Jesus Christ The Saviour

JESUS CHRIST THE SAVIOUR SOTERIOLOGY ACCORDING TO EAST SYR I AC TRADITION This book is a biblico- theological analysis of the East Syriac Soteriology in the light of the Gospel according to St. Matthew and the Acts of Judas Thomas with special reference to Mar Thoma Nazrani Traditions. The author, Fr. Thomas Anikuzhikattil, through a scientific study of the Christological and Soteriological elements in the Gospel of Matthew and the Acts of Judas Thomas establishes that Christology in the Syriac Orient is Soteriologically determined. This study presents the East Syriac Christology as the experiential Christology which is fundamentally biblical, pneumatological and liturgical. Through this scientific work, the author has made a great contribution in the area of Oriental Theology, specially of the Syriac Orient of the Mar Thomite Tradition. It is a monumental work to all those who are interested in Christological study and reflection. Acknowledgements Foreword Contents Abbreviations General Introduction Chapter One: Distinctive Soteriological Traits in the Gospel according to Matthew Introduction 1. The Person of Jesus: Jesus is Saviour in His Birth and Baptism 1. God's Gracious Planning for His People 2. 'God is with us' to Save Us 3. Coming of Israel's Messiah, the Saviour of the People, to the Awaiting Community 4. Jesus' Divine Sonship Declared and Proved i. John and his Message of Salvation ii. The Revelation of the Righteous Son of God iii. Authentication of the Son of God in Temptation II. The Mission of Jesus Part One: Jesus is Saviour in His Words and Deeds 1. Jesus-Saviour in His Words i. The Charter of Salvation, the Kingdom of Heaven ii. The Messengers of Salvation iii. The Precepts of Salvation in Parables iv. The Church, a Communit v. The Eschaton and Salvation 2. Jesus is Saviour in His Deeds i. Raising the Dead to Life ii. Power Over Inanimate Nature iii. Jesus the Healer of Body and Soul iv. Jesus' Saves People from Power of Demons 1 a Glorious Epiphany of the Risen Christ 2. The Great Commission i. The Universal Exousia of the Risen Lord ii.The Great Commission iii. The Great Promise of the Saviour Chapter Two: Soteriological Motifs in the Acts of Judas Thomas I. The Locus of the Soteriology of the AJT 1. Jewish Inheritance of the Christianity of AJT 2. The Church as the True Israel 3. God and the Church are One 4. A Teaching on the 'Two Ways' 5. Unity of God and Man 149 6. To Know God is to Have Life 7. The Kingdom of God, an Inner Spiritual Reality 8. The One Creator- Redeemer God i.The Sublime Theology of the Odes of Solomon ii.The Soteriology of Odes of Solomon iii. Uniqueness of the Soteriology of the Odes of Solomon II. The Acts of Judas Thomas, the Icon of Syriac Soteriology 1. The 'Old Man'to be Saved i. Fornication ii.Covetousness 160 iii Service of Demons 2. Iso Misiha, the Only Saviour of'the Old Man' i. The Messiah Puts on the First Man ii. Messiah, Victorious over Devil and Death iii. The Saved One, the "New Man" iv. The Experience and Celebration of Salvation through the Sacraments of the Church v. The Church as the Fountain of Salvation 209 Chapter Three: Diverging and Resembling Elements of Soteriology in 'Matthew' and Acts of Judas Thomas I. Diverging and Resembling Elements 1. Genera of the Two Books i. Matthew is Canonical ii.AJT is Apocryphal 2. Historico -Cultural and Religious Milieu of the Origins of Matthew and AJT i. Matthew is Judaeo-Christian ii.AJT is Judaeo-Thomas Christian iii. Matthew and AJT are Jewish in Origin 3. Ecclesial Relevance of 'Matthew' and AJT i. The Gospel of Matthew, a Pastoral Guide ii. AJT, an Ascetic Manual iii. Matthew and AJT are Primarily Catechetical 4. The Literary Nature of 'Matthew' and AJT i. The Thematic Matthew ii.The Dramatic AJT iii.Matthew and AJT are Basically Soteriological 5. Soteriological Titles and Concepts in 'Matthew' and AJT i. Soteriological Titles in Matthew and AJT ii. Soteriological Categories in Matthew and AJT 6. The Church, the Sacrament of Salvation II The Experiential Christology of the Syriac Orient 1 The Doctrinal Basis of Syriac Soteriology 2. The Soteriology of the Syriac Fathers 3. Symbols and Titles in the Experience of Salvation i. Soteriological Symbols ii.Soteriological Titles 4. Eschatological Motifs in Syriac Soteriology Chapter Four; Celebration of Syriac Soteriology in Mar Thoma Nazrani Tradition I. The Church of Mar Thoma Nazranees and the Syriac Soteriology 1. The Christ Experience of St. Thomas 2. The Apostolicity of the Nazrani Church II. Celebration of Salvation in the Liturgy of the Church 1. The Apostolic Patrimony and the Law of Prayer 2. The Definite Forms of Liturgical Soteriology i. Re-living Redemption in the Liturgical Seasons Using the Liturgical Space-time ii. Liturgy of the Hours iii.The Sacraments of the Church iv. Celebration of Salvation in and through the Feasts HI. Ecclesial Communion an Explicit Archetype in the Experience of Salvation 1 • Saved to Grow, to be Strong, and to Serve 2. Saved to Liberate All in Chains 3. Saved to Give Witness, to Evangelize all Nations 4. Saved to be a communion in the Communion of Churches IV. Nazrani Church an Ascetical Model to the Churches General Conclusion Bibliography Index