1. Assignment
Read “Jesus Speaks” in the Website..Under Documents— note:one of the exam questions will come from this article.

2. Jesus Christ: Focal Point of Our Christian Faith

3. Review
What is the significance of Jn. 14:1-14? In what way does it speak of Jesus as both God and Man?

4. Jesus-A Gospel Portrait

5. Mar 16: And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. (16) Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (17) And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; (18) they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."

6. Mat 1: She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." (22) All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: (23) "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).

7. Isa 7:13-14 And he said, "Hear then, O house of David
Isa 7: And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? (14) Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

8. Luk 15:2-4 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." (3) So he told them this parable: (4) "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?

9. Joh 21: This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. (25) Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

10. Jesus as a Historical Figure-A Gospel Portrait
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).
"This man receives sinners and eats with them."
Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

11. Jesus as a Historical Figure-A Gospel Portrait
Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

12. Jesus as a Historical Figure-A Gospel Portrait
What kind of God do you see?

13. Jesus as a Historical Figure-A Gospel Portrait
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).
"This man receives sinners and eats with them."
Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

14. Overview of the Course : The Bridge Diagram
Faith
Faith and Friendship
GOD
Faith in God
Prove??
MAN
GOD
SIN
Objective Truth?

15. The Context

16. The Land

17. The Land: Today

18. The Land: Time of Jesus

19. Political and Religious Context

20. Political and Religious Context
A Brief History
Alexander the Great
Seleucid and Ptolemy
Hasmonean Family
Romans and Herod
Jews were under the Roman rule at the time of Jesus

21. Alexander the Great

23. Map of Alexander's Empire 320 BC

24. Alexander the Great
Dies in 323 BC

25. Alexander’s Generals divide the territories in his Empire!

26. Two of Alexander’s generals, Seleucid and Ptolemy, divide Israel.

27. Hasmonean Family
Judas, Maccabeus, which meant hammer, lead a revolt against the Seleucids
Defeated the Seleucids by 164 BC
The Romans chose Herod the Great by 40 BC to rule the country on their behalf.

28. Roman Empire 117 AD

29. The Political and Religious Context
The Jews were under Roman Rule
The Romans entrusted Israel to Herod and his family

30. Break

31. Herod the Great was asked by Rome to take care of Israel in 40 BC.
Herod dies in 4 BC
His sons takeover, Archelaus, Herod Antipas, Philip; they rule till 44 AD

32. Discussion
Do you see any similarities to our situation today?

33. Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee, 33 AD
Jesus’ hometown, Nazareth
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, 0 BC
Jesus is crucified in Jerusalem, 36 AD

34. The Political and Religious Context
Key Religious and Political Groupings –Gentiles, Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots, Samaritans

35. Gentiles--Non-Jews

36. Pharisees—a religious movement that emphasized the importance of total obedience to the Law

37. Sadducees—the priestly aristocracy that was connected to the “power” base in Jerusalem (i.e. the religious center)

38. Essenes—a monastic movement that live the way of life of the Jews out in the desert

39. Zealots—Jewish political activist (revolution is the solution)

40. Samaritans—Jews who married Gentiles in the area of Samaria

41. Discussion
What do you consider the most important facts about the political and economic situation in which Jesus grew up in?

42. The End