Forthcoming Bible Study

This past Wednesday we introduced the Gospels as a whole and talked briefly concerning the "synoptic problem." This upcoming Wednesday we will jump into the text of Matthew chpt. 1. Please, as always, come with at least three observations from the text to share with us all. Also, let me take advantage of this oppurtunity to once again challenge you to read through Matthew entirely once each week! You will profit and gain from this in more than words can say.

Stay posted, in the following days I will post some suggestions and brief observations concerning Matthew 1.

Synoptic Problem and Wednesday Night

Several have expressed unease and apprehension concerning our upcoming discussion of the Synoptic Problem this Wednesday night. Please do not be alarmed! I merely desire for us to be aware of it as a problem and familiar with it's terminology. I desire this because any commentary you pick up on Matthew (or any of the synoptic Gospels) that was written in the last century will be full of synoptic Gospel terminology and language. You will see terms like "form criticism," "source criticism," "redaction criticism," "sitz im leben," etc. that you should at the very least be able to define. What's more, several commentaries or articles you may pick up will be discussing the synoptic problem without ever using these terms and you need to be able to identify it.

In short, to prepare for Wednesday night, don't lose any sleep over the synoptic problem. Simply read some of the material suggested concerning it and think through some of the positive and negative aspects of the synoptic problem, and then stop and think if there really is a synoptic problem after all.

To be well prepared for Wednesday night, spend most of your time reading Matthew and introductions to the Gospel.

What to expect?

Our first meeting for the Mathew bible study will be a twofold introduction. First, I will introduce the synoptic problem. A subject matter we should at the very least be aware of. Second, I will introduce the book of Matthew. Should you desire to come prepared for these introductions I strongly recommend you read the first two chapters of "An Introduction To The New Testament" by D.A. Carson, Douglas Moo, and Leon Morris. This will only take a few hours to read at the very most.

In the following week and a half I will be posting some further thoughts and points of interest for the synoptic problem and Matthew itself.

Update concerning suggested reading for Matthew bible study

For those concerned, if you wish to read any of these articles I have suggested, but have no means of obtaining them, please let me know, and I will get a copy of them to you. They are valuable to read. Also, it should go without saying, but make an effort to have read Matthew through entirely at least once before this February 7th.

It would be ideal for you to read it through once each week we have the bible study. At that rate, by the end of the study you would have read it through at least 28x! Imagine the potential for increase in knowledge of God's word and His son Jesus Christ! Imagine the potential for us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior!

Bible Study Suggested Reading

Carson, D.A., Douglas J. Moo, and Leon Morris. An Introduction To The New Testament.
Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992.

See especially the first two chapters. I recommend reading these first two chapters before anything else.

Periodicals

Black, David Alan. “The Historical Origins of the Gospels.” Faith and Mission. (Fall
2000): 21-42.

Ellis, E. Earle. “Reading the Gospels as History.” Criswell Theological Review. (Fall
1998): 3-15. I actually found this article on the internet at the following address - http://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/Ted_Hildebrandt/NTeSources/NTArticles/CTR-NT/Ellis-GospelsHistory-CTR.htm

Guelich, Robert A. “The Gospels: Portraits of Jesus and His Ministry.” Journal of the
Evangelical Society. (June 1981): 117-125.

Hagner, Donald A. “Interpreting the Gospels: The Landscape and the Quest.” Journal of
the Evangelical Society. (March 1981): 23-37.

Johnson, S. Lewis Jr. “The Argument of Matthew.” Bibliotheca Sacra. (April-June
1956): 143-153.

Commentaries

Blomberg, Craig L. Matthew. The New American Commentary, ed. David S. Dockery,
vol. 22. Nashville, Broadman Press, 1982.

Carson, D.A. Matthew. The Expositors Bible Commentary, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol.
8. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984.

Morris, Leon. The Gospel According to Matthew. The Pillar New Testament
Commentary, ed. D.A. Carson. Grand Rapids, Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1992.