...Jesus’ Upside-Down Kingdom The Upside-Down Kingdom is a different perspective that Jesus delivers and an overturned outlook that He shares. Jesus did not view life like the religious people, but He brought a new order of things. Jesus showed us a different viewpoint of the way we should be living. Jesus taught and gave a deeper understanding, which was usually different than the way most understood. Through Jesus’ teachings and parables He showed an upside-down kingdom. Jesus was not concerned with the rules and regulations of the Pharisees but was more concerned with living by the true laws of God and not the laws of man. Throughout time the religious had added so many rules to the written Torah, they had made an oral Torah filled with...
Words: 898 - Pages: 4
...The benevolent way in which Jesus respected and valued women in first century Palestine, significantly revealed the Kingdom of God and highlighted how society can be a more inclusive and compassionate place today. This essay will explicate the Kingdom of God, exemplify the ways Jesus demonstrated the Kingdom of God with women and express the importance of Jesus' teachings in today's society. • Linking sentence to Paragraph 1 The central message of Jesus's teachings, the Kingdom of God, is the conceptual spiritual realm where God reigns as king in the lives of his people. According to Zanzig, Jesus saw the Kingdom of God as the reign of God’s love over the very hearts and lives of people. This delineates that the Kingdom of God is already present among us, thus it is the saving presence of God within us and our...
Words: 781 - Pages: 4
...learned all about Jesus Christ in this some lessons in our Christian Living subject with our subject in-charge Ma. Imelda Grace G. Daña RVM. First, I learned about the Four Gospel: One Message of Lesson 1 of our subject. St. Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, stress two important facts about gospel: there is no other gospel and that the gospel he and the other apostles preach came from Jesus Christ. The Gospel writers are Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. Matthew, Mark and Luke are Synoptic Gospels because it explains about Jesus’ Humanity. John’s Gospel explains about Jesus’ Divinity. The account of Jesus teaching His audience about the values of the kingdom contained in the Beatitudes and the many new laws on praying, almsgiving, and fasting is presented in both gospels. Matthew calls this event “Sermon on the Mount” while Luke calls it “Sermon on the Plain”. Matthew’s audience is predominantly Jewish so he wanted to show them that Jesus is the Promised Savior, the God-Son who, like the Father who gave the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai also gives the Beatitudes and the new laws on praying, fasting, and almsgiving on mount. Luke has for his audience the Greeks so Jesus must be presented to them as someone who accepts and treats everyone “Jews and Gentiles” equally. Dei Verbum urges that the sacred authors told us the honest truth about Jesus Christ. In what He did and taught for our eternal salvation. This is the Good News, the Gospel and there is no other. Jesus is the good news...
Words: 1216 - Pages: 5
...In the book, “The Upside-Down Kingdom”, author Donald Kraybill delivers a message about the kingdom of God being upside down compared to the kingdom of this world. I love how he has a lot of scriptures instead of just his opinion. This book started out by describing the traits that make the kingdom of God upside down and about detours people have to make. According to Kraybill we make these detours to get around Jesus and his core message. The kingdom of God is not separate, but in the middle of the world. “God calls us to turn our backs to the kingdoms of this world and embrace an upside down world,” (Kraybill 32). In the next chapter Kraybill describes Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, which brings in three points, political, religious and economic. These are the sub points to Kraybills thesis. According to Kraybill there are five symbols related to the temptation which include: bread, devil, desert, mountain, and temple. “The temptation points to a right-side-up kingdom encompassing the three big social institutions of his day: political (mountain), religious (temple), and economic (bread).” (Kraybill 33). The political temptation goes with the historical context of...
