The Incomparable Christ

by Stott, John R. W.

• ISBN13: 9780830823437
• ISBN10: 0830823433
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-03-01
• Publisher: Intervarsity Pr

Table of Contents

Foreword	9	(2)
Dr George Carey
Chairman's preface	11	(1)
Acknowledgments	12	(3)
Introduction	15	(1)
The centrality of Jesus	15	(3)
History and theology	18	(5)
PART I: THE ORIGINAL JESUS (or how the New Testament witnesses to him)
The four gospels	23	(1)
The Gospel of Matthew: Christ the fulfilment of Scripture	23	(3)
The Gospel of Mark: Christ the Suffering Servant	26	(5)
Luke's Gospel and the Acts: Christ the Saviour of the world	31	(5)
The Gospel and letters of John: Christ the Word made flesh	36	(4)
The fourfold gospel	40	(2)
Jesus and Paul	42	(2)
The thirteen letters of Paul	44	(1)
A polemical letter (Galatians): Christ the liberator	44	(3)
The early letters (1 & 2 Thessalonians): Christ the coming judge	47	(3)
The major letters (Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians): Christ the Saviour	50	(12)
The prison letters (Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon and Philippians): Christ the supreme Lord	62	(2)
The pastoral letters (1 Timothy, Titus and 2 Timothy): Christ the head of the church	64	(3)
Three more Jewish authors	66	(1)
The letter of James: Christ the moral teacher	67	(2)
The letter to the Hebrews: Christ our great high priest	69	(3)
The letters of Peter: Christ the exemplary sufferer	72	(8)
Conclusion: Diversity in unity	74	(5)
PART II: THE ECCLESIASTICAL JESUS (or how the church has presented him)
Introduction: `Another Jesus'	79	(1)
Christ the complete fulfilment: Justin Martyr	80	(2)
The prophets and the philosophers
Christ the unique God-man: the early councils	82	(4)
The importance of Christology
Christ the perfect monk: St Benedict	86	(3)
Two questions about monasticism
Christ the feudal debtor: Anselm	89	(2)
Medieval atonement theology
Christ the heavenly bridegroom: Bernard of Clairvaux	91	(3)
Christian mysticism
Christ the ethical exemplar: Thomas a Kempis	94	(4)
An ascetic imitation of Christ
Christ the gracious Saviour: Martin Luther	98	(2)
Justification by faith alone
Christ the human teacher: Ernst Renan and Thomas Jefferson	100	(3)
Enlightenment scepticism
Christ the tragic victim: John Mackay	103	(4)
Good Friday without Easter
Christ the social liberator: Gustavo Gutierrez	107	(4)
Good news for the poor
Christ the Jewish Messiah: N. T. Wright	111	(4)
Exile and exodus
Christ the global Lord: Mission in the twentieth century	115	(11)
From Edinburgh 1910 to Lausanne 1974
Conclusion: Authenticity versus accommodation	119	(6)
PART III: THE INFLUENTIAL JESUS (or how he has inspired people)
Introduction: The story of Jesus	125	(1)
The Bethlehem stable: Francis of Assisi	126	(2)
The nativity of the poor king
The carpenter's bench: George Lansbury	128	(5)
The dignity of manual labour
The ministry of compassion: Father Damien and Wellesley Bailey	133	(4)
Touching untouchables
The Sermon on the Mount: Leo Tolstoy, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr	137	(3)
The challenge of non-resistance
The love for children: Thomas Barnardo	140	(4)
`An ever-open door'
The washing of feet: Samuel Logan Brengle	144	(3)
A necessary lesson in humility
The cross: Toyohiko Kagawa	147	(3)
The revelation of the love of God
The resurrection: Joni Eareckson Tada	150	(3)
`I'll be on my feet dancing'
The exaltation: Henry Martyn	153	(2)
Zeal for the honour of Christ's name
The gift of the Spirit: Roland Allen	155	(3)
The Holy Spirit is a missionary Spirit
The second coming: Anthony Ashley Cooper (Lord Shaftesbury)	158	(2)
A programme of social reform
The last judgment: William Wilberforce	160	(13)
The abolition of slavery and the slave-trade
Conclusion: The radical nature of Christ's influence	163	(6)
PART IV: THE ETERNAL JESUS (or how he challenges us today)
Introduction: `The Revelation of Jesus Christ'	169	(4)
Christ claiming to be the First and the Last, and the Living One (Rev. 1)	173	(4)
A vision of the resurrected and eternal Christ
Christ supervising his churches on earth (Rev. 2-3)	177	(5)
Seven marks of an ideal church
Christ sharing God's throne in heaven (Rev. 4-5)	182	(5)
The throne, the scroll and the Lamb
Christ controlling the course of history (Rev. 6-7)	187	(3)
The seven seals and the two communities
Christ calling the world to repentance (Rev. 8-11)	190	(8)
The seven trumpets, the little scroll and the two witnesses
Christ overcoming the devil and his allies (Rev. 12-13)	198	(6)
The woman, the dragon, the male-child and the two beasts
Christ standing on Mt Zion with his redeemed people (Rev. 14:1-15:4)	204	(4)
The radical alternative: salvation and judgment
Christ coming like a thief in the night (Rev. 15:5-19:10)	208	(9)
The call to be ready
Christ riding in triumph on a white horse (Rev. 19:11-20:15)	217	(6)
The doom of the beast and of Satan
Christ coming as the bridegroom to claim his bride (Rev. 21-22)	223	(6)
The new universe, the city and the garden
Epilogue (Rev. 22:6-21)	229	(5)
Conclusion: One book in four parts	234	(3)
Notes	237