Religion Finals

Jesus of History

• Jesus existed outside of Bible

• Jesus existed in history (objective, factual) 

• Jesus of Nazareth was accounted for by historians 

• Jesus of History said Jesus was a teacher

  • Historians proved that Jesus existed: Josephus, Tacitus, Pliny the Younger, Suetonius

• Similairies to Christ of faith

  • Jesus existed

  • Teacher/healer

  • Centered in Middle East

  • Disturbance under Pontius Pilate Reign

  • Centered around Jesus

  • Jesus' Crucifixion

    
    

Christ of Faith

• Jesus existed beyond history 

• Jesus was a divine figure of the Gospel (Christ and Messiah) 

• Early Church communities write a faith account about Jesus 

• Figure fully human and fully divine–brought the world the New covenant 

  • Between God and Humanity (renewal of promise of Abraham) 

• Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

Palm Sunday

• When Jesus enters Jerusalem

  • On the back of a donkey and people are very excited → lay palms so even the donkeys hooves do not touch the ground 

  • Jesus upset when he sees they are charging people to get into the temple and flips a table–not fair to the poor people

• Celebrating Passover –_ anniversary of exodus

  • God liberating us forever Jesus dying and sacrificing

Holy Thursday: Meal

• Seder meal: official meal celebrated over passover; sacrificial ritual after sedar

  • Jesus was a loyal man and good Jewish man

• Jesus has a dinner with his closest friends, called the Last Supper

  • where the Eucharist comes from

• Eucharist translated to thanksgiving 

  • Transubstantiation: Bread transforms into body of christ 

  • he held up a piece of bread and said that this is my body which will be given up for you

  • he does the same with a chalice of wine, stating that it was his blood that would be shed for us

• Jesus sacrifices blood for us → even when i’m not physically with you, im WITHIN you

  • When you receive body and blood of christ something is supposed to change within you

  • Body is a temple, reconciliation–clean the chambers

• During the meal

  • Reveals one apostle will betray him

    • Apostles try to make pretenses

    • Peter goes to Jesus and Jesus tells him he will deny him 3 time

Holy Thursday: After dinner

• Garden of Gethsemane

• Jesus showing how human he is by asking God to let the suffering he must face in order to sacrifice

  • Sweating blood–very afraid showing his humility

• Confronted by **Sanhedrin: governing body of the Jews with 70 Jewish men

  • Hires Judas Iscariot to identify Jesus

  • Caiaphas: high priest and leader of the Sanhedrin

  • Judas leads them to Jesus and betrayed him with a kiss for 30 pieces of silver

  • Peter tried to stop them by drawing his sword and cutting off the ear of a high priest’s assistant

    • Jesus says to no violence and is is taken

  • Peter was asked if was with Jesus and he denies 3 times—the rooster crows fulfilling Jesus’ earlier prophesy

  • Judas regrets his decision and wants to give the money back for Jesus

    • Don’t take it back and put in the treasure

    • Judas commits suicide and a potters field is bought with the 30 pieces of silver

Good Friday: Trail in front of Sanhedrin

• Sanhedrin: governing body of the Jews with 70 people and want to get rid of Jesus

• Tried to charge Jesus for blasphemy

• Not everyone against Jesus-Joseph of Arimathea: on the council and gives Jesus his tomb)

• Jewish people cannot kill Jesus because he was a man and payed taxes so they had to send him to the Romans–Pontius Pilate

Good Friday- Trial in front of Pilate

• Pilate wants to know about Jesus but he cannot find anything wrong with him

• Pilate chooses two people: Yoshua Barrahus (murderer) and Jesus (teacher)

  • Makes Jews pick to free → pick Yoshua 

  • Pilate shocked but listens to them because he doesn’t want to get in trouble → send jesus to get crucified

  • Washed his hands showing his hands are clean of Jesus’s death

Pontius Pilate

• prefect–acts as judge, governor, oversees everything in Judea

  • Excited, irritated–all over the place with jesus

  • Pontuis family, equestrian

  • When he walked into Judea he said it was dirty and thought he could do better

    • Does not understand Jewish culture (e.g. wants to tax temple–stealing from God → they rebel, puts up shields that look like idols → massacre)

    • Mad at how people treat him

    • Emperor warns him to stop messing with the people or he will be sent back and be killed

Good Friday: Crucifixion

• Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Mary of Clopas and John are present

