An Introduction to European Culture

Lecture 3

The Bible and Christianity

The Bible and Christianity

History of the Hebrews Judaism and Christianity The Bible ---The Old Testament Rise & Spread of Christianity The Bible ---The New Testament The Translation of the Bible

Lead-in

Does Christianity influence you in any way? Have you ever been to a Christian church? Do you know the masterpiece of Da Vinci Th

e Last Supper? Can you tell the following stories? ─ Noah's Ark,─ The Birth of Jesus, ─ Jesus Is Tempted by the Devil,

Part One: History of the Hebrews

I.Canaan( 迦南 ), the promised land II. Exodus 【圣】《出埃及记》 III. The Torah ( 律法 ) IV. The Kings 《列王纪》 V. Collapse of Kingdom VI. Conquest by the Romans

I.Canaan( 迦南 ), the promised land 迦南 ( 《圣经》故事中称其为上帝赐给以色列人祖先

的 " 应许之地 ", 是巴勒斯坦 , 叙利亚和黎巴嫩等地的古称 ) The Hebrews (ancestors of the Jews): Descendants of wandering tribes of Semites 闪米特人 in

the Near East, hence, called Hebrews,” which means “wanderers;”

After much wandering, the Hebrews under Abraham, settled in lower Canaan;

With the rough and dry climate Palestine proved to be unfit for living ;

→toward the fertile Nile Delta( 三角州 )

Palestine, showing the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel, and their traditional enemies, the Philistines.

The Phoenicians were a seafaring nation, who founded Carthage and other towns on the North African coast.

II. Exodus 【圣】《出埃及记》

In about 1750 B.C. Egypt was invaded by the Hyksos 喜克索人 , also Semites. Hebrews enjoyed some prosperity in Egypt.

The Hyksos were expelled from Egypt, the Hebrews had to pay the price of their kinship:

They were enslaved In about 1250 B.C.  Moses, a new religious leader, deter

mined to lead his people back to Cannan for a better life. This movement back towards Canaan is called the Exodus

Significance: creating the feeling of national unity for the first time.

III. The Torah ( 律法 , 圣经旧约之首五卷 )

Moses’ formulation of laws and establishment of religious principles :

Ten Commandments → dictated to him by God to the people in the Sinai ['saɪnaɪ]

( 圣经 ) 西奈 desert Over the centuries the Hebrews developed a whole moral an

d practical code of living: the Torah → The basis of this is found in Pentateuch (the first five book

s of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy)

Moses, however, died before the Hebrews actually reached Canaan.

IV. The Kings 《列王纪》

The Hebrew settlers ran into trouble with the other peoples who had been living in Canaan, esp. the Philistines

Samson( 参孙） led the Hebrews to score victory against the Philistines 。

After Samson‘s death Saul （扫罗） set up the first royal dynasty of the Hebrews.

Saul was succeeded by his son-in-law David( 大卫） in about 1010 B.C.

David was succeeded by his son Solomon （所罗门） in 970 B.C.

Samson and Delilah by Lucas Cranach Delilah cuts Samson's hair, by Master E. S., 1460/1465

Samson destroys the temple of Dagon, 1890 Bible illustration

Samson in the Treadmill, by Carl Heinrich Bloch

David Plays the Harp for Saul, by Rembrandt

King Saul----King of Israel

Saul (1079 BC – 1007 BC)

was the first king of the united Kingdom of Israel (reigned 1049 BC – 1007 BC) according to the Hebrew Bible.

He was anointed by the prophet Samuel and reigned from Gibeah.

He suicidally fell on his sword in battle against the Philistines at Mount Gilboa, during which three of his sons were also killed.

The succession to his throne was contested by Ish-bosheth, his only surviving son, and David, who eventually prevailed.

The main account of Saul's life and reign is found in the Books of Samuel.

David and Saul (1885) by Julius Kronberg.

