a liberator

Question 1

the parable of the good samaritan

Answer 1

• luke 10:25-37
• jewish law said love ur neighbour as urself
• jesus said do it to recieve salvation
• someone asked who counts as neighbour?
• he told story: man attacked by robbers n priest n levite walk by n dont help
• but a samaratan who was low class stoped n helped
• samaratn=neighbour
• ‘go n do likewise’ jesus says
• he used marginalised ppl as egs in his teaching
  -the message seems to be not to have prejudice or bias against someone bc of their group
  radical change from traditional parables which focused on teachers of law as eg

Question 2

liberation theology

Answer 2

• agreed w/marxs criticism of capitalism
• began in 1964 by young catholic theologians in brazil who reinterpreted the christian message to focus on poverty
• they belived jesus’ true message=in favour of economic justice
• paulo friereinfluenced LT invented term ‘ ‘conscientisation’ =awareness someone can come to of the power structures in a society.
• Freire thought that education should be used to transform society to fix unjust power imbalances

Question 3

the preferential option for the poor
liberator of margenalised

Answer 3

• term used by father pedro arrupe= refers to way bible n jesus showed preference for poor ppl
• he also seemed to say poor were blessed esp in beatitudes of sermon on the mount
• the kingdom of god=fixing world not afterlife
• christians should work for justice by fighting exploitation n oppression
• latin america was undeveloped n was facing choice between continued capitalism or socialism
• its a christian movement in theology n is founded on teachings n egs of jesus
• validity=depend on bible support=debated
• j said many antiwealth things but do they go as far as justifying LT view that christians should do more than charity by taking structural appr to dealing w causes of economic inequality

Question 4

matthew 19:24 about a camel

Answer 4

Jesus said “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God”

Question 5

Matthew 6:25-34.
jesus say give to poor

Answer 5

“Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also”.

If Jesus is saying give up all your possessions and that there shouldn’t be rich people – that sounds quite anti-capitalist.

Question 6

counter interpretation of matthew 6:25-34

Answer 6

• this shows jesus thought rich should give to charity doesnt suggest he wanted to overturn/address causes of economic oppression/inequality
• kloppenburg- fusing theology n politician action dimishes spirtual message of christianity
• LT focuses on injsutice n sin in society but jesus spoke about sin n forgiveness of indivuals not about society in general
• There is too much focus on the ability of people to achieve liberation when in fact it comes from God-k said
• hes saying living for money=bad NOT we should overthrow unjust social structures that result from living for money
• when asked if jews shud pay an unjust tax j said yes: ‘give unto Caesar what is Caesers’
• =show disconnect between human political society n living for god

Question 7

challenges to political authority

Answer 7

• at time- palestine=roman rule. jews allowed to continue tradtions if not trouble
• situation=uneasy n temple got burnt down in jerusalem ad73
• many jews hoped for messiah who would lead them to victory as a warrior king
• zealot=miltant jews=called for violent revolution
• some say jesus was like the zealots

Question 8

challenges to poltical authority

jesus similar to zealots

Answer 8

• ‘i didnt come to bring peace, but a sword’ (matthew 10:34)- followers drew daggers in GOG=suggest had weapons on them alot, some followers=zealots
• rode donkey into jerusalem- deliberate event to show he was new leader n king of jews, fulfill message of prophets
• romans put name ‘king of the jews’ on his cross (john gospel) bc he was seen as leader of political revolutionary group

Question 8

BUT, not all scholars agree jesus was a political revolutionary

Answer 8

• stopped his disciples from using violence at his arrest
• didnt accept or use political titles for himself
• he emphaised peace-turn other cheek
• he was careful w his answers to questions about roman rule n taxes n didnt suggest openly defying them
• judas might have betrayed jesus bc jesus wasnt being radical or militant enough for the zealots
• jesus spoke of a spirtual rather than wordly kingdom of god

Question 9

jesus challenges to religous authority

Answer 9

• challenges some rule about religous rituals eg healing on sabbath- so speaks in way shows he has authority to say whne rule can be obeyed n broken
• hes associated w ppl who were traditionally ‘unclean’ such as samaritans n woman w/haemorrhage (Mark 5:24-34)
• he suggests temple replaced by something better n is critical of some of its practices eg money changing for profit
• he had conflict w religous leaders n was called to the jewish court to answer accusations
• sanders think the gospel writers have exagerrated jesus conflict w judaism in order to fit their own christian agenda n jesus was more jewish in his outlook then NT presents