Words: 951 - Pages: 4
...Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ lived in Israel during first century Palestine. In this period, Jesus’ words and actions were revolutionary. In first century Palestine Jesus’ unconditional love and acceptance of women clearly revealed the Kingdom of God and showed us how to act justly in today’s society. In first century Palestine Jesus preached his interpretation of a new Kingdom of God. The Jews believed the Kingdom of God was a symbol of God’s complete rule or dominion over all creation. In Psalm 103:19, “The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all,” (National Council of Churches of Christ, 2011) it shows that Jewish people envisioned a political kingdom, which was to come when the Roman Empire...
Words: 829 - Pages: 4
...Running head: KINGDOM OF GOD Kingdom of God Derek Fullmer Grand Canyon University Kingdom of God According to the Gospel, the translation phrase “kingdom of god” can interpreted into life in heaven after you die or having a personal relationship with God. Surprisingly a large number of committed Christians still assume these metaphors as life of the ages or life to the full, but in my opinion this is a misbelieve (McLaren, 2008, p. 1). For that reason, these principles may have small improvements on the meaning of kingdom of god, but it still misses much more. The metaphor kingdom of god is like life of the ages of life to the full is so rich and revolutionary that resists into a simple definition. As a result, it invites Christians to multiply metaphors and create parables as Jesus did (McLaren, 2008, p. 1). Therefore, instead of simply trying to nail down what it is, we should imaginatively explore what it is like. For an example a woman making bread, a man planting seeds, a net catching fish, and so on (McLaren, 2008, p. 1). Now some Christian’s belief the kingdom of god is the gospel rather believing it is the good news. For this reason, we as Christians are missing the whole point. The good news explains itself on Jesus’ sayings on, it was that the kingdom of God was at hand – which was a way of saying it is near, or here, or available, or live option – something you can reach out and touch (McLaren, 2008, p. 1). Moreover, the kingdom of God is not something you...
Words: 563 - Pages: 3
...Wright Report There are numerous ways to view Jesus. His life, teachings, and impact on the world have different meanings to people around the world. In Simply Jesus, N.T. Wright takes a look into Jesus’ life as well as the world in which he lived and the people he lived among. By diving deep into history, Wright attempts to portray Jesus as something larger than people often times imagine. Wright begins Simply Jesus with one of the most important visualizations of Jesus: his entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. Through years of academic study and contemporary events, such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Wright has come to believe that “Jesus – the Jesus we might discover if we really looked! – is larger, more disturbing, more urgent than we – than the church! – had ever imagined” (4-5). In part one, Wright compares Jesus’ life to a “perfect storm,” where a set of circumstances combine to create unexpected and unmatched conditions. This “perfect storm” is composed of skepticism and conservatism, the growing and dominating power of Rome, and the divinity of God’s kingdom, with Jesus striding out into the eye of the storm. Part two focuses on how Jesus brought the kingdom of God to the Jews of the first century. Wright shows how Jesus himself had, in a way, become a new Temple for the Jews. Jesus taught the Jews with parables, spoke of a great battle against “a satan” (119), and the cleansing and rebuilding of the Temple. Jesus both fit into and yet did not fit the roles of...
Words: 744 - Pages: 3
...Rayna 3/6/15 Sermon on the Mount The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of sayings and teachings of Jesus. These teachings stress the importance of His moral teaching found in the Gospel of Matthew. It is the first of the Five Discourses of Matthew and takes place relatively early in the Ministry of Jesus. It also happened after he preached in Galilee and John the Baptist had baptized him. In Matthew 4:12-17, Matthew noted that Jesus began to preach a message of repentance because the kingdom of heaven was near. Jesus moved to the city of Capernaum from Nazareth to reach a larger audience. Matthew 4:17, “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” The phrase ‘from that time’ refers to the arrest of John the Baptist. From this event, Jesus chose to launch His public ministry. Matthew goes on to talk about the calling of the first disciples, Simon Peter, and his brother Andrew, who were fishing. (Matthew 4:18-20). Jesus promised them that He would make them fishers of men. Jesus was beginning to build His kingdom. Jesus then called James and John fishermen, who were tending to their nets in their boat. (Matthew 4:21-22). In Matthew 4:23-25, Jesus went around the region proclaiming the message of the kingdom. He healed people and the people responded from far away. Matthew 5:1. “Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach...
