1.1 Author and Date
The Early Church thought and most agree that Luke wrote both Luke and Acts. Bothe written to the Theophilus, Acts 1:1 and the ascension links them (Luke 24:49–53; Acts 1:1–11). Luke wrote as a careful historian on the basis of research he undertook with eyewitnesses (Luke 1:1-4).. The Early Church’s only suggestion for authorship, universally accepted by 200AD, was Luke, a companion of Paul. Justin (c. 160) in Dialogues 103.19 writes about Luke having written a “memoir of Jesus” and notes the author was a follower of Paul. The Muratorian Canon (c. 170–180) attributes the Gospel to Luke, a doctor, who is Paul’s companion. Irenaeus (c. 175–195; Haer. 3.1.1; 3.14.1) attributes the Gospel to Luke, follower of Paul, and notes how the “we sections” suggest the connection (see Acts 16:10–17; 20:5–15; 21:1–18; 27:1–28:16) claiming that Luke was “inseparable” from Paul (Haer. 3.14.1). The so-called Anti-Marcionite Canon (c. 175) describes Luke as a native of Antioch in Syria (Acts 11:19–30; 13:1–3; 15:30–35), commenting that he lived to be eighty-four, was a doctor, was unmarried and wrote in Achaia Tertullian (early third century; Marc. 4.2.2; 4.5.3) calls the Gospel a digest of Paul’s gospel. Eusebius (early C4th; Hist. Eccl. 3.4.2) mentions that Luke was from Antioch, a companion to Paul and the author of the Gospel and Acts. Most scholars see Luke as a Gentile.
The end of Acts happened in 62AD which would be the earliest date of writing. Acts does not record the death of Paul (late 60s) nor the fall of Jerusalem in 70AD (which would surely have been mentioned in e.g. Acts 6-7 and Acts 21-23). So Bruce, Hemer, Ellis, Marshall argue for a date before then, so mid to late 60s.
1.2 Luke and the Synoptic Problem
The Farrer Hypothesis (Farrer 1955, Goulder 1972, Goodacre 2002)
Farrer and others have proposed that Mark wrote first and Matthew and Luke both used Mark. But then similarities between Matthew’s and Luke’s non-Mark material did not come from a separate written or oral source termed Q. Instead Luke also had sight of Matthew’s Gospel and copied or altered elements of that.
Their reasons to question Q include Occam’s Razor: Luke following Matthew is simpler than a hypothetical source Q. No-one has ever seen Q not even a fragment. No ancient author had ever heard of Q. When Narrative Sequence in Matthew and Luke departs from Mark they agree, which fits with Luke following Matthew rather than Q as a collection of sayings. There are several major and very many minor agreements between Matthew and Luke against Mark, including in the Passion Narrative.
Nevertheless, there are good reasons to prefer the two-source hypothesis. It is very hard to imagine Luke writing as he did if he also had Matthew e.g. missing out large parts of the Sermon on the Mount and other teaching, changing the Beatitudes and the wording of the Lord’s Prayer, or missing out the Visit of the Magi which fits so well with his great concern for the good news for the Gentiles. Why would Luke have replaced the explicit Holy Spirit reference in Matthew 12:28 with the more primitive “finger of God” in Luke 11:20. Some feel that Luke, not an apostle, would not have been so courageous in changing the work of the apostle Matthew.
1.3 Purpose
The prologue addressed to Theophilus, a man of considerable standing (Luke 1:1-4) suggests that Luke is a careful historian writing in excellent Greek and seeking to record the life and teaching of Jesus to a seeker or perhaps a new Christian. Luke has many concerns, in particular, how could Gentiles be included in God’s plan of salvation, especially when Jews were rejecting Jesus? How could the death of Jesus fit into that plan and what does it mean to respond to Jesus?

