The Effect of Historical Background on an Interpretation of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
This essay will argue that understanding the setting of the gospels is of great importance to understanding the Christian message that they are attempting to preserve and spread. This, it may be argued, is due to the fact that the gospels are not purely imaginative literature. Instead, like histories they are engaged with contemporary events and controversies - particularly theological controversies within the early Church - in a very direct way. From this point of view, as the gospels have elements of both the literary and the historical forms of writing, a knowledge of their historical background contributes to our understanding of the texts and their messages. 5 pgs. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
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