Download - Who was Jesus?
WHO WAS JESUS?Synoptic Gospel Groups
GOSPEL OF MARK
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK PRIMARY AUDIENCE: Early Christians
who were experiencing persecution for their faith.
“Portrait” OF JESUS: SUFFERING SERVANT
Great emphasis on Jesus’ human nature
QUESTION #1Describe Jesus’ behavior in the following
two passages. Why does He act this way?
MK 7:24MK 9:30
QUESTION #2In these passages, how does Jesus
respond to people after He heals them? What does he do before he heals?Why?
MK 1:40-45MK 5:39-43MK 7:31-37MK 8:22-26
MIRACLES HAPPEN.
BEFORE HEALING AFTER HEALING
He pulls them aside, away from crowds
Deals with person as an individual
Listens, develops relationship…
He tells them toTELL NO ONE!
MIRACLES OF HEALING Jesus does not heal them in order to get them (or anyone) to have faith in him. Rather, healing is a response of mercy and compassion. Person’s faith comes first, then healing
happens.
This message is important for us today, too…Are we waiting for a miracle so that we might
believe? (This doesn’t seem to be the Gospel pattern!)
QUESTION #3In these passages, who recognizes Jesus’
identity? (Are they praising him, or is something else going on?)
How does Jesus respond to those who publicly recognize Him?
MK 1: 23-25MK 1:32-34
SO FAR… Crowds Sick people Demons
Recognize Jesus’ identity AS MESSIAH….
Consistently, he asks them to be QUIET about it….
QUESTION #4In MK 8:27-33,Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah. (Who is
Peter?)After Peter makes this statement, Jesus
reprimands himWhy?
QUESTION #5In MK 15:37-39, who declares that Jesus is the Son of
God?
What is the significance of:a) this person acknowledging Jesus as the
Son of God?b) his recognition of this while Jesus is on
the cross?
WE NOW SEE… Crowds Sick people Demons A centurion
(Roman soldier) Peter
(Apostle and best friend)
All recognize Jesus’ identity AS MESSIAH….
Consistently, he asks them to be QUIET about it….
MESSIANIC SECRETThe pattern in MARK where Jesus
repeatedly “silences” anyone who publicly recognizes him as Messiah is called the “MESSIANIC SECRET”
Why does the Gospel writer emphasize the need to keep Jesus’ identity as Messiah ‘secret’?
MESSIANIC SECRET
WHO ELSE will learn of Jesus’ true identity?
??
QUESTION #6In the account of Jesus’ baptism, MK 1:9-11, who “sees” something like a dove and hears
the heavenly voice?
Who does not?
Why is this important? (How does this scene depict an essential truth about Jesus’ identity?)
GOSPEL OF MARK
What did you observe about Jesus in Mark’s gospel that you had never considered/noticed before?
Anything surprise you?
GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
GOSPEL OF MATTHEW PRIMARY AUDIENCE: JEWISH
CHRISTIANS
“Portrait” of JESUS: TEACHING MESSIAH
Emphasis on Jesus’ divinity and fulfillment of the Old Testament promises.
GOSPEL OF MATTHEW Look at MT 1:1-11. What is this?
Where else in the bible do we hear a word with the same root? Any connection?
MATTHEW'S GOSPEL IS ORGANIZED TO FOLLOW THE THEMES OF THE TORAH
TORAH OUTLINE OF MATTHEWGENESIS - Origins of
humankindEXODUS - Moses’ authority
leads to freedomLEVITICUS –Great laws; Moses
receivesTen Commandments from Mt. Sinai
NUMBERS - CensusDEUTERONONY – End of time
- Origins of Jesus - Jesus’ authority -
invitation to new life- Jesus’ commandments of
Love/ Beatitudes (sermon on the Mount)
- Who is my neighbor?- Jesus’ passion, death and
resurrection (His “end”)
GOSPEL OF MATTHEW What is the significance of Jesus
teaching the Beatitudes from a MOUNTAIN?
Why might the MOUNTAIN be an important location in the Jewish mind?
GOSPEL OF MATTHEWThroughout Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus
says,“You have heard it said…”
WHERE would they have heard it said?
What is the significance of Jesus following these statements with “…and now I say to you..”
GOSPEL OF MATTHEW “I have not come to abolish, but to
fulfill…”
GOSPEL OF LUKE
GOSPEL OF LUKE PRIMARY AUDIENCE: Gentile Christians
“Portrait” of JESUS: UNIVERSAL SAVIOR
Emphasis on Jesus as healer of social inequalities and bringer of salvation and justice to all people.
QUESTION # 1 LUKE 1:1
To whom does Luke address his Gospel?
QUESTION # 2 Look at LK 3: 23-38 & MT 1:1-7 How is Luke’s genealogy of Jesus
different from Matthew’s? Where does each start? End?
What is Luke trying to say by this?
QUESTION #3 What is different about the language
used between the gospels? MK 9:5 LK 9:33
…Rabbi… ….Master…
MK 10:51 LK 18:51…Master… …Lord…
MK 14:36 LK 22:42…Abba… …Father…
QUESTION #4Who is the central character in these
passages?LK 1:36-55LK 2:36-38LK 7:11-17LK 8:2 LUKE 8:3LK 10:38-42LK 23:27-31
QUESTION #5
READ LK 22:39-23:25In LUKE’s account of the ARREST and TRIAL of JESUS….
Who is responsible for Jesus’ arrest and death? How many times does Pilate declare Jesus’
innocence? Does Herod seem to see Jesus as a political
threat? Why would Jesus have blamed who he did?
IN LUKE, THERE IS A BIAS TOWARDS THE JEWISH RESPONSIBILITY FOR JESUS’ ARREST AND DEATH. (MT IS BIASED TOWARDS THE ROMAN RESPONSIBILITY.)
JEWISH ROMAN Judas Peter Herod Sanhedrin Crowds choosing Jesus
over Barabbas
Pilate
QUESTION #3 The central character
in these passages are all…
WOMEN!
Jesus treats them all with dignity and respect and as equals. This was NOT typical of Jewish men of his time.
JESUS WAY OF DEALING WITH WOMEN WAS COUNTERCULTURAL…
In Jesus’ day…
Jewish culture saw women as PROPERTY rather than as persons.
Men would not acknowledge women in public (even their wives)!
Jewish men also said a prayer each day thanking God that they were not born a woman!!
QUESTION # 6 Look at LUKE 11:7-11.
How does Luke’s choice of words emphasize that Jesus came FOR ALL?
WHAT HAPPENED TO ONE, IMPACTS EVERYONEWHAT HAPPENED IN ONE PLACE IMPACTS EVERY LAND…
QUESTION #7 Compare The Beatitudes as presented
by Matthew and Luke.
What differences do you note in language used?
BEATITUDES IN MT & LK
MATTHEW LUKE Written in “third person”
Emphasis on spiritual needs
Comforts those in need
Written in “second person”
Emphasis on physical needs
Comforts those in need, but also CHALLENGES those who have more than they need!
BEATITUDES (MT & LK) Which version.. - do you ‘like’ better? - is more comforting? More
challenging?
How might our state in life influence how we hear these words?