incarnation

Question 1

why do catholics believe that jesus is god the son?

Answer 1

God became a human being through the person of Jesus

Question 2

why is it call the ‘incarnation’?

Answer 2

because God became human ‘in the flesh’ in the person of Jesus of Nazareth

Question 3

what is the most usual way Christians express this belief?

Answer 3

is by calling Jesus the ‘Son of God’

Question 4

how does the incarnation connect to the belief of the trinity?

Answer 4

where the term ‘Son’ is used to name the second person of the Trinity

Question 5

what do christians mean when they call Jesus the ‘Son of God’?

Answer 5

mean that he is God who has become a human being; that he is the ‘incarnate Son’

Question 6

why do christians believe that Jesus is ‘fully God and fully human?

Answer 6

believe that Jesus is one person, with two natures: one human nature, and one divine (which means ‘godly’) nature

Question 7

what happens in the opening chapter of John’s Gospel?

Answer 7

John calls Jesus ‘the Word’

Question 8

johns gospel:
what does ‘the word’ refer to?

Answer 8

the way in which God was made known to the world through the Bible.
This was how God had revealed himself to the world.
However, God has also made himself known to the world through Jesus, the incarnation.

Question 9

what is the source of authority from the john’s gospel?

Answer 9

“The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us”

Question 10

how does st paul describe catholic beliefs about the incarnation?

Answer 10

letter to the Philippians.
He writes it down in the form of a hymn known as the ‘Kenosis hymn.

Question 11

what does Kenosis mean?

Answer 11

Greek term which means empty

Question 12

what does the hymn describe jesus?

Answer 12

how Jesus ‘emptied himself of his divine nature. This means Jesus took on the form of a human who was both human and divine

Question 13

what is the source of authority of the kenosis hymn?

Answer 13

Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death- even death on a cross!

Question 14

what do jews believe about the incarnation?

Answer 14

do not accept that Jesus was God as this challenges their basic belief that God is one

Question 15

where does jewish belief about god being one state? (2)

Answer 15

stated in the Shema, which is a very important prayer for Jews
stated in the Ten Commandments which were given to Moses on Mount Sinai: “You shall have no other gods before me”.

Question 16

what did the jewish patriarch taught the early jews?

Answer 16

that they were to believe in one God only as part of the covenant (promise/agreement) made with God.

Question 17

why do orthodox jews reject beliefs in the incarnation?

Answer 17

due to their beliefs about the messiah

Question 18

why do jews reject the belief that jesus is the messiah?

Answer 18

they believe that the Messiah will be a human descendant of King David.
This teaching comes from the book of Isaiah which outlines the different qualities of the Messiah.

Question 19

what is very hard for catholics to understand?

Answer 19

The mystery of why a good God allows pain and suffering

Question 20

why is a belief in the incarnation very important to catholics?

Answer 20

helps them to respond to the Problem of Evil

Question 21

what do catholics believe about the incarnation and suffering?

Answer 21

give Catholics a way of being able to continue to believe in the goodness of God, even in the face of human suffering

Question 22

why is the incarnation important to catholics?
1. what does it mean if god is in the form of jesus?
2. what does it demonstrate of god’s immense love for humans?
3. why should catholics trust god?
4. why should they follow jesus’ example?

Answer 22

1. means that God, as Jesus, can identify with human beings. God shares in the suffering of humans.
2. In Jesus, they see a God who loves them so much that he was willing to take on human form and sacrifice his human life for them
3. We may not understand why God allows the suffering to happen, but they should trust God because he knows what they are going through
4. Jesus spent his life working against suffering. The best example of this is the way he cured the sick. Catholics should do what they can to help those who are suffering.

Question 23

what do catholics believe that jesus provides?

Answer 23

clear help and support to help prevent suffering

Question 24

where are Jesus’ various teachings found? (provide)

Answer 24

in the Gospels (biographies of Jesus’ life)

Question 25

how does jesus’s actions towards those who suffer, provide help?

Answer 25

Gospels include many stories of Jesus caring for and healing those who are sick.

Question 26

what does jesus’ teachings and actions on forgiveness provide help of?

Answer 26

teaches a message of forgiveness through his parables and shows forgiveness when he was crucified

Question 27

what is jesus reworking to provide help?

Answer 27

reworking of the law of Moses in the Sermon on the Mount

Question 28

why are catholics trying to model themselves on jesus?

Answer 28

many examples of how Jesus acted and what he taught to inspire Christians today

Question 29

what is the source of authority of the golden rule?

Answer 29

“do to others as you would want them to do to you.”

Question 30

why did jesus give the golden rule?

Answer 30

summary of the Sermon on the Mount.
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets”

Question 31

what is the source of authority that jesus told his disciples to love?

Answer 31

“A new commandment I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples.”

Question 32

how did jesus show love?

Answer 32

in the way that he healed the sick (Healing a Leper Matt 8)

made the outcast and sinner welcome (Zacchaeus Luke 19)

Question 33

what happened after he was resurrected?

Answer 33

Jesus showed forgiveness to those who crucified him. (Luke)

Question 34

what does jesus explain to his followers?

Answer 34

should behave in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)