Paul. The narrative reading in this reading guide works better if you make use of the space offered by the Greek source text. This raises questions about our practice as translators and exegetes: Do we read the text in the context of the letter as it now forms part of the Corpus Paulinum, or in the context of a presumed source text of a compiler? Three examples:

• What assumptions does the NBV make in 2 Cor 2:1 when it says, "I had therefore decided not to visit you again in such sorrow"? Could you also translate it as "not to return in sorrow"? The same applies to 12:21. Compare 2 Corinthians 1:15-16 (καὶ πάλιν απὸ Μακεδονίας ελθειν): does this refer to coming via Macedonia again, or to returning via Macedonia?

• What determines whether you read the passage in 2 Corinthians 13:1 as "this is the third time I am coming to you" after two visits have already taken place, or whether you read it as the third time he is ready to set out, as in 12:14 (this is also the variant in Codex Alexandrinus at 13:1)?
• On what basis does the NBV translate 2 Corinthians 13:2 as "when I was with you the second time"? What determines whether you read the participles in the phrase "as if (ως) present a second time, even though (και) now absent" in the past and present tense, or both in the present tense? Compare the same participles in 1 Corinthians 5:3-4. Could it be that the implied author in the current letter—for the application of the principle of two or three witnesses from Deuteronomy 19:15 that he quotes in 2 Corinthians 13:1—counts his letter as if it already made him "present" the second time?

Chapter 6.     Learning not to judge

Questions for discussion groups

Diversity and unity

In the Epistle to the Romans, Paul attempts to strengthen a community based on two principles: Jewish believers in particular must stop condemning non-Jews, and the latter must not look down on the Jewish people, who in their eyes adhere to strange laws.

Where do you see this reflected in our time? Who are the true believers (fundamentalists and ideologues) who tend to condemn others when they do not support the good cause with the same fanaticism? The relativizing, "sensible" people, who think that things will not get that bad or that the truth lies somewhere in the middle, who look down on the short-sightedness of the former? When is the dynamic between these attitudes productive, and when does it lead to division, lack of change, or harsh conflicts?

Love and non-judgment

Paul learned these two principles from Jesus: love and non-judgment. You could say that the path of Jesus is walked in the dynamic between these two forces. This is Jesus' answer to the question of what is the most important commandment in Jewish law. Not the Ten Commandments, but the call to love God and all his creatures (Matthew 22:37,39):

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

The three become one in the love of God, who loves all his children, even and perhaps especially those who seem lost. The more we love him, the more we realize that we cannot love him if we do not love ourselves or our neighbor.

This is what Jesus says in Luke 6:37-38 (and Matthew 7:1-2):

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Let go, and you will be let go. Give, and you will be given: A well-shaken and firmly pressed scoop of grain will be thrown into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Discuss the following thought: Love for yourself, others, and God encourages us to seek the interests of both the individual and the whole. Love for the whole (God) includes love for the individual. Non-judgment teaches us not to make claims on others, but to communicate in such a way that we can choose for ourselves and together what is good and achievable for everyone. In that tension, we continue to listen to each other and move together.

What do people need in order to interact with each other in this way?

Questions for Christians

Do not judge

Although the Epistle to the Romans is indeed a letter from Paul and very different in tone from the teachings of Jesus, you can still see that Paul learned the most important lesson in this letter from Jesus, even though it was difficult for him. Compare his call not to judge in Romans 14:1-13 with Luke 6:37-38 (and Matthew 7:1-2):

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Let go, and you will be let go. Give, and you will be given: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, you will also be measured.

How do you deal with judging and not judging? When do you think you should judge and why? When does it go wrong when you judge? Can you give examples from your own life? Can you give examples from the church? How would a church that does not judge differ in practice from a church that does judge?

Love

Discuss the following thought: The dynamic of Jesus is not so much that between love (for the sinner) and judgment (of sin), as is often said, but much more that between loving the other and the prohibition of judgment. After all, love prompts us to seek the best interests of others, while the prohibition against judging teaches us to leave others free. In that tension, we continue to listen to each other and move along with the other person.

How does Paul apply the commandment of love and the prohibition against judging to Jews and non-Jews in the Epistle to the Romans?

Non-judgment and love in the church

If there is sufficient love, respect, and security in your group, you could reflect on how the discussion went about whether or not to bless homosexual relationships in the church. How do you deal with people for whom the church's blessing of homosexuality would be incompatible with sexuality between a man and a woman as intended in the Bible? How do you deal with people who, in their own conscience before God, experience their homosexual life partner as a gift from God and want to give thanks for this and ask for a blessing? How do you remain a truly united church in which there is no judgment or looking down on one another?

Leave judgment to God

In your prayers, you could silently bring before God the people you have burdened with your judgment or contempt. You could do this in three circles: people in the news, at school, at work, or in church; then people in your family and circle of friends; and finally, judgments about yourself. You can conclude each round together with the Kyrie prayer: "Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy," or the entire prayer with the Lord's Prayer at the end.

Questions for theologians

Phoebe

I have used Phoebe as a focalizer and the identification of a modern reader with a Jewish member of the congregation in Rome as a spectator/point of view to show how Paul plays in the opening chapters with the persona of the letter writer as the Gentile-hating Jew and the persona of that part of the audience or the outside world that presents itself as judgmental Jews (for the literary terms used here, see the diagrams accompanying the suggestions in the previous chapter). Romans therefore deals with different Pauluses and different audiences. Can you see whether and, if so, how these personas differ between 1:1-15, 1:16-32, 2 and 3, 4 and beyond? Does Paul deliberately show different sides of himself?

Sola gratia

The theological reflection on the letter to the Romans has been strongly influenced by the central role that the letter played in the Reformation: how does a sinner receive grace? Can you contribute to this yourself, or is it purely grace and therefore predestined by God? What is the meaning of the cross?

During the Reformation, Protestants, with Romans 1 to 6 in hand, emphasized that all people are sinners and that it is purely God's grace that people are saved on the basis of their faith in Christ's atoning death on the cross. Good deeds cannot contribute to this but follow from it. They believed that Catholics followed in the tradition of the Jews, who expected their salvation from following the law.

Predestination

This naturally led to the question of free will within the Protestant movement: did you not have to at least consent to that grace in order to be saved? The Calvinists feared that this would detract from God's grace and emphasized that it is purely by grace that people are saved. From Romans 7 to 9, they learned that the human will is subject to sin and that it is therefore God who irrevocably chooses whom he saves, that it is his Spirit who works conversion in the heart without people being able to promote or resist it, and that nothing and no one can cause his saints to stumble because God keeps them upright.

Paul as a Jew

With Krister Stendahl (1963), a counter-movement began. He warned against interpreting Paul from the perspective of the Reformation. E.P. Sanders (1977) emphasized that Judaism and Paul thought in terms of the covenant and not in terms of individual salvation. Richard Hays, The Faith of Jesus Christ (1993), shows that many texts may speak of salvation through faith/trust in Jesus rather than the often translated in Jesus. James Dunn elaborates on the new insights in his commentaries on Romans (1988) and Galatians (1993), and publishes a collection of his essays in The New Perspective on Paul (2007). Pamela Eisenbaum Paul was not a Christian (2009) argues that Paul remained a devout Jew. NT Wright emphasizes God's plan of salvation in his comprehensive Paul and the Faithfulness of God (2013), and Paul's covenant thinking in Paul: A Biography (2018).

That the traditional understanding of justification by faith (alone) does indeed go back to Paul himself is argued in Seyoon Kim's Paul and the New Perspective (2002) and the second edition of Douglas Moo's commentary on Romans from 2018.

Free will

On a more existential level, it is advisable to read psychologists and philosophers on free will and determinism, and the question of whether these concepts are mutually exclusive or compatible. Spinoza wrote in his Ethics: "People believe they are free because they are conscious of their actions and unconscious of the causes that determine those actions."

How does Paul's argument about inner struggle (Rom 7-8), God's plan of salvation (Rom 9-11), and personal responsibility (Rom 12-15) relate to these concepts?

