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| Jesus (by Kaichou Angel |
"Who is this man?" they ask each other.
That is the million dollar question.
Who is this man?
Luke's gospel gives us more details about Jesus' life than similar texts. And yet even this carefully organized and thoughtful account of his life is replete with unspoken backstory - or "fraught with background" as we discussed early in the semester.
Still, all we have to go on is what Luke (and the other gospel authors) actually wrote. It is much and little, all at the same time.
Choose two accounts/narratives in Luke's gospel and discuss how they illuminate the character of Jesus. You can focus on something Jesus said (or didn't say), something he did (or didn't do), or something someone else said or did in response to him.
Analyze the two accounts and offer an answer to the question "who is this man?" Your answer can be practical, literary, descriptive, relational, theological, philosophical - anything goes, as long as you craft a substantive and thoughtful response based on what Luke wrote.
Be sure to include references.
DUE: Friday, Dec. 1 before MIDNIGHT
Reference 1: Luke 8 vs23-24(NLT)
ReplyDeleteI think that one of the things Luke's account was able to extrapolate is the feel and reaction of Human character when we want to confirm what we see, even though we feel it in our minds, this is shown when the disciples refer to Jesus as " MASTER!!!" they wanted to know what he was actually made of, they wanted to confirm or disprove for themselves what they have been suspecting or seems like, but they weren't sure yet, if he was actually the "DEAL". But offcourse, they acted in their place, as they were nothing but disciples, I think it was their humanistic attribute to question which we all do, so they actually have their proof for future use, and for them to also have something to hold onto when they go out to the world. But also looking at the character of Jesus in his response "where is your faith" to the disciples, is almost as if, when a really close friend is questioned on his integrity or loyalty and it happens that the friend comes through on whatever promise he made to his friend and then asks the friend in return where his faith was to have questioned him, also this is more prevalent between siblings, as opposed to Jesus just flat out saying I am the Son of God or a friend responding I am the True and Loyal friend and just walk off, because then, there wouldn't have been a continuity of character.
Secondly: Luke 22vs 47 to 49. I do not think that there is anyone who would know of an impending betrayal and would not want to change the reality of it happening, just because it is emotionally painful to go through that, but yet he went through the rigors of betrayal that eventually led to his crucifixion, but I ponder if Jesus actions was due to his commitment to the will of God coming to past, even though he had prayed to God in the Valley for the " Cup to pass over him if it is God's will", if it is , then it almost unexplainable and the more intriguing Jesus is revered as such a Holy entity for the Christians, because there is no one person who would lay down his life for every and anybody, even America as it is a citadel of Patriotism, Military men still lay down their lives, jump on grenades and many more for the lives of their team mates, loved ones, family.
I think that in answering the question of " who is this man" is better left unanswered, because in trying to answer the question, the more discombobulated we become, because I think that, it would mean we would be just exactly as Job was when questioning God, when we know that the circumstances wasn't even about Job at all after we have read it. I think it isn't about Jesus Christ at all either, it is about the existence of something far greater power, something more than Jesus Christ, and we see what we could be and not be at every turn and examination of his character. I think " who is this man" is a person we can relate with and put a face on, because without it we cant relate to it, I think it is a circumstance we draw inference on and made decisions from, A lesson we can learn to make different choices and many other things.
Point 1. Luke 2:40 NLT
ReplyDeleteIn two separate examples, the author used similar wording to convey the way that Jesus grew and developed as a young child and then later as he grew into a man. The account in 2:40 says "There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God's favor was on him." We can gather that Jesus must not have been a bratty little kid like most of us were as toddlers. Even at a young age, God's favor was on him and so much so, that the author thought it would be important enough to include in the narrative when he got around to writing it years after the fact. This gives further examples of the connection that God the Father and God the Son had in the way that they both are filled with wisdom.
