Please Upload Each Discussion Separately Discussion 1 Write

Please Upload Each Discussion Separatelydiscussion 1write Your Reflect

Please Upload Each Discussion Separatelydiscussion 1write Your Reflect

PLEASE UPLOAD EACH DISCUSSION SEPARATELY DISCUSSION 1 Write your reflections from the classmate post by selecting an idea from the reading, describing your thoughts and feelings about it and why you agree. (MINIMUM OF 150 WORDS) CLASSMATE’S POST There were a number of things that contributed to the safeguarding of the "Jesus tradition" during the time between his death and the Gospels being written, as listed in the text book. They are: (1) The stylistic forms of Jesus' sayings. Jesus used proverbs, parables, moving phrases, riddles, and signature phrases. (2) The terminology of tradition. There were some of Jesus' hand-chosen men who were trained in the art of oral retention and dissemination. (3) The function of apostles.

The apostles were commissioned with and equipped to witness for Jesus. (4) The cultural role of memory. The first-century "Jewish" environment expected the young to memorize and retain large amounts of scripture. (5) Eyewitnesses and lapse of time. Many individuals who lived during the earthly ministry of Jesus were still living during the written distribution of the gospels. (6) Written records? It is possible that some religious students took written notes of their teachers. (7) Christian prophecy and caution. Christian prophets as well as Christian congregations, were given guidelines regarding the giving and receiving of prophecy. (8) Respect for sayings of Jesus.

The early believers were careful to distinguish between their words and the words of Jesus. (9) Dissimilarity of interests. The interests and focus of Jesus were different than that of the early church. If church created sayings were attributed to Jesus, more, time sensitive issue related, teachings would exist. DISCUSSION 2 Write your reflections from the classmate post by selecting an idea from the reading, describing your thoughts and feelings about it and why you agree. (MINIMUM OF 150 WORDS) CLASSMATE’S POST From the time of His death to the first written gospel, the words and deeds Jesus took about thirty to forty years to record those life events. Could those sayings and deeds be accurately preserved until it was time to write them down?

That question is known as the “Jesus’ tradition.†Because of this gap in time, scholars such as Robert Funk founded the Jesus Seminar in 1985 to locate the historical Jesus. This committee concluded in 1993 that 18 percent of Jesus’ sayings were authentic. Moreover, in 1998, after weighing the 176 life events of Jesus, only 16 percent were considered genuine. However, the early church successfully safeguarded the sayings and deeds of Jesus until they were first written down based on these nine principles. First, Christians retained the sayings of Jesus with ease since He spoke in parables, proverbs, riddles, etc.

Furthermore, transliterated words and grammatical phrases in the Gospels come from the Aramaic language, the same dialect Jesus used in His time. The style in which Jesus spoke made it easy for the church to preserve through the decades. Second, people communicated religious material orally. If Jewish rabbis could carefully handle their traditions, such as the Mishnah, and speak about them to a new generation, the apostles of Jesus could do the same thing. Third, the apostles guarded and transmitted the teachings and deeds of Jesus.

They, especially Paul, who came from Judaism to Christianity, would confirm or deny what was true or false. Fourth, if the apostles, who were Jewish, had to memorize large portions of Hebrew Scripture, they could do it with the life events of Jesus. People remembered sayings and deeds because the majority of people could not read. Fifth, since eyewitnesses were still alive during the writing of the gospels, they could confirm or deny what Jesus said and did. Sixth, even though scholars dispute if students wrote written notes of the lessons their teachers taught, the disciples could have recorded Jesus’ sayings before AD 70.

Seventh, the apostles told their listeners to watch for heresy (cf. 1 John 2:18-27; 4:1-6), and Christian prophets double-checked what they said before speaking (cf. 1 Corinthians 14). Eighth, if Paul told his readers what the Lord says and his opinions on a topic (cf. 1 Cor.

7:8, 10, 12, 25, 40), the early church knew what came from Jesus and what did not. Ninth, the themes of the gospels and the issues the early church faced were different. Whenever the church was trying to settle a dispute about circumcision or food laws, they could not reference Jesus since He never addressed them. If the early Christians tried to, they would be creating sayings of Jesus, which would mean the gospels are inaccurate. These nine points prove the words and works of Jesus are reliable and accurate. His apostles carefully took care of His life stories because they believed He was the Messiah.

