Jesus Christ
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Wise Men (Magi)
1. Name / Role Wise Men (Magi) 2. Category God-Fearing Outsiders or Messianic Witnesses 3. Time Period / Biblical Context The Wise Men appear in the New Testament, specifically in Matthew 2:1–12, shortly after Jesus’ birth. They are central to the infancy narrative, arriving in Bethlehem to worship the Christ…
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Roman Centurion of Great Faith
1. Name / Role Roman Centurion of Great Faith 2. Category God-Fearing Outsiders or Messianic Witnesses 3. Time Period / Biblical Context This centurion appears in Matthew 8:5–13 and Luke 7:1–10, during the early part of Jesus’ public ministry in Galilee. He is a Gentile military officer serving under Roman…
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Ethiopian Eunuch
1. Name / Role Ethiopian Eunuch 2. Category God-Fearing Outsiders or Messianic Witnesses 3. Time Period / Biblical Context The Ethiopian Eunuch appears in Acts 8:26–40, during the early expansion of the Church following the persecution in Jerusalem. His story marks a major turning point in the spread of the…
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Cornelius the Centurion
1. Name / Role Cornelius the Centurion 2. Category God-Fearing Outsiders or Messianic Witnesses 3. Time Period / Biblical Context Cornelius appears in Acts 10–11, during the early growth of the Church. His story marks the first recorded Gentile conversion initiated by divine revelation and affirmed by the outpouring of…
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Lydia of Thyatira
1. Name / Role Lydia of Thyatira 2. Category God-Fearing Outsiders or Messianic Witnesses 3. Time Period / Biblical Context Lydia appears in Acts 16:11–15 and again in Acts 16:40, during Paul’s second missionary journey. Her conversion occurs in Philippi, a Roman colony in Macedonia (northern Greece), making her the…
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Samaritan Woman at the Well
1. Name / Role Samaritan Woman at the Well 2. Category God-Fearing Outsiders or Messianic Witnesses 3. Time Period / Biblical Context The Samaritan woman appears in John 4:1–42, during Jesus’ early Galilean ministry. This encounter occurs at Jacob’s well in Sychar, in Samaria, a region generally avoided by devout…
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Syrophoenician (Canaanite) Woman
1. Name / Role Syrophoenician (Canaanite) Woman 2. Category God-Fearing Outsiders or Messianic Witnesses 3. Time Period / Biblical Context This woman appears in two parallel Gospel accounts: Matthew 15:21–28 (where she is called a Canaanite) and Mark 7:24–30 (where she is identified as Syrophoenician by birth). Her interaction with…
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Gerizim Demoniac (Legion)
1. Name / Role Gerizim Demoniac (Legion) 2. Category God-Fearing Outsiders or Messianic Witnesses 3. Time Period / Biblical Context This man appears in Mark 5:1–20, Luke 8:26–39, and Matthew 8:28–34, during Jesus’ ministry across the Sea of Galilee. He lives in the region of the Gerasenes (or Gadarenes), part…
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Simon of Cyrene
1. Name / Role Simon of Cyrene 2. Category God-Fearing Outsiders or Messianic Witnesses 3. Time Period / Biblical Context Simon of Cyrene appears during the Passion narrative in the Synoptic Gospels—Matthew 27:32, Mark 15:21, and Luke 23:26—at the time of Jesus’ journey to the cross. His story takes place…
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Greeks Seeking Jesus at the Festival
1. Name / Role Greeks Seeking Jesus at the Festival 2. Category God-Fearing Outsiders or Messianic Witnesses 3. Time Period / Biblical Context This event is recorded in John 12:20–26, taking place shortly before Jesus’ crucifixion during the Passover festival in Jerusalem. It occurs after Jesus’ triumphal entry and signals…
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Unnamed God-Fearers (in Acts)
1. Name / Role Unnamed God-Fearers (in Acts) 2. Category God-Fearing Outsiders or Messianic Witnesses 3. Time Period / Biblical Context These individuals appear throughout the Book of Acts, particularly in Acts 10–18, during the apostolic missions of Paul, Barnabas, and others. They are Gentiles who regularly attended synagogue worship…
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Pilate’s Wife