Point 2. Luke 2:52 NLT
In the exact same chapter as the previous mention of the favor Jesus found with God, it says "Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people." Even passing through the teenage years, and the angst-y adolescent periods, Jesus was still found in favor with God. In the very first accounts of the public interactions of Jesus, he was well liked and he used that to build a common bond with the everyday man. He chose to not use brute strength to impress the crowds, he didn't use money or fame to awe them, he started at the very bottom and worked his way to gain their trust by healing and comforting and teaching every person he met. When we ask "who is this man", I can answer that he must have been a charming, personable person that genuinely loved each person he encountered. I would say that he probably was a heartthrob for all the single Jewish girls in Nazareth, too.
One of the most interesting things about the character of Jesus is the way in which he teaches in parables. There are so many passages to look at, however I want to take us to Luke 8:9-15, where Jesus is explaining why he speaks in parables. Verse 10 states "to you (the disciples) it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand." What a fascinating statement to say by a teacher, whose goal should be that everyone should fully understand, or is it? This makes me ask the question: Why does Jesus teach if he knows some will reject him? The only way I can begin to understand this is to look at my own life. I know in my life, at times I've had to realize how dark something is to really see the light in it. I think in the same way, we see Jesus' radical love in that he wants to reveal where people are truly at to help them see where to go (to him). Put in another way it's hard to see the stars at night unless you enter in to a dark place!
ReplyDeleteThe second passage happens a little later in Luke 8:19-21. Again, this is another passage where after reading it once, I say, "huh?" Jesus is crowded by many people, and his mother and brothers want to see him, but they cannot get to him. So someone ended up telling Jesus that his mother and brothers were desiring to see him. His response is fascinating, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it." Another radical statement by Jesus, but here is what I see. Jesus is revealing his relational desire for people, in that he doesn't limit his family to just his actual brothers and actual mother. He is calling people to himself. This reveals Jesus' compassion for people in a whole new way.
1: One of the verses that stuck out to me that illuminates Jesus’ character from Luke was in chapter 10 verses 19-20. Jesus said, “Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you, rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” I believe that this powerful verse shows Jesus’ wisdom. He sees that the people are overjoyed about being able to cast our demons, but he wants them to focus on God. He is telling the people to be excited about getting to spend eternal live in heaven with God, because that is the greatest gift one could ever receive. It seems as though he has never ending knowledge and wisdom. This verse also tells me that Jesus has a silver tongue, because the way he worded this pops out to me and causes deep thinking (maybe it’s just me, but like I said it caught my eye).
ReplyDelete2: I would say that Jesus is very witty and knows when to choose his battles based of Luke 20:20-26. This is the story about the taxes for Cesar. When spies came up to Jesus trying to get him in trouble, he had an answer that amazed them and caused them to be silent. (This also goes back to my first point of him having a silver tongue). Jesus knew what these people were trying to do, and he knew that he had plans that he needed to fulfill, so he chose his words wisely to stay out of trouble. I would also say this verse shows that Jesus is determined. He knew what he was on Earth to do and he would l not let anything stop him from doing it. Many characteristics of Jesus can be pulled out of the text, even in a small section like this.
I am going to look at Luke 5:12-16, which is near the beginning of Jesus's ministry, as well as Luke 24:36-49, which is after his resurrection. These passages are a sort of bookend that show the character development of Jesus and also highlight the core, defining characteristics of who Jesus is.
ReplyDeleteIn Luke 5:12-16, Luke tells a story about Jesus healing a leper, and the way he tells it brings out Jesus's character. We can draw conclusions that Jesus is compassionate, willing to defy social norms, prioritizes individuals, is confident in his authority, that he is obedient to institutions, and that he was acutely self-aware.