Neurobiologists such as Richard Sapolsky (Behave, 2017) show how limited our free will is. But psychological studies show that people function better and can make a difference if they believe they have free will. What do you think of philosopher Saul Smilansky's (2000) argument that the concept of free will is a necessary illusion? Can you apply this to the example of parents who gently guide their toddler through life: to what extent can you say that what the toddler experiences as free will is predetermined by the parent?

Chapter 7.      Getting our house in order

Questions for discussion groups

Social values or oppressive norms?

This chapter focuses on the tension between the roles that society imposes on you (or that you impose on yourself when you claim a certain identity) and the 'liberty, equality, and fraternity' in the gospel. This becomes painfully clear when you ask yourself what is most effective: how do you stay connected to the society you want to change? Will revolution or evolution help us move forward? Do revolutionaries and evolutionaries stand in each other's way or do they complement each other?

Onesimus

In the 1960s, Peter and Paul came to the conclusion that they needed to provide practical house rules because the revolutionary message of love for all could stand in the way of spreading that message. The letter to Philemon is a good example and worth reading and discussing in a group.

Read the letter through once and give everyone the opportunity to ask questions about the situation so that you all understand the letter well before you continue.

The second reading is not about understanding but about feeling. So divide up the roles: who wants to play the part of Paul and Timothy, Onesimus, Tychicus, Philemon, Apphia, and Archippus (the hostess and host)? Think in advance about what you find exciting when you consider or hear that Tychicus is going to read a letter to Philemon in public on behalf of Onesimus. What could go wrong?

Then have the person playing Tychicus read the letter a second time, this time reciting it with real passion. Everyone else listens from the role they have chosen. Tell each other and ask each other: what did the person you had in mind feel while reading the letter or certain passages?

The role of the Christian faith

Throughout history, we have seen people who have fought for emancipation and civil rights on the basis of the gospel, but we have also seen churches justify existing power structures and allow the slave trade. What do you think of these statements:

• The love of Jesus and the radical gospel that Paul preached sowed the seeds for the equality of all people.
• The house rules in the New Testament unnecessarily delayed emancipation for a long time. If they are intended to reduce conflict so that more people can be reached with the gospel, then Christians today need new house rules.

Questions for Christians

Oppression or freedom?

This time, you could reflect on the tension between freedom in Christ and the house rules in these letters, particularly in light of slavery and power differences between people. Because this touches on sensitive issues, it is good to ask in advance where people see risks or even fears based on their own experiences. Then you can pray for this in advance and take each other into account.

Following Jesus

Paul and Peter do not present the house rules as a blueprint for a perfect world, but as following Jesus in the social reality of the Roman Empire. This gives a new dignity. Consider, for example, the way 1 Peter 2:9-12 introduces the house rules. After the rules, the writer points to the suffering of Jesus (1 Peter 3:18-22), just as Paul does in the beautiful "hymn" in Philippians 2:1-15. Obedience then takes on a purpose. How do you view the attitude of Christians in marriage or toward authorities (e.g., employers or governments)?

The role of the Christian faith

Throughout history, we have seen people who have fought for emancipation and civil rights on the basis of the gospel, but we have also seen churches justify existing power structures and fail to address the slave traders in their midst. What do you think of these statements:

• The love of Jesus and the radical gospel that Paul preached sowed the seeds for the equality of all people.
• The house rules in the New Testament unnecessarily delayed emancipation for a long time. If they are intended to reduce conflict so that we can reach more people with the gospel, then we need new house rules in this day and age.

Praying for justice

Even today, it is a challenge for followers of Jesus to deal with social inequality and emancipation. What injustices do you experience? How do you see the relationship between justice, love for others, and non-judgment? Can that differ? Can you complement each other? Would you like to pray for this?

A runaway slave

Read the letter to Philemon quietly a first time. Give everyone the opportunity to ask questions about the situation so that everyone understands the letter well before you continue.

Now divide the roles: who wants to take on the role of Paul and Timothy, Onesimus, Tychicus, Philemon, Apphia, and Archippus (the hostess and host)? Think in advance about what you find exciting when you consider or hear that Tychicus is going to read a letter to Philemon in public on behalf of Onesimus. What could go wrong?

Then have the person playing Tychicus read the letter a second time, this time reciting it with real passion. Everyone else listens from the role they have chosen. Tell each other and ask each other: what did the person you had in mind feel while reading the letter or certain passages?

Now make the connection to today: can you name a moment when you realized that you were part of a system in which some people were being treated unjustly? Was your position that of an Onesimus, a Philemon, a Paul, or a bystander? Is there something you want to ask forgiveness for or learn to forgive?

Questions for theologians

Social sciences and the New Testament

Statements in these letters about the relationships between men and women, slaves and free people, and children and parents are often read from our context, influenced by the notion of universal human rights and the history of slavery, particularly in America. This means that we look back at statements made in a more collective pre-Christian context from a more individualistic modern Christian or post-Christian perspective.

The translation of the work of social scientists in the field of antiquity to the New Testament deserves special attention. Consider Bruce Malina's The New Testament World (1981/2001), Wayne Meeks' First Urban Christians (1983), the Stegemann brothers' Jesus Movement/Urchristliche Sozialgeschichte (2001/1997), Philip Esler's The Early Christian World (2000/2017) or Identity and Conflict in Romans (2003). Also take a look at the conceptualization of slaves, women, men, and children in antiquity.

Apostles as troublemakers

Important concepts for further study include social stratification, (fictitious) kinship, honor and shame, and social identity. Society was extremely stratified, and much revolved around preserving the honor of the family and the city. The position of the family took precedence over power differences between city dwellers and barbarians, men and women, slaves and freemen, and parents and children. Children, women, and domestic slaves of families with high social status were above free-born men in families with low social status, such as migrants. Freed slaves of Roman citizens also received Roman citizenship and were thus above migrants from other cities.

In that context, how does the message of the 'apostles' that followers of Jesus are brothers and sisters, children of the most high God and citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, function? What tension does that create with their social status in the reality of the Greco-Roman cities around the Mediterranean?

Living in two realities

A related aspect is the growing awareness in these letters that Jesus is the pre-existent logos of God through whom everything was created. A movement is emerging of a divine Jesus who became human in order to make humans like God. The descriptions of this in Phil 2 and Col 1 have hymn-like qualities. How does this dynamic play out in the relationship between man and woman, slave and master, Jesus and the church?

The relationship between the cosmic and the psychological is strongly emphasized in the letter to the Ephesians, where Jesus, who ascended to God, takes up residence in the hearts of his followers. The distance from the sacred, which was mediated by priests and in temples, has thus been transformed into participation in the sacred. Has this also changed the relationship with official temples and priests (1 Peter 2 also compares Jesus' followers to living temple stones and priests of God)? How does this relate to the anti-hierarchical message of Matthew 23:7-12 or to the position of John the Baptist, who offered purification outside the temple?

An example: In South Africa, we saw how on Sundays black women who worked as maids in wealthy households donned priestly robes and gathered under a tree for worship and a communal meal. In what ways does such a living example help us understand the anthropological, sociological, and psychological implications of the new humanity that Paul preached?

Chapter 8.      "Death to the Christians!"

Questions for discussion groups

What associations do you have with "Christians"?

This chapter is about the bad reputation Christians can get and the frustrations that causes them when society does not appreciate them. How do you view Christians and churches? What are your positive and negative associations? How did you form those images: from your own experience or from hearsay?

The spirit of the times

Since the 1980s, the image of the church as a bastion of good intentions and reliability has changed. Lying about pedophile priests and incestuous elders has not done the church any good. Do perpetrators deserve a second chance if it is at the expense of the victims? The culture wars in the United States have also left their mark. The Christian faith became increasingly associated with the oppression of homosexuals, the justification of slavery, and the discrimination of women. Faith also came into conflict with science. Today, progressive people associate Christianity with white men who colonized and exploited the world. In response, right-wing conservatives claim Christianity as a symbol of their superior Western culture, the line of defense against Islam and socialism. Of course, both of these images are one-sided and, in fact, simply wrong. The teachings of Jesus resonated most with women, slaves, and migrants, who found new dignity in them. It became a Jewish movement that opened up to other cultures and believers. It reached Ethiopia before France, India before the Netherlands, and China before Scandinavia. And although the church, as the majority religion, became increasingly tainted by the sins of its time, the message of the gospel contributed to strong relationships, thriving communities, the end of slavery (in Europe in the Middle Ages and worldwide in the^19thcentury), universal human rights, and education and civil rights for all.