• Whipped with a device with 3 straps and hooks attached to the end

• Romans mocked him by giving a crown of thorns and purple robe 

• Held the beam on his back as he walked to Golgotha 

  • Women of Jerusalem cry as they see him

  • Falls 3 times–beaten down and broke his chest

  • Veronica (unnamed women) wipes Jesus face

• Romans crucified each limb individually

  • Public crucifixion to scare criminals and for embarrassment–nude

• Nails went through the wrists and the feet

• Type of execution depended on one’s build

• Romans wrote Jesus of Nazareth King of Jews

• Continues his teachings through resurrection

  • Tells God to forgive them because they do not realize their actions

  • Tells his mom that John is her son and John that Mary is his mother–not losing son and John is like a brother

  • Saying its done at the end showing that his mission is over

• Romans poke Jesus and blood and water poor out → dead 

• Joseph of Arimathea: says that Jesus, messiah, deserves a ceremonial grave, not to be in a shallow grave

Holy Saturday

• Jesus has died. Jesus is now lying in the tomb. 

• It is now just a time of mourning for the disciples and followers of Jesus.

• The disciples and followers of Jesus do not know it, but they are awaiting the resurrection of Jesus.

Synoptic Gospels

• Synoptic - “appears to be the same or seen similar”

• Synoptic Gospels: 

  • Matthew, Mark, and Luke

  • Seem to borrow and share information from each other

  • They appear similar and they all borrow from an earlier tradition

• John is not synoptic 

• This is because: 

  • Distinctly different intentions.

• Begins with a deeply contemplative theological and philosophical statements of Jesus as the Logos, or Word of God 

• Portrays Jesus as the Divine Son of God, and relies heavily on symbolic language and images.

Gospel

“Good News”

Gospel of Matthew

Audience: Jewish Community → Jesus is new Messiah

Gospel of Mark

Audience: Gentiles (Non-Jewish) Christians → Explains Jewish traditions

Gospel of Luke

Audience: Greek Christians

Gospel of John

Audience: Jewish and Christians (Gentiles)

Where were mary and joseph going and why?

• Mary and Joseph were going to Bethlehem to register for a Census ordered by Caesar Augustus 

• Herod: (king of Judea) discovered king born and Israel and his rule challenges his own dominion and Says all first born male children are to be killed

  • with this Mary and Joseph flee to Egypt

Magi in Matthew

• wise men that were Persian or Zoroastran astrologers who followed the “signs” and the “star of Bethlehem”

  • Not named and don’t know the number of people ( Just know that it is plural

  • Brought gifts to Jesus:

    • Gold: symbolize royalty and the crown

    • Frankincense: expensive perfume and oil–symbolized Christ being anointed and significant

    • Myrrh: bitter perfume used after a person dies to mask the smell of death–symbolized he is born kind, shall reign as anointed one, and then die 

Shepherds in Luke

• An angel of the Lord goes to shepherds to call them to adore the infant

• Significant because it signifies that the rich (kings instead of astrologers) and poor (shepherds) shall celebrate the infant because he is here for everyone

Pharisees

Wealthy experts of the law and teachers in the Upper Class—relied on oral tradition

• Viewed messiah as lawyer

Sadducees

Priestly sect in Judaism that acted as scribes and social elite. They managed the temples and responsibilities of temple priests

• View on messiah as a high priest

Zealots

Religious militant group that wanted to remove Roman authority

• View on Messiah was a soldier or military

Essences

Group that left civilization to live in the wilderness and purge themselves of the sins of the material world. Ritually washed to be redeemed

• Teacher that was wise–Jesus mostly fulfilled besides the fact that they believed that human bodies were filthy 

John the Baptist

• cousin of Jesus, mother was Elizabeth (Mary’s sister) 

  • Believed that Jesus should be the one to baptize him and not the other way around. John believed that he was not worthy to baptize Jesus

Baptism Account

• Jesus begins his ministry by getting baptized by John the Baptist on the banks of the Jordan River 

• Jesus starts his ministry this easy because he is dying to his old life and anything that interfered with God’s plan 

• Sky opens up and the Lord says “This is my Son in whom I am proud of” and a dove flies down 

  • Jesus hearing his fathers name (first time)

  • Approval of Jesus’s message

  • Shows Jesus is the chosen one

Purpose of Baptism

• Ritual washing that cleans the dust off from one’s journey (The “dirt” we collect throughout life) 

• The person is symbolically dying to their old life, goes under the water, disappears, and then arises anew

• “Cleanse with water” → surface level cleaning 

• “Fire + Holy Spirit” → Jesus will cleanse your sins and soul all the way through

Dove

• Holy Spirit 

• Israel 

• (Peace or Comfort) Noah let out a dove and it returned with an olive branch showing the storm is over and peace will overcome the land

