Clarity on the issue of salvation in the synoptic gospels

[Willflyforfood]

Hello everyone!
I've been a long time lurker on the board, now a first time poster. I'm looking to get some more insight on the issue of salvation as it is presented in the synoptic gospels. I've recently been confronted with the assertions of some of the more liberal leaning theologians that there is a conflict between Paul and Christ/James/Everybody regarding the method of receiving justification. I've also been made more aware of "The New Perspective on Paul" and what appears to me to be a return to a more "catholic" view of how justification is obtained (as a mixture of faith and works). It seems the Gospel of John is clear regarding how one is saved, but I must admit the synoptics seem to be slightly more confusing. If the synoptics were read without knowledge of what is presented in the rest of the new testament I could almost see how one could come under the impression that salvation is more based upon works than anything. Some of the aforementioned theologians would say we are interpreting Jesus through Paul! I, personally, firmly believe there is no contradiction in scripture and that scripture makes it clear we are saved by God's grace received through faith, but I am left with a question. Why the silence on faith and emphasis on works in the synoptics? I feel as if I must be missing something. Thanks so much in advance for your thoughts brothers!

In Christ,
Lucas

 

[Contra_Mundum]

I think, if you start reading the NT library looking for potential conflicts between different men doing "god-talk," conflicts are what you're going to find. If you are looking for different men, with slightly different emphasis, but the same orientation, the same Teacher, and the same Spirit of inspiration, you should not be disappointed to find the Apostles and their followers present a unified expression of the Faith.

Are the synoptics, in fact, heavy with a "works" orientation? Here's one of the most powerful texts anywhere in the NT, concerning salvation by gratuitous forgiveness:

Lk.18:9-14 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

Jesus is always correcting the self-righteous, works-oriented Pharisees:

Lk.10:29ff But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho,...

Lk.16:14-15 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.​

Of course, there will be some who say this is just Luke, piggybacking on Paul (and see his vol.2, the Acts of the Apostles). They say, "He's different from Matthew and Mark."

Is faith emphasized in the Synoptics, or are they actually silent?

Mt.9:28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord."

Mt.21:25, 32 The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?" And they discussed it among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?'... For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

Mt.27:42 "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.

Mk.1:15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

Mk.9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!"

Mk.9:42 "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

Lk.8:12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

Lk.22:67 "If you are the Christ, tell us." But he said to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe,

Lk.24:25 And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!

Mt.8:10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.

Mt.9:2 And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven."

Mt.9:22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well.

Mt.9:29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it done to you.

Mt.14:31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

Mt.15:28 Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.

Mk. 11:22 And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God.​

Anyway, it seems to me that faith generally, and faith in Christ in particular, gets considerable mention. Anyway, at the end of the day, the Gospels are about Jesus, and his WORK for us. It's the responsibility of the reader to believe in what he hears.

The rich young ruler has all the works, but they don't avail him, Mk.10:7. The publicans and harlots (who have no works to speak of) go into the kingdom ahead of the legalists, Mt.21.31.

There was one who seemed to get away from the works, to a focus on pure love for God when he replied to Jesus answer to the challenge to name the most important law of Moses, Mk.12:33 "And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Jesus rejoinder is non-affirming, v34, "And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God.'"
The problem is that this man is not IN the kingdom, and he can spend the rest of his time in blindness ten feet from the gate and perish, with all his insight and his works.

Mt.9:13 Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."



Where do you see an emphasis on works in the Synoptics?


Oh my, how could I forget this one? Mt.20:1-6

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went.

Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same.

And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too.'

And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.'

And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.'

But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?' So the last will be first, and the first last."​

Isn' t the purpose of this parable to point out the utter meaninglessness of any of our "contributions," and the utter leveling nature of grace?

 

[rbcbob]

Why not reply that we are just as truly interpreting Jesus through Moses?

Gen 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

 

[Willflyforfood]

Thank you so much for your well thought out reply Rev. Buchanan! You certainly highlighted some passages and instances I hadn't thought about before! The passage in Luke 18 seems enough by itself to clinch the case for me. I believe I've heard Dr. Piper use it before in a sermon on the supposed contradiction between Paul and Jesus. It really is amazing to see the agreement between the NT writers. And good point rbcbob! Pauls appeal to the lives of Abraham and David in Romans 4 does seem to me to show the continuity in the concept of salvation through faith, even throughout the OT. The attack upon the reliability of scripture from within the church itself is quite a disturbing trend to me. What then can we trust?