the person of Jesus

the historical Jesus:

  • Jesus lived in Palestine, one of the many locations of Roman conquest

  • had no earthly army nor a political office, yet regarded as one of the most controversial figures in history

  • perhaps most famous person who ever lived

  • people unable to agree who He really was/is

  • a historical figure written about by both believers n non-believers

Christian authors:

  • historical evidence for Jesus of Nazareth is long-established n widespread

  • mentioned by Jewish n Roman historians, despite only living for a few decades + dozens of Christian writings

  • value:

    • early n detailed

    • 1st Christian writings » St Paul

    • agreed that the earliest of these letters were written within 25 years of Jesus’ death at the latest

    • detailed New Test gospel biographical accounts of Jesus date from approx 40 years after He died

    • all appeared within the lifetimes of numerous eyewitnesses

    • provided descriptions that comport w culture n geography of 1st cent Palestine

non-Christian authors:

  • 1st author outside Church to mention Jesus is Jewish historian Havius Josephus » wrote history of Judaism, AD93, 2 references to Jesus

  • approx 20 years after Josephus = Roman politicians PLiny n Tacitus » held some of the highest state offices at beginning of 2nd century AD

  • Tacitus:

    • we learn that Jesus was executed with Pontius Pilate as the Roman prefect in charge of Judea (AD26 - 36), Tiberius = Emperor »» fits timeframe of the gospels

  • Pliny:

    • we learn that whilst he was governor in northern Turkey, Christians worshipped Christ as a god

  • neither of them liked Christians:

    • Pliny writes of their “pig-headed obstinacy”

    • Tacitus calls Christianity a destructive superstition

other figures, of Jesus:

  • Gandhi: “a man who was completely innocent, offered Himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including His enemies, and become the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act.”

  • Louis Farrakhan Sr: “no [prophet] before Jesus casted out demons, that I can remember, do you remember any of the old prophets casting out demons? Jesus was deep. There was something about the power of His Word that demon came out.”

  • Dale Carnegie: “the ideas I stand for are not mine. I borrowed them from Socrates. I swiped them from Chesterfield. I stole them from Jesus. And I put them in a book. If you don’t like their rules, whose would you use?”

  • Mikhail Gorbachev: “Jesus was the first socialist, the first to seek a better life for mankind.”

  • Jean-Jacques Rousseau: “Socrates died like a philosopher; Jesus Christ died like a God.”

> Jesus » Teacher of Wisdom » Jesus’ affirmation of living life well » Is Jesus just a teacher of wisdom?

> Jesus » the Liberator » Jesus’ political challenge » Is Jesus more than a liberator?

>Jesus » Son of God » Jesus’ relationship with God » Is Jesus the unique Son of God?

Jesus: the Teacher of wisdom:

  • Jesus’ wisdom n example has enduring appeal to Christian n non-Christians

  • many believe He lived a holy life close to God, advocating for repentance, forgiveness n spiritual purity

  • His teachings focused on loving n forgiving others, healing the sick, looking out for the vulnerable n dispossessed

  • message of Good News, repentance n salvation from sin n rebirth to eternal life

Jesus: the Liberator:

  • some see Jesus as a righteous revolutionary, who challenged the religious status quo » diverse n rigid

  • came with a radically different message that sought to break down the division between God n man

  • seen as the initiator of a new order

  • some felt He was a political reformer who came to liberate occupied Israel from Roman rule

Jesus: the Son of God:

  • title used in the early church and the Gospels​

  • key events emphasise Jesus as the Son of God - the incarnation water baptism, transfiguration​

  • Christianity as a whole recognises Jesus as the Son of God​

  • This is central to His authority​