Jesus of Nazareth

Christianity: An Introduction

A New Movement• Year 60: Roman authorities noticed

a new movemento “Chrestus” or “Christus” cause of trouble

• Emperor Nero: Great fire of Rome 64

• Tacitus :”the Christians”• 313: Christianity the official religion

of the Roman Empire Nero

Questions to Consider:• What was this new religion?• What did it teach?• Where did it come from?• What made it so attractive?• How did it come to be so influential in its first few

centuries?• What happened after it had achieved such

success at Rome?• How has it shaped the lives individuals and the

history of the human race?

Gateways to Encountering Christianity

• Texts• Services• Buildings• Music• Art

Centrality of Jesus to the Christian Faith

• Christianity is Jesus Christo Christianity represents a sustained response to the

questions raised by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

o Is a historical religion, coming into being in response to a specific set of events that center around Jesus Christ.• Life, death, resurrection

• Jesus is more than a founder; he makes God known, salvation possible, who models a new life with God that results from faith.1. Jesus tell us and shows us what God is like.2. Jesus makes a new relationship with God possible3. Jesus himself lives out a God-focused life, which

Christians are encouraged to imitate

Centrality of Jesus to the Christian Faith

1. Jesus reveals both the will and face of God

o Colossians 1:15 “Image of the invisible God” = eikon – Emperor on coinage

o Hebrews 1:3 “The exact representation of God’s being” - charakter

o John 14:9 “No one comes to the Father but through me”

2. Jesus is understood to be the ground of salvation

o Significant title: “Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10)

o Ichthus – “fish” “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior

o Saves people from sins (Matthew 1:21)o In his name alone is there salvation (Acts 4;12)o “Author of Salvation” (Hebrews 2:10)

Centrality of Jesus to the Christian Faith

3. Jesus is the model of the redeemed life; Christians called to “imitate Christ”

o Paul: “Be imitators of God” (Ephesians 5:1)• But – must know what God is like

o “Love one another” (John 4:7-11)o The Kingdom was for all, without

hesitation.• What groups were they hesitant of?• Who do you think people would be

hesitant of today?

The Gospels and Jesus• Mark 1:1 “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus

Christ, the Son of God”• Gospel – “Good news”

o What is the good news?o Koine – Greek of the “common” people; used for the Gospelso Evangelion – “good” and “news” or “message”

• “Jesus Christ” – Hebrew Yeshua “God saves”; “Christ” is a title – Greek version of word “messiah”o Judaism – a new King David would open up a new age; expectations

ranged from political to priestly, to greatero “Messianic age”

The Gospels and Jesus• Christianity first existed

within/alongside Judaismo God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob became more

revealed in Jesus• In Gospels/Acts of the Apostles

“Jesus of Nazareth”o Nazareth – 100 miles north of Jerusalem, in

region of Galileeo Those in Jerusalem saw them as less than

authentic Jews, and many failed to think that the messiah could come from Galilee

• Four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, Johno Matthew, Mark, Luke – “synoptic” Gospelso John very theological/philosophical

• Gospels cannot be thought of as biographies, but ways of making Jesus known to their audiences

Sea of Galilee

Jesus and Roman Historians

• Three Roman historians make reference to Jesus: o Pliny the Younger (111AD)o Tacitus (115ad)o Suetonius (120AD)

• In their writings we see mention of:o Christ condemned to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator

of Judaea, during the reign of Roman emperor Tiberius. Pilate worked years 26-36; Tiberius 14-37; Jesus’ crucifixion was sometime between 30 and 33.

o By the time of Nero, Christ had attracted enough followers to be a scapegoat for Rome’s fire

o “Chrestus” was the founder of a distinctive group within Judaism (Suetonius)

o In 112 AD Christians worshipped Jesus “as if he were a god” , abandoning worship of the Roman emperor

Pliny the Younger

Jesus and Israel• Jesus is born into Israel.

o What is Israel?o Christians stress that God is the God of the great

saints of Judaism, such as Abraham, Moseso Israel is seen as preparation for God’s coming in

Jesuso Hebrew Scriptures are of great importance to

Christian writers (which we will spend time discussing

• Jesus came “not to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17)

• Paul – Jesus is “the goal of the Law” o telos

• Paul stresses the relationship between Moses and Jesus; and Christians and the great figures of the faith of Israel

Jesus and Israel• In the Christian Scriptures, the New

Testament, the same theme reoccurs: • “Law, Prophets, and Writings” are the

“Old Testament” to Christians• Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled

in Jesus; 12 points in the Gospel of Matthew are shown to fulfill Old Testament prophecy

• Psalm 22: Jesus quotes as he is dying on the cross.o Personal difficulties of King David are those of Jesus:

