MODULE 2: THE STORY OF JESUS: PROCLAIMING THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Week 7 LESSON A: JESUS OF NAZARETH

Canvas: Link to the film The Young Messiah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGOJ_yJ2Nn4
New Testament Times

I. Jesus of Nazareth Palestine under the sons of

Jesus of Nazareth was born around 7-6 B.C. Herod the Great
and started His ministry sometime in A.D. 28-30
when He was baptized by John the Baptist in the
Jordan. Jesus did and taught many things during His
3-year ministry, but His main message is
summarized in Mk 1, 15: “The time is fulfilled, and
the Kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent and
believe in the Gospel.” Jesus was so engrossed and
taken in by the Kingdom of God. Ito ang Kanyang
bukang bibig! What is this Kingdom? It is reality that
cannot be pinned down to a definition. Jesus Himself
referred to it mostly by using parables. However, in
general it has two main features:
1. The Kingdom of God is the sovereign
presence of God as salvific action in the present
history. The miracles of Jesus show that it is reality
of the present moment, They concretely manifest
that there is an in-breaking of God’s salvation now.
When received with faith, it liberates a person from evil and liberates him for the good.
Here we see the two aspects of Christian liberation – freedom from and freedom for.
2. At the eschatological state, it inaugurates the new world of the final resurrection.
The Kingdom of God is the state when God completely reigns, when His “will is done here
on earth as it is heaven” (Mt. 6, 10).
 There is no discontinuity between the above two features of the Kingdom. That
which at the end will be fully visible and transparent is already at work in the here and
now, though in a hidden
manner. So the Kingdom is at Roman Empire in Christ’s time
the same time already here
and not yet.
Jesus not only preached
the Kingdom of God. By His
own person and life, He is the
parable of the Kingdom. He
told His disciples: “The
coming of the Kingdom of
God does not admit of
observation and there will be
no one to say, ‘Look, it is
here! Look, it is there!’ For
look, the Kingdom of God is
among you” (Lk 17, 20-21).

The ministry of Jesus was

capped by His passion, Death and Resurrection, which taken together is referred to as
the Paschal Mystery. As a prophet He had to die, but His Resurrection definitely
confirmed before the eyes of His disciples the truth of His words and entire mission. At
the Pentecost, under the illumination of the Holy Spirit, His disciples proclaimed Him not
only as the Christ but as the sole Lord and Saviour, as the Son of God made man. The
full light of Jesus’ divinity came only after the experiences of the Resurrection and the
Pentecost.
II. Writings of Paul
In the beginning, the apostles simply preached orally as they bore witness to the
Lord’s resurrection. They followed the Lord’s mandate to them: “Go therefore, make
disciples of all nations; baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you” (Mt 28, 19-20). “It is
written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that in his
name repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all nations, beginning
from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this” (Lk 24, 46-47).
 The Scriptures or Writings for the apostles, as for Jesus, are our present Old
Testament books. So when Timothy was told, “Remember who your teachers were and
how, ever since you were a child, you have known the Holy Scriptures” (2Tim 3, 15), what
was referred to were Old Testament writings. But soon the first Christian writings
appeared as witnesses and instruments for the furtherance of the living traditions of and
about Jesus. Gradually these new writings were also referred to as Scriptures. We
already find a hint of this tendency to treat some New Testament writings at par with the
traditional Scriptures in the Second Letter of Peter. Here he was referring to the letters of
Paul. “Think of the Lord’s patience as your opportunity to be saved; our brother Paul, who
is so dear to us, told you this when he wrote to you with the wisdom that he was given.
He makes this point too in his letters as a whole whenever he touches on these things. In
all his letters there are of course some passages which are hard to understand and these
are the ones that uneducated and
unbalanced people distort, in the
same way that they distort the rest
of scripture, to their own
destruction” (2 Pt 3, 15-16)

The first texts of our New

Testament writings are the letters
written by Paul. Between A.D. 50
and 60, Paul wrote 1
Thessalonians, 1 and 2
Corinthians, Romans, Galatians,
Philippians and Philemon. These
letters are incontestably Pauline.
This means that they really came
from the apostle Paul. The letters to
the Colossians, Ephesians and
Philemon are called Letters of Imprisonment, because they were supposedly written
by Paul while in prison in Rome. Many scholars at present doubt the Pauline authorship
of 2Thessalonians, Colossians and Ephesians, referring to them as the Deutero -
Pauline Letters. The 80s or even the 90s saw the Pastoral Letters (Titus and 1 and 2
Timothy), called such because they were addressed to pastors and most of their content
was on how the pastors should lead the Church of God. Highly doubted as coming from
Paul, these Pastoral Letters also belong to the Deutero – Pauline category. The letter to
the Hebrews came after A.D. 70. Since early times, people have already doubted its
Pauline origin. At the most, it had been written by a disciple of Paul. It developed the
universal priestly mediation of Christ to strengthen the Christians against apostasy.
These letters of Paul or attributed to him, form a third of the New Testament
writings. They are testimonies to how the Gospel transformed persons and communities.
They also present to us the problems that these transformations brought along, together
with the solutions that Paul and his followers proposed for them.

