The Son of God view: Jesuss miracles Flashcards
Question: How do the miracles attributed to Jesus support the belief in his divinity?
Answer: The miracles, such as walking on water, turning water into wine, and raising the dead, are seen as acts that surpass human ability and suggest a divine power at work, supporting the belief that Jesus was the Son of God.
Question: What inference can be drawn regarding Jesus’ self-perception from his ability to perform miracles?
Answer: Jesus’ ability to perform miracles implies that he possessed divine authority and power, which could indicate his self-awareness of being divine
Question: Why do some argue that Jesus’ performance of miracles implies his belief in his own divinity?
Answer: It is suggested that Jesus’ capacity to perform miracles, which transcend human capabilities, may indicate his consciousness of being divine, as only a divine being could perform such extraordinary feats
Question: In what way do the miracles of Jesus contribute to the understanding of his identity?
Answer: The miracles of Jesus are often interpreted as manifestations of his divine nature, serving as evidence of his identity as the Son of God and reinforcing the belief in his divine status.
Question: How do the miracles attributed to Jesus serve as a theological confirmation of his role?
Answer: Within Christian theology, the miracles performed by Jesus are viewed as validating his mission and divine nature, affirming his role as the Savior and the Son of God.
How do miracles attributed to Old Testament prophets, such as Moses, compare to those performed by Jesus?
Old testament prophets also did miracles.
Answer: Miracles performed by Old Testament prophets, like Moses parting the Red Sea, are acknowledged in Christian theology but are not seen as indicative of divine sonship. In contrast, the miracles of Jesus are often interpreted as unique manifestations of his divine nature and identity as the Son of God.
Question: How does Jesus’ control over miracles differ from that of Old Testament prophets like Moses?
Jesus had unique control over miracles.
Answer: While Old Testament prophets like Moses performed miracles under God’s instruction, Jesus demonstrated unique control over miracles, as evidenced by instances such as the turning of water into wine. In this miracle, Jesus initially hesitated but then exercised his power willingly, suggesting a distinct and independent authority over miracles.
Question: What distinguishes Jesus’ control over miracles from that of other figures in religious texts?
Jesus had unique control over miracles.
Answer: Unlike other figures, such as Moses, who performed miracles through divine instruction, Jesus exhibited a level of autonomy and authority over miracles. His actions, such as the turning of water into wine, indicate a unique and direct control over miraculous occurrences.
Question: Who was Reimarus, and what was his contribution to the analysis of the historical Jesus?
Reimarus
Answer: Reimarus, an 18th-century German philosopher, was one of the first influential thinkers to critically analyze the historical Jesus and assess the accuracy of the Early Church’s portrayal of Jesus’ teachings. He proposed that Jesus was merely a human who mistakenly believed himself to be the Messiah.
Question: According to Reimarus, what was the fate of Jesus’ body after his Crucifixion?
Reimarus
Answer: Reimarus suggested that Jesus’ disciples hid his body after his Crucifixion to perpetuate the illusion of his resurrection, thereby transforming his teachings about an impending apocalypse into timeless spiritual truths.
Question: How does Reimarus explain the occurrence of miracles attributed to Jesus?
Reimarus
Answer: Reimarus argues that Jesus only performed miracles for those who already had faith, and he refused to perform miracles when requested by “sensible” and “learned” people. He posits that the gospel authors invented these miracles years after Jesus’ death, taking advantage of a period of confusion and unrest within the early Christian church.
Question: What circumstances does Reimarus highlight regarding the recording of Jesus’ miracles in the gospels?
Reimarus
Answer: Reimarus notes that the accounts of Jesus’ miracles were written down 30-60 years after his death, in a language unfamiliar to Palestinian Jews.
He suggests that the gospel authors faced little risk of being refuted or understood, given the passage of time and the atmosphere of confusion within the early Christian community
Question: How does Reimarus characterize the environment of the early Christian church, and what role did it play in the development of Jesus’ miracles?
Reimarus
Answer: Reimarus suggests that the early Christian church was characterized by deceit and credulity, providing fertile ground for the invention of Jesus’ miracles by the gospel authors.
He asserts that these authors capitalized on the church’s emphasis on faith and salvation to fabricate miraculous accounts, whether through well-intentioned deceit or their own naivety.
Question: What is Reimarus’ interpretation of Jesus’ interactions with “sensible” and “learned” people who requested miracles for examination?
Reimarus
Answer: Reimarus suggests that Jesus refused to perform miracles for such individuals, thereby excluding those who might have subjected his actions to scrutiny and critical examination. This selective approach allowed for the cultivation of belief among those predisposed to accept miracles without skepticism
Question: How does Reimarus view the transmission of Jesus’ teachings and miracles to later generations?
Reimarus
Answer: Reimarus contends that the transmission of Jesus’ teachings and miracles to later generations was subject to distortion and embellishment, as they were recorded decades after his death.
He argues that the gospel authors, influenced by the prevailing beliefs and circumstances of the early Christian community, embellished or invented accounts to serve their theological and evangelistic purposes.
