Exploration of the Christian Faiths
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rel-150_pp1.pptxJesus of Nazareth
Christianity: An Introduction
A New Movement
Year 60: Roman authorities noticed a new movement
“Chrestus” or “Christus” cause of trouble
Emperor Nero: Great fire of Rome 64
Tacitus :”the Christians”
313: Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire
Nero
Questions to Consider:
What was this new religion?
What did it teach?
Where did it come from?
What made it so attractive?
How did it come to be so influential in its first few centuries?
What happened after it had achieved such success at Rome?
How has it shaped the lives individuals and the history of the human race?
Gateways to Encountering Christianity
Texts
Services
Buildings
Music
Art
Centrality of Jesus to the Christian Faith
Christianity is Jesus Christ
Christianity represents a sustained response to the questions raised by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Is a historical religion, coming into being in response to a specific set of events that center around Jesus Christ.
Life, death, resurrection
Jesus is more than a founder; he makes God known, salvation possible, who models a new life with God that results from faith.
Jesus tell us and shows us what God is like.
Jesus makes a new relationship with God possible
Jesus himself lives out a God-focused life, which Christians are encouraged to imitate
Centrality of Jesus to the Christian Faith
1. Jesus reveals both the will and face of God
Colossians 1:15 “Image of the invisible God” = eikon – Emperor on coinage
Hebrews 1:3 “The exact representation of God’s being” - charakter
John 14:9 “No one comes to the Father but through me”
2. Jesus is understood to be the ground of salvation
Significant title: “Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10)
Ichthus – “fish” “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior
Saves people from sins (Matthew 1:21)
In his name alone is there salvation (Acts 4;12)
“Author of Salvation” (Hebrews 2:10)
Centrality of Jesus to the Christian Faith
3. Jesus is the model of the redeemed life; Christians called to “imitate Christ”
Paul: “Be imitators of God” (Ephesians 5:1)
But – must know what God is like
“Love one another” (John 4:7-11)
The Kingdom was for all, without hesitation.
What groups were they hesitant of?
Who do you think people would be hesitant of today?
The Gospels and Jesus
Mark 1:1 “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God”
Gospel – “Good news”
What is the good news?
Koine – Greek of the “common” people; used for the Gospels
Evangelion – “good” and “news” or “message”
“Jesus Christ” – Hebrew Yeshua “God saves”; “Christ” is a title – Greek version of word “messiah”
Judaism – a new King David would open up a new age; expectations ranged from political to priestly, to greater
“Messianic age”
The Gospels and Jesus
Christianity first existed within/alongside Judaism
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob became more revealed in Jesus
In Gospels/Acts of the Apostles “Jesus of Nazareth”
Nazareth – 100 miles north of Jerusalem, in region of Galilee
Those in Jerusalem saw them as less than authentic Jews, and many failed to think that the messiah could come from Galilee
Four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
Matthew, Mark, Luke – “synoptic” Gospels
John very theological/philosophical
Gospels cannot be thought of as biographies, but ways of making Jesus known to their audiences
Sea of Galilee
Jesus and Roman Historians
Three Roman historians make reference to Jesus:
Pliny the Younger (111AD)
Tacitus (115ad)
Suetonius (120AD)
In their writings we see mention of:
Christ condemned to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judaea, during the reign of Roman emperor Tiberius. Pilate worked years 26-36; Tiberius 14-37; Jesus’ crucifixion was sometime between 30 and 33.
By the time of Nero, Christ had attracted enough followers to be a scapegoat for Rome’s fire
“Chrestus” was the founder of a distinctive group within Judaism (Suetonius)
In 112 AD Christians worshipped Jesus “as if he were a god” , abandoning worship of the Roman emperor
Pliny the Younger
Jesus and Israel
Jesus is born into Israel.
What is Israel?
Christians stress that God is the God of the great saints of Judaism, such as Abraham, Moses
Israel is seen as preparation for God’s coming in Jesus
Hebrew Scriptures are of great importance to Christian writers (which we will spend time discussing
Jesus came “not to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17)
Paul – Jesus is “the goal of the Law”
telos
Paul stresses the relationship between Moses and Jesus; and Christians and the great figures of the faith of Israel
Jesus and Israel
In the Christian Scriptures, the New Testament, the same theme reoccurs:
“Law, Prophets, and Writings” are the “Old Testament” to Christians
Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled in Jesus; 12 points in the Gospel of Matthew are shown to fulfill Old Testament prophecy
Psalm 22: Jesus quotes as he is dying on the cross.