III. Synoptic Gospels

“It is common knowledge that among all the Scriptures, even those of the New
Testament, the Gospels have a special pre-eminence, and rightly so, for they are the
principal witnesses for the life and teaching of the Incarnate Word, our Saviour” (DV #18).
This text of the Magisterium tells us the pre-eminence that we give to the Gospels. We
tend to identify the Gospels with the life of Jesus. Yes, they are about Jesus, but not in
the literary genre of the biography. The Gospels are not biographies of Jesus but
testimonies of faith about Him. They are documents of faith. More than mirroring the life
of Jesus, they reflect back to us the faith of the early Christian communities about Jesus.
This is why although only one Jesus of Nazareth lived on earth, we have four accounts
about him – the four Gospels. His words, His life, particularly His Passion, Death and
Resurrection are seen in different ways by various Christian groups.
Of the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the first three are called
Synoptics because they follow almost the same development in their accounts. They
can be placed side by side so that at a glance their similarities and differences can be
noticed. There are great similarities among the three because of common oral traditions,
common written sources and the interdependence among themselves. On the other hand,
the differences in the accounts are due to various writers, points of view and theologies,
and the diverse situations and problems of the communities to which they are destined.
Despite these differences however, we can be confident that all of them tell us what Jesus
did and said. “The sacred authors wrote the four gospels, selecting some things from the
many which had been handed on by word of mouth or in writing, reducing some of them
to a synthesis, explaining some things in view of the situation of their churches, and
preserving the form of proclamation but always in such a fashion that they told us the
honest truth about Jesus” (DV # 19).
The Synoptics appeared between A.D. 65 and 85. The Christian movement was then
more than 30 years old. The Church was already diffused and far from the days of Jesus
and the Pentecost. Since the first eye witness of Jesus were already disappearing from
the scene of this life, some permanent written references were needed. With the eye
witnesses gone, there could be a danger of distorting the Gospel of one were to trust only
oral memory. Written tradition assures orthodoxy. Besides, some form of ordering of the
faith is needed for better transmission. Hence, Luke expressed in the prologue of his
Gospel:
Seeing that many others have undertaken to draw up accounts of the events that
have reached their fulfillment among us, as these were handed down to us by
those who from the outset were eye witnesses and ministers of the word, I in my
turn, after carefully going over the whole story from the beginning, have decided
to write an ordered account… (Lk 4, 1-4).
Of the Synoptics, Mark’s is probably the Gospel written first, circa A.D. 65. It was
written for the Christians of Rome who recently came over from paganism. They were
now experiencing oppositions, and even more persecutions, because of their new-found
faith. We must keep in mind that Emperor Nero blamed the great fire of Rome in A.D. 64
to the Christians. This brought about persecutions and antagonisms towards the new
movement. It was during this period of persecution that Peter and Paul were martyred in
the Holy City.
The Gospel of Mark has a vivid and picturesque style, making the readers come
in immediate contact with the deeds of Jesus. The plan of the whole Gospel is given in
the very first verse: “The beginning of the Gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God”
(Mk 1, 1). In this Gospel, there is a progressive revelation of Jesus as the Christ and Son
of God. It ends with the profession of the pagan Roman centurion when he saw Jesus
dead on the cross: “Truly this was the Son of God” (Mk 15, 39). We can say that Mark’s
is the Gospel of the Catechumenate. It serves as a good guide for the gradual reception
of the “mystery of the Kingdom of God” (Mk 4, 11), following the footsteps of the 12
apostles of Jesus.
Matthew’s Gospel was written around A.D. 85 for the Jewish Christians of
Palestine. The destruction of Jerusalem (A.D. 70) under Titus, caused by the Jewish
revolt of A.D. 66-72, made the Jews more anxious and defensive about their identity.
Once again they lost their Temple. This caused them to seriously consider who they were
as a people since the Temple which had been their rallying point was no longer there.
This search for identity made them reject the fringe groups of Jewish leaders, tended to
dilute the Jewishness of their movement. So gradually the Jews distanced themselves
from the Christians who came from Judaism felt this marginalization very much. Matthew
wrote to them his Gospel to strengthen them. His Gospel stressed the idea that Jesus is
the Christ promised in the Hebrew Scriptures from the beginning. So in fact they, the
Christians, are the real heirs of the promises of God in the Scriptures. Therefore they
should not be troubled because God in Jesus is with them. He is the promised Emmanuel
(cf. Mt 1, 23) and will continue to be with them till the end of time (cf. Mt 28, 20).
Matthew’s is the Gospel of the Catechists for here we find the most extensively
treated and in an organized form the teachings of Jesus in the formation of the Church.
In the Gospel of Matthew, the teachings of Jesus are grouped together into five blocks of
discourses (Mt 5-7; 10; 13; 18; 24-25). Probably he imitated the five books of Moises, as
if trying to tell the readers that here is a new Moses with a new set of teachings. In this
Gospel, the concern for the Church is great. In fact, it is the only Gospel in which Jesus
Himself directly mentioned the word “church” (Mt 16, 18; 18, 17).
Luke’s Gospel is altogether of another context. It was written by a Gentile Christian
(Luke was most probably a Gentile) to Gentile Christians of Asia Minor. As the prologue
to the Gospel says, Theopilus (either an individual or a fictitious person standing for the
readers), the addressee of the Gospel, was already a Christian. The accounts of this
Gospel gave an orderly presentation of the faith and in this way, aimed to confirm him in
his faith (Lk 1, 1-4). This Gospel then was written for already formed Christians (the
Gospel of the Formed Christians). It was meant to be a Gospel of Christian testimony
in the world.
 Luke gave special features to the face of Christ. He presented Jesus as Lord and
Saviour of all men, but especially of the sinners, the poor, the women, the children; in a
word, those who are marginalized in society. This Gospel was written at about the same
time as Matthew’s – around A.D. 85.
Luke’s Gospel has a second
volume. It is continued by the Book The nations as presented by Acts 2, 9-10
All nations came to witness the Pentecost
of the Acts of the Apostles, the
only literary work in the New
Testament of the historical writing
genre. The Acts of the Apostles
presented the Good News as
announced and testified by the
Apostolic Church before all the then
known peoples – “We are
Parthians, Medes and Elamites,
inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea
and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and
the districts of Libya near Cyrene,
as well as travelers from Rome,
both Jews and converts from
Judaism, Cretans and Arabs” (Acts 2, 9-11).
The structure that the Acts of the Apostles follows was geographically traced by
Jesus Himself to His disciples before He ascended to heaven: “You will be my witnesses
in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 2, 8).
The book opens with the activities of the group of disciples in Jerusalem, then the group
extends its work to the surrounding regions. Towards the middle part of the book, the
focus is set on Paul as a prisoner in Rome, the capital of the Roman Empire that reaches
to the “ends of the earth.” This book ends thus, in an open way – parang bitin! (i.e.,
somewhat hanging). This ending draws a parallel between the condition of Paul in Rome
and the perennial situation of the Church: a prisoner and an evangelizer at the same time,
hemmed in yet able to spread the Good News.
The Acts of the Apostles traces the first 30 years of the Church through the labors of
chose men, particularly Peter and Paul. The first 12 chapters give a lot of space to the
works of Peter while the last 16 chapters almost exclusively cover the apostolic endeavors
and journeys of Paul. In spite of the divergences of the persons who carried out the
mission, the book is given unity by the one protagonist active in the entire book – the Holy
Spirit. So the Book of the Acts of the Apostles is lovingly referred to by others as the
Gospel of the Holy Spirit. This book clearly shows that the works of the Apostles in the
establishment of the Church have been initiated, prepared and sustained by the ever
active presence of the Holy Spirit.
IV. The Johannine Writings
 A collection of New Testament writings is known as the Johannine Writings because
scholars have found in them enough common literary styles and theological trends to
group them around the Gospel of John. They claim that these writings had either been
written by John or by some of his disciples. This Johannine literary corpus is made up of
the Gospel of John, 1, 2 and 3 John, and the Book of Revelation.
The authors of these letters were most probably the disciples of James, Jude and
Peter, or persons who used their names as pseudonyms. These letters were written quite
late, sometime between A.D. 90 and 120. Probably the latest one to be written is 2 Peter.
If so, then this letter closes the New Testament writings, ending the period of scriptural
revelation.
 MODULE 2: THE STORY OF JESUS: PROCLAIMING THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Week 7 Lesson B: THE KINGDOM (REIGN) OF GOD FOR JESUS
Service is the value that leads us to give ourselves to others in a habitual, firm, and decisive way.
It leads us to give the best of ourselves and our talents for the good of others without expecting anything in
return. This value leads us also to the central moral message of Jesus in his teachings, the Kingdom of
God.