1. Name / Role Pilate’s Wife 2. Category God-Fearing Outsiders or Messianic Witnesses 3. Time Period / Biblical Context Pilate’s wife appears only once in Scripture, in Matthew 27:19, during Jesus’ trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. Her brief but significant intervention occurs as Pilate deliberates on…
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The Thief on the Cross
1. Name / Role The Thief on the Cross 2. Category God-Fearing Outsiders or Messianic Witnesses 3. Time Period / Biblical Context The thief appears during the crucifixion of Jesus, recorded in Luke 23:39–43. He is one of two criminals crucified beside Jesus, and his encounter with Christ takes place…
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The Roman Centurion at the Cross
1. Name / Role The Roman Centurion at the Cross 2. Category God-Fearing Outsiders or Messianic Witnesses 3. Time Period / Biblical Context This figure appears during the crucifixion of Jesus, specifically in Matthew 27:54, Mark 15:39, and Luke 23:47. He is the Roman officer overseeing the execution, positioned at…
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The Greeks Converted in Antioch
1. Name / Role The Greeks Converted in Antioch 2. Category God-Fearing Outsiders or Messianic Witnesses 3. Time Period / Biblical Context These converts appear in Acts 11:19–26, following the persecution of believers after Stephen’s martyrdom. Their conversion marks a major development in the expansion of the gospel—from preaching to…
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Article 8: Jesus and the Pharisees – Repeated Confrontations over Law and Hypocrisy
1. IntroductionThe Gospels document numerous confrontations between Jesus and the Pharisees, religious leaders who were zealous for the Mosaic Law yet often criticised by Jesus for their legalism and hypocrisy. These exchanges reveal deep theological and ethical tensions within first-century Judaism. 2. Historical and Biblical ContextThe Pharisees were a prominent…
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Article 19: Jesus and John the Baptist – Contrasting Ministries Without Recorded Confrontation
1. IntroductionJesus and John the Baptist were contemporaries whose ministries intersected closely in time and purpose. While the New Testament records no direct conflict or argument between them, their differing approaches to ministry provide a valuable study in complementary roles within God’s redemptive plan. 2. Historical and Biblical ContextJohn the…
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1. Paul’s Proof of Jesus as the Christ: Scriptural, Historical, and Theological Foundations
Introduction Understanding how the Apostle Paul proves that Jesus is the Christ—the promised Messiah—is foundational to grasping Pauline theology and the early Christian proclamation. This article explores Paul’s multi-faceted proof, drawing from his key letters, highlighting scriptural fulfilment, historical claims, and theological reasoning that underpin his gospel message. 1. Scriptural…
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3. Jesus’ Death and Resurrection: The Centrepiece of Pauline Christology
Introduction The death and resurrection of Jesus stand at the heart of Paul’s proclamation that Jesus is the Christ. This article examines how Paul understands these events theologically and their foundational role in his gospel, focusing on justification, atonement, and victory over death. 1. Jesus’ Death as Atonement for Sin…
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4. Ethics as Participation in Christ’s New Life: The Teaching of Romans
Introduction Paul’s letter to the Romans not only presents Jesus as the Messiah but also calls believers to live ethically as participants in Christ’s death and resurrection. This article explores how union with the risen Messiah shapes Christian ethics, emphasizing newness of life, love, and community. 1. Union with Christ:…
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6. Imitating Christ’s Humility and Exaltation: Ethical Exhortations in Philippians
Introduction In Philippians, Paul presents Jesus as the humble yet exalted Messiah and calls believers to imitate this model. This article explores how Christ’s incarnation, obedience, and exaltation form the ethical foundation for Christian community life and witness. 1. The Christ Hymn: Humility in Incarnation 2. Obedience to Death and…
