A Summary of Key Christian Concepts
Was There Really a Jesus?
Jesus’s history can be traced and dated through various sources:
- Jewish Testimonials: Though scarce outside of the Bible, these include religious and secular literature. Rabbinic writings mention Jesus infrequently. Historical texts by Josephus offer details about Jesus’s life with some sympathy.
- Roman Testimonials: Pliny the Younger mentions Christians as a sect. Tacitus discusses Christians during the burning of Rome and Nero’s accusations against them.
- Christian Testimonials: These are the most abundant and detailed, written by authors close to the events. The New Testament, especially the four Gospels, is the most important source.
The Foundations of Judaism
Judaism rests on several core principles:
- Monotheism: Belief in one God—Yahweh—who is personal, living, holy, and unapproachable, yet close to his creation and provident.
- Israel as God’s People: God made a covenant with Israel after their liberation from Egyptian slavery.
- The Law: God revealed his will to his people through the law, which binds Jews together.
Key Jewish Sects and Figures
Several groups and figures shaped Jewish life during Jesus’s time:
- Pharisees: A strict religious sect, possibly meaning “the separate,” who adhered closely to Jewish law.
- Sadducees: A smaller but influential group from the upper class, including priestly aristocracy and landowners. They supported the Hasmonean high priests, kings, and later Roman governors.
- Scribes: Lay experts in law, also called lawyers or teachers (rabbis), who interpreted and applied the law to daily life.
Jesus’s Teachings and Actions
Jesus’s ministry centered on key themes:
- Parables: Short stories with moral and religious lessons, revealing spiritual truths. An example is the parable of the prodigal son.
- Beatitudes: Eight ideals of Christian life, including poverty of spirit, meekness, mourning, hunger for righteousness, mercy, purity of heart, peacemaking, and enduring persecution.
- Miracles: Jesus performed miracles, such as healing the sick and raising the dead, to announce the Kingdom of God and demonstrate God’s power.
- Jesus and the Law: Jesus emphasized the true meaning of the law, focusing on love, mercy, and justice over ritualistic observance.
The Resurrection and Its Significance
The resurrection of Jesus is a cornerstone of Christian belief:
- Evidence for the Resurrection: Accounts in the Gospels, the empty tomb, and appearances of Jesus to his disciples.
- Consequences of the Resurrection: Jesus lives, Christianity is validated, universal resurrection is confirmed, good triumphs over evil, and the resurrection becomes central to Christian faith.
- The Christian Meaning of the Resurrection: Creates a new humanity, restores friendship with God, opens the source of life, fulfills the hope of immortality, enables encounters with Jesus, establishes the Church, and embodies mercy and forgiveness.
- Jesus’s Present Presence: Jesus is present in the Eucharist, the sacraments, the Word of God, and common prayer.
The Early Church and Its Development
The Christian Church emerged and developed through key stages:
- Formation of the Church: Jesus preached the Kingdom, gathered disciples, chose the Twelve Apostles, appointed Peter as their head, and instituted the Eucharist.
- Pentecost: The Holy Spirit strengthened the Church, empowering the apostles to fulfill Jesus’s mission.
- Marks of the Church: One, holy, catholic, and apostolic.
Key Christian Sacraments
Sacraments are important rituals in Christian life:
- Baptism: Forgives original sin, grants new life of grace, makes one a child of God and a member of the Church.
- Confirmation: Strengthens faith, unites one more firmly to Christ and the Church, and empowers one to be a witness of Christ.
- Holy Communion: Receiving Jesus Christ under the species of bread and wine, increasing union with Christ, forgiving venial sins, and strengthening spiritual life.
- Effects of Sacraments: Produce sanctifying grace, sacramental grace, and in some cases, a sacramental character.
Jewish Holidays and Social Groups
Understanding Jewish culture during Jesus’s time requires knowledge of:
- Major Jewish Holidays: Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles, New Year, and the Day of Atonement.
- Religious and Social Groups: Herodians, Hasidim, Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots, scribes, publicans, priests and Levites, the common people, women, and marginalized groups.
The Four Gospels
The four Gospels offer different perspectives on Jesus’s life:
- Matthew: Written by a tax collector, addressed to Jewish Christians, emphasizing Jesus as the Messiah.
- Mark: Written by John Mark, a companion of Paul, addressed to Gentile Christians, portraying Jesus as the Son of God fighting against evil.
- Luke: Written by a physician of Gentile origin, addressed to Greek and Gentile Christians, presenting Jesus as the Savior who welcomes and forgives.
- John: Written by an eyewitness of Jesus, addressed to Jewish Christians, emphasizing Jesus’s divinity and his revelation of the Father.