JESUS

JESUSTHEO 201Thursday, january 29, 2015Lecturer: Samuel Farrugia

Jesus & the West2015 (AD)?

Jewish calendar: 5775; Muslim Calendar: 1436 (Hijra)Dionysius Exiguus(Dennis the Small,Dennis the Dwarf,Dennis the LittleorDennis the Short, meaning humble) (c.470 c.544) was a 6th-century monk born inScythia Minor(probably modernDobruja, which is inRomaniaandBulgaria).2

Jesus & the West

Jesus & the West

Emperor Constantine I (272 337)312: conversion of Constantine to Christianity313: Edict of MilanEmperor Theodosius I (347 395)380: Edict of Thessalonica

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Jesus & the West

Jesus & the West

Jesus & the West

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This lectureThis lecture will seek to develop the following points regarding Jesus:Where our information about Jesus comes from.The Gospel message of Jesus as demonstrating both confrontation with Roman imperial propaganda as well as continuity with the story of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament).How the 4 Evangelists seek to tell the story of Jesus as the fulfillment of Jewish hopes for the coming of the kingdom of God.The role that the resurrection of Jesus played in the faith of the first Christians.The way in which Jesus was worshipped as divine by the first Christians.

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Where does our information about Jesus come from?

The Gospels

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The Gospelv (euangelion) = good newsAn evangelist = someone who tells good newsThe Gospel according to Mark = Marks rendition of the good newsthe gospel = the good news about Jesus

The beginning of the good newsof Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

(Gospel according to Mark 1.1)IT BEGINS...

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The 4 Gospelsof the New Testament

The main source of our information about JesusOther sources:Archeology (ruins, inscriptions, etc.)Jewish and Greco-Roman texts (Flavius Josephus, Tacitus, etc.)

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The Gospels: 4 testimoniesOur knowledge of Jesus is based on the experiences and/or the research of 4 first-century Jewish men

(Matthew, Mark, Luke [might have been Greek] & John)

4 biographies

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The 4 Gospels

All four evangelists assume certain things about JesusHe is the Messiah of Israel (Messiah = Christos: anointed One; rightful King)He is the Son of God (see Ps. 2; 2 Samuel 7, etc.)Jesus death on the cross is the fulfillment of the Jewish hope for the establishment of the kingdom of GodJesus rose from the dead on the third day after his deathJesus resurrection from the dead is the :Legitimation of his messianic claimThe beginning of a new creationThe guarantee of the future hope of Jesus followers (i.e. Christians)Jesus is Yahweh (YHWH: the god of Israel) in person

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The beginning of the good newsof Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

(Gospel according to Mark 1.1)IT BEGINS...

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What do these words mean? gospel

Christ

son of God

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Confrontation & continuityThe evangelists language about Jesus is both confrontational (regarding roman imperial propaganda about the emperor) and demonstrates continuity between the story of Jesus and the larger story of Gods people, Israel (which we read about in the Old Testament).

Confrontation: son of which god?Julius Caesar (100 44 BC), proconsul of the Republic of Rome, adopted his nephew Octavian as his son and heir.2 years after Caesars assassination, the Roman senate accorded him apotheosis, i.e. they declared that Caesar had been elevated to divine status as a member of the pantheon of Roman gods.After a period of civil war with Mark-Antony, Octavian, Caesars adopted son, became the first emperor of Rome in 27 BC and took the title of Augustus as well as his uncles name, Caesar.Augustus also took the title son of the divine Julius Caesar (= son of a god) as well as kurios (Lord) and soter (Saviour).Augustus was emperor at the time of Jesus birth.

