Spring 2007/Pasadena
NS500
M. Thompson
NS500: NEW TESTAMENT 1: GOSPELS. Marianne Meye Thompson.
DESCRIPTION: This course covers the study of the four canonical Gospels and
their witness to Jesus in historical context.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students completing this course will have demonstrated (1)
a fundamental knowledge of the content and structure of these four books; (2)
an acquaintance with a range of cultural and historical matters that may inform
our understanding of them; (3) an understanding of the literary character of
the Gospels and some of the implications for interpreting them; and (4) an
appreciation of how these four different Gospels bear witness to Jesus.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: This course lays the foundation for the study of the
Gospels. Satisfactory completion of the course should increase the student's
confidence in reading, studying, and teaching the Gospels, as well as in
understanding and interpreting the work of New Testament scholars.
COURSE FORMAT: Lectures and discussion based on reading the New Testament and
secondary sources. The course will meet twice weekly for two-hour sessions.
REQUIRED READING:
- Achtemeier, Paul, Joel Green, and Marianne Meye Thompson.
Introducing the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001.
- Aland, Kurt. Synopsis of the Four Gospels, English edition. OR
Synopsis of the Four Gospels, Greek-English edition. United Bible
Societies, 1993.
- Lohfink, Gerhard. Jesus and Community. Fortress, 1984.
- The following two books will be useful throughout the course for
additional background reading, in preparing papers, and in study for the final
examination. It is strongly recommended that students consider acquiring these
useful tools:
- Ferguson, Everett. Backgrounds of Early Christianity. 2nd
ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993.
- Green, J. B., S. McKnight, and I. H. Marshall, eds. Dictionary of Jesus
and the Gospels. InterVarsity Press, 1992.
RECOMMENDED READING:
- Bockmuehl, Markus. This Jesus: Martyr, Lord, Messiah.
Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1994.
- Powell, Mark Allan. Fortress Introduction to the Gospels.
Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1998.
- Skarsaune, Oskar. In the Shadow of the Temple: Jewish Influences on
Early Christianity. InterVarsity Press, 2002.
- Stanton, Graham. The Gospels and Jesus. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2002.
ASSIGNMENTS:
- Regular completion of the reading in the Gospels and secondary sources.
- An exam on historical and critical terms crucial for understanding study of
the Gospels (25%).
- A short paper on an assigned topic, to be distributed in class (35% of the
grade).
- A final examination, covering lectures and reading (40%).
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in New Testament "1"
(NT1).
FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.