Jesus in Christianity

==Crucifixion and atonement==
{{see also|Lamb of God}}
{{Christology}}
The accounts of the Crucifixion and subsequent Resurrection of Jesus provide a rich background for Christological analysis, from the [[canonical gospels]] to the Pauline epistles.<ref>Powell, Mark Allan (ed.) and David R. Bauer (ed.). ''Who do you say that I am? Essays on Christology''. Westminster John Knox Press, 1999. {{ISBN|0-664-25752-6}}. p.106</ref>

[[Johannine]] "agency christology" combines the concept that Jesus is the Son of his Father with the idea that he has come into the world as his Father's agent, commissioned and sent by the Father to represent the Father and to accomplish his Father's work. Implied in each Synoptic portrayal of Jesus is the doctrine that the salvation Jesus gives is inseparable from Jesus himself and his divine identity. Sonship and agency come together in the Synoptic gospels only in the Parable of the Vineyard ({{Bibleref2|Matthew|21:37}}; {{Bibleref2|Mark|12:6}}; {{Bibleref2|Luke|20:13}}).<ref>Bauckhman, Richard. "The Johannine Jesus and the Synoptic Jesus". [http://richardbauckham.co.uk/uploads/Accessible/Johannine%20Jessus%20&%20Synoptic%20Jesus.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107005638/http://richardbauckham.co.uk/uploads/Accessible/Johannine%20Jessus%20%26%20Synoptic%20Jesus.pdf|date=2017-11-07}} 2 May 2013</ref> The submission of Jesus to crucifixion is a sacrifice made as an ''agent of God'' or ''servant of God'', for the sake of eventual victory.<ref name=Cullmann >{{cite book |last1= Cullmann|first1=Oscar |title= The Christology of the New Testament|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=vc_cPAAACAAJ|year=1959 |publisher= Westminster John Knox Press|isbn=0-664-24351-7 |page=79}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Sadananda |first1=Rathnakara Sadananda |title= The Johannine exegesis of God: An Exploration into the Johannine Understanding Of God|year=2004 |publisher=Walter De Gruyter Inc |isbn=3-11-018248-3 |page=281}}</ref> This builds upon the [[salvation in Christianity|salvific]] theme of the [[Gospel of John]] which begins in [[s:Bible (American Standard)/John#1:36|John 1:36]] with [[John the Baptist]]'s proclamation: "The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world".<ref name=Pollard >{{cite book |last1=Pollard |first1=T. E. |title=Johannine Christology and the Early Church |url=https://archive.org/details/johanninechristo00poll|url-access=limited |year=2005 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=0-521-01868-4 |page=[https://archive.org/details/johanninechristo00poll/page/n33 21]}}</ref><ref name=Hengel371 >{{cite book |last1=Hengel |first1=Martin |title= Studies in Early Christology|year=2004 |publisher=T&T Clark |isbn=0-567-04280-4 |page=371}}</ref> Further reinforcement of the concept is provided in [[s:Bible (American Standard)/Revelation#21:14|Revelation 21:14]] where the "lamb slain but standing" is the only one worthy of handling the scroll (i.e., the book) containing the names of those who are to be saved.<ref name=DeHaan >{{cite book |last1=De Haan |first1=M. R. |title=Studies in Revelation |year=1998 |publisher=Kregel Classics |isbn=978-0825424854 |page=103}}</ref>

A central element in the Christology presented in the [[Acts of the Apostles]] is the affirmation of the belief that the death of Jesus by crucifixion happened "with the foreknowledge of God, according to a definite plan".<ref name=Matera67 >{{cite book |last1=Matera |first1=Frank J. |title=New Testament Christology |url=https://archive.org/details/newtestamentchri0000mate/page/67 |year=1999 |publisher=Kregel Classics |isbn=0-664-25694-5 |page=[https://archive.org/details/newtestamentchri0000mate/page/67 67] }}</ref> In this view, as in [[s:Bible (American Standard)/Acts#2:23|Acts 2:23]], the cross is not viewed as a scandal, for the Crucifixion of Jesus "at the hands of the lawless" is viewed as the fulfilment of the plan of God.<ref name=Matera67 /><ref>''The speeches in Acts: their content, context, and concerns'' by Marion L. Soards 1994 {{ISBN|0-664-25221-4}} page 34</ref>

Paul's Christology has a specific focus on the death and Resurrection of Jesus. For Paul, the Crucifixion of Jesus is directly related to his Resurrection and the term "the cross of Christ" used in [[s:Bible (American Standard)/Galatians#6:12|Galatians 6:12]] may be viewed as his abbreviation of the message of the gospels.<ref name=Schwarz132 >{{cite book |last1=Schwarz  |first1=Hans  |title=Christology |year=1998  |isbn=0-8028-4463-4 |pages=132–134}}</ref> For Paul, the Crucifixion of Jesus was not an isolated event in history, but a cosmic event with significant [[eschatological]] consequences, as in [[s:Bible (American Standard)/1 Corinthians#2:8|1 Corinthians 2:8]].<ref name=Schwarz132 /> In the Pauline view, Jesus, obedient to the point of death ([[s:Bible (American Standard)/Philippians#2:8|Philippians 2:8]]) died "at the right time" ([[s:Bible (American Standard)/Romans#4:25|Romans 4:25]]) based on the plan of God.<ref name=Schwarz132 /> For Paul the "power of the cross" is not separable from the Resurrection of Jesus.<ref name=Schwarz132 />

[[John Calvin]] supported the "agent of God" Christology and argued that in his trial in [[Pilate's Court]] Jesus could have successfully argued for his innocence, but instead submitted to crucifixion in obedience to the Father.<ref name=CalvinC >{{cite book |last1=Edmondson  |first1=Edmondson  |title=Calvin's Christology |url=https://archive.org/details/calvinschristolo00edmo_868|url-access=limited  |year=2004  |publisher=Cambridge University Press  |isbn=0-521-54154-9 |page=[https://archive.org/details/calvinschristolo00edmo_868/page/n106 91]}}</ref><ref>''The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures'' by [[Hughes Oliphant Old]] 2002 {{ISBN|0-8028-4775-7}} page 125</ref> This Christological theme continued into the 20th century, both in the [[Eastern Church|Eastern]] and [[Western Church]]es. In the Eastern Church [[Sergei Bulgakov]] argued that the Crucifixion of Jesus was "[[Pre-existence of Christ|pre-eternally]]" determined by the Father before the creation of the world, to redeem humanity from the disgrace caused by the fall of Adam.<ref name=SBulgakov >{{cite book |last1= Bulgakov |first1= Sergei |last2=Jakim |first2=Boris  |title=The Lamb of God |year= 2008 |publisher= Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company|isbn=978-0-8028-2779-1  |page=129}}</ref> In the Western Church, [[Karl Rahner]] elaborated on the analogy that the blood of the Lamb of God (and the water from the side of Jesus) shed at the Crucifixion had a cleansing nature, similar to baptismal water.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rahner  |first1=Karl  |title=Encyclopedia of theology: a concise Sacramentum mundi |year=2004  |publisher=Burns & Oates  |isbn=0-86012-006-6 |page=74}}</ref>

[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|Mormons]] believe that the Crucifixion was the culmination of Christ's atonement, which began in the [[Gethsemane|Garden of Gethsemane]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/gs/gethsemane?lang=eng|title=churchofjesuschrist.org - Gethsemane}}</ref>