Jesus is compassionate to heal the leper. He had no audience and he did not plan to heal the man, as we see from "there came a man..." (v. 12) and "he charged him to tell no one" (v. 14). This outcast came to Jesus, who with no agenda healed the man for the sake of the man and the man only. Furthermore, we can tell from this story that Jesus's compassion and care for the individual was distinctly counter-cultural. The leper was a complete social outcast - no one wanted to see him, let alone touch him, because that would make them unclean. But Jesus does the unthinkable in v. 13: "And Jesus stretched out his hand and TOUCHED him". Jesus risked his social acceptability for this one man. To make him feel valued and like a human. This compassionate touch also tells us that Jesus was supremely confident in his authority to heal. Given the social ramifications of leprosy, his unthinking willingness to touch the man shows an awareness of his ability to heal...both physically and spiritually. His words, "I will; be clean" (v. 13) imply a spiritual, ceremonial cleanliness as well, which tells us that Jesus is authoritative over the body as well as the spirit. His immediate instructions to the healed man reveal that he is obedient to the religious institutions in place, even though he came to replace them. He declared the man clean, but in the interest of following the rules (and out of compassion for the man), he tells him to present himself to the priest and follow the Mosaic law to become officially ceremonially clean. A final conclusion we can draw about Jesus's character in this passage is his self-awareness, specifically from v. 16: "But he would withdraw to desolate places to pray." This opens the reader's eyes to Jesus's private life, which was directly focused on God. After healing many people and teaching them (v. 15), Jesus knew that he needed to time to pray. The word choice of "withdraw to desolate places" displays an intentional act that tells us even more about Jesus - that he knew his alone time with his Father is what fueled his ministry.
At the end of Luke's gospel, the passage in 24:36-49 illuminates Jesus's character even further and gives us some final insight to chew on. We can tell that Jesus has a sense of humor (in verse 36 when he stands among them almost like he's thinking "oh this will really mess with their heads"), but is also serious, honest and direct (e.g. in v. 38-40, when Jesus cuts directly to the point, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet...touch m, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have"). We notice that he is intentional, smart, and definitely human (v. 38-40 above, as well as when he eats the fish in v. 41-43 to prove his human body further), that he is a great teacher (v. 45, "then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures") and that he is the Christ of the OT (v. 44-49). We also learn that Jesus has a heart for "all nations" (v. 47) and that he is a mediator with the Father (v. 49, "I am sending the promise of my Father upon you").
I apologize for any structural oddities in the post, I was trying to avoid drawing everything out and writing an essay.
Jesus is a complex and quite witty of a character, theological or not. We see this in the beginning of Luke, when he strays from his parents at the age of 12, only to be found with a group of older men--teachers--listening intently to their wisdom and theology. When his parents finally find him, they question as to why he wondered off, obviously frazzled as any parent would be when they lose their child. Jesus responds in a manner that questions them instead. Luke 3: 48-49 says, "His parents didn't know what to think. "Son," his mother said to him, "why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere." "But why did you need to search?" Jesus asks. "Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?" But they didn't understand what he meant." A 12 year old would not be that quick in riposte to their own parents. He's smart, analytical, and he knows his purpose. This only enhances as he grows up. Jesus is not one to wander through life aimlessly, as we tend to do often in our own lives because we don't know what to do, where to go, etc. But Jesus, even at the age of 12, knows this, and he knows where he's going and what he's going to do. We see this many times throughout his life, and through his parables. Another particular instance, in which we've discussed in class, is that he was walking amongst a crowd on the other side of a lake (seen in chapter 8). Luke 8:40-48 says, "On the other side of the lake the crowds welcome Jesus, because they had been waiting for him. Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell as Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come home with him. His own daughter, who was about 12 years old, was dying. As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds. A woman in the crowd had suffered from 12 years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped. "Who touched me?" Jesus asked. Everyone denied it, and Peter said, "Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you." But Jesus said, "Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me." When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. "Daughter," he said to her, "your faith has made you well. Go in peace." Jesus was following another person, Jairus, to his house to heal his daughter. This was his goal in mind, but once a woman touched him and healed herself, he immediately stopped what he was doing and turned to find the woman. He did not keep going, as he could have done, and amongst a huge crowd, that no doubt were eager to see him work on the little girl. He instead turned his entire attention to this poor woman he had a disease, and who was suffering for 12 years. Jesus has a purpose in every thing he does, no matter how little it may seem to others. In this, Jesus is a complex character because you would think that he would not even pay attention to this woman who has a little role in society in that period. But Jesus didn't give up. He actively sought out this woman until she came forward, and he blessed her.
