Chapter 11 Jesus of Nazareth Chaplain Ron McCants Instructor

Jesus of Nazareth Distortions and Misconceptions Jewish Law so burdensome, no one could follow the commandments. All Jews desired a militant Messiah to defeat the Romans Jews rejected Jesus because he taught a path of peace Jews were obsesssed with purity rules Judaism oppressed the poor people and women Judaism put a bridge of divisions between "Insiders" and "Outsiders"

Evidence Outside the Gospels The Historian Josephus was a reliable reporter on Jesus, John the Baptizer, and James, the brother of Jesus. The eighteenth book of Antiquities The Slavonic translation of The Jewish War Roman Historian Publius Conelius Tacitus in his Annals

The Gospels as Sources

Strong Concensus among Historians and New Testament Scholars Jesus was a Galilean Jew of the early first century C.E. Jesus was a teacher and wonder-worker and taught a love doctrine Messianic claims were made for him He was executed by Pontius Pilate during the reign of Tiberius

Luke 2:4-6 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David,… While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. … Matthew 2:1 "After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem" John 7:42 Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David’s family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?”

Was he an Essene, Covenanter, Zealot, or Jewish Gnostic? Did the term Rabbi refer Jesus to Pharisaic Judaism? Choices: 1. Follows the laws dictated by Pharisees or 2. Fulfill the laws given by God

Jesus appointment of the Twelve Apostles Charismatic Judaism empowered with a special spiritual gift Bath qol - Jesus proclaimed "Son of God" by God's voice from Heaven. Anthropologists contend that holy men and women worked miracles: Miraculous feeding of multitudes; healing people; raising the dead

Jesus and the Titles Attributed to Him

A Brief Life of Jesus The son of a young virgin name Mary Her husband was a carpenter named Joseph After his baptism, he was tempted by the devil in wilderness Ministry was for three years. Jesus taught people about compassion He warned people of the perils of wealth He taught the importance of the Kingdom of God He was a wonder-worker in first-century Judaism Jesus died on the eve of the Sabbath day His body was placed in a rock tomb He appeared to his disciples various times Jesus ascended into Heaven

CLASS ASSIGNMENT The Contemporary World Group Presentations (choose a leader, recorder, and spokesperson) Page 238: Questions for Discussions and Reflections Group 1Group 2 Group 3Group 4 Each person turn in a written paragraph on the group’s assignment.