The Links Hotel7-11 November
1990
Conference Theme: The Mind of Christ
“I do just what the Father has taught me” (John 8:28)
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The Mind of Christ: A Case Study
(Last year: “The Heart of God” - reflect the glory of God: human wholeness)
I.Framework
A. What is your picture of Jesus?
B.What were the ways in which Jesus was pictured in the earliest churches?
The Good Shepherd
The Philosopher
Jonah delivered from the fish
The Fiery Furnace
And further....
C.Through the centuries (Jaroslav Pelikan)
II.The
Gospels
A.Paul and the Jesus of the Resurrection
B.Matthew, Mark and Luke
1) Kingdom of God
2) Son of Man
C.The Gospel of John
Question: What did Jesus mean by “I am”
5 Groups of Texts
1. read text
2. what is context
3. what does Jesus say
4. what does it tell you about the mind of Jesus (Christ)
1.Woman at the well - John 4:1-26 (4:26)
2.Disciples fear in the boat on the sea - John 6:16-24 (6:20)
3.Jesus able to forgive sins - John 8:12-30 (8:24,52)
4.Jesus shares insight about His betrayal - John 13:18-30 (13:19)
5.Jesus’ reply to the soldiers - John 18:1-11 (18:5,8)
III.A Closer
Look: “I am” in the Gospel of John (without predicate)
A.“I am” in an absolute sense: John 8:58 and 13:19
B.“I am” as part of a double meaning: John 8:24,28
C.Further Examples of Possible Meaning:
a) Jesus and the Woman of Samaria: John 4:26
b) Jesus on the Troubled Sea: John 6:20
c) Jesus arrested: John 18:5,6,8
IV.Concluding
Observations
A.Jesus’ Self-understanding
B.A “present” faith in the person of Jesus the Christ
4:26 - I am (the Christ)-too political
8:28 - I am (Son of Man) - too future
C.“Ego eimi” - the Father and the Son are one (not abstract or merely intellectual)
D.Different aspects of the relation of the Father and the Son (early Trinitarian thought)
E.Jesus manifests and makes known the “name” of God (Ex. 3:14; Isa. 40-55)
“Jesus Through the Centuries”
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1.Rabbi - Mark 1:27; Matt. 16:13f.
2.Promise/Fulfilment - Gal. 3:24; Heb. 6:13-20
3.Light of the Gentiles - John 1:5,7,9
4.King of Kings - Rev. 1:5
5.Cosmic Christ (Logos) - John 1:1
6.Son of Man - Matt. 8:20
7.True Image - I Cor. 15:45; II Cor. 4:4
8.Crucified Christ - Phil. 2:8; I Cor. 1:18-25; (Isa. 53:3)
9.Ascetic Christ - Matt. 4:1-11; Matt. 19
10.Bridegroom of the Soul - Isa. 62:5; Song of Songs; Matt. 25:1,5
11.Divine/Human Model - Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 2:14-18; 4:14-16
12.Universal Man - Col. 1:18; Heb. 3:3
13.Mirror of the Eternal - John 14:9; I cor. 13:12; Js. 1:23
14.Prince of Peace - Isa. 9:6; Heb. 7:2
15.Rational Teacher - John 1:6-9 (Prov. 8:22); Rom. 1:18-32
16.Poet of the Spirit - I Pet. 2:25; SS 2:1; Isa. 9:6; Rev. 22:16
17.Liberator - Gal. 5:1; (John 2:13-17)
18.Representative Man - John 8:12; Heb. 1:2; Rev. 1:5; 15:3
Airline, Aviation and Aerospace Christian Fellowships
The Links Hotel7-11 November
1990
Conference Theme: The Mind of Christ
“I do just what the Father has taught me” (John 8:28)
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The Mind of Christ: Three Areas of Application
1.Dialogue and Dogma
2.Grace
and Judgement
3.Politics
Why these three areas?
The three philosophical questions - Being - Epistemology - Ethics
1.Dialogue
and Dogma (Matt. 16:13)
Who do men say that I am? (The question of Being)
2.Grace
and Judgement (Luke 4:16-19)
How do we confess Christ in our histories? (The question of epistemology)
3.Politics
(Matt. 22:15-22; Ro. 13 - Rev. 13)
How do we live as disciples of Jesus Christ today? (The question of ethics)