1.4 Themes in Luke’s Gospel
1.4.1 God’s Plan of Salvation
1.4.2 God’s Radical Inclusion of marginalised groups including women, the poor and the Gentiles
1.4.3 God’s Unconditional Welcome expressed in Table Fellowship SEE UNIT 9
1.4.4 The Place of Gentiles in the Kingdom
1.4.5 Healing
1.4.6 Prayer SEE UNIT 11
1.4.7 Opposition to the gospel
1.4.8 Resurrection and Ascension SEE UNIT 17
1.4.9 The Work of the Holy Spirit SEE UNIT 19 SEMINAR
1.4.10 Wealth and Possessions SEE UNIT 10

1.5 Special topic for NSBC. What can we learn from Luke’s Gospel about the work of the Holy Spirit? (20 mentions in Luke, 60 in Acts)
1.5.1 THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY Luke 1:15-17; Luke 1:67-69; Luke 1:41-43; Luke 2:25-29; Luke 12:10
Peter on the day of Pentecost Acts 2:17-18 quotes Joel 2:28-32 – note ITP background
1.5.2 THE SPIRIT as the agent of THE INCARNATION Luke 1:35-37 c.f. Matthew 1 :18
1.5.3 BAPTISING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT Luke 3:15-17 the expected Messiah cleansing and restoring Israel c.f. Isaiah 42:1-4, (Is. 32:15; Ezk. 39:29; Joel 2:28; Zc. 12:10.
1.5.4 EMPOWERING JESUS’S MINISTRY Luke 3:21-22; Luke 4:1-2; Luke 4:14-19; Luke 10:21;
Luke 11:19-20; FINGER OF GOD in OT = God’s hand at work – Exodus 8:19 (plagues on Egypt), 31:18, (finger of God wrote the Ten Commandments on the Tablets of Stone also (Deut 9:10), Psalm 8:3, (Creation is the work of God’s fingers)
1.5.5 SEE ALSO Matthew 12:17-18 quotes Isaiah 42:1-4 and also Acts 10:38
1.5.6 THE SPIRIT PROMISED IN THE LIFE OF THE DISCIPLES Luke 11:15; Luke 12:11-12;
1.5.7 Luke 24:46-39 Power from on High = OT Isaiah 32:14-18
1.5.8 FULFILMENT IN ACTS Acts 1:8; Acts 2:38-39

3.1 Author and Date
The only option ever proposed in the Early Church was the apostle Matthew called by Jesus in Matthew 9:9; Matthew 10:3. Papias, bishop of Hierapolis (died c. A.D. 130) made this statement about Matthew, known as “the Papias Logion” which survives only in Eusebius (Hist. Eccl. 3.39.16). “Matthew collected (synetaxato) the oracles (ta logia) in the Hebrew language (Hebraidi dialektō), and each interpreted (hērmēneusen) them as best he could.” Earlier generations understood this to say that Matthew wrote in either Hebrew or Aramaic, and the Gospel as we have it was later translated into Greek. However the phrase is now generally thought to mean instead “in the Hebrew style”. Irenaeus added that the First Gospel was composed while Peter and Paul were founding the church in Rome (Haer. 3.1.1; from Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 5.8.2). Eusebius and Origen (Hist. Eccl. 6.25.4) agreed
Some argue that Matthew (an apostle) would not have used Mark (not an apostle) but that objection does not stand if Peter (chief apostle) was Mark’s main source and authority. Known as Levi (a Jewish name) in Mark 2:14-15 and Luke 5:27-29 the Gospel-writer was most probably a Jew but as a tax-collector, he would have been fluent in Greek. Many scholars support apostolic authorship including Tasker, Albright and Mann, Maier, Gundry, Carson, and France.
Several passages in Matthew imply that the Temple in Jerusalem was still standing when they were written – Matthew 5:23–24; 17:24–27; 23:16–22). After the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD Emperor Vespasian replaced the temple tax with a “Jewish tax” for the treasury of the temple in Jerusalem. It is unlikely Matthew would have included as story encouraging Christians to pay such a tax to support pagan worship Matthew 17:24-27. So although many would date Matthew after 70 AD it is credible to suggest the late 60s AD (see commentary by R.T.France).

