The person of Jesus Christ. (old)

How did Jesus form the basis of a new movement and how was his nature defined?

-Jesus took aspects of Judaism and made them his own, gaining followers and starting a movement that soon became a separate religion.

-As Christianity spread, Jesus’ nature was explored and carefully defined - by 451, he was declared fully God and fully human, making him different from other preachers or prophets.

What were Jesus’ main teachings and how did he challenge society?

-Jesus flipped society’s expectations: he taught of a God of love, not punishment, and one who welcomes everyone - even outcasts.

-While some saw him as a prophet, many saw him as a wise teacher and a liberator due to his work with the poor and marginalised.

What was the goal of the 20th-century quest for the historical Jesus?

-Modern theology’s 20th-century quest aimed to uncover the real historical Jesus and compare him to the Gospel portrayal.

-It explored who Jesus believed he was and whether his relationship with God was unique or similar to that of others.

What did ‘Son of God’ mean to Jews and Gentiles during Jesus' time?

-The phrase ‘Son of God’ meant different things: for Jews, it referred to someone specially chosen by God with angelic or supernatural aspects.

-For Gentiles, it suggested someone divine. In the New Testament, calling Jesus ‘Son of God’ conveyed both meanings to both audiences at once.

How does the New Testament present Jesus as the Son of God, and why might he not have used the title himself?

-Jesus’ special conception and birth suggest he is literally the Son of God. At his baptism and transfiguration, God declares Jesus as his son.

-However, Jesus doesn’t call himself this - some say the divine idea was added later, while others think he avoided the title to stay under the radar of religious authorities.

How does Jesus’ use of the word ‘Abba’ and his prayer life show his understanding of God?

-Jesus calls God Abba (Dad), showing a close, personal relationship.

-However, his time spent in prayer and certain Gospel accounts suggest he didn’t see himself as equal to God.

How does John’s Gospel present Jesus’ knowledge of God, and what are some challenges to this?

-In John’s Gospel, Jesus uses “I am” statements—the same phrase used in the Greek Old Testament for God’s name - suggesting Jesus saw himself as God.

-But since John’s Gospel was written later, some argue this could reflect early Church theology rather than the historical Jesus.

Define divinity.

-The divine aspect of Jesus - the part of Jesus that is God.

What do Jesus’ miracles suggest about his connection to God?

-Jesus’ miracles suggest he had God’s power in a special way.

-The New Testament calls them works of power and wonder, and John’s Gospel refers to them as signs pointing to Jesus’ divinity.

How do Jesus’ miracles compare to magicians at the time, and what do they reveal about his identity?

-Although magicians were common, Jesus didn’t perform miracles as tricks - he often told people not to talk about them.

-Miracles like calming the sea showed power only God was believed to have, which supports his divine identity.

What does Jesus walking on water in Mark 6:47–52 reveal about his identity?

-In Mark 6:47–52, Jesus walks on water to help the disciples understand what they witnessed at the feeding of the 5000.

-When he identifies himself, he uses the special ‘I am’ phrase - pointing to his divine identity and that his power comes from being God.

What deeper meaning is shown in Jesus healing the blind man in John 9:1–41?

-In John 9:1–41, Jesus heals a blind man, convincing the man that his power comes from God, though the authorities reject this.

-Jesus uses the event to show he heals not only physical blindness but spiritual blindness - those who fail to see who he truly is.

Why was the resurrection of Jesus so significant to his followers?

-Jesus’ resurrection convinced the disciples of the truth behind his message and authority, starting a new religious movement.

-The Gospels stress that Jesus really died, was buried, and the tomb was found empty with discarded grave clothes.

Why do some people question the literal truth of the resurrection?

-Paul’s letters (written before the Gospels) speak of Jesus’ appearances to followers but not of the empty tomb.

-This leads some to argue the resurrection may not be literal - but the Church holds that the literal resurrection is central to Christian belief.

How does the resurrection support belief in Jesus as both human and divine?

-Jesus, as God, raised himself from death, showing death isn’t the end for humans.

-It proves he is both human (he died) and divine (he overcame death), making him the perfect intermediary between God and humans - ‘if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile’ (1 Cor 15:17).

How do Jesus’ sayings and parables reflect his role as a teacher of wisdom?

-Jesus' sayings were like those in Proverbs - short, insightful, and memorable.

-His parables were crafted to engage people and make them think differently about the world around them.

How does Jesus’ divine nature link to the wisdom in his teachings?

-In Christianity, Jesus' wisdom comes from being both God and human.

