The Person of Jesus

• Christians confidently claim that Jesus is the source of authority because he is divine. Jesus’ divinity is expressed in his knowledge of God, his miracles and the resurrection
• Mark 6:47–51 (Jesus calms the Storm)
• Wright states that because of the Jesus’ resurrection the disciples regrouped after his death, showing the importance of his resurrection for the early church and the growth of Christianity through St Paul’s teachings.
• ‘it was the resurrection that caused the disciples to regroup and change their practices of worship to focus on him’. - Nicholas Thomas Wright
• Nicholas Thomas Wright

  Jesus' Divinity is shown in his ability to reunite the socially excluded through Miracles. This shows a greater authority and presence than just changing the laws in Nature. E.g the bleeding woman, she was excluded from society and religious practices until she touched Him and was healed.

  The resurrection confirmed Jesus’ Divinity as before this point he was a teacher to his disciples, the change was shown when Thomas declares ‘my lord and my God’ after he saw the resurrected body of Jesus with the crucifixion marks.
• John 9: 1-41 Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

  Jesus’ Actions: He performed a miracle where he healed a man who has been blind from birth by spitting on the ground and mixing with mud then placing it on his eyes before telling him to go wash it away. This is a miracle as the man could then instantly see, this was witnessed by his neighbours and parents.

  Jesus’ Words - “the blind will see and those who see will be blind”,
• John 9:1-41 shows that this miracle was not just about the physical healing of the blind man, but he was referring to the spiritual blindness of those around him that did not believe in his divinity as seen in the debate between the Pharisees who object to the miracle. Jesus knew to not only heal people physically but also those who were spiritual blind
• John 9: 1-41 indicates that Jesus' action showed a greater knowledge of God than that afforded to a mere human, leading to the conclusion that Jesus was in fact divine. He could heal those that others could not as ‘miracles’ were common precisely in those days (Bultmann) making this an expression of his divinity.
• “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” – All ‘I am’ statements refer to Jesus as God and show his Divinity as it references his salvific quality.
• ‘It was the resurrection that caused the disciples to regroup and change their practices of worship to focus on him’. - Nicholas Thomas Wright
• ‘It was the resurrection that caused the disciples to regroup and change their practices of worship to focus on him’.

  Wright states that because of the Jesus’ resurrection the disciples regrouped after his death, showing the importance of his resurrection for the early church and the growth of Christianity through St Paul’s teachings.
• The Resurrection

  Jesus’ death was salvific

  Christians believe what was prophesied was fulfilled with Jesus’ resurrection. Without it, there is no soteriology (salvation) for mainstream Christianity

  Gives hope for an eschatological union with God and a return to the prelapsarian state

  Confirmed his status as the incarnate as his death saved humanity via miraculous power

  Confirms God’s omnibenevolence as Jesus suffered to provide grace, the cure for original sin which allows atonement

  Confirms omnipotence as the soldier at the crucifixion was able to recognise the power of God.
• “Surely this man was the Son of God.”
• “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, you are still in your sins’.”
• Karl Barth – Church Dogmatics

  • Jesus is the full and perfect revelation -"true God and true man."
  • He has knowledge that no one else does. "Jesus Christ is the one Word of God…”
  • Possesses divine attributes - “very God of very God”
  • Jesus' word during the miracles showed his divinity and should be highlighted. ‘It does not matter whether or not the serpent really spoke; all that matters is what the serpent said’.
  • His resurrection is possible as he is God's revelation to us
  • God reveals himself to man through Jesus who is transcendent and Immanent
  • His resurrection is “the Christ event”
• Barth also emphasises the importance of Jesus' resurrection by saying that it is the 'Christ-event', meaning that everything about Jesus' life led up to His resurrection. It was the ultimate proof of His identity as the Son of God and the Saviour of humanity.
• Alistair McGrath – Theology: The Basics

  -Jesus is the revelation

  -It is through Jesus’ actions (and words) knowledge of God was revealed to us which shows that Jesus had divine knowledge that no one else has, ergo Jesus is divine

  -The fact that Jesus performed such feats in his miracles should establish his divinity.

  -The resurrection declares Jesus’ divinity to the world because it shows a supernatural omnipotent God and fulfils the Christian message of hope

  -Actual knowledge of God is gained through the trusted words and example (actions) of Jesus – so he is divine
• “It is impossible for the Christian to talk about God, salvation, or worship without bringing Jesus into the discussion”. - Alistair McGrath
• “Christians believe Jesus performed extraordinary miracles and modern science makes these events all the more remarkable”. - Alistair McGrath
• “Science does not disprove the resurrection of Jesus. It says that the resurrection cannot be explained by natural process”- Alistair McGrath
• “Christians hold that this God is revealed supremely and finally in Christ.” - Alistair McGrath
• Karl Rahner

  Jesus is Divine but had to go through a process to develop full knowledge of God

  Jesus was a human so couldn’t have had full knowledge of God from the beginning because ‘Genuine human consciousness must have an unknown future’

  Jesus’ knowledge of God had to be developed which happened when he spent in prayer with the father

  He uses an analogy of an onion to explain this:

  Just like an onion has layers, Jesus had layers of consciousness, self-consciousness nearer the surface (based on him understanding his humanity) and his God consciousness is deeper.
• ‘Genuine human consciousness must have an unknown future’ - Karl Rahner
• Karl Rahner's analogy of an onion

  Just like an onion has layers, Jesus had layers of consciousness, self-consciousness nearer the surface (based on him understanding his humanity) and his God consciousness is deeper.
• Catholic Church

  Believe in the ‘Hypostatic union’ Jesus is ‘truly God and truly man’ - two natures in one person.

