Who is Jesus - Assignment Example

Running Head: WHO IS JESUS? Who is Jesus? Name Institution Date Introduction Many people were left with confusion about who Jesus was after he ascended to heaven. This confusion came about due to his resurrection from the dead that left people with many questions. It is from this time that the Gospel writers started interpreting what he did and said while on earth. It is from there that people have started to understand that he was not a person like any other. Question one The process of progression from the words and deeds of Jesus to the written gospels was a four stage process as defined by the scholars. The next step from the words and deeds of Jesus was oral stories, then written stories and finally to the written gospel. The four step model shows that the gospels were written based on what Jesus used to do and say while he was in the world. The origin of all the stories is on Jesus as a human on earth while he was living the real life of any other human being. He could teach, pray and heal the sick and eventually he died a miserable death on the cross. At this time he was known by many people. Some people viewed him as a preacher while on a hill away from the village while others viewed him as a person who healed people in the midst of big crowds on the streets. He was a friend to any and some had meals with him while others used to walk with him from one place to another. The gospels were however later written based on His parables. However much inspiring and unique his actions were, they would have faded in the memories of his followers if he would have not resurrected after death at Calvary. His resurrection form the dead restored the hopes of his followers which they had lost when he died on the cross. His resurrection revealed the truth to his follower about who Jesus was, and what His words and deeds meant. Later, the oral stories followed. These were stories narrated to the generations that followed after Jesus had ascended to heaven. They were stories about who he was, what he did and what he used to say. This led to start of the catechism and liturgy in order to pass the teachings of Jesus to the coming generations. The early Christian communities however felt the need to preserve the teachings of Jesus by putting them into writing. After they were written, people started interpreting them differently, elaborating them and adding nuances to the stories (Hill, 2003). This was therefore the process of written stories. Years after Jesus had left the world, the conical gospels came in. the first gospel was written by Mark. Mark’s gospel was all about the life and death of Jesus. This was then followed by Matthew, and then Luke. The two were however basing their messages on Mark’s Gospel and other sources. Each of them however offers a slightly different view of Jesus and different statements on what he did and said. However the reference of all these stories is Jesus Christ who is nowadays referred to as Christ. Question 2 The gospel portrays Jesus as a healer, a powerful person, and a teacher who is unique. A large part of what is written about Jesus is about his healing acts. The gospel by John is also about the miracles that Jesus performed. His healing ministry is distinctive and gives a view of his personality. By that time, people believed that sicknesses and handicaps were as a result of punishment by God for evil actions that are done. Others believed that they were misfortunes brought by the devil and those who could heal were thought to be conspiring with the devil. However, when Jesus was being crucified some accused him of sorcery. Jesus was also a powerful man who did acts of power. Unlike others who used to perform miracles, Jesus did not do it to show off his authority or to prove his spirituality. He would not engage in evil spirits or with unknown powers. His healing was done in presence of people and did not involve complicated procedures. His healing was basically to portray God’s power, His presence and his love for all people in the world (Hill, 2003). Jesus was a unique teacher, an aspect that comes clear when his style of teaching and the contents of his teachings are compared and contrasted with those of his present day teachers. Jesus was a also a unique teacher in that he did nit set up a school or a group of young student to keep following him as the other teachers of the time did. Instead he chose his group of followers form the low class people in the fishing docks, tax collectors, the disabled and the sick. Question 3 Some groups were however on the opposing side of Jesus. These were the Sadducees, the scribes and the Pharisees. The Sadducees were the wealthy and the high class among the Jewish society. They consisted of the chief priests, the elders and the noble in the Jewish society. These people believe that they are the custodians of Hebrew traditions and needed no teachers to add on these traditions. The Sadducees did not believe in divine intervention, the resurrection of the dead or in any belief associated with the Christ. The Sadducees were on the extreme contrast to Jesus. Jesus was a common man who did not pay respect to material things and his message cautioned that wealth could lead to destruction of one’s salvation. Those people whom the Sadducees kept as outcasts were welcomed and given love by Jesus. These people did not stop the work that Jesus had started but they hated him, and were among the first ones to hand Him over to Pilate for crucification (Hill, 2003). The other group of people that opposed Jesus were the scribes. These were the educated theologists and intellectuals. These people did not have an association of their own and they associated with the Pharisees sect. These people hated Jesus since he did not belong to any sect; he did not sit at their feet as others did not have authorized teaching credentials. Jesus taught His own ideas and did not refer to the interpretations that had been made by the scribes. He could gather his disciples and followers from all classes of people to listen to his teachings, an issue that annoyed the scribes who did not like the titles of “messiah” and “rabbi” that they gave to Jesus. However, not all scribes were against Jesus and at one time one referred to him as a teacher and offered to become his disciples. The hostility of scribes did not also hinder the works of Jesus since he gained disciples in the process of his teachings. With the Pharisees, Jesus did not have a lot of problems with them. They had more things in common than any of other group in Judea in those days. Similar to most of the Pharisees, Jesus was also a layman who earned a living out of his hard work. He liked simple life and involvement with the community. The differences Jesus had with the Pharisees could be seen when he bypassed the highly valued views of traditions defined by the scribes and he referred using his own teachings. His teachings were liberal and he extended his table to the poor and the unwanted that the Pharisees did not like. With more of His teachings, he replaced the Torah (the beliefs that the Judaism followed) and the scribal laws making some of his followers to part from Judaism. The Pharisees at this point arrogantly attacked the Christians and isolated the communities that followed the gospel. Question 4 Jesus unlike other traditions followers, he involved women to be among his disciples. Most of the gospels that were written about Jesus portray individual women as symbol of the role that women played in his ministry and in the early community’s ministry. Jesus did not conform to the taboos that were placed against women that they were inferior and unclean. His healing also involved women, publicly and in their homes. He could sometimes call upon women and children to come close to him for teachings and was against the set divorce laws. An example of a woman disciple of Jesus was Mary Magdalene. She was a woman who supported Jesus throughout his work in the community. In another gospel she is seen at Jesus’ foot of the cross and she is an expert of the resurrection stories. She is an example of exercise of equality in the ministry. Other women who were involved with Jesus were Martha and the Samaritan woman whose perspective was changed by Jesus (Hill, 2003). The Catholic Church today has however not followed the example set by Jesus on women’s role in the ministry. Women are denied chance to give their support and opinions regarding sone issues in the Jesus’ ministry. If Jesus were to come back on earth today, he would not be pleased with the how women are placed in the Catholic Church. They have been denied a chance to participate and share teachings in the church due to people conforming to the traditions which do not allow a woman a chance. Conclusion The gospel has however shed a lot of light to the people on understanding of whom Jesus was and this way they are able to appreciate what he said and what he did while on earth. This created the basis for the Christian faith and especially due to the mark he left in people’s hearts after he resurrected. He is therefore remembered and people are able to respect what he said. Reference Hill, B. (2003). “Jesus of Nazareth” Exploring catholic Theology: God, Jesus, Church and Sacrament. Mystic: Twenty-third. Read More

