Jesus's Self Understanding - Essay Example

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION page 2 The world before Jesus Religious Practices The preparation of his coming WHO IS JESUS 6 JESUS' MINISTRY 8 How Jesus perceived his ministry END NOTES 9 I. INTRODUCTION: To be able to make an exploratory essay about how Jesus perceived his ministry, one should have an exhaustive background on Christianity. Not only knowledge but as well as careful observance of its practices, doctrines and teaching. Christianity is one of the most powerful religions of all time, and the largest as well1. The faith is based on the belief that "believe in a triune God consisting of three unified and distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit 2." This paper will provide you of a short but thorough description of the world before Jesus, the religious practices before His time and the preparation for His coming as recorded in the Bible, found in the first part. This paper also attempts to answer the question, "Who is Jesus" along with a short background of his childhood, His Obedience to his heavenly Father and his Death. The third part tells about Jesus' Ministry, his disciples and his Teachings. It also tells us of birth of Christianity. This is an exploratory essay, and so the highlight of this paper is in the last part, where his obedience to his Father's will be discussed. Nonetheless, all parts of this paper have equal significance, as it contributes to the whole scheme of thought. THE WORLD BEFORE JESUS The Bible tells us the story of Creation which explains the existence of everything living on Earth. The story of Adam and Eve is not only a story of Creation but an account of the Disobedience of Man,3 also known as the " Fall of Man". Then came the story of Cain and Abel, sons of Adam and Eve; is a narrative of the first crime of murder committed. There is a long list what was said to be the " Wickedness of Man"4. The Bible though, is not only about the evil that man can do, also tells of the gifts the Lord has given to man. Abraham has made a covenant with the Lord; Moses received the Ten Commandments that will ensure the man's salvation. As long list of kings has fought in the name of the Lord waiting for the promise of the Redeemer5 that was given to Adam and Eve after the Fall. RELIGIOUS PRACTICES The most common religious practices before Jesus' time were Paganism and Idolatry. Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller, rustic") is the blanket term given to describe religions and spiritual practices of pre-Christian Europe, and by extension a term for polytheistictraditions or folk religionworldwide seen from a Western or Christian viewpoint. The term has various different meanings, though, from a Western perspective, it has modern connotations of a faith that has polytheistic, spiritualist, animistic or shamanic practices, such as a folk religion, historical polytheistic or neopagan religion6. Idolatry, defined as worship of any cult image, idea, or object, as opposed to the worship of a monotheistic God. It is considered a major sin in the Abrahamic religions whereas in religions where such activity is not considered as sin, the term "idolatry" itself is absent. Which images, ideas, and objects, constitute idolatry, and which constitute reasonable worship, is a matter of contention with some religious authorities and groups using the term to describe certain other religions apart from their own (sometimes resulting in iconoclasm)7. THE PREPARATION OF THE COMING OF CHRIST The promise found in the Old testament, " Out of the fullness of his grace, he has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after the another. God gave the Law through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is the same as God and is at the Father's side, he has made him known.8 " The Bible is tattered with many announcement of the coming of the Messiah. In Isaiah 7:14-15, " therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give to a son, and will call him Immanuel." Some people thought that Elijah was the Messiah. Some thought it was John the Baptist, but John said that, "He is coming after me, and I am not good enough even to untie his sandals9." II. WHO IS JESUS The question, who is Jesus, is often asked despite Christianity being the largest- spread religion of the world. So who is Jesus Jesus is from Nazareth. He was born around 6-4 BCE. His mother is Mary and His father is Joseph. He had brothers named James, Joseph, Simon and Judas; he has sisters also but the Bible did not mention their names. His father being a carpenter, it was assumed that Jesus worked as a carpenter before he started his ministry at the age of 30. "Scripture does not indicate what they built but early historians claimed they made wooden plows10." Same reference would claim that Joseph his father died before his Jesus started preaching. Little is known of Jeus' childhood. After the proclamation of his birth through Mary and his actual birth in the manger, very little is writen about him. Around the age of 12 or 13, He brought by his parents to the Temple in their annual pilgrimage; it will also be the first Feast in preparation of Jewish boys into their passage to adulthood. It was there that Jesus was lost in the Temple, talking and discussing with temple teachers. His knowledge of the word was evident as the temple teachers were surprised of his extra ordinary intellectual abilities. Here is an except of the 'pressumed' exchange: "When he was twelve years old" Jesus accompanied His parents to Jerusalem, 'according to the custom of the feast'; When they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not." After three days, they found him in the Temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions." It was on this occasion that Jesus spoke the only words that have come down from the period of His hidden life: "How is it that you sought me Did you not know, that I must be about my Father's business [or, "in my Father's house"] The Jews tell us that Jesus had not passed through the training of the Rabbinic schools: "How doth this man know letters, having never learned". The same question is asked by the people of Nazareth, who add, "Is not this the carpenter 11" At the wedding of Cana, was where Jesus' first miracle happened. He turned water into the best wine. After that, he performed many others, healing the sick, restoring the sight of the blind, bringing life to the dead. Like many others, Jesus was tempted by Satan himself, as shown in the Gospel of Matthew (4:1-11), Mark (1:12-13) and Luke (4:1-14) In no time, Jesus' followers are increasing in number, more people wanted to listen to what he has to say. Perhaps, the number was too big that the church leaders were threatened. They conspired with each other to put Jesus to death. But death is more powerful than life itself. III.HOW JESUS PERCEIVED HIS MINISTRY An Exploratory Essay Jesus Predicts His Death Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast. These, therefore, came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we want to see Jesus." Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew came with Philip, and they told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life. If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there will my servant also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. "Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say 'Father, save me from this time' But for this cause I came to this time. Father, glorify your name!" Then there came a voice out of the sky, saying, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." The multitude therefore, who stood by and heard it, said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered, "This voice hasn't come for my sake, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die. The multitude answered him, "We have heard out of the law that the Christ remains forever. How do you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up' Who is this Son of Man" Jesus therefore said to them, "Yet a little while the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness doesn't overtake you. He who walks in the darkness doesn't know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light." Jesus said these things, and he departed and hid himself from them. John 12:20-36 The above section shows that Jesus knows about his death. And has accepted it. In his life on Earth, he was fully human, he was at times hungry, tired, scared and he was even capable of anger. Many times he was tempted by the devil; he understood that the purpose of being human, to be a part of humanity is to pay the price of the sins of humanity. He sacrificed himself so that we will all be free from our sins. And even when he has a direct line to his Father, he never complained. He never questioned. He has a full grasp of the whole plan. That his death will liberate us all the world. Even before his death, his life was a living proof of his loyalty to the Father. He was tempted in the desert, and he refused to show his divinity, to show his power. He was tested with the usual human desire of fame, fortune and power. He easily declined. He took the hard road, teaching the people, sharing the good news. He was among the people, and one of the people. He made himself equal to all so that the people can easily relate to him. His obedience to the Father is exemplary. He lived a good life, a perfect life. Everything he said, did, and thought was for the glory of the Father. He acknowledged the fact that he was the mirror of God's face; whatever he say or do will reflect that Father, as they were one. Jesus' knowing of his death, and not running away from it, is a proof of his acceptance of his role. It is the ultimate sacrifice a Son can do for his Father, and a Father's ultimate sacrifice to offer his son. Read More