"Death of King Saul", 1848 by Elie Marcuse (Germany and France, 1817-1902)

King David---King of Israel

Statue of David by Nicolas Cordier, in the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome

Reign over Judah c.1010 - 1003 BC; over Judah and Israel c. 1003 - 970 BC

Bornc. 1040 BC Birthplace Bethlehem Diedc. 970 BC Place of death

Jerusalem Predecessor Saul (Juda

h), Ish-bosheth (Israel) Successor Solomon

David and Goliath

David hoists the severed head of Goliath by Gustave Doré

A Philistine army invades Judah. They face the Israelites, under King Saul, in the Valley of Elah. The boy David is bringing food to his older brothers who are with Saul. He hears the Philistine giant Goliath challenging the Israelites to send their own champion to decide the outcome in single combat. David tells Saul he is prepared to face Goliath and Saul allows him to make the attempt. He is victorious, striking Goliath in the forehead with a stone from his sling. Goliath falls, and David kills him with his own sword and beheads him; the Philistines flee in terror. Saul sends to know the name of the young champion, and David tells him that he is the son of Jesse.

David is chosen of God

Samuel anoints David, Dura Europos, Syria, Date: 3rd c. AD

God withdrew his favor from Saul, king of Israel. It repented me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments. The prophet Samuel seeks a new king from the sons of Jesse of Bethlehem. Seven of Jesse's sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel says "The LORD has not chosen these." He then asks "Are these all the sons you have?" and Jesse answers, "There is still the youngest but he is tending the sheep." David is brought to Samuel, and "the LORD said, 'Rise and anoint him; he is the one.'"

David the Musician

"David Playing the Harp" by Jan de Bray, 1670

David the Musician

In various biblical passages, David is referred to as “the favorite of the songs of Israel,” the one who soothed Saul with music, and the founder of Temple singing.

A Psalms scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls (11QPsa) attributes 3600 tehilim (songs of praise) plus other compositions to David.

Seventy-three of the 150 Psalms in the Bible are attributed to David.

The supreme kingship of Yahweh is the most pervasive theological concept in the book of Psalms, and many psalms attributed to David are directed to Yahweh by name, whether in praise or petition, suggesting a relationship.

According to the Midrash Tehillim, King David was prompted to the Psalms by the Holy Spirit that rested upon him.

Traditional tomb of David in

Jerusalem

Succession of Solomon

The Anointing of Solomon by Cornelis de Vos. According to 1 Kings 1:39, Solomon was anointed by Zadok.

Solomon became king after the death of his father King David.

One of the qualities most ascribed to Solomon is his wisdom.

He was also noted for his wealth.

Solomon

The Hebrew Bible credits Solomon as the builder of the First Temple in Jerusalem, and portrays him as great in wisdom, wealth, and power, but ultimately as a king whose sin, including idolatry 偶像崇拜 and turning away from God, leads to the kingdom being torn in two during the reign of his son Rehoboam.

Solomon is the subject of many other later references and legends.

Artist's depiction of Solomon's court (Ingobertus, c. 880.)

Judgment of SolomonNineteenth century engraving by Gustave Doré

V. Collapse of Kingdom After Solomon‘s death the kingdom was divided into two unequal an

d independent parts - Israel with Samaria 撒玛利亚 as the capital, and Judah( 犹大 ), retaining Jerusalem

In 721 B.C. Israel was conquered by king of Assyria( 亚述 ) P.S.: 亚述：亚洲西部底格里河流域北部一帝国和文明古国。公元前

9 世纪至 7 世纪，在它的强盛时期，亚述帝国的疆域从地中海跨越阿拉伯和亚美尼亚地区

In 586 B.C. Judah was conquered by the Babylonian king, and lots of Jews were brought to Babylon as captives. This is the famous ”Babylonian captivity”

It was not until Cyrus the Great of Persia 波斯（西南亚国家，现在的伊朗） conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. did the Jews regained some powers → self governance for five hundred years

P.S.: Persia 波斯：西南亚一个强大的帝国，公元前 546 年后由居鲁士二世建立。到了大流士一世和他儿子薛西斯时期，帝国达到全盛时期 。 公元前 334 年亚历山大大帝征服了波斯 。后来的帝国由萨桑王朝建立 ( 公元 226-637 年）

VI. Conquest by the Romans

In 70 B.C. the Roman emperor Titus took Jerusalem.

