ACTC3    Christian Belief 
 
  Seminar 2 Jesus Christ 
 
 

1. Introduction

God didn't write a theology textbook. Rather, he came down and entered into our history. From this recorded history we have stories that tell of what God has done. Our Christian faith is based on these stories.
Exercise: Think about one thing that you like about Jesus. What is one of the stories from the Gospels that illustrates this aspect? Stop for a moment and give thanks to God for Jesus.
 

2. The Person of Jesus - Names, Titles and Images

a. The names, titles and image of Jesus
There are numerous names, titles and images given to Jesus throughout the Old and New Testament. Here's a selection of 365 of them as they appear in T.C. Horton 'The Wonderful Names of Our Wonderful Lord". Horton probably skips over theophany issues as outlined last seminar, as he tends to ascribe many of these directly to Jesus. Despite this drawback, there is a degree of validity in what he has done. You might like to just scan down this list c. Integrating these names, titles and images
Chances are, some of the above names are not that familiar to you. Some may be completely unknown. Given this, we will suggest that not every description of Jesus carries the same significance for our understanding of who He is. That is, while all the names are necessary, to gain a full and complete understanding of who Jesus is and what His role is, some names are more likely to stick out as being primary signposts which give us a clear picture of who Jesus is than others . There will of course be a fair degree of subjectivity within this scheme. What one person may personally find very useful, someone else may find less useful.
For example, the titles of Lord, Jesus Christ and Son of God rate very highly in our understanding of who he is. They are standard descriptions of who Jesus is. Failure to understand these terms results in a failure to understand who Jesus is. Another title such as the 'River of Life' or 'Wisdom', while being very important, would rate lower down on a hierarchy of importance. I would suggest that Jesus could be understood at a certain level, without these two descriptions. The understanding would not be complete, but there could still be a fundamental understanding present.  Near the lower end of the hierarchy, you may have some Old Testament name that you might not have even been aware of, such as 'A Friend that Sticketh Closer than a Brother'. This name still tells us something important about who Jesus is, but it is mildly obscure. All names are necessary, but some are more fundamental to our understanding of the person of Jesus than others.

d. So, where do you begin when explaining Jesus
The place to begin explaining Jesus to someone who does not know him, is not necessarily at the top of the hierarchy. Rather, it is the place where you can connect with that person, as any part that connects with that person may give us an 'in'. You might not personally find the picture of Jesus as a 'Mother Hen' that helpful, but if you are talking to a poultry farmer who thinks that mother hens are great in the way they act and protect their chicks, it might be the ideal place to start. As a person comes to understand more about Jesus, they will understand more of the descriptions of him within this hierarchy we have set up. Over time some concepts may come to mean more than others. As we mature in Christ, we gain a picture of how these concepts interrelate to each other and build up a broader picture.
 

3. The Work of Jesus - His Life

a. The Incarnation and the Virgin Birth
God came as a man and dwelt amongst us. However, this Incarnation (or coming in the flesh) of Jesus was not a one way trajectory. He came from heaven to earth and back up again to heaven. When he came to earth, it was for a purpose. Jesus came so that he might die and be glorified as an act of servanthood and humility.
   
The New Testament makes virtually nothing out of the Virgin Birth, except to mention that it happened. The emphasis is more on the incarnation. Jesus came to earth born of a woman. b. The extra-Biblical Historical Date
There is evidence for the existence of Jesus outside of the scriptures. One of the most well known sources is by a first century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus. As an unsympathetic Pharisee, he acknowledged the existence of Jesus and the claims by his followers of his resurrection.

c. Jesus' Childhood
We have very little on Jesus' childhood, outside of one visit to Jerusalem. We can safely assume that as a child, his upbringing was in line with the Jewish customs of the time.

d. The Political and Religious situation at the time

  • There were around 4000 Pharisees. They were the much respected religious group who occasionally found themselves in charge of certain synagogues. These were the people that society looked up to as the pillars of society.
  • The Sadducees were a religious group based around Judea. They appeared to be a wealthy group with large landholdings. They dominated the seventy odd members Sandhedran, which was the governing body under the Romans. They didn't have the same kind of religious observances as the Pharisees.
  • The Herodians were a political group made up of people who gave political allegiance to Herod. As such, they would be given government appointments to which they were accountable to Herod for.
  • Jesus came at a time of heavy Roman Occupation. There was soldiers in the streets and the whole situation was reasonably  volatile

    • e. Wisdom Teacher and Miracle Worker
    Jesus was seen as a teacher with great wisdom. He talked in parables and performed many miraculous signs. His popularity increases, and crowds follow him everywhere. What he says and does are signs that the Kingdom of God has come.