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7. The Church as the Body of Christ: Identity and Unity in Romans and 1 Corinthians
Introduction Paul’s ecclesiology is deeply rooted in his Christology. In Romans and 1 Corinthians, he describes the church as the body of Christ, a spiritual organism unified by the Spirit and called to live in ethical harmony. This article explores how Paul’s understanding of Jesus as the Messiah shapes the…
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9. The Church Called to Imitate Christ: Humility and Mission in Philippians
Introduction Paul’s letter to the Philippians emphasizes the church’s calling to imitate the Messiah’s humility and exaltation. This article examines how Paul connects Christ’s self-emptying and lordship with the ethical and missional life of the Christian community. 1. The Model of Christ’s Humility 2. Exaltation and Lordship as Motivation 3.…
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Chapter 6: Confession and Commitment
Overview: Declaring Jesus as Lord Confession and commitment are at the heart of the Christian conversion experience, marking the transition from internal belief to external allegiance. While faith and repentance begin within the heart, confession brings that transformation into the public and relational sphere. It is the open declaration that…
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The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ
The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ – Fleming Rutledge 1. Full Citation Rutledge, F. (2015) The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. 2. Introduction Fleming Rutledge’s The Crucifixion is a monumental theological work that reclaims the centrality and scandal of the cross for…
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11.2 Jesus
🔹 Story 1: Jesus’ Birth Fulfilled Prophecy Main Characters: Jesus, Mary, Joseph, shepherds, MagiStory Summary: Jesus was born in Bethlehem, fulfilling ancient prophecies about the Messiah. Angels announced His birth to shepherds, and Magi came from the East to worship Him.Key Verses: Luke 2:1–20; Matthew 1:18–25; 2:1–12Theme Connection: Jesus is…
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Chapter 1 – Wisdom and the Eternal Logos
Christ as the Timeless Agent of Creation Biblical Foundations: Wisdom and the Word Before Time The concept of pre-creation activity is richly presented in Scripture through the figures of divine Wisdom and the eternal Logos (Word). In Proverbs 8:22–31, Wisdom is personified as present with God before the foundation of…
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Chapter 11 – God’s Covenants & The Redemptive Narrative
From Post-Flood Humanity to Divine Election Biblical Basis Throughout Scripture, God unfolds His redemptive plan through a series of covenants, each marking a critical stage in His interaction with humanity. The Noahic Covenant (Genesis 9:8–17) establishes divine commitment to the stability of creation. The Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:1–3; 15; 17)…
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Chapter 12 – Christ, the Cross, and Cosmic Redemption
The Incarnation as the Centre of Time and Creation Biblical Basis: Christ the Creator and Sustainer of All Things The Incarnation—“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14)—marks the central event in the Christian understanding of history and cosmology. It is not merely a divine intervention within time,…
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Genealogy of Jesus – Adam to Christ (Contents)
I. PRIMORDIAL AND ANTEDILUVIAN LINEAGE: FROM ADAM TO NOAH (Genesis 5; Luke 3:34–38) 1. Adam 2. Seth 3. Enosh 4. Kenan 5. Mahalalel 6. Jared 7. Enoch 8. Methuselah 9. Lamech 10. Noah 11. Shem II. POST-FLOOD AND PATRIARCHAL LINEAGE: FROM SHEM TO ABRAHAM (Genesis 11:10–26; Luke 3) 12. Arphaxad…
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60. Jesus (called Christ)
1. Name and Meaning• Name: Jesus (Greek: Ἰησοῦς, Iēsous; Hebrew/Aramaic: יֵשׁוּעַ, Yēshūaʿ)• Meaning: “The Lord is salvation” or “Yahweh saves,” derived from Yehoshua (Joshua)• Title: Christ (Greek: Χριστός, Christos) means “Anointed One,” equivalent to the Hebrew Mashiach (Messiah) 2. Genealogical Placement and Lineage Role• Position: Sixtieth generation from Adam; fiftieth generation after the flood…