-His unique experience may come from encounters with heaven (like his baptism or transfiguration), but some argue this makes him seem more divine than human.

What moral and religious priorities did Jesus teach about in contrast to Judaism of his time?

-Jesus challenged the Judaism of his day by urging people to take responsibility and focus on priorities - like teaching that the Sabbath was made for humans.

-He taught that purity is about what’s within, not just external rituals.

Define repent.

-To turn ur life in a new direction, away from ur past life.

Define forgive.

-To let go of past anger & move on in life.

How did Jesus emphasise the importance of repentance in his teachings?

-Jesus praised the repentance of people like Zacchaeus the tax collector and his disciples who gave up their old lives to follow him.

What did Jesus teach about the nature and importance of forgiveness?

-Jesus said people should forgive not just once or 7 times, but 77 × 7 times - a playful way to say forgiveness must be ongoing.

-He also placed forgiveness at the heart of Christian prayer in the ‘Our Father’: “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

What is the overall message of Jesus' teachings in Matthew 5:17–48?

-It’s a series of moral teachings Jesus gave on a mountain, placing responsibility on believers to seek inner purity and make morally sound decisions.

How does Jesus reinterpret the Law and address the issue of anger?

-Jesus came to fulfil the law, not replace it, and said Christians must be more faithful than teachers of the law.

-He taught that being angry is as serious as murder and people should make peace to achieve harmony.

What did Jesus teach about adultery and divorce in Matthew 5?

-Thinking lustfully is seen as adultery in the heart - it's better to cut off a body part that causes sin than to be condemned.

-Divorce, once more lenient, is now to be rare in Christian teaching.

What did Jesus say about making vows and dealing with enemies?

-Jesus said Christians shouldn’t swear oaths - just let Yes mean Yes. He also taught to turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, and love your enemies - urging Christians to be the bigger person.

What happens in the parable of the lost son, and what does it represent?

-A man’s younger son asks for his inheritance early, wastes the money, realises he did wrong, and returns home.

-Jesus uses the story to show the journey of recognising sin, turning your life around, and receiving forgiveness.

What does the parable of the lost son teach about God’s forgiveness and human responsibility?

-The father runs to embrace the son before he even says ‘sorry’, showing that God’s forgiveness is total.

-The message is that nothing is too bad to be forgiven if someone repents, but people must still take responsibility for their actions.

Define liberator.

-Someone who frees a person or group of ppl.

What do Luke’s birth stories suggest about Jesus’ connection to the poor and marginalised?

-Luke’s birth stories show Jesus had a special relationship with the poor & marginalised.

-Baby Jesus was placed in a feeding trough as a crib, and his first visitors were the semi-outcast shepherds.

How do Matthew’s Gospel and the story of the wise men show Jesus as a threat to political authority?

-In Matthew’s Gospel, the wise men make King Herod feel threatened by a potential rival.

-Religion & politics were closely linked in 1st-century Israel, with overlaps between political and religious authority.

How does the story of the woman with the flow of blood in Mark 5:24-34 show Jesus as a liberator?

-A woman had been bleeding for 12 years and was an outcast because her bleeding made her ritually unclean and barred from synagogue worship. Her faith causes her healing.

-This is liberation because her interaction with Jesus frees her from the spiritual aspects of her illness and from being an outcast.

How does the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37 demonstrate Jesus’ role as a liberator?

-Jesus teaches a Jewish teacher of the law to follow scripture, despite Samaritans being distrusted as traitors. The parable shows that everyone must be a neighbour to all, teaching equality.

-Jesus liberates all people by breaking down social and ethnic barriers.

How did Jesus challenge political authority through his teachings and actions?

-Jesus talked about the Kingdom of God, which was a political statement suggesting authority would be taken away from earthly rulers.

-He made tax collectors, government representatives, turn away from their lifestyles and follow him.

What actions did Jesus take in the last week of his life that challenged political and religious authorities?

-Jesus publicly entered Jerusalem on a peaceful donkey, symbolizing peace rather than war.

-He turned over tables in the temple, objecting to its lost religious focus, and was crucified by the Roman government as a trouble-maker.

Jesus was a challenge to religious authority.

-Jesus was accused of not following the strict laws relating to the Sabbath, but he said that following the laws needed to be kept in perspective.

-Jesus was criticised for eating with outcasts, but he said that he was here to help those who needed him most.

-Jesus was said not to respect the purification laws, but he pointed out that following rules isn’t the same as worshipping God properly.

-The religious authorities objected to Jesus forgiving sins because only God could forgive sins.

What was the main aim of Jesus’ ministry according to some views?