Confrontation: Son of which god?The angel said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be bornwill be holy; he will be called Son of God. (Luke 1.35)But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for seeI am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:11to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah,the Lord. (Luke 2.10-11)

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Confrontation: Son of which god?The gods of the RomansAre to be found within the universe (e.g. Mt. Olympus)The result of celestial warfare between gods and titans and heroes, etc.Are basically idealized human virtues and vicesHonoured with statues, shrines and templesNumerous and their number was always growing (e.g. through the deification of emperors)

The God of the Jews (YHWH)Transcendent (over and above the universe)Immanent (present to the universe)Self-existentTotally otherWorshipped in a Temple, but no statuesUnique (Singular?)the God of ChristiansTranscendent and immanentSelf-existent(originally) worshipped in small gatherings of Christians in private homes Worshipped Jesus as divine together with Yahweh and therefore eventually developed the doctrine of the :Trinity (Tri + Unity) of 3 divine persons sharing 1 divine essence; 1 God in 3 persons; 3 persons who are 1 GodFather, Son (Jesus) & Holy Spirit

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The name of (the) God (of Israel)YHWH = the tetragrammaton (4 letters)Out of respect for the 3rd commandment: You shall not make wrongful use of the name of theLordyour God, for the Lordwill not acquit anyone who misuses his name. (Exodus 20.7), Jews at the time of Jesus refused to pronounce the divine name, and when reading the text of Scripture aloud, they would simply say the name (ha Shem) when they encountered the name of God in the text.Many English translations of the Old Testament (Hebrew Scripture) translate the divine name as LORD, following the example of the 2nd-century BC Greek translation (Septuagint: LXX), which translated the divine name by the word kurios (Lord).Most scholars today are agreed that we should pronounce the tetragrammaton as Yahweh.

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good newsof God,15and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;repent, and believe in the good news.(Mark 1.14-15)The good news according to Jesus

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Continuity: good news about what?YHWHs kingdom At the time of Jesus, the term kingdom of Yahweh summed up the Jewish hope that their God would deliver them from pagan oppression, fulfill the promises he had made to Abraham and David and reign through Israel over the entire world in justice and peace.During the Second-Temple period, different groups developed within Judaism, each group having different expectations as to how the kingdom of God was going to come and what they should be doing in the meantime (Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes & Zealots).

Continuity:3 fundamental Jewish beliefsMONOTHEISM ELECTION (COVENANT)ESCHATOLOGY (i.e. the hope for a happy ending to the story of YHWH and his people)ONE GODONE PEOPLE OF GODONE FUTURE FOR ISRAEL AND THE WORLD (THE NATIONS)

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ELECTION (COVENANT)the call of AbrahamNow theLordsaid to Abram, Go from your country and your kindred and your fathers house to the land that I will show you.2I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.3I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. (Genesis 12.1-3)

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MONOTHEISMTHE ONE TRUE GOD IS THE GOD OF ISRAEL

He said further, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. (Exodus 3.6; cf. 2.24)

I am theLord(YHWH) your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;3you shall have no other gods beforeme. 4You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. (Exodus 20.2-4)

Shema YIsral : Hear, O Israel: TheLord (YHWH)is our God, theLordalone.5You shall love theLord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6.4-5)

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ESCHATOLOGYTHE HOPE FOR THE KINGDOMWhen your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you and I will establish his kingdom.He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me;your throne shall be established forever.

(2 Samuel 7.12-16)As I watched in the night visions,I saw one like a human beingcoming with the clouds of heaven.And he came to the Ancient Oneand was presented before him.14To him was given dominionand glory and kingship,that all peoples, nations, and languagesshould serve him.His dominion is an everlasting dominionthat shall not pass away,and his kingship is onethat shall never be destroyed.

(Daniel 7.13-14)

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How will this story end?

When will the true king show up?When will things be set right?When will we be free?

