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Unlock This CourseThe Gospels describe the last days of Jesus in Jerusalem. After the Last Supper he was arrested at night and taken for two trials. Christians study these events because they are the heart of what they believe about him. The Gospels say the first trial was religious and the second was political.
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Jesus was brought before the Sanhedrin and the high priest. In Mark 14:61-64 the high priest asked whether he was the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus answered "I am". The high priest called this blasphemy and the council said he deserved to die. They could not carry out an execution themselves under Roman rule, so they sent him to the governor.
Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor, with the power to order a death. In Mark 15 he asked, "Are you the king of the Jews?" and Jesus replied, "You say so." Pilate saw little reason to condemn him, but a crowd called for crucifixion. Pilate gave way and ordered his execution. A Roman governor had to deal with anyone seen as a rival king, which is why the charge was political.
Jesus and all his first followers were Jewish. Christians do not blame "the Jews" for his death, and churches teach that doing so is wrong. In an exam, name the people involved: the Sanhedrin, the high priest and the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate.
Jesus was taken to Golgotha and crucified between two criminals (Mark 15:22-27). The Gospels record several things he said from the cross.
Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, asked Pilate for the body. He laid it in a tomb cut into rock and a large stone was rolled across the entrance (Mark 15:42-47).
The Gospels say that early on the Sunday, the third day, women went to the tomb and found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty (Mark 16:1-8). Then came the appearances.
In 1 Corinthians 15:17 Paul, an early Christian leader whose letters are in the New Testament, says that if Christ has not been raised, Christian faith is worthless. For Christians the death and resurrection explain who Jesus is and what he did.
Christians agree the death of Jesus matters, but explain how it saves in different ways. Many hold more than one at once.
Christians who hold this view believe Jesus gave his life to pay for the sins of humanity. Many Protestants, especially evangelicals (who stress the Bible and personal faith in Jesus), say he took the place of sinners. You met Mark 10:45 on service; its words that he gave his life as a ransom (a price paid to set someone free) for many are also read this way.
Christians who hold this view believe Jesus defeated sin, evil and death. Orthodox Christians put great weight on this, and the resurrection is at the centre of their worship.
Christians who hold this view say Jesus showed how far love can go. Some liberal Christians (who are open to new readings of the Bible) say the cross moves people to love God and others, as in John 15:13.
They also differ on the resurrection. Most Christians, including Catholic, Orthodox and many Protestant Christians, believe Jesus rose bodily and see the empty tomb as evidence of it. Some Christians read it as spiritual. They say the disciples experienced Jesus alive and with them, and that the message of new life matters more than what happened to his body.
The cross itself is a symbol of this faith. Catholic and Orthodox churches often show a crucifix, with Jesus on it, to remember his suffering. Many Protestant churches use an empty cross, to show he is risen.
(a) Outline two events between the arrest of Jesus and the third day. [4 marks]
(b) Explain why the death of Jesus is important for Christians today. [6 marks]
(c) "The resurrection is the most important event in the life of Jesus." Discuss this statement, considering the arguments for and against. In your answer you should include: reference to teachings; other (divergent) points of view, either within the religion or from other religions; your opinion or point of view using reasoned arguments. [10 marks]
(a) One event is the trial before Pontius Pilate (1), where the Roman governor ordered his crucifixion after a crowd demanded it (1). Another is the empty tomb (1), which the women found on the third day with the stone rolled away (1).
(b) The death of Jesus is important because Christians believe it brings atonement (1). Sin separated people from God, and his death put the relationship right, so they believe they can be forgiven (1). It is also important because many Christians see it as a sacrifice for sin, as Mark 10:45 says he gave his life as a ransom for many (1), so it shows how much God loves them (1). It is important as an example of love, which leads Christians to forgive others and serve them, as he did when he asked God to forgive those who crucified him (1). Finally, Orthodox Christians see his death and resurrection together as a victory over death, which gives Christians hope for eternal life (1).
(c) Plan. For: Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:17 that without the resurrection faith is worthless. It shows Jesus defeated death and is the Son of God. It gives hope of eternal life. Easter, rather than Good Friday, is the main Christian celebration for many. Against: the death is what brings atonement, so without it there is nothing to be raised from. The ministry and teaching show how to live. Some Christians, such as those who see the cross as an example of love, put more weight on the crucifixion. Some read the resurrection as spiritual, so it is not a single event they would put first. Conclusion: a reasoned view might be that the resurrection is the most important because it confirms who Jesus was and gives the death its meaning, though the death and the resurrection cannot really be separated.
In a 10-mark question, name a teaching (such as 1 Corinthians 15) and one different Christian view, such as bodily and spiritual resurrection, then finish with your own reasoned conclusion.