-Much of Jesus’ ministry was teaching through sayings, parables & miracles.

-Some suggest his main aim was to purify Judaism, expecting the Kingdom to come quickly, mainly working with Jewish people rather than Gentiles.

How do some modern scholars view Jesus if supernatural elements are removed?

-Some try to strip away Gospel elements that developed later, leaving Jesus as a teacher of wisdom.

-Some find it hard to accept Jesus was divine since there’s little evidence he taught this about himself.

Why do some argue Jesus was more than just a teacher of wisdom?

-Jesus’ teaching engaged people deeply, but some argue his authority also comes from being a miracle worker who rose from the dead, not just from wisdom teachings.

What lasting systems and teachings did Jesus start for his followers?

-Jesus started lasting practices like the Eucharist, saw himself as a leader with followers continuing his work, and taught prayer, implying a long-term mission beyond his life.

How did Jesus challenge the authorities and society of his time?

-Jesus challenged authorities, believing people focused too much on following the letter of the law rather than its spirit.

-He came as a champion for all people in Roman-occupied country.

What reasons suggest political liberation was not Jesus’ prime focus?

-Jesus told followers to pay taxes, escaped when people tried to force him to be king, didn’t resist arrest, stopped violence, and disagreed with zealots wanting to overthrow Rome.

How did Jesus demonstrate his views on power and the law?

-He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (not a military horse), focused on inner purity, said he came to fulfil the law and prophets, not abolish them, aiming to develop understanding, not replace it.

What is notable about Luke’s Gospel in portraying Jesus and his focus?

-Luke’s Gospel emphasizes the marginalised. Some scholars think Luke edited material to make Jesus more relevant to his audience.

How was Jesus’ relationship with God described in relation to other Old Testament figures?

-Jesus spoke with authority and had a special relationship with God, fitting into the tradition of Old Testament figures who had special relationships with God.

How did Jesus model his religious life and what made him special as a miracle worker?

-Jesus modeled a religious lifestyle centered on prayer and God, interpreting religion for new situations.

-He performed miracles, including raising people from the dead, similar to some Old Testament figures.

What events in Jesus’ life suggest he was more than just a prophet?

-Jesus’ miraculous birth, unusual visitors, religious experiences at baptism and transfiguration, and resurrection suggest he embodied both Jewish and Gentile ideas of the Son of God.

What is the significance of the resurrection in understanding Jesus?

-Modern scholars see Jesus as a miracle worker and teacher, but the resurrection is key, changing how everything about Jesus is understood.

Why is it difficult to understand Jesus as both completely God and completely human?

-It seems that if Jesus was aware of being fully God, he couldn’t be fully aware of being human, but many Christians explain this by saying God’s knowledge is different from ours.

What evidence suggests Jesus thought of himself as eternal and divine?

-Christians believe Jesus existed before creation as part of the Trinity. In John 8:58, Jesus says he existed before Abraham using the special ‘I am’ phrase.

-Even as a child, Jesus showed wisdom beyond his years.

How did Jesus’ experience of emotions relate to his sense of mission?

-Jesus felt emotions like abandonment but was aware of his unique mission from God.

-This trust in God may have helped him focus on his human nature while carrying out God’s plan for salvation.

What does Jesus say in John’s Gospel that suggests he thought he was divine?

-Jesus says, “Very truly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I am!” using the divine name ‘I am’.

-H P Liddon said this shows Jesus had a consciousness of Eternal Being, meaning he referred to himself as divine.

How does Jesus respond when asked if he is the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?

-Jesus says “I am” when the high priest asks if he is the Messiah and Son of the Blessed One, indicating he accepted the divine identity.

How do Jesus’ miracles support the idea that he thought he was divine?

-The Catechism of the Catholic Church says Jesus’ miracles, like healing the blind man and walking on water, are signs of his divinity and show he was someone special, which implies he saw himself as divine.

Why do some theologians doubt that Jesus himself claimed to be divine based on the Gospel of John?

-The Gospel of John may not be a straightforward historical account but an interpretation by someone convinced Jesus was God, so the words might belong to the author, not Jesus himself.

How does Jesus’ experience in the Garden of Gethsemane challenge the idea that he thought he was divine?

-The Synoptic Gospels describe Jesus’ agony, showing him afraid of death, which suggests his true humanity and contradicts the idea of him being divine.

What alternative roles might Jesus have seen himself as, rather than divine?

-Jesus may have thought of himself only as a teacher of wisdom and morality (e.g., in parables like The Lost Son and The Good Samaritan) or as a political liberator.