Jesus Christ 1

Jesus Christ

1. Introduction

2. Jesus' Authority

• Three Ways Jesus has Authority:

  • A teacher of wisdom

  • Liberator of the oppressed

  • The Son of God

• Jesus’ Teachings:

  • Emphasizes repentance, inner purity, and forgiveness

  • Demonstrates divinity through:

    • Relationship with the Father

    • Miracles

    • Resurrection

3. Who is Jesus Christ?

• Title of 'Christ':

  • Given in the Gospels

  • Example: Matthew 16:16 — "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God"

• Etymology:

  • From Greek word χριστός, meaning "anointed one"

• Old Testament Context:

  • Anointing reserved for kings, high priests, and prophets

  • Jesus is viewed as a new Moses, David, and Elijah

  • Fulfills the prophecy of the Messiah, the long-awaited savior of Israel

4. Jesus as a Teacher of Wisdom

5. Jesus’ Affirmation of Life

• Influence of Ludwig Wittgenstein:

  • Saw Christianity’s power in Jesus’ affirmation of authentic living

  • Influenced by Leo Tolstoy's Gospel in Brief, which outlines Jesus' moral commands:

    • Do not be angry

    • Do not seek sexual gratification

    • Do not swear anything to anyone

    • Do not oppose evil or judge or go to the law

    • Do not make distinctions among people

6. Existentialism and Jesus

• Wittgenstein's Philosophy:

  • An existentialist focusing on experience: thinking, acting, feeling

  • Interested in language games and tested language against propositions about reality

  • Concluded that only practices lived or experienced can hold value

• Jesus' Legacy:

  • Emphasizes truth-telling and courage against hypocrisy

  • Represents the 'living word,' embodying moral and spiritual life

7. The Sermon on the Mount

• Jesus' Exhortations:

  • Explore what Jesus urges his followers to do, focusing on ethical teachings and moral living

8. Jesus’ Moral Teaching

• Fulfillment of the Law:

  • In Matthew 5:17, Jesus states he comes not to abolish the law but to fulfill it

  • Law Definition:

    • Refers to Mosaic laws from Sinai

    • Encompasses the command to love God wholly

• Interior Act of Love:

  • True fulfillment is about loving God internally rather than merely outward acts of piety

9. Forgiveness and Repentance

• Understanding Repentance:

  • Uses the term μετάνοια, meaning a radical change of heart or mind

  • True repentance is a complete life reformation, not just an apology

• Examples of Repentance:

  • Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)

  • Story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10)

10. Jesus Beyond a Teacher

• Cultural Perspectives:

  • Many, including Muslims and atheists, recognize Jesus as a moral teacher while rejecting his divinity

  • Ethical teaching may be seen as preferable over claims like virgin birth or resurrection

• Existential Freedom:

  • Theologians like Rudolph Bultmann view the truth of Christianity as rooted in existential freedom rather than mythology

11. Questions on Jesus’ Authority

• Authority of Teaching:

  • Can Jesus' moral teachings be seen as valid without acknowledgment of his divinity?

  • Similarity between Jesus’ asceticism and contemporary Stoicism raises questions on legitimacy

  • Many claim spiritual truths; what makes Jesus’ words particularly authoritative if he lacks divine status?