..

Christology: Jesus Fully Human

Theological Considerations
FAITH CLAIM: Jesus of Nazareth, called Christ is FULLY HUMAN
Why this claim? What does it mean? If Jesus IS fully human, what are the

theological implications for understanding his knowledge, teaching, life, death, resurrection?
What does this suggest one needs (to know,

to do) in order to properly be a follower?

The World of Jesus of Nazareth

Places: Cities & Villages: Nazareth, Jerusalem, Sepphoris, Capernaum, Bethlehem, Rome Areas: Galilee, Judea, Samaria
Image Source: http://whosquade.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/ palestine-under-the-herods.jpg

Click icon to add picture

ORIENTATION :
The Roman Empire: The furthest boundaries

JUDAISM IN THE FIRST CENTURY: Major Sects

Sadduce e s aristoc rac y; associate d with Te m ple prie sthoo d; Phar ise e s J udaism w/o the Te m ple ; r ule s for living Ess ene s apoc alyptic se ct; withdre w to the de sert; c e ase to

co llabor ators with Rom e

exist during J ewish War (66-70CE); Qum ran: De ad Se a Scrolls Je sus m ove m e nt Je wish group that se e s Je sus o f Naz are th as the long-awaited Me ssiah

ROMAN CONQUEST AND RULE: Precursors

Israel/Judea divided kingdom after death of

son of David, 928 BCE BCE

Solomon, 722

Israel (northern kingdom) conquered by Assyrians,

Judea (southern kingdom) conquered by Babylonians,

586 BCE; Solomons Temple destroyed; leadership exiled to Babylon return home, 539 BCE; (Unto us a child is

Cyrus of Persia conquers Babylon and allows exiles to

born)

Alexander the Great conquers Persian Empire, 331 BCE

Roman Conquest and Rule (cont.)

168 BCE: Revolt by Maccabean Jews against

Antiochus Epiphanes; successfully rule until 63BCE invite Roman Pompey to intervene, 63 BCE

Maccabees are torn by internal disputes and Pompey brutally conquers all of Judaea and

Israel (called Palestine by the Romans); abolishes Jewish self-governance ROMAN RULE OF PALESTINE BEGINS, 63 BCE

Roman Rule and Conquest (cont)

Brutal conquest and enforcement:
heavy tribute (taxes) taken from peasantry for

Rome in addition to Temple tax already owed

debt slavery/loss of land and subsistence farming military occupying force entire villages taken into slavery or destroyed for

small infractions

a period of repeated resistance and revolt with

mass crucifixions as penalty

Roman Conquest and Rule (cont)

Client kings and direct rule:
Herod the Great
massive building program: Hellenistic cities, new temple massive new taxes on peasantry creates a police state of spies, restriction of speech, assembly dies in 4 BCE, divides kingdom up between his 3 sons

Pontius Pilate (Judea)

Appointed by Rome to rule south after incompetence of Herods son Brutal, ruthless, despises Judea and Jews Condemns Jesus to death by crucifixion about 33 CE

Roman Conquest and Rule (cont)

Peasantry: life for most in Roman Palestine
Subsistence farming Crushing taxation: temple tax, Roman tribute, Herods

building taxes
Many lost their land when unable to pay Constant fear of Roman troops/reprisals Constant fear of secret police (Herod) Consistent resistance to Roman rule: non-violent and

armed
Horizontal violence: Judeans vs. Samaritans, e.g.; inter-

village struggles

The Modern Search for the Jesus of Histor y

Quest of the Historical Jesus

Images source: http://www.biblearchaeology.info/nazareth.htm

Historical Consciousness and the New Testament

The New Testament does not represent objective history The New Testament letters are in-house documents addressing concerns in the early churches (Paul & others) The New Testament gospels are interpretations of Jesus as Christ written for early Christians in particular times & places.

Path to the Quest of the Historical Jesus

A new project in modern Christology based in the rise of the scientific method Defining modern:
Dating of modern: In 1492, . Rise of experimental science Enlightenment (18th century) Ideals: equality and reason .American and French revolutions

Increasing pluralism of peoples and ideas

The Modern Theological Crisis

Emergence of the Quest

These concerns converge in 18th-19th c. Protestant Biblical scholars accept sciences new definition of knowledge and truth & develop a new task using that method:

Write a biography of Jesus that will be:

Empirically verifiable Independent and understandable Religiously unique and superior]

Christianitys Responses to the Crisis of Truth

Rejection Responses
Fundamentalism (rejection of science) Atheism (rejection of theology/religion)

Acceptance Reponses
I do my thing; you do yours (theology and science are two different kinds of thought & practice that dont interfere with one another Quest of the Historical Jesus..

The Original Quest: A Failure of Objectivity

Many Lives of Jesus (biographies) written in the 19th c. Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965)
Musician, Theologian, Physician to Africa Winner of the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize Author, Quest of the Historical Jesus (German edition, 1906) Summarized the most important 19th century Lives of Jesus Showed that so-called objective accounts of the life of Jesus were actually subjective self-portraits of their authors

Dr. Albert Schweitzer at his hospital in Lambarn in what is now Gabon. The hospital continues his work to the present day. Http://www.schweit

The Original Quest: A Failure of Objectivity

According to Schweitzer:
We do not need to seek the historical Jesus. We would not know the historical Jesus if we found him. The Spirit of Jesus, revealed in service in his name, is the true Jesus who is to followed.
He comes to us as One unknