Jesus as Apologist NOSA 2009

Jesus pro-active Driven by his own agenda; not opponents Preached good news of the Kingdom Got involved in peoples’ lives and difficulties Driven by his own agenda; not opponents "The Spirit of the Lord is on me,       because he has anointed me       to preach good news to the poor.    He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners       and recovery of sight for the blind,    to release the oppressed,        to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor” (Luke 4:18-19)

When meeting critics Debate and dialogue - deconstructed his culture! They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent. . Luke 20:26

John 7:12      Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others replied, "No, he deceives the people. John 7:14-15 Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. The Jews were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?"

John 7:21-24 Matt 12:22-27 Matt 22:15-22 Matt 22:41-46 Luke 20:27-46

John 7:21-24 Jesus said to them, "I did one miracle, and you are all astonished. Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a child on the Sabbath. Now if a child can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing the whole man on the Sabbath? Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment."

Jesus challenges their logic Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment The Pharisees circumcized on the Sabbath was to take place on 8th day, even on Sabbath If circumcision may take place on the Sabbath how much more may not healing take place on the Sabbath?

a fortiori argument (lesser to greater) Truth of A is accepted Argument for truth of B - which is a comparable truth claim – is stronger than that for A Conclusion: If we accept A we must therefore also accept B

Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. All the people were astonished and said, "Could this be the Son of David?" But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons." Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Matt 12:22-27

Jesus asks for the logic Formulates an axiom / starting point "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand” Ask two counter questions: ” If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out?

Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied. Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away. Matt 22:15-22

The Problem, Matt 22:15-22 Pharisees and Herodians Begin with flattery nationalists vs. compromisers ”laid plans to trap him in his words.”, v 15 Begin with flattery ”man of integrity… teach the way of God…aren't swayed by men…pay no attention to who they are” v 16 Ask impossible question Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" Right? Compromiser Wrong? Dangerous revolutionary

Analysis Reveals their “evil intent”: hypocrites Answers: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." Answer based on distinctions Separates God and Caesar = Caesar is not God Relates God to Caesar: Caesar has legitimate role under God Gives a cohesive biblical answer God alone is “Lord of heaven and earth”, Matt 11:25 Political rulers have delegated authority: Pilate has “received” his authority “from above” Joh 19:11

Jesus gives both an intellectual & communicative answer Proceeds from basic distinctions View of God Role of human authorities Uses an ingenious approach coin

Matt 22:41-46 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?"       "The son of David," they replied. He said to them, "How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord'? For he says,     " 'The Lord said to my Lord:       "Sit at my right hand    until I put your enemies       under your feet." 'If then David calls him 'Lord,' how can he be his son?" No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Davids relationship to the Messiah is revealed by how David speaks about the Messiah David calls him Lord, he is given the place at God’s right hand and all his enemies shall be defeated (Ps 110) To believe that the Messiah is only a human descendant and at the same time refer to him in the way he does would be absurd Therefore the Messiah is not only a human descendant of David

Question about the resurrection; Luke 20, Mark 12, Matt 22 Some of the teachers of the law responded, "Well said, teacher!" And no one dared to ask him any more questions. Luk 20:39-40 One of the teachers of the law noticed that Jesus had given them a good answer asked him... Mark 12:28 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadduces, the Pharisees got together… No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions. Matt 22:34, 46

Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. "Teacher," they said, "Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. Finally, the woman died too. Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?"

Jesus replied, "The people of this age marry and are given in marriage Jesus replied, "The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection. But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord 'the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive." Some of the teachers of the law responded, "Well said, teacher!" And no one dared to ask him any more questions. Luke 20:27-40

”Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.” Matt 22:29, Mark 12:24

Do not know the power of God Resurrection is transformation as angels in one are: marriage & sex reason: they can no longer die Procreation out of the picture Relationships taken to new level of glory Relationship to God: we are the Bride of Christ Relationship to God’s people Not that an aspect of creation is removed; it will be renewed

Do not know the Scriptures Jesus does not quote Daniel, Isaiah, David - goes straight to Exodus 3:6 ”Do not come any closer,” God said. ”Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, ”I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” Argument: not was but is several hundred years after their deaths God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – they are living in the presence of God after their death

Jesus’ starting point One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:28-31 Dialog!!