Week 2 529 Christian Ethics and the Kingdom

Christian Ethics:

Christian Ethics 2 Peter 2:19, “man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.” Christian-someone in an ongoing intimate relationship with Jesus Christ Where I stand on something depends on where I have been sitting We all have a context…we all came from someone and from somewhere

Scripture and the Life of Jesus:

Scripture and the Life of Jesus Goal is to discover principles that guide our decision-making Principles are general ethical goals that guide human actions Principles are the basis of obligations and rules or commandments Obligations-actions and loyalties that we owe others; Duties which follow from rules

Principles, Rules, Obligations:

Principles, Rules, Obligations Reference point/person for Christian Ethics Jesus’ life reveal an agape ethic Agape-the love of decision regardless of feelings, a love of sacrifice 1 John 3:16-Lay down our lives 1 John 3:18-Love in actions and truth, not words or tongue

The Kingdom:

The Kingdom Goal is to identify the common theme or thread throughout Jesus’ ministry The Kingdom-permeates all of Jesus’ teaching and ministry WDJD precedes WWJD Contemporary application depends on time travel Understanding where Jesus stands today requires us to consider where he was sitting

Time Travel:

Time Travel Context of First Century Palestine-religious, political, economic, social Journey is important because the Bible is not a book of moral codes or an ethic’s textbook Dennis Hollinger-”Compendium of letters, poetry, narratives, visions, discourses, prayers and laments—all directed to particular situations and times”

First Century Palestine:

First Century Palestine Jesus lived in a particular time The more detailed our understanding of his context, the better we understand the Kingdom and its timeless principles Class Prayer Requests First and Second Second class-limited understanding, see things in black and white, a second class understanding of the life of Jesus

Exegesis Before Hermeneutics:

Exegesis Before Hermeneutics First identify the meaning of the biblical text in its original context Only then can we transport the meaning across the bridge of time Facts, Interpretation, Application Essential to understand the values, norms, intergroup relations of this ancient society Society is different today, but people/human nature is quite similar then and now

Old vs. New Galilean Agrarian vs. Post Modern Kraybill, Donald, The Upside-Down Kingdom, Herald Press:

Old vs. New Galilean Agrarian vs. Post Modern Kraybill , Donald, The Upside-Down Kingdom, Herald Press Ancient cultural setting is not a “interpret the biblical materials liability when we take time to in their cultural context” Distribution and use of power Border issues and foreign nationals Poverty Sickness Economic Oppression Slavery Corrupt political leadership Corrupt religious leadership Arrogant individualism Infusion of sin and evil in the values and social structures then and now Hence Kraybill , 25 explains:

A Supracultural Jesus?:

A Supracultural Jesus? Preference for a supracultural Jesus-wouldn’t anything less limit His influence? Who is in the details, the devil or Jesus? Jesus’ relevance would decrease if he were supracultural The fact that his life and ministry are grounded in a particular milieu is the key to their relevance Culture clarifies the message of the kingdom, rather than hiding or antiquating it.

The Upside-Down Kingdom:

The Upside-Down Kingdom Jesus personified and ushered in a new kingdom Mark 1-”After me will come one more powerful than I…I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” Core value or principle of this kingdom is love (agape) This kingdom inevitably came into conflict with the social values of his day, it was upside-down to the norm Kingdom exists wherever the spirit of God rules Members of the kingdom-those who obey the King

Christian Ethics and the Kingdom Summary:

Christian Ethics and the Kingdom Summary My ability to make moral and ethical decisions (decisions which reflect the kingdom ideal of agape love) Is directly proportional to the quality of my relationship with Jesus (the King) Human nature is consistent in both ancient and modern society Goal of exegesis is to first discover Jesus in the details of 1 st Century Palestine

Christian Ethics and the Kingdom Summary:

Christian Ethics and the Kingdom Summary Hermeneutics is taking the principles we see in Jesus’ relationships and kingdom priorities and applying then in our lives today The decisions and behavior which result from these principles will be upside-down (in opposition) to the values of society Kingdom membership effects all levels of our life Christianity is always social