ReplyDeleteLuke 9:10-17 describes Jesus and his disciples feeding the 5,000 people in the crowd that was following him in Bethsaida with five loaves of bread and two fish. It is magical and unbelievable! But an adjective that normally isn’t used to describe this act is… just plain nice. We try and add description of such events in the Bible with such gravitas that we overlook the deep meaning of simplicity: Jesus was doing a really nice thing. He fed people. What a cool thing to do! I’m not dialing down the grandeur of the actions of Jesus, but it was a very nice thing to do. This is just taking stories out of context though. We could twist it in any way we want to fit our ideal image of what Jesus was. We could sit here and pick out all the good about what Jesus did and create what we think a blameless life looked like.
ReplyDeleteLuke 9:3-5 is Jesus speaking, “Take nothing for your journey…Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes. Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.” While we might see this as an allusion to people who do not follow the Lord, this also sounds like a pretty jerky thing to do. This is a classic fight fire with fire situation. If you were to get into a fight with someone you didn’t know and they didn’t accept you because they don’t know you, telling them to sit in the shit they created is not really a nice thing to say. Again, this is just taking another aspect of the story of Luke that can be construed for the purpose of character building.
I suppose the purpose of using these two examples is more of a theological point for me. How do we really know what Jesus was like? As we discussed in class, we weren’t there and the Bible is what we have to base our answers off of. I believe that Jesus was magical. Not like a magician or master of prestidigitation, but a man of whimsy and splendor. I think that he did things that are unexplainable and worked miracles. But Jesus is complex and he is not one thing or the other. No character has only one characteristic. Jesus is not static. He goes through physical changes and gets older and gains more wisdom. And he also said those things I mentioned in paragraph two. To be honest, I know Jesus (in terms of a spiritual context). I know what Luke says about him. The book of Luke describes Jesus as this magnificent being and making strong statements of abandonment. But I don’t know who Jesus was, I only know that I believe that the meaning of his actions and words weren’t in malice. I like to see the good in everyone and I believe that people are inherently good. This includes that man that was Jesus. But I wasn’t alive in that time and I think that trying to decipher him makes him more confusing and less amazing. We do this to ourselves too. We pick apart every piece of ourselves trying to figure out who we are instead of just being. We use our good deeds to highlight what we like about ourselves and we use our mishaps to tear ourselves apart. But we really aren’t some of the things that we use to compare ourselves with. And by deciphering Jesus, we are trying to find something to compare him to. There isn’t anything. There is nothing that we can compare any of us to. We are all too grand. This is my personal opinion.
If I had to answer the question “Who is Jesus?” I would say that he was a man and he is everything we want him to be. The only way we will really get to know is if we ever meet him (being an allusion to the afterlife.)
In Luke 18:9-14 (NLT), is the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. If you compare the characters with in the narrative you will see that Jesus is most like the tax collector because both are humble about who they are. If Jesus was like the Pharisee we would see more stories about him telling people why he is so great and boasting about the powers that he has as the son of God. Instead he does miracles and goes out of his way to not be recognized for a long time.
ReplyDeleteIn Luke 9:51-55 (NLT), Jesus and his followers are on their way to Jerusalem and they plan to stop in the Samaritan village. The people did not invite in Jesus; his disciples suggested to have Heaven send fire down upon it but Jesus refused. This is an example of how forgiving Jesus is, it shows that he will not judge you in a bad light even if you don't talk to him nor will he call down harm upon you.
Example one comes from Luke 7:36-50. This is the story about the immoral woman who anoints Jesus. The first important part is that the text says, "her tears fell on his feet, and she kissed his feet." This shows her genuine motivation and demonstrates that her repentance and longing for Christ is real. Next, it says that, "Jesus answered (Simon's) thoughts." This demonstrates Jesus' power and love. His power becomes obvious through this quote, but He loves us enough to want to answer our questions and give us guidance.
ReplyDeleteThe next passage comes from Luke 22: 39-46. The interesting thing about this passage is that Jesus feels the need to seek solace and spend time alone with God. Jesus is perfect and blameless, so how much MORE do we need to seek God? This is an excellent lesson, and blessing. We are blessed with the ability to communicate through Christ.
The first piece of scripture that intrigued me and peels back the layers of to who Jesus is, is Luke 8:26-39. This is the story about how Jesus heals a demon possessed man. Theological or not, this short story shows up the power that this man has. In verse 28 we can see that the demon inside this man controlled his actions, yet when face to face with Jesus (arguably just another human), the demons not only plead with Jesus, but ask permission to possess the pigs instead. This story exemplifies the power and authority ordained to Jesus even though he was "human."
ReplyDeleteThe second section of Luke that I feel reveals more of who Jesus is and his character is Luke 13:10-17. This is the story where Jesus heals a woman on the Sabbath. This story is often looked at as an example to not be a hypocrite; however, I think that it shows the true heart of Jesus. I think this story can actually demonstrate to us that God looks at the heart first and foremost. There were many laws and rules at this time, and when Jesus "broke" them (healing on the Sabbath) the people jumped all over him. I think his point here is that we should not get caught up in all the "rules" of being a Christ follower and instead need to have a heart that yearns to serve the Lord and others. Jesus' immense love for others was demonstrated in this story because the woman's health meant more than the lawlessness that everyone else was focused on.
Jesus was a man who understood that the best way to convert people to believing in him and his religion was to understand them, and show them that even they can be loved within the religion-- A lesson I believe many people of faith have forgotten today.
ReplyDeleteOne of the places this is best illustrated is in Luke 5:31 when the disciples ask Jesus why he spends time with people who aren't Christians and Jesus responds "Healthy people don't need a doctor-sick people do". I think this says a lot about Jesus' dedication to what he believes and the spreading of that ideology.
There are a few other instances where similar things happen, and later in Luke 15 we see this message as a theme with the "Parable of the Lost Sheep", "Parable of the Lost Coin", and "Parable of the Lost Son". Jesus shows how his message could be applied to any number of things, and thats his purpose of telling the message in parable form. People get very up in arms about their personal ideologies when if they approached things with an understanding and open mind, people would be far more receptive to their message.
The first passage from Luke I would like to examine is from 10:25 to 10:37. I focus on the dialogue here because I believe Jesus’s questions reveal his inquisitive and wise nature. What is fascinating about his interactions here is that Jesus’s patience and altruism shines through a reflective form, where he instills knowledge indirectly by having his followers answer their own questions, rather than Jesus simply providing them the solution. This dynamic also stands out to me because of how universal and relatable Jesus’s methods are to today because of how effective asking a question is to another question in order to truly get people thinking. Jesus knows that the people already have wisdom and good character within themselves, and instead of forcibly telling them how to be so, he entices their free will to discover their potential on their own, in the form of thought-provoking dialogue and parables.
ReplyDeleteThe second formative aspect of Jesus’s persona is that of his forgiving nature. This is highlighted in Luke 23:34 where he says, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Even though he is suffering on the cross, his mind was still clear and free of resentment, going as far as to atone those who had put him on the cross in the first place because he has a greater sense of humanity. What I mean by this is that he can see beyond petty human trivialities and does not let his emotions get the better of him in situations where human behavior would perform otherwise. He is completely selfless and assured in his own disposition as well as of his people, knowing that they would one day overcome their selfish and angered behavior.