The central moral message of Jesus in his teachings is the Kingdom of God. This Kingdom of God
is deeply rooted in the spirit of service as exemplified by Christ. Unfortunately, sometimes we do not grasp
fully the meaning of this phrase - Kingdom of God. Before we try to understand “the kingdom of God,” we
need to know first the context of the word “kingdom.” In everyday language, “kingdom” means a place
where a king reigns. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for example, is the largest country in the Middle East
where King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud rules. But when Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God, he did
not think in terms of place or locality. What Jesus proclaimed when he said “the kingdom of God is at hand”
was not the approach of a place where God rules, but rather the dawning of God’s kingly authority on earth.
Thus, when we read the phrase “kingdom of God” in the Gospels, we need to think in terms of God’s reign,
rule, authority, or sovereignty.

Jesus Proclaims the Kingdom of God in Parables

Throughout his earthly ministry, Jesus preached about the kingdom of God. He used parables to
proclaim the kingdom of God in order to point out clearly the message he wanted to convey. Parables are
analogical stories which illustrate a moral lesson and generally feature human characters in their ordinary
way of life. In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus described the kingdom of God in a number of parables. This
description shows the essential qualities of the kingdom of God.

1. Its creative and growing power

The Parable of the Mustard Seed represents the active growth of the Church from small
beginnings even it was confronted by numerous hindrances. Just like a mustard seed when sown upon the
ground, is the smallest of all the seeds yet when it is sown, it grows up and ends up as a giant plant. This
parable of the mustard seed offers hope and encourages all of us to be true disciples of Christ. There are
times that our mission seems overwhelming and difficult to do but we must remember that with God's
power and guidance, everything will be possible.

The Parable of the Leaven/Yeast represents the progress of the Church in spite the outspread of
sin. Yeast is a fermented dough used in baking that when a small amount is added, it will cause the dough
to rise, which is how bread is made into large loaves. The yeast represents the Kingdom of God and the
dough is the world. The yeast slowly grows into something much larger like the Kingdom of God. It is
also important to note that yeast is unnoticeable when added to the dough. The Kingdom of God is
likewise a growth that you can't see happening but it is happening. If it seems at times like God isn't
present in the world around you then don't get discouraged because the Kingdom of God is always
growing.
 2. Its precious value that cannot be measured

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure represents the preciousness of the Kingdom of God which
has the greatest worth and cannot be compared with anything else. In the parable of the treasure, a man
working and tilling a field finds a treasure hidden in it. He rejoices upon finding it but keeps it secret, and
hoping to make use of it, he carefully hides it again in the field, so that no one else would find the
treasure; and he goes and sells everything that he possesses and buys the field. Now he is the owner of the
field and has a right to the treasure. Now, this parable instructs believers to prefer the Kingdom of God
over the whole world, and therefore to deny themselves and all the desires of the flesh, that nothing may
prevent them from obtaining that precious possession.

The Parable of the Pearl also represents the great value of the Kingdom of God. “The pearl” is,
in a certain sense, Christ himself and we are the merchants or traders who give up everything we have
when we have found Christ. He alone gives meaning to all the sacrifices of a Christian life. These are not
really “sacrifices,” but the search for a love that has already been proven.