Temptations of Jesus

• Jesus was in the desert for 40 days

• The devil tempted Jesus because the devil wanted to prevent Jesus from saving humanity

• Physical needs: Transform rock into Bread

  • On the word of God (Logos) demonstrates that he has faith in God and will pull through and needs nothing

• Magical / Divine Power: told to throw himself off the ledge of a deep cavern so the angels will catch him 

  • Jesus knows he is being tempted to show power and it is wrong to test the Lord

• Political Power: Told to fall before the devil and the world will be his 

  • Devil is offering Jesus what is already his in exchange for Jesus’ allegiance

  • Jesus refuses saying that the world is only God’s and he doesn’t want political control 

The Lord’s Prayer

• Summary of Jesus teachings and the Gospels → highlights of Jesus’ ministry and to prayer, being grateful, and asking God to keep temptation away from us (Asking God to give us the strength to get through temptation)

• Christian prayer taught by Jesus to his disciples

• Most important prayer in Catholicism

• Early Christian community wanted it because it was summary of all of Jesus’ teachings

• It encapsulates the teachings of forgiveness, prayer, praise 

  • Praise: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name 

  • Forgiveness: And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who who trespass against 

  • Prayer: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil

Beatitudes

• One of the way Jesus taught 

• Translates to “supreme happiness” 

Beatitude-“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"

The people who are poor in spirit are depressed people and the reason they are sad is because they are good people who are concerned and thinking about the bad things in the world. He is saying that these people deserve paradise and heaven because they are good people 

Beatitude-“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”

This beatitude is telling us that those who mourn the loss of something are lucky, because that means that they loved something so much that they miss the loss of it when it is gone. This beatitude is also telling us that friends, those who love and care for you, and God will take care of you in your time of despair.

Beatitude-“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”

In this beatitude we are told that those who show mercy, give love, and are slow to anger will be shown mercy from others. Additionally, people who are merciful will have peace in their hearts knowing that they lived their life that way. Other people will also recognize the goodness of the other person, and will show love and mercy to that person

Methods of Jesus Teachings

• Wise sayings

• Hyperbole

• Parables

• Directives

• Beatitudes

• Metaphor 

Miracles

an extraordinary event that demonstrates Jesus’s and Gods divine power

Jesus NEVER does a miracle for himself

• Types of miracles

  • Nature–corrects nature and fixes it

  • Raising of the dead–NOT resurrection

  • Healing–Jesus saving people not meant to be sick

  • Exorcisms in healing

Miracle- calming of the storm

• Miracle of nature

• Literally stopping rain and a storm coming

• Stopping the storm living inside the apostles

  • Feared death and the future

  • Significance: wants people to stress about the things we cannot control. 

Miracles- Lazarus

• Raising of the dead

• Lazarus was one of Jesus close family friends

• Poor–cannot make money on his own and has to rely on others by begging

  • Constantly denied by rich people

• Sisters reach out to Jesus to tell him Lazerus was sick–mad he does not respond

• They tell Jesus that Lazarus was dead but Jesus says that he was just sleeping and he awakens

  • Significance: most of the significance in the sisters because they showed their faith in Jesus by being mad because it shows that they believed Jesus could have helped Jesus if he came earlier. Showing your faith will save you

Miracle- The woman who bled for 12 years

• miracle of healing

• Menstrual was considered unclean and the women had a constitution where she would not stop bleeding for 12 years

• She was not allowed in the temple because she 

  • seen as unclean and overall not welcomed in society

• In a desperate state, she touched Jesus' cloak and she was healed

• This was Jesus's way of giving her back her dignity and it brought her back into society by allowing her to do things like getting married. 

  • Significance: importance of have faith in Jesus in desperate situations, demonstrated power of faith in jesus and his ability to restore–women given back her dignity

Greatest Commandment

• Heart of Jesus’ teaching 

• Jesus says he can’t say which is the best commandment but says he can summarize 

1. Love God above all else 

2. Love everyone 

   1. Yourself

   2. Family 

   3. Friends 

   4. Enemies 

• Therefore, you have no enemies and everyone is your friend

Parables

a short symbolic story often comparing 2 things

• 4 themes

  • Nature of God

  • Forgiveness

  • Love

  • kingdom/ heaven

Parables- The lost sheep/ Good Shepherd

• About forgiveness

• 100 sheep going up a meadow but one goes off and the shepherd follows until he finds it

  • Significance: God and Jesus are the Shepherd–God will stop everything to find you → you are important

Parable- Good Samaritan

• A man was traveling on the Sabbath and he was beaten up and left to die

• A teacher/rabi passes but does not stop to help because he has to get to the temple

