Catecumental Project

17.  WHO IS JESUS OF NAZARETH? 

1. -   Yesterday like today, the figure of Jesus of Nazaret raises deep questions: really who is Jesus of Nazareth? A myth? A prophet? A revolutionary? Someone influencing our lives? That who, without him, nothing would have sense? Jesus asked his disciples: “Who says the people that the son of man is?” They answered: Some say that he is John the Baptist, others that he is Elijah or one of the prophets” He again asked: “and you, who do you say I am?” (Mt 16, 13 – 15). We approach Jesus´ figure following these steps: the most external data, non-Christian sources, Christian sources. The deepest aspects can only be known through a faith’s experience

2. - We begin with the most external data. Jesus appears “like any other man” (Phil 2,7). He is born in Bethlehem (Mt 2,1; Lk 2,4) under the government of the emperor Augustus and king Herod, but it is in Nazareth “where he is brought up” (Lk 4,16). He is “the carpenter, Mary’s son” (Mk 6, 3), “he was known as Joseph’s son” (Lk 3, 23), “of the family of David” (1, 27). Baptized by John in the year fifteen of Emperor Tiberius (3, 1. 21), he begins his mission when “he is about thirty years old” (Lk 3, 23).  He accepts himself like “prophet” (Mk 6, 5). He is “a prophet powerful in works and words” (Lk 24, 19). He dies crucified about the year 30, being Pontius Pilate prefect of the roman province of Judea.

3. – Let us find out what the non-Christian say.  About the year 90, Jewish historian Flavius Josephus talks about Jesus when writing about the lapidating (year 62) of James, the “brother of Jesus, called the Christ” (Jewish antiquities XX, 9; see Acts 12, 2. 17). The Talmud, that gathers Jewish oral tradition, later on will say: “Passover’s eve they hanged Jesus… because he practiced magic tricks and he was taking the people out of the good way” (Sanh. 43a). Nevertheless, it is discussed who is the Jesus they were talking about. Seemingly, he is mixed or related with others; for instance, with ben Panthera (106 – 79 BC), who is previous.

4. - Roman historian Tacitus (at the beginning of the II century) when writing about the first prosecution of the Christians in Nero times (year 64), talks about Christ: “This name comes from Christ, to whom prefect Pontius Pilate had condemned to death, under Tiberius´ reign. This hateful superstition, repressed for some time, spread again, not only in Judea, where the evil was born, but also in Rome where to all what is detestable and dishonourable produced by the world converges and where it has found many followers” (Annals 15,44). A letter from Asia Minor’s governor, Plinius the Youngster, Emperor Trajan (year 64), says, among other things, that the Christians meet on a fixed date for an ordinary meal and that, besides refusing to render cult to the emperor, “they sing a hymn to Christ’s  honour, as if he were God” (Letters 10, 96; see also Suetonius, Claudius´ Life, 25,4)

5. – Let us see what the Christian sources, the gospel, the Acts of the Apostles, the letters, say. Before Jesus´ figure reactions are diverse. The person who follows him perceives that he is a prophet (Mt 16, 14). He teaches “like someone with authority” (Mk 1, 22), he announces a “word that is accomplished” (Ez 12, 25), he teaches and cures (Mt 4, 23), he says and makes, makes up a community (Lk 8, 21). To the question from John’s disciples, Jesus answers with the language of the facts. Liberating signals accompany him: “The blind see, the lamb walk, the lepers became clean, the deaf hear, the death resurrect, the good news is announced to the poor” (Mt 11,5). His message is this: “Change your ways, the Kingdom of God is near” (Mt 3, 2). His mission is above the bread (Lk 4, 4), above the having (9, 58), above power (13, 31 – 33), the family (8, 19), he even renounces to a conjugal life

6. – Nicodemus, Jewish magistrate, knows that Jesus comes from God “like master”, because no one can make the signals he makes, if God is not with him (Jn 3, 2). The royal functionary whose child is gravely ill believes is the word said by Jesus and at that very time his child is cured (4, 46 – 53). The Samaritan perceives that he is a prophet and she asks herself: “Would not he be the Christ?” (Jn 4, 29). Before the calmed tempest the disciples are amazed and they tell themselves: Who is this that even winds and sea obey?” (Mt8, 27). In the meeting with Jesus, Zaccheus, who was “chief of publicans and wealthy”, revises his position and shares. (Lk 19, 1 – 10).

