Very quickly our course on New
Testament Foundation is ending soon. I’m
starting to like going to class. I am so
blessed to be in the same class with this group of learners. Their learning
spirit, team spirit and their ever ready to care, share attitude touches me. In
fact, I feel the need to better myself all the more. They are my role model
indeed.
My decision to attend this New
Testament Foundation is, hoping to read these books in New Testament (NT) the
way I have never before. I would like to
share a few information that I picked up in this lesson.
Firstly, Alexander the Great
through Hellenization, influenced countries that he conquered by introducing
Greek States, Greek language and Greek lifestyles. NT was written mainly in
Greek instead of Hebrew as in the Old Testament. Next, I would like to share
that before the lesson I knew well that there are there 27 books in NT, the
first four books are four Gospel books. Now I have learned that gospel written
Matthew, Mark and Luke are synoptic gospel but not John’s. What it means is
that the first 3 gospels have its story line synoptic that overlap 91% of what
is written in Mark’s Gospel is found in Matthew and 83% that is written in
Mark’s is found in Luke. Needless to
say, John’s way of writing was completely of different setting as compared to
the first three books. John’s way of writing the gospel was base on what he
witnessed and also his intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. The theology of
John is highly advanced, especially its Christology. He understood pretty well the
thinking of Jews people of their lacking, needs and wants. He borrowed the idea
and thinking or mindset of others and Christianize it with his choice of words used
in writing so that the whole concept is to bridge salvation that Christ was
about to bring.
Secondly, our lecturer also
elaborated and helped us to define on the method or style of gospel or books in
the NT was written. My lecturer led us into identifying the storyline. We started
with the plot, the setting and the character as three main big points. The
character alone were categories it into “The Hero”, ‘The Evil” and “The Agent”
with the main character flowing with “full-fledged” of emotion from sad, angry
to joy etc. In it, we also learned that to clearly express on the conflicts and
followed by the solution is also one of the important factor.
Last but not least, I would like
to share my “personal” breakthrough. It is something to do with my long
identified “stage fright” issue. My usual self in the past will feel the
symptoms include a racing heart, a dry mouth, a shaky voice, trembling, sweating
and temporary lost of hearing while feeling nausea or giddy. This time round,
although this stage fright feeling did still attack me but it just came and go
within seconds. Not only that, I started having fun with the group while trying
to bring out as much as possible the requirement of the presentation. Praise
the Lord my God and all glory to Him.
What my best take away in the
lesson is, I started to see a higher calling in our lives. I’ll try to
constantly remind myself to read the Bible, reflecting and executing the
teaching with a heart of a learner. Every single word of discipline and
teaching in the Bible is to lead us to be obedient to the will of God from right
inside of us. Not just outward look like that of scribes and Pharisees are
self-righteous as written. This brought us to relational perfection (Christian
by “Love”) instead of moral perfection (Pharisees by “Law”). It teaches us to
Love and not just telling us to stop hating someone as well as to go beyond the
basic instinct and move towards truth and integrity.
Here, I would like to thank our
Team leader Sis Aggie and each and every Team A members for supporting me
through this course. Special thanks to our lecturer Rev Casey & Ps Eileen
having to lead us through such a long hours of teaching. Deep in my heart, a
big hug to my beloved Sister Jeslyn that in my time of feeling terribly unwell,
she took the trouble to gather a few sisters and brother to pray for me. I was
healed in an instant. Give thanks to God for sending a group of prayer warrior
to my aid, all glory to Him.
