New Testament 211
BYU Class Notes: Brother Tyler Griffin
Introduction to
New Testament
Prophet= Chosen
vessel, one who does not just believe, but knows and experiences being in the
presence of God
·
When we listen to the prophet, we can become a
witness of God when we have the Spirit come into our heart to testify of truth.
Historical Background:
·
Alexander the Great conqueror the Palestine's, and
he wanted to be as bad as they could with out getting out of their Judaism.
·
Romans have conquered when Jesus comes.
Sadducee's=higher in class, but wicked. (when Jesus cleansed he temple, the
Sadducee's were there). Pharisees= poor in class, but hold onto doctrine.
·
Literacy rate= 5% (Sad., Phar. Scribes)
·
Aramaic= Babylon language. Peter had Mark record
his testimony because he probably wasn’t literate.
·
Jesus fulfilled the old law, created the New
Law.
John 1:1-3: What Child is This?
1.
You have an idea you want to communicate
2.
Have this code, arbitrary idea
3.
Speak it or write it
4.
Receive the medium that was presented
5.
Decode
6.
Understand what person A is communicating
St. John got his first lessons from
John the Baptist.
If God has something He wants you
to understand, Jesus Christ is the go between and the messenger of the
covenant.
John 1: 14= doctrine of Condescension
He brought
Heavenly glory with Him, but he came in flesh-like us.
Luke 1
Contrast between
Zacharias & Mary (mother of Jesus)
Couldn’t have children (tried)
|
Had a child (didn’t try)
|
Old, male
|
Young, female
|
Response to angel (didn’t believe)
|
Response to angel (believed quickly)
|
Angel appeared to him in the temple
|
Angel appeared to her in home
|
Married
|
Not married
|
How doubtful was Zacharias?
Acts 1= Proluge of Luke
Writing to
Theophilas (Theo=God)
(Philo= Friend of God)
Luke was
writing to Theophilas, but by default he was writing to us, because aren’t we
all a “Friend of God.”
Luke 1:9
Incense
burning= prayer
Customary
to burn right in front of veil which is next to the holies of holies. Prayers
go up symbolically to the Lord with this sweet smelling smell. It was a s close
as they could get to heaven.
Luke 1:11—Angel Appears
Zacharias=fears
Mary= not
fearful of appearance, not troubled
“Fear not” =most angelic phrase (v.13)
Life long
lesson: prayers are answered…always.
“It is easier to say, Lord they will be done, then Lord thy
timing be done.”—Elder Neal A. Maxwell
God cares more about who you are becoming than who you are
no. So trial of your faith is now, so hold on.
Luke 1:18
You don’t
need a sign from an angel, the angel is enough.
Zacharias can’t become a father because he won’t tell Herod
where John is, so Herod kills him.
John “wild man”. John
is thrown into Prison. Jesus’ ministry rises.
John, his
dad, his mom—constantly forsaken and eventually beheaded.
He
was the forerunner of Christ, not only on earth but also in the Spirit world.
Satan wants you to think his life was awful, but John would have lived 10,000 lives to prepare the way
for Christ.
John
was given Aaronic Priesthood, another way he was acting as the forerunner for
the 2nd Coming.
Differences between doubting and having questions:
·
Mary’s not doubting, but there is nothing wrong
with having lots of questions
·
Don’t let questions get too big to overpower
what you know in your heartàso
always go back to what you know—the simple basic truths.
Luke 1:38
I WILL GO.
DO. BE. WHO YOU WANT ME TO BE. AND NO LONGER WANT TO LIVE A LIFE FOR MYSELF,
BUT FOR HEAVENLY FATHER.
Luke 2—Christ’s Birth
Personal application:
Stars.
Symbolic power of a nero star. People would look to stars for directionsà worldly application.
Inn’s (v.7)
Elder
Maxwell “we are innkeepers and we have to decide if we have room for Jesus.”
Star= in movies (main actors/characters), look to for
directions. Christ saves the Nephites as the first things He does in mortal
life. Because the Nephites would have been killed if He didn’t come.
Taxes= census of Caesar Augustus, wants to know everything
in his dominion.
Joseph= heir to David’s Throne.
Bethlehem= House of Bread
Bethlehem=
5 mi. south of Jerusalem where they kept the Passover flock. These Shepard's
were watching over this sheep that would soon be taken to the temple to be
sacrificed. Because Christ was born in the Spring.
Luke 2: 13à
Heavenly Hosts (that’s me!)
2: 14=
Prince of Peace. Think about it.
Significance of Offerings.
Offer bowl=
Really Rich
Offer lamb=
Medium
Offer
doves=very poor (condescension)
Simeon (Luke 2:34, 35)
This baby
was born for everyone.
Anna=really old, waiting for His birth.
Our Picture of Christ.
When we
hear the word Christ. We often thing of the resurrected, glorified, perfect,
and powerful Christ. But once a year, He wants us to bend a knee at His manger
and worship Him. With that image, no one can ever be intimidated by the One who
came to earth to save us all.
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