Following this the Jewish people dispersed and left their land to make a living as best they could in different countries throughout the world. 

Part two :Judaism and Christianity Similarities:─ many common concepts and values

─ exchange of ideas over wide areas. Differences: ─ Notion of God─ The Messiah (David vs Jesus)─ Sin and Original Sin─ Salvation( 超度，赎罪 ) and attaining an afterlife

Similarities : Judaism and Christianity are closely related: I. Christianity emerged from Judaism, hence there are many

concepts and values held in common by Judaism and Christianity (the body of these concepts and values is also called Judeo-Christian tradition ):

Judeo-Christian tradition i. Monotheism( 一神论 ): Both religions reject atheism( 无神

论） , on the one hand, and polytheism ( 多神论） , on the other.

ii. Belief in a Messiah( 救世主：犹太人所盼望的复国救主及犹太国王 )

iii. Form of worship: including a priesthood( 教士 , 僧侣 , 神父 ) concepts of sacred space and sacred time, the idea that worship here on Earth is patterned after worship in Heaven, and the use of the Psalms( 圣歌 )in community prayer.

II. Both originated in Palestine, which led to exchange of ideas over wide areas.

Differences:

I. Notion of God:

oneness vs trinitarianism:[ 基督教 ] 三位一体论 , 三位一体之教理 )

By the notion of monotheism, Judaism’s idea is that there is one God, and God is com

plete. The Christian notion is that God is a trinity, made up of G

od the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

II. The Messiah (David vs Jesus)

Jews believe that the messiah is a descendant of King David who will one day usher in a messianic era of peace and prosperity for Israel and all the nations of the world. The traditional Jewish understanding of the messiah is fully human, born of human parents, without any supernatural element.

Christians hold Jesus to be the messiah foretold in the Hebrew Bible. He is believed to be the son of God in a literal sense, fully human, and simultaneously divine, fully God. In this view, Jesus the messiah is the son of God who offers salvation to all humans.

III. Sin and Original Sin

Sin is the Christian idea that people make mistakes or offenses against God.

Original sin is the Christian idea that a newborn baby has guilt for sin before taking any action to offend God.

Jews have no concept of Original Sin, and do not accept it, for Judaism teaches that humans are born morally neutral ( Judaism affirms that people are born with a tendency towards goodness).

IV. Salvation( 超度，赎罪 ) and attaining an afterlife

Judaism believes that sins can be atoned [ə'ton]赎罪 for through repentance [rɪ'pɛntəns] 忏悔 .

Most forms of Christianity teach that one can only be saved through the acceptance of Jesus as a saviour, and that repentance accomplishes nothing without belief in Jesus .

Read for more differences than have been mentioned.

Part three: The Bible Bible---The Old Testament

About the Bible The Old Testament ---The Pentateuch: （五经）─ Genesis ( 《创世记》 )─ Exodus （《出埃及》）─ Leviticus （《利未记》） ─ Numbers （《民数记》）─ Deuteronomy （《申命记》）

3. The Bible ---The Old Testament I. About the Bible The Bible is made up of the Old Testament and

the New Testament. The Old Testament is about God and the laws of

God, while the latter about the doctrines of Jesus Christ.

The word “testament” means “agreement” or “covenant”, namely, the agreement between God and Man.

It is not a single book, but a collection of 66 books, different in style, content, subject of matter, and point of view.

Not written by one person, but by many anonymously, some sections had existed orally before.

