The New Testament books and the Gospels in particular do not give us a specific physical or character description about Jesus. However, they do tell

Transcription

1 Jesus Truly Human

2 The New Testament books and the Gospels in particular do not give us a specific physical or character description about Jesus. However, they do tell us much about what He said and did.

3 1. JESUS AND HIS TRULY HUMAN THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS

4 Jesus and his truly human thoughts and emotions 1) He lived a normal life in eating, drinking, working, and living among many people. 2) He was full of mercy and compassion towards the sick (Mk 1,40-41). 3) He wanted to comfort and felt pity for those who were worried and afraid (Lk 7,12-15). 4) He argued with His apostles because they did not understand Him (Mk 7,14-18). 5) He showed His disapproval when his disciples prevented children from coming to Him (Mk 10,14). 6) He was happy when people accepted God's word (Lk 10,21-22).

5 Jesus and his truly human thoughts and emotions 7) He felt sad when he saw how hardened the hearts of the Pharisees were (Mk 3,1-6). 8) Full of courage, He expelled the dealers in the temple (Mt 21,12-14). 9) He felt fear and anguish in the face of suffering (Mk 14,32-33). 10) He became tired and needed to rest (Jn 4,6). 11) He cried at the death of His friend Lazarus (Jn 11,1-37). 12) His great respect and admiration at the faith of a pagan (Lk 7,1-10).

6 Jesus was therefore truly human in every way except for sin.

7 2. JESUS AND HIS DEEP AND PROFOUND INTELLIGENCE TOGETHER WITH A SIMPLICITY THROUGH WHICH HE COULD BE UNDERSTOOD BY EVERYONE

8 Jesus immediately attracted the attention of the people through His teachings.

9 He was praised for the clarity of His teachings in all places except in Nazareth, His own home-town, where He was rejected.

10 However, when He spoke, Jesus used simple everyday language which everyone could understand, even children. Jesus also knew how to read the hearts of people.

11 He knew what people needed, He knew what each was looking for and He understood when they had been searching in the wrong places

12 Whoever listened to Him felt that they were being personally addressed and that they were being invited to open their hearts to God.

13 He wasn't like the teachers of the Law; instead he taught with authority. (Mt 7,29)

14 They were all well impressed with Him and marvelled at the gracious words that He spoke. They said, Isn't he the son of Joseph? (Lk 4,22)

15 3. JESUS - A MAN OF EXTRAORDINARY HONESTY

16 When being questioned in front of Pilate Jesus confessed solemnly: You say that I am a king. I was born and came into the world for this one purpose, to speak about the truth. Whoever loves the truth listens to me. (Jn 18,37)

17 In all He said and did, Jesus was always faithful to the truth. He never played around with the truth, He never turned it to suit His needs.

18 When He established the Eucharist at Cesarea Philippi some of those following Him left Him for they thought His message was too demanding. He did not compromise but He told His apostles: And you would you also like to leave? (Jn 6,60-67)

19 Even His enemies and those who tried to trick Him admitted: Teacher, we know that you tell the truth. You teach the truth about God's will for humanity, without worrying about what people think, because you pay no attention to a person's status. (Mt 22,16).

20 He was sincere and honest with Himself.

21 He lived according to His own teaching. Through all the ages and even today He can ask: Who can accuse me of not practising what I teach?

22 Jesus sought to make His own lived reality an example of His teaching: I have given you an example, so that you will do just as I have done to you. (Jn 13,15).

23 As He taught He lived: a life of prayer and trust in God, a detachment from the things of the world, a wholehearted and truly sincere love for His neighbours and forgiveness for His enemies.

24 4. JESUS AND HIS FREE, FIRM AND DETERMINED CHARACTER

25 At twelve years of age Jesus already knew that seeking to do His Father's will came before any family ties. "Why did you have to look for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know that I had to be in my Father's house?" (Lk 2,49).