3. Its universality, including good and bad

The Parable of the Dragnet teaches that the good and evil who live at the same time on earth
will be completely separated in the day of judgment. The net is the gospel which pulls people into the
visible church. But among those in the visible church is a mixture of faithful believers and the unfaithful
ones. These faithful believers who lived according to the will of God will enter God’s kingdom and the
unfaithful ones will be thrown into hell.

The Beatitudes / Sermon on the Mount

Christian hope originated when Jesus preached the Beatitudes. The term Beatitude comes from the
Latin adjective beatus which means happy or blessed. The Beatitudes are a set of teachings or solemn
blessings by Jesus that respond to the desire for happiness which God has placed in the human heart.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3-10

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

"Poor in spirit" means to be humble. Humility is the realization that all your gifts and blessings
come from the grace of God. To have poverty of spirit means to be completely empty and open to the
Word of God. When we are an empty cup and devoid of pride, we are humble. Humility brings an
openness and an inner peace, allowing one to do the will of God. He who humbles himself is able to
accept our frail nature, to repent, and to allow the grace of God to lead us to conversion.

2. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted

If we are humble and appreciate that all of our gifts and blessings come from God, we grow in love
and gratitude for Jesus Christ our Savior. But this can only produce mourning and regret over our own
sins and the sins of this world, for we have hurt the one who has been so good to us. Mourning in this
context is called a blessing, because mourning our fallen nature creates in us a desire to improve ourselves
and to do what is right! Those who mourn" speaks of those who express deep sorrow over sin, or those
who repent from their sins. The freedom found in the forgiveness of sins and the joy of eternal salvation is
the "comfort" of those who repent.

3. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth

A humble person becomes meek, or becomes gentle and kind, and exhibits a docility of spirit, even
in the face of adversity and hardship. A person that is meek is one that exhibits self-control. St. Augustine
advises us to be meek in the face of the Lord, and not resist but be obedient to him. Obedience and
submission to the will of God are certainly not in vogue these days, but they will bring one peace in this
world and in the next.

4. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied

Righteousness means being in complete accordance with what is just, honorable, and godly. You could
say that righteousness is a life style that is in complete conformity to the will of God. It is a lifestyle that
Jesus not only finds pleasing, but one that he approves of. Having a righteous life is what also fills the true
believer with peace and joy. And because of their spiritual enlightenment they realize that nothing can be
more perfect, more pure, and more pleasing to Our Heavenly Father then living a life that he totally approves
of.

5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy

Mercy is the loving disposition towards those who suffer distress. The merciful are those that are tender
hearted and who truly feel in the deepest parts of their beings the pain and the suffering of those who need
mercy. But most importantly is the fact that the merciful are those special individuals who go out of their
way and make the effort to help. Having compassion on those that are in any way hurting is only the first
part of having mercy. Doing something about it, is the all important second part. We who have received
God's rich mercy are merciful because the grace of God makes us that way.

6. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God

To be pure of heart means to be free of all selfish intentions and self-seeking desires. The path to a
pure heart begins with the realization that we have impure hearts. This beatitude tells us if we are pure in
heart then we will see God. The reward for this beatitude is truly marvellous because when the believer
becomes pure in heart, not only will they see God as they pass into heaven immediately upon their death,
but they will see God right now, not with their natural eye, but through their spiritual vision, through their
faith in Jesus Christ. For the pure in heart will see God in all his glory in every single thing that they see.
To the pure in heart, God will become extremely visible.

7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God

Peacemakers not only live peaceful lives but also try to bring peace and friendship to others, and to
preserve peace between God and man. Hence the Lord wants you first to be yourself filled with the
blessings of peace and then to communicate it to those who have need of it. By imitating God's love of
man, the peacemakers become children of God.

8. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the
Kingdom of Heaven

The persecution that is being referred to in this beatitude is not for misdeeds or evil acts, but for the
practice of doing righteousness. The truth is, everyone who lives a Godly life in Christ will be persecuted.
If no one is persecuting you, it is because you are not living the Christian life and shining as lights in the
world. It is very true that persecution is the cost of being a Christian, because the believer must reckon upon
hardships and troubles much more than other men. At first glance persecution looks to be a truly horrible
experience. But even though persecution usually isn't pleasant, it does have the greatest reward, the
Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus Proclaims the Kingdom of God in Deeds

Jesus proclaimed God’s kingdom not only in words but also in deeds. These actions both
manifested the reality of the kingdom of God and made its presence felt. Without these works and deeds,
Jesus’ announcement of the kingdom would be worthless and remain as merely concepts in the minds of
his followers. People would have regarded him as a dreamer or even perhaps as a deceiver.

The works of Jesus that revealed the presence of the kingdom took various forms: these are
healings, exorcisms, miracles, and other symbolic gestures.

1. Healings

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus cured people of different diseases. He became more popular and
significant not only because of his preaching but most especially his authority over the limitations of
human bodies. Some of these were the healing of the lepers, Peter’s mother-in- law who has a fever,
paralyzed man, man with shrivelled hand, woman with haemorrhage, and many others.

2. Exorcisms

Exorcism is the process by which demons are cast out of a person. Jesus repeatedly expelled
demons in the gospel accounts. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus healed the Syrophoenician woman's daughter
who is possessed by an unclean spirit. In Mark’s account, he drove out an evil spirit from a man who was
in the synagogue in Capernaum and also expelled seven demons from Mary Magdalene. And in Luke’s
account, he healed the Gerasene demoniac and exorcized a crippled woman on the sabbath in a
synagogue. His ability to cast out spirits is described as being dependent upon the power of God and this,
in turn, is dependent upon the faith of those around him. It is one ministry of Jesus that serves as a clear
evidence of the presence of the kingdom.

