university of oregon, spring 2015
Paul develops the Christ Hymn as a way to portray the way in which Jesus is above all others because of his unyielding devotion to God, even in the face of imminent death. It serves to teach that being humble is the way to exaltation, not by exploiting the name of God. The hymn essentially… Continue reading Phillipians “The Christ Hymn”
John stands alone when compared to the other three Gospel stories. His story functions to portray and elevate his status as well as God’s in this particular story, describing himself multiple times as synonymous with God and the imperative nature of belief in Him. John’s gospel story immediately starts out differently than Mark’s, as John… Continue reading Johannine Gospel Differences
In the gospel of Mark, Mark makes a striking claim about the identity and significance of Jesus, claiming he is the Son of God as well as the messiah. This distinction might seem slight but it would have had enormous ramifications for the people of the time. There were many who were claimd to be… Continue reading Jesus in the Gospel of Mark