Notes 10/25/02

-Jesus vs. Old Testament on wealth: Material wealth is a blessing from god in the Old Testament. Jesus says wealth is bad, a stone around your neck.

-Sadducees operated a flea market in temple court; can't pray with all the foot traffic, Sadducees making money off of people. Jesus drove them out.

-Secular reasons for the crucifixion of Jesus:1.Prevented commerce in temple court
2.Criticized religious leaders harshly
3.Claimed to be the messiah
4.Taught less strict observance of the
law
-On the outside Pharacees looked like good spiritual leaders,underneath they were corrupt

-Charges against Jesus:
1.Blasphemy (religious charge by rel.
leaders)...the main charge
2.Sedition; trying to undermine or
overthrow government when he claimed
to be messiah, king of Jews.
Advocating revolution/coup...needed
to get Roman execution.

-Real reason for the crucifixion of Jesus:To be a sacrifice for all sins (replace animal sacrifices). New Testament/covenant-accept Jesus' sacrifice and have faith in him, god will forgive you.

-Messianic secret:Scholarly term used to describe the fact that Jesus tries to keep his identity secret.
*Rarely claims to be the messiah
*Admits it when asked but tells
people to keep it a secret.
-Why? Jesus never claimed to be the messiah, the need to believe he was conflicted with his actual teachings, resulting in the neuratic attitude toward the gospels. (Only in the synoptic gospels, not John)*"Son of man" spoken in the 3rd person

-Other explanations:
1.Jesus wanted people to believe for the right reasons.
2.Putting off his execution date; get a ministry, prepare disciples.
3.Method of crowd control;didn't want riots, mobs. He had to teach in a boat, couldn't eat with his disciples, example of Gerassene demoniac (legion of demons). Go to decapolis (10 cities) and tell people what he did. Jesus was leaving so it didn't matter if there were mobs.