    f. Growing Opposition and Prediction of Death
    There is growing opposition to Jesus as he is seen as a destabilising force. Those who were seen to be destabilising were dealt with quickly and promptly by the Romans. Within this, you have Jesus predicting his own death. After the raising of Lazarus, those opposed to Jesus plot his downfall;

    He goes on to predict what will happen to him. g. Arrest, Trials, Death
    The last week of Jesus' life takes up a major portion of each Gospel story. Jesus is arrested, and has a number of trials with various political and religious governors. Eventually he is accused in front of Pilate as being an enemy of the state, as anti the emperor. And as Pilate owed his allegiances to the emperor, he felt bound to see the situation rectified.

    h. Resurrection
    Within the gospels, there are two types of narratives. These describe the two aspects to the story. The first type is the Empty Tomb narratives, which tell us that he was no longer in the tomb. The second type are the Appearance narratives, which tell of his appearances to his followers after he was raised from the dead. Sometimes it is hard to piece together exactly what happened and it's sequence. While this is normal when there are several eye witnesses, the basic facts all line up against each other.

    i. Session and Return
    The term Session simply means that he is 'seated with the Father'

    We are told that Jesus will return, and it will be the same way as he went.  

    4. The Work of Jesus - His Death

    There are three main ways of talking about the death of Jesus

    a. Substitute
    The concept of Jesus being a substitute is drawn from Old Testament sacrificial imagery. When people turn away from God in sin, something has to die. This was well understood by Jesus' followers. Jesus becomes the sacrificial Lamb of God, who, being without sin or blemish, was able to be the final sacrifice for sin. No more sacrifices were needed as Jesus has dies the death we deserve. One of the key concepts within this is that of Propitiation. The sins of humanity have incurred the wrath of God, and God can only turn away from that wrath because Jesus offered himself as a perfect sacrifice.

    We find that Jesus became the curse that we should have become ourselves
      Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us--for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree" 
      Galatians 3:13
     God's wrath is propitiated. He turns away from His wrath, breaking down the barrier between God and humanity. Here we have the concept of Jesus' sacrifice bringing about atonement, or at - one - ment. Jesus' death makes us one with God
      and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 
      1 John 2:2
    This atonement is understood through the Old Testament imagery of sacrifice. Jesus does not replace the sacrificial system. He perfectly completes it, once and for all.
      But when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God! 
      Hebrews 9:11-14
    This sacrifice is total. Through Jesus bearing our sins, we are it we are righteous.
      He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 
      1 Peter 2:24
      b. Victor Over:
    In 1931, a Swiss theologian named Gustaf Aulen produced a paper entitled Christus Victor, which sought to reclaim the concept of 'Christ the Victor'. Christ can be seen as the victor over three areas through his death on the cross; death, the devil and sin. However, even though Christ is the victor over these areas, we still have to wait for this victory to be fully claimed. That is, death is defeated, but we will still die. sin has been defeated, but we still sin. This is looked at in seminar 6.

    1. Over Death.
      "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 
      1 Corinthians 15:55-57
    2. Over the Devil
      Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. 
      Hebrews 2:14-15
      And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. 
      Revelation 20:10
    3. Over Sin
      His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. 
      1 Peter 1:3,4
    c. Example
    Jesus' death is an example in that he can suffer and at the same time have complete faith.  The concept of Christ's death as an example is often downplayed, particularly by Christians who wish to emphasise the substitutionary aspect of Jesus' death. However, there is no need to take up an either-or position when understanding the death of Jesus. We need to take up a both-and position. The scriptures say that all three ways of understanding are true.

    Exercise: Take some time to think through the meaning of at least one of these verses in part 4 in more detail. How could what these verses say be used in sharing the Gospel with a non-believer.
     
     

    5. The Work of Jesus - His Resurrection

    Exercise: Do you think much about the resurrection? What difference does it make in your life?

    1. Impossible that he should stay dead
    In Jesus was life. That which is life cannot stay dead. Despite this, Jesus displays great faith in that He is following the command of his Father. It was an extreme act of obedience.

    2. Proof of God's Favour.
    On the day of Pentecost Peter declares that it was proof of God's favour that He raised Jesus back up. His death achieved what it was meant to achieve
    "Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, 'He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.' This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you both see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."' Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified."
    Acts 2:29-36
    3. First Fruits of many.
    Jesus was raised from the dead, not just from death. He is the first and main one of many who are raised from among the dead ones. Like the first fruits on a tree, we know that he is the first, with many more to come.
    1 Corinthians 15:20-22
     4. Giver of Hope
    There is hope in life because of the resurrection. Death can turn to life. God changes our destiny through resurrection. 
    1 Peter 1:3
    5. Returning Judge.
    God has raised him up, and now Jesus returns as the Judge of both the living and the dead.

    We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word.

    Acts 10:39-44

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