Eloi, eloi, Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

• Isaiah 52:13-53:12: Servant is despised and rejected by others

• Jesus is crucified between two criminals

Jesus and Jewish Groups• Judaism – Palestinian Judaism

o Diaspora -Jews scatter• Five major groups existed

within Palestinian Judaism• Samaritans – lived in nearby

areas, with similar beliefs in Judaismo Assyrian invasion – some syncretismo Separate worship centero Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25), Samaritan

woman (John 4:4-32)

Jesus and Jewish Groups

• Pharisees – saw law as evolving; with doctrinal developments “Torah and tradition”o Distanced themselves from what they thought to be

unacceptableo Believed in the resurrection of the dead

• Sadducees – Five books of law – binding authority; did not believe in the afterlife

• Zealots – politically radical Jews, concerned to overthrow Roman occupation of the land

• Essenes- emphasis on religious purity; lived in communities in the wilderness; lived simple lives, and were celibate

The Birth of Jesus• Matthew and Luke: provide the

“Christmas card” accounts.• Birthdate unknown; Christians

chose December 25th.o Traditional Roman holidayo Clement of Alexandria advocated May 20th o Actual date a non-issue for Christians

• Story develops:o Three gifts: Wise men?o Birthplace?

The Birth of Jesus• Joseph – in King

David’s legal bloodline; never referred to as “father of Jesus”

• Mary – “Mother of Jesus”

• To Christians, the conception of Jesus is divine

The Beginning of the Public Ministry of

Jesus• John the Baptist: Prepare the way

o Return of Elijah?o “Baptism”: Greek “to bathe”

• Temptation – 40 days 40 nights in the wildernesso Now he’s ready to go

• Comes into public ministry, with a theme of rejection.

• Disciples• Apostles – “the twelve”• Teaching, healing; helping people

understand the fullness of the Jewish law.

Jesus and Women• In Jesus’ ministry, women

were:o Affirmed by himo Witness to the crucifixiono First witnesses of the Resurrectiono Named as disciples (males were not)o Shown to be more spiritually

perceptive than men.o Kept from being lone scapegoats in

adultery• Jewish teaching: “Not converse

much with women, as this will eventually lead you to unchastity”

o Luke: Focus on Mary; showed women important for spreading the Gospel

Teaching of Jesus: Parables of the

Kingdom• “Kingdom of God” or

“Kingdom of Heaven” movement: often told in parableso Basileia – not a physical lando The “Lord’s prayer”

• Parables – short stories that were allegories to express the tenants of the kingdom – spiritual truths that require one to think, and act.o Prodigal Son

The Crucifixion• Crucifixion – being placed on a cross• Common Roman execution• Passover – Last Supper

o Sacrificial Lambo Eucharist, or “Holy Communion” rooted hereo Holy Thursday

• Betrayed by Apostle Judas• Seized by Roman authorities and

questioned • Sanhedrin – Jewish ruling council;

could not sentence someone to death

The Crucifixion• Pontius Pilate seemed to want to give

Jesus a token punishment and move on, but the crowd rallies against him

• Jesus was scourged; set to carry his cross to his place of crucifixion.o Helped along the way by Simon of Cyrene, pulled from the

crowd• Golgotha/Calvary – “the place of the skull”• “My God, My God, why have you

abandoned me?”• Good Friday – Christians mourn the death

of Jesus• Jesus dies and is laid in the tomb

The Resurrection• Resurrection – used to refer to

series of events, summarized as follows:o Jesus’ tomb is discovered emptyo Disciples report personal appearanceso Jesus preached about as living Lord, not past

teacher• “Empty tomb” – eye-witness

accounts in Gospelso A woman’s testimony would be dismissed

• Jewish views on the afterlife were mixed

Events and Meanings• Christian faith presupposes Jesus

was a real historical figure• Christianity, however is not just

facts about Jesus• Paul – saw behind mere external

event itself to what it signified and was not interested in merely facts; for Paul the crucifixion meant salvation, forgiveness, and victory over death

• Jesus died, in order that all may life; was numbered among sinners so sinners can be forgiven.

Paul

New Testament Understandings of

Jesus• Messiah: Hebrew title; “the

Lord’s anointed” or the “divinely appointed King of Israel”o Christ – title

• Lord: used as a divine being• Often used in the Old

Testament to describe the holy name of God

• Savior – “captain of salvation”o The one who saveso Forgiver of Sins

New Testament Understandings of

Jesus• Son of God – Old Testament:

emphasis on exclusiveness as an angelic or supernatural persono Incarnationo All are children of God – “Our Father”

• Son of Man – counterpart to “Son of God”; an affirmation to Jesus’ humanityo Shows Jesus’ humanity and willingness

to suffer alongside others• God – “My Lord and my God”

o Shows Jesus’ divinity to Christians