JESUS CHRISTOur Lord and Savior

Let’s See What You Remember

Gospel- means “good news”What are the three other meanings?

1) Jesus’ own preaching

2) the preaching about Jesus the Savior

3) the 4 spirit-inspired written versions of the Good News

Incarnation

Dogma- what is this?Dogma that God’s eternal Son assumed a human nature and became man in Jesus Christ

to save us from our sins.

Literally means: “taking on flesh”

What of God took on flesh?The Logos

Word of God became flesh- Why?

Word of God• Became flesh to save us

from Sin, Death and eternal separation from God

• The Word of God so that we might know God’s love

Logos• God took on flesh to be

model of holiness• Became human to make us

sharers in His divine love

Jesus- MeaningComes from Hebrew name- Yehoshua- JoshuaMeans “God saves” or “God is savior” or simply “Savior”

Gabriel- the archangelVisits Mary to announce Good NewsWhat was it?

History of JesusBoth as man and Savior

Birth of Jesus

• Somewhere between 6BC and 4BC• King Herod the Great• Dionysus Exiguus • Which Gospels include Infancy Narratives?• AD- 27-28- Tiberius Caesar• Baptism of Jesus

Evangelists

Four of themProclaimers of the Good

NewsLet’s look at them more closely

Continuing on with Jesus’ life

• After baptism, Jesus gathered 12 _______________(means one who is sent or Ambassador)

• Tested in the desert by _______________• Proclaims on the Kingdom of God• Accused of blasphemy by whom?• What is Blasphemy?• Describe the Paschal Mystery

CONTINUING WITH THE NAMES OF JESUS

CHRISTChristos- Greek- Lord

Hebrew- MessiahSalvation

Priest, Prophet, KingSon of God

Lord- Divinity, Kyrios, Earliest and Shortest Creed

Suffering Servant; Son of ManINRI; Chi Rho

Evidence of Jesus and His Life

Sources for the historical Jesus-Roman Historians- Tacitus; Suetonius- Pliny the Younger;

JosephusThe Talmud

Centrality of the GospelThe New Testament best sourceFocus is entirely on Jesus Christ

Parables- what are they?St. Jerome- translated Bible into Latin

“Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ”

Contents of the New Testament

• Jesus is the New Testament- New Covenant• Jesus- fulfilled Old Testament• The New Testament does not contradict Old Testament• The Gospels- Evangelists-• Primary Intent• Biographical material• Name the four Gospels-

The New TestamentActs of the Apostles- Luke• Continuation of the

Gospels• Recounts the History of

the Church until arrest of St. Paul

• Pentecost- Birthday of the Church

The New Testament Letters• Epistles• Paul• Highlight the importance

of the faith in Jesus Christ• Romans through Hebrews

Continuing on the Contents

The Catholic Letters• Encourage the Catholic

(universal) Church to remain faithful

• To live Christian lives• James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1,2,3

and John and Jude

Revelation• Written by John• The Apocalypse• Encourages Christians to

remain faithful to Jesus Christ

Formation of the Gospels• Stage 1- The Historical Jesus- 6-4BC till AD 30/33• Stage 2- Oral Tradition- AD 30/33- 50• “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”

(Mk 16:15)

• Kerygma- Preaching to unbelievers- begin to collect writings• Didache- teaching- center of catechesis- sound down- repeat the

message• Liturgy- participation in the work of God- Celebration of Eucharist• Diakonia- service- Early Christians served others

Stage 3- The New Testament Writings

Click icon to add picture

Final Stage of Gospel formationOral writing required commitment to

writingServes as aid to both worship

service/instruction of new converts

MYSTERIES OF CHRIST’S LIFE

• God is omnipotent, great, loving and perfect- mystery• Mysterion- Greek word- refers to God’s saving plan• All about Jesus’ life reveal this loving, infinite God of

mercy• So let’s look a little closer

The Infancy Narratives

• Mark- Gentile Christian community- Suffering Servant• Matthew- Judeo-Christian community- New Lawgiver• Luke- Gentile Christians as well- Universal Messhiah• John- written to all- Jesus is Way, Truth and Life• Principal persons- Jesus, Mary, Joseph• What are other common themes found in Gospels?

Infancy Narratives continued

Revelations• Born in poverty• Shepherds saw him first• Jesus’ circumcision• Epiphany• Presentation in the Temple

• Flight into Egypt• Slaughter of the

Innocents• Virgin Birth• Brothers and Sisters• Obedient- New Adam• Remained a devout

Son

Jesus’ Public Life

• Model for human living• Humility, dealing with suffering and persecution• Love, Compassion, Human• Baptism- launched public ministry• Temptation in the desert• Preached the Good news

Paschal Mystery

• Passion-• Death-• Resurrection• Ascension

Main Points of Jesus’ Proclamation

• Kingdom of God is here- Jesus is the divine agent• God is loving Father- Prodigal Son• God is merciful- Turning from sin- embracing enemies• Jesus is present in His Church- Establishment of Church• To accept Jesus is to accept Cross- Self-denial and

sacrifice• Pick up Cross- Mt. 16, 24; Never alone- Mt. 11, 28-30

Miracles and Transfiguration

• Sign of messianic age• Did not abolish all human suffering• Control over demons• Great victory• Revelation of the three persons of the Trinity as at

Baptism

Death and Beyond

Died for OUR sins• Jewish authorities• Repairs broken

relationship between• Bestows God’s blessings• Adopts us

Savior and Suffering• Jesus is our Savior• Pontius Pilate- Roman

Prefect• Redemption- ransom that

defeats evil• Obedience through trial

Death and Beyond

• The raising of the Temple in three days• April- approximately AD 30• Joseph of Arimathea- buried Jesus• Sheol- Abode of the dead• Resurrection of Jesus- a real event• Death was defeated for all times at Jesus’ resurrection

Resurrection

Jesus’ Divinity• Truly was Son of God• Truly was God himself• Reveals the communion of

the Trinity• Restores humanity

Lives and reigns forever• Holy Spirit strengthens us• Jesus is alive in the

Eucharist• Ascension- Jesus rose from

the dead• Pentecost; Parousia

JUDEGEMENT

• Mt. 25: 31-46- Corporal Works of Mercy• “Love one another as I have loved you”• What we believe?• What is a heresy? • Let’s look at these-

Gnostic Docetism- Appearance only

Arius- denied the true divinity- not equal to God (not of the same

substance)Nestorianism- Jesus was two and Mary

was mother of the human JesusMonophystism- held that Christ’s divine nature absorbed his human

nature

What councils answered these heresies?Ecumenical- WorldwideNicaea (325)Constantinople I (381)Ephesus (431)Chalcedon (451)Constantinople II (553)Constantinople III (680)Nicaea II (787)Jesus is the only Son of GodJesus Christ is true God Jesus is “begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father”-begotten not created

FURTHER HERESIES

• All things were made through the Son

• There is only one Person in Christ, the Divine Person- this refers to distinction between the members of the Blessed Trinity

• Mary is truly the Mother of God

• Two Distinct natures in the one person of Christ

• Jesus has a human intellect and a human will

• In Jesus, God truly shared our humanity

• Council of Chalcedon 451- most important professions of faith

LAST WORD ON CHAPTER 2

• Judaism- Jesus was a Jewish man• Islam- Acknowledges Jesus; the Qur’an; Muhammad• Eastern Religions- Hindu beliefs vary; an avatar (one of

the Hindu gods)- wise guru (teacher)