Religion Notes: October 28, 6:00pm

We talked about the test results:
90+ =A
80-90=B
70-80=C
60-70=D
59- =F

We received a handout called “Ancient stone casket may be oldest link to Jesus.” Article talks about bones thought to belong to Jesus’ brother.

-Second Coming
The Desolating Sacrilege (Anti-Christ)- Believed to refer to Antiochus’s, a Greek-Syrian ruler who persecuted the Jews, and desecrated the Temple by sacrificing a pig to Zeus inside of it in the 2nd century BC. The desolating sacrilege is the “second” coming of the son of man. Was supposed to take place after:
A.The Temple is destroyed---70AD
B.False Messiahs come
C.There are Earthquakes, famines, and persecution
D.There is war and rumors of war.
Jesus foretells an Immanent Apocalypse, it should have happened in the early part of the 1st century. ff Mark 28
Jesus’ words of the end of the world during the second coming are not couched in the indefinite future. Believed the 2nd coming was immanent because it was never spoken of as far off.

-Secular and Spiritual reasons for Jesus’ Crucifixion
Secular:
Charged with:
A.Blasphemy-claiming to be the Son of God. This was a Jewish charge because the Romans didn’t care about Blasphemy.
B.Sedition-claiming to be Messiah or “King of the Jews. Thought he would try to overthrow the Roman Government.
Didn’t get a fair trial.
C.Jesus was also betrayed by Judas
D.Criticized Jewish religious leaders and charged them with hypocrisy.
E.Prevented commerce in the Temple court by driving out shoppers and merchants with a whip.

Religious Reason:
The Doctrine of Atonement:
To be sacrificed for all of our sins so that animals would not be sacrificed anymore. Jesus was a ransom for many.
In the Last Supper, communion ceremony or the “Lords Supper” was instituted. “This is my blood, the blood of a New Covenant” or New Testament.
The Old Covenant-Jewish
Follow the rules that God has made, and God will reward you in this life; If you sin, ask for forgiveness, sacrifice an animal, and at the end of the year, Yom Kippur will clear the rest of your sins. ff Blessings and Cursings Deuteronomy 28.
The New Covenant-Christian
Have faith in Jesus and God. If you sin, ask for forgiveness, and accept Jesus death as payment. He paid for your sins with his life. You shall be rewarded with Eternal life and avoiding eternal punishment. Believe that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah. Believe atonement and resurrection.
ICTHUS is Greek code for “Jesus Christ Son of God Savior

Gospel of John
-What is the word, and the words relationship to God?
The word was with God, the word was God. The word is fully Divine. Believed to be the preincarnate of Jesus.
-Synoptic Gospels compared with John
Synoptic
Have low Christology, which means they have less about Jesus and more about teachings and the Kingdom of God. Talk about Exorcisms, healings, and laws. Jesus spoke in parables and the Messianic secret was present. Jesus’ enemies were the Zealots, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees. The Zealots because the advocated a violent revolution, the Pharisees because they controlled the Synagogues and supported Law and Oral traditions, and the Sadducees because they controlled the Temple and collaborated with the Romans.
John
High Christology. Has long metaphysical discourse on the nature of Jesus and his relationship with the Father. “I am…” Talks about himself a lot. Jesus is referred to in John 1:1, 14-18 and 5:18 as God in human flesh. No parables or Messianic secret present. Jesus Enemies are “The Jews”.
-Being “born again” or born from above. John 3
Being born again refers to a spiritual rebirth; becoming a child of God. John 1:12 says to those who believed in him, became children of God. Either pay for your own sins and suffer the wrath or believe in Jesus and he will pay for your sins.
-Trinity
Refers to The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. There is only one God. The Father is called God, the Son is called God, and the Holy Spirit is called God. Therefore, the father, son and Holy Spirit are the one God. 3 entities that share the same essence or nature.
Arian Heresy- Claimed that God created Jesus. The Jehovah’s witnesses are considered modern day Arians.
-Requirements for salvation from the Wrath of God /Hell and punishment.
A. Have faith in Jesus. Acts 16:30.
B. Repentance. Acts 2:37
C. Water Baptism???- Depends on who you talk to. Instructors’ opinion: Baptism is not required; it is only an initiation ceremony. Romans 6.
1Peter 3:21- it is Symbolic of death to sin, and a new life.
1Corinthians 1:17- God did not send me to baptize, but to speak the Gospel.
-Pentecost
-Greek for a Jewish festival.
-Christian name for the coming of the Holy Spirit.
-Followers receive “Gift of Tongues” which allows them to speak foreign languages in order to reach their multi-lingual audience
-Saul/Paul Converted
-Saul of tarsus becomes the Apostle Paul.
-Originally persecuted Christians zealously. Later, he became a zealous Christian Evangelist.
-Saul became a Christian when he was knocked off of his horse. While on the ground, he sees a blinding light, then a vision of the resurrected Jesus. (Acts 9).
Paul ended up writing most of the New Testament.
-He never knew Jesus while he was alive.
-Paul was thought to have been Judas’ replacement as the 12th Apostle, but Mathias was chosen by Lot, or a lottery. Mathias became Judas replacement.