Age of Information

• Da Vinci Code- This worldwide phenomenon claiming that Christianity covered up other sources of knowing Jesus – the Gnostic Gospels that allegedly kept the secret of the true relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene.
• Da Vinci Code- written by Dan Brown
• Effects of Da Vinci Code

  1. Faith disturbed
  2. Intrigues and questions
• Sacred Tradition- Refers to the tradition that comes from the Apostles who handed on what they received from Jesus’ teaching and what they learned from the Holy Spirit.
• Sacred Tradition- Also known as Apostolic Tradition. Scott Han explained the validity of this teaching
• Magisterium/Teaching Office- Refers to the infallible authority in the true interpretation of the Sacred Scripture and the Sacred Tradition of the Church in view of the teaching matters pertaining to our salvation.
• Catholic sources of teaching

  1. Sacred Scripture
  2. Sacred Tradition
  3. Magisterium
• Sacred scripture- Inspired Word of God.
• The Gospels (from the Anglo-Saxon god-spell, meaning “good tidings” or “good news”).
• 4 CANONICAL GOSPELS- Serves as the most credible source about the person, message and life of Jesus. To this day scholars are in agreement that if we seek to know Jesus, we should always go back to what the gospels have to say.
• Three distinct phases

  1. Jesus and his Disciples
  2. The Disciples and the Early Christians
  3. The Early Christians and the Evangelist
• Books undergo a process of development and finalization. The Gospels are just like any other book.
• The Gospels did not suddenly fall from heaven as finished products.
• Gospel formation: three distinct phases- These phases shows that Gospel is not received by evangelists without any effort of participation.
• Jesus is a historical person who existed flesh and blood to his contemporaries. He personally approached and called twelve men to become his apostles.
• The apostles became Jesus’ immediate circle accompanying him in his journey even after his death, serving as eye witnesses to his miraculous deeds, and listening to his life-changing teachings.
• What was recorded in the gospels originated from the life and work of Jesus, and his interaction with his apostles. The first phase is foundational to the composition of the gospels. Otherwise, gospels would simply become mere fiction.
• The resurrection of Jesus transformed the disciples who were hiding in fear after crucifixion. Disciples became fully convinced of their faith.
• The disciples wasted no time to share and preached the good news. Their fundamental concern is the proclamation of their faith in the risen Christ.
• The disciples labored without ceasing in proclaiming the life and message of Jesus Christ to all men.
• This passionate era of preaching is considered the Era of Oral Tradition or Kerygma.
• Early Christians and the evangelists showed great courage for their faith during persecution
• The example of the martyrs attracted more courageous converts.
• With pressing concern of the dying of the apostles and early Christians, the evangelists began writing the life and message of Jesus Christ.
• Objectives in writing the gospel

  1. to provide a source of catechetical teaching and instruction for the new converts and communities of faith.
  2. to preserve the story of the life and message of Jesus for the future generation.
  3. to propagate the message of the risen Christ to all.
• The 4 canonical Gospels are not products of a single author. These Gospels underwent a period of editing.
• The Gospels are specifically attributed to specific names – Mark, Matthew, Luke and John.
• Synoptic Gospels- From the Greek word sunoptikos meaning “seen together”
• The gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke are known as Synoptic Gospels.
• Matthew, Mark, Luke- Because their content and details, when placed in a parallel form, are similar.
• Scholars pointed to a “TWO DOCUMENT THEORY”.
• It is accepted that Mark is the earliest among the 4 Gospels.
• Findings by experts revealed details in Matthew and Luke having common origin in the gospel of Mark. However, certain parts in both Gospels cannot be accounted from Mark.
• Scholars therefore postulated for another source, known as Q from the German “Quelle” (meaning source).
• This Q source was not a gospel in the usual sense but a collection of sayings of Jesus and narratives.
• Authorship- answers the question "who"
• Date and place of composition- Answers the question "when" and "where"
• Situation of the audience- Answers the question "why"
• Theological message- Answers the question "what"
• The Gospel According to MARK

  • No direct evidence from the Gospel pointing to Mark as the author.
  • The explicit statement came from Papias of Hierapolis
  • Such reference labeled Mark as the co-worker of Peter.