1. Chapter 6: Jesus’ Life Reveals His Mission ©Ave Maria Press

2. The Son of God Humbled Himself God’s love for us is so great that he took on the frailty of humanity in order to save us from our sin.

3. The Gospels tell us that Jesus experienced all the physical and emotional things that challenge each one of us. Jesus experienced hunger and thirst. He endured insults and injury. He was deserted by his friends. Jesus was tired, and afraid, and sad, and angry. Jesus was tempted, and yet never sinned.

4. The Humanity of Jesus The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

5. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke remind us that Jesus is firmly rooted in the human family. He has a genealogy and a family tree. Writing to different audiences, Matthew and Luke each emphasize different things about Jesus’ family history that illustrate what they believe about him.

6. Matthew writes to a Jewish-Christian audience. He tells us that Jesus is the son (descendent) of Abraham, and of David.

7. The Evangelist lists five women in the ancestry of Jesus. Also, some of the women Matthew includes had backgrounds that might cause concern for his readers. Tamar, Rahab, Bathsheba, Ruth, and Mary to show that God is a God of surprises.

8. Luke wrote for a Gentile-Christian audience. Instead of focusing on the Hebrew kings and tracing Jesus’ lineage only as far back as Abraham, the father of the Hebrews, Luke’s genealogy goes all the way back to Adam—the first human being. Luke = Jesus is truly human; son of Adam, the ancestor of all human beings; but also, Son of God.

9. There are differences in the names of the ancestors included in the genealogies of Matthew and Luke. The genealogies are not coinciding in both accounts. Early Christians would pass on the stories orally.

10. Jesus also used many metaphors from the carpentry trade in his teaching. Images Jesus chose of building: towers, wine presses, storage barns, and homes with a good foundation.

11. Luke makes it clear that Mary and Joseph raised Jesus in the Jewish faith. Jesus was circumcised and presented in the Temple. Growing up in Nazareth: language = Aramaic and some Hebrew so that he could study the Torah—the body of Jewish literature, teaching, and law.

12. 12 years old-left in the Temple Jesus was knowledgeable. Jesus was knowledgeable.

13. Jesus quotes from the Old Testament and gives interpretations of the Scriptures. Jesus had an intimate knowledge of the Scriptures. Jesus had an intimate knowledge of the Scriptures.

14. By Nature, One of Us Every human being possesses two qualities that define our human nature: a human body and an immortal soul. Jesus, like all of us, had both a body and a soul.

15. Jesus encountered physical hunger and thirst, fatigue, pain, and every other experience that comes with possessing a human body—even death. The Gospels, especially the Passion Narratives, make it clear that Jesus had a human body. The Gospels, especially the Passion Narratives, make it clear that Jesus had a human body.

16. Jesus’ intellect enabled him to reason, learn, and reflect upon his emotions. His will allowed him to choose between good and evil. The human soul, or spirit, has two faculties: intellect and free will. The human soul, or spirit, has two faculties: intellect and free will. Jesus had emotions and made choices. His experience of humanity was like ours in all things but sin.

17. Jesus, too, was tempted. Temptation is not, itself, a sin. It is a test of the right use of our freedom. In the exercise of our intellect and will, something all human beings experience is temptation. In the exercise of our intellect and will, something all human beings experience is temptation.

18. Jesus was tempted at other times as well. One of the greatest temptations Jesus faced was to turn away from his passion and crucifixion. All human beings experience temptation.

19. There are things that, even as the Son of God, Jesus did not know. To be truly human, his intellect had to be like that of all other human beings. Human Intellect The Gospels tell us that he grew in wisdom and knowledge—revealing that his human knowledge was not unlimited.

20. Beginning with the pure affection shared between himself and Mary and Joseph, Jesus knew unselfish love. Friends: Martha, Mary, Lazarus, and his apostles. Jesus loved others and was loved in return. Jesus loved others and was loved in return.

21. Jesus wept, showing grief at the death of his friend, Lazarus. As a human being, Jesus experienced emotions. As a human being, Jesus experienced emotions.

22. Jesus was joyful. His is often criticized for taking too much enjoyment at festive occasions. But it was important to Jesus to celebrate joyful times with his friends and loved ones.