3.2 Themes in Matthew’s Gospel
3.2.1 Jesus is God’s Messiah who fulfills OT promises, reveals God’s will and inaugurates the kingdom of heaven through his public ministry, passion and resurrection, and consequently, reigns over the new people of God.
Jesus is given the title Messiah in Matthew 1:1, 16, 17, 18; 2:4; 11:2; 16:16, 20; 22:42; 23:10; 26:63, 68; 27:17, 22. In Jesus the OT promises of restoration and salvation are coming to pass (cf. 2:4; 26:63) fulfilling the OT in his person and ministry (see below). For Matthew the term Messiah seems to imply preexistence (2:4; 22:41–46). Jesus as Lord – evidenced by worship offered to Jesus as one who alone has divine power. Matthew 8:2, 6, 25; 9:28; perhaps also 2:2; 8:11; 14:33.
3.2.2 Jesus the Teacher
Jesus’s own description of himself Matthew 10:24, 25; 23:8; 26:18
Called “teacher” by others Matthew 8:19; 9:11; 12:38; 17:24; 19:16; 22:16, 24, 36
Jesus’s ethical teaching – especially the Sermon on the Mount chapters 5-7 and see also 13 and 18.
3.2.1 Discipleship
3.2.2 Matthew is the most “ecclesiastical” Gospel. Matthew 16:17-19; 18:15-20
Perhaps offering a “Manual of Discipline” for the church (Stendahl) e.g. on divorce 5:31-33, disputes 18:15-20, discipline 18:18; 16:9 in a “mixed membership” church 7:15-27; 13:24ff.

3.3 Special theme in Matthew’s Gospel – The Fulfilment of God’s Promises to the Jews in the Life and Ministry of Jesus
3.3.1 The Prologue – Genealogy, Davidic Kingship, Virgin Birth Matthew 1-2
3.3.2 Formula Quotations: “All this took place so that … “ Not always obvious quotes from MT or LXX, sometimes from Targums, including editorial comments.
Matthew 1:22-23 (Isaiah 7:14) 2:5-6 (Micah 5:2) 2:15 (Hosea 11:1) 2:17-18 (Jeremiah 31:15) 2:23 (“Nazarene” not a quote) 4:14-16 (Isaiah 9:1-2) 8:17 (Isaiah 53:4) 12:17-21 (Isaiah 42:1-4) 13:35 (Psalm 78:2) 21:4-5 (Zechariah 9:9) 27:9-10 Judas’s death echoes of Zechariah and Jeremiah.
3.3.3 Other Quotations from the Old Testament in Matthew
Matthew 3:3 (Isaiah 40:3) 11:11 Malachi 3:1 13:14 (Isaiah 6:9-10) 21:16 (Psalm 8) 21:42 (Psalm 118:22-23)
3.3.4 Jesus fulfilling the Law Matthew 5:17
3.3.5 Jesus reshaping the Law Matthew 5:17-46; 12:1-14; Chapters 21-22
3.3.6 Jesus cleanses and renews the Temple Matthew 21:13
3.3.7 Typology – a pattern (type) in the OT echoed in NT (antitype).
Jesus is a sort of new Moses e.g. 2:22. He brings a new Exodus, and he is a kind of new Israel (c.f. Hosea 11:1 in Matthew 1:18–2:23; 3:3). In Matthew 4 Jesus as Son of God is being tested as Israel was in Deuteronomy. Jesus is like David 12:3-4, Priests 12:5-6, Jonah 12:39-41, Solomon 12:42. Jesus is like Elisha 14:15f, Isaiah Mt 13:13. Matthew 21:42 quotes Psalm 118 Matthew 27:46 echoes Psalm 22. The disciples are portrayed as a new Israel in Matthew 21, also 5:48, 5:5, 8:11-12, 26:31, 19:28, 26:28. So Jesus is in line with OT, but also superior to the OT and the fulfilment of the OT, bringing in the promised Messianic Age.

2.5 Special theme in Mark – The Messiah and the Messianic Secret (Mark 1:1)
2.6 Jewish expectations about the Messiah – God’s end-time redeemer
2.6.1 A figure like Elijah (from Ecclesiasticus)
2.6.2 The Eschatological Prophet – One like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15-18)
2.6.3 God’s Servant (Isaiah 42:1-7)
2.6.4 Melchizedek (Qumran community)
2.6.5 A Messiah like David (Isaiah 9:2-7) – the most popular expectation
2.7 Does Mark present a “Messianic Secret”? (W Wrede 1901)
2.7.1 Jesus commands silence after healings (e.g. Mark 5:43, 7:36) and from demons (on Mark 1:25 and 34 but not on other occasions), and from disciples (e.g. Mark 9:9)
2.7.2 Jesus taught in parables to conceal truth (Mark 4:11)
2.7.3 BUT most of Jesus’s ministry was very public e.g. feeding 5000. Mark 9:41 is explicit.
2.8 What kind of Messiah was Jesus?
2.8.1 Messiah would be misunderstood as a political title so Jesus needed to educate his disciples away from mistaken views to understand what kind of Messiah he was, particularly the necessity of his suffering and death (Mark 8:31, 9:30-32, 10:33-34)
2.8.2 Despite his declaration of faith, Peter clearly still misunderstood (Mark 8:31-33)
2.8.3 Towards the end Jesus made clear that he was indeed the Messiah. SEE UNIT 15.
2.8.4 Jesus would be the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 52-53. SEE UNIT 16
2.8.5 Jesus was convicted and crucified for being a “messianic pretender”. Mark 14:57-64