This was therefore the process of written stories. Years after Jesus had left the world, the conical gospels came in. the first gospel was written by Mark. Mark’s gospel was all about the life and death of Jesus. This was then followed by Matthew, and then Luke. The two were however basing their messages on Mark’s Gospel and other sources. Each of them however offers a slightly different view of Jesus and different statements on what he did and said. However the reference of all these stories is Jesus Christ who is nowadays referred to as Christ.

Question 2 The gospel portrays Jesus as a healer, a powerful person, and a teacher who is unique. A large part of what is written about Jesus is about his healing acts. The gospel by John is also about the miracles that Jesus performed. His healing ministry is distinctive and gives a view of his personality. By that time, people believed that sicknesses and handicaps were as a result of punishment by God for evil actions that are done. Others believed that they were misfortunes brought by the devil and those who could heal were thought to be conspiring with the devil.

However, when Jesus was being crucified some accused him of sorcery. Jesus was also a powerful man who did acts of power. Unlike others who used to perform miracles, Jesus did not do it to show off his authority or to prove his spirituality. He would not engage in evil spirits or with unknown powers. His healing was done in presence of people and did not involve complicated procedures. His healing was basically to portray God’s power, His presence and his love for all people in the world (Hill, 2003).

Jesus was a unique teacher, an aspect that comes clear when his style of teaching and the contents of his teachings are compared and contrasted with those of his present day teachers. Jesus was a also a unique teacher in that he did nit set up a school or a group of young student to keep following him as the other teachers of the time did. Instead he chose his group of followers form the low class people in the fishing docks, tax collectors, the disabled and the sick. Question 3 Some groups were however on the opposing side of Jesus.

These were the Sadducees, the scribes and the Pharisees. The Sadducees were the wealthy and the high class among the Jewish society. They consisted of the chief priests, the elders and the noble in the Jewish society. These people believe that they are the custodians of Hebrew traditions and needed no teachers to add on these traditions. The Sadducees did not believe in divine intervention, the resurrection of the dead or in any belief associated with the Christ. The Sadducees were on the extreme contrast to Jesus.

Jesus was a common man who did not pay respect to material things and his message cautioned that wealth could lead to destruction of one’s salvation. Those people whom the Sadducees kept as outcasts were welcomed and given love by Jesus. These people did not stop the work that Jesus had started but they hated him, and were among the first ones to hand Him over to Pilate for crucification (Hill, 2003). The other group of people that opposed Jesus were the scribes. These were the educated theologists and intellectuals.

These people did not have an association of their own and they associated with the Pharisees sect. These people hated Jesus since he did not belong to any sect; he did not sit at their feet as others did not have authorized teaching credentials. Jesus taught His own ideas and did not refer to the interpretations that had been made by the scribes. He could gather his disciples and followers from all classes of people to listen to his teachings, an issue that annoyed the scribes who did not like the titles of “messiah” and “rabbi” that they gave to Jesus.

However, not all scribes were against Jesus and at one time one referred to him as a teacher and offered to become his disciples. The hostility of scribes did not also hinder the works of Jesus since he gained disciples in the process of his teachings.

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