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Class Notes | Lecture 2 | How Did a Small Sect Within 1st-Century Judaism Become a World Religion?
I. The Role of Jesus in Christianity
Jesus as "Founder":
Christianity begins after Jesus’s death.
He is central to the religion because:
His resurrection gave birth to a religious movement.
His life story remains central to Christian identity.
Historical Jesus:
Hard to reconstruct due to reliance on Christian writings (mainly the Gospels).
Actions and teachings:
A prophetic figure within Judaism, marked by urgency and authority.
Preached the rule of God and called for repentance, focusing on the marginalized.
Symbolically chose 12 followers to represent the restoration of Israel.
Opposition and Crucifixion:
Conflict with Jewish leaders.
Executed by crucifixion under Roman authority.
II. The Centrality of the Resurrection
Key Beliefs:
Not a resuscitation but a transformation—Jesus transcended mortality and shared in God’s power.
The Resurrection reveals Jesus as:
God’s unique Son.
The "Life-Giving Spirit" (1 Corinthians 15:45).
The "new Adam," representing a new humanity.
Establishes Jesus as Lord, exalted to divine status.
Implications of the Resurrection:
Made Jesus more than a Jewish messiah.
Enabled Christianity to expand beyond Judaism into a global religion.
Established the expectation of Jesus’s return as the judge of the world.
III. Christianity’s Rapid Expansion
Spread Across the Roman Empire:
Within 25 years, Christian communities stretched from Jerusalem to Rome.
Expansion was marked by:
Persecution.
Lack of centralized control.
Key Transitions Managed:
Geographical: Movement spread far beyond its Jewish origins.
Sociological: Grew beyond a single ethnic or religious group.
Linguistic: Shifted from Hebrew/Aramaic to Greek.
Cultural: Adapted to Gentile (non-Jewish) contexts.
Demographic: Included Gentile believers without requiring adherence to Jewish customs.
IV. Early Christian Communities
Paul’s Letters:
Reflect the vibrancy and challenges of early Christian communities.
Churches met in households, displayed spiritual gifts, and practiced common rituals.
Communities faced disagreements about how to live out the Resurrection experience.
V. The New Testament: Scripture of the Early Church
Overview:
Composed of 27 writings in Greek, responding to the needs of early believers.
Reinterpreted Jewish Scripture in light of Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection.
Structure:
Letters:
13 by Paul (to Gentiles), 2 by Peter, 3 by John, 1 each by James and Jude.
Includes an anonymous sermon to the Hebrews.
Historical Narrative: Acts of the Apostles (documents the early church).
Visionary Composition: Book of Revelation.
Gospels: Four accounts of Jesus’s life (Mark, Matthew, Luke, John).
Gospels:
Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) are interdependent.
All portray Jesus as a 1st-century Jew with remarkable accuracy.
Focus: Jesus as the present, powerful Lord, while also highlighting his human example.
VI. Conclusion
Christianity’s growth from a small Jewish sect to a global religion is rooted in:
The Resurrection experience as the transformative event.
The adaptability of the movement across cultures and languages.
The dynamic community life reflected in the New Testament writings.
The central role of Jesus as both the human founder and divine Lord.
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