1. How do the names of Jesus in the New Testament help us to see God‟s character? Which of these means the most to you and why?
2. How does the rest of the New Testament reveal Christ as a relational Savior?
3. What do you think of the statement on page 82 that Jesus was not really divine but functioned in that role (“Functional Christology”)?
4. Does the New Testament say anything about the background and nature of Jesus? If so, what?
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1.) The names of Jesus in the New Testament help us to see the character of God because each name illustrates a different, unique aspect of who God is. Jesus is the Savior who saved us from our sins through His blood, and made a way for us to have a relationship with God. He is the "High Priest" who brings our requests before the Lord. All of these various names address the different things that God does for us in our lives on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteThe name that means the most to me is that of Savior. I chose this name because it reminds that nothing I do of my own power can bring me into a relationship with God. I am sinful, but Jesus has saved me from my sins and become the Savior and Lord of my life!
2.) It reveals Him as a Messiah, who to the Christians was "an individual who had come, lived among people; one whom they knew and to who they bore witness" (83). He is the Reconciler because through Him those were far off from God have now been reconciled to Him and become His friends and allies. Philippians 2 talks about Jesus coming as a "servant" who "humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:8, ESV). Hebrews 13:20 makes mention of Him as the "Great Shepherd of the Sheep" (86). A similar reference is also found in I Peter 2:25 and 5:4. He is also called the "Son of man." Finally, the book of Revelation reveals Him as a warrior, who has fought for His people and through whom His people fight off the forces of evil in this world (92).
3.) I personally find the suggestion of the idea that Jesus was not really divine but only functioned in that role as a heretical idea. However, I think the author does an excellent job of clarifying what Cullmann's intentions were in approaching this concept. After I read his explanation, I better understood why such a concept was being entertained.
4.) Yes, it does. He is the virgin-born son of God who was God in the flesh. He was a teacher who taught with authority. Yet, He was also a suffering Servant, Son of God, Messiah who died for us and was raised on the third day.
1.) The names of Jesus in the New Testament help us to see God's Character through the revelaing of the functions or roles of Christ; they tell us of something that he did; the assumption being that Jesus did what he did because of who he was.
ReplyDeleteThe Son of God means the most to me because to me this defines in one statement who Christ is - if He was not the Son of God - God Himself in Human form then nothing that He did on this earth would matter.
2.) It reveals Him as the Messiah; The Christ. Jesus is the Lord of Christians and the Church; He is to rule over the church and we are the reverence Him as Lord. (1 Peter 1:3;2:3;3:12,15)
3.) I believe that Jesus did Function as the Savior and functioned as the Christ; however I also believe that He was of God, and was fully God, therefore being divine also. I believer that Christ was fully God.
4.) The nature of Christ in the New Testament is faultless and blameless, having no sin.