• A Pharisee (lawyer) passes but does not help because he says he cannot work on the sabbath

• A priest passes and does not stop because he was to get to the temple as well

• A samaritan, which were people hated by the jews, helps him and brings him to a hotel and pays for the hotel and medical care

  • Significance: Teaches us to not judge a book by its cover and to help and love all, especially those in need, even if they are your enemy

Parable- Prodigal Son/ Lost son

• Man with a good and bad son

• The bad son asks for his inheritance early on

• The bad son uses all the money and decides to crawl back to his father because he would rather live with the pigs than remain unloved

• Father goes out into field with joy and does not make him beg at his feet

  • Significance: God will welcome back sinners → happy that people want to change and love everyone. Forgiveness

Sanhedrin

• Governing body of the Jews 

• Comprised of Pharisees 

• 70 Jewish members 

• Leader is Caiphas 

• Important member: Joseph of Arithmathea 

• The Sanhedrin presented Jesus before Pilate who was the Roman prefect (like a governor) over Judea. 

Tax Collectors

• Hated because the Jewish people saw Jewish tax collectors as sinners 

• The tax collectors were taking (robbing) money of their own and were giving it over to the enemy, the Romans.

Lazarus (Miracle)

• Raising of the Dead → saves unplanned deaths 

• Lazarus: one of Jesus’ friends

• Lazarus is poor and isn’t able to support himself. He has to beg for money and resources

• Martha and Mary call on Jesus to help Lazarus. Jesus doesn’t respond and the sisters are mad

• Jesus finally comes to help, but Martha and Mary say Lazarus is dead

• Jesus says that Lazarus isn’t dead, but asleep and Lazarus walks out of his grave 

• The sisters believed if Jesus was there then the outcome would have been different

• The sisters had faith that Jesus had saved them

Mary Magdalene

• Known as the Apostle of the Apostles because she was the example 

• Extremely loyal to Jesus from the beginning, until his death, and his resurrection

• Demoniac => someone who is possessed by evil (probably epileptic) 

  • Jesus took 7 demons out of her

• First person Jesus revealed the resurrection to. She told the others. 

• They did not believe her because she was a woman. 

• Known as Mary Magdalene of the tomb. 

Judas Iscariot

• Actual name Jude or Judah, changes to add - as to mean traitor (Greek / Latin) 

• Both name (1st and last name) mean traitor 

  • Don’t traitor 

• Iscariot–scari means he actually assassinated Jesus 

• Betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (cost of a slave → Judas slave of them)

• Bought a potter’s field with silver (burial place with no markings)

• During the last supper, Jesus knows that he is dining with the one that shall betray him. 

• On Holy Thursday as the Apostles are leaving, Judas approaches with a group of men. He goes forth and kisses Jesus, betraying him with a kiss. This signifies to the others which one is Jesus. 

• Eventually realizes what he did and wants to undo it. Sanhedrin says no and Judas kills himself.

Mary Mother of God

• Gave birth to Jesus (Mother of God)

• Central figure; whole infancy revolves around her

• Grand gesture: Said yes and had faith in God

Joseph of Arithmathea (significance)

• The one who gives up his grave for Jesus

  • Says that the Messiah deserves a ceremonial tomb

  • Should not be buried in a shallow grave

• Gave Jesus an honorable burial and despite being in the Sanhedrin, he was a follower of Jesus

Peter

• Fisherman–has faith in Jesus when fishing, Jesus then says he’s the “fisher of men”

• Faithful and loyal to Jesus

• Simon– Peter= peter (rock stone); Caiaphas–says Jesus will replace high priest

• Cut off a high priest's assistant when they were arresting Jesus

  • didn’t understand Jesus message

  • Jesus says NO violence 

• Jesus taken by Sanhedrin (70 Jewish council members) and Denies Jesus 3 times before the rooster crows

  • Jesus made him say “I love you” 3 times to make up for it

• Hund on upside down cross–says not worthy to be hung same way as Jesus

Apostle John

• Embodiment of a good friend, faithful

• Youngest of Apostles 

• Willing to watch Jesus die, only Apostle not willing to die 

• Considered the beloved disciple

• Considered the author of the last Gospel

• No fear, fortitude → strength and courage 

• “Woman behold your son” → Jesus is saying you haven’t lost me, you gained a new son

• John doesn’t die for his faith because he proved it, he was willing to lose his life so he kept it

• John’s Gospel is the most theological of the Canonical Gospels. 

• The primary focus is that Jesus Christ came to die for our sins.