What is your advice to Christians who are confronted with prejudice and stigma: Accept or resist? Give up or persevere? Find new forms? Return to Jesus or move toward a more abstract concept of God?

Back to Jesus?

What do you think of the idea that Jesus led people in vulnerability? That he taught them to love and not to judge. That he encouraged them to form new "families" to support each other and to live with trust in God who sustains us and with hope for a better world? Is there still room for Christians who want to live this way and share this message?   

Questions for Christians

Are you sometimes ashamed of the label 'Christian'?

What do you do when your faith becomes a 'stigma'? The letters in this chapter are addressed to people who are in danger of losing faith in the promises of their religion, who are growing weary of their duties in the church, or who are even threatening to leave. The enthusiasm of the past seems far away. Do you recognize this in our time, and perhaps even in yourself?

The spirit of the times

Since the 1980s, the image of the church as a bastion of good intentions and reliability has been reversed. Lying about pedophile priests and incestuous elders has not done the church any good. Do perpetrators deserve a second chance if it is at the expense of the victims? The culture wars in the United States have also left their mark. The Christian faith became increasingly associated with the oppression of homosexuals, the justification of slavery, and the discrimination against women. Faith also came into conflict with science. Today, progressive people associate Christianity with white men who colonized and exploited the world. In response, right-wing conservatives claim Christianity as a symbol of their superior Western culture, the line of defense against Islam and socialism. Of course, both of these images are one-sided and, in fact, simply wrong. The teachings of Jesus resonated most with women, slaves, and migrants, who found new dignity in them. It became a Jewish movement that opened up to other cultures and believers. It reached Ethiopia before France, India before the Netherlands, and China before Scandinavia. And although the church, as the majority religion, became increasingly tainted by the sins of its time, the message of the gospel contributed to strong relationships, thriving communities, the end of slavery (in Europe in the Middle Ages and worldwide in the^19thcentury), universal human rights, and education and civil rights for all.

What is your reaction to these images? Accept or oppose? Give up or persevere? Find new forms? Return to Jesus or move toward a more abstract concept of God?

What would Jesus do?

Jesus led people in vulnerability and humility. He taught them to love and not to judge. His disciples formed new "families" who learned to support each other and to live with trust in God who sustains us and with hope for a better world.

Can followers of Jesus still support each other? Can the progressives and conservatives of today still benefit from this? Can you still contribute to this in your own environment?

Consider the personal words of Paul to Timothy, which he had read aloud in the church. Is there someone you would like to encourage? What would you like to say to him or her, and to the church around them?

Prayer

In the closing prayer, it would be nice not to give thanks or pray for specific things, but simply to tell God how you feel as a believer in this world and then ask if anyone has a song that fits this sentiment.

Hebrews

How do you feel about reading the letter as a Jewish believer in, for example, Ephesus; as someone who does not know what to do: support the rebellion against Rome, remain loyal to the executed Paul, or show that you are a good citizen of Ephesus and the Roman Empire? Do you have anything to expect, or is it better to wait until the storm subsides? What is the "rest" in chapters 3 and 4 that God still has in store for his people, through Jesus as a new Joshua (4:8-10)?

What significance does Jesus' high priesthood have in this letter (4:14-16 and 10:19-24)? What encouragement does this give?

What is the function of 'faith' in Hebrews 11 in relation to what you hope for and what is yet to be revealed? Do you have any stories from today in which people were able to persevere in their calling through their 'faith'?

Questions for theologians

Fake letters?

The three letters in this chapter are a good illustration of the various formal characteristics of pseudepigrapha, literally: falsely attributed letters:

How do these formal characteristics of the salutation and conclusion relate to the actual and intentional "falsehood" of the attribution?

• The letter to the Hebrews does not claim to have been written by Paul. It is more like a written sermon with a personal postscript. Could the absence of an opening in Hebrews have been an act of concealment by a copyist who, given the closing, hoped that readers would see it as a letter from Paul without the sender having to lie? But if pseudepigraphs were widely accepted , why did the sender or a later transcriber not add Paul's name after all?
• II Timothy contains not only a salutation and greetings, but also numerous personal details throughout the letter, both about Paul and about Timothy. Is this a literary epistolary novel, aimed at spreading the story of Timothy through a fictional letter from Paul? Or do these details force a choice: forgery or authenticity?
• II Peter has no addressees or greetings. As a letter, it therefore does not really work. Moreover, the letter identifies itself as the "second letter" (3:1), as if 1 Peter is to be assumed to be known, as are the letters of Paul (3:16). Is this a signal that this letter is intended to be literary, as a testament from Peter calling on the later generation of Paul's supporters and opponents to unity?

If we read II Peter as a pseudepigraphical work, we may wonder what that later writer is indirectly telling us about the reception of 1 Peter or the letters of Paul, which are explicitly referred to in 3:1 and 3:16, or about the ongoing discussion of the controversy between Peter and Paul. What does that teach you? And what might the reuse of Jude's letter in 2 Peter suggest about the reception of Jude's letter by the author and the audience?

The high priest, the position of angels, and rest

The letter to the Hebrews is a rich source for further study, for example, based on the commentary by Harold Attridge (1989) or Paul Ellingworth (1993). Consider the elaborate presentation of Jesus as the anointed high priest (and not as the anointed king). Is this a response to the increasing and increasingly violent messianic expectations in Israel or to the development of the "cosmic" Christ who mediates between heaven and earth as a priest (see previous chapter)?

There is an interesting interaction between Paul and the position of angels. In Galatians, the law is declared to be given by angels of a lower order than God's promise to Abraham. In Hebrews, Jesus is described as high priest of the order of Melchizedek, to whom Abraham paid his tithes, as being of a higher order than the priesthood of Aaron under the law. In 1 Corinthians 6:3, Paul says that people will judge angels; in Hebrews 1, the present world is subject to angels, but the future world is subject to the Son of Man.

It is repeatedly stated that Israel as the promised land is not the final destination, but that a "rest" is still promised. In what dimensions do you see in Hebrews the journey to that promised rest? Geographically (from Egypt to Israel), temporally (from now to the future), spatially (from here to heaven), and/or psychologically (from outside to inside)?

Word study: What is faith?

Faith is often dismissed as "believing something for which there is no evidence." Hebrews 11:1 contains a much-quoted "definition" of faith.

"And pistis is:

- the hypostasis of the things hoped for,

- the elenchos of the unseen (things)."

Examine the meaning of the Greek words and the interaction between the two stanzas. What meanings or effects does pistis have? Compare this with the function of the concept of hope in Paul in Rom 8:24 and 1 Cor 9:10. Where is the distinction between hope and faith, and how do they complement each other? Do you recognize this view in the examples in Heb 11?

Chapter 9.      "Love your enemies"

Questions for discussion groups

Justice and the Sermon on the Mount

In what struggle for power, justice, or resources have you been or are you currently involved? Compare this with the struggle of the Jews within or against the Roman Empire. Which role do you feel most connected to, and in what ways?

• The Sicarii: the activist, the fighter for justice who is willing to use violence for the greater good – "you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs."
• The Pharisee: the virtuous person who wants to live faithfully and purely in a corrupt world.
• The Essene: the idealist who withdraws from society to create a place with like-minded people where things are good.
• The Sadducee: the administrator who does his best to make society function well as it is now, choosing order and stability.

Now listen to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, 6, and 7 from the perspective of the role(s) you have chosen. You don't have to listen for someone else. Realize that this is Matthew's composition. He has edited and organized a series of quotations and turned them into a new whole. So feel free to think about what each quotation means to you, even apart from the Sermon on the Mount. Tell each other what feelings came to mind while listening to certain texts; try to figure out where those feelings might come from. How does that relate to the role(s) you chose and your outlook on life?

