Jesus

Question 1

What is authority?

Answer 1

The influence a person or thing has to command the respect of others

Question 2

Teacher of Wisdom: What was Jesus’ moral teaching about?

Answer 2

Repentance and forgiveness

Question 3

Teacher of Wisdom: What does the Lost Son parable teach?

Answer 3

To be forgiving as the Father is

Question 4

Teacher of Wisdom: What did the Sermon on the Mount teach?

Answer 4

People should aim to be perfect like the Father is perfect

Question 5

Teacher of Wisdom: Which of Jesus’ teachings were about inner purity and moral motivation?

Answer 5

Criticising the Pharisees (‘whitewashed graves’)
Sermon on the Mount (deontological)
Spoke of unconditional love

Question 6

What is a liberator?

Answer 6

Someone who brings freedom

Question 7

Liberator: What are the Bible passages that present Jesus as a liberator?

Answer 7

Healing a paralyzed man, healing the woman with severe bleeding - healing the sick

Question 8

How can Jesus be seen as seeking political and social revolution?

Answer 8

Liberated people of Israel from Roman occupation

Accused of blasphemy at his trial

Question 9

Liberator: What could Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem be symbolic of?

Answer 9

The crowd laid cloaks in remembrance of King Jehu

Laid palm branches to symbolise the Maccabees who liberated Israel two centuries earlier

Question 10

Son of God: How is Jesus’ divinity expressed in his knowledge of God?

Answer 10

The ‘I am’ statements resemble God’s name
Jesus - ‘the Father and I are one’
Jesus is truly God and truly human

Question 11

Son of God: How is Jesus’ divinity expressed in his miracles?

Answer 11

Jesus’ birth to Mary is a miracle - she is a virgin
In the NT, Jesus is seen to be a ‘miracle worker’
Healing and nature miracles show God’s power through Jesus

Question 12

Son of God: What does Hume say is a problem with miracles?

Answer 12

We have no present day direct experience of miracles, so it is not possible to trust these accounts. It doesn’t happen today so we either trust or reject them.

Question 13

Son of God: What are some miracles of Jesus?

Answer 13

Jesus walks on water/calms storm (nature) - brings order to chaos
Jesus heal a blind man (healing) - some can see spiritually

Question 14

Son of God: How is Jesus’ divinity expressed in his resurrection?

Answer 14

Ultimate proof he is Son of God
Began a new relationship with God and humanity
A central event hundreds witnessed

Question 15

Son of God: What does John Hick say about the resurrection?

Answer 15

It is a powerful metaphor of Christian hope

Question 16

Son of God: What did scholar, Zeffirelli say about the resurrection?

Answer 16

‘Christians have no problem accepting Christ as holy, as God. But they always have problems accepting him also as a human being at the same time’

Question 17

Teacher of Wisdom: What ideas support that Jesus was a teacher of Wisdom?

Answer 17

Messages in parables were shocking and radical e.g. Good Samaritan
Called for a change in attitude to marginalised
‘Love your enemies’
Emphasis on inner purity

Question 18

Political Liberator: What ideas support that Jesus was a political liberator?

Answer 18

Wanted to change society’s structure
He wanted to liberate ordinary Jewish people
What he began extended after death - a new religion
Challenged religious authorities

Question 19

Son of God: How was Jesus’ relationship with God not truly unique?

Answer 19

Teachings could be seen as a development of Moses

Many Old Testament figures also had a special relationship with God

Question 20

Son of God: How did Jesus think he was divine?

Answer 20

No urgency with Lazarus’ death - knew he’d be saved
Predicts his death
‘I am’ - knowledge of divinity
Performed miracles

Question 21

Son of God: How did Jesus not think he was divine?

Answer 21

He displays human emotions
Went to be baptised by John
Feelings of fear at his death