I choose these two aspects of Jesus to highlight and inquire on how he operates on a more enlightened and matured level that I believe humans have yet to fulfill. When selfish emotions and desires pervade into clouding everyday positive intentions, we are unable to look at the “big picture” and make rational decisions that go beyond simply satisfying our own wants. This is what I believe Luke wanted to highlight with Jesus as a moralistic conduit in selflessly helping those out-casted and “undesirable” to the society at the time, being a lesson we can all learn today to look beyond our ingrained prejudices and dig deeper within ourselves to reveal a wiser and more accepting persona.
I think it is during the season of sufferings when a person's true identity and characteristics reveal.
ReplyDeleteIn Luke 22:39-46 when Jesus prayed on the Mount of Olives, he said, "Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." Jesus request revealed both of his humanness and godliness. He asked God to take away the cup of suffering. This shows that Jesus would prefer not to suffer just like any human being. However, he also said that he wanted God's will be done and not his will be done. This illustrated Jesus' godliness.
Jesus is also a person who puts others' comfort before himself. He cares about others than he cares about himself. In Luke 22:47-53, Judas brought people to arrest Jesus. When one of his disciples slashed off one off the enemy's slave's right ear, Jesus stopped his disciple and healed his enemy's slave. At this time of high tension between the two groups of people, Jesus hit the "pause" button, healed the bleeding enemy and demonstrated great love and compassion to the injured. Then he hit the "play" button and continued to defend himself. This also shows the power embedded in Jesus' words. Although he was on the passive side with no physical weapon and was about to be arrested by the unjust, he was in control. He directed the progress of the scene.
I think what was highlighted about Jesus' character was how he contrasted those who came before him.
ReplyDeleteObviously, Jesus had a lot of power (both God Given and over those who believed in him) but unlike those who came before he could easily be approached by any, he was humble, and he related personally to those he came into contact with. These are all major contrasts to those who we met in the Old testament and even people we meet in the new testament. The best example of this was the scene where Jesus healed the Leper woman while the government official begged him to heal his daughter. Not only was he approachable by both, which was not the case for most others, he also treated them both with the same respect and related to them on personal levels by speaking to them. Then at the end he didn't even take credit for the miracles he performed but instead declared he was just a vessel for God's power.
It is also clear that Jesus, even though he was man, had ascended to a level of social IQ that was/is unseen in most people. Even though he was son of God he never let his power cloud his judgement or use his power to take advantage. When he is crucified by the romans he states "Forgive them for the know not what they do" and I think this best exemplifies how caring and empathetic he was even at mankind's darkest hour.
To understand who Jesus was I believe we should begin towards the beginning, when he was just a lot. In 2:41-52 Luke talks about Jesus staying in the temple to talk to the priests without telling Mary and Joseph where he would be. Because of this Mary and Joseph were worried sick and scared for Jesus and Jesus didn't understand why they did not know why they didn't know where he would be. I feel this teaches us a lot about him. First of all it teaches us that Jesus is human, the son of God but also human. He still grows up and his brain still has to develop. He doesn't just know everything right from the get go. This also teaches us that he is relatable and it isn't impossible to follow and be like him.
ReplyDeleteThe next example that helps me explain who Jesus is comes from 10:25-37. I believe the stories that Jesus tells reveals a lot about himself even more than the stories about the deeds that he had done. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus reveals his love for everyone as well as his own compassion for everyone no matter who they are and what they have done. By telling everyone how the priest and Levite disregarded the injured dying man, he still let be known that those too are still loved by God and himself even though they did wrong. And Jesus's compassion is shown to all who are that injured, dying person on the road when he takes up the cross and dies for everyone's sins later on in Luke.