The story so farThe time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;repent, and believe in the good news. (Mark 1.15)

Jesus says that the moment everyone has been waiting for has arrived! What has happened up until this point?Lets go (further) back in time

Clap your hands, all you peoples;shout to God with loud songs of joy.2For theLord, the Most High, is awesome,a great king over all the earth.3He subdued peoples under us,and nations under our feet.4He chose our heritage for us,the pride of Jacob whom he loves.5God has gone up with a shout,theLordwith the sound of a trumpet.6Sing praises to God, sing praises;sing praises to our King, sing praises.7For God is the king of all the earth;sing praises with a psalm. Psalm 47

the kingdom of YHWH

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YHWH is king of all the earth, of all the nations.YHWH has chosen one nation to be his people (Israel).YHWH reigns over the world through Israel, and more specifically, through Israels king.

the kingdom of YHWH

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the kingdom of YHWHthe monarchy & the Temple

The kings of the earth set themselves,and the rulers take counsel together,against theLordand his anointed4He who sits in the heavens laughs;theLordhas them in derision.5Then he will speak to them in his wrath,and terrify them in his fury, saying,6I have set my king on Zion (i.e. Jerusalem), my holy hill.7I will tell of the decree of theLord:He said to me, You are my son;today I have begotten you.8Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,and the ends of the earth your possession.9You shall break them with a rod of iron,and dash them in pieces like a potters vessel. (Psalm 2)

the kingdom of YHWH

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the kingdom of YHWH according to Psalm 2

YHWH established the King of Israel by anointing him.YHWH calls the king of Israel his son.YHWH promises to subjugate all the pagan (non-Jewish) nations to the reign of Israels king.

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the peoples rebellion & consequent exile

The suppression of the royal line of David.The reign of pagan empires (Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman).Israel, who claimed to be the people of the one true God, finds herself to be the slave of idolatrous (pagan) nations.

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How beautiful upon the mountainsare the feet of the messenger who announces peace,who brings good news,who announces salvation,who says to Zion, Your God reigns.8Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices,together they sing for joy;for in plain sight they seethe return of theLordto Zion. (Isaiah 52.7-8)Hopes for the end of exile

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Hopes for the end of exileIsaiahA voice cries out:In the wilderness prepare the way of theLord,make straight in the desert a highway for our God.4Every valley shall be lifted up,and every mountain and hill be made low;the uneven ground shall become level,and the rough places a plain.5Then the glory of theLordshall be revealed,and all people shall see it together,for the mouth of theLordhas spoken. (Isaiah 40.3-5)MarkThe beginning of the good newsof Jesus Christ, the Son of God.2As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,who will prepare your way;3the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:Prepare the way of the Lord,make his paths straight,4John the baptizer appearedin the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1.1-4)

The kingdom of YHWHNow after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;repent, and believe in the good news. (Mark 1.14-15)YHWH is preparing to:Return to his people.Forgive his people.Deliver his people from pagan oppression.Restore the kingly line of David.Reign once again over his people and establish justice and peace.

Establishing the kingdomjesus: healer

Moved with pity, Jesusstretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, I do choose. Be made clean!42Immediately the leprosyleft him, and he was made clean.Mc 1.41-42

Establishing the kingdomjesus : exorcist

But Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be silent, and come out of him!26And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. Mc 1.25-26

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Establishing the kingdomjesus : teacher

Jesuswent out again beside the sea; the whole crowd gathered around him, and he taught them. Mc 2.13

Establishing the kingdomjesus : story-teller

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it;34he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples. Mc 4.33-34

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Establishing the kingdomjesus : party-animalAnd as he sat at dinnerin Levishouse, many tax collectors and sinners were also sittingwith Jesus and his disciplesfor there were many who followed him. Mc 2.15

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Establishing the kingdom

Establishing the kingdom

Establishing the kingdom

The resurrection of Jesus

2 PHENOMENA THAT REQUIRE AN EXPLANATION

The empty tomb.The appearances of the resurrected Jesus to his followers.

The resurrection of Jesus

The NT language of resurrection.Refers to a new bodily life, the other side of death (not the resuscitation of a corpse; not a Zombie).Early Christianity as a messianic movement.The crucifixion of a would-be Messiah spelled the end of his movement (Ac. 5.36-37).

Resurrection Hope in 2nd-temple Judaism (6th-C B.C. 1st-C AD)

RESURRECTION OF THE RIGHTEOUS AT THE DAWN OF THE AGE TO COME

At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.2Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earthshall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12.1-2

CHALLENGE !!!

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