From Matthew 16 through to the crucifixion, as we read about the Transfiguration and eventually the entrance into Jerusalem, Jesus seems to become "grumpier", more and more frustrated with the disciples. He repeats things to them and they still don't get it. I find this change -- from patience to impatience -- understandable as Jesus seems to be running out of time. The "final exam" is coming soon and the students are not prepared! (Also, stepping back, I continue to be impressed with the humility of the gospel authors -- they are willing to admit that the disciples didn't get it....)
What a great observation. As I was putting this post together I was rereading the end of Matthew, and that totally comes through: the three disciples snoozing at Gethsemane. Jesus is like, “Guys! All I’m asking is that you stay awake!”
I get your point exactly here, Joel. As I mentioned last week, I'm reading the New Living Translation in an edition published by Alabaster Press. The verse numbers are very unobtrusive, and I was able to read Matthew as a unified story, which made a huge difference. I felt like I was sitting across a table from Matthew, and he was excitedly telling me everything he knew about this guy Jesus.
In the gospels I expected to read a lot of preaching, that is; to see a word-focused ministry just as so many church services are centered on the Biblical text and a sermon for any given Sunday. There are some longer stretches of speech by Jesus, of course, but what I came away with was that Jesus is a man of compassionate action. At the end of the gospel during his trial he doesn't speak at all, to the amazement of his judges. And at the crucifixion it is all body language.
Also, thank you, Joel, for sharing your editor's eye and skill at interpreting the make-up and layout of text. Totally enjoying what you offer.
Thanks, Teri! You’re right about the minimal teaching. In Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount offers one big block of teaching. Otherwise, there’s not much sustained teaching until the end of the book. Jesus as “a man of compassionate action” is a lovely way to put the person we encounter there.
Those distracting headings are different for every Bible, and I've gotten so my mind completely blocks them out as I scan the page. The reference markings for chapters and verses are less distracting when the text is printed into paragraphs or poetic verse format.
The style change between Matthew and Mark is quite apparent. They both tell of the same incidents, but Mark is much more abrupt. My maternal grandmother once observed, "The reasons the Gospels are different is because everyone remembers the same events differently." Matthew was one of Jesus' disciples but Mark was writing down Peter's recollections. The early church figure of Papais, "a hearer of John and a friend of Polycarp" as described by Eusebius, said about the Gospel of Mark:
"Mark having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately whatsoever he remembered. It was not, however, in exact order that he related the sayings or deeds of Christ. For he neither heard the Lord nor accompanied Him. But afterwards, as I said, he accompanied Peter, who accommodated his instructions to the necessities [of his hearers], but with no intention of giving a regular narrative of the Lord's sayings. Wherefore Mark made no mistake in thus writing some things as he remembered them. For of one thing he took especial care, not to omit anything he had heard, and not to put anything fictitious into the statements."
From Matthew 16 through to the crucifixion, as we read about the Transfiguration and eventually the entrance into Jerusalem, Jesus seems to become "grumpier", more and more frustrated with the disciples. He repeats things to them and they still don't get it. I find this change -- from patience to impatience -- understandable as Jesus seems to be running out of time. The "final exam" is coming soon and the students are not prepared! (Also, stepping back, I continue to be impressed with the humility of the gospel authors -- they are willing to admit that the disciples didn't get it....)
What a great observation. As I was putting this post together I was rereading the end of Matthew, and that totally comes through: the three disciples snoozing at Gethsemane. Jesus is like, “Guys! All I’m asking is that you stay awake!”
How do you fit narrative arc and chiastic structure together?
I get your point exactly here, Joel. As I mentioned last week, I'm reading the New Living Translation in an edition published by Alabaster Press. The verse numbers are very unobtrusive, and I was able to read Matthew as a unified story, which made a huge difference. I felt like I was sitting across a table from Matthew, and he was excitedly telling me everything he knew about this guy Jesus.
In the gospels I expected to read a lot of preaching, that is; to see a word-focused ministry just as so many church services are centered on the Biblical text and a sermon for any given Sunday. There are some longer stretches of speech by Jesus, of course, but what I came away with was that Jesus is a man of compassionate action. At the end of the gospel during his trial he doesn't speak at all, to the amazement of his judges. And at the crucifixion it is all body language.
Also, thank you, Joel, for sharing your editor's eye and skill at interpreting the make-up and layout of text. Totally enjoying what you offer.
Thanks, Teri! You’re right about the minimal teaching. In Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount offers one big block of teaching. Otherwise, there’s not much sustained teaching until the end of the book. Jesus as “a man of compassionate action” is a lovely way to put the person we encounter there.
Those distracting headings are different for every Bible, and I've gotten so my mind completely blocks them out as I scan the page. The reference markings for chapters and verses are less distracting when the text is printed into paragraphs or poetic verse format.
The style change between Matthew and Mark is quite apparent. They both tell of the same incidents, but Mark is much more abrupt. My maternal grandmother once observed, "The reasons the Gospels are different is because everyone remembers the same events differently." Matthew was one of Jesus' disciples but Mark was writing down Peter's recollections. The early church figure of Papais, "a hearer of John and a friend of Polycarp" as described by Eusebius, said about the Gospel of Mark:
"Mark having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately whatsoever he remembered. It was not, however, in exact order that he related the sayings or deeds of Christ. For he neither heard the Lord nor accompanied Him. But afterwards, as I said, he accompanied Peter, who accommodated his instructions to the necessities [of his hearers], but with no intention of giving a regular narrative of the Lord's sayings. Wherefore Mark made no mistake in thus writing some things as he remembered them. For of one thing he took especial care, not to omit anything he had heard, and not to put anything fictitious into the statements."