As Jesus explains the law...

Can you tell us which statement appeals to you most and whether it has anything to do with your own life?

• "As Jesus explains the law, you can never fulfill it. Then you have to rely on grace."
• "As Jesus explains the law, no one can fulfill it. Then no one has the right to judge another. You cannot judge another, and no one can judge you."
• "As Jesus explains the law, you should pay more attention to God and attach less importance to what people think of you."
• "The way Jesus explains the law, there is always room to grow and become more like the Father."
• "As Jesus explains the law..." (finish the sentence yourself).

On what foundation are you building your life?

If you could use something from the Sermon on the Mount to give your life a stronger foundation, what would you want to change in your thinking, speaking, or doing?

Questions for Christians

Hearing the Sermon on the Mount in times of war

In what struggle for power, justice, or resources have you been or are you currently involved? Compare it to the struggle of the Jews within or against the Roman Empire. Which role do you feel most connected to, and in what ways?

• The Sicarii: the activist, the fighter for justice who is willing to use violence for the greater good – "you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs."
• The Pharisee: the virtuous person who wants to live faithfully and purely in a corrupt world.
• The Essene: the idealist who withdraws from society to create a place with like-minded people where things are good.
• The Sadducee: the administrator who does his best to make society function well as it is now, choosing order and stability.

Now listen to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, 6, and 7 from the perspective of the role(s) you have chosen. You don't have to listen for someone else. Realize that this is Matthew's composition. He has edited and organized a series of quotations and turned them into a new whole. So feel free to think about what each quotation means to you, even apart from the Sermon on the Mount. Tell each other what feelings came to mind while listening to certain texts; try to figure out where those feelings might come from. How does that relate to the role(s) you chose and your outlook on life?

As Jesus explains the law...

Can you tell us which statement appeals to you most and whether it has anything to do with your own life?

• "As Jesus explains the law, I can never fulfill it. Then I must rely on grace."
• "As Jesus explains the law, no one can fulfill it. Then no one has the right to judge another. Not even me. Not even me."
• "As Jesus explains the law, I need to pay more attention to God and attach less importance to what people think of me."
• “As Jesus explains the law, there is always room to grow and become more like the Father.”
• “As Jesus explains the law…” (finish the sentence yourself).

Building on the rock

If you could use something from the Sermon on the Mount to give your life a more solid foundation, what would you want to change in your thinking, in your speech, or in your actions? You could pray for that very specifically tonight.

Religious leaders

The writer of Matthew seems to see himself as a scribe. Take, for example, 13:52: "Every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old." What, then, are the old and the new things? Could this statement also apply to religious leaders today?

Matthew 23 is one such discourse of Jesus that has been compiled by the writer. For a scribe like Matthew, it is an enormous act of self-criticism. What are the temptations and challenges for religious leaders and theologians today? Why does Jesus warn them in verses 8-12 not to be called rabbi, father (pater), or master (dominee)? Why do Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant clergy do so anyway?

What functions does Matthew 23 fulfill in Matthew's story (such as the prelude to Jesus' condemnation by the leaders of his own people) and in his current message to his brothers and sisters (equally devout believers in view of the destruction of the temple)? If we see ourselves as pious Pharisees, what function can such a stern lecture have for us?

Questions for theologians

Sermon on the Mount

The theme of Jesus as the new Moses makes Matthew's Gospel preeminently ethical. The Halakha (way of life and interpretation of the law) is central. In particular, Matthew's relationship with the Epistle of James and the Didache has been studied by various researchers (see, for example, the work of Huib van de Sandt in 2002 with David Fluesser and in 2008 with Jürgen Zangenberg).

The Sermon on the Mount, a composition by Matthew based on written and orally transmitted words of Jesus, or attributed to him, has its own commentary by Hans Dieter Betz (1995) in the Hermeneia series. Compare it for yourself with the much shorter Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6:17-49. Also note how most of the passages missing from Luke 6 are covered elsewhere in Luke's Gospel. What is the effect of Matthew's work as a composer and editor?

The "history of reception" (a concept developed by Hans-Georg Gadamer) of the Sermon on the Mount in the development of ethics and our view of Jesus is of enormous importance. It contains the golden rule, the Lord's Prayer, and numerous sayings that have found their way into modern languages as fixed expressions. Find out how the Sermon on the Mount influenced reformers such as Martin Luther King and Gandhi. How do you explain the enormous impact of Matthew's composition both within and outside the church?

Astrology and birth stories

Insufficient attention to the ubiquitous role of astrology in early imperial philosophy, science, politics, and literature has hindered our understanding of the precise language of the story of the star of Bethlehem (but also of Paul's development toward Gnosticism). Based on Michael Molnar's groundbreaking work, The Star of Bethlehem (1999, 2013), the collection The Star of Bethlehem and the Magi (edited by Peter Barthel and G.H. van Kooten) was published in 2015, the fruit of a conference in Groningen the year before. But even if the star appears to be a historical fact, the question remains as to what the historical, rhetorical, or symbolic function of that narrative is in the Gospel of Matthew. How do you approach that question?

Can Quirinius' coin with the star and the sheep explain the different birth stories in Matthew and Luke? Did the coin take on meaning in the hands and stories of the followers in Antioch and Syria, where the coin circulated? Did they turn this symbol of Roman imperialism into an argument for Jesus as the promised Messiah? Did they, or Luke himself, incorporate this image into the story of the shining angel in the starry night who announced the birth of the Messiah to the shepherds in the field?
Molnar identified two astrological events: in 6 AD, it was the rising of the king star and its messenger (Jupiter and Mercury) in the constellation Aries (the region of Syria and Judea), and in 6 BC, it was the eclipse of the king star in the constellation Aries. Molnar does not mention it, but did that astrological conjunction play a role in the paranoia of Herod the Great at that time? Did Matthew use existing stories about the cruel 'pharaoh' Herod and his magicians for his birth stories about Jesus as a new Moses?

Dating

The possibility that (a substantial part of) Matthew was written in the run-up to or around the destruction of Jerusalem is of great importance for (1) the understanding of Matthew, (2) the dating of Mark, and (3) the relationship with Luke and the synoptic problem (see the next chapter). I am convinced of this by the way Matthew, even more emphatically than Mark, expects the end to come immediately after the destruction (the addition of ευθεως in 24:29 to Mar 13:24). Compare on this point the commentary by R.T. France (2007), which also assumes an earlier date, with other commentaries. Are there alternative explanations? Which explanation is strongest for you? Is there decisive evidence against the explanation that Matthew was written around the year 70?

History

The history of the Jewish War is mainly recorded in the account of The Jewish War by Josephus, a Jewish commander who surrendered to the Roman general Vespasian and wrote about Jewish history in Rome. The numbers of victims, etc., seem (are) too high, but there is no work that brings you closer to the experience of that time. Eusebius provides a Christian supplement in his Ecclesiastical History (II.23-III.12) in . Tacitus' Histories provides a good description of the Roman crisis of 68 AD: revolutions in Rome after the collapse of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, the Batavian revolt threatening the border with Germania, and the Jewish revolt endangering the border with the Parthian Empire.

Impact

Regardless of whether you want to consider this dating, the trauma of war must have been of enormous importance to Jewish people in Syria and certainly to the refugees from Palestine who would have joined the communities in Syria. What do rebels or war refugees do when they hear the message "love your enemies"? How does the story of the crucifixion in Matthew support this teaching? Who are the enemies that Jesus loves?

Chapter 10.       Driven by the Spirit

Questions for discussion groups

Holy Spirit

Do you live according to your inspiration? We speak of the spirit of the times, or the spirit of a book, or the team spirit of a group. Luke describes how the 'Holy Spirit' inspires people, gives them words, comforts them, corrects them, gives them insight and strength. Tonight, we invite you to share your own experiences with each other. Your own 'deeds'.