Not written within a single period of time:─ Old Testament: 1,000 - 15 B.C.─ New Testament: 50 – 150 A.D. Not written in one language:─ Old Testament : in Hebrew; ─ New Testament : in Greek partly in Aramaic ( 阿拉米语 )

* Books in it are not systematically classified or chronologically arranged. * It contains words of God,

an inspired and inspiring bookan encyclopedia (poem, history, tale,

moral teachings, etc.),* It is a book that was ordered to be burned, but survived every time.* It is a book translated into over 1,000 Ls and dialects.* Number One in terms of publication volume; greatly influencing European culture.

Classification of 66 books Old Testament: (Hebrew History)

1. Law and history

2. Prophecies

3. Poetry, drama, tales, moral teachings New Testament: (Life of Jesus Christ)

1. Gospels

2. Letters

3. Revelations The central theme binding all books:

Hebrew tradition written by, meant for and about Hebrews.

Genealogy [d in 'æl d ] ʒ ɪ ə ʒɪ ( 族谱）

Adam & Eve --- Noah 诺亚 (Ark)---Abraham (to Canaan 迦南 ) --- Moses 摩西 (Exodus) ---Joshua （约书亚） (back to Canaan) --- split (many tribes)--- Saul 扫罗 (unification) --- David 大卫 (built Jerusalem) --- Solomon 所罗门 --- split （犹太国 & 以色列国）

II. The Old Testament

1) The Pentateuch:( 五经） the oldest and most important first five books of t

he Old Testament. ─ Genesis ( 《创世记》 )─ Exodus （《出埃及》）─ Leviticus （《利未记》） ─ Numbers （《民数记》）─ Deuteronomy （《申命记》）

i. Genesis: 《创世记》

a religious account of the origin of the Hebrew people, including

─ the origin of the world and of man,─ the career of Issac─ the life of Jacob and his son Joseph.

a. The Fall of Man

God created the world in six days →the Sabbath day (the seventh day) Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden →relationship between man & woman Eve and Adam were tempted to eat the forbidden fruit by

the serpent God became angry and drove them out of the Paradise. God’s anger: → When God created man in His image, man is already

like God. If man eats the fruit and thus has knowledge of good and evil he will be exactly the same as God.

God creating the land animals (Vittskövle Church fresco, 1480s).

Michelangelo's painting of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel shows the creation of the sun, moon and earth as described in the first chapter of Genesis.

Adam and Eve by the late Renaissance German painter Albr

The couple hold apples and on the right the serpent is coiled round the Tree of Knowledge. “She took of the fruit and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”

She gave me of the tree and I did eat by the Italian painter Domenichino (Domenico Zampieri) (1581 — 1641).

God questions Adam and Eve about what they have done and Adam blames Eve.

“The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat”.

In this painting Domenichino has copied Michelangelo’s representation of God as he painted him in the Sistine Chapel giving life to Adam.

The Fall depicted in the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo

Cain killing Abel  in a 15th century painting.

Cain runs away in horror as his parents find Abel's body, by the English Romantic visionary, painter and poet William Blake (1757 — 1827).

b. Noah’s Ark

诺亚：在旧约圣经中，被上帝选去建造方舟的大主教，借此方舟，诺亚、其家人以及每种动物的一对，在世界大水中保全了性命

Men became increasingly corrupt For the knowledge of evil had been passed on by

Adam and Eve God decided to put an end to mankind, with the ex

ception of Noah. Noah’s descendant Abraham He and his people were chosen by Yahweh, who

promised them the land of Canaan

A painting by the American Edward Hicks (1780 - 1849), showing the animals boarding Noah's Ark two by two.

ii. Exodus

a religious history of the Hebrews during their flight from Egypt, the period when they began to receive God‘s Law.

Ten Commandments─ The message Moses received from the god on

the Mount of Sinai

Ten Commandments: 摩西十诫 Monotheism: “Thou shalt have none other gods before me.” “Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any

likeness of any thing …thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God…”

Moralistic concern: “Honour thy father and thy mother…” “Thou shalt not kill.” “Neither shalt thou commit adultery( 通奸 ).” “Neither shalt thou steal.”

1. I’m your only God. You shall have no other gods before me.2. Do not make for yourself a carved image to worship.3. Do not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.5. Honor your father and your mother.