23. Jesus showed anger. -Jesus rebuked Peter for suggesting that he turn away from the path of suffering. -He was angered by his opponents for their stubbornness. - Jesus cleared the money changers out of the Temple for their lack of respect. As a human being, Jesus experienced emotions. As a human being, Jesus experienced emotions.

24. Jesus needed time alone, but also enjoyed human companionship. He often withdrew from the crowds to find time for solitude, but Jesus also chose companions to help him in his ministry. As a human being, Jesus experienced emotions. As a human being, Jesus experienced emotions.

25. Jesus was troubled, distressed, and sorrowful. When he was deserted, suffered what awaited him, and when he was at the point of death; Jesus experienced the most painful of human emotions. As a human being, Jesus experienced emotions. As a human being, Jesus experienced emotions.

26. Jesus showed compassion. -He brought about many miraculous cures, forgave people’s sins, and showed concern for the welfare of his followers. As a human being, Jesus experienced emotions. As a human being, Jesus experienced emotions.

27. Crowds of people flocked to him to hear what he had to say about God’s Kingdom. Sinners, children, and regular people all were drawn to Jesus. Jesus’ dynamic personality had a definite effect on the people he encountered. Jesus’ dynamic personality had a definite effect on the people he encountered.

28. The Gospels mention “brothers and sisters” of Jesus. -Word can mean: brother, sister, cousin, relative (related to) -Not the children of Mary As a human being, Jesus was a member of a family. But did Jesus have siblings? As a human being, Jesus was a member of a family. But did Jesus have siblings?

29. Jesus Spoke about His Divinity In addition to the evidence of how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy, Jesus himself gave testimony about who he was.

30. Jesus fulfills their prophecy with remarkable accuracy. On every account, the divine credentials of Jesus are established. Old Testament prophets describe many details about the coming Messiah. Old Testament prophets describe many details about the coming Messiah. Isaiah Zechariah Ezekiel

31. He predicted that he would be betrayed by one disciple and denied by another. He also predicted his own suffering and death. Jesus, too, made prophecies about his own future that came to pass. Jesus, too, made prophecies about his own future that came to pass.

32. Very often, Jesus spoke of himself as the Son of Man. Term means: Human being We should pay attention to what Jesus says about himself. We should pay attention to what Jesus says about himself.

33. Jesus’ use of the title is in line with its use in the Book of Daniel, in which the Son of Man is a supernatural figure who will come to serve as the judge of all humanity. We should pay attention to what Jesus says about himself. We should pay attention to what Jesus says about himself.

34. Jesus identified himself with the prophecy of Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12 about the Suffering Servant. We should pay attention to what Jesus says about himself. We should pay attention to what Jesus says about himself.

35. Jesus Read: “…He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” Isaiah We should pay attention to what Jesus says about himself. We should pay attention to what Jesus says about himself.

36. When he finished reading, Jesus rolled up the scroll and said, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” We should pay attention to what Jesus says about himself. We should pay attention to what Jesus says about himself.

37. -Jesus almost got thrown off a cliff because he was rejected in his hometown of Nazareth.

38. Peter said, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father”—verifying Peter’s conclusion about Jesus’ divine identity. We should pay attention to what Jesus says about himself. We should pay attention to what Jesus says about himself.

39. Jesus Demonstrated His Divinity In addition to his words, Jesus showed his divinity by what he did.

40. All the Gospels proclaim that Jesus performed miracles. All the Gospels proclaim that Jesus performed miracles.

41. The greatest miracle of all was Jesus’ own Resurrection from the dead.

42. All the Gospels proclaim that Jesus performed miracles. All the Gospels proclaim that Jesus performed miracles. Jesus could have cured the sick -He wanted to use physical touch -When he cured the man born blind, he spat on the ground, made a paste with the clay and his saliva and smeared it on the man’s eyes. He then told him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam.

43. Jesus also demonstrated his divine nature by forgiving sins. Jesus also demonstrated his divine nature by forgiving sins. In curing the paralyzed man at Capernaum, Jesus showed that he had power to heal our inner brokenness—our sinfulness—as well as our physical brokenness.

44. Jesus also demonstrated his divine nature by forgiving sins. Jesus also demonstrated his divine nature by forgiving sins. Blasphemy- ultimately led to Jesus’ crucifixion and death.