Who Is Jesus
Response Paper: Who is Jesus?
Abstract
This paper discusses who Jesus is in the context of Matthew 16 13-20. Also discussed are the historical and modern views of Jesus and my own personal view of who he is.
From the time he was in the womb, to millennia after his death, the world has been trying to answer the question, “Who is Jesus?” For some he was a crazy lunatic, a heretic, a political problem. Some thought he was a religious prophet, John the Baptist, Elijah, or even Jeremiah. However, for a few he was the Son of God. How can one man cause so much controversy in just a few short years of his ministry? He had no earthly riches, no powerful connections in society, yet he amassed a following like no one before or after him. In Matthew chapter 16 Jesus himself asks the questions which are on his disciples minds, “What do men think of me? What do you think of me?” To be a part of the inner circle of Jesus must have been unimaginable. The disciples would have had to realize that history was in the making even if they did not understand at the time exactly what was going on.
At this point in Jesus’ Ministry he had already performed several miracles. He had cleansed the leper (Matthew 8:1-4), healed the centurion’s servant (Matthew 8:5-13), and healed Peter’s mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-15). He had calmed the storm (Matthew 8:23-27), drove out demons (Matthew 8:28-32), fed the four thousand (Matthew 15:32-39) and had raised a ruler’s daughter from the dead (Matthew 8:18-23). The disciples had witnessed many signs of Jesus’ power. Jesus had also been teaching among gatherings of people. A couple being the Sermon of the Mount (Matthew 5:1-7:29) and the teaching of the parables (Matthew 13:1-52). Gundry writes that the deeds of Jesus added to the authority of his teachings (p.364, 2012). Jesus even had had given authority to the disciples to teach and perform their own miracles. (Matthew10:1-15). So the disciples had front seats to Jesus’ outreach and
Abstract
This paper discusses who Jesus is in the context of Matthew 16 13-20. Also discussed are the historical and modern views of Jesus and my own personal view of who he is.
From the time he was in the womb, to millennia after his death, the world has been trying to answer the question, “Who is Jesus?” For some he was a crazy lunatic, a heretic, a political problem. Some thought he was a religious prophet, John the Baptist, Elijah, or even Jeremiah. However, for a few he was the Son of God. How can one man cause so much controversy in just a few short years of his ministry? He had no earthly riches, no powerful connections in society, yet he amassed a following like no one before or after him. In Matthew chapter 16 Jesus himself asks the questions which are on his disciples minds, “What do men think of me? What do you think of me?” To be a part of the inner circle of Jesus must have been unimaginable. The disciples would have had to realize that history was in the making even if they did not understand at the time exactly what was going on.
At this point in Jesus’ Ministry he had already performed several miracles. He had cleansed the leper (Matthew 8:1-4), healed the centurion’s servant (Matthew 8:5-13), and healed Peter’s mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-15). He had calmed the storm (Matthew 8:23-27), drove out demons (Matthew 8:28-32), fed the four thousand (Matthew 15:32-39) and had raised a ruler’s daughter from the dead (Matthew 8:18-23). The disciples had witnessed many signs of Jesus’ power. Jesus had also been teaching among gatherings of people. A couple being the Sermon of the Mount (Matthew 5:1-7:29) and the teaching of the parables (Matthew 13:1-52). Gundry writes that the deeds of Jesus added to the authority of his teachings (p.364, 2012). Jesus even had had given authority to the disciples to teach and perform their own miracles. (Matthew10:1-15). So the disciples had front seats to Jesus’ outreach and
References: Fitzgerald, M. (2000). Christ and the other religions. Vatican: the Holy See. Retrieved April 7, 2013, from http://www.vatican.va/jubilee_2000/magazine/ documents/ju_mag_01031997_ p-29_en.html Gundry, R. H. (2012). A survey of the New Testament (5th ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. House. Padfield, D. (2011). Caesarea Philippi in Israel | Mount Hermon | Banias Waterfall. Church of Christ | Zion, Illinois | Bible Class Books, Bible Land Photographs, Free Sermon Outlines. Retrieved April 7, 2013, from http://www.padfield.com/1996/caesphil.html