Scripture as Communal

 


Outline:

Scripture is a communal work

  • As a whole- the Christian Community came together to establish the Canon of Scripture
  • In Parts- each book is the work of a specific community within the larger community of God
  1. Communities in Scripture
    1. John
      • The Johannine Community- specific early Christian community
      • Told stories passed down by “the beloved disciple”
      • End of John- added later because felt the story needed to be told
      • The Last Discourse (Last Supper) is really 2 versions of the discourse
    2. Isaiah
      1. First Isaiah (1-39)- Pre-exile
      2. Second Isaiah (40-55)- Exile
      3. Third Isaiah (56-66)- Post-exile
  2. Differences between Communities
    • Gospels
      • Nativity stories differ in Matthew and Luke
      • Response to Peter’s Confession- Matthew 16 only place where Jesus says “on this rock I will build my church"
      • Tatian in the early church tried to combine- didn’t last
  3. Differences in Communities
    • Genesis
      • Creation stories (Chapters 1 and 2)
      • Noah (numbers differ in Chapters 6 and 7)
  4. Debates between Communites
    • Ruth vs. Ezra/Nehemiah
      • Written around the same time
      • Ezra/Nehemiah- tell people to get rid of foreign wives
      • Ruth- points out a foreigner was the great-great-etc. ancestor of David
Note:
  • Writers of Scripture wanted to include all stories
  • Saw all as holy, even if they disagreed
  • Establishers of Scripture Canon felt the same