Who is Jesus Christ?Who is Jesus Christ?

Two ways to learn about Jesus Two ways to learn about Jesus ChristChrist

The Jesus of HistoryThe Jesus of HistoryThe essential facts about the man The essential facts about the man who lived 2,000 years ago in the who lived 2,000 years ago in the Middle EastMiddle East

The Christ of FaithThe Christ of FaithWho Christians believe Jesus is todayWho Christians believe Jesus is today

WHAT DO WE REALLY KNOW ABOUT JESUS?

WHAT DO WE REALLY KNOW ABOUT JESUS?

The Historical Jesus: Born around 3 BCE Name: originally Yeshua, Yehoshua (Joshua)

Yehoshua ben Nazareth, or

Yehoshua ben Yousef Ethnicity and Religion: Palestinian Jew Son of a Nazareth carpenter Teacher, preacher, healer, storyteller, charismatic and

popular

MORE MORE FACTSFACTS ABOUT ABOUT JESUSJESUS

Harsh public critic of Jewish religious abuseHarsh public critic of Jewish religious abuse

(traditional role of a prophet)(traditional role of a prophet) Many believed he was the promised Jewish Many believed he was the promised Jewish

MessiahMessiah Convicted of blasphemy by Jewish priests for Convicted of blasphemy by Jewish priests for

claiming he was the Messiah and God’s sonclaiming he was the Messiah and God’s son Tortured and executed for treason in Jerusalem Tortured and executed for treason in Jerusalem

by the Roman Empire around 30 CE; method of by the Roman Empire around 30 CE; method of execution was crucifixionexecution was crucifixion

THE QUESTION THAT DIVIDESTHE QUESTION THAT DIVIDESTHE JESUS OF HISTORYTHE JESUS OF HISTORY

What happened to the body of Jesus after he What happened to the body of Jesus after he died?died?

FROM THE CHRIST OF FROM THE CHRIST OF FAITH:FAITH:

How Jesus Became ChristHow Jesus Became Christ

He is buried, but a few days later his He is buried, but a few days later his body is missing from his tombbody is missing from his tomb

Jesus’ followers begin to see him Jesus’ followers begin to see him around Jerusalem, appearing and around Jerusalem, appearing and disappearing. disappearing.

Word quickly spreads around Word quickly spreads around Jerusalem that Jesus has risen from Jerusalem that Jesus has risen from the dead.the dead.

How Jesus Became ChristHow Jesus Became Christ

In the years to come, followers tell stories In the years to come, followers tell stories of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and teachings to other people.teachings to other people.

The Gospels are not written until 30-70 The Gospels are not written until 30-70 years after the death of Jesusyears after the death of Jesus

It takes 20-30 years before the name It takes 20-30 years before the name “Christian” is given to those Jews (and “Christian” is given to those Jews (and later, non-Jews) who believe that Jesus later, non-Jews) who believe that Jesus was and is “the Christ”was and is “the Christ”

““Christ” is from the Greek Christ” is from the Greek kristoskristos, , meaning “anointed one” or “messiah”meaning “anointed one” or “messiah”

The Jesus of HistoryThe Jesus of HistoryHuman teacher, reformer, prophet, Human teacher, reformer, prophet,

healer, executed as a criminalhealer, executed as a criminal Jesus Jesus dieddied

The Christ of FaithThe Christ of FaithThe Son of God, the Messiah, The Son of God, the Messiah,

Incarnate God, ResurrectedIncarnate God, Resurrected““Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ has died, Christ is risen,

Christ will come again”Christ will come again”Christ Christ liveslives

Faith in ChristFaith in Christ

What exactly do Christians What exactly do Christians believe about Jesus Christ?believe about Jesus Christ?

