The Unforgiving Servant: Judaism and Christianity
Judaism and Sin
The Jewish concept of sin, insofar as it exists, is very different from how it is understood by Christians. In fact, the whole idea of heaven and hell as they exist in the popular imagination is a very Christian one. Do some research on how these concepts are understood in Jewish theology. How does your new understanding impact how you see Jesus and his disciples’ culture? Write a short essay comparing and contrasting Jewish and Christian views of these concepts as well as an analysis of how this manifests in the New Testament.
The Unforgiving Servant and Other Parables
There are a lot of parables in the New Testament. They are one of the primary ways that Jesus explains concepts to his disciples. Do some research on other parables that Jesus tells, especially the Parable of the Great Banquet and the Parable of the Two Debtors. How do the themes of forgiveness, sin, and a messianic covenant compare in each of these stories? What overall message is Jesus trying to teach? Write a paragraph explaining your response.
The Jesus Seminar
There have been many translations of the Bible over the years, and many scholars think that parts of the bible have been edited, added, and changed throughout the centuries. In the late 20th century, a group of around 50 bible scholars, historians, and theologians created the Jesus Seminar to try to determine what quotes from the Bible can most accurately be attributed to Jesus, and which ones are more likely to be later additions. Read a little about their work. What did they say about the parables? To what extent do you think their study of the historical Jesus is relevant to contemporary Christian understandings of the Bible? Explain your response in a journal entry or essay.