This is part of a New Testament lecture on the teaching of Jesus

6.6 Interpreting the Parables
6.6.1 What is a parable?
A parable (Greek parabole, Hebrew mashal) is any literary device with two levels of meaning which reveals a deeper truth. It can be e.g. a proverb (Luke 4:23) a riddle (Mark 3:23) a comparison (Matthew 13:13) a contrast (Luke 18:1-8) and a story which could be simple (Luke 13:6-9) or complex (Matthew 22:1-14). Some distinguish between forms such as “similitudes” (a comparison using “like” or “as”), “example stories”, “parables” which are extended metaphors, and “allegories”, but categories are blurred.

6.6.2 Why did Jesus teach in parables?
• To capture attention, stimulate interest and seal in the memory;
• To make people think for themselves;
• To stimulate a response, often by graphic or humorous dramatization;
• Narrative examples to clarify applications of teaching;
• To emphasise unusual or controversial elements of teaching;
• To undermine the defences of opponents.
6.6.3 How parables work – The Sower and the seeds Matthew 13:1-9, 18-24;
Concealing and revealing – see Matthew 13:10-17.
“To further reveal the truth to those who accepted the mysterious”, at the same time to “conceal the truth from those who rejected the obvious” Hendricksen on Matthew 13:12.
Only those who accept Jesus as Messiah will receive the truth the parables reveal (Tasker).

6.6.4 History of the interpretation of parables
From the Early Church Fathers onwards and through the Medieval period – allegorising e.g. Augustine.
A. Jülicher (1888, 1899). Each parable has only one single “point of correspondence.”
Jeremias and Dodds: seeing the parables in the context of the Kingdom of God: parables of growth and parables of crisis. Both argued for realised eschatology – parables revealing the kingdom as it has arrived.
E. Fuchs and E. Jüngel: parables as language events which bring into being the reality they describe.
Recent approaches :literary criticism and reader-response hermeneutics – detaching from its original context so any parable can mean whatever the reader wants it to mean. Not a helpful approach.

6.6.5 The contribution of Kenneth Bailey Poet and Peasant, Through Peasant Eyes

A. Recognising the rhetorical forms within parables: identifying the literary structures. He suggests four:
Prose sections structured using the inversion (chiasmus) principle A B C D D’ C’ B’ A’ e.g. Luke 18:18-30
Poetic sections using a variety of parallelistic devices – Bailey has found seven types. They include step parallelism, Luke 6:20-26 (A B C A’ B’ C’ ); inverted parallelism Matthew 13:13-18 ABCDEFGG’F’E’D’C’B’A’;
Sections with a tight parallelism in the centre encased with one or more sets of matching prose sections
The parables in Luke usually follow a distinct “parabolic ballad” form. In these there is often an inverted structure e.g. A B C D E D’ C’ B’ A and the turning point or hinge of the story brings attention to the most important point. So in the parable of the prodigal son Luke 15:11-24 the turning point in the literary structure is at v.17 “he came to his senses”.

B. Locating the parables in their cultural settings, particularly in the customs of peasant communities in the Middle East in the First Century AD. See the examples of exegesis in UNITS 9.5.3, 11.8 and ESSAY E.
6.7 Hermeneutics of parables
a. What was the meaning in the original Sitz im Leben (life setting – the cultural context)? Dodd & Jeremias, recently especially Bailey,
b. What was the meaning which the Gospel Writer was wanting to convey (the literary context)? Conzelmann and Redaction Criticism.
c. What is the meaning for us today? First find the “point(s) of correspondence.”
d. Often “the rule of end stress” – what is the punchline? P.G. Wodehouse defined a parable something like this. “A parable is a rattling good yarn which drags you in and keeps you hooked but keeps something up its sleeve which sneaks out and bops you one in the end.”
6.7.1 Survey of the parables
Almost all the parables teach about one or more aspects of the Kingdom of God, addressing one or more of three questions:
• How does God act in His Kingly Rule?
• What can we learn about the character of God and/or Jesus as King?
• How should (or do) people respond to God as King?