6. Do not murder.7. Do not commit adultery. 8. Do not steal. 9. Do not bear false witness against your neighbor. 10.Do not covet your neighbor's house, your neighbor's wife, his servants, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.

Ten Commandments: 摩西十诫

Moses with the Ten Commandments by Rembrandt (1659)

iii. Leviticus: a collection of primitive laws

--- dealing with what to do and what not to do;

---how -to deal with some disputes; iv. Numbers: a continuation of the account of the flight from Egyp

t with two censuses about the Exodus v. Deuteronomy: the final words of Moses to his people, restating his

orders and fifty year‘s experiences as a leader .

2) The Historical Books

the history of ancient Jews from Hebrews‘ settlement in Palestine (1200 B.C.) to 100‘s A.D.

This part of the Old Testament includes these books:

Book of Joshua 约书亚记 Book of Judges 士师记 Books of Samuel 撒母耳记 Books of Kings 列王记 Books of the Chronicles 历代志 Books of Ezra 以斯拉记 Book of Nehemiah 尼希米记

This period of Hebrew history covers:─ the settlement in the Highlands by the Hebrews, ─ the development of system of landed nobles,

development of monarchy, ─ age of great prosperity under Saul, David and

Solomon, ─ and establishment of the two Kingdoms. ♣ Moses --- Joshua --- Saul --- David (Capital –

Jerusalem)

3) The Poetical Books poems and other forms of religious literature works Book of Job ─ a poetic drama Book of Psalms ─ a collection of 150 poetic pieces, the chief hymnal of the

Jews. Proverb ─ a collection of moral maxims or sayings of practical

nature. Ecclesiastes ─ a collection of sayings about the purpose of life. Songs of Solomon ─ a collection of love poems--- depicting everyday life in

the countryside

4) The Prophets--- 关于先知的预言和宗教、政治评论 .

─ Amos─ Jeremiah─ The Book of Daniel

Part four: Rise & Spread of Christianity

Early Christianity Persecutions( 迫害 )of Christians in Roman Empire The Fourth Century Some Factors for Christianity’s Triumph Schism （基督教内分裂） in Christianity A New Mode of Christian life After Persecution The Translation of the Bible

4. Rise & Spread of Christianity 基督教 In early time: one of many religious beliefs then suppressed by Roman gov. Later: developed quickly 305 A.D.: stopped persecution 313: Emperor Constantine granted religious freedo

m (Edict of Milan 米兰敕令 ), became legal. Constantine baptized at deathbed 392: Emperor Theodosius 塞奥多西乌斯 made Chri

stianity the official religion of the Empire and outlaw all other religions.

6th century: Nestorianism 景教 reached China.

I. Early Christianity

Early Christians’ notion of divine creation, their concern for God and salvation all stemmed from Judaism of the Hebrews.

But Christianity based itself on two forceful beliefs which separate it from all other religions:

i. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and God sent him to earth to live as humans live, suffer as humans suffer, and die to redeem( 赎回 , 挽回 )mankind.

ii. By faith in Jesus, the only begotten son of God, one may attain salvation and eternal life.

Jesus’ Birth

Biblical account :

---Mary the virgin was engaged to Joseph the carpenter in Nazareth ( 巴勒斯坦地区北部古城 -- 拿撒勒 ), but she was impregnated with the Holy spirit and gave birth to God’s son Jesus (in a stable of an inn in Bethlehem).

Life of Jesus

Born on Dec. 25th, 4 B.C. In Bethlehem 伯利恒 From a carpenter’s family Joseph & Virgin Mary Disappeared as a child Life before 30: unknown At 30: baptized by John From 30-33: preaching At 33: crucifixation on Goo

d Friday 2 days later (Sunday): resu

rrection to heaven (Easter)

Miracles of Jesus: power over nature, power over disease, and even power

over death Death of Jesus: Jewish leaders wanted to kill Jesus on the charge of bla

sphemy( 亵渎神罪） , and had Jesus arrested. A Roman governor named Pilate 彼拉多 ） tried Jesus. He wanted to release Jesus. But when the Jews threatened to riot, Pilate condemned Jesus to death on a cross.