• Our sins and evil had become so great that only God could redeem us and because it was humanity that failed it would be humanity that would have to redeem itself. It is too immense for a human to ever be able to absorb. The solution was that God would come down in human form in order to save us.

Resurrection of Jesus

• Pieces of Evidence:

1. Empty Tomb - Romans had people positioned at the tomb → no one stole body and no bodily evidence existed ever 

2. Seen by a multitude of People - 2,000 people saw Jesus’ resurrection

3. Metanoia - Means complete change of heart, Apostles must have seen something because they were cowards but completely changed and became martyrs and died for Jesus (they became courageous). Some Apostles were walking into Rome and proclaimed the Good News without fear. They were no longer afraid of physical pain. 

4. All Early Christian Communities Agree: All early Christian communities agree on the same story and same things. There is consistency between ALL stories and Jesus’ resurrection

Resurrection- Road to Emmaus

• People are traveling out of Jerusalem and going back to their homes and suddenly Jesus appears as a stranger

• Talking about the events that happened in Jerusalem and explain it to the stranger

• The people do not realize the man is Jesus, but they celebrate with Jesus is given a meal, housing, and is taken care of 

• Jesus then presents the Eucharist → importance because that is what Jesus instituted himself

• Jesus then vanished when people finally recognized him

Resurrection- Who found the tomb

• Mary Magdalene goes with Mary to Jesus’ tomb

• Violent earthquake happens 

• Angel comes down 

• The guards fear the angel and leave

• The angel says: To not be afraid because Jesus has risen 

  • Theme: The importance of faith 

  • Ex. Mary Magdalene’s loyalty to Jesus in going to his tomb. 

Resurrection- Doubting Thomas

• Thomas was one of the Twelve Apostles 

  • He was not with the Apostles when Jesus came and the other disciples told Thomas that they saw Jesus 

• Thomas responded by saying that unless he see the nail marks in Jesus’ hands and put his fingers into the wounds, then he would not believe

• The disciples came to the house and Thomas was with them 

• The doors were locked and Jesus came and stood among them 

  • He said “Peace be with you!”

• Jesus then came to Thomas and told him to put his fingers on Jesus’ wounds and see his hands. Jesus told Thomas to stop doubting and believe

• Thomas then proclaimed Jesus my Lord and my God

• Jesus then said just because you have seen Jesus, then you have believed. But those who believe and do not see Jesus. 

Mark

• 65 AD– Earliest and Written First → Starts after Christian Persecution

• Audience: Writing to early christians and Jews

• Nero 64 AD fire

  • Nero blamed the christians → persecuted 

• Starts after christian persecution 

• FOCUS: In response to 64 Ad, Mark focuses on passion and death

• Shortest gospels → talking to christians

  • Jesus suffered the same way

  • Jesus is a savior, suffering servant 

• Hopeful ending → blessing to suffer like Jesus

• Apologetic → must preserve message

Matthew

• Speaking to Jewish audiences

• Names after apostel

• Gospel starts with Jesus birth

  • Traces Jesus lineage to Abraham and descendant of david (Bethlehem) 

• Jesus as “New Moses”

• Get the word of the Messiah–savior in Hebrew

• Talks about everything connected to Judaism

• Jesus father of new covenant and fulfills the new covenant

• Joseph and Mary didn't have relations until after Jesus birth

Luke

• Not an apostle → disciple of paul

• Writing to Theophilus (the beloved of god) → talking to the community

• Talking to gentiles (non-Jewish people)

• Christ–anointed one/ savior in greek

• Goes back to Adam → Jesus is welcoming and forgiving of everyone

• good news for everyone

• Focus on miracles and forgiveness

• Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles

• Most hopeful of the messages

• Primary focus: healer

  • Fixed thing that was bothering them

John

• 100 AD–Last Gospel written

• Saying that Jesus is the “word” → Logos the word of God

• Talks to people who have been Christian for a while

• Starts his Gospel by describing Jesus as the word of God

• John beloved disciple

• Jesus and God on the same level

• Martyr: hearing witness of

• John is the youngest of apostles

• Stays with Jesus as he suffers and dies 

Josephus

• Pharisee

• Pilate and Crucifixion–christian sympathizer 

• Work for rome stating how Jeus was wonder worker, wandering physician, teacher

Tacitus

• Hated everyone–told truth

• Thought christians were weird and said Judea home of disease

• Nero and the christians

Pliny the Younger

• Asking roman emperor what to do with Christians with strange cutsoms

• Governor of Roman providence

Suetonius

• Historian lawyer

• Group of christians led by man named Christos 

• Christos–greek word of savior