I also talked about the parable of the prodigal son and some of what I said can be found here http://pbthomas.com/blog/?p=10

10 Jesus’s Teaching: Rich and Poor, Wealth and Possessions
10.1 Good News for the Poor
10.1.1 The Nazareth Manifesto Luke 4:18
10.1.2 The Magnificat Luke 1:46-55
10.1.3 Luke’s Beatitudes Luke 6:20-26
10.2 The Dangers of Wealth
10.2.1 The Rich Young Ruler Luke 18:18-30
10.2.2 The Parable of the Rich Fool Luke 12:15-21
10.3 Teaching in the Sermon on the Mount
10.3.1 Treasures in Heaven, Envy, and Serving Two Masters Matthew 6:19-24
10.3.2 Do not worry Matthew 6:25-34
10.3.3 Giving Alms Matthew 6:1-4
10.4 The proper use of wealth
10.4.1 The Parable of the Talents Matthew 25:14-30
10.4.2 Zacchaeus Luke 19:1-10
10.4.3 The Widow’s mite Luke 21:1-4
10.4.4 From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:48)
10.5 Rich and Poor in Acts: see Acts 2:44; 4:32-37; 5:1-11; 6:1-4
10.6 The dangers of the false gospel of “health, wealth and prosperity”
Luke 12:15 Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.’
Matthew 6:24 You cannot serve both God and Money.
Matthew 6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal”
10.7 Some very challenging sayings of Jesus
Matthew 5:42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Luke 18:25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’

Luke 14:12-14 Then Jesus said to his host, ‘When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbours; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,4 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’
Luke 14:33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
Luke 12 33-34 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

These were the notes for this evening’s topic.

1.1 The Nazareth Manifesto Luke 4:16-30
1.1.1 The Anointed Deliverer Isaiah 61:1-3 but with a difference!
1.1.2 The widow of Zaraphath (1 Kings 17:7-25); Naaman the Syrian (2 Kings 5:1-19)

1.2 Jesus Eating with Sinners Luke 5:27- 32
1.2.1 Calling Levi/Matthew
1.2.2 The significance of Table Fellowship in the time of Jesus – reconciliation
1.2.3 Luke 7:34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, “Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.”

1.3 Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman Luke 7:36-50
1.3.1 The scandal of the anointing
1.3.2 The parable of the two debtors
1.3.3 Jesus forgives the woman’s sins

1.4 The Parable of the Great Banquet Luke 14:15-22; Matthew 22:1-14 – see ESSAY E

1.5 Parables of the Lost Luke 15:1-32
1.5.1 The Parable of the Lost Sheep (vv1-7)
1.5.2 The Parable of the Lost Coin (vv8-10)
1.5.3 The Parable of the Prodigal Son and the Older Brother (vv11-32)

1.6 Jesus and Zacchaeus Luke 19:1-10
1.6.1
1.6.2 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.’ (Luke 19:10)

1.7 The Significance of Table Fellowship in Jesus’s Ministry
1.7.1 Old Testament prophecies of God’s inclusive Kingdom Isaiah 2:2-3; 56:3-7; 42:6-7; 49:6-7; 60:1-6; Psalm 86:8-10 – See also ESSAY A and the Nunc Dimittis.
1.7.2 Anticipation of the Messianic Banquet Isaiah 25:6–8; Isaiah 55:1-6; Luke 13:29; Matthew 8:10-12; Luke 14:15.
1.7.3 Jesus is intentionally creating a new inclusive community.
1.7.4 Jesus declared all foods clean Mark 7:18-23

1.8 Are there conditions for inclusion? Accepting the invitation.
1.8.1 The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax-Collector Luke 18:9-14
1.8.2 The call to repentance Luke 5:32, 15:7, 15:10
1.8.3 The need for faith – see UNIT 6 Responding to the Kingdom.
1.8.4 The call to discipleship “Follow me” (16x); “take up the cross” Luke 9:23; 14:27; “become a servant” Mark 10:43-45; “enter through the narrow gate” Luke 13:22-30. See also ESSAY D and UNIT 6.
1.8.5 Then neither do I condemn you.’ ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’ (John 8:11)

Luke 5:32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance
Luke 15:7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent.
Luke 15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.’