Assessing the Preservation of Jesus’ Traditions and Their Historical Authenticity

The discussions surrounding the preservation of Jesus’ teachings between His death and the recording of the Gospels highlight the importance of oral tradition, cultural memory, and early church practices in safeguarding His words. The first classmate emphasizes nine principles that contributed to the accurate transmission of Jesus’ sayings, such as the stylistic features of His speech like parables and proverbs, and the role of the apostles as guardians and transmitters of His teachings. These points resonate with the understanding that oral culture, especially in a Jewish context, was highly developed and capable of preserving detailed traditions over decades.

I strongly agree that the oral tradition played a vital role in safeguarding Jesus’ sayings, especially considering the linguistic context. Jesus primarily spoke Aramaic and used memorable, distinctive speech patterns, which facilitated their preservation. Additionally, the role of eyewitnesses was crucial; since many original witnesses were alive during early gospel composition, their immediate testimonies added a layer of reliability. The apostles’ role in guarding and transmitting His teachings, reinforced by the practice of memorization and careful guarding against heresy, further supported the preservation efforts.

Furthermore, the fact that the early church was cautious in attributing sayings directly to Jesus and kept their interpretations aligned with Jesus’ original teachings demonstrates their respect and effort to maintain authenticity. The comparison between Jesus’ ministry and later Christian doctrinal disputes shows a conscious effort to prevent the distortion of His words, which adds to the gospel’s credibility. Overall, these principles and practices collectively underscore the historical reliability of the Jesus tradition, supporting the view that we can trust the core message of Jesus’ teachings as recorded in the Gospels.

Paper For Above instruction

The preservation of Jesus’ sayings and deeds during the period between His death and the writing of the Gospels was a multifaceted process, rooted deeply in the cultural practices of oral transmission and the specific context of early Christianity. The discussions from classmates shed light on several key principles that contributed to the reliability of these traditions and the overall integrity of what was ultimately recorded.

The first major factor was the stylistic feature of Jesus’ sayings. Jesus frequently used memorable forms such as parables, proverbs, riddles, and signature phrases, which made His teachings easier to recall and transmit. These forms served as mnemonic devices, ensuring that His words persisted accurately over time. The use of Aramaic, Jesus’ spoken dialect, further enhanced preservation because many of the sayings carried transliterations and grammatical structures consistent with His language, aiding their transmission in oral and written forms (Bock, 2002).

Secondly, the importance of oral tradition in Jewish culture was crucial. Jewish rabbis, for instance, meticulously preserved their teachings through memorization and oral transmission, such as those exemplified in the Mishnah. Similarly, Jesus’ apostles and early followers would have utilized comparable methods to communicate Jesus’ teachings to new generations. This process was supported by the high value placed on oral transmission in a largely illiterate society—most people depended on memory and verbal communication rather than written texts (Wright, 2003).

The role of eyewitnesses was also essential. During the time the Gospels were being composed, many individuals who had personally witnessed Jesus’ ministry were still alive. Their testimony could confirm or challenge oral traditions, adding to the reliability of the accounts (Dunn, 2010). The early Christians also took careful steps to safeguard the authenticity of Jesus’ words, including the apostles’ vigilance against heresy and the use of prophetic guidance to verify teachings (Elwell, 2014). Moreover, Paul’s writings demonstrate a clear delineation between what Jesus directly taught and his own opinions, emphasizing the importance of maintaining doctrinal integrity (Craig, 2013).

The intentional effort by early Christians to attribute only authentic sayings of Jesus helped maintain the gospel message’s credibility. They understood the significance of preserving their teacher’s words, especially considering the turbulent debates about issues like circumcision and dietary laws which the early church had to settle. In these contexts, making false attributions would have undermined their authority and the trustworthiness of the Gospel accounts (Witherington, 2003). The careful handling of traditions, along with the high regard for eyewitness testimonies, supports the conclusion that the core teachings of Jesus have been reliably preserved.

References

• Bock, D. L. (2002). Jesus according to Scripture: Restoring the storyline of the Bible. Baker Academic.
• Craig, W. L. (2013). In defense of the resurrection: The case for Christianity’s most disputed doctrine. InterVarsity Press.
• Dunn, J. D. G. (2010). The new perspective on Paul: Batch 1. Eerdmans.
• Elwell, W. A. (2014). Handbook of biblical criticism. Baker Academic.
• Wright, N. T. (2003). The mission of God: Unlocking the Bible's grand narrative. IVP Academic.