Christology discussion for Engage

Christ/Messiah
Greek – christos>chrio = to anoint or smear with oil
Hebrew – mashiach
Anointing in connection with king in OT
1 Sam. 24.6; 2 Sam. 1.14; cf. Ps. 2.2
Disciples’/High Priest’s misunderstanding of messiah
(and Jesus’ correction)
Mark 8.27-33/Mark 14.61-62

Son of God
The King as son of God
2 Sam. 7.4-14 (Ps. 89.19-45); Psalm 2
Expressed by Jesus – Addressed God as “Abba” (Mk. 14.36)
His obedience to Father’s will
(Mk. 14.32-42; Jn. 4.34; 5.30)
Shares all that the Father has (Jn. 6.15)

Son of Man
Jesus’ favorite self-designation
*Present authority of Jesus: Forgive sins (Mk. 2.10), Lord of Sabbath (Mk. 2.28)
*Suffering and Resurrection: serve others, give life as ransom
(Mk.10.45)
impending betrayal and arrest (Mk. 8.31)
*Future coming and authority: Mk. 13.26; 14.62; Ref. to Dan. 7.13-14


Lord/Kyrios
Central confession of early church (Rom. 10.9; 1 Cor. 12.3; Phil. 2.11)
Non-christian sense: gods and goddesses; sir or master; Roman emperor
Paul – Applied to Jesus concepts and functions reserved for YHWH
Rom. 10.13 (Joel 3.5)
Phil. 2.9-11 (Isa. 45.23)

The Crucifixion and its implications (the atoning sacrifice)
Rom. 3.25-26 – the sacrifice of atonement
The Day of Atonement – Leviticus 16
The Ultimate Solution – Heb. 9.11-15

The Resurrection and its significance
Jesus…was raised for our justification: Rom. 4.25
Resurrection verifies that Jesus rules: Eph. 1.20-23
Our resurrection is anchored to his: 1 Thes. 4.14
Resurrection is not peripheral to the Gospel: Rom. 10.9; 1 Cor. 15.14-15, 17
Indication that new age has dawned (Rom. 1.4 or 6.4-6, 9)

More Commands from Christ

I am trying to keep this strictly to the commands of Jesus as they universally apply to his followers. In the gospels, there is far more teaching and activity of Jesus than strictly his commands. This tells me that we can learn much about observing what Jesus does as well as following his commands. Maybe the next two projects will be the teaching of Jesus and then the actions of Jesus. but, back to his commands.

Matthew 12.50 - (After his family came to speak to him out of concern for him, he states) Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.
Matthew 16.24-25 - (The call to discipleship) If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
Matthew 17.5 - (This command came to Peter, James and John on the mountain, but I think it is good advice. It is actually a command from the Father, but it gives credence to this whole project) "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

Christopher Hitchens defines being a Christian?

I found this on Scot McKnight's blog: Jesus Creed. The quote below has militant atheist Chris Hitchens aptly defining a Christian.

This time from Christopher Hitchens, who was interviewed in The Portland Monthly by Marilyn Sewell, whose words are in bold:

The religion you cite in your book is generally the fundamentalist faith of various kinds. I'm a liberal Christian, and I don't take the stories from the scripture literally. I don't believe in the doctrine of atonement (that Jesus died for our sins, for example). Do you make and distinction between fundamentalist faith and liberal religion?

I would say that if you don't believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and Messiah, and that he rose again from the dead and by his sacrifice our sins are forgiven, you're really not in any meaningful sense a Christian.