Share your inspiration

Here are some starting points for a meaningful conversation. See which question appeals to you, share your story, and empathize with the stories of others:

• Some people find it difficult to believe that there is a Divine Spirit, or a shared consciousness between people and God that guides us. Is that true for you too? Can you think from a desire for goodness, beauty, and truth, or a source of love within you that drives you forward? Can you also call that the "Holy Spirit" and share stories of when that Spirit helped you overcome your own ego? How can you open yourself up to that more?
• Other people have experienced special circumstances in their lives, in which they gained new insights or in which special things happened to them. Words within yourself, words from others (call it a message from God), just when they were needed.
• Some people have conversion stories and can tell of a "transition period" in their lives when heaven and earth seemed to touch, like the Pentecost experience in Acts. Some people experience gifts of the Holy Spirit in the form of healing powers, visions, prophecies, or speaking in tongues. This happens worldwide and throughout the ages, only less so in a more rational context. How do you deal with their stories?
• If you see "spirit" as thoughts that can take possession of people and drive their feelings and actions, such as the spirit of the times, an ideology, or your team spirit, how do you ensure that you are not controlled by "unclean spirits," impure thoughts that derive their power from your desires, fears, and resentments? How do you fill yourself with 'holy spirit' and how do you distinguish the spirits that 'blow' in and around you?

How can you open yourself up more?

There are people who consciously open themselves up to acting more from inspiration and intuition. Maybe something small: you thought of someone and decided to call her. What helps you to listen more to the "holy spirit" in your daily life?

Questions for Christians

Gospel

Compare the birth stories of John and Jesus with the birth story of Samuel in 1 Sam 1:1-2:26. What similarities do you see? Who is given a voice? What do those songs say about the emotions the writer suspects Elizabeth, Zacharias, and Mary are feeling? Who or what gives them a voice?

Another unforgettable contribution by Luke can be found in the three parables in chapter 15. They are spoken in response to the complaint that Jesus eats with sinners. Jesus calls them a lost sheep, a lost coin (with an image) or a lost brother. Try to find as many meanings as you can associate with these images instead of the word sinner. Can you use those words for yourself as well? Do the same with Jesus: what roles does he play in the first two parables and what kind of father or brother would he have been in the third? How does it feel to associate him in this way? When do we resemble the woman's friends or the older brother?

Finally, there is the story of the travelers to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-33, where the author preserves and shapes a unique memory of the risen Christ. Like the shepherds, they hurry to the city to share what they have heard. What function does the risen Jesus have in this story? To what extent does his role in this story differ from the role of the angel to the shepherds, or the Holy Spirit in understanding the Jewish scriptures?

Holy Spirit

The book of Acts aims to demonstrate how the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, has driven Jesus' followers in the fifty years since his departure. This invites us to reflect on how that is today. Can you look back on your life and discover the inspiration of God's Spirit in it? Are you still seeking the guidance of the Spirit? Today, we invite you to share your own experiences with each other. Your own "acts." Luke describes how the Holy Spirit inspires people, gives them words, comforts them, corrects them, gives them insight and strength.

Consider starting the evening by singing or listening to a song such as veni creator spiritus: 'come Creator Spirit' (Taizé). Light a candle or close your eyes and take the time to descend into your heart and open yourself to God there.

Dare to share your experiences

Here are some starting points for a meaningful conversation. See which question appeals to you, share your story, and empathize with the stories of others:

• Some people have conversion stories and can tell of a 'transition period' in their lives when heaven and earth seemed to touch, like the Pentecost experience in the Acts of the Apostles. Some people have experienced gifts from the Holy Spirit. Are there people among you who can tell us about this?
• Some people struggle with the idea that there is a Divine Spirit, or a shared consciousness between people and God that guides us. Is that true for you too? Can you think from a desire for goodness, beauty, and truth, or a source of love within you, from which you are driven? Can you also call that the "Holy Spirit" and share stories when that Spirit helped you to overcome your own ego? How can you open yourself up to that more?
• Other people have experienced special circumstances in their lives, in which they gained new insights or in which special things happened to them. Words within yourself, words from others (call it a message from God), just when they were needed.
• If you see "spirit" as thoughts that can take possession of people and drive their feelings and actions, such as the spirit of the times, an ideology, or your team spirit, how do you ensure that you are not controlled by "unclean spirits," impure thoughts that derive their power from your desires, fears, and resentments? How do you fill yourself with 'holy spirit' and how do you distinguish the spirits that 'blow' in and around you?
• Sometimes you can look back on a phase in your life and recognize the hand of God in it. Something you didn't see at the time, but did in hindsight. Do you find it difficult to talk about it? "Yes, but what about all those people who...?" Or do you want to share those stories anyway? "It's better to be grateful too often than cynical too often."

How can you open yourself up more?

There are people who consciously open themselves to the Spirit and try to act more from God's inspiration and intuition. Maybe something small: you thought of someone and decided to call her. What helps you to listen more to the Holy Spirit in your daily life?

Questions for theologians

Migration

What was the effect of the Jewish wars on the followers of Jesus in Palestine? In chapter 7 of the First Sutra (^7thcentury), written by Nestorian Christians in China, the effect of the Jewish war is described as follows: "The Jews were defeated , many were killed or scattered throughout the world, which contributed to more disciples being made for the Messiah." What impact did their trauma have on the development of those communities? See also "Modeling a New Religious Movement," the fifth chapter of my Psychological Analyses and the Historical Jesus (2011), for various numerical scenarios.

Synoptic problem

The world is full of studies on the differences and similarities between the synoptic gospels: how do you explain them? For an initial orientation, The Synoptic Problem: Four Views (2016), edited by Stanley Porter and Brian Dyer, is very suitable. It presents the various relevant theories from different points of view. But above all, practice for yourself: take a synopsis of the gospels and look at the differences. For example, read Raymond Brown's The Death of the Messiah (1994) for a deeper insight into the revision of Mark by the later evangelists. What are the systematic differences (the trends) between the various writings? What could have been the sources, the edits, and the later harmonizations that explain what you see?

Relationship between Luke and Matthew

Many commentaries on these gospels assume little contact or influence between Luke and Matthew. This would explain the difference in L and M material and at the same time provide a kind of independent attestation in the search for the sayings of the historical Jesus in the Q source. For a comparison of L and M material in the birth narratives, see Raymond Brown's The Birth of the Messiah (1977, 1993).

The sayings source Q is broadly compiled by taking the common material of Luke and Matthew, removing it from Mark, and then giving preference to the wording in Matthew and the order in Luke, see Robinson and Kloppenburg (2002). This can then be studied as the representation of a gospel that would have originated in different phases in a particular community (see Q, the Earliest Gospel, 2008, by John Kloppenborg or Burton Mack's The Book of Q and Christian Origins, 1993). But how can this independence be reconciled with the migration movements of Jewish followers of Jesus in the 70s and 80s and the wealth of contacts between communities that we see around the turn of the century? Analysis of the end-time discourse suggests that Luke was written later than Matthew. Did the author therefore use the same "recipe"? What does all this mean for the Q project?

Word study

The concept of Spirit or Holy Spirit is central to the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. The Greek word πνευμα is used here not so much in a Greek sense as in a Jewish sense and deserves its own study, for example in Kittel's Theological Dictionary / Theologisches Wörterbuch. In "The Spirit of Jesus' Healings," chapter 9 of my Psychological Analyses and the Historical- Jesus, I examine the connection between Jesus' healings and the spiritual experiences in the early churches. What did people experience and why?

Acts as a genre

The book of Acts has been characterized by Richard Pervo, among others, as a relatively late work of literary fiction and compared to Hellenistic novels (for an overview: B.P. Reardon: Collected Ancient Greek Novels) and was followed by similar works from the second and third centuries, such as the Acts of Paul and Thecla, of Andrew, of John, of Peter, etc. Compare the works and judge for yourself what the similarities and differences are.

History

The prologues to the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles suggest a historical work. For many commentators, this is difficult to reconcile with the role of miracles and angels, as well as the discrepancies with the birth stories of Matthew and the letters of Paul. On the other hand, Sir William M. Ramsay (1851-1939) discovered, contrary to his expectations, how much both works are aware of the governors and provincial boundaries. How do you weigh these contradictory data?

