Depth Study CHRISTIANITY

HISTORICAL JESUS Name of Jesus Jesus was a common name during the time of Jesus. Hebrew name – Joshua, Yahweh, Yehoskina Yahweh – saves ‘salvation’ Last name was NOT Christ – Christ means messiah OR ‘anointed one’

HISTORICAL JESUS Title is the most important given by the Early Church to Jesus, as it reflected what they believed about him. Jesus may have been called – Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus the Nazarene – typical to identify a person of his place of residence.

HISTORICAL JESUS Jesus the Carpenter (Mk 6:3) ref to Jesus as a carpenter – identifying a person by profession. Jesus the Son of Joseph – or in Aramaic/Hebrew – Jesus ben Joseph Genealogies of Jesus of Jesus Mat 1:1-17, Lk 3:23-38

HISTORICAL JESUS Emphasis on genealogies stresses Jesus’ relation to the entire human family – stresses his humanity. Matthew’s tracing of Jesus link to Abraham suggests that he wants to show Jesus as the culmination of the O.T. prophecies made by the Jews and initiated with the covenant to Abraham.

HISTORICAL JESUS Luke’s ending of the line with Adam suggests that Jesus is the Messiah of all men and women, Jews as well as Gentiles.

HISTORICAL EVIDENCE Pagan Roman Sources Suetonius – author of biographies of first twelve Roman Emperors Claudius thought that Christians and Jews were members of the same religious sect and hence banished them from Rome in 49AD (civil disturbance)

HISTORICAL EVIDENCE Tacitus – Roman Historian In his book ANNALS, writes of the great fire that swept Rome in 64AD . Nero blamed Christians for the fire – lead to many Christian persecutions

HISTORICAL EVIDENCE Pliny the Younger – Master letter writer 111Ad appointed imperial legate of the Province of Bithyna in Asia Minor and was in constant correspondence with emperor Trojan He advised the emperor about how he should treat the rapidly spreading groups of Christians

HISTORICAL EVIDENCE Jewish Sources – Josephus – historian (fought against Romans in the great revolt of 66 – 70 AD) – commander of Jewish forces in Galilee Befriended emperor Vespasian In Jewish Antiqinties Josephus gives and account of the troubles suffered by the Judeans under Pontius Pilate

HISTORICAL EVIDENCE Old Testament – Expectations of the Messiah – Is 7:14-16, Is 9:5-7, Is 11:1-9 Christ = Messiah = Anointed One Hebrew expectations of a Messiah – Looking for another King like David this was fulfilled in JC Isaiah spoke of the coming of someone great.

HISTORICAL EVIDENCE Old Testament – Expectations of the Messiah – Many prophets did not understand – they often said something that God wanted said – also to people in a later time, or to people of all time Isaiah’s messiah would be a suffering servant – this model was rejected because it did not fit the popular awareness of what the Messiah should be .

HISTORICAL EVIDENCE Old Testament – Expectations of the Messiah – Isaiah was written during the time of the Babylonian exile – not all Hebrews were exiled. Merchants, artesians and other people of influence were grouped and exiled The climate was ripe for the emergence of the idea that someone would come to save them

HISTORICAL EVIDENCE New Testament – Expectations of the Messiah – In the time leading up to the coming of JC, the Jews were again dominated by another group – Romans Jewish expectations of a messiah was prevalent at the time

HISTORICAL EVIDENCE New Testament – Expectations of the Messiah – Roman domination was always to be resisted, hence the tension and confrontations with the Romans. Many Jews expected the Messiah, when he came to be militant, a soldier, leader in order the defeat the Romans. Jesus of course was to be the complete antithesis of the Jewish expectations at the time.