READING FOR UNIT 9
Bartchy, S. S. (1992). Table Fellowship. In J. B. Green & S. McKnight (Eds.), Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (pp. 796–800). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
K.E. Bailey Poet and Peasant & Through Peasant Eyes Sections on the relevant parables.
Commentaries especially on Luke.

These are the course notes for a lecture on the Synoptic Gospels.

5 The Kingdom of God

5.1 The Central Message of Jesus Mark 1:14-18
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:14-15
John the Baptist announced that the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 3:2). Jesus takes this message forward. The Synoptic Gospels contain 76 different kingdom sayings, or 103, including the parallels:

5.2 Jewish Expectations
Although the phrase “kingdom of God” is rare in OT, the idea that God is King, Creator, Sovereign and reigning on high is everywhere declared and assumed.
The Kingdom is God’s awaited eschatological (end-time) rule; beginning with Israel, then universal; bringing an end to all evil. OT promises Isaiah 24:1-23; 52:1-10; Zechariah 14:9-20, Daniel 2:44. Promises to the exiles yet to be fulfilled giving the idea that Israel was still in exile. Prophecies concerning the Day or the Year of the Lord. ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ (Acts 1:6)
In the Inter-Testamental Period of Judaism (ITP) God’s kingdom is a hoped-for time of blessing: e.g. Assumption of Moses 10:1, Qumran
The Kaddish: Jewish daily prayer, begins: “Magnified and hallowed be his great name in the world … And may He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and in your days … quickly and soon.”

5.3 The Kingly Rule of God
The Gospels use three terms to express the idea of the kingdom of God: hē basileia tou theou (“the kingdom of God”), hē basileia tōn ouranōn (“the kingdom of [the] Heaven[s]”) and the absolute hē basileia (“the kingdom”). The primary meaning of the Hebrew maleḵûṭ (with synonyms), Aramaic malkû and Greek basileia is abstract and dynamic, that is, “sovereignty” or “royal rule.”
In Jesus’s teaching the Kingdom of God is “the awaited manifestation of God’s perfect reign” – a “tensive symbol” (Perrin) or banner phrase for “God’s end-time rule”. The “kingdom of heaven” is just a reverential circumlocution for a Jew to avoid using the name of God. There is NO difference in meaning between the two terms “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of heaven”.

5.4 History of Understanding of “The Kingdom of God” – is it already or not yet?
5.4.1 Consistent eschatology – all in the future
5.4.2 Realised Eschatology – God’s reign has already come in Jesus’s ministry.
5.4.3 Inaugurated Eschatology Kingdom is both present and future
The Kingdom is breaking in. God’s kingly rule has begun in Jesus’s ministry, more will come through Jesus’s cross and resurrection, the kingdom will finally come at Jesus’s return, At the moment old and new age are side by side and we are living life in the overlap.
Jesus ———————-I————————————— NEW AGE
OLD AGE ————I———————- Day of the Lord

5.5 The Kingdom in the Teaching of Jesus – see Unit 6.
5.6 The Kingdom in Action – Unconditional Welcome and Table Fellowship – see Unit 9.
5.7 The Kingdom in Action – Forgiveness of Sins Mark 2:1-12, Matthew 1:21
5.8 The Kingdom in Action – Miracles
5.8.1 The function of miracles Matthew 12:38-42
5.8.2 Healing
5.8.3 Nature miracles
5.8.4 The Beelzebub Controversy and Plundering the Strong Man Matthew 12:24-29
“But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Matthew 12:28)
5.8.5 Healing and Deliverance today
5.9 The Kingdom and the Church
“Jesus came proclaiming the Kingdom, and what arrived was the Church” (A. Loisy 1902)

This was not a sermon but rather a discussion of the Synoptic Problem – how is it that Matthew, Mark and Luke’s Gospels are so very similar in places and yet so different in others? These were the notes for the discussion.