Resurrection: 复苏 On the third day after Jesus died, Jesus rose from the to

mb.  He later appeared to many believers, commanding them to teach and baptize others.

The Sermon( 说教 , 布道 )on the Mount Jesus delivered his most famous sermon on a mountain.

In it, Jesus taught his listeners to: • Love your enemies. • Do not judge others. • Trust God. • Don't be anxious about tomorrow. • Do unto others as you would have them do unto you (The

"golden rule").

A Summary on Jesus

While the Christian doctrine( 教条 )holds Jesus is the son of God, the fact may be that he is the founder of the new faith, teaching a way of life and faith grounded in a long-established prophetic tradition of Judaism.

He emphasized:─ the love and mercy of God, ─ the love and brotherhood of men of good will,─ the unimportance of worldly wealth and power,─ and the comfort and promise of redemption ─ and happiness in a blessed hereafter.

II. Persecutions( 迫害 )of Christians in Roman Empire At first Rome paid little attention to the religion. They

tolerated the Christians because they were regarded as a harmless sect of the Jews.

Then two things became apparent as the movement spread:

i. The Christians under no circumstance would worship any other god and refused even the conventional emperor worship of the deified Augustus which was required of all Romans;

ii. The meetings of the Christians were secret and they refused to divulge to those not initiated into the sect the proceedings of their gatherings →rumor among the Roman populace that Christians met in secret assembly and ate the bodies and drank the blood of small children

It was because of these two factors that Christianity was persecuted

Persecution of Christians by the Roman authorities encouraged the spread of the faith and a change in its emphasis.

"The blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church." ---A cult( 宗教仪式 ) of martyrs 殉道者 developed,

---and even those who had not the heart for martyrdom themselves revered local martyrs, and believed in the miracles reported of them in their lives and of their relics after death.

P.S.: martyrs 殉道者，殉教者，烈士：指宁愿选择去死也不愿放弃其宗教信条的人

For simple and uneducated people, these martyr-saints ---supplied the place of older deities who had been credited with magical powers ---and gave them something closer than a remote majestic God and his crucified( 处死：把…钉在或绑在十字架上处死 ) Son with which to meet the terrors and trials of the world.

The Martyrdom of St Sebastian

III. The Fourth Century

Of all the centuries of Christian history, besides that formative first century, it is the fourth that is the most important, for

─ It was during the fourth century that the Christian religion became a tolerated religion, then toward the end of the century emerged as the State Religion of the Empire.

─ The great breakthrough for the Christians came when the Emperor Constantine declared it a tolerated (legal) religion in his famous Edict of Milan in 313 A.D.

i. Emperor Constantine

Constantine the Great (313-337) was born about 274 A.D. to the Roman general

Constantius,, and his concubine Helena who was a Christian.

In 305, Constantius was made the Augustus, the supreme ruler in the West.

After his father’s death Constantine was elected as Emperor.

As he was leading his army against Maxentius who also claimed the title of Augustus, Constantine relied upon the counsel of his mother and prayed to the Christian God for a victory.

The next day, they were victorious in battle. For this one act, Constantine granted freedom of worship to the Christians in the famous Edict of Milan( 米兰赦令 ), the Magna Carta of religious liberty.

Seeing in it the hope of moral solidarity as well as the consolidation of the Empire, Constantine adopted a preferable attitude to Christianity.

He was even baptized as a Christian upon his death bed.

ii. Establishment as the State Religion of Roman Empire

The emperors who followed Constantine continued pro-Christian policies.

In 392 A.D., Emperor Theodosius made Christianity the official religion of the Empire and outlawed all other religions.

Christianity thus had changed from an object of oppression to the State religion of the Empire.

iv. Some Factors for Christianity’s Triumph

Christianity emerged out of the Roman Empire. It was only one among many oriental mystery

cults that sprang up in the Middle East. It outstripped its rivals and the dominant religion

in the Empire. Why?

