‘Jesus was more than a politial liberator’ disiuss.
Intro
- The person of Jesus has been long debated for centuries as he was considered to play many
different roles for different people Some considered him to be the son of God due to his
supposed miracles, resurrecton and the knowledge of the world that he obtained
- Others believed him to be a teacher of wisdom and considered him to be a rabbi due to his
teachings and personality as a leader
- Lastly others considered him to be a liberator as he challenged social injustce and the
politcal and religious authority
- The line of argument for this essay is that Jesus was not only seen as a liberator but as other
key figures to individuals
Point one-
- Argument- liberator- For many people Jesus was a liberator above other fgures due to the
reports statng that he ihallenged the soiial inuustie of the Roman empire.
Challenged social conventons, as well as the more theological sense liberatng humanity
from the imprisonment of sin and death
Spoke out against the dominaton of the rich over the poor
E g challenged the authority of the Jewish leaders when he drove the money-changers
out of the temple
Counter- Many later Christans beiame involved in soiial ihange. E.g. salvaton army.
- Other- Others saw Jesus as the son of God due to the Christan teaihing of the doitrine of
the trinity.
God is understood as the father, son and the holy spirit which places Jesus as the son of
God The concept of the son of God is central to Jesus’ authority
In the Gospels Paul speaks of Jesus as God’s own son in his leter to the Romans
However, Jesus did not refer to himself in terms of the son of God
Had a unique knowledge of God
Christan’s believe that only God has the power to save humanity from sin- so if Jesus
saved the people from sin, then he must be in some sense God
- Rebuttal- Liberator- Luke’s gospel emphasises Jesus’ inilusion of women in his mission*
even though women were not ionsidered to be equals of men.
Biblical foundaton
Other examples of Jesus working with the minority include his friendship with Mary
Magdalene, who the western church declared as a prosttute who repented afer she
met Jesus
(Mark 1:15)— “turn from injustce and alienaton and turn toward life ”
Point two-
- Argument- Liberator- Jesus and his ihallenges to politial authority-
At the tme of Jesus Palestne was under the control of the Romans- many Jews hoped
for a messiah in the hope of freedom from their rule
One group of Jewish militants was the zealots, called for a violent revoluton- Reza Aslan
argued Jesus may have been closer to the zealots than is portrayed in the gospels
“I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” Mathew 10:34 – some of his followers
would have been zealots
Intro
- The person of Jesus has been long debated for centuries as he was considered to play many
different roles for different people Some considered him to be the son of God due to his
supposed miracles, resurrecton and the knowledge of the world that he obtained
- Others believed him to be a teacher of wisdom and considered him to be a rabbi due to his
teachings and personality as a leader
- Lastly others considered him to be a liberator as he challenged social injustce and the
politcal and religious authority
- The line of argument for this essay is that Jesus was not only seen as a liberator but as other
key figures to individuals
Point one-
- Argument- liberator- For many people Jesus was a liberator above other fgures due to the
reports statng that he ihallenged the soiial inuustie of the Roman empire.
Challenged social conventons, as well as the more theological sense liberatng humanity
from the imprisonment of sin and death
Spoke out against the dominaton of the rich over the poor
E g challenged the authority of the Jewish leaders when he drove the money-changers
out of the temple
Counter- Many later Christans beiame involved in soiial ihange. E.g. salvaton army.
- Other- Others saw Jesus as the son of God due to the Christan teaihing of the doitrine of
the trinity.
God is understood as the father, son and the holy spirit which places Jesus as the son of
God The concept of the son of God is central to Jesus’ authority
In the Gospels Paul speaks of Jesus as God’s own son in his leter to the Romans
However, Jesus did not refer to himself in terms of the son of God
Had a unique knowledge of God
Christan’s believe that only God has the power to save humanity from sin- so if Jesus
saved the people from sin, then he must be in some sense God
- Rebuttal- Liberator- Luke’s gospel emphasises Jesus’ inilusion of women in his mission*
even though women were not ionsidered to be equals of men.
Biblical foundaton
Other examples of Jesus working with the minority include his friendship with Mary
Magdalene, who the western church declared as a prosttute who repented afer she
met Jesus
(Mark 1:15)— “turn from injustce and alienaton and turn toward life ”
Point two-
- Argument- Liberator- Jesus and his ihallenges to politial authority-
At the tme of Jesus Palestne was under the control of the Romans- many Jews hoped
for a messiah in the hope of freedom from their rule
One group of Jewish militants was the zealots, called for a violent revoluton- Reza Aslan
argued Jesus may have been closer to the zealots than is portrayed in the gospels
“I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” Mathew 10:34 – some of his followers
would have been zealots
