Reflections at the End of the Semester (April 2026)
At the end of every New Testament course I teach, I find myself asking a simple but important question:What do I most want my students to take away from this course? There are many possible answers, but if I had to name one central goal, it would be this:
To learn how to read the New Testament critically, using what I often call the “Three Worlds” approach.
The Three Worlds of the Text
Throughout the course, we worked with a framework that I hope you will carry far beyond this classroom:
World #1: The world within the text – reading the New Testament as literature
World #2: The world behind the text – exploring the historical circumstances that produced it
World #3: The world in front of the text – examining how the text is interpreted and received
This method is not only useful for biblical studies—it can be applied to many areas of life. It teaches us to read a "text" carefully, endeavour to see what has and is going on "behind" that text, and remain aware of how interpretation works. REMEMBER! A "text" in the broadest sense can apply to anything and anyone that has meaning and that can be interpreted! It can refer to a text (in the strict sense) like a book or a "text" (in the broad sense) such as a friend of yours!
Where Our Images of Jesus Come From
Many students enter this course already with a deeply formed image of Jesus and Christianity. For those from Christian backgrounds, that image often comes from the particular Christian church where they were raised, for example, the typical Roman Catholic image of Jesus (for many of us). For others (who were not raised in a church tradition), it comes more indirectly—from Western culture,where Christianity has played a major historical role.
But here is the key insight:
Most of the images we carry of Jesus come from the “world in front of the text.”
These images of Jesus that we have are shaped by:
Church traditions
Two thousand years of interpretation
Cultural influences
In other words, what we “know” about Jesus is already a 2000+year old interpretation of the Christian community (church) and a once-upon-a-time deeply Christian Western society.
Learning to Read More Critically
One of the major goals of this course has been to teach you to engage more deeply with the following two worlds:
The world within the text (literary analysis-World #1)
The world behind the text (historical study-World #2)
These are dimensions that are often overlooked in everyday religious settings. In the university classroom, however, we intentionally grapple seriously with those frequently overlooked dimensions. We:
Study the New Testament as literature
Investigate the historical processes that produced it
Develop a critical lens rather than passively receiving interpretations
The Shock of Historical Study
For many students—especially those from Christian backgrounds—this leads to a moment of shock.
Why? Because a common assumption that students bring is that the Gospels and Acts are like video recordings of what happened. That is simply NOT TRUE! By the end of the course, however, it becomes clear:
The gospels (and also Acts) are not video recordings. They are already theological interpretations (written in the 70s to the 90s of the first century CE) of the figure of Yeshua of Nazareth who lived in the 20s.
Consider this:
Mark was written roughly 40 years after Jesus
Matthew and Luke about 50+ years later
John about 60+ years later
Each Gospel reflects decades of interpretation within early Christian communities. This means:
The texts are not straightforward historical reports
They are shaped by theological aims
They include embellishment, creativity, and interpretation
The Gospels as Creative Theology
The authors of the New Testament were not modern historians or journalists. They were:
Theologians
Preachers
Missionaries
Their goal was not really to report what happened, but to proclaim meaning, to proclaim the good news about Jesus, the Christ (aka, the "Kerygma").
At times, this meant:
Expanding, reshaping, or embellishing things about Jesus
Even including "made-up" stories about Jesus to convey theological truths. If Jesus created parables using the realities/chracters of his world (such as sheep, wayward sons, mustard seeds, lost coins, etc.) to convey important messages about the reign of God, his earliest followers imitated him by creating "parable-like" stories and teachings about Jesus!
Using Jesus as a focal point to communicate their message
Let me repeat for emphasis: Just as Jesus told parables (not literally true but conveying deep truth), early Christians effectively told “parables about Jesus” (embellished or even "made-up" stories).
Losing (and Regaining) Innocence
Encountering this reality for the first time can feel unsettling for some because many of you students had the largely unconcious impression that the gospels are like video-recordings! Students often experience:
Shock
Disappointment
Even a sense of loss
It can feel like a kind of “loss of innocence.” I went through this myself during my own studies. It is a real and important stage involving confusion and bewilderment. However, this is what it means "to grow up." It is not the end of the journey. Treat that as the growth pains that one has to go through in order to become more mature, even as a person of faith, I should add!
Faith Beyond Naivete: Paul Ricoeur’s Insight
To move forward, I often turn to philosopher Paul Ricoeur, who described several stages in the path to a
more grown-up understanding of the world.
(First) Naivete – a simple, literal belief
Critical distance (post-naivete) – questioning and analysis
Second naivete – returning to the text with a renewed and deeper appreciation of its meaning although one knows that the text is not literally true.
As children, we believe literally
As adults, we realize the story is not factually true
Yet we return to it, recognizing its deeper meaning—generosity, joy, love
This is second naivete: not ignorance, but mature re-engagement.
Applying This to the New Testament
The same can apply to the Gospels. Yes:
They are not purely historical records
They contain interpretation, development, and creativity
But also:
They carry profound meaning
They reflect the faith of early Christian communities
They continue to shape lives and values
So the goal is not to stop at disillusionment, but to move toward mature understanding.
Jesus and the Community
One of the most important theological insights I hope you take away is this:
Christian faith is not about Jesus alone—it is about Jesus and the community.
When we read the New Testament, we encounter:
Not only Jesus
But also the faith of the earliest Christian communities
For example:
The Gospel of John presents a highly developed image of Jesus that was present in John's community.
This reflects the faith of John’s community decades after the life of the historical Jesus
It is simply not a direct window into the historical Jesus
And yet, that community’s interpretation is itself part of the Christian tradition, hence, important for Christian faith.
A Final Word: What Maturity Looks Like
So where does this leave us? At the end of this course, my hope is not that you:
Abandon faith altogether but abandon a "naive" kind of faith
Or cling uncritically to what you once believed
Rather, I hope you:
Learn to distinguish between the three worlds
Develop a critical yet appreciative perspective
Move toward a second naivete—a mature, reflective faith
Because ultimately:
A mature faith is not one that avoids questions, but one that has passed through them.
Thank You
Thank you for engaging in this journey.
My hope is that what you have learned here will not only deepen your understanding of the New Testament, but also shape how you read, think, and live, moving forward.
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