Life of Christ: Course Introduction

The Life of Christ
Introduction

Course Description
This course focuses
upon giving the student
a chronologically based
understanding of the
life of Christ, within the
history and culture of
the ﬁrst century.
The course is 2 credit
hours.

Course Objectives
Upon completing this course, the student
should:

Course Objectives
should:
1. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the
events, miracles and teaching of Christ.

Course Objectives
should:
2. Be able to describe the major events in the
life of Christ in chronological order.

Course Objectives
should:
3. Understand the major geographical
movements which took place in the life of
Christ.

Course Objectives
should:
3. Understand the major geographical
movements which took place in the life of
Christ.
4. Understand some of the social and cultural
background within the description of the life
of Christ contained within the gospels

Primary Course Textbooks
• NIV Study Bible
• Blomberg, Craig L.
Jesus & the Gospels
• Stein, Robert H. Jesus
the Messiah: A Survey of
the Life of Christ

Course Requirements
Usual LTCi expectations - additionally,
•Take good notes in class – a
notebook and pen are essential.
•Read (carefully and thoughtfully) all
notes posted online (at http://
blog.spirit-and-word.com/) prior to
the class for which they are
assigned. This material will not
necessarily be covered in class. But,
this material as it will be included in
exams, pop quizzes etc.

•Actively engage with the subject and
participate within the classroom.
•Punctual attendance is required for all
classes – entry will be refused if you are
not on time.
•If you need to miss class it is your
responsibility to inform the relevant
college authorities and gain their
approval.
•Assignments must be handed in on
time - late work will not be accepted

•Respectful behaviour and
proper classroom decorum is
expected at all times,
including:
•No improper use of laptop
computers - note taking only
•No use of cell phones
•No private discussions
•No sleeping etc.

Assignments
There are two assignments
for this course:!
1. Research paper (10%)!
2. Reading and
summarising a Gospel

Assignment #1
Jesus called his
disciples to follow
him. Using the
interaction of Jesus
with his disciples
show what is required
of a modern day
believer when they
follow Jesus. (500
words)
•Students may select one of the three
assignments below to complete as your
research paper.!
•College guidelines must be followed
(bibliography, footnotes etc.)!
•The 500 words does not include Bible
references or bibliography. A minimum of
three sources should be cited.

Assignment #1
Jesus called his
disciples to follow
him. Using the
interaction of Jesus
with his disciples
show what is required
of a modern day
believer when they
follow Jesus. (500
words)

Assignment #2
Examine the prayer
life of Jesus and
develop a guide
based upon this
which could be used
in a church setting to
teach new believers
the basics of prayer.
(500 words)

Assignment #3
Write a background paper on one of the
following subjects within the life and times
of Jesus Christ. The paper should be
suitable to inform an ‘average church
member’ about the particular topic in
order that they might understand it better.
(500 words)

Assignment #3 Topics
•Pharisees
•Women
•Sadducees
•Herod the Great
•The synagogue
•Roman
monetary system
•Satan / the devil
•Fasting
•John the Baptist
•Agriculture
•The seven signs
of John’s Gospel
•The seven I
Am’s of John’s
Gospel
•Baptism of the
Holy Spirit

Reading Assignment (15%):
Read a Gospel
Read a New Testament Gospel of your choosing.
Produce a summary paper for that gospel
indicating, chapter by chapter, the major content /
themes of the chapter - no more than 80 words per
chapter - include references you think of or possible
research questions. Develop your own system of
lettering or drawings for summarising the category
content e.g. T = teaching, D = dialogue, M =
miracle, H= healing etc. As part of this the student
is required to produce a log covering the date and
the passages read on that date.

Develop your own system
of lettering or drawings
for summarising the
category content
e.g. T = teaching, D =
dialogue, M = miracle,
H= healing etc.
As part of this the student
is required to produce a
log with the date and the
passages read on that
date.

Date
Passage Read
Theme (s)
Comments
1/1
/2014
Matthew 1 HN (= historical narrative), M,
Genealogy of Christ linking him to David and Abraham - major
covenants of OT.
Why were genealogies important to the Jews, why did Matthew
include this?
Birth of Christ including announcements to Joseph and then to
Mary - role of angels (today?)
Link of Christ and Holy Spirit at his inception
2/1
2014
Matthew 2 HN (= historical narrative), M,
Wise men visit - time elapsed (?) since Christ’s birth as all
children under 2 are killed
More angelic visitation to Joseph
Which Herod is this?
Flight to Egypt and return to Nazareth (parallel with Israel)

I Believe in Jesus
…but which Jesus is that?

• 1Cor 1:23 “...but we preach Christ
cruciﬁed...”
• 2Cor 4:5 “For we do not preach
ourselves, but Jesus Christ as
Lord…”
• Php 3:10 “I want to know Christ…”

Life of Christ: Course Introduction

Italian, 15th century,!
Leonardo DaVinci

African American, 20th century
www.pbs.org/thisfarbyfaith/journey_4/p_8.html

Ethiopian, 17th or 18th century
www.rejesus.co.uk/expressions/faces_jesus/gallery/black.html

African
http://mattstone.blogs.com/photos/aboriginal_icons/jesus_with_his_disciples_at_the_last_sup.html

Chinese
http://mattstone.blogs.com/photos/asian_icons/index.html

Indian
http://www.atmajyoti.org/spirwrit-the_christ_of_india.asp

Remember…
• his parents did not understand him as a boy in
the temple
• his family thought he was insane
• he was moved to tears by the death of a friend
• one of his friends stole the money for his mission
• when he washed his friends feet they argued
about who was the greatest

• his friends deserted him when he was in trouble
and arrested
• his opponents frequently accused him falsely
and attributed acts of kindness he did to
Beelzebub
• he created all things yet went without food for 40
days
• he owns the universe yet had no place to lay his
head

• he was so busy serving people that he didn’t
have time to eat
• yet he could feed 5000 with two ﬁsh and ﬁve
loaves of bread
• he walked 30 km into a region where he was
disliked to go and heal Lazarus, his friend
• he gave up his right to choose in order to save
you and me

One Solitary Life
He was born in an obscure village, the child of a
peasant. He grew up in another village, where
he worked in a carpenter shop until he was 30.
Then, for three years, he was an itinerant
preacher.

He never wrote a book. He never held an ofﬁce.
He never had a family or owned a home. He
didn't go to college. He never lived in a big city.
He never traveled 200 miles from the place
where he was born. He did none of the things
that usually accompany greatness. He had no
credentials but himself.

He was only 33 when the tide of public opinion
turned against him. His friends ran away. One of
them denied him. He was turned over to his
enemies and went through the mockery of a trial.
He was nailed to a cross between two thieves.
While he was dying, his executioners gambled
for his garments, the only property he had on
earth. When he was dead, he was laid in a
borrowed grave, through the pity of a friend.

Twenty centuries have come and gone, and
today he is the central ﬁgure of the human race.
I am well within the mark when I say that all the
armies that ever marched, all the navies that
ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, all
the kings that ever reigned--put together--have
not affected the life of man on this earth as much
as that one, solitary life.
Attributed to James Allen Francis.

Who do you say I
am?!
Matthew 16:13ff

Life of Christ: Course Introduction

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Life of Christ: Course Introduction