Words: 3772 - Pages: 16
...Johnnie Hamilton BIB105 New Testament January 13, 2013 David McPherson Jesus Galilean Ministry Introduction One of the most amazing facts about the Bible is that just about any topic of discussion is not only thoughtful and meaningful but is reiterated and from different points of view. One such topic is the Galilean Ministry of Jesus. Not only is it documented but documented from several perspectives, say for example, the Apostles. They all share their take on the many miracles, sermons, teachings and blessings of Jesus. Further, you can surmise the affect it had on them and on mankind as he went from town to town sharing the good news. God wants what’s on the inside not the out! In Mark 7:1-15, in the story of the Pharisees when they approached Jesus and His Disciples eating. The Pharisees, who were always trying to trip Jesus up in front of others, were more concerned about their cleanliness than of being in the presence of the Messiah. In this story Jesus shares with them that God and the Kingdom of Heaven, what is most important is what is inside the man than what is on the outside. This is the sad reality that many face in the world today. Society is so quick to judge a man by his appearance than by what is on the inside. That is precisely what Martin Luther King meant when he said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content...
Words: 940 - Pages: 4
...For centuries, people from diverse religions and cultures have searched for substantial data in order to better understand the true nature and identity of Jesus. Some contend that he was a prophet; others worship him as a god, while many others assert that he was merely a wise teacher with no link to the divine. In the second part of Graham Stanton’s book, The Gospels and Jesus, Jesus’ intentions, teachings, and downfall are examined and assessed with notable order and clarity, all in an attempt to resolve the fundamental question of Part II: who was Jesus of Nazareth? Stanton launches Part II with a chapter entitled “What do we know about Jesus of Nazareth?” Here, the debate as to whether or not Jesus existed is considered by exploring archaeological evidence from outside the gospels in an effort to establish what is known about Jesus. He cites various non-Christian, Jewish, and Christian sources after opening the chapter with a theory by G.A. Wells which argues that it was not until 100 CE that Jesus was worshipped as a “Savior” figure. Wells maintains that before 150 CE, there is no independent non-Christian support for the existence of Jesus and that the authors of the four New Testament gospels invented their traditions about the life of Jesus. As Stanton argues, this does not entirely make sense, since it is difficult to find signs of the convictions, emphases, and conflicts of the Christians of that period in the canonical gospels. Stanton continues to refer to...
Words: 3206 - Pages: 13
...LEGITIMACY OF THE OFFER OF THE DAVIDIC KINGDOM A PAPER SUBMITTED TO DOCTOR LARRY PETTEGREW IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE COURSE TH706 THEOLOGY III BY ROGER DALEY SUN VALLEY, CA APRIL 1997 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION WHAT IS THE KINGDOM 3 THE NATURE OF THE KINGDOM 5 THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST 6 REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND 9 PROPHECY DECLARES THE SUFFERING MESSAIH 12 SUMMARY 15 The Legitimacy of the Offer of the Davidic Kingdom In the gospel of John the Lord Jesus Christ is talking to Nicodemus. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”(3:14-15, NKJ). This conversation occurred before Jesus had even begun His public ministry. Jesus was telling Nicodemus that the Messiah was to be crucified. Also Nicodemus must believe in Him, if he would have eternal life. Jesus also refers to being born again in order to see the kingdom of God. He also equates believing in Christ and eternal life and all four of these terms (kingdom of God, eternal life, born again, believing) are used in a very short passage referring to the same question, “how can a man be born again?” Essentially, Christ is equating eternal life with entering the kingdom of God. This personal visit with...
