Author Archives: jdn

Team 1, Question 1 (5/19)

Posted on by under matthew

As White states, the gospel of Matthew is believed to be written in Antioch around the year 80 or 90 CE (312). Antioch was the capital of Roman Syria.  During the time that the gospel of Matthew was written, the city was primarily comprised of Jewish people. White claims that the early Christians were marginalized during this time period. It is clear to see that Matthew is trying to legitimize the Jesus movement through his gospel writing. He shows that Jesus is not only like Moses, but even better than Moses in chapter 5. In chapter 1 Matthew stresses that Jesus is not only a Jew, but also that he is of royal descent, coming from the line of David. Lastly, in chapter 23, Matthew shows how the Jesus movement is even better than Judaism by telling the story of Jesus calling out the Pharisees for not practicing what they preach. Clearly Matthew is trying to prove that Christianity is the superior belief system to Judaism.

Throughout chapters 18 and 23 Jesus is addressing his disciples and crowds of people (chapter 23 only) and answering questions they present to him. In both chapters Jesus is being portrayed as a teacher, telling people the ways in which they should live in order to reap the rewards in their afterlives. In chapter 18 Jesus says that everyone should be as humble as children in order to be among the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus goes on in chapter 18 to preach the importance of avoiding both giving and running into stumbling blocks; as well as forgiving everyone. In chapter 23 Jesus tells both the disciples and crowds of people that the scribes and pharisees are not what they seem. He tells them that the scribes and pharisees “sit on Moses’ seat” telling people what to do, but then do not practice what they teach to others (verse 2). Jesus continues on throughout the entire chapter explaining all the ways in which the Jewish leaders are not doing as they should. Jesus tells the disciples and people to not listen to the scribes and pharisees if they wish to be in the kingdom of heaven when they die. What Matthew is trying to do throughout chapter 18 and 23 is show both Christians and Jews alike that the Jewish leaders are not to be followed because they are hypocrites. Matthew uses the parts of Q and M that show Jesus as Jewish while showing Jesus as above the Jewish leaders.

Team 2, Question 1

Posted on by under cynic philosophy

The times of oral tradition brought two forms of cynicism. These forms came from Greece and Rome. In Greece, the ideal cynic, as described be Epictetus was a man who was “separated from God” and “obliterates yearnings”. A Cynic must have turned their tendencies toward moral considerations alone. They should not have ever felt warmth, anger, envy, or pity. They also weren’t supposed to find any woman desirable. Essentially what Epictetus idealized as the perfect Cynic philosopher was someone who was willing to end all desires. Epictetus believed that they should only live off of what was essential for living, no more than that. As a scout the Cynic philosopher was responsible for “spying” and figuring out what is harmful and what is beneficial to men. As it relates to God, the Cynics looked to him for counsel. Epictetus also brought up the ideas of Greek gods multiple times which makes it confusing whether they were monotheistic or polytheistic.

Demonax seemed to have many of the same ideals as Epictetus. Although Demonax came from a wealthy and reputable home, he gave it all up because those blessing were “illusory and brief” (154). Demonax believed in the same main ideas of the Cynics like living a simple life (only using the necessities to live, figuring out what is good and bad for mankind, and living life only focusing on his moral compass. In those three was the Cynics were practically identical. Where they were different was, to be frank, in passing people off. It is written on page 161 of Demonax that at the time of his death he was revered and loved by many. The Cynics believed more in being social outcasts and going against whatever the norm was.

I see many similarities between Epictetus, the Demonax, and the Gospels’ depiction of Jesus. Nearly his entire life Jesus is portrayed as a teacher. Early on in one of the Gospels he is even teaching in the temple when he is just a kid still. Jesus preached about how it was unnecessary to show your wealth or to even be wealthy in general. Both Demonax and the Cynics gave up all of their belongings in order to live a simpler life, just like Jesus taught. Just like Jesus, Demonax forgave sinners, bringing up the example of doctors who, “heal sickness but do not get angry with the sick. I think Demonax lived the most similarly with Jesus although there were many parallels with Cynics as well.

ROJ: 4/7; Team 1, Question 1

Posted on by under logos

Chapter three of Scripting Jesus, by L. Michael White, brings up some interesting thoughts on the idea of wisdom. White explains how wisdom was personified as either Sophia or Logos by many writers such as Philo, Sirach and Solomon. It is clear that early Greek mythology was seeping into the writers’ understanding of Wisdom. Sirach and Solomon allude to a female personification of wisdom that speaks in various instances in the Bible. “Sophia”, as they call her, says that she has been there since the beginning; helping God with the creation of the Universe. Her presence at creation would imply that she is somehow divine. That is where the polytheistic principles of early Greek mythology seeped into the writing. Adding to that point, White quotes Philo who says that Logos was made in the image of God, whereas humans were made from the Earth in the image of the image of God. In other words, humans were made in the image of Logos. Philos’ writings clearly reflect the polytheistic principles of the time. He was a believer that Logos helped God with creation, and sits with him in heaven. His description of Logos is shares similarities with how Jesus is later referred to as sitting at the right hand of God in heaven.

Heraclitus and Cicero provide a shift in the thinking about the divine.  Heraclitus begins by explaining how humans do not even possess the power to comprehend Logos when they see it. Heraclitus is trying to establish that the divine are the only beings that can understand Logos and that humans in their imperfect nature are impossible of doing so.

Cleanthes uses the Greek God Zeus as a metaphor for God in his poem to Zeus. Cleanthes’ poem illustrates a divinity that is omnipotent. He says that Zeus controls all things. The language of the Greek cosmology of the time is seen in the writing when Cleanthes says that all things spin around the earth, which obeys him.

Heraclitus, Cicero, and Xenophon all describe different relationships between humanity and the divine. Heraclitus describes how humans and the divine will remain distant because humans are incapable of even understanding Logos. Cicero describes a close relationship between humanity and the divine where the divine are everywhere and in everything. Xenophon brings up the story of vice and virtue appearing to Heracles, which was brought up in White’s book in less detail. The relationship Xenophon describes is one where the divine test humans and in turn will reward them for being virtuous and not taking shortcuts in life.

Heraclitus, Cicero, Xenophon, and Cleanthes all were writing about divinity in an interesting time. They are stuck in some of their polytheistic roots but moving towards more of a monotheistic view. This makes their writings quite interesting due to their varying descriptions of God and divinity.

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