3. Miracles

According to the Gospels, Jesus performed many miracles. The first miracle was the request of
his mother to turn the water into wine during a wedding at Cana. Then in the different gospel accounts,
Jesus multiplied the bread and feeds many people, walked on water, calmed the storm, raised the dead
like Lazarus and the daughter of Jairus, restoring sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, and many
others. Once again, these mighty works were associated with God’s kingdom.

4. Other Symbolic Gestures

The significant works and deeds of Jesus persuaded people to pay attention to his announcement
of the kingdom of God. But aside from these, he did other things that illustrated the kingdom’s presence
and character. Some of which were: eating with social and religious outcasts (tax collectors and sinners)
as a sign of the universality of God’s reign and letting the children to come to him not only because he
loved them, but also to teach something important about the kingdom. “Let the little children come to me;
do not stop them,” Jesus said, “for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs” (Mark 10:14).
Ultimately, some of his most powerful statements about the kingdom would come through symbolic
gestures: the cleansing of the temple, the Last Supper, and the crucifixion itself.

THE MIRACLES OF JESUS CHRIST

MIRACLE MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN
Healing the possessed man in Capernaum 1:23-28 4:33-37
Healing of Peter's Mother-in-law 8:14-15 1:29-31 4:38-39
Cleansing of a Leper 8:1-4 1:40-45 5:12-16
Turning Water to Wine at Cana 2:1-12
The Miraculous Catch of Fish 5:2-11
Healing of a Paralytic 9:1-8 2:1-12 5:18-26
Cure of the Man with a Withered Hand 12:9-14 3:1-6 6:6-10
Healing of Official's Son in Capernaum 4:43-54
Healing of Centurion's Servant 8:5-13 7:2-10
Raising of Widow's Son at Nain 7:11-17
Calming of the Storm at Sea 8:23-27 4:35-41 8:22-25
Cure of the Gerasene Demoniac 8:28-34 5:1-20 8:26-39
Healing of a Paralytic in Bethesda 5:1-47
Cure of Woman afflicted with Hemorrhage 9:20-22 5:25-34 8:43-48
Raising of Jairus' daughter 9:23-26 5:35-43 8:49-56
Healing Two Blind Men 9:27-31
Healing A Possessed Mute 9:32-34
Feeding the 5000 14:13-21 6:34-44 9:10-17 6:1-14
Walking on Water 14:22-33 6:44-52 6:16-21
Healings at Gennesaret 14:34-36 6:53-56
Cure of Syro-Phoenician's Daughter 15:21-28 7:24-30
Healing of Deaf-Mute 7:31-37
Feeding the 4000 15:32-39 8:1-9
Restores Sight to the Blind Man of Bethsaida 8:22-25
Healing of a Man Born Blind 9:1-41
Casting Out of a Dumb Demon 17:14-21 9:14-29 9:37-43
Healing a possessed stooped Woman 13:11-17
Healing of A Man with Dropsy 14:1-6
Cleansing of Ten Lepers 17:11-19
Healing of Blind Bartimaeus of Jericho 10:46-52 18:35-43
Healing of Servant's Ear during Arrest 22:50-52
Healing of Two Blind Men at Jericho 20:29-34
The Raising of Lazarus 11:1-44
 MODULE 2: THE STORY OF JESUS: PROCLAIMING THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Week 8 Lesson C: ENCOUNTERING THE SUFFERING AND RISEN JESUS
A. The Paschal Mystery of Jesus
The Paschal Mystery of Jesus refers to the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. Through
these events in the life of Jesus, he showed his great love and act of service for the world. Through the
Paschal Mystery Jesus saved the world from sin.
Brief Summary:
The day came when his enemies forced Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor in Israel to crucify
Jesus. It happened when Jesus and his friends went to the city of Jerusalem to celebrate the traditional
Passover meal.
Jesus came in triumph. Crowds of people went along with them in procession. They spread their
cloaks as he walked on the road of the city. Others cut branches of trees and used them to honor and
welcome Jesus. Many shouted “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
Then the following Thursday evening Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with his apostles and
friends. During that meal he did several things that were unusual.
First, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. He told them, “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ And
this is right, because that is what I am. I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet. So you also wash
each other’s feet. I did this as an example for you. So you should do as I have done.” Just before he would
leave them to give his life for all, Jesus gave his disciples an example of humble service.
Second, Jesus took some bread, gave thanks to the Father for it, and broke it. Then he gave it to his
disciples and said, “This bread is my body that I am giving for you. Do this to remember me.” In the same
way after supper, Jesus took the cup and said, “This cup shows the new covenant that God makes with his
people. This new covenant begins with my blood which is poured out for you.” With this gesture, Jesus
showed that He wanted to give all his life in love and service for his friends and for everyone. He gave His
own Body as our nourishment and his Blood as the sign of the new covenant of God with us. We remember
this and this is made present in the sacrament of the Eucharist.
Third, Jesus told them that he would suffer and die. One of them would hand him over to the
religious leaders. They would all lose their faith in him. Peter too would disown him thrice before the cock
would crow that evening.
Finally, during that Passover meal which was the last supper of Jesus with his disciples, as he was
about to be taken away from them, He gave them his parting message. He told them to love one another.
He told them that by their love people would come to know that they were his disciples. He also told them
about the Father and the Holy Spirit.
After the meal, they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives, to a place called
Gethsemane. Jesus said to them, “Sit here while I pray.” He walked a little farther away from them. Then
he fell on the ground and prayed to the Father, “Abba, Father! You can do all things. Let me not have this
cup of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want.”
 After Jesus prayed a third time, he went back to his friends and said to them, “The time has come
for the Son of Man to be given to sinful people. Get up! We must go. Here comes the man who has turned
against me.”
Judas came up with many people – leading priests, teachers of the Law, older Jewish leaders – with
swords and clubs. They arrested Jesus and brought him to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest. Then they
brought him to Pilate, the Roman governor. After having Jesus whipped and crowned with thorns, Pilate
sentenced him to die on the cross.
His enemies led him to Golgotha, which means the Place of the Skull. There they nailed him on a
cross. His mother was at the foot of the cross together with John, the disciple whom Jesus loved. At three
o’clock that Friday afternoon Jesus he died.
Jesus suffered, died and offered his life to the Father as a sacrifice for our sins and for the whole
world. Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate allowed him to have
Jesus’ body which Joseph put him a tomb that cut in a wall of rock. Then Joseph closed it by rolling a very
large stone to cover the entrance.
At early Sunday dawn, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and some other
women came to the tomb and brought some sweet-smelling spices to put on the body of Jesus. They found
the stone was already moved away from the entrance. When they went in, they did not find Jesus’ body. It
was empty. Two men in dazzling clothes suddenly stood beside them and said, “Jesus is not here; he has
risen. Remember he told you that the Son of Man would be crucified and would rise again on the third day.”
Jesus indeed rose from the dead. This is the mystery of the Resurrection, the greatest sign that Jesus
is God. As God he overcame sin and death. His rising from the dead is a promise of new life for us.
Passion of the Christ: Notes on the Symbolism
What was the meaning of the evil baby that Satan was holding?

