Jesus Christ has had such an impact on the world. We know the impact and ideal of Christ, but do we really know Jesus? Would you like to know Jesus? Seems like a simple enough question, but this is the question that has shaped contemporary American Christianity. Let's deep deeper together into really knowing the historical Jesus: the Preacher, the Prophet, the Politician, the Criminal, and the Saint.

Why we are here

An Agenda for Methodists

• Why study Jesus historically

• How has it been done before us?

• Sources for the Historical Jesus

• Preacher, Prophet, Politician, Criminal, Saint

• The Gospel’s Strange Christology

• Christological Affirmations

• Models of Jesus/Christ

• Jesus/Christ in Wesley

Why should we subject Jesus to historical study?

• Our need for God

• Our loyalty to Scripture

• The imperative for truth

• Our commitment to mission

according the N. T. Wright

Seeking the Jesus in History

Phase One: Study Jesus with standards of the Enlightenment.

Phase Two: Recognition of oral tradition as vehicle of the Gospels; an insistence on using form and reduction criticism.

Phase Three: Sociological and archeological studies are used to analyze theories.

Phase Four (current literature): Emphasis on stories rather than sayings.

What are our sources for study?

• Hebrew Bible or Old Testament

• Dead Sea Scrolls

• Jewish Rabbinic Writing (Talmudic study)

• New Testament

• The Nag Hammadi Library

• Jewish History (Works of Josephus)

• Classical History (Tacitus & Pliny)

Jesus the Preacher

The Message of Jesus

• The Kingdom of God is at hand!

• Kingdom is not about life after death.

• God’s direct rule on earth is the Kingdom.

• Kingdom built on radical justice for marginalized, oppressed, and the poor.

• Love of enemies is Kingdom work.

Jesus the Prophet

The Prophecy of Jesus

• Predictions of destruction go back to Jesus.

• Destruction of Jerusalem predicted on logical and natural consequences of violent resistance to Rome.

• Jesus tells his followers to flee rather than fight.

Jesus the Politician

The Politics of Jesus

• Jesus’ intent was to start a movement.• Open banquet table primary symbol.• Forgiveness of sinners primary action• Called for commitment to new ethos of the

Kingdom• Triumphal entry protests oppression of

Jewish people by authorities in Jerusalem.• Acts out prophecy of Zechariah 9:9-12

Jesus the Criminal

The Crimes of Jesus

• Jewish and Roman authorities were threatened by a call to justice:• Roman taxation caused foreclosures• Temple tax was burdensome• Officials lived luxuriously while majority

struggled

• Many felt his large crowd would lead to violence.

Jesus the Saint

The Lasting Image of Jesus

• Discipleship means living life as Jesus did through prayer, service and study.

• Discipleship means confronting social, economic and political injustice.

• Discipleship means following the way of non-violence, compassion and healing.

• Discipleship is best nurtured within a community of fellow believers in a particular faith tradition.

The Gospels’ Strange Christology

The Gospels vary in ways they perceive and portray Jesus/Christ. Each Gospel was written for a particular time, people and place. Even Paul, in his letters, envisions the Gospels and Jesus/Christ differently.

Matthew - Jewish Messiah

Mark - Mysterion (human/divine)

Luke - Healer

John - Co-Creator God

Paul - Author of Salvation

Christological Affirmations

Messiah

Son of God

Son of Man

Lord

God

Models of Jesus/Christ

The example of a godly life

A symbolic presence

Christ as mediator

Presence of the Spirit

Revelational presence

Substantial presence

Jesus/Christ in Wesley

Wesley’s concern for the divinity of Christ hinged on the idea of Christ being the gateway to God’s sole responsibility and authorship of salvation. Christ’s atoning work was healing the human disease of original sin.