Words: 5227 - Pages: 21
...as one of Jesus' twelve closest followers, one of the paper characters placed on the felt board during Sunday school. Through much research, followers have discovered that while accepting Christ through faith alone grants us salvation, to become a disciple of Christ, or practice discipleship, requires work and commitment from the believer. The word disciple, or the Greek word mathetes, is used over 220 times in the Gospels, but not once in the Epistles, those letters written right after Christ's resurrection ("A Church-speak, n. d.). As customary for the Greek usage of the word, mathetes refers to a student who has personal interaction with their teacher. This offers one explanation as to why the word disciple is not used in the Epistles. No one had direct contact with Jesus anymore because He had gone on to Heaven to be with God. Another explanation for the absence of the word in the Epistles is that the churches that these letters were directed to were aware of Jesus' teachings about discipleship. It is possible that the writer did not mention discipleship because it would have been redundant to do so (Haines, 1999). According to the teachings of Christ, a disciple is a "true believer” and the act of discipleship is "advancing the cause of the kingdom". During Jesus' time on earth, he had many who followed him and accepted him in order to receive eternal life. Many also applied the teachings to their own lives and proclaimed them to others in order to spread Jesus' message...
Words: 2512 - Pages: 11
...related the issue to me I replied: “No problem, Sir.” Then, there was further misunderstanding: I meant that he did not to worry about the issue being an issue. What he heard was that I took lightly the issue upon which he had just expounded. What a word or phrase means to me may not mean the same to you. Our Gospel Reading found Jesus before the Roman Governor, Pilate, and there is a misunderstanding between Jesus and Pilate. There is little doubt that when Pilate indirectly learned that Jesus claimed to be a king, Pilate conceived of a king ready to take arms and create his own kingdom, but Jesus was different. Jesus wielded not the weapons of the sword, rather Jesus wielded the weapon of non-violent resistance....
Words: 516 - Pages: 3
...With explicit assumption of reality * Have faith of seeking understanding * Fulfill the human design of loving relationship * Ask questions about Jesus What are the goals of Christian theology? With explicit assumption of reality * Have faith of seeking understanding * Fulfill the human design of loving relationship * Ask questions about Jesus What does Christian theology have to do with orthodoxy, orthopraxy, the Bible’s Story? * Orthodoxy means the right idea of reality * Orthopraxy means the right practice of loving people of reality * The reason why they are important is Christian should explicit assumption about the reality if they want to do theology. * Spirituality What can we add to the above definition of spirituality to make it distinctively Christian? * Live a fully and truly human life What is the relationship between spirituality and theology? * Christian spirituality focuses on living fully and truly human life as most filled lived and seen in the life of Jesus Christ. Revelation (揭示) What are the different types of general and special revelation? * General—creation everything that is not creator. * General—conscience the way to judge wrong and right * Special— word the words in Bible * Special— “ word” Jesus Christ How do general and special revelation differ in terms of content and recipients? What is the purpose of revelation? Why does God give it to humans...
Words: 2107 - Pages: 9
...born in Capernaum. Capernaum was a town found near the shore of the Galilean sea. St Matthew was a patron of Tax collectors, meaning he was originally a tax collector by profession in the service of the Roman Empire. In his service, he learned different languages such as Hebrew and Greek that came of great use to him. According to (Greenman and Larsen, 2007) the Roman tax collection system was engulfed in corruption and fraud therefore people perceived the tax collectors to be extremely corrupt and unclean. The tax collectors fraudulently charged extortionist amounts and were hostile to the Romans in the way they collected the taxes. In Matthew (9:9), Jesus finds Matthew sitting in his office and calls him to become one of his disciples. He became a disciple and spread Christianity even after the crucifixion and death of Jesus. He became a Christian martyr put to death with an axe. According to (Greenman and Larsen, 2007) He was executed at Naddabar in Ethiopia where he had fled in the time of persecution of Herod Agrippa 1 in 42 AD. According to (Bransfield, 2011) the beatitudes are the first of what is known as the Sermon on the Mount. This sermon may have come much later in the...
Words: 1950 - Pages: 8
