3.2B- The person of Jesus Christ INCOMPLETE

Question 1

The Apostle’s Creed

Answer 1

3 distinct parts, Jesus’ section being larger to address uncertainty over him.

Question 2

Jesus: The son of God

Answer 2

Followers used it to describe special relationship
-In Jewish terms, the phrase referred to the King, as they were appointed by God.
-In non-Jewish-Greek world, a human who had been elevated to a divine being.
-At the beginning of the New Testament, the writers focused on establishing the facts and hinting that Jesus was difference
-2nd Century theologians had to figure out who he was themselves, before talking to others.

Question 3

Ebionitism: Jesus- the son of God

Answer 3

-Emerged out of Jewish-influenced Christianity
-Solved humanity and divinity of Jesus by refusing his divininty
-acknowledged he was spirtually superior, though
-rejected virgin birth
-proclaimed he was a messiah, wbo would return and rule in the name of God
-Didn’t last long, as Christianity developed largely in the Gentile world, using Gentile ideas.

Question 4

Docetism: Jesus- the son of God

Answer 4

-Jesus was divine, but appeared human
-Jesus pretended to suffer at the Crucifixion
-More like an attitude

Question 5

Arianism: Jesus- the son of God

Answer 5

-Jesus not eternal, created by God to help creation creation/tasks

Question 6

The council of Nicaea (325 BCE): Jesus- the son of God

Answer 6

-important moment in Christian history
-This council went a long way towards defining what true Christian belief was

Question 7

The council of Chalcedon (451 BCE): Jesus- the song of God

Answer 7

-At this council,a line was finally drawn under what consituted authentic Christian belief

Question 8

What is Christology?: Jesus- the son of God

Answer 8

-Is the nature of Jesus’ relationship with God
-2 types of Christology: from above is ‘high’ Christology and from below is ‘low’ Christology
-The kind a Christian believes in changes what they think is meant by salvation, the relationship of humans with God.

Question 9

‘High’ Christology: Jesus- the son of God

Answer 9

-Means to look ‘from above’ at Jesus and his devine nature
-Accoridng to John’s Gospel, Jesus is the ‘logos’ word sent from God to save the world.

Question 10

‘Low’ Christology: Jesus- the son of God

Answer 10

-Means to look ‘from below’ at Jesus and his knowledge of God.
-This view begins with the things Jesus did, his teachings in parables, his care for the poor and sick, and his relationship with Jewish leaders.
-After establishing his human characteristics, and then moves on to think about divinity.

Question 11

Incarnation: Jesus- the son of God

Answer 11

-Only two Gospels relate Jesus’ birth- Matthew and Luke
-Incarnation means ‘in the flesh’
-This birth is presented as unqiue:’A saviour has been born to you’, Jesus came to save, not just to preach

Question 12

Early theologians- The Incarnation: Jesus- the son of God

Answer 12

-Theologians have been divided over what the Incarnation means

Question 13

The Incarnation- Nestorius (died c.451): Jesus- the son of God

Answer 13

-Argues two natures of Christ were completely different.

Question 14

The Incarnation- Apollinarius (c.310-390): Jesus- the son of God

Answer 14

-Argues that in the Incarnation, the divine will replaced Jesus’ ordinary human reason.

Question 15

The Incarnation- Docetic Christians: Jesus- the son of God

Answer 15

-Taught that at the Incarnation God only appeared to take on human form but Jesus could not have been fully human.

Question 16

The Incarnation- Pope Paul John II: Jesus- the son of God

Answer 16

-He followed the statement of ‘High’ Christology
-He decided that Jesus, in the Incarnation, was truly God and truly human.

Question 17

Miracles: Jesus- the son of God

Answer 17

-It’s generally accepted that Jesus performed at least 30 different miracles
-Both ‘high’ and ‘low’ Christologies agree that Jesus miracles are signs of salvation.
-As signs (the preferred term in John’s Gospel) they indicate what it would be like to live in a world restored.

Question 18

How are miracles interpretated today?: Jesus- the son of God

Answer 18

-HUME- As there’s no present day, direct experience of miracles, Hume’s ‘Essay on Miracles’ argues we cannot trust the accounts
-SCHILLEBEECKX- Thought that having a spiritual or metaphorical meanign for miracles today was a better way. It isn’t any easier scientifically to comprehend.
-WRIGHT- Discusses what we think the Gospel writers are doing in reporting Jesus’ miracles, especially with healing, In Wright’s interpretation, Jesus’ miracles show a greater authority than simply a power to alter the way the universe usually works.

Question 19

Resurrection: Jesus- the son of God

Answer 19

-It’s the single most important event in history, as Christians understand Jesus gave up his use in order to save the world from sin.
-Although the Pharisees believed in life after death, which is a pre-Christian idea about life after death, there is only two examples in the Old Testament.

Question 20

Jewish ideas about life after death: Jesus- the son of God

Answer 20

-In early Jewish thought, Jesus didn’t believe in an afterlife, it was only during their exile they learnt of the Babylonian’s belief in an afterlife

Question 21

The purpose of the resurrection: Jesus- the son of God

Answer 21

-the idea of the resurrection was fundamental to what Christians believe about God
-The resurrection of Jesus discloses God is a new way
-The resurrection indicates his certainty in the future kingdom of God
-The resurrection in the full and final revelation of Jesus
-The resurrection reveals the glorified transformed being

Question 22

Confirmation of divinity: Jesus- the son of God

Answer 22

-When St. Paul describes Jesus’ resurrection as the ‘first fruits’ of the harvest
-Even scholars who didn’t see Jesus’ significance when he was alive agree that the resurrection is the decisive moment which reveals him as the divine son of God

Question 23

Authority to worhsip and proclaim: Jesus- the son of God

Answer 23

-The sotry of doubting Thomas is a powerful example of how the resurrection has more than the trans formation of Jesus’ body into it’s spiritual state, but was also the experience of God’s presence.