The Life of Christ

1
WELCOME TO
The Life of Christ
Fenter D. Northern, Professor, NO eating
lunches in class Faulkner
University A Drink, small
crackers/cookies O.K Office hrs.
by appointments No slouching, nor sleeping
in class
Men
remove headwear
2
Questions from last Lecture

• Was Jesus born at coincidence or random? Explain?
• When was divine readiness reached?
• Why was Palestine a good geographical place to
  begin Christianity?
• What were nations doing prior to the coming of
  Christ? How may this be viewed?
• Give examples of how mans impatience with God
  has hurt the world.
• Why did God wait so long to send Jesus and
  establish Christianity?
• What key role did the Jews play in their
  dispersion?
• List the captivities and the dates.
• Who were the Samaritans? Manasseh? Mt. Gerizim?
• What scriptures did the Samaritans have?

3

• Name the nations whose policies made
  contributions toward the coming of Christ?
• Who were the Maccabees?
• What did Josephus say about the number of Jews at
  the coming of Christ?
• What were nine important developments among the
  Jews during the Babylonian captivity?
• INSTITUTION OF THE MERIT SYSTEM
• Rise of the sopherim (Scribes) scholarly class.
• Idolatry disappeared among the Jews.
• Sharing common memories kept them united.
• They had developed an indomitable spirit

• .

4

• The appearance of the synagogue helped
• The rise of the Targum
• New Revelation was received from God
• A new language appeared.
• What nations dominated Israel from 586 to the
  coming of Christ?
• Who were important Jewsih characters during some
  of these captivities?
• What was the difference in the political policies
  of Babylonians and the Persians regarding
  captives?
• What did the Persian ruler returned the Jews to
  their homeland? What did he do for them
  religiously?

5
Lecture Three
6
Important Change in Events Greeks Capture
Persia 331 B.C.

• Alex. The Great, (356-323 A.D.) pupil of
  Aristotle, exported Greek Culture known as
  Hellenism. Founded intellectual center in Egypt
  called Alexandria
• Dispersion took on a new face
• This Divided the Jews into Hellenist and
  Hebraist.
• .

7
The Chaldeans, the Persians and now The Jews
under Greek Rule 300-147 B.C.
Death of Alex. ( Ptolemy, Cassander, Lysimachus
and Seleucus) Antiochus IV Epiphanes Avid
Hellenist. (Epimanes-The madman) 175-164
B.C. Devastated Jerusalem in 168 B.C. 166 B.C.
Maccabean revolt 165 B.C. Rededicated temple
Feast of Lights called Hanukah 61 B.C. ROMAN
OCCUPATION.
8
We Have Learned

• HOW THE JEWISH DISPERSION AIDED THE ARRIVAL OF
  CHRIST
• It Sowed seeds of Messianic expectation around
  the earth.

9
We Learned the Persian Contributions

• 1. Cyrus Permitted the Jews to Return to
  Palestine (Zerubbabel 536 B.C., Ezra, 458 B.C.,
  Nehemiah 444)

• 2. Cyrus signed a decree to Financed the new
  Temple (Ezra 64)

10
NOW LEARN the Greek Contributions that Helped
Plant Christianity

• 1. Greek Hellenism bred a universal language
• 2. They published a universal Bible known as
  the Septuagint or LXX version.
• 3. Emptiness of Greek Philosophies
• Stoics Zeno 280 B.C. Sought consolation in
  fate by suppression of emotion (Acts 1718).
• Epicureans --Epicurus d.271 B.C
• Pleasure is the greatest good (Acts 1718).

11
Know the Roman Contributions

• The Pax Romana (Roman Peace)
• Excellent highway system
• Romes legal system
• NEGATIVE FACTORS
• Extreme moral degradation (Rom. 1)
• Affluence, Idleness
• No recognized standard of ethics
• Failure of pagan religions
• Prostitution, divorce, abortion, infanticide,
  suicide

12
A Prevailing Climate of Expectancy Helped
Christianity

• Generated by
• Pseudepigraphical literature (false writing)
  abounded with eschatological (end time) themes
  written in apocalyptic (veiled in symbols) ca.
  100 B.C. - 100 A.D.
• Jewish Scrolls (DSS) confirm
• The appearance of John the Baptist , about 26 A.D

13
Summary of Worlds contributions that made it the
fullness of times
Jews Dispersion seeded Messianic
expectancy Persians Restored Jews to Palestine.
Financed New temple. Greeks Provided Universal
Language, Universal Bible Romans Positive Univ.
peace, law, coinage, open borders, roads General
Flood of eschatological and apocryphal
literature created a general feeling of
expectancy of God about to break into history.
14
Jewish Parties to Learn

• The Pharisees the separated. Orig. w/n the
  ranks of the scribes. Legalistic
• The Sadducees sedeq righteousness the
  socially elite, priestly class. Differences from
  the Pharisees stated in Acts 238
• The Herodians
• The Essenes
• The Zealots

15
JEWISH INSTITUTIONS

• THE TEMPLE
• THE SYNAGOGUE
• THE SANHEDRIN

16
HEROD THE GREAT

• By religion--a Jew, by race -- Idumean,
  culturally-- Greek, by politics -- Roman
  Inherited throne of his father at age 22
• Convinced Octavian to appoint him sole king of
  the Jews. Gave him Cleopatras possessions in
  Palestine, with lands in Samaria and east of
  Jordan He was paranoid a very suspicious man,
  --had his wife, killed, two sons strangled and
  his brother-in-law drowned.

