3.2B- The person of Jesus Christ INCOMPLETE Flashcards
The Apostle’s Creed
3 distinct parts, Jesus’ section being larger to address uncertainty over him.
Jesus: The son of God
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.
Ebionitism: Jesus- the son of God
-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.
Docetism: Jesus- the son of God
-Jesus was divine, but appeared human
-Jesus pretended to suffer at the Crucifixion
-More like an attitude
Arianism: Jesus- the son of God
-Jesus not eternal, created by God to help creation creation/tasks
The council of Nicaea (325 BCE): Jesus- the son of God
-important moment in Christian history
-This council went a long way towards defining what true Christian belief was
The council of Chalcedon (451 BCE): Jesus- the song of God
-At this council,a line was finally drawn under what consituted authentic Christian belief
What is Christology?: Jesus- the son of God
-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.
‘High’ Christology: Jesus- the son of God
-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.
‘Low’ Christology: Jesus- the son of God
-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.
Incarnation: Jesus- the son of God
-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
Early theologians- The Incarnation: Jesus- the son of God
-Theologians have been divided over what the Incarnation means
The Incarnation- Nestorius (died c.451): Jesus- the son of God
-Argues two natures of Christ were completely different.
The Incarnation- Apollinarius (c.310-390): Jesus- the son of God
-Argues that in the Incarnation, the divine will replaced Jesus’ ordinary human reason.
The Incarnation- Docetic Christians: Jesus- the son of God
-Taught that at the Incarnation God only appeared to take on human form but Jesus could not have been fully human.
The Incarnation- Pope Paul John II: Jesus- the son of God
-He followed the statement of ‘High’ Christology
-He decided that Jesus, in the Incarnation, was truly God and truly human.
Miracles: Jesus- the son of God
-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.
How are miracles interpretated today?: Jesus- the son of God
-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.
Resurrection: Jesus- the son of God
-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.
Jewish ideas about life after death: Jesus- the son of God
-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
The purpose of the resurrection: Jesus- the son of God
-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
Confirmation of divinity: Jesus- the son of God
-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
Authority to worhsip and proclaim: Jesus- the son of God
-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.
