Topic > The humanity of Jesus and his role as savior in the books of Matthew and John

The four canonical gospels of the Bible are all intended to educate religious groups about the existence and purpose of Jesus Christ. However, the four gospels do not describe this teaching in the same way. Indeed, the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of John vary greatly in nature, particularly with respect to the humanity of Christ and the specific ways in which humans are counseled to achieve salvation. However, although the gospels often differ in character, they both clearly state the same means by which humans can achieve liberation. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Essentially, the gospels of Matthew and John both emphasize the idea that salvation can only be achieved through Jesus Christ. Matthew describes salvation as receiving the same reward that Jesus the prophet receives; as Jesus teaches: “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive the reward of a prophet; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous” (New Oxford Annotated Bible Matt. 10.40-41). In this statement, Jesus implies that since God sent him to earth, and God will reward him with salvation, then the only way for individuals to receive the same salvation is to welcome and accept Jesus and his teachings. Similarly, in John, welcoming Christ leads to salvation, as is professed: "just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life" (John 3.14-15). Although the precise method by which Jesus provides salvation to his followers differs between the two gospels, both share the statement that eternal salvation can only be achieved through acceptance of Christ and his stated purpose on Earth. A closer examination of the relationship between Christ and God provides critical insight into the apparent humanity of the person of Christ. In Matthew, the relationship between Christ and God reflects the belief that the connection between God and Jesus is that they have a similar (but not identical) substance, a principle known as homoiousion. There is no indication that Jesus existed before his appearance on Earth, a belief common to Judaism, the established religion before the arrival of Christ. Instead, Jesus refers to God as “he who sent him,” implying that he was created by God to become a prophet on Earth (Matthew 10:40). Furthermore, Jesus deliberately distinguishes himself from the Holy Spirit, since he teaches: «Whoever speaks against the Son of man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, neither in this world nor in the world to come. come" (Mt 12:32). By calling himself “Son of Man,” Jesus implies that he shares humanity with humanity, a concept that the idea of ​​the Holy Trinity disavows. The belief that Christ's nature is humanistic greatly influences how his teachings are portrayed, which in turn has a significant impact on the foundations of any Bible-based religion. Christ's relationship with Jews and Gentiles supports his human nature and resulting distinction from God. This most likely stems from the fact that the book of Matthew, unlike the book of John, is one of the synoptic gospels. The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) all appear to be written to specifically address those from a Jewish background, most likely in the hope of reaching a wider audience. As a result, many of theconcepts intrinsic to the teachings are directly related to Judaism. For example, Jesus reminds his followers: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill. Truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not a letter, not a word of a letter, will pass from the law until everything is accomplished" (Mt 5:17-18). Adherence to the mitzvoth (religious laws) and prophecies of the Old Testament are identifying characteristics of Judaism. The Jewish perspective has a great impact on how the writer communicates the precise purpose of Jesus on Earth and the necessary actions of those who follow him. Therefore, the Gospel focuses more on the actual works of followers than on their faith as the basis for their judgment by God. A proverb about the relationship between slave and master, for example, supports this idea because it is said that "blessed is the slave whom his master will find at work upon his arrival" (Mt 24:46). Describing Jesus as advocating the need for concrete laws, the writer appeals to Jews by aligning Christianity with their ideological concepts. More importantly, this depiction communicates to the reader once again that Christ has been placed in a very human position, as his role is directly connected to the promotion of specific human behavior rather than the cultivation of a spiritual existence. Clearly, Jesus' humanity has a crucial impact on the portrayal of Jesus' teachings in the Book of Matthew. Although both gospels affirm that Christ is the only vehicle through which to achieve salvation, the exact way in which Christ leads followers to deliverance differs greatly. . In Matthew, salvation is achieved through the enlightenment that Jesus brings. Thus, on the day of judgement, Jesus will be able to verify that the soul has followed his teachings. A good summary of this is found in chapter 10: “Whoever therefore acknowledges me before others, him will I also acknowledge before my Father which is in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven... whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Mt 10,32-33). Christ is presented by the writer as the one who brings to humanity the knowledge of how to live according to the will of God. Since Jesus will effectively represent their good works, men will be able to obtain salvation by following the teachings of Jesus. This interpretation reinforces the humanistic characterization of Jesus that Matthew continually affirms. While the Gospel of Matthew appears to be written from a Jewish context, the Gospel of John incorporates some elements of Gnosticism into its teachings and consequently presents Jesus in a very different manner. Gnosticism was the belief that each soul contains a broken piece of the same soul that God is made up of, and that certain knowledge will teach how to free the soul so that it can return to God. The opening of the gospel contains many Gnostic elements: « In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In the beginning he was with God. All things were created through him, and without him nothing was created" (John 1:1 -3). Jesus, who is the Word, is united to God by a common soul; it pre-existed with God and was necessary for beings to exist: a relationship known as homoiousion. This vision differs greatly from the perspective seen in Matthew, which is that of a humanist prophet. Rather than existing only as a prophet, the person of Jesus in John exists to connect God's eternal soul with sinful human souls on Earth. His apparent substance and shared existence with God casts him in a divine light, in stark contrast to the humanistic figure found in Matthew. Furthermore, it is interesting to note that, 2001.