Portraits of Jesus Portraits of Jesus A Lent Course at Aldridge Parish Church 6 Wednesday evenings 7.45pm – 9.30pm Portraits of Jesus Handouts from earlier sessions are available this evening after the session 14th Feb Jesus - the Trailblazer (Letter to Hebrews) 21st Feb Jesus - the History Maker (Luke and Acts) 28th Feb Jesus - the Hidden King (Mark’s Gospel) 7th Mar Jesus - the new Moses (Matthew’s Gospel) 14thMar Jesus - the Lord who Reigns Now (Paul’s letters) 21st Mar Jesus - the Meaning of Life (John’s Gospel) 1

Creating a Portrait A Portrait is ‘the Remembrance of a Friend’ Portraits attend to the inner life, character and importance of the subject and the artist builds that into how the ‘appearance’ is re-presented. The artist ‘plays’ with the tension between the visual (literal) and the ‘significant’ - which is less tangible, harder to express and usually more important. 2

A Portrait of Jesus 3

The Tools of the Literary Portrait Painter The shape of the Text – ‘editor at work’ The Interactions between different characters The selection of language – ‘playing with words’ The adoption of a ‘Point of View’ in the text The invitation to the Reader to be a detective The Scriptural ‘Trinity’ – Text, Readers, Holy Spirit 4

Jesus - the Lord who is reigning now Portraits of Jesus A Lent Course at Aldridge Parish Church 6 Wednesday evenings 7.45pm – 9.30pm Jesus - the Lord who is reigning now a portrait of Jesus in the Letters of Paul

Introduction to Paul’s Letters Addressee Approximate Date Church in Rome 57 AD Church in Corinth – first letter (lost) - Church in Corinth (our 1st) – second letter 53-54 AD Church in Corinth – third letter (lost) - Church in Corinth (our 2nd) – fourth letter 55-56 AD Church in Galatia 53 AD Church in Ephesus – first letter (lost) - Church in Ephesus – second letter 62 AD Church in Philippi 55 AD Church in Laodicea (lost) - Church in Colossae 50s AD Church in Thessalonica – first letter 50 AD Church in Thessalonica – second letter 51-52 AD To Timothy – first letter 64-65 AD To Timothy – second letter 65 AD To Titus 66 AD To Philemon 55 AD 7

Paul’s use of Hymns about Christ Descriptions of first Christians singing to the Lord Acts 16.25 1 Corinthians 14.26 Colossians 3.16 Ephesians 5.19 2 Timothy 2 v.11-13 James 2.2 Sometimes hymns are included in the letter Philippians 2 v. 6 – 11 (verse structure) Colossians 1 v.15 – 20 (not in verse form) 1 Timothy 3 v.16 (verse structure) 2 Timothy 2 v.11-13 (in responsive form) 8

Early Hymns – a Roman Investigation To: Trajan, Emperor of the Roman Empire From: Pliny, Governor of Bithynia Year: 106 AD Subject: Investigation into secret Christian activity They affirmed, however, that the whole of their guilt, or their error, was: that they were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verse a hymn to Christ as to a god and bound themselves to a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft, adultery, never to falsify their word, not to deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up.” 9

The Hymn about Jesus Philippians 2 v.6 - 11 10 6. who being in the very nature of God did not count equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7. rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8. And being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross. 9. Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him a name that is above every name, 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth 11. And every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father 10

The Hymn About Jesus Philippians 2 v.6 – 11 Bringing out the nuances in the Greek original text 6. Who being in the very nature of God did not count equality with God as something to be grasped; 7. but emptied himself taking the very nature of a slave, being born in human likeness. 8. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross. 9. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10. that at the name of Jesus every knee should kneel in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11. and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 11

The Hymn about Jesus as a narrative Verse 6 who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God as something to be grasped; Verse 7 but emptied Himself by taking the very nature of a slave, being born in human likeness. Verse 8 (a) And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death - Verse 8 (b) even death on a cross. Verse 9(a) Therefore God exalted him to the highest place Verse 9(b) – Verse 11 and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should kneel in heaven and on earth and under the Earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12

The Hymn about Jesus as a narrative Verse 6 who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God as something to be grasped; Verse 7 but emptied Himself by taking the very nature of a slave, being born in human likeness. Verse 8 (a) And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - Verse 8 (b) even death on a cross! Verse 9(a) Therefore God exalted him to the highest place Verse 9(b) – Verse 11 and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should kneel in heaven and on earth and under the Earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 13

The Hymn about Jesus as a narrative Verse 6 who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God as something to be grasped; Verse 7 but emptied Himself by taking the very nature of a slave, being born in human likeness. Verse 8 (a) And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - Verse 8 (b) even death on a cross! Verse 9(a) Therefore God exalted him to the highest place Verse 9(b) – Verse 11 and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should kneel in heaven and on earth and under the Earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 14

The Hymn about Jesus as a narrative Verse 6 who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God as something to be grasped; Verse 7 but emptied himself, by taking the very nature of a slave, being born in human likeness. Verse 8 (a) And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - Verse 8 (b) even death on a cross. Verse 9(a) Therefore God exalted him to the highest place Verse 9(b) – Verse 11 and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should Kneel in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 15

The pre-existence of Christ in the Hymn Paul knew that Jesus is divine as God the Father is divine Where in OT scriptures can we find how Father and Son relate to each other? Sonship (Psalms 2.8) Wisdom (Proverbs 8.22) Adam (Genesis 1 and 2) Jesus is the Son of God Jesus is the creator of all things Jesus is the Image of God All these insights come together in Paul’s summary in Colossians 1 v.15 - 20 Jesus emptied himself so that he could take on genuine humanity ‘as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive’ 1 Cor 15.22 17

The Reign of Christ as Lord and King Paul knew that Jesus is already reigning now – Jesus is Lord (Philip 2.11) Jesus will come again – our Lord is coming (1 Cor 16.22) Christians long for the new creation when the universe will recognise Jesus as Lord (Romans 8.19) Meanwhile, to live is Christ – knowing the presence and power of Lord Jesus, and to die is gain – to be with him, to finally reach home Philippians 1.21 16

The Hymn about Jesus in Messiah (drawn from Revelation 19) The Hallelujah Chorus in Messiah The Hymn about Jesus in Messiah (drawn from Revelation 19) Hallelujah For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth The Kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and of his Christ. And he shall reign for ever and ever King of Kings and Lord of Lords For ever and ever Hallelujah, Hallelujah 17