26 Jesus was determined and strong in character - a truly free and courageous man.

27 He struggled with the authorities as He started to preach; the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the Herodians all plotted against Him and tried to trap or ridicule Him

28 The authorities tried to trap him by saying to him: should we pay taxes? (Lk 20,22) under whose authority do you send the people away from the temple? (Lk 20,2) do you have a devil within you? (Jn 7,19; 8,48; 8,52). give us a sign from heaven. (Lk 11,16). should we stone to death the adulterous woman? (Jn 8,5) tell us the plain truth without any riddles, are you the Messiah? (Jn 10,24).

29 He felt free even in front of Herod, before His enemies, before suffering and even in death.

30 Tied with ropes and nailed to the cross He still had a free spirit that was able to say: Father forgive them for they do not know what they do. He was able to pray with a loud voice to the Father during His suffering, and to die in the hands of God, the Father.

31 5. JESUS AND HIS DEEP RESPECT FOR THE DIGNITY OF EVERY HUMAN PERSON

32 Before looking at a person s nationality, job or profession, before looking at the good and the evil of one s actions, Jesus looks at the way in which the image of God is reflected within you.

33 Each one of us is called to receive the Good News that God is really interested in us and in helping us to live life to the full.

34 He spent time with those in positions of authority, respecting and reaching out to all members of society.

35 Jesus deeply respected and spent time with women and children as well. This is very significant because only men who were considered important in Jewish society at the time.

36 Jesus was different in that He spent time teaching pagans in the street, prostitutes, publicans and all sinners.

37 Jesus, however, defied the culture and the mentality of the people of His time and He even allowed a sinful woman to wash His feet with her tears as a sign of repentance and dry them with her hair.

38 Due to past historic events, the Samaritans were considered to be semi-pagans and therefore enemies of the Messiah-to-come. However Jesus welcomed them and showed them that He loved them.

39 He sought out and invited Himself to the homes of publicans and tax collectors.

40 Jewish people generally looked down on such people because they were usually corrupt, cheats and considered to be traitors who collected money and taxes on behalf of the foreign occupants (in Jesus time, Israel had been conquered by the Romans).

41 In the same way as a doctor comes to help and heal a sick person who calls him, Jesus also comes to the those who are in need and who call out to Him.

42 6. JESUS - A KIND-HEARTED AND GENEROUS MAN

43 He felt a sense of total unity and solidarity with the person in need and He was always ready to reach out and touch those who were enslaved for one reason or another.

44 Jesus helped those people who were enslaved because of disease or sickness: the blind, the deaf, the paralytic, the epileptic, the lepers because of sorrow: the widow of Nain, Jairus, the Chief Of the synagogue because of people being tormented by evil spirits when people felt lost because they were living aimless lives like when He took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and He stayed with them to teach them (Mk 6,34). when He came across people who were trapped and slaves to sin and evil: Zaccheus, the prostitute, the Samaritan woman at the well..

45 Jesus is love, and He loves everyone with a love that is authentic and genuine: He is ready to forgive, to suffer and to die for those He loves even if they freely choose to reject Him. He does the same for us today.

46 7. JESUS - A DEEPLY SPIRITUAL MAN

47 Jesus get His power and energy from His Father whom He met regularly in prayer. He used to pray so deeply that He would feel at One with Him.

48 The spirituality of Jesus was a genuine one. He never sought the praise of His followers during His lifetime and He was always humble in attitude, even when people wanted to praise Him.

49 Jesus used to pray with those who followed Him and He also spent time praying alone.

50 He never worked miracles for His own needs. He wanted to serve others rather than to be served by them.

51 Jesus was always patient with people, always ready to help console and heal - He was always at the service of others.

52 Questions 1) How is Jesus truly human. Write at least 10 sentences to show this. 2) Jesus was truly human but there is an exception. What is this exception? 3) How Jesus attracted people immediately? 4) What were the main subjects that Jesus spoke on in order to be understood by the common people? 5) How Jesus was a man of extraordinary honesty? 6) How Jesus was free and had a firm and determined character? 7) How Jesus had a deep respect for the dignity of every human person? 8) How Jesus was a kind-hearted and generous man? 9) How Jesus was a deeply spiritual man?