scholarly journals Cur crux: is the method significant?

2017 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Williams
Keyword(s):  
Total Loss ◽  
Full Understanding ◽  
Union With Christ ◽  
Son Of God ◽  
Death Of Jesus ◽  
The Cross

While most recognise the centrality of the cross to Christianity, there is not the same consensus as regards its meaning. Then while it is clear that both the suffering and death of Jesus were instrumental in salvation, why did he die in the horrible way that he did? Crucifixion was the preferred method of execution for political offences by the Romans, and by its horror was intended to deter. Paul understands that the crucified, by being hanged, bears a curse, which is carried by Christ so that people can be blessed in the declaration of justification. The actual suffering and death were due to enforced immobility, a total loss of freedom, and is the ultimate in the process of self-emptying by the son of God in incarnation. As such it is an appropriate penalty for sin which is an abuse of the liberty given to humanity. These three reasons for the cross then relate to the main theories of the atonement which are aspects of a full understanding. Union with Christ in his suffering is then atoning. Opsomming Terwyl die kruis algemeen aanvaar word as die hoeksteen van die Christelike geloof, is daar nie dieselfde ooreenstemming wanneer dit kom by die betekenis daarvan nie. Terwyl dit ook duidelik is dat die lyding en sterwe van Jesus onlosmaaklik verbind word met die verlossingsplan, onstaan die vraag, waarom moes hy so ‘n wrede dood sterf? Kruisiging was die gekose metode van straf vir politieke oortredings gedurende die Romeinse oorheersing en primêr bedoel as afskrikmiddel. Paulus redeneer, dat omdat die gekruisigde aan die kruis hang, hy ‘n vloek dra wat dan ook op Christus rus waardeur die mensdom deel kan hê aan die vryspraak en regverdigmaking. Die werklike lyding en sterwe aan die kruis was as gevolg van geforseerde inperking van die liggaam en ‘n algehele verlies van vryheid. Dit is ook die uiteinde van die proses van self-ontlediging as die seun van God in sy menswording. Dit is dan ook ‘n gepaste straf vir sonde wat ‘n misbruik is van vryheid wat aan die mensdom toegestaan is. Hierdie drie redes vir die kruis hou dus verband met die vernaamste teorieë oor versoening wat weer aspekte is van ‘n groter geheelbeeld. Verbintenis met Christus in sy lyding kan dus gelykgestel word aan versoening.

Toward a multifaith view of atonement

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-85
Author(s):  
Robert P. Sellers
Keyword(s):  
Eleventh Century ◽  
First Century ◽  
Quarter Century ◽  
Objective Theory ◽  
Death Of Jesus ◽  
The Reformation ◽  
Diverse World ◽  
Evangelical Protestants ◽  
The Cross ◽  
The Many

The meaning of the death of Jesus on the cross has been interpreted differently from the first century until today. Of the many theories proposed throughout Christian history, the dominant understanding, especially among evangelical Protestants since the Reformation and perhaps dating from Anselm of Canterbury in the eleventh century, has been the penal-substitutionary view of atonement. Christ died to pay the penalty for human sin, so humanity can receive forgiveness by trusting in the efficacy of Jesus’s death on its behalf. This explanation is an objective theory that is “Godward focused,” understanding the work of Christ as a divine plan to satisfy what God requires: expiation for human sin. Other competing theories, however, reject this idea and propose more subjective views that are “humanward focused.” This article considers the reality of different, imperfect perspectives about matters as complex as the interpretation of God. It connects the writer’s affirmation of the plurality of religious experience with his having lived a quarter century in the multifaith milieu of Java. It touches on specific opposing theories of atonement, endorsing as more useful in our interreligious world the subjective approaches to understanding the cross. It advocates an intriguing argument for the plurality of end goals, or “salvations,” among the world’s religions. Finally, it uses the less dominant models of martyr motif and the moral example theory to investigate how the concept of atonement might be understood in the context of four major world religions other than Christianity, suggesting that acknowledgment of the legitimacy of different approaches to the Divine is a distinctly “Christian” way to live in a diverse world.

The Crucifixion in the Qur’an: Answering Muslim’s Claims Regarding the Death of Jesus Christ

2021 ◽  
pp. 026537882199421
Author(s):  
Sherene Nicholas Khouri
Keyword(s):  
Jesus Christ ◽  
Death Of Jesus ◽  
Christian Worldview ◽  
The Cross

Was Jesus crucified on the cross? Did Jesus die by crucifixion? This topic generates so much emotion and conflict in Christian-Islamic dialogue as many theories have developed to prove one side of the equation. While several methods can answer Islamic objections against the biblical belief, the evidential Apologetics is the best method to provide evidence for the Christian claims. Evidential Apologetics is one of the methods that seeks to prove the truthfulness of the Christian worldview by showing historical and scientific evidences. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to use the evidential method to answer three major objections that Muslims raise against the crucifixion of Jesus: Jesus was never crucified, the swoon theory, and the substitute theory. The paper will conclude that there are surmounted historical and scientific evidences that support the event of Jesus’s crucifixion.

