Overview
At the beginning of this course, you answered the question, “Who Do I Say Jesus Is?” Throughout this course, we have explored how Matthew portrays Jesus. This assignment provides you with an opportunity to return to your first assignment, to see how your encounter with Matthew’s portrayal of Jesus has shaped your own, and to explore any contemporary implications of Matthew’s story about Jesus in your own life.
Instructions
In 1000-1200 words, address the following questions in an integrative reflection essay:
Who do you say that Jesus is now at the end of this course? As before, this portion of the essay is a personal statement and no research is needed. You are NOT being asked about your faith in Jesus and you will NOT be graded on your faith stance. You should, however, aim to be as thorough and descriptive as possible in explaining your ideas. If, for instance, you believe things like Jesus is the Son of God or the savior, explain what those concepts mean to you.
Discuss how your understanding of Jesus at the end of the course compares to at least two of your specific ideas from the beginning of the semester as found in your “Who Do I Say Jesus Is?” paper.
Discuss how your understanding is similar to and different from Matthew’s understanding/portrayal of Jesus in at least three ways. You can and should make reference to key claims from your “Who Do I Say Jesus Is?” paper.
Identify and describe two areas in your life where Matthew’s portrayal of Jesus might encourage you to think differently or to act in a different way. Be sure to describe both what would be different as well as how you respond to those ideas.
Parameters and Additional Details
You may organize your final reflective essay in any fashion you choose. But be sure to write in essay format – don’t simply copy/paste the questions and type your responses.
