RELIG220 Lecture 1: RELIG 212 Ch. 1

Chapter 1 – Who Is This Man?

John 1:1-18

• Early Christian belief in the pre-existence with God of Jesus through allusion to Genesis

• Reference to Jewish heritage and lineage; shows connections to past (ie. Moses) while

remaining distinct (Jesus as the Messiah)

• Note: John was the only disciple to die of natural causes

• John the Baptist was sent to bring light to people – but he himself was not the Light

• Ad the Word as ade flesh, ad delt aog us… Jesus

Luke 1-2:14

Matthew 5-6

• Note: narrates the life, ministry, death, and Resurrection of Jesus; references to Jewish heritage

• Sermon on the Mount – Our Father, Beatitudes

• You are the light of the orld. A it set o a outai aot e hidde.

• Forgive first, then come back to God; give alms in secret

• Do not worry about anything (food and clothing), there is more to life than that – for all people

Luke 10:21-37

• Parable of the Good Samaritan

• Show mercy to all – despite tense relations and deep-rooted prejudice between Samaritans and

Jews

JUDAISM

• Israelites – the people who lived in Israel prior to the Babylonion exile

• Jews – people from Judea (connected to King David) who survived the exile to Babylon and the

capture by Persia, and the return to and restoration of Israel

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• Babylonian captivity

• After-life, judgment, and apocalypticism (e.g. writings that come after the Babylonian captivity)

GREEK INFLUENCE

• Philo of Alexandria and Logos (divine action of God)

• Ptolemies and Seleucids vs. Macabees (generals of Alexander who started dynasties in Egypt and

Syria; they occupied Israel at times, with opposition from the Macabees)

• Alexandria and Antioch – important cities in early Christianity and Roman empire

The world in which Jesus appeared was deeply permeated by Greek politics and social/religious ideas,

despite being Jewish

JEWISH PARTIES

• Jeish la as etral to their religio; ipats Christiait; there are do’s ad do’ts to retain

religious/ethical purity

• Sadducees – a Jewish party of the temple who only believed in the Torah; they were in power in

(worldwide); Roman law (safety)

• Minuses – subject to the whims of the empire (emperor), harsh Roman law

• Mediterraea “ea = Nare Nostru Our “ea – united around this body of water; free flow of

trade and ideas

JEWISH INHERITANCE

• The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) – quotations in the NT; reference to stories, characters, and

themes; template for NT (literary genres, etc.)

• Allegorization of physical captivity, exodus and conquest, exile, diaspora and return

• Strong monotheism

• Role of prophets (speaking truth to power, especially injustice, siding with the weak)

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