THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST Flashcards
two main questions of this topic
what does it mean for someone to have authority? how is jesus’ authority recognised?
what is authority
special powers we acknowledge eg parents, teachers, the government
what do gospels show about relationship between jesus and authority
he is a figure of authority and also questions authority in the romans and jews
what 3 ways is jesus’ authority percieved
son of god, teacher of wisdom, a liberator
did jesus exist
most scholars agree that he existed. he produced no work of his own but information is found in the new testament and he is mentioned by roman historians such as suetonius
why is jesus labelled the son of god
the nature of his special relationship with god
what gospel refers to jesus as the word of god made flesh
john’s gospel
what did the jewish ‘son of god’ mean
any anointed king who acted to carry out god’s will on earth/aided the jews - freedom from oppressive romans
what did the non-jewish ‘son of god’ mean
a human who had been elevated to divine status
what do the different understandings of son of god lead to
a division between christianity and judaism
what understanding of ‘son of god’ did the centurion have
son of god as a divine being
what was the official view of the church on jesus being the son of god
combined jewish and greek meanings that jesus was both fully god and fully human - 451 AD council at chalcedon: ‘truly god and truly man’
what is the nature of jesus relationship with god called
christology
what are the two types of christology
high and low
what does the type of christology a christian believes in change about their faith
what they think about salvation and the relationship between god and humans
what is high christology
focuses on jesus divinity and gods act of bringing humanity back into relationship with him. it cannot be proved as it relies on faith
what is low christology
focuses on jesus’ message, example and teachng - how people respond to jesus
quote from john for jesus being a divine figure
refers to J as ‘my lord and my god’
matthew example of j divinity
jesus’ mother impregnated by holy spirit (theotokos) and jesus having the god-like power to save humanity from sin
3 pieces of evidence for jesus’ divinity
1 knowledge of god, 2 miracles, 3 resurrection
explain knowledge of god for evidence of jesus divinity
- johns gospel, jesus makes ‘i am’ statements which is reminiscent of gods description of himself to moses when he reveals his name as ‘i am’
- ‘no one comes to the father except through me’ so the only means to salvation is through jesus unique relationship with god
explain miracles as evidence of god’s divinity
are these a result of jesus himself or is god acting through jesus as a prophet?
HIGH christology - acts are divine occurances
LOW christiology - alternative way to interpret eg water to wine where where water = judaism, and wine = christianity, evolution to faith in jesus
if jesus was divine, was he also huamn? explain
- ousia - ‘substance’
- the first council of nicea affirmed that jesus was of the same substance of the father - HOMOousios
- later revised in chalcedon stating jesus both fully god and fully human - HYPOSTATIC UNION
consequence if jesus is fully human/god
could god die?