That image of Satan holding an ugly child is an anti-Madonna image. The child represents the
future persecutions of the body of Christ, the Church. The child is ugly because evil is a deformation of
good. The child is stroking the face of Satan because evil perverts what is good. The stroking symbolizes
the love of evil, much like a child would love its mother, but in a perverted way. Remember this image
happens when Jesus is being scourged. His body is being wounded. His body is being persecuted. It is an
image used by Mel Gibson to show Satan flaunting his future plan of persecution of the Church in the
face of the sacrifice of the Lord.

Why is this movie so violent?

The violence you see Jim Caviezel endure as Jesus is really a reflection of the violence that sin
does to our souls. Violence is the effect of sin on our souls. It destroys and disfigures us. It maims us. It
makes us look inhuman, ugly and hideous before the Father. The violence also represents the price of our
redemption. Since Jesus took on our sin, He was made sin for us according to St. Paul, He took on the
punishment of that sin. For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might
become the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21) This is the purpose of the violence in the
film, to get people to realize the price that is paid by the body of Christ when people commit sin and the
price paid by the Savior to set us free.
There was a discussion about the Agony in the Garden scene.

Fr. Sean brought up the idea that the reason Jesus suffered in the Garden was because that is the
moment He took on sin for us. St. Paul says that God the Father made Jesus to be sin. This is the moment
when it happens in the Garden. Since Jesus is the Son of God and God is pure love, taking on the sin of
the world, yours and mine, the sin of a Hitler, a Stalin, a Genghis Kahn, etc., was an excruciating
experience for Him. At that moment, pure Love was forced to coexist with the evil effect of sin in the
agony Jesus experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, what is the snake a reference to?

Genesis 3:15 "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and
hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. Notice that Jesus suffers immensely while
Satan adds to His burden but then Jesus makes a decision to do the will and with that resolve he stomps
on the snake to kill it.

There are plenty of Mass references in this picture.

When Jesus is being stripped, the movie flashes back to the Last Supper when the bread is
brought to the table and uncovered. When Jesus is being elevated on the cross after being nailed to it, we
see a flashback to the Last Supper when Jesus raises the bread and says, This is my body. The apostle
John is shown as the one who remembers these flashbacks and who makes the connection between the
Bread of Life on the cross and the Breaking of the Bread at the Last Supper.

When is the first time we see Mary?

Just as Jesus is arrested and put into chains. She wakes up saying, "Why is this night different
than any other?" And Mary Magdalene responds that this is the night that they were set free from slavery.
Where do these lines come from? They are the words that the youngest says to the oldest at a Jewish
Passover/Seder supper ritual. In this case, the oldest was saying them to the youngest because this was
THE night that would set in motion the plan of salvation to set us free from sin. The new Passover had
begun with Jesus as the Lamb. Maia Morgenstern, a Jewess herself, had the idea to use these lines in the
scene and when she explained them to Mel, he agreed they had to be included in the picture to tie
everything together.

When is the first time we see a maggot?

In the Garden of Gethsemane when you see one crawling in and out of the nostril of Satan. It is a
very quick scene. When do we see a maggot again? When Judas finds himself sitting next to a maggot
infested mule. The maggot represents death and corruption.

In this picture Pontius Pilate was portrayed sympathetically. Why so?

Mel Gibson wanted him to represent the struggle of every man when faced with moral choices. It
was obvious to Pilate that Jesus was an innocent man. It was obvious to Pilate that Barabbas was corrupt.
(It was no accident that his makeup made Barabbas look even more evil and deranged.) To Pilate the right
choice was obvious but he did not make it because of his own fears and the pressure from an unruly
crowd he wanted to appease. Mel's message was that every time we choose sin, the choice is always
obvious like the choice between Barabbas and Jesus. Of course there are times when the temptation that
approaches us is very beautiful in appearance, but down deep inside, we know what the choice should be
and very often we do exactly what Pilate did and afterwards try to wash our hands to relieve our guilt.

Why was there a scene when Jesus falls over the bridge only to find Judas at the bottom?

Judas has just denied Jesus in the Garden. At this moment, Judas represents every man who when
faced with the truth denies it. In this scene, he represents every man who runs away from the truth and
Mel Gibson wanted to remind the audience that you cannot run away and hide from the truth because the
truth will always find you. In this case, Jesus has been arrested, is beaten and falls from the bridge while
hanging in chains right in front of Judas. The Truth found Judas even though he had denied Him and tried
to hide from Him.