Some reasons for this triphump i. Roman toleration ii. While intellectual philosophies of the Hellenisti

c world had a cold, intellectual appeal and did not involve the emotions of the people, Christianity offered consolation and hope for a better life, hence, appealing to the distressed masses.

iii. The Roman rulers saw that Christianity could contribute to the consolidation of the Empire as well as moral solidarity. ( 团结 )

V. Schism （基督教内分裂） in Christianity i. The Roman Catholic: ) 天主教的 ) The Roman Catholic is the successor of the church

established in Rome soon after Christ's death. It traces its spiritual history to the early disciples of J

esus. The Pope, or spiritual leader, traces his office's lineage back to St. Peter, the first Pope, one of Jesus' disciples.

Roman Catholicism was originally predominately practiced in Ireland, Poland, France and Spain

ii. V. Schism （基督教内分裂） in Christianity ii. Eastern Orthodox: During the fourth century, due to the division of the

Roman Empire into western and eastern components, the Roman Catholic church split and the Eastern Orthodox branch was formed.

The two churches became officially separate in 1054.

Orthodoxy is common in Russia, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, the Ukraine, and Armenia.

iii. Protestantism 新教 The Protestant branch split from Roman Catholicism du

ring the Reformation, a sixteenth and seventeenth century series of church reforms in doctrine and practice.

This movement challenged the authority of the Pope, and became popular in Scandinavia, England, and the Netherlands.

Protestantism eventually divided into many denominations which arose in response to disputes over doctrine, theology, or religious practice.

Some of the large denominations today are:─ Lutherans, （路德教）─ Methodists( 卫理公会教） ─ Baptists. （浸礼教）

VI. A New Mode of Christian life After Persecution

With the end of persecution there emerges a new type of Christian leader and a new mode of Christian life.

The kudos that had formerly gone to the martyr-saints were transferred to the hermits and monks, who, having withdrawn to the solitude of the desert or wilderness, had succeeded in conquering the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil by self-imposed austerities and constant prayer.

This is the beginning of monasticism.

Monasticism （修道院制度）Origin of Monasticism: It had started in the third century in the eastern

Mediterranean region as a movement of individuals in flight from the corruption of the cities to the peace of the desert. The large number who desired to emulate these first hermits necessitated the organization of communities in order to maintain discipline.

Monks and nuns lived in communities apart from the world, but they prayed together and practiced the Christian virtues of love, humility, and obedience in their relations with one another.

The monastery is a school for the teaching of the true Christian life. The Christian monks did a lot to help preserve and transmit a large part of the traditional heritage of the western culture.

St. Benedict & The Benedictine Rule ( 本笃会戒律 , founded about 529 A.D.) The monks devoted to the monastic life had to give up

the pleasures and pains of sexual love, taking a vow of chastity before entering the community. He was to have no personal property, not so much as a knife or pen, and he was to obey the abbot and senior brothers in all humility. Eating and sleeping were restricted to limits balanced between the body's subordination to the spirit and its natural animal needs. The monk was to divide his time among prayer, labor for the community, study and meditation （沉思 , 冥想） . The monastery became his home and his family, and he was not to leave except on permission or order of the abbot.

Part five: The Bible---The New Testament:

Four Gospels （福音书） The Acts of the Apostles ( 《使徒行传》 ) The Epistles, or Letters to Romans ( 《罗马

书》 ) The Book of Revelation （《启示录》）

5. The Bible---The New Testament: Jesus had left no written records. Notable components of the New Testament include: i. Four Gospels by Jesus’ early followers: Matthew 《马太福音》 Mark 《马可福音》 Luke 《路加福音》 John 《约翰福音》 They were believed to have been written by Matthew, M

ark, Luke and John--- 4 of Jesus early followers. They tell of the birth, teaching, death and resurrection of

Jesus.

ii. the Acts of the Apostles （《使徒行传》 ) --- a history of the early Christian Movement iii. the Epistles or Letters to Romans ( 《罗马书》 ) --- letters to the church groups around the Mediterranean iii. the Book of Revelation （《启示录》）， --- a visionary account of the final triumph of God‘s purp

ose --- the last part of the N.T.

