This document discusses different approaches to understanding Jesus Christ through history. It begins with an overview of biblical, conciliar, and contemporary Christology. It then contrasts Christology "from above," which focuses on Jesus' divinity, and Christology "from below," which focuses on his humanity. While both are important, the latter approach helps appreciate Jesus' full humanity and inspires discipleship. The document also examines biblical sources for Jesus' life, the nature of the gospels, key aspects of his teachings and ministry, his death and resurrection, and ecumenical councils that defined the orthodox understanding of Christ's dual nature. It concludes with some current Christological issues.

1. Who is Jesus?

2. Introduction
Biblical Christology
Conciliar Christology
Contemporary
Christology

3.  The Question of
Relevance: Why Important?
Jesus is God’s response to
our deepest human
longings.

4. 1. Christology “From Above”
An approach which begins with the
pre-existent Word who is in
heaven/from eternity, and who
descends into human history,
becoming incarnate in Jesus
Focal point: Incarnation
Starting point: Church’s dogma

5. 2. Christology “From Below”
An approach which begins with the
human Jesus of Nazareth, and traces
his story from birth to mission,
culminating on his death and
resurrection
Focal point: Resurrection
Starting point: Jesus of history (esp. as
contained in biblical accounts

6.  over/exclusive emphasis on “From
Above” may result to a denial of Christ’s
humanity (e.g. docetism – physicality,
crucifixion, death were all illusion)
 over/exclusive emphasis on “From
Below” may result on a rejection of Jesus’
divinity (Arianism – Jesus as the highest
creature, subordinate to the Father)

7. Preference for the “From Below”
Approach: Why?
- Helps us appreciate the full humanity
of Jesus and hence his solidarity with
us
- Inspires discipleship in the context of
a world which identifies more with
stories rather than dogmas

8.  The Gospels As Principal Source for the Life and
Teaching of Jesus
 Other historical sources are scarce and
authenticity is suspect
 Mark: between 60 – 70 AD
 Matthew, Luke (Acts): 80 AD
 John (Revelation): 90 AD
 Synoptic Gospels – Gk syn + optic meaning “seen
together”; taken from same source(s)

9.  The Nature of the Gospels: Are they strictly
historical accounts?
 “testimonies of faith” = historical basis + faith
interpretation
 not histories or biography in the modern sense
 stages in the development of the Gospel
tradition: words and deeds of Jesus → the
preaching of the apostles → writing of the
gospels

10. “basileia tou theou”
 best translated as “reign of God”: dynamic, not
static; a situation/event, not a place
 “a situation wherein the will of God is perfectly
upheld”
 eschatological tension: both present and future
(“already but not yet”)
 It is present in the person and ministry of Jesus
but its definitive form is yet to come.

11. Problem: How to understand the meaning of the
parables (which are many and varied)?
John Dominic Crossan
 suggests a basic and helpful framework to
approach the study of the parables
 three-fold pattern in most, if not, all of the
parables: advent, reversal, and action
 two parables in Matthew as paradigmatic of
this pattern: hidden treasure, pearl of great
price (Mt 13:44-46)

12.  Advent - the Reign of God is coming as a gift;
something unprecedented, something beyond
expectations is coming or is found which is a
cause of great joy
 Reversal - the encounter with the Reign of God
turns the values of the world upside down;
change in outlook and priorities
 Action - the Reign of God is not a mere
information; calling for a
response/transformative action

13. o Mt 13:44-46
44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure
hidden in a field, which a man found and
covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all
that he has and buys that field. 45 "Again, the
kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search
of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of
great value, went and sold all that he had and
bought it.

14.  In some parables, the element of
advent/discovery is the focus: e.g. lost sheep,
lost coin
 In other parables, the element of
reversal/change is the focus: e.g. rich man
and Lazarus (sin as omission), prodigal son
(mercy and forgiveness)
 Still in others, the emphasis is on the element
of action/new praxis: talents, unmerciful
servant

15.  sickness or infirmity was attributed to
demonic power and sin
 healings show that the power of evil over
human beings is broken
 The miracles may be understood as
symbolic anticipations and foretastes of
what the fulfillment of the Reign of God
will bring to the lives of people: holiness,
healing, liberation, reconciliation, a new
unity and integration of life or wholeness.

16.  importance of meals in the ministry of Jesus;
frequency
 Cf. Mt 11: 18-19
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking,
and they say, 'He has a demon'; 19 the Son of
Man came eating and drinking, and they say,
'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of
tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is
vindicated by her deeds.

17.  in the Middle Eastern culture even today, to
share a meal is a sign of communion
 in Judaism of Jesus’ day, it signified fellowship
with God
 a proclamation of forgiveness of sins in deeds;
in God’s reign everyone is welcome; we are all
brothers and sisters in the family of God

18.  cf. Ben Meyer, The Aims of Jesus (London: SCM Press,
1979), 159-161
Jesus’ openness to sinners did not mean that he
submitted passively to or tolerated sin. He
reversed the normal pattern – conversion then
communion. His offer of communion with
sinners triggered repentance – “conversion
flowered from communion”.

19. The Death of Jesus
 The meaning of the cross
Today, no longer seen as a scandal, as
instrument of torture and humiliation
More an article of jewelry, a fashion
accessory, mark of episcopal authority, an
ornament
Sometimes misunderstood as promoting
passive acceptance of suffering and
injustice

20. The Death of Jesus
1. Cross as salvific - (scholastics) by the
cross Jesus has redeemed the world
2. Cross as sign of misinterpretation –
(Bultmann) Jesus’ religious message was
misinterpreted as a threat to Roman rule;
Jesus’ purposes were misunderstood
3. Cross as not salvific or redemptive –
(Schillebeeckx) a rejection of Jesus; not
willed but permitted by God; death as
negativity that God overcomes by the
resurrection

21. The Death of Jesus
 International Theological Commission 1979:
“A death undergone in a purely passive
manner could not be a ‘Christological’
saving event. It must be… the willed
consequence of the obedience and love of
Jesus…”
 What is salvific is the entire Christ-event,
the perfect life of obedience of Jesus which
culminated in the cross and vindicated in
the resurrection.

22. The Resurrection of Jesus
 Importance and centrality
1. CCC 638: the crowing truth of our faith,
regarded as central truth by first Christian
communities
2. 1 Cor 15:14-17: without the resurrection,
in vain is our preaching and faith
3. Source of hope for us; our own promise of
eternal life
 Origin/Basis: empty tomb tradition +
resurrection appearances

23.  Transition in Language: From Stories to
Concepts (hypostasis, substantia,
homoousios, phusis, prosopon, persona)
 Challenge when church expanded: how to
express the faith in a manner understandable
to a new audience
 From biblical to philosophical language:
difficult but necessary

24.  Nicea (325)
- issue: divinity of Christ
- Arius: Jesus as greatest, most perfect
creature
- Church: Jesus is “homoousius” (of the same
substance) with the Father, “true God from
true God, begotten not made, one in
being...”
- Hence, not subordinate but equal to the
Father

25.  Constantinople (381)
- issue: full humanity of Christ
- Appolinarius of Laodicea: Logos took the
place of the rational soul in Christ hence
Christ is not fully human because he does
not have a rational soul
- Church: Jesus had a human soul

26.  Ephesus (431)
- issue: two natures but one person
- Nestorius: a human Jesus, “indwelt… as in a
temple” by the divine Christ, hence two
persons (the human as ‘shell’ of the divine
person); Mary as the mother of Jesus but
not the mother of God
- Church: the two natures (divine and human)
are united in the one person of Christ; Mary
as Theotokos

27.  Chalcedon (451)
- issue: distinction of the two natures of
Christ
- Eutyches: monophysitism – the union of the
divine and human natures in Christ result in
only one divine nature; the human is
absorbed by the divine
- Church: the human and divine natures are
united “without confusion, without change”
and “without division, without separation”

28. Some Christological issues today:
 Humanity and Knowledge: What sort of
knowledge did Jesus possess?
 Humanity and Sinlessness: Without
concupiscence, what was it like for Jesus to
be tempted?
 Ecological Crisis: What does our faith in the
incarnation and resurrection say about
environmental issues?
 World Religions: Is Jesus the savior of non-
Christians as well?