Jesus: Human & Divine

The Two Natures of Jesus

Human Mind, Human Heart

• Joys and trials of human nature:– Close friends and family– Shared meals and celebrations

• Wedding• Dinner with Martha, Mary and Lazarus• Visited the homes of others• Experienced hunger, frustration, pain, fatigue, suffering and sorrow• Cries• Psychological fear, genuine pain, and emotional anxiety• Dies

• We join our everyday experiences to those of Jesus and are able to grow in holiness

A Faithful Jew

• Raised in a Jewish home– Mary and Joseph are devout Jews who bring Jesus up in the

Jewish faith• Circumcised• Presented at the Temple

– Sacrifice of lamb and turtledove

• Practiced his faith– Celebrates the Jewish holidays

• Passover, Tabernacles, Dedication• Travels to Jerusalem for feasts• Studied the Torah and teaches with it• Goes to synagogue on the Sabbath

Life in the 1st century• Historical background

– Under Roman control since 63 AD– Local kings ruled but must remain faithful to the emperor– Three territories of Palestine ruled by the three sons of King Herod

• Eventually Judea was given over to the control of a Roman procurator, Pontius Pilate

• Realities of Roman occupation– Roman money– Roman presence– Roman taxes, in addition to local taxes– Opposition met with violence and cruelty

• crucifixion

• Roman religion– Emperor worship– Mystery religions

• Greek influences• Egyptian influences

Geography• Palestine (Canaan)

– Galilee• Rural area, less sophisticated

and less educated– Samaria

• Despised by other Jews, claimed they were unclean because of their intermarriage and interaction with outsiders

– Judea• Included Jerusalem and the

Temple• People were more

sophisticated, educated and well to do.

About the size of New Jersey

Society’s Make-up• Religious leaders

– Pharisees: lay reformers who held a strict view of the Law– Scribes: teachers of the Law; included Pharisees. A high priest presided

over their group which was called the Sanhedrin– Priests: offered sacrifice at the Temple

• Political leaders– Roman leaders: put in authority by the Emperor of Rome– Jewish kings: didn’t have any real power except over internal affairs– Sadducees: ruling class, wealthy men, who favored the Romans– Zealots: a group of Jewish people who plotted to overthrow Roman rule

• Citizens– Wealthy class: those who owned land and had money– Lower class: worked for the wealthy (most of the population)– Outcasts: included the poor, sick, sinners and women (& tax collectors)

Historical Context• Jesus is at odds with the society of the day

– Cruelty and oppression from leaders• Jesus just barely escapes death as a baby• Jesus is criticized by the religious/political leaders (Pharisees,

Sadducees,)

– Tax collections• Jews employed by Rome to collect taxes were despised by the people

– Political and economic oppression• Threats of violence and cruelty were a constant presence in their lives• Zionists are waiting for a political leader to save them from Roman

oppression

– Jesus associates with the “Marginalized people”• Poor, sinners, women, sick, tax collectors

Parables• Jesus used metaphors or similes drawn from

common life experiences or nature to illustrate moral or spiritual truths. These accounts would challenge the audience to make a radical choice about entering the “Kingdom of God”. Many times the parable would follow a question.– Parables about the Kingdom– Parables about forgiveness

Parables• Core elements of a parable

– Comparison– Elements from everyday life– Surprise twist– Description of God– Comment on how people

relate to each other– Explains how God wants us

to relate to each other– Description of the Kingdom

of God

• Matthew 18: 23-35– Kingdom of God /King

settling accounts– Debt payment– Forgiveness of the debt– Compassionate– Was not compassionate to

the one who was indebted to him

– God wants us to be compassionate and forgiving to each other

– (Justice)What question preceded the parable?

If my brother sins against me, how many times must I forgive him?

Miracles

• Jesus used wonders or signs attributed to divine power that show that Jesus is the Messiah and that the Kingdom of God is present in him– Even though miracles pointed to his divine authority and

power Jesus did not perform them to this end. He did it out of compassion for the suffering of the persons and to give them a glimpse of the kingdom of God• Miracles of nature Harmony with nature• Miracles of healing take away suffering• Miracles of exorcism overcome evil• Miracles of Resurrection overcome death

Titles of Jesus• Messiah or Christ

– The “anointed one”• Lord

– OT name for God is YHWH– Substitute- adonai or Lord

• An indication of Jesus’ divinity• In Greek Kyrios

• Redeemer – Ancient practice of paying a ransom for a slave by someone

known as a redeemer. It was not possible for a slave to buy another slaves freedom

– Jesus paid the price to free us from our sins. It was not possible for a human alone to buy back our freedom. Only God could do this.

The Gospel of John

God Incarnate

• While the synoptic gospels emphasize the humanity of Jesus, John’s Gospel emphasizes Jesus’ divinity.– Prologue: reference to the Creation

• Pre-existent– Jesus is the “Word” who was there in the beginning. All was created

through him.

• He breaks through time and space and enters the human world (Incarnation)– Theophany- we see God face to face

• Light in the darkness

Book of SignsSigns of Jesus’ Divinity

• “I am” statements– allude to God’s answer

to Moses “I am that I am”

– Familiar images and symbols that establish Jesus’ divinity and help us understand Jesus’ mission.

– Each one tells us something about Jesus’ relationship to us

• Signs

– Point to a deeper meaning or reality.

– Reveal the divinity of Jesus

– Confirm that Jesus was sent by the Father to bring about salvation

“I Am” statements

• “I Am”– The bread of life– The light of the world– The gate for the sheep– The Good shepherd– The Resurrection, and the Life– The Way, the Truth, and the

Life– The vine, you are the branches

Only in John’s Gospel• Changes water to wine*– Foreshadows the changing of wine into

Jesus’ blood• Heals a paralytic on the Sabbath*– Law was made for man, not man for the law

• Restores sight of the man born blind*–Gives insight to who He really is

• Raises Lazarus from the dead*–Has power over life and death; prefigures

Jesus’ resurrection

Also Found in Other Gospels

• Cures the official’s son– Faith in Jesus brings wholeness and

health• Feeds five thousand– Satisfies our spiritual hunger

• Walks on water– Jesus can calm our fears

Discourses• Bread of Life

– Reference to the manna of the desert; – Manna will last a finite time, Jesus gives infinite satisfaction of hunger

• Last Supper (In the Book of Glory)– Love and service

• Sacrifices himself for all• Washes feet of disciples to exemplify their responsibility to service of others

– Role of the Spirit• Advocate and counselor of Jesus’ followers

• Stories– Nicodemus

• To be born again of water and the spirit

– The Samaritan Woman• Not bound by customs or stereotypes

– Jesus talks to her-Samaritan, woman, sinner

– The Woman caught in adultery• God alone has the right to judge us. Shows the mercy of God. • We have no right to be in judgment of another

Book of Glory

• Passion Narratives– Passion & death

• Light (Jesus)/ Dark (Judas)• Glory not tragedy• Jesus is in control of His

destiny– “I am”– “You would have not

power…”– Seated on the judges

bench– “It is accomplished”– Blood and water-

Eucharist and Baptism– Triumph at his death

• Resurrection Accounts– Simon Peter and John find

the empty tomb and believe Jesus is risen

– Mary Magdalene does not believe until she encounters the risen Jesus

– Disciples recognize Jesus by the wounds on his hands and feet

– Thomas touches Jesus’ wounds and exclaims “My Lord and My God”