What Luke says
Luke 1:1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eye witnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

The Similarities and Differences between Matthew, Mark and Luke
1. Similarities in Wording

Matthew 19:13–15
Mark 10:13–16
Luke 18:15–17

Matthew 22:23–33
Mark 12:18–27
Luke 20:27–40

Matthew 24:4–8 Mark 13:5–8
Luke 21:8–11

2. Similarities in Order

Matthew 16:13–20:34
Mark 8:27–10:52
Luke 9:18–51/18:15–43

Matthew 12:46–13:58
Mark 3:31–6:6a
Luke 8:19–56

3. Similarities in Parenthetical Material – Let the Reader understand Matthew 24:15 Mark 13:14.

4. Similarities in OT Quotations – not following Hebrew or Greek OTs e.g. Matt 3:3 Luke 3:4

NOT just down to “the verbal inspiration of the Holy Spirit” – explains similarities, not differences.

Mark is the shortest in length. Of Mark’s 11,025 words, only 132 have no parallel in either Matthew or Luke. Percentage-wise, 97% of Mark’s Gospel is duplicated in Matthew; and 88% is found in Luke. On the other hand, less than 60% of Matthew is duplicated in Mark, and only 47% of Luke is found in Mark. There is much important material found in both Matthew and Luke that is absent in Mark. In particular, the birth narrative, Sermon on the Mount, Lord’s Prayer, and resurrection appearances

For examples of exclusively Mark-Luke parallels, note the following: the healing of the demoniac in the synagogue (Mark 1:23-28/Luke 4:33-37); the widow’s mite (Mark 12:41-44/Luke 21:1-4).
For examples of exclusively Mark-Matthew parallels, note the following: the offending eye/hand (Matt. 5:29-30 and 18:8-9/Mark 9:43-47); the details about the death of John the Baptist (Matt. 14:3-12/Mark 6:17-29); Jesus walking on the water (Matt 14:22-33/Mark 6:45-52); Isaiah’s prophecy about a hypocritical people and Jesus’ application (Matt 15:1-20/Mark 7:1-23); the Syrophoenicean woman pericope (Matt 15:21-28/Mark 7:24-30); the healing of the deaf-mute (Matt 15:29-31/Mark 7:31-37); the feeding of the four thousand (Matt 15:32-39/Mark 8:1-10); Elijah’s coming (Matt 17:10-13/Mark 9:11-13); the withering of the fig tree (Matt 21:20-22/Mark 11:20-26); the soldiers’ mockery of Jesus before Pilate (Matt 27:28-31/Mark 15:17-20).

Possible Answers to The Synoptic Problem
The Gospels are so similar, yet so different, because of a literary dependence between them.

Augustine (5th Century) Matthew wrote first, Mark used Matthew, Luke used Mark

The Two Gospel hypothesis (Griesbach 1789)
Matthew wrote first, Luke used Matthew, Mark used Luke and Matthew.
Agrees with the Early Church tradition that Matthew was written first. It can explain the agreements between the Gospels, especially where Matthew and Luke agree and Mark doesn’t. But it doesn’t explain the differences between accounts. Why would Luke miss out so much of Matthew. And why would Mark have bothered to write anything at all?

The Two Source Hypothesis (Holtzmann 1863 Streeter 1924) The widely held view today.
Mark wrote first
Matthew and Luke each used Mark plus another source or sources called Q.

Why do we think Mark wrote first?
1. Mark is the shortest and so much of Mark is in both Matthew and Luke.
2. Mark missed out so much from Matthew and Luke but adds redundant material.
3. Mark has the poorest Greek and the least developed theology.
4. Mark has Aramaic expressions (Mk 3:17; 5:41; 7:11, 34; 14:36; 15:22, 34) which are not in Matt or Luke.
5. Mark has harder readings theologically – limitations of Jesus’ power (cf. Mk 1:32–34; 3:9–10; 6:5–6
6. The lack of verbal agreements of Matthew and Luke against Mark
7. The absence of agreements in order with Matthew and Luke against Mark
8. The argument from REDACTION. We can see reasons why Matthew and Luke might have changed from what they read in Mark, but no sensible reasons why Mark would have written what he did if he had Matthew and Luke.

Arguments 6, 7 and 8 are the most persuasive for scholars.

The existence of Q
Matthew and Luke have in common about 235 verses not found in Mark.52 The verbal agreements between these two is often striking e.g., Matt 6:24/Luke 16:13; Matt 7:7-11/Luke 11:9-13
But the non-Mark material appears in different places in Matt and Luke, and sometimes it differs. Matt 6:10 v Luke 11:2 Matt includes but Luke misses out, “your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Q could have been one document, or a collection of documents, Matthew and Luke both having some but each having some others.