One thing I learnt this week, that I just love... but something I'd probably realised but not actually grasped completely, was in the New Testament lecture.
In discussing exactly what it meant by New Testament, and going through the old and new covenant we touched on the fact that Jesus was actually alive and living under the old covenant. Seems obvious, but when you really think about it, it changes the whole perspective of the Gospels.
Jesus was perfect under the law of the old covenant... which is was made him the perfect subject and only way to pay for sins under the law. For example it's no use someone who has already murdered someone then saying they will take the punishment for another murderer. The first murderer is already guilty and should be serving his own sentence, and isn't a viable replacement for the guilty party.
Jesus' life met the bar of the old covenant... God brought in the new covenant because he knew our best efforts were futile in living up to his standard, so as Jesus, the creator of the universe met his own laws, just to then sacrifice himself so that a new law (that is so freely and easily attainable for us) would be set in motion.
It also sets a different thinking about how the disciples and other people reacted to Jesus. We look back knowing that Jesus is the Christ... yet in that day all of Israel were looking for a Messiah, and as Jesus began to fit that role people noticed, but withing Judaism there was a strong preconception of who the Messiah would be and Jesus' servant attitude didn't exactly fit that.
How much more then do Peter's words "You are the Christ" mean when you know he was stepping outside the general Jewish perception and realising God accomplishing his prophecy in his own way.
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Hello! :)
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