scholarly journals Wie is die sondaar? Die beskouing van Karl Barth

1994 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
F. J. Van Zyl
Keyword(s):  
Jesus Christ ◽  
Karl Barth ◽  
Previous Article ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Death Of Jesus ◽  
The Cross ◽  
Real Essence

Who is the sinner? The view of Karl Barth The previous article dealt with Barth’s view of the knowledge and real essence of sin, while this one focus on his view of the human being as sinner. In accordance with his christological approach to all theological matters, Barth presents us with a description of the image and character of the sinner as mirrored by the obedient suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the cross in the place of all sinners of all times - past, present and future. The price that God paid in surrendering his only Son to such suffering, indicates the enormous guilt and baseness of every sinner. Every human being is utterly insolvent and can only be delivered from sin through God’s graceful remission of siru

The Centrality of the Cross: Literary and Theological Reflections on Mark 15:20b-25

2008 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 245-256
Author(s):  
Francis J. Moloney
Keyword(s):  
Gospel Of Mark ◽  
Passion Narrative ◽  
Son Of God ◽  
The Cross ◽  
Literary Practices

This study addresses two issues of exegesis and interpretation in the Gospel of Mark. It points to the presence of simple but elegant literary practices in the gospel, disputing the claim that the evangelist was merely the clumsy editor of prior sources. Mark's passion narrative (14:1–15:47) is an extended example of intercalation. At the centre of the story of the Roman crucifixion (15:1–47), the author locates the description of the crucifixion of Jesus (15:20b-25). Its central literary location reflects the heart of the Markan Christology: Jesus is the crucified Messiah and Son of God.

Victory in Jesus: Perfectionism, Pentecostal Sanctification, and Luther’s Theology of the Cross

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-274
Author(s):  
David Courey
Keyword(s):  
Assemblies Of God ◽  
Theology Of The Cross ◽  
Direct Connection ◽  
Union With Christ ◽  
The Cross ◽  
Keswick Movement

This paper examines perfectionist motifs in baptistic Pentecostal notions of sanctification, and asks whether resources to solve this quandary may be found within the tradition itself. Tracing these motifs back to the ‘Finished Work’ theology of William Durham, variations on themes of the Keswick movement are noted. These parallels continue through the institutional period, and recurrence of ‘union with Christ’ and ‘crucifixion with Christ’ tropes are discovered, particularly in the Assemblies of God Pentecostal Evangel. Keswick leader L.E. Maxwell’s classic The Crucified Life provides a direct connection between Pentecostal and Keswick treatments of sanctification. While Pentecostal applications of identification with Christ have led some to draw connections with the Orthodox doctrine of theosis, this paper asserts a closer relationship to Luther’s theology of the cross and offers a means of using resources within the Pentecostal tradition to redefine a non-perfectionist model of sanctification that remains dynamic and cross-centred.

The Death of Jesus in Mark and the Miracle from the Cross

1987 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Howard M. Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Redaction Criticism ◽  
Death Of Jesus ◽  
The Cross

At the primary, narrative level the riddle of Mark's brief account of Jesus' death and its immediate aftermath must still be pronounced unsolved. There has been a steadily growing awareness among scholars that, for all the insights they have afforded us, form and redaction criticism have tended to deprive the Evangelists of reputations for competence as narrators and their story-lines of coherence and integrity and that this tendency does them injustice. Yet though the latest study of Mark 15. 37–39 is sensitive to this issue, it cannot be pronounced successful in making complete sense of Mark's narrativequanarrative. This paper offers a solution to the riddle and argues what I realize is the rather radical thesis that Mark intended a connection between the events of these verses that has never been fully and properly understood.

scholarly journals Who is the sinner? The view of Karl Barth

2007 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
F.J. Van Zyl
Keyword(s):  
Jesus Christ ◽  
Karl Barth ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Death Of Jesus ◽  
The Cross

This article focuses on Karl Barth’s view of the human being as sinner. In accordance with his christological approach to all theological matters, the article aims to argue that Barth describes the image and character of the sinner as mirrored by the obedient suffering and vicarious death of Jesus Christ on the cross in the place of all sinners of all times – past, present and future. According to Barth, the price that God paid in surrendering God’s only Son to such suffering indicates the enormous guilt and existence of every sinner. All human beings are hopelessly in debt and can only be delivered from sin through God’s graceful remission of sin.

scholarly journals Witnesses to the truth: Mark’s point of view

2016 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deven K. MacDonald ◽  
Ernest Van Eck
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
Gospel Of Mark ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Implied Reader ◽  
Role Function ◽  
Death Of Jesus ◽  
The Cross

This article presents a narratological reading of the Gospel of Mark with special attention given to the role, function and rhetorical impact of point of view. It is argued that through the use of ‘witnesses’ ranging from the omniscient narrator, to the character God, to the Old Testament Scriptures, the author of Mark presents a point of view that his implied reader would find difficult to counter. In addition to this, the article demonstrates that the motifs of allegiance, misunderstanding and opposition in the Second Gospel are almost entirely confined to the adoption or rejection of the point of view being advocated for by the author of Mark. In the end, it is shown that only in the death of Jesus on the cross and the subsequent ‘centurion’s confession’ are the motifs resolved and is the point of view of Mark accepted by a human character.

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