Syllabus for EXPLORING CHRISTIAN ROOTS - Part III Fall '08
Jesus Actions - as symbols of the Kingdom
Healings and exorcisms
Jesus’ Final Actions -
Entry into Jerusalem
Temple Action
Jesus and the Temple - prophetic background - Symbolism
Last Supper
its Jewishness - body and blood
Arrest and ‘Trial’
Crucifixion - Why did Jesus die? - Why crucified?
Meaning of Jesus death
Suffering Servant
Jesus' view of himself in God's plan for Israel
Self-awareness of Jesus as Messiah - What was Jesus up to?
Jesus’ Messiah in early Christian Tradition
Summarizing "Jesus The Jew"
From Jesus to Christ-History of Christology
A. Jewishness of Early Christianity
aspects of Jewishness - divisive Judaism cause divisive Early Christianity - samples; Peter, Paul, gnosticism
B. Signs of Hellenistic influence on Early Christianity
openness to Greek Gentiles
C. Estrangement from Judaism
Early Christianity being pushed out (sext, minim)
D. Early Christianity becoming its own
E. Hellenistic influence on Judaism and Early Christianity
Philo, Clement, Origin
F. Roman Empire - Constantine
G. The Councils
Summary of the development of Christology
Apostasy and Persecutions
Isms and Heresy
Paul, Jesus and Christianity
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Syllabus Exploring Christian Roots - PART II
THEME - Message Jesus the Jew
Kingdom of God
Introduction
Jewishness of Kingdom of God
in Hebrew Bible - in 2nd Temple literature -
in Rabbinic writings
Kingdom of God as Jesus saw it
Jewish wisdom
What Jesus had in mind
How was Jesus' idea original?
Theme: Kingdom of God
What did Jesus expect to happen
Nature of the Kingdom
What Jesus talked about
Message not only by Jesus, also for Jesus
Entering the Kingdom
Change of values
KoG taking place - Kingdom of Heaven note
Kingdom here and now
Kingdom in Parables
Jesus' following' - disciples
What Jesus had in mind for:
Israel - Gentiles - Individuals
Jesus and Torah - Meaning of the Law
Different views on Torah
General: Jesus and the Law
Purity
Details about Jesus and the Law
divorce - losing our lives - neighbor - enemy
golden rule - letter/spirt - legalism
Reversal of Values
Sabbath - Meals
Jesus’ Message in
'Sayings'
aphorisms
Beatitudes - Kingdom invitations
parables - Kingdom stories
'Healings'
Spontaneous prayer
Exorcisms
Concept Satan
First meeting with the Evil One
Where Jesus saw the Evil One at work
They are asking for a sign
Cleansing of the House
Divided House
The Evil One still around Jesus
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SYLLABUS for “Exploring Christian Roots” - Part I
Introduction - For whom is this course
The 'why' for this course
History of Christianity unknown to many
Tradition and Belief
A personal application
JESUS THE JEW - placing Jesus in his historical context
2nd Temple Jewish history
Judaism Its beliefs/expectations -
Its diversities
Different parties
Jewish values
Judaism - Hellenism - Roman Empire
Sources for Jesus the Jew
Early Christian testimonies
Inventory of Christian writings
Meaning of 'gospel'
Composition of the gospels - "Q"
Sources for the Gospel writers
Oral tradition - Stages
Other sources for the gospel writers
Q its importance
Scholars and Q - Origin of Q
Remarkable about Q
Nature of the Gospels - stage 3
Authors of the gospels
Four gospels' view of Jesus
Apogryphal gospels
Gospel of Thomas - Other 'gospels'
Non-Christian statements about Jesus
Jesus the Jew - Birth-myth
Some data - Galilean Jew
In the midst of 2nd Temple history
The Quest of the Historical Jesus
Summary of the Quest
Different views of Scholars on Jesus
Jesus the Jew - formed by Hebrew Scriptures
Jesus and John the Baptist
Jesus’ Baptism