Chronology

Although many theologians strongly doubt the historical accuracy of Luke and Acts, the current dating of Jesus and Paul cannot be separated from elements that appear exclusively in these works, such as the dating of John the Baptist, the age of Jesus, the apostolic council to which Galatians refers, and the governorship of Gallio in Corinth. To put it more bluntly, without Luke we would have no dating of Paul's travels or the crucifixion (other than during Pilate's term of office from 26 to 36). After all:

- Paul's letters alone do not provide sufficient clues for dating his conversion, travels, or death, or the time that had elapsed since his conversion. The only point that can be dated is his remark that he was in Damascus when the Nabataean king Aretas had authority over the gates there (from possibly 36 to at least 40).

- Mark does not give a date for the birth of Jesus, his baptism, or his crucifixion. Only if Herodias in Mark 6:17 were the widow of the tetrarch Philip, who died in 33/34, would Mark give a date for the arrest. But in this, Mark deviates from Josephus (who only knows of her previous marriage to her uncle Herod, who had not inherited power) and the usual chronology; moreover, Mark does not say whether Herodias was a widow or a divorced woman.

- Matthew does say something about the birth of Jesus under Herod the Great, but nothing about his age during his ministry. He does not give a date for the baptism or death of Jesus.

- John says nothing about the date, other than that Jesus was not yet (long?) fifty. The reference to the duration of the temple's construction is unjustifiably squeezed into a chronological clue by some.

- The question of in which years Easter (the 14th of Nissan) fell on the correct day of the week is also insufficiently helpful. The Gospels differ in the day of the week, and determining the day of the week depends on intercalation (the extra month that had to be inserted every few years) and visual observation of the moon (the weather in Jerusalem is not always good).

Anyone who considers Luke on its own will see that Luke uses a different chronology than the usual one (see here for a comparison). According to Luke, Jesus was born after an announcement during the time of King Herod (Herod the Great or Herod the Ethnarch) during the subsequent census under Quirinius (Luke 1:5) when Judas the Galilean revolted (Acts 5:37), the grandfather of some leaders in the Jewish War of 66-73. Luke is therefore referring to the year 6. John began his mission in the year 28/29 (Luke 3:1) and did not baptize Jesus until he had brought his message to all of Israel. Towards the end of his career, he pointed to the Messiah who was to come (Acts 13:25). It must have been sometime in the 30s. According to Luke, Jesus was about 30 years old when he accepted power (Luke 3:23). Whether Luke heard this or concluded it himself, and whether he chose the number 30 because of its symbolism (it was the age at which Joshua and David accepted their offices), we do not know.

To what extent is it justified to harmonize chronological notions from Luke with Matthew (the combination of Matthew's birth under Herod the Great and the age of Jesus in Luke), or Paul (the identification of the apostolic council or the governorship of Gallio in Corinth) in contradiction with Luke's/Acts' own chronology?

Chapter 11.      Visions in the night

Questions for discussion groups

Apocalypse now

Why do films about the (impending) end of the world have such enormous appeal? Why is there a feeling that the current pattern is unsustainable and will collapse? It seems that this story is told in both magical (demons, superheroes) and scientific forms (climate change, viruses, nuclear disaster). Sometimes you see combinations.

Discuss a few films that you all know. What patterns of destruction and redemption do you see in those films? Who are the losers? Who are the winners? Is there an us/them mentality? Are 'they' anonymized (stormtroopers) or dehumanized (zombies)? What does the new beginning look like, what promise for the future is cherished? How is the filmmaker's and the audience's present commented on? What injustices of today are directly or indirectly warned against?

Beastly patterns

In the Revelation of John, the patterns of destruction (Roman imperialism) and redemption (Jewish messianism) are both violent and bloody. How do you experience that?

Both groups make sacrifices to God/the beast. But the Lamb does not fit in with this: people do not sacrifice animals to the gods by killing them, but God/Jesus sacrifices himself and lives. Read Revelation 21:1-22:5 together again: What pattern does the lamb symbolize?

Transformation

Action films often have a B-story, a subplot, on a personal and emotional level that is woven through the action story. A human story that shows what the hero(es) must learn, just like each of us (who are not confronted with the end of the world). Can you identify which story that is in your film? What is the lesson that transforms the hero(es) from within and makes them worthy of saving the world?

What makes the Lamb worthy to open the seals (in the language of Revelation 5)? How is the story of the gospel evoked in 5:9? How does the story of the crucified Messiah compare to the transformation of the hero(es) in the films you discussed?

Questions for Christians

Listening to pain

There has been much debate about the book of Revelation, even to this day. But tonight may be different. Have an open ear and an open heart to hear what each person has experienced of the spirit that inspired John. Together you will see more.

Perhaps some of you can share the suffering and injustice you have experienced, the threats that oppress you, and from whom or what you experience malicious opposition. Those who feel anger may show it, those who long for revenge may admit it. If you express this in time and lay it before God's throne, you can prevent those negative feelings from having the last word.

What have you read or heard?

It is good for people who have read or listened to the book in one sitting to share their experience with the others. What did you see, what did you feel, what was different from what you expected? If you have enough time, you can also listen to the entire book on the evening itself. Make sure people can sit comfortably and are not distracted, so that they can also see the images. A campfire or a large candle with dim lighting can help.

Maranatha, he is coming!

With the Apostles' Creed, Christians say that they believe that the Lord will come to judge the living and the dead. Some people understand this literally as an event in the future that they look forward to, others figuratively as a pattern that helps them on their way to the promised land, and still others both. How does that work for you? How can that thought move, comfort, or encourage you?

The Lamb that changes everything

Who dares to trust God that his star is in his hand? Who dares to believe that in heaven and in her heart, the battle has been won by the Lamb? That God reigns there and that the accuser no longer has a place? How can the pattern of the Lamb transform the desire for justice or revenge into a desire for God's presence?

Singing

Have you noticed how often singing occurs in the Book of Revelation? You could conclude with one of the many versions of the hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy" or "Worthy is the Lamb."

Questions for theologians

The growth of early Christianity

The number of churches in Asia addressed in the seven letters of Revelation alone is an indication of the rapid growth of early Christianity. To get an idea of what (exponential) growth actually is and what sociological factors may have played a role in this growth, I refer to Rodney Stark's The Rise of Christianity: How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries (1997). Stark looks, for example, at the initially Jewish character of the movement, the development of a cult outside Palestine with room for women in leading positions (at least in the early days), and the effects of migration, birth surplus, epidemics, and martyrs. Christianity grew mainly because it offered newcomers the family relationships they lacked and a convincingly better life and future. I present my criticism of Stark and my own elaboration in various growth scenarios in Chapter 5 of Psychological Analyses: "Modeling a New Religious Movement."

Learning to listen better

To better understand the Revelation of John, it is helpful to leaf through the Jewish literature with which the author is engaged in dialogue before listening. A good commentary can help you see the many allusions in a single text. But to get a feel for what the author evokes in his audience, it is good to familiarize yourself with texts that they often already knew. Think in particular of Ezekiel 1-10 and 40-48, Zechariah, Daniel 7-12, Matthew 24, and Romans 11. You can also think of 1 Enoch and related literature, as compiled by James Charlesworth in The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, volume 1: Apocalyptic Literature and Testaments. What impression does this literature make on you? How did such works come about, given the many allusions and resonances? What motivated the authors? What effect did recognizing those mosaic pieces have on the listeners? What new connections do they see and hear?

Predictions of the future?

Interpreters of Revelation have often viewed the text either as symbolic or as a prediction of a concrete future. In the first case, it concerns timeless truths. In the latter case, some have seen the text as an early prediction of the fall of Jerusalem in the year 70, as a prediction of the fall of the Roman Empire, or as a yet-to-be-fulfilled prediction of the end of the world. For a parallel commentary in four columns side by side, see: Steve Gregg, Revelation: Four Views (1997, 2013). To what extent does the approach in Vertellers en Vertalers correspond to such traditional views, and in what ways does it differ from them?

