The Person of Jesus

Jesus as the miracle worker
1. jesus could perform different types of miracles
  1. healings
    1. cures disabilities an diseases showed his compassion for people and his power
    2. God’s power worked though him
    3. doing God’s work
    4. cared about the sick
    5. he could heal just through the faith of the person as in the woman with haemorrhages
  2. Exorcisms
    1. shows jesus' authority from god
    2. supernatural being
    3. scribes thought he was in league with the devil
  3. Nature miracles
    1. calmed the storm
    2. he fed 5000 people with little food
    3. walked across water
  4. the miracle stories reflect Jesus' divine nature - they become signs of God's presence
    1. they should inspire Christians today to have confidence in God's great powers and ability to surprise
  5. caused amazement in the crowds
Titles of Jesus
1. Messiah/ Christ
  1. means anointed one in greek and hebrew
  2. didn't want people to know him as this
  3. reminds christians jesus was a historical figure, descended from David and a fulfilment of the old testament predictions of a great leader who would promote peace.
  4. Jews hoped for a warrior messiah who would overthrow the Romans. Christians believe that Jesus was the messiah but see his role as one of a suffering servant rather than a political figure
  5. doesn't want to be known as a worldly king
2. Son of Man
  1. no political links
  2. suffering and future glory
    1. refers to the 'Suffering Servant' figure in Isaiah, the one who can forgive sins
  3. jesus used title to stress that he was more than simply a man and that he had authority from God. He also linked it to suffering and service
  4. vague
  5. emphasises humanity and humility
  6. tied to the old testament can be hard to relate to
  7. non-controversial in terms of messianic expectations
  8. reminds them of the good news that Jesus came as a saviour and shows his selfless love as he lived to serve others and was then prepared to die for them
  9. used it about himself; the transfiguration, caesarea philippi
3. Son of God
  1. didn't use this about himself
  2. showed jesus' relationship with god was unique
  3. not vague
  4. can be understood by every nationality
  5. shows closeness of jesus' relationship to God and reminds them of his power to heal and save
  6. can be seen as quite a remote name people like something more personal
  7. Baptism of jesus/transfiguration/immediately after jesus died
  8. the Chief Priest asked him if he was Son of the Blessed One at the trial and Jesus answered, ‘I am.’
the paralysed man (2: 1-12)
1. people had heard jesus had come but there was not enough room
  1. some men made an opening in the roof above jesus to carry a paralysed man to jesus
    1. jesus told him that his sins were forgiven but some though he was blaspheming as god is the only one that can forgive sins
      1. he then asked what was easier and told the man to get up and walk and he got up and walked out.
2. shows he is a saviour and shows authority as the Son of Man
3. faith is rewarded
4. it was also a chance for Jesus to show that God’s power could heal
5. sickness was seen as a punishment for sin
Feeding of the 5000 (6:30-44)
1. portrays jesus as a teacher and miracle worker, but for many christians the see it pointing to Jesus as the long-awaited messiah. he is fulfilling his people's needs, feeding them spiritually with his teaching.
  1. they think it presents him as the powerful son of God who is able to suspend the laws of nature
2. the people were fed both physically and spiritually
Jesus the teacher
1. jesus is recognised as a teacher e.g by the rich man
2. Mark points out that Jesus taught with authority, unlike the scribes.
  1. sometimes the crowd is 'amazed' at Jesus (e.g after Jesus' reply about whether to pay taxes)
3. another important aspect of Jesus' teachings was his use of parables (meaning riddle) e.g the sower.
  1. parables allow greater depth of meaning to be teased out. Contain vivid imagery so are easy to follow
  2. they encourage people to strive after the truth and figure out what Jesus is really saying
  3. easy to remember
  4. relate to everyday life situations
  5. can be updated
The Prediction of the Passion (8:31-33)
1. happens immediately after Peter's declaration of faith that he believes Jesus is the Messiah
2. Jesus says starkly that the Messiah must suffer
3. Jesus challenges the disciples with this new idea of the Messiah - not the powerful warrior figure as people were expecting, but someone who will suffer and die for others
4. Peter cannot understand this new teaching and tries to persuade Jesus to abandon these ideas. Jesus reacts by indicating that it is God's will that the Messiah must suffer

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The Person of Jesus

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	Created by Niamh Quinn over 10 years ago