After this encounter Paul became a very significant individual who used letters and his writing to powerfully contribute to towards the development of Christianity. Christianity began as a sect out of Judaism and as a follower individuals believed strictly in the laws of Mosses which included dietary restrictions and the act of circumcision. Those that were non Christian Jews (Gentiles) were viewed as unclean and of inferior quality. Paul challenged the ideas of Judaism in aim to veer Christianity away from Gods laws and political goals, highlighting Jesus as a figure of universal salvation. “The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, fullfulness, gentleness and self-control.
It is in that vain that Wright authored “Knowing Jesus Through The Old Testament”. Dr. Wright translates his love for the Old Testament scriptures into a look at Jesus Christ, a look that Wright suggests made Jesus who He was and reflects the life He lived, the words He read and the religion He practiced. Wright uses this look to emphasize how the Old Testament is not simply for the Jew but is equally important to Christians in understanding their savior. Brief Summary of the Book At first glance one would think that Dr. Wright has written another book that takes the reader on a journey through the Old Testament showing the reader the many Old Testament prophecies that point to His coming and to the numerous Christophanies that one can see in the Old Testament. While Dr. Wright does deal with some of the prophecies, it is in a different context entirely.
The Jews’ God-appointed mission is to serve the course of historical progress and bring mankind into a new era . The Jews are the sacrificial lamb, much like Jesus was in Christianity. Maybaum even makes this similarity: “The cross, the Roman gallows, was replaced by the gas chamber.” Maybaum’s response to the Shoah is very similar to the theodicy theology that suffering has its place in God’s plan. Many thinkers have argued that pain and suffering exist in the world because it is all part of some divine plan that God has made. This idea of a plan does help to reassure us that we are not the playthings of chance .
THE SEVENTY WEEKS OF DANIEL Presented to Michael O’Brien for BIBL 450 – Daniel/Revelation by Gregory Rains Student ID 23549 July 28, 2011 Of all the controversial texts found in Scripture, perhaps one of the most divisive is the prophecy of The Seventy Weeks of Daniel found in Daniel 9: 24-27. Written while the Jews were in exile in Babylon, this passage was a prophecy spoken by the angel Gabriel given to the Jewish people as a form of encouragement. “Whether Daniel understood all that he heard is not revealed to us, but Gabriel’s message assured him that the nation of Israel would be restored to their land, the city of Jerusalem and the temple would be rebuilt, and God would make provision for cleansing of the nation.” Scholars have disagreed over the interpretation of this passage with several points of view becoming fairly prominent over the years. However, the interpretation of the first sixty-nine weeks of the prophecy having now been fulfilled with the final week yet to come seems to be the most logical application of the text. This view is supported by the research herein and through exegetical study of the Scripture themselves.
In To Die for God: Martyrs’ Heaven in Hebrew and Latin Crusade Chronicles Shmuel Shepkaru argues that Jewish and Christian perceptions of Heaven and martyrdom shifted in response to the Crusades. Shepkaru notes that “[b]oth twelfth-century Christians and Jews considered the martyr's recompense in heaven to be the ultimate boon that the faithful could receive” (312). Despite, or because of, this similarity, it is difficult to prove that either religion borrowed from the other. To find evidence of religious mixing or syncretism, Shepkaru looks for parallels in the religions’ literature. One parallel that Shepkaru noted arose at the end of the 11th century.
Being a Christian involves devout prayer and good deeds for others. In points fifty-two through fifty-five Luther expressed the importance of spending time preaching the word, instead of spending time talking about pardons. Points fifty-six through sixty-eight state that it is natural to want riches and the men of the Church had many treasures, but Luther advised the greatest treasure could be found in the Holy Word and in the Grace of God. Again, in points sixty-nine through eight-one Luther warns the people of trusting in the letters of pardon and confusing them with true forgiveness and salvation. Only repentance
He alludes to the Bible in order to relate to the audience, many of who are devout Christians. Paine uses a similar tactic saying, “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered…” Whereas Lincoln used religion in a positive aspect, Paine refers to its negative side, condemning it and foreshadowing to the Revolutionary War. By comparing tyranny to hell, Paine is eliminating any doubts in the colonists’ minds about British intentions for America. The tone of “the Gettysburg Address” is delicate; Lincoln’s purpose is to inspire the weak and recognize the dead. He uses phrases like “It is for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced,” displaying to his audience that an era of physical and emotional reconstruction is about to begin.
I found this to be his main strategy of grabbing the reader’s attention and expressing his purpose to them. He talks about Jewish, Christian, and Turkish religions finding the questionable views of each one. “The Jews say that there word of God was given by God to Moses face to face; the Christians say their word of God came by divine inspiration; and the Turks sat that their word of God was brought by an angle from haven”(101). He then tells the readers what he thinks about each religion “…I disbelieve them all” (101). By expressing this it makes a more persuasive argument to the readers simply because he is exploiting the oblivious.
Romans 3:28-30 speaks to the fact that people are justified by faith, not by the law. Paul addressed this because the Jews cared a lot about the law that they neglected their culture. Paul began to take an interest in the importance of the law and took full account towards the culture. “A healthy culture life is one that views the culture as one created by God,” (Frank,(October 2013)). We each have a different culture that God has given us, and we each should follow this religion.
The Question of Meaning/Purpose- Christian’s belief that mankind were created to worship God, to glorify him, by being obedient, praying and being thankful Psalm 95:1 We are here to serve God, to have a personal relationship with him, to accept Jesus Christ in our hearts and belief that he is our Lord and Savior, to trust that he came to this world and gave hos life for us, to forgive our sins, and to allow him to love us and give us eternal life. 4. The Question of Morality- Mankind was created good, sin entered the world through Adam and Eve when they ate from the forbidden tree. God is Holy he is separated fro Evil, being created in the image of God, humans have a conscience and can distinguish good from bad. Jesus came to this world Matthew 28:19 to tell us that we are free from sin, follow him, create other disciples and reign in the glory of God for eternity.