This paper is aimed at discussing several important topics that were covered in the course readings. In particular, it is necessary to focus on the death of Jesus, the Epistle to the Corinthians, and Philippians.
Close attention should be paid to the way in which modern historians examine these texts and how they interpret the events described in the New Testament. On the whole, these texts indicate that the development of the early Christianity was accompanied by many conflicts.
First of all, one should speak about the disagreement with the supporters of Judaism, especially if one speaks about the messianic nature of Jesus. This is one of the main aspects that are examined by many scholars.
Secondly, it is critical to focus on the conflicts within many Christian communities that were not unanimous in the first century of the Common Era.
One can argue that they did not have the same opinions on the teachings of Jesus and the rules that his followers had to adhere to. These are the main questions that are examined by various historians.
At first, one should look at the way in which Christian movements distinguished themselves from Judaism. In particular, Bart Ehrman says that the death of Jesus triggered various reactions among the members of the Jewish community (Ehrman 187).
For instance, some of them noted that Jesus could not be the messiah since he was powerless against the Romans (Ehrman 187). In other words, he could not bring salvation to the Jewish people (Ehrman 187).
In contrast, his followers referred to the passages in the Bible according to which the messiah had to suffer for the welfare of other people. In my opinion, this discussion is important for understanding the development of the early Christianity and its interactions with other religions.
This is one of the issues that is of great interest to scholars. Apart from that, the execution of Jesus was perceived by his supporters as a form of injustice. Therefore, this event required atonement which should one of the necessary conditions for the salvation.
The discussion presented by modern historians suggests that the early Christians did not have the same perception of Jesus’ death, his divinity, and role.
This is one of the main points that are taken into account by people who study the New Testament. This approach of to the Bible can help people gain better understanding of Christianity.
Additionally, it is important to examine the Epistle to the Corinthians. Modern scholars believe that that this text is a compilation of different letters that could be composed within a certain period between 54 and 57 of the Common Era (Ehrman Peter, Paul and Mary Magdalene 137).
This part of the New Testament can be regarded as a set of responses to the opponents of Paul in Corinth. One of the main details that attract the attention of the reader is the change in the tone of the writer.
It is possible to identify some emotions of the author as sorrow, anger, joy, and condemnation. This is one of the main aspects that can be identified. Evidently, these changes can be attributed to the obstacles that the supporters had to overcome in Corinth.
Researchers note that this epistle is important for illustrating the internal disagreements within early Christian movements. It should be mentioned that Paul disagreed with the many people living in Corinth.
In his opinion, they tried to emphasize their “spiritual superiority “, especially in comparison with other followers of Jesus (Ehrman Peter, Paul and Mary Magdalene 137).
Such an attitude was not acceptable to Paul. On the whole, historians show that the supporters of Jesus Christ did not reach consensus about the principles of the new religious movement.
One can say that the study of this epistle is important for historians who study the interactions among various Christian sects.
Similar aspects can be observed in Philippians. This epistle is also attributed to Paul (Ehrman Lost Christianities 241). Again, researchers believe that there are changes in the tone of this epistle.
It is also regarded as a series of letters. At the beginning, the author of this text writes in a very calm manner. Evidently, he has a favorable attitude toward the intended audience of the epistle.
Nevertheless, the later passages of this text indicate at some hostility or irritation of the author. This is one of the main issues that should not be disregarded. Historians believe that this writing style could be attributed to various events, especially the schism of a local Christian community.
Paul wanted Philippians to follow the rules and principles that he laid down. It should be taken into consideration that there was seven Christian communities at the time of Paul who wrote many epistles to these Christian groups (Ehrman, Lost Christianities 241).
Moreover, he did not always agree with their interpretation of Jesus’ teaching. This is one of the main questions that should be considered by the readers of this text.
On the whole, this section of the New Testament is of great importance to people who study the formation of the Christian communities. Furthermore, these parts of the New Testament show that Christian canon was not developed instantaneously.
To a great extent, it was a series of compromises and concessions. This is one of the main issues that modern historians pay attention to.
Historians admit that even a rigorous interpretation of the New Testament can be inaccurate. They mostly strive to understand what the text of the Bible could mean to the contemporaries of the authors. In my view, this approach to this text can be more productive.
To a great extent, this method can help historians better evaluate and analyze the textual evidence. This is one of the main points that can be made.
On the whole, these examples indicate that the passages of the New Testament can be used as valuable sources which can throw light on the complexity of the early Christianity. There are three important questions that modern historians examine in their work.
For instance, they investigate the way in which people perceived the death of Jesus. The study of various sources indicates that the contemporaries of Jesus did not necessarily regard him as the messiah.
Moreover, in this way, researchers can investigate the conflicts within this Christian community. In many cases, the supporters of this religious movement did not have the same views on the canon.
This is one of the main arguments that can be put forward. In my opinion, close examination of the New Testament can be of great help to the historians.
Works Cited
Ehrman, Bart. A Brief Introduction to the New Testament, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.
—-. Lost Christianities, The Battle for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print.
—-. Peter, Paul and Mary Magdalene: The Followers of Jesus in History and Legend, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.