  “In giving us his Son, his only Word (for he possesses no other), he spoke everything to us at once in this sole Word” Only word from God was given through Jesus, this indicates that it was given through his actions.
• Pope Pius IX – Anyone who claims miracles are false should be ‘anathema’ (a formal curse by a pope)
• The Nicene creed: “I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God…true God from true God”
• Catechism of the Catholic Church in referring to Christ’s work, uses the terms “redemption,” “salvation,” and “liberation” in that order of frequency
• Other religions ‘a ray of light’, showing Jesus teachings hold more than just wisdom, they hold a salvific message
• Catholic Church

  Believe in the ‘Hypostatic union’.Jesus is ‘truly God and truly man’

  “In giving us his Son, his only Word, he spoke everything to us at once in this sole Word”

  Pope Pius IX – Anyone who claims miracles are false should be ‘anathema’ (a formal curse by a pope)

  The Nicene creed: “I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God…true God from true God”

  Other religions ‘a ray of light’, showing Jesus teachings hold a salvific message

  Catechism refers to Christ’s work using “redemption,” “salvation,” and “liberation”
• Church of England

  Jesus' actions on Earth showed he was divine.

  Jesus reveals to us that God is our Father and that God is available to us through the Holy Spirit

  God has revealed himself most clearly through the gift of his Son as his words and actions showed a unique knowledge of God

  Believe in the Nicene creed and the Apostle creed: which agree that Jesus died and resurrected this declares to them that he is divine.

  Jesus was more than a teacher of wisdom, however believe that his teachings are central to the way in which they should live and behave.
• Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie 'stresses that Christianity is a house built on the rock of actual events.' Showing a complete support for belief in all Jesus miracles.
• Darrell Bock (Church of England) refers to the fact that Jesus had a reputation of doing miracles, as was even spoken about by Jewish historian Josephus, who in no way was an advocate for Jesus
• Medieval Christians

  Believed Jesus had knowledge of God in three ways:

  Scientia visionis – Face to face knowledge of God & all things eternal; a supernatural experience that gave Jesus knowledge of God through his life.

  Scientia infusa – An ‘infused’ knowledge which is not learnt but given by God, this means Jesus had all the knowledge of God from creation.

  Scientia experientiae – Gains knowledge through the normal human way, through experiences in this world, this means that his knowledge developed as he lived on earth.
• The Arian position

  Do not believe in the notion of the Trinity

  Jesus is the Son of God, created by God, but not God himself.

  There is a uniqueness of God, who is alone self-existent, whereas Jesus - the Son, is not self-existent

  The Son is finite and of a different order of existence.
• Matthew 5:17-48 Sermon on the Mount

  Forgiveness: “Anyone who is angry…will be subject to judgment” – Teaching about inner purity not just blindly following laws.

  Repentance: “Turn the other cheek” – Teaching us about morality being based on our love for one another

  Jesus’ Words: “I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.” – Jesus claims enough Wisdom of the past to alter society and change the blind following the ways of the Pharisees.

  “Anyone who is angry…will be subject to judgment” – Teaches about inner purity not just blindly following laws.
• Luke 15:11-32 The Parable of the Lost Son

  Forgiveness: within the parable he teaches that on an earthly and heavenly level forgiveness is important and love offered by God on anyone who turns their back on him.

  Inner purity: The message is clear too, if you have always done the right thing, do not be jealous of those who return to God and receive this love, essentially there is an abundance of love available.
• Richard Dawkins

  Dawkins disagrees with the Christian value surrounding Jesus who was a ‘scapegoat for humanity’s sins or had the ability to resurrect because there is no evidence.

  Jesus did not explicitly call himself God.

  Dawkins viewed Jesus as a ‘good’ individual who would have been a charismatic preacher while the ability to excite people to follow him.

  “Jesus was a great moral teacher.”
• Leo Tolstoy: Gospel in Brief

  Jesus Christ’s is just a teacher of wisdom

  Jesus is only significant because of these five moral commandments:

  1. Do not be angry,
  2. Be at peace with all men,
  3. Do not seek sexual gratification,
  4. Do not swear anything to anyone,
  5. Do not judge and show love to all people
• Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault

  Jesus has a spiritual occupation of being a moral

  teacher of excellent capacity.

  In order to be a good quality teacher you have to have experience, knowledge and good judgment

  “The hallmark of these wisdom teachers was their use of pithy sayings, puzzles, and parables rather than prophetic pronouncements or divine decree. They spoke to people in the language that people spoke, the language of story rather than law.”