17
Herod the Great, cont.

• Furthermore, he ordered the killing of the
  Bethlehem babies
• Suffering from cancer and heart failure, and
  fearing none would mourn at his death. He had all
  the chief men in Jericho locked up with orders to
  kill them all on the day he died. (Never
  happened)
• Died April 1, 4 B.C.

18
Herod Archaelaus (Mt. 222)

• Received Judea, Samaria and Idumea at Herod the
  Greats death
• His brother Antipas received Galilee
• Philip Batanea, Trachonitis, and Auranitis
• Archaleaus was as vicious as his father
• Reigned 4 B.C. to 6 A.D.

19
Herod Antipas (4 B.C.- A.D. 34)

• Received Galilee and Perea
• Jesus called him the Fox (Lk. 1332
• Great builder
• Murdered John the Baptist (Mt. 141-13)
• Reigned 4 B.C. to 39 B.C.

20
Herod Philip 4 B.C. 34 B.C.

• Territory northeast of the Sea of Galilee
• Lost his wife to his brother Antipas.

21
Herod Agrippa 1 (A.D. 41-44)

• Grandson of Herod the Great and son of
  Aristobulus and Bernice
• Ruled all Palestine
• Big Builder
• Murdered the apostle James (Acts 12)

22
HEROD AGRIPPA II (A.D. 50-100)

• Son of Agrippa I
• Sat at hearing of Paul in Caesarea (Acts 25)

23
Sources of the Gospels

• Luke 11-4 Luke carefully sorted and filtered
  the sources to produce an orderly account of
  Jesus ministry.
• He alone follows ancient historian fashion of
  dedicating his work to a patron.
• Matthew uses a genealogical intro. Because he is
  writing principally to a Jewish audience
• Mark uses no formal intro.
• John uses a theological intro. To meet the new
  Gnostic heresy.

24
The Right Time for Jesus and Christianity to
Enter the World.

• 1. One Speech
• 2. One empire
• 3. Wide dispersion of the Jews
• 4. Decay of human gods
• 5. A wide spread end time mental climate
• 6. Preaching of John the Baptist

25
Jesus Preexistence

• 1. John 11-2 declares a timeless existence
• 2. Jesus refers to his preexistence in his prayer
  in John 175
• In 105 the writer of Hebrews speaks of a body
  prepared for Jesus.
• In Col. 111-18 Paul affirms Jesus was in the
  beginning instrumental in creation.
• In Phil 26-7 Jesus incarnation is told.

26
Jesus Genealogies

• A Jews pedigree was his genealogy
• Differences in Matthews and Lukes account
  poses no problem ( See A.T. Robinsons appendix)
• Matthew gives the legal Jewish male descent from
  Abraham
• Luke traces Marys descent using Josephs name as
  was the custom among Jews.

27
Prophecies of Jesus Birth

• Genesis 315 CA 4000 B.C.
• The Messiahs virgin birth
• A perpetual spiritual warfare
• The Messiahs victory over Satan
• The Messiah will suffer in the process

28
Prophecies of Jesus Birth, contd.

• 2100 B.C. Genesis 263-4 in thy seed
• Gal. 316 -- not seeds but seed.
• CA. 750 B.C. Isaiah 2816-18
• Refuge of lies (Mt. 2812-13)
• Covenant of death disannulled (Mt. 2615)
• Agreement with hell (Mt. 2762-64)

29
Prophecies of Jesus Birth, contd.

• Birthplace Micah 52
• Flight to Egypt Hos. 111
• His priesthood Pa. 1104
• Universal rejection Ps. 21
• Betrayal by a friend Ps. 419

30
Prophecies of Jesus Death

• Awesome suffering, Is. 53
• Death with criminals, Is. 539
• His bones unbroken, Ps. 3420, Ex. 1246 John
  2933
• Burial with the rich Ps. 169 Mt. 2758
• His resurrection Ps. 1610

31
Supreme Figure of All History

• Promised seed of the woman. (Gen. 315)
• He was to bruise the serpents head
• To be born of the tribe of Judah (Gen. 4910)
• To be born of the family of David (Isa. 111)
• To be born in Bethlehem (Micah 52)
• Key to Worlds history B.C. A.D.

