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HomeThe Great Courses Presents: Who Wrote the Bible?Who Wrote the Bible? Session 17: Understanding the Synoptic Gospels

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 17: Understanding the Synoptic Gospels

The Great Courses Presents: Who Wrote the Bible? | Sessions

The Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke—the “Synoptic” gospels—are traditionally understood as eyewitness accounts of the life of Jesus. Unpack the textual and historical evidence that they were written long after Jesus’ life. Compare the many similarities and differences between the three accounts, known as the “synoptic problem,” as they offer insight into the complex history of the Bible.

Speakers:Joel S. Baden

Writers:Joel S. Baden

Source:The Great Courses




Sessions
26:41

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 1: A Text with a History

Take a first look at three questions which drive this course: Who wrote the Bible? How do we know who wrote the Bible? Why does it matter? Look into the role of...
24:25

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 2: The Sources of the Pentateuch

Delve into the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, traditionally attributed to Moses. Examine the claims for Moses’ authorship vs. indications with...
25:09

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 3: Genesis – Creation and the Flood

Two of the famous stories from Genesis, the Creation story and the Flood, do not appear in the Bible as we commonly understand them. Discover how each story unf...
25:00

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 4: Exodus – From Egypt to Sinai

Travel into the biblical account of the plagues and the Exodus from Egypt. Observe that the story of the plagues is told in two narratives, woven into one, each...
28:11

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 5: Leviticus and the Priestly Writings

The book of Leviticus belongs to the priestly strand of the Pentateuch. Follow its portrayal of the rituals, sacrifices, and cleansing of the Tabernacle, the dw...
26:23

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 6: Deuteronomy – Retelling Israel’s Past

The book of Deuteronomy comprises one of the four core “sources” or documents of the Pentateuch. Note that Deuteronomy draws on the other sources, as Moses ...
27:18

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 7: The History from Joshua to the Exile

Explore the Bible’s account of Israel’s history from the conquest of Canaan to the exile to Babylon. Grasp the writings’ consistent theological viewpoint,...
28:38

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 8: The David Story

Mark how the biblical account of David’s life has been shaped as a popular, idealized conception of him. Look into his story as depicted in Samuel and Kings, ...
28:16

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 9: The Three Isaiahs

Learn about the role of the prophet in antiquity, as a mouthpiece for God, who speaks of the future for the sake of the present. Study indications that the Book...
26:00

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 10: Jeremiah – The Layered Prophet

The Book of Jeremiah offers a fascinating look at how biblical texts were created. Observe the composition of the text, with the words of Jeremiah, narratives a...
26:16

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 11: The Minor Prophets

The books of the Minor Prophets can be seen as a microcosm of the Bible itself, revealing a range of theological themes and messages. In Zechariah, Amos, Habakk...
26:20

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 12: The Psalms in Tradition and Practice

Look into the authorship of the Psalms, believed for 2,000 years to have been written by David. Investigate how this notion developed, and why scholars and hist...
26:17

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 13: Contrasting Proverbs and Ecclesiastes

The two very different books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are considered by tradition to have been written by Solomon. Discover why textual and historical resea...
26:44

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 14: The Voices of Lamentations

Lamentations records the Israelites’ trauma at the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. Investigate its attribution to Jeremiah, and encounter the five distin...
26:05

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 15: The Stories and Visions of Daniel

Dig into this complicated book, structured as a group of stories about Daniel and his friends at the Babylonian court, followed by a narrative of apocalyptic vi...
26:19

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 16: Chronicles – History Rewritten

The book of Chronicles is another telling of Israel’s history, from the time of Adam to the end of the Babylonian exile. Study features of the text that indic...
25:16

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 17: Understanding the Synoptic Gospels

The Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke—the “Synoptic” gospels—are traditionally understood as eyewitness accounts of the life of Jesus. Unpack the textu...
25:09

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 18: The (Very Different) Gospel of John

Investigate the authorship of the Gospel of John, indicated by the text to be an unnamed disciple of Jesus. Explore textual features suggesting that this discip...
24:33

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 19: The Passion Narrative

The events of Jesus’ crucifixion and death are told in the Bible in four distinct versions: the four Gospels. See how each Gospel tells the story in a differe...
25:37

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 20: Acts – What Came after the Gospels?

Uncover the authorship of the book of Acts—the same author who wrote the Luke gospel—and note that Acts functions as a sequel to Luke, recounting what happe...
27:05

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 21: The Epistles of Paul (and Others)

The Epistles or letters of Paul to the Christian communities of the Near East are the earliest Christian writings and the earliest articulation of Christian the...
26:59

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 22: Revelation – The Apocalypse of John

The book of Revelation epitomizes the literary genre of apocalyptic, speaking of the end of time through visions and inscrutable symbols. Trace its traditional ...
26:52

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 23: Texts that Didn’t Make It Into the Bible

Early Judaism and Christianity produced numerous religious texts that did not enter the Bible’s canon. Look into intriguing non-canonical texts from early Jud...
28:30

Who Wrote the Bible? Session 24: A Living Library

Conclude with reflections on how we view and read the Bible. Contemplate the Bible as a library—a collection of writings, written for a distant epoch, and bui...
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01:34

The Great Courses Presents: Who Wrote the Bible? Preview

In shedding light on core questions about the Bible’s writing, Who Wrote the Bible? Searching for Its Origins and Authors offers you a provocative and enlight...
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