Jesus is a difficult character and being to understand. In the realm of Christianity, we tend to accept that he is simply a man, who is also the son of God, chosen to be our Messiah. The Bible does not detail enough about Jesus' personal life in order for us to see him, in general terms, as anything more complex: for example, not many people are aware that Jesus had siblings. Was Jesus capable of romantic love? Did he truly possess both the capacity of human emotion AND simultaneously possess a unique ability to resist those human emotions? If yes, then Jesus was a strongly compassionate human being that had more drive, determination, and faith than anyone else ever to live. He was a gift from God and the perfect example of someone who lets God work through them. In Luke 13:10, Jesus heals a woman on the Sabbath day. There are many times when Jesus healed followers, and each time he did it out of pure love. Despite the rule not to heal on the sabbath day, Jesus took a different approach to life and showed everyone by example. Additionally, in Luke 23:34 Jesus says "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." This shows Jesus' understanding of human nature as well as his desire to be forgiving and loving no matter what.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading the prompt for this post, I immediately knew the story I would like to analyze in order to (personally) determine the character of Jesus- Jesus in the wilderness.
ReplyDeleteLuke 4:1-13
Not only does this story have symbolic meaning to it (forty days in wilderness, as well as forty in numerous other places in the Bible), but it genuinely shows us the heart of Jesus as well. Instead of giving into temptations that every human has given into at some point or another in their life, He resisted. He did so by fasting-- for FORTY days. I am always in awe when I read this because it shows how important not giving into temptations meant to him. Perhaps this was his way of showing us that when we are tempted, we are to take a step back and realize what we need, not what we want. This perfectly displays his strong character, one that is willing to sacrifice not only food, but life for His people.
The next story I would like to analyze is the one where Jesus forgives the woman who had sinned, and washed Jesus' feet with her tears.
Luke 7:36-50
When the woman came to Jesus and offered him her best, Simon scoffed at it since it did not compare to his best. However, Jesus put it into perspective that Simon had not even offered Him his worst, and told the parable of the debtors. This proves that Jesus has a forgiving character, and knows His people's backgrounds. I say this because it never directly states the exact sins she had committed, but somehow He knew that they were many; thus, He has personal relationships with His people.
Overall, the two stories I mentioned prove that He is emotionally strong, forgiving, and values personal relationships.
Point 1: Jesus is human. This sounds obvious, but we tend to think of Jesus as this almighty being, when he is really a human. He makes decisions, judgements, and grows just as we all do. In Luke 2, just like every other Jewish boy, he attended his first Passover with his parents in Jerusalem. Jesus is also tempted just like all of us. In chapter 4 the devil tempts him for 40 days while in the wilderness. Jesus also shows emotion like humans do. Luke 19 talks about how he looked at Jerusalem and wept. We tend to link crying as a very humanized action so this shows that Jesus has those human qualities. Lastly, Jesus eats like we all do. In chapter 24 after he is resurrected, he appears to his disciples. He asks them for food because he is hungry and they bring him a fish. All of these points are very human traits, but we somehow still forget that Jesus was indeed very human.
ReplyDeletePoint 2: Jesus is a servant. If you follow the Bible as more than just a book than you probably already knew this. Luke is a book that is all about the life Jesus lived, and in 14 of the 24 chapters Jesus is seen helping others. His help ranges from healing leppers, raising the dead, calming storms, feeding masses, releasing demons, and helping others walk and see. Jesus’s time spent on Earth is shown in Luke to be all about serving others. The part of his helping that makes in serving is that he does not ask or accept payment for his actions. He just goes along to the next person in need.
When I think of Jesus, I think a serving man and Luke does a good job of backing that up.
One characteristic I notice about Jesus throughout the Gospel of Luke is that he meets people where they are. During the whole book, "Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God" (Luke 8:1). In Luke 4:16, Jesus goes to Nazareth to preach in the synagogue. From there he goes to Capernaum in Galilee (4:31) and then visits the surrounding towns (5:12). During the rest of his ministry, Jesus travels to Nain (7:11), Gerasenes (8:26) and many other places. Jesus didn’t stay in one place and expect people to come to him (although many people did choose to travel to see him); instead, he visited many towns to share the good news.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, Jesus is a sender. At various times throughout Luke, Jesus sends people out. In Luke 8:39, Jesus sends a man that he had healed to "return home and tell how much God has done for you." Jesus sends out the twelve disciples to go preach the good news in Luke 9:2. The final example I will point out is found in Luke 10:1. In this passage, Jesus sends 72 people to travel ahead of him and send warnings to sinners. Jesus didn’t teach people and then tell them to be stagnant; he sent them out to multiply the kingdom.