32
GREAT PROPHET TO COME BEFORE THE MESSIAHIsa.
403-5

• Isa. 403. The voice of him that crieth in the
  wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make
  straight in the desert a highway for our God.
• 4. Every valley shall be exalted, and every
  mountain and hill shall be made low and the
  crooked shall be made straight, and the rough
  places plain
• 5. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
  and all flesh shall see it together for the
  mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

33
MALACHI 31-2

• 1. Behold, I will send my messenger, and he
  shall prepare the way before me and the Lord,
  whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple,
  even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye
  delight in behold, he shall come, saith the Lord
  of hosts.
• 2. But who may abide the day of his coming? and
  who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like
  a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap

34
MATTHEW 31-3

• 1. In those days came John the Baptist,
  preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
• 2. And saying, Repent ye for the kingdom of
  heaven is at hand.
• 3. For this is he that was spoken of by the
  prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying
  in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the
  Lord, make his paths straight.

35
John the Baptist--forerunner

• Born of the Priestly tribe of Levi
• Luke 1 5. There was in the days of Herod, the
  king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias,
  of the course of Abia and his wife was of the
  daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
• 6. And they were both righteous before God,
  walking in all the commandments and ordinances of
  the Lord blameless.
• 7. And they had no child, because that
  Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well
  stricken in years.

36
8. And it came to pass, that while he executed
the priest's office before God in the order of
his course, 9. According to the custom of the
priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when
he went into the temple of the Lord. 10. And
the whole multitude of the people were praying
without at the time of incense. 11. And there
appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing
on the right side of the altar of incense. 12.
And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and
fear fell upon him. 13. But the angel said unto
him, Fear not, Zacharias for thy prayer is
heard and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a
son, and thou shalt call his name John.
37

• 18. And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby
  shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my
  wife well stricken in years.
• 19. And the angel answering said unto him, I am
  Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God and
  am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee
  these glad tidings.
• 20. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not
  able to speak, until the day that these things
  shall be performed, because thou believest not my
  words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

38
John Was 6 Mos. Older than Jesus

• 24. And after those days his wife Elisabeth
  conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
• 25. Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the
  days wherein he looked on me, to take away my
  reproach among men.
• 26. And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel
  was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named
  Nazareth,
• 27. To a virgin espoused to a man whose name
  was Joseph, of the house of David and the
  virgin's name was Mary.

39
Jesus was born between 5 6 B.C.

• Herod was still alive when Jesus was born. He
  died in 4 B.C.
• He issued an edit to kill all the male babies in
  Bethlehem (Matt. 216) 4 2 6 B.C.
• Joseph, Mary and the baby were in Egypt when
  Herod died (Matt. 219)

40
Jesus Earthly Existence

• Why Mary?
• Be it unto me according to thy word (Lu. 138)
• Why Joseph?
• 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and
  not willing to make her a publick example, was
  minded to put her away privily.

41
Jesus Birth Reception

• Lowly birth preoccupied world.
• 7 And she gave birth to her first-born son and
  wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in
  a manger, because there was no place for them in
  the inn. (Lu. 27)
• Rejected by his own people
• 11 He came to his own home, and his own people
  received him not. (John 111)

42
A Few Did Receive Him

• Mary and Joseph
• The Shepherds were happy
• The Magi traveled far to worship him (Matt.
  21-11)
• They were interested
• Eager to suffer
• Searched for themselves
• Not too proud to ask for guidance

43
Magi, contd.

• They were content with the light from heaven
• Paid whatever price necessary
• Never gave up
• When found, they worshipped him
• Proved sincerity with their gifts

44
Simeon and Anna Waited on Him

• Simeon
• Luke 225 And, behold, there was a man in
  Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon and the same
  man was just and devout, waiting for the
  consolation of Israel and the Holy Ghost was
  upon him.
• Anna
• Lk. 232 And she coming in that instant gave
  thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him
  to all them that looked for redemption in
  Jerusalem.

45
Those Not Welcoming Him

• Pharisees
• Outward religionist
• Scribes
• Legalists, traditionalists Placed sacrifice over
  mercy
• Sadducees, aristocratic right wing conservatives
• Rejected the after life, Pentateuch only (Acts
  236-9)
• Zealots
• Hated Rome, for war of independence,

46
Jesus Early Visits to Jerusalem

• 1. Presentation for circumcision (Lu. 221)
• 2. Jesus as first sons redemption (Ex.
  1815-16)
• 30 days post birth
• Marys purification (Lu. 222)
• 41 days for a male (Lev. 124)
• 80 days for a maid (Lev. 125)
• Offered poor offering (Lev. 128)

47
Early Years At Nazareth

• Little known before 12 years of age.
• First Passover at 12 years. (Lu. 241-42)
• Advanced in wisdom, and stature, and in favor
  with God and men (Lu. 240)

Check fo6loc l 4