New forms of exegesis and criticism

Revelation is an attractive text for practitioners of literary, psychological, postcolonial, feminist, ecological, or political exegesis, for example, due to its rich imagery. For a collection of these, see: Russell Morton (ed.), Recent Research on Revelation.

Johannine concepts

Take a concordance (or a Bible program on your computer) and compare the use of some key concepts in the Revelation of John with the Gospel and the Letters of John on the one hand, and with the other parts of the New Testament on the other. Consider, for example, the Lamb of God, the Word, the "I am" statements of Jesus, the water of life, the light, the bride, etc. How consistent and how specifically Johannine are these concepts used? Also look at the differences, such as the commandment of love, the unity of Father and Son, eternal life, and the role of the Holy Spirit in the Gospel and the Letters, as opposed to the struggle with Rome/the Beast and the new heaven and new earth in Revelation. How do you weigh the similarities and differences when it comes to authorship or the existence of a Johannine school?

Chapter 12.     "God is Love"

Questions for discussion groups

Nicodemus, first scene

The young and radical prophet Jesus causes a commotion in the temple. A sympathetic member of the Sanhedrin, Nicodemus, opens the conversation to gently bring him back into line. Read John 3:1-16 together. What happens there? What does Jesus mean by the image of the spirit/wind (two translations of the same word)? Jesus leaves a confusing image in Nicodemus' mind: just as Moses had to raise up the image of the poisonous snake in the desert on a pole, so too must the Son of Man be raised up—crucified. What frightening associations does Jesus evoke between himself and that serpent? Why would he do that?

Nicodemus, second scene

In John 7, the story continues. Jesus is called a seducer (verse 12) and possessed by demons (verse 20). The Sanhedrin sends an arrest team. Read John 7:37-53. What attitude do you see in Nicodemus? How does he feel about Jesus?

Nicodemus, third scene

The story ends at the cross in John 19. The Sanhedrin has condemned him and Jesus has died. The disciples have fled; only women and the young disciple whom Jesus loved are standing at the cross. Read John 19:25-42. What is Jesus' emotion there? What example does he set for his disciple? What risks do Joseph and Nicodemus take? What have they experienced in the last 24 hours during the trial, the condemnation, and the crucifixion, where Jesus died a slow and painful death? Did they see the serpent or a human being? The son of Satan or the son of God?

What does John mean by "son"?

From John 8:44, we learn that the expression "son of" is not only about your biological origin. It also refers to who you resemble, whose behavior you adopt, whose heir you are, and on whose authority you speak. Are you a son of God or a son of the devil? That question is also central to the letter from the beloved disciple in 1 John 3:8-10. He describes his feelings about the crucifixion in his letter. Read 1 John 4:7-16. What is the essence in which Jesus resembles God? Can you also turn that around, that our image of God changed radically when John and his friends discovered in Jesus who or what "God" is at the deepest level?

Eternal life

The writer exclaims in 1 John 3:1-2: What we will be is still unknown, but we are already children of God and we may grow and become like him. He calls this relationship with God/Jesus "eternal life." Which ideas about eternal life appeal to you the most?
- I look forward to a new heaven and a new earth, when all things will be new and the suffering here will be over.
- I long for a life after this life in which I can meet my loved ones and be with God.
- I already experience eternal life now, in the love of God and people.

Questions for Christians

What kind of gospel is this?

Compare the story of the feeding in Mark 6:32-56 and John 6: What similarities do you see? How do the stories complement each other if you want to understand something about the time of Jesus and the tension that surrounded his political role?

What differences do you see? Where does the long speech in the synagogue come from (John 6:26-59)? Try reading this as a narrative sermon by a Jewish John in Asia about the Last Supper, for example in response to Mark 6:52.

Jewish people considered the consumption of blood to be abhorrent, let alone human blood or human sacrifices. Why then does John use this image so emphatically? How does he articulate the dilemma of Jewish people in his environment who are unsure whether they can participate in the Lord's Supper? What argument does he give them to show that this is different? What does "I am the Bread of Life" remind you of?

In verse 63, John has Jesus point out the difference between flesh and spirit, between a literal interpretation and seeing a "heavenly" reality. The flesh is useless, he says. Can you imagine how this helped in the conversation about the Lord's Supper? Can you also imagine how groups that did not believe in the goodness of creation or the physical resurrection used these words with gratitude?

The Word became flesh

John 6:63 points to spiritual reality: 'The flesh is of no avail.' In contrast, we read 'The Word became flesh' in John 1:14. We have seen and felt it ourselves, says 1 John 1:1. How do you see the value of the body and creation? Can you experience God in suffering and joy here on earth?

Love

The writer of 1 John says that God is love and that those who love cannot sin. You will make mistakes, but you can simply acknowledge them without fear of judgment or punishment. This makes you long all the more for what is good and pure, and sin loses its power to separate you from God. If someone has difficulty trusting this, you can support each other. Is this message something you grew up with or became familiar with later in life? Or is it new and strange to you? Would you desire it?

The writer also says that those who close themselves off from the love and suffering of their brothers and sisters in this world close themselves off from God. They will not experience God as He truly is. Do you recognize this? And have you ever noticed that when you love and receive love, you can experience God in it?

Eternal life

The writer says: What we will be is still unknown, but we are already children of God and we may grow and become like him. Which ideas about eternal life appeal to you most?

• I look forward to a renewal of heaven and earth, in which the suffering of this world is over and people interact with each other in love.
• I long for a life after this life in which I may meet my loved ones and be with God.
• I already experience eternal life now, in the love of God and people.

Prayer for unity

To conclude, you could pray Jesus' farewell prayer from John 17.

Questions for theologians

Synoptic reading exercise

The feeding of the 5,000 is a good story for comparing the Gospels. Take a look at Mark 6:30-52. How is the passage embedded in the longer story and the time ("green grass")? How many people were there (it says "men" in Greek)? Compare it with Matthew 14:13-36 and Luke 9:10-17. What do Matthew and Luke leave out? What do they add? How many people were there according to them (Luke's Greek also speaks of 'men')? How does the story follow the beheading of John? What comes next? How much politics do you taste in the different versions?

Now go to John 6:1-71. Do you see how it can be read independently, separate from chapters 5 and 7? Do you see how long it is? Note that John confirms the chronology of Mark ('Easter time'). How many people were there, and how political was it (5,000 men who wanted to make him king)? What is the function of the dialogue that follows? Who is speaking, Jesus or the evangelist? Would Jesus have already spoken about the Lord's Supper at this time, or is this a reflection by John in place of Peter's confession and death announcements in Mark and the others?

John and the historical-critical study of Jesus

The Gospel of John has long been rejected as a source for research into the historical Jesus. With the SBL seminar, John, Jesus and History, the possibilities seem to be re-examined, but methodologically differently than in the research into the history behind Matthew, Mark, and Luke. What do you think of Paul Anderson's view of Mark and John on the mutual influence between the synoptic and Johannine traditions?

To what extent do you find Jesus' dialogues in John comparable to the words of Socrates in Plato's dialogues? What is the connection between Plato's position as a former student of Socrates and the question of what Socrates himself would have said? What is the connection between the words of the historical Jesus and the Jesus of the Gospel of John? Does this say anything about whether the narrator was actually a disciple of Jesus at the time of his ministry?

John and the Jewish community

Look up the word synagogue in the Gospel of John and the book of Revelation. What relationship do you suspect between the Jewish community and the followers of Jesus (see John 9:22, 12:42, Revelation 2:9, and 3:9)? What do you see when you search for the word Jews (Judeans) in the Gospel? What explanations do you see for this in the periods before and after the Jewish War?

How different is John?

John is called a spiritual gospel. Whatever characteristic you examine, the gospel and letters of John have their own emphasis: the Word, light, life, truth, the Son, the Father, the Spirit, the Comforter, the commandment of love, oneness, being born again (from above), eternal life is knowing God, God is love. It is also striking in the terms that John uses much less frequently: the second coming, the promised land, and so on. If the movement began as a doomsday cult, what remains of that? Where does this body of thought come from, or do you see a logical development from the teachings of Jesus? How does this fit into the history of the Jewish people and the followers of Jesus? How is it possible that this unique gospel spread so quickly (the oldest piece of papyrus with a text from the New Testament ever found is from the Gospel of John)? Could this be a reaction to the disappointment over the loss of the Jewish war and the role of the Judean nationalists? Or do you see it more in the increase in non-Jewish believers?