Some stories in the N.T.:

(1). The Birth of Jesus (2). Jesus Is Tempted by the Devil (3). The Sermon on the Mount (4) The Last Supper (5). The Crucifixion (the death of Christ on the

cross)

Adoration of the Shepherds, illustration

by Guido Reni, 17th century

The Blessed Virgin Mary with the Holy Infant; ← Oldest photo

Temptation of Christ, illustration by Ary Scheffer, 1854

Christ baptized by John the Baptist by Francesco Trevisani

Jesus and the miraculous catch of fish, in the Sea of Galilee, by Raphael

Sermon on the Mount,

illustration by Carl Heinrich Bloch, 19th c.

Palma il Vecchio's the Last Supper

The Kiss of Judas by Giotto di Bondone (1267 — 1337).

Crucifixion, painting by D. Velázquez,

17th c.

Resurrection of Jesus, illustration by Matthias Grünewald, 16th c.

Part six: The Translation of the Bible

The Influence Translation of the Bible─ Original Version─ Translations:♣ Greek Version♣ Latin Version♣ English Versions♣ Chinese Verion

I. The Influence The Bible is a collection of religious writings. But it is

much more than a religious book---reflecting most extensively western ideas and culture.

It is really an encyclopedia. It is the essential of western civilization, having shap

ed the western civilization more decisively than anything else ever written.

All in one ，─ it is history; ─ it is literature; ─ it is record of great minds. It has left enormous influence on the human race, e

specially in the aspect of religious beliefs, language and literature.

II. Translation of the Bible

i. Original version:─ The Old Testament in Hebrew─ the New Testament in a popular form of Greek.

ii. Translations:

(1). Greek Version---the Septuagint. /sɛptuː.ədʒɪnt/

七十子希腊文旧约全书（ 3rd. century B.C. in Alexandria ）─ The oldest extant ( 现存的） Greek translation of the Ol

d Testament ─ Still in use in the Greek Church today. ─ Work of 72 translators in 72 days.─ Extremely invaluable because the texts from which it is tr

anslated has been lost. ─ And no copy of the original translation can be found.

(2). Latin Version--- the Vulgate─ The most ancient extant Latin version of the whole Bible

by Jerome 日罗姆 （ 405 A.D. ）─ translated in common people‘s language─ This version made the Bible very popular--- model for ver

sions in other Languages. ─ After 16th Century: into many national languages.

(3). English Versions 1382: John Wycliff 威克里夫 16th Century: William Tyndale, 1611: King James’ Bible （詹姆斯一世钦定本） , plain language and most important and influential of the English Bible

1885: revised edition 1901: American edition

Its Influence upon English Literature

It is generally accepted that the English Bible and Shakespeare are two great reservoirs of Modern English.

Almost all great authors of the English language show a familiarity with the Bible.

The use of Biblical themes has been a literary tradition.

Some noted examples are: ─ Milton‘s Paradise Lost ─ Bunyan‘s Pilgrim‘s Progress─ Byron‘s Cain─ Hemingway‘s The Son Also Rises ─ Steinbeck‘s East of Eden In fact few great English and American writers o

f the 17th ,18th,19th and 20th century can be read and appreciated with satisfaction without a sufficient knowledge of the Bible.

Chinese Versions

* 7th C: 景教本 （敦煌）* 17th C: 明清本， by missionaries

* 1919: 和合本 , financed by churches

* 1979 ： 联合本 （ in H.K. ）

Famous saying from the Bible the last straw that falls gently on the camel’s

back 引起巨大后果的最后因素 Can the leopard change its spots? 本性难移 . To sow the wind and reap the whirlwind自食

其果 . A living dog is better than a dead lion. It is more difficult for the rich to give than for t

he camel to go through the eye of a needle.