Personal difficulties of King David are those of Jesus: Eloi, eloi, Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
Isaiah 52:13-53:12: Servant is despised and rejected by others
Jesus is crucified between two criminals
Jesus and Jewish Groups
Judaism – Palestinian Judaism
Diaspora -Jews scatter
Five major groups existed within Palestinian Judaism
Samaritans – lived in nearby areas, with similar beliefs in Judaism
Assyrian invasion – some syncretism
Separate worship center
Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25), Samaritan woman (John 4:4-32)
Jesus and Jewish Groups
Pharisees – saw law as evolving; with doctrinal developments “Torah and tradition”
Distanced themselves from what they thought to be unacceptable
Believed in the resurrection of the dead
Sadducees – Five books of law – binding authority; did not believe in the afterlife
Zealots – politically radical Jews, concerned to overthrow Roman occupation of the land
Essenes- emphasis on religious purity; lived in communities in the wilderness; lived simple lives, and were celibate
The Birth of Jesus
Matthew and Luke: provide the “Christmas card” accounts.
Birthdate unknown; Christians chose December 25th.
Traditional Roman holiday
Clement of Alexandria advocated May 20th
Actual date a non-issue for Christians
Story develops:
Three gifts: Wise men?
Birthplace?
The Birth of Jesus
Joseph – in King David’s legal bloodline; never referred to as “father of Jesus”
Mary – “Mother of Jesus”
To Christians, the conception of Jesus is divine
The Beginning of the Public Ministry of Jesus
John the Baptist: Prepare the way
Return of Elijah?
“Baptism”: Greek “to bathe”
Temptation – 40 days 40 nights in the wilderness
Now he’s ready to go
Comes into public ministry, with a theme of rejection.
Disciples
Apostles – “the twelve”
Teaching, healing; helping people understand the fullness of the Jewish law.
Jesus and Women
In Jesus’ ministry, women were:
Affirmed by him
Witness to the crucifixion
First witnesses of the Resurrection
Named as disciples (males were not)
Shown to be more spiritually perceptive than men.
Kept from being lone scapegoats in adultery
Jewish teaching: “Not converse much with women, as this will eventually lead you to unchastity”
Luke: Focus on Mary; showed women important for spreading the Gospel
Teaching of Jesus: Parables of the Kingdom
“Kingdom of God” or “Kingdom of Heaven” movement: often told in parables
Basileia – not a physical land
The “Lord’s prayer”
Parables – short stories that were allegories to express the tenants of the kingdom – spiritual truths that require one to think, and act.
Prodigal Son
The Crucifixion
Crucifixion – being placed on a cross
Common Roman execution
Passover – Last Supper
Sacrificial Lamb
Eucharist, or “Holy Communion” rooted here
Holy Thursday
Betrayed by Apostle Judas
Seized by Roman authorities and questioned
Sanhedrin – Jewish ruling council; could not sentence someone to death
The Crucifixion
Pontius Pilate seemed to want to give Jesus a token punishment and move on, but the crowd rallies against him
Jesus was scourged; set to carry his cross to his place of crucifixion.
Helped along the way by Simon of Cyrene, pulled from the crowd
Golgotha/Calvary – “the place of the skull”
“My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?”
Good Friday – Christians mourn the death of Jesus
Jesus dies and is laid in the tomb
The Resurrection
Resurrection – used to refer to series of events, summarized as follows:
Jesus’ tomb is discovered empty
Disciples report personal appearances
Jesus preached about as living Lord, not past teacher
“Empty tomb” – eye-witness accounts in Gospels
A woman’s testimony would be dismissed
Jewish views on the afterlife were mixed
Events and Meanings
Christian faith presupposes Jesus was a real historical figure
Christianity, however is not just facts about Jesus
Paul – saw behind mere external event itself to what it signified and was not interested in merely facts; for Paul the crucifixion meant salvation, forgiveness, and victory over death
Jesus died, in order that all may life; was numbered among sinners so sinners can be forgiven.
Paul
New Testament Understandings of Jesus
Messiah: Hebrew title; “the Lord’s anointed” or the “divinely appointed King of Israel”
Christ – title
Lord: used as a divine being
Often used in the Old Testament to describe the holy name of God
Savior – “captain of salvation”
The one who saves
Forgiver of Sins
New Testament Understandings of Jesus
Son of God – Old Testament: emphasis on exclusiveness as an angelic or supernatural person
Incarnation
All are children of God – “Our Father”
Son of Man – counterpart to “Son of God”; an affirmation to Jesus’ humanity
Shows Jesus’ humanity and willingness to suffer alongside others
God – “My Lord and my God”
Shows Jesus’ divinity to Christians