In Luke, there are many instances that allow readers to gain an understanding of who Jesus is and why he choose to do what he did during his lifetime.
ReplyDeleteJesus spends much of his time traveling around and bringing people his messages of faith. There are even instances where he is looked at unfavorably because of where and what he is trying to tell people. Overall, Jesus serves to reinforce the notion of how faith can be a powerful force in the world.
One issue that comes up with the characterization of Jesus is the fact that he strays from the perceived leadership of "the Messiah." This actually works quite well within Luke since Luke himself is seen as physician writing about the life of Jesus. Instead of being a political leader as some believed he would be, Jesus is shown as more of a leader by way of religious practice. In the NLT bible a moment that confirms this is " At that very time, Jesus cured many people of their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind. Then he told John’s disciples, 'Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.' And he added, 'God blesses those who do not fall away because of me'(NLT LUKE 7.21-23)."This theme of healing not only works with showing how Jesus interacts with other humans but also emphasizes how his actions could lead many to no longer believe because the Messiah is not what they thought. The theme of healing is also a key point throughout and shows that Jesus understands that physical healing might be the fastest way to get others to see his point of view. This is perhaps why he responds the way he does to John's disciples.
Another aspect of Jesus as a character that is shown in his interactions with others is his understanding of how human nature works with and against faith. He notes this with his disciples and others in various parts of Luke. One notable instance of this is when Jesus explains why he uses parables while spreading the words of his faith. And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, 'To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience(ESV LUKE 8.9-15)." Jesus works as much as possible within the understanding of his fellow man despite that fact that he also seems to be supernatural in some aspects due to him being the Son of God as well as human. It is this duality that is paralleled in this passage about why the parables are tricky to understand.
Jesus himself is a complicated character because he straddles both his humanity and his greater purpose as the Son of God on earth.
Ultimately, Jesus is a character that takes a great deal of reflection upon by readers because of who he is seen to be and how one can interpret that. His humanity is what is always reinforced whether as the main point in an interaction or as subtext. As a result, he is a teacher of faith in multiple respects.
“So they all said, ‘Are you the Son of God, then?’ And he said to them, ‘You say that I am.’ Then they said, ‘What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.’’ – Luke 22:70-71
ReplyDelete“And Pilate asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ And he answered him, ‘You have said so.’” – Luke 23:3
“And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’” – Luke 23:34
In these passages, Jesus’ wisdom is shown in a new light… wisdom that only God himself could possess. Jesus knows that the council members, chief priests and scribes are determined to kill him, and that going along with their requests to prove himself as innocent to them will not change their minds in any way. He does not argue against them either, because he knows it will only be a waste of his breath and effort. Jesus does not ‘stoop to their level’ to give them what they want. The same thing happens in his interaction with Pilate. Jesus uses Pilate’s own words against him to show the foolishness in his question as well as in his actions. Any regular person would be fighting for their life and innocence at this point in the story, but Jesus seems calm and collected in the text because he is all-knowing and full of wisdom, like God, and knows that he must be killed in order to fulfill the plan.
In Luke 2:52 it reads, “Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people”. This is after he stayed behind and did not leave with his parents at the temple after the Passover feast. The entire passage discusses how Jesus is growing as a man of his own, however this verse speaks to it in particular. “Jesus grew in favor with God” in verse 52 is a huge step in foreshadowing Jesus as a leader worthy of followers. We see throughout the books we have studied that, the men or women who God considers righteous or in favor with him are leaders, kings, and worthy of the praise.
ReplyDeleteThe second account that tells me who this man is, is in Luke 4:18-19 and it is Jesus own words himself. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” Jesus stood in front of a crowd and claimed that he was the fulfilling of the words Isaiah proclaimed. To me, Jesus is the fulfillment of covenants past, and will be forever to come.