Notes on Satan's Placement

Notice that in the picture whenever Satan is shown, he is always in the background moving behind
the scenes. Notice he is always in the background whenever there is intensity and anger in the foreground
directed towards Jesus. This is symbolic of his actions motivating the aggression and intensity of
persecution against the Body of Christ, the Church, and also is symbolic of his responsibility behind all
evil motivations.

The Dove

When Jesus is before Pilate, He notices a dove in the sky above Him. It represents a reminder of
the vertical dimension, the relationship between man and God. We as human beings are often caught up
in the horizontal dimension (relationships with men and worldly affairs) and forget there is a vertical
dimension. The vertical dimension represents the spiritual life, the relationship of a soul with the Father.
The vertical dimension is what is more important and the dove is a reminder to Jesus that the vertical
dimension is in control despite the appearance of the situation.

Why do Mary and Mary Magdalene clean up the blood on the cobble stones after Jesus is
scourged?

It is because it is Jewish tradition to save the blood. Life is in the blood. Blood had to be collected.
This is also representative of the cleaning of the vessels at Mass when a priest is done with the
consecration and giving out the Eucharist. The blood was precious and Jesus' blood particularly is
precious. Notice that they also collected the instruments that made Him bleed at the very end of the film
when you see the crown of thorns, the nails and the hammer at the foot of the cross as they take down the
body of Jesus.

The Miraculous at Golgotha

There is a scene at the crucifixion where Mary Magdalene is the only one who sees a miracle
happen. It is a very quick scene and it happens when she is on her knees (notice that the only ones on their
knees are Mary, John and the Magdalene at the crucifixion). Jesus has been nailed to the cross and the
Romans are turning it over. You expect Jesus to smash His face into the ground when the cross falls over
but it does not happen. Instead what you see is the Magdalene looking up to see that the cross is floating
above the ground. She is the only one to see that Jesus is floating a few inches above the ground the entire
time that they are hammering the nails on the back of the cross to secure them. It is a representation of
God still in control of the whole crucifixion process.

Jesus Meets his Mother on the Via Dolorosa

Every time that Jesus meets His mother Mary along His Passion He is strengthened and has new
resolve. This is especially noticeable after Jesus is scourged the first time. The Romans have beat him
over 70 times and He has collapsed. He sees Mary and finds the strength to stand up much to the dismay
and surprise of the Roman soldiers who then decide to use a more vicious whip with metal tips. This
scene represents the idea that Mary is living proof to Jesus that the sacrifice He is about to make for
mankind is not in vain. The film shows that Jesus comes to a decision to continue on the path to Calvary
each time they look at each other. Some say it reinforces the idea of Mary as co-redemptrix.

Simon of Cyrene

Simon of Cyrene represents every man who is faced with the cross and does not want to carry it.
He also represents those who do not want to help others carry their crosses. Yet, in this film he also
represents the person who is forced to carry the cross and then becomes so engaged with Christ that he
wants a deeper relationship with Him. The arms of Jesus and Simon the Cyrene are intertwined as they
carry the cross together and that image represents the efforts of each soul carrying its cross with the help
of the Savior. That final look that Simon gives Jesus after he has finished helping Him, represents the
longing of every soul to have a deeper relationship with the Lord after coming face to face with Him. It
was through carrying the cross that Simon came to have a desire to have an intimate relationship with
Jesus much like that of the soul who longs to know Christ better in the midst of suffering.

Judas

Notice in the Garden of Gethsemane scene when Judas denies Jesus that the Lord never takes His
eyes off of him when he denies Him. The Lord never takes His eyes off of Judas even when Judas runs
away. That is representative of the Lord's own relationship with us. Jesus never takes His eyes off of us
when we deny Him or turn away from Him.

B. The Resurrection of Jesus

The Resurrection was basically Jesus’ passage from death to new, definitive glorified life. It is the
belief that Jesus returned to bodily life on the third day following his death by crucifixion. It is a key element
of Christian faith and theology.

Gospel Narratives

• Mark
Just after sunrise on the day after the Sabbath three women, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of
James, and Salome, come to anoint Jesus' body, wondering how they can roll the rock away from the
tomb; but they find the rock already rolled aside and a young man in white inside; he tells them that Jesus
is risen, and that they should tell Peter and the disciples that he will meet them in Galilee, "just as he told
you." The women run away and tell no one. Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He
first appeared to Mary Magdalene.

• Matthew
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake
had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat
upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for
fear of him and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you
are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see
the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold,
He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” And they left the
tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and
greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus *said to them,
“Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

• Luke
Just after sunrise on the day after the Sabbath a number of women (Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary
the mother of James, and others) come to anoint Jesus' body. They find the stone rolled away and the tomb
empty. Suddenly two men stand beside them. The men tell them Jesus is risen. The women tell the disciples,
but the disciples do not believe them, except for Peter who runs to the tomb. Peter finds the grave-clothes
in the empty tomb and goes away, wondering. The same day Jesus appears to two of his followers on the
road to Emmaus. They fail to recognize him until he breaks bread and gives thanks, and he then vanishes.
The two go at once to Jerusalem where they find the disciples exclaiming over Jesus' appearance to Peter.
As they tell their story Jesus appears to them all. They are afraid, but he invites them to touch his body, eats
with them, and explains the prophecies which are fulfilled in him.

• John
Early on the day after the Sabbath, before sunrise, Mary Magdalene visits the tomb and finds the
stone rolled away. She tells Peter and "the beloved disciple," who run to the tomb and find the grave-clothes,
then go home. Mary sees two angels and then Jesus, whom she does not recognize. Jesus tells her to tell the
disciples that he is ascending to the Father, and Mary tells the disciples she has seen the Lord.

