how much authority does jesus have over christianity

Question 1

jesus

Answer 1

• preached at 30
• his description many know hum by turned european when his story travelled there
• lived in israel
• perfromed miracles - resurrection, walk on waterw

Question 2

what does christian writing tell us

Answer 2

• first to talk about him are the epistles (letters) of st paul
• scholars agree these were written within 25 years of jesus’s death
• detailed biographical accounts of jesus in the NT date from around 40yrs after he died

Question 3

what did non-christian authors say about jesus

Answer 3

• first author outside church to mention jesus is flavius josephus
• 2 references to jesus
• one is controversial as thought to be corrupted by christian writers (probs turning joseph’s negative account into positive)
• those who followed him thought he was god’s chosen leader
• another is pliny & tacitus who held some of highest offices of state at start of second century AD
• from tacitus we learn jesus was executed while pontius pilate was roman governor in charge of judaea
• pliny contributes info that christians worshipped christ as a god
• neither liked christians

Question 4

how controversial is existence of jesus now

Answer 4

• onfray talks on jesus existence as an idea rather than as a historical figure
• jesus project was set up in US & one of its main questions for discussion was whether or not jesus existed
• some authors argued jesus was non existent contending both jesus & nazareth are christian inventions
• two mainstream historians who wrote most against these arguments are atheists (Ehrman & Casey)

Question 5

some christians see jesus as a part of god

Answer 5

• council of nicea bishops got together decide exactly what they all believed, drew up draft of nicene creed (a statement of their beliefs)
• in 325 AD decided what they all believed about jesus & talked how jesus fits into the trinity
• decided about jesus god & jesus are the same (part of god)
• “i and the father are one” means they’re one in the same
• evidence for jesus being literally god’s son here is ambiguous
• the word ‘one’ in greek is hen which some understand as jesus is ‘one in essence’ whilst others take it to mean jesus & god are ‘one in harmony’

Question 6

some christians see jesus as son of god

Answer 6

• christian religion based on belief that jesus lead normal human life as teacher/healer had a unique authority from god
• expressed in term ‘son of god’ in nicene creed
• earliest followers of jesus were those who encountered him
• some people believed he spoke and acted with authority from god
• jesus could be seen as having both limited/human characteristics and divine authority
• mainstream churches believe in concept of trinity
• ‘this is my beloved son’ mark 9:7
• son of god is used sometimes in OT as special title for a human claiming that as god’s representatives person may be seen as having god’s authority
• in mark’s gospel jesus appears to have same relationship with god as a son has with his father
• many jews of jesus’ time expecting god to send them someone specially chosen & set apart by god to be both a spiritual and political leader
• most christians understand that jesus as son of god means he has god’s authority

Question 7

some christians jess sesus as son of man

Answer 7

• called himself this
• humans capable of doing good and evil - humans are to be god’s representative
• title serves to emphasise jesus’ humanity
• title often understood as way jesus avoided making explicit claims of divinity
• clear from fact jesus was crucified by romans that claims of being divie would cause trouble
• ambiguous nature of term son of man may therefore have been useful claiming he was a normal human being
• to those who knew his work, would hint at his divine mission as representative of god
• those who closely encountered him could see jesus was messiah but jesus urged them to conceal it
• many christian theologians reached conclusions jesus both fully divine and fully human
• human side makes him relatable as goes through hardships

Question 8

some christians see jesus as human

Answer 8

• liberal christians often interpret ‘son of god’ to mean an exceptional/godly man
• his authority is only human
• ‘son of god’ is taken to mean jesus’ authority is god’s authority
• one thing to follow jesus’ ethical teachings if he commands them as son of god but another to follow them if he’s merely human as has no authority from god and could just be lying

Question 9

jesus as ‘only human’

Answer 9

• 2 kinds of christian who hold this view:
  1 - those who historically have followed the teachings of a particular sect in which it was believed that jesus wasn’t divine
  2 - those who take a liberal approach to scripture
  ADOPTIONISM: jesus born human but later adopted by god at his baptism & believe jesus’ authority was something he acquired from god when baptised not as a right of being son of god (rejected by church as heresay)
  ARIANISM: arius taught that jesus wasn’t truly divine & believed he was created by god to fulfil a specific role and title ‘son of god’ was honour bestowed upon him sent into exile and proved wrong