The impact of Jesus?

Let the above sink in for a moment. What experience of a relationship with 'God' does this convey? Do you recognize this intimate relationship with God most in Greek philosophy, the undisputed letters of Paul, the letter of James, the first letter of Peter, or rather in the words of the synoptic Jesus? To what extent do you discern in John's stories the impact of Jesus on the long and eventful life of his beloved disciple?

Epilogue

Questions for discussion groups

Where is God?

There were three wars between the Romans and the Jews, and God did not deliver His people. Imagine that you were a Jew at that time. Which statements would come closest to your feelings?
- Where is God? Does He even exist?
- God has abandoned us. Is God good and trustworthy?
- This image of God is false: it is oppressive and sows division.
- We have broken the covenant; can it still be restored?
- God supports us in these difficult times. He will help us through this too.
Do you see similarities with the questions people asked after World War II and the Holocaust, or how people feel now under the threat of climate change and global crises?

Where do you stand?

Many followers of Jesus, Jews and non-Jews alike, had to make a choice at various points in the struggle: where do you stand? Imagine that you were followers of Jesus at that time. How would you respond when your Jewish friends or your Roman neighbors pressured you?
What do you do when people today pressure you to take a position on militant Zionism, armed jihad, or social justice warfare? What do you do when people in your own circle become radicalized or, conversely, retreat?

The story of the New Testament

The formation of a "canon," a standard for the books of the New Testament, around the year 200 was also a struggle of a persecuted movement over what you should and should not say about God and Jesus. Go back to the concluding box in the introduction to this book about Dan Brown and the Da Vinci Code. Compare that story about Emperor Constantine in the fourth century with this epilogue. Which story do you find more credible? Which story do you find more appealing? Why?

Evaluation

Recall your desires and expectations from the beginning. Have they been met? Were there any surprises? What would you like to discover or experience more of?

What is your current view of the origins of Christianity and its impact on our culture? Which influences do you want to retain, and which do you want to discard?

How did you feel about reflecting on or discussing Followers of Jesus - a Very New Testament? What helped you or what made it difficult? How did others help you?
What do you now desire for yourself, for this group, or for other friends? How and with whom could you shape that in the coming period? What do you need to set that in motion?

Feel free to share your ideas with others in the comments below, and let us know what kind of follow-up project you are interested in.

Questions for Christians

Where is God?

There were three wars between the Romans and the Jews, and God did not deliver his people. Imagine you were a Jew at that time. Which statements would come closest to your feelings?

• Where is God? Does He even exist?
• God has abandoned us. Is God good and trustworthy?
• This image of God is false: it is oppressive and sows division.
• We have broken the covenant; can it still be restored?
• God supports us in these difficult times. He will help us through this too.

Do you see similarities with the questions people asked after World War II and the Holocaust, or how people feel now under the threat of climate change and global crises?

Where do you stand?

Many followers of Jesus, Jews and non-Jews alike, had to make a choice at various points in the struggle: where do you stand? Imagine you were Christians at that time. How would you respond when your Jewish friends or your Roman neighbors pressured you?

• Fight alongside our fellow believers!
• Not fighting, but showing that we stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters, even if that could be dangerous for us.
• Show that we are a new people of God, neither Jews nor Gentiles.
• Don't show anything, go into hiding!
• Openly condemn the rebellious Jews and those religious fanatics.

Radicalization

How do you think your church can now deal with the radical influences in Judaism from which it originated, or in Islam and Humanism, which originated to a large extent from Christianity? What do we do when people pressure us to take a position on militant Zionism, armed jihad, or social justice- -warfare? What do you do when people in your own faith community become radicalized or, conversely, go into hiding?

Inspiration regulated?

The formation of a 'canon,' a standard for the New Testament, was also a struggle for a persecuted movement around 200 AD over what you should and should not say about God and Jesus. What do you think of their idea of limiting this to the widely accepted writings of the apostles? What do you think of the development of viewing these writings as 'holy scripture' alongside or instead of the Hebrew Bible? And what do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of the development that these words on paper have come to be called the 'word of God', alongside and sometimes instead of Jesus himself and the words of the Holy Spirit?

Evaluation

Recall your desires and expectations from the beginning. Have they been fulfilled? Were there things that turned out differently? What would you like to discover or experience more of?

Did you feel connected to the early followers of Jesus? What similarities and differences do you see between their faith life and yours? Which person, story, or idea in the New Testament appealed to you the most? How does that relate to your own life?

How did you feel about reflecting on or discussing the material? What helped you or what made it difficult? How did others help you? Try to make each other aware of this by specifically mentioning why what they did was good for you.

What do you long for now for yourself, for this group or other friends, or for your church community? How and with whom could you shape that in the coming period? What do you need to get that started?

Feel free to share your ideas with others in the comments below, or let us know what kind of follow-up project you are interested in.

Blessing

Perhaps you could conclude with a blessing for each other—spoken, prayed, or sung.

Questions for theologians

The Jewish and mixed character in the second century

For a better understanding of the growth of the church, see Rodney Stark, The Rise of Christianity (1997). The ongoing relationship with Judaism is discussed by Daniel Boyarin in Border Lines (2004). The context of the Jewish wars is provided by Aberbach and Aberbach in The Roman-Jewish Wars and Hebrew Cultural Nationalism (2000). This concerns not only Jewish-Christian sects, as mentioned in the works of Justin Martyr, but also the Jewish character of the mixed movement as reflected, for example, in Pseudo-Clementine literature or the Didascalia. To what extent had second-century Christianity become a third way, a new 'race' (Ad Diognetum) between Jews and non-Jews?

Canon formation

The so-called 'apostolic (church) fathers' are essential to understanding the church along the road between Rome and Antioch, with their many allusions to the writings of the later canon (in the excellent translation by Maxwell Staniforth or in the bilingual Greek-English edition by Michael Holmes). The standard work remains that of Bruce Metzger (1997). It is important to note that the formation of the Christian canon was mainly motivated by the conflict with Christian Gnosticism and the Marcionites in the second century (as opposed by Irenaeus, Tertullian, or studied by Clement and Origen). Can you say that around the year 200 there was broad agreement on the New Testament canon from Carthage to Rome and from Alexandria to Antioch? How then should you weigh the alternative literature (the apocryphal gospels, Diatessaron, rejection of Paul in the Pseudo-Clementines)?

Development of Christian Gnosticism

For a modern introduction to Gnosticism, see Nicola Denzey Lewis, Introduction to Gnosticism: Ancient Voices, Christian Worlds (2012) and April D. DeConick, Secret Religion (2016). My dissertation on the Gospel of Philip is available online. Anyone who studies the writings will see that these Gnostics opposed a larger Christian movement that they perceived as too Jewish. On what basis did the public get the impression (expressed, among other places, in Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code) that these second- and third-century gospels were a more original version of the story of Jesus? On the other hand, can you recognize in this movement something of the continuing impact of Jesus (together with the radical elements in Paul's letter to the Galatians and the mystical elements in the Gospel of John), particularly in their struggle against the growing formalization of hierarchical structures and conservative rules within the emerging Christianity?

Evaluation

Followers of Jesus - a Very New Testament is part fact and part fiction. How did you like reading the New Testament as a literary corpus with its own story? Can the fictional elements (both in the Bible books and in the imagination here) contribute to your ability to empathize with the lives of the storytellers and translators?

Take a look at the suggestions and responses from discussion groups and faith groups. What input and inspiration does this provide for your work as a theologian? Does a narrative approach help to connect historical-critical biblical scholarship with the experiences of readers then and now?

Do you see opportunities to do more with this material in your work as a theologian? Feel free to share your ideas with others in the comments below, or let us know what kind of follow-up project you are interested in.