That evening Jesus appears among them, despite locked doors, and gives them power over sin and
forgiveness of sin. A week later he appears to doubting Thomas who has not believed, but when Thomas is
instructed to touch the wounds of Jesus he says, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus replies: "Because you have
seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Importance of Christ’s Resurrection

1. Resurrection confirmed everything Christ had done and taught.
It fulfilled both Jesus’ triple prediction of his Passion, Death and Resurrection in the Synoptics, and
his triple prediction of being “lifted up” in John’s Gospel. Christ’s exaltation vindicated all he claimed to
be, as he himself asserted in his trial before the high priest.
2. Resurrection confirmed Jesus’ divinity.
St. Paul preached that Jesus was “designated Son of God in power according to the Spirit of
holiness by his resurrection from the dead”. Upon seeing the Risen Jesus, Thomas cried out, “My Lord and
my God!”
3. The Risen Christ is the principle and source of our future resurrection.
This means Jesus rose not only to a “glorious” higher state of life himself, but also to become the
source of this new life for all. “He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the
power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself”.
Easter Triduum
Easter Triduum, Holy Triduum, or Paschal Triduum is the period of three days that begins with the
Mass of the Lord's Supper on the evening of Maundy Thursday (the vigil of Good Friday) and ends with
evening prayer on Easter Sunday. It recalls the passion, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, as portrayed
in the canonical Gospels.

Holy Thursday/Maundy Thursday

The Triduum begins with the Mass of the Lord's Supper on the evening before Good Friday.
• During the Gloria in Excelsis Deo, all church bells may be rung and the organ played;
afterwards, bells and organ are silenced until the Gloria of the Easter Vigil.
• After the homily of the Mass a ritual washing of the feet is envisaged.
• The Mass concludes with a procession of the Blessed Sacrament to the altar of repose.
• Eucharistic adoration is encouraged after this, but if continued after midnight should be done
without outward solemnity.
• All altars, except the altar of repose, are then stripped.

Good Friday
• On Good Friday, Christians recall the Passion and crucifixion of Jesus.
• In Roman Catholicism, the clergy traditionally begin the service prostrate in front of the altar. Mass
is not celebrated on Good Friday and the communion distributed at the Celebration of the Lord's
Passion is consecrated on Holy Thursday, hence the name Mass of the Pre-sanctified.
• Also in Roman Catholicism, images of saints may, in accordance with local custom, be veiled
throughout the last two weeks of Lent. Votive lights before these images are not lit. Crucifixes that
are movable are hidden, while those that are not movable are veiled until after the Good Friday
service.
• Roman Catholic faithful typically venerate the crucifix by kissing the feet of the corpus.
• Colors of vestments (and hangings, if kept) vary: The Roman Catholic Church uses red vestments,
symbolic of the Blood of Jesus Christ.

Holy Saturday (Black Saturday)

• This is known as Black Saturday in the Philippines. Holy Saturday is a commemoration of the
day that Jesus lay in his tomb. In the Roman Catholic Church, daytime Masses are never offered.
• The sanctuary remains stripped completely bare while the administration of the sacraments is
severely limited. Holy Communion after the Good Friday service is given only as Viaticum to the
dying. Baptism, Penance, and Anointing of the Sick may be administered because they, like
Viaticum, are helpful to ensuring salvation for the dying.
Easter Sunday
• A vigil service is held after nightfall of Holy Saturday, or before dawn on Easter Sunday, in
celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.
• The ceremony of darkness and light is held at the beginning of the Vigil Mass.
o The paschal candle, representing Jesus' resurrection as the "return of light into the world,"
is lit.
o The solemn procession to the altar with the Paschal candle is formed.
o Once everyone has processed in, the Exsultet is intoned. Exultet is the hymn of praise sung,
ideally by the deacon, before the paschal candle during the Easter Vigil before the Liturgy
of the Word in the Mass.

Easter, also called Pascha, is a feast day that celebrates Christ's resurrection from the dead. It is
celebrated on the Sunday following Holy Week. It is the central or principal feast in the Church’s liturgical
calendar. This can be any Sunday between March 22 and April 25. Since the earliest Christian times, it has
focused on the redemptive act of God in the death and resurrection of Christ. According to the Canonical
gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on
Easter Day or Easter Sunday.
Easter marks the end of Lent, a forty-day period of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. The last week
of the Lent is called Holy Week, and it contains Good Friday, commemorating the crucifixion and death of
Jesus. Easter is followed by a fifty-day period called Eastertide or the Easter Season, ending with Pentecost
Sunday.

Ascension
Ascension means that the Risen Christ ascended to heaven to take his place at the right hand of the
Father. Forty Days after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Acts of the Apostles records Jesus' ascension
into heaven. The ascension is an important Christian feast attesting and celebrating the reality of the God-
Man Jesus Christ's returning to the Father, to return again in the future parousia. The Ascension is the final
component of the paschal mystery, which consists also of Jesus' Passion, Crucifixion, Death, Burial,
Descent Among the Dead, and Resurrection. Along with the resurrection, the ascension functioned as a
proof of Jesus' claim that he was the Messiah. The Ascension is also the event whereby humanity was taken
into heaven. Finally, the ascension was also the "final blow" so-to-speak against Satan's power, and thus
the lion (Jesus) conquering the dragon (Satan) is a symbol of the ascension. Early Christian art and
iconography portrayed the ascension frequently, showing its importance to the early Church.
The Risen Christ will come again at the “Parousia” to judge the living and the dead. Parousia is
an ancient Greek word meaning presence, arrival, or official visit. It refers to the second coming of Christ.
Biblical accounts of Christ’s Second Coming are written in the apocalyptic genre and must be interpreted
accordingly. Christ clearly affirmed that no one knows this, except the Father. It is useless, therefore, to
speculate on this “when”.