7. – The scandal is a different reaction. In this way react familiars and countrymen. He arrived to his village and began to teach in the synagogue. The people said surprised: “Where did he get that wisdom and those miracles? Is he not the carpenter’s son?” And they were scandalized by him. Jesus told them: “A prophet is respected everywhere except in his hometown and in his own family” (Mt 13, 54 – 57). His relatives said: “He is out of his mind” (Mk 3, 21). His countrymen throw him out of the city and try to hurl him (Lk 4, 29). The adversaries accuse him of speaking like a prophet, but without living like one: his disciples do not fast (Mk 2, 18), he is “a glutton and drunkard, friend of publicans and sinners” (Mt 11, 19), “he breaks the Sabbath” (Jn 5, 18), “he makes himself like God” (10, 33), “he is possessed by a demon” (8, 48). Those possessed by a demon show a deep repulse (Mt 8, 29). Jesus passes curing (Lk 13, 31). Amidst the problems that overflow, he appears as “the strongest” (Mt 12, 28 – 29)

8. – To Jesus´ question, Peter answers “You are the Christ, the son of the living God” (Mt 16, 16). Jesus calls Peter “happy”, because nobody has revealed you this to you, but my Father in Heaven (16, 17). Jesus accepts himself like Christ, but he has to correct Peter’s human hope, a politic hope, that it really meant to him a temptation, a “scandal” (16, 23), and a danger too, of being accused as a political agitator. The blind of Jericho addresses Jesus screaming: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me”. The expression has a messianic meaning and they ask him to be quiet (Lk 18, 38 – 39). Jesus assumes the Servant prophetic figure “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love and with whom I am pleased” (Mt 12, 18).

9. – Jesus, Galilee’s prophet (Mt 21, 11), does not desire to be confused with others who came before him (Jn 10, 8). The zealots announce the kingdom of God, but they pretend to impose it by force. . These men do not find Jesus words of support, but of critique: they deliver their people to the Romans to be decapitated (Lk 13, 3), they see the wolf come and they flee, they are employees, they do not come in through the door, they are thieves and robbers, they steal, kill and destroy (Jn 10, 1 – 21). Although some of his disciples had been a zealot, like Simon (Lk 6, 16), Jesus is not one of them. He does not go armed. He is “the good shepherd”. Others are his weapons, the Kingdom of God signals. Judas Iscariot (perhaps a deformation from sicariot) probably had a zealot past, violent and he felt disappointed by Jesus. Manipulated by the high priests, he betrayed him (Mk 14, 10 – 11).

10. – At the end, Jesus cause is of religious type, but it has its social and politic consequences. Jesus confronts the religious, political and social system symbolized by the temple (Mk 11, 17), dominated by a priestly hierarchy, who receives his ministry as a heritage, who has not the people sympathy and who ( under the occupation roman power) exercises its power together with the influent groups: the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the legalists, the rich people. Jesus condemns their social and religious roll (Lk 11, 39 – 54; 6, 24). He opts for the little ones (9, 48), he announces the good news to the poor (4, 18), the crowd submitted by the powerful (Mt 9, 36)

11. – Confronting Lazarus’ death in the fullness of life, Jesus announces resurrection (Jn 11,24). Even more, he says Martha: “I am the resurrection. That who believes in me, although he dies, he will live”, “do you believe this?” Martha answers: “I believe that you are the Christ, the son of God, who ought to come to the world” (11, 26 – 27). The captain, seeing what has happened in Jesus´ death, glorified God saying: “Surely this was an upright man” (Lk 23, 47)

12. – Jesus defines himself like the son of man. In the gospel this expression always appears in Jesus´ mouth (Mk 10, 33; Jn 9, 35). It Daniel’s dream. The believers, persecuted by the bestial powers, have a hope: “like son of man”, a man comes on the heaven’s clouds, he overcomes the human condition, he receives a kingdom that “never will be destroyed”” (Dn 7, 13 – 14). Human realities (empires) appear with a human figure (they crush, triturate, dominate and blaspheme). Divine realities appear in human figure. History is judged before the throne of the Ancient man (God) and before the throne of the son of man (Christ).

13. - Many said: “This truly is a prophet”. Others said: “This is the Christ” (Jn 7, 40- 41). The Hebrew expression Messiah (in greek, Christ, which means anointed), alludes to the expected king, who would replace the foreign domain with God’s sovereignty. It was a dangerous word, since it was associated to political agitation. Teaching in the temple, Jesus raises the question: How do the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? David himself, stirred by the holy spirit, said: “The Lord says to my Lord: Sit at my right hand”. David himself calls him Lord: how then can he be his son? ) Mk 12, 35 – 37; see Psalm 110). Therefore, Jesus accepts himself like the Christ to whom David himself calls Lord.