The Nicene CreedThe Nicene Creed Formulated by the Church in 325 CE in Formulated by the Church in 325 CE in

Nicea in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey)Nicea in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) Still accepted by most major Christian Still accepted by most major Christian

denominationsdenominations Recited by the community every Sunday Recited by the community every Sunday

during the Eucharistduring the Eucharist The definitive statement of belief The definitive statement of belief

about God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy about God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy SpiritSpirit

The Creed and ChristThe Creed and Christ

““Creed” is from the Latin Creed” is from the Latin word word credocredo, “I believe”, “I believe”

What does our Creed tell us What does our Creed tell us about Christ?about Christ?

What are the essential What are the essential Catholic beliefs about Christ?Catholic beliefs about Christ?

Christ and the TrinityChrist and the Trinity

Christ is part of the Christ is part of the Trinity that Trinity that Christians believe is Christians believe is God—Father, Son God—Father, Son and Holy Spiritand Holy Spirit

Christ is the Second Christ is the Second Person of the Trinity, Person of the Trinity, the Sonthe Son

……which means that which means that Jesus Christ is God’s Jesus Christ is God’s Son AND GodSon AND God

The Son of GodThe Son of God

Jesus called God his Jesus called God his abbaabba, his , his “daddy,” when he was alive.“daddy,” when he was alive.

God called Jesus his “beloved Son” God called Jesus his “beloved Son” after his baptism.after his baptism.

We are all children of God, but Jesus We are all children of God, but Jesus is God’s “only begotten Son,” the is God’s “only begotten Son,” the only Son that God brought to life only Son that God brought to life through human procreation.through human procreation.

The Pre-Existence of ChristThe Pre-Existence of Christ

From the Creed: From the Creed: – ““Through him all things were made”Through him all things were made”

““In the Beginning was the Word”In the Beginning was the Word” Before he was born as a man, Before he was born as a man,

Jesus existed from the beginning Jesus existed from the beginning of time with God and AS God.of time with God and AS God.

Jesus Christ is “the Word made Jesus Christ is “the Word made flesh”flesh”

The IncarnationThe Incarnation

the belief that God the belief that God became a human became a human being.being.

Jesus’ Father was GodJesus’ Father was God

His mother was a His mother was a Jewish virgin named Jewish virgin named MaryMary

The CrucifixionThe Crucifixion It was more than It was more than

the execution of the execution of Jesus by the Jesus by the RomansRomans

Christians believe Christians believe that Jesus’ that Jesus’ suffering and death suffering and death was done for us, to was done for us, to take away the sins take away the sins of the world.of the world.

The ResurrectionThe Resurrection

• The belief that The belief that Jesus rose from the Jesus rose from the dead body and dead body and soul.soul.

• He was not a He was not a ghost, and he was ghost, and he was not pretending to not pretending to be dead.be dead.

The AscensionThe Ascension

• the belief that Jesus the belief that Jesus “went up” to “went up” to heaven.heaven.

• An imaginative way An imaginative way of describing the of describing the point when Jesus let point when Jesus let go of what still tied go of what still tied him to earth and him to earth and reunited with God. reunited with God.

PentecostPentecost

• Ten days after the Ten days after the Ascension, the Holy Ascension, the Holy Spirit descends on the Spirit descends on the apostles, empowering apostles, empowering them to preach the them to preach the “good news” (Gospel) “good news” (Gospel) of of the Risen Christthe Risen Christ

• This is considered the This is considered the beginning of the beginning of the ChurchChurch

The Second Coming of The Second Coming of ChristChrist

• The ParousiaThe Parousia

• The belief that that The belief that that Jesus Christ will Jesus Christ will return to the world return to the world at the end of time at the end of time to “judge the living to “judge the living and the dead.”and the dead.”

• ““Christ will come Christ will come again…”again…”

Christ and the EucharistChrist and the Eucharist Catholic Christians Catholic Christians

believe that Jesus believe that Jesus Christ actually Christ actually becomes present in becomes present in the bread and wine the bread and wine during Massduring Mass

Taking Communion is Taking Communion is uniting with Jesus and uniting with Jesus and with each other (the with each other (the word word communioncommunion literally means “union literally means “union with”)with”)