14. - Jesus defines himself like son of God (Jn 10, 36). In the Bible, this expression indicates a special relationship with God. He is son of God the upright (Wis 2, 18), the people of Israel (Ex 4, 22), the king (2 Sa 7, 24; psalm 89) and, above all, the promised king (psalm 2, 7). Son of God are those who receive God’s word (Jn 1, 12 – 13), those who work for peace (Mt 5, 9), those who love their enemies (5, 45), those resurrected (Lk 20, 36). Nevertheless, in Jesus´ baptism (Mk 1, 11) and in the transfiguration passage (9, 7) God calls him “my beloved son”. In the parable of the tenants (12, 6) and in other passages Jesus presents himself like “the son”, with unique meaning (Mt 11, 27; 24, 36). His relationship with God is the maximum possible: “I and the father are one” (Jn 10, 30), “the father is more than I” (14, 28). His divine filiation means human roots (Lk 3, 23 – 38).

15. – Jesus´ mission had began in Galilee, but his destination was Judea, Jerusalem and the temple, a committed and dangerous destination. It had been already said by Jeremy: “Your sword, like a destroying lion, devoured your prophets” (Jr 2, 30). Jesus said it too: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you murder the prophets and stone those sent to you” (Mt 23, 37). The march on Jerusalem ends with the denouncement of the temple. It ought to be “home of prayer” but it had become “cave of bandits” (Mk 11, 17). “The high priests and the scribes knew this and they were thinking how they could kill him” (11, 18).

16. – In the process carried out, Jesus precise his position “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom belonged to this world, my people would have fought” (Jn 18, 36). Despite all, he is condemned like a political agitator. It is said in the poster over the cross: “king of Jews” (19, 19). During the process, the high priest Caiaphas says: “In the name of the living God, I command you to tell us if you are the Christ the son of God” Jesus answers the impressive challenge: “It is just as you say”, “from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the most powerful God and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Mt 26, 63 – 64). Caiaphas understand like a blasphemy what will become a faith’s confession. The sentence: “He must die” (26, 66). Pilate delivered him to them to be crucified (27, 26)

17. – What afterwards happened is proclaimed by Peter on Pentecost’s day:  “God resurrected him” (Acts 2.24). And also: “God constituted him Lord and Christ” (2, 36). In first place, God resurrected him. Jesus is alive is spite of death. His presence is in a different way. He is not present among us in the manner of man but in God’s way. The disciples are slow to recognize him. He is acknowledged in the normal circumstances of life, amidst the events that become signals of his presence. Mary Magdalena recognizes Jesus in the words he addresses him, but she can not retain him (Jn 20, 16 – 17). The Emmaus walkers recognize him in the breaking of the bread (Lk 24, 13 – 32). The disciples recognize him in that abundant fishing: “He is the Lord” (Jn 21, 7). Thomas retires the conditions he had placed to believe and he confesses: “My Lord and my God” (20, 28).

18. – Jesus of Nazareth has been established Lord of history, same that God. The kingdom of God is present in the person of Jesus. The crucified is king, Christ, with God’s sovereignty. The Lord collaborates with the disciples, confirming the word with the signals that accompany him (Mk 16, 20). Jesus acts in history in God´s way. Yet without If his human condition had been evident in his humiliation (Is 53, 7 – 8), “he was tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sinning” (Hb 4, 15), the resurrection manifests his divine condition: “a descendant of David, and recognized as the Son of God with power upon rising from the dead” (Rm 1, 4), “God gave him the Name which outshines all names” (Phil 2, 9).

19. - The whole Gospel is oriented to this: “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God” (Jn 20, 31). He is “the word who pitched his tent among us” (1, 14). The confession of faith is expressed in brief formulas: “Jesus is the Lord” (1 Co 12, 3), “Jesus is the Christ” (1Jn 2, 22), “Jesus is the son of God” (Acts 8, 37; 1 Jn 4, 15; Hb 4, 14). The symbol of the fish is also a faith confession: the greek word ICTHYS (pez) corresponds to the initials of the confession of faith: Iesoûs, Christòs, Theoû, Yiòs, Sotér (Jesus, Christ, Son of God, Saviour). But don’t forget: “Nobody knows well the son but the father” (Mt 11, 27). We need that God himself tell it to us

20. – The experience of faith is fundamental, since it means the encounter with Christ. We are reached by him (Phil 3, 12). It changes even the own sense of life: “Under heaven we are not given other name in which we can be saved” (Acts 4, 12). It is Paul’s experience: God “was pleased to revel in me his son” (Ga 1, 15 – 16), “for me to live is Christ” (Phil 1, 21), “alive, but not myself, it is Christ who is living in me”  (Ga 2, 20). What Jesus said and made, even the whole Scriptures, becomes a testimony to his favour. Jesus said it to the Jews: “You search in the Scriptures thinking that in them you will find life; yet Scriptures bears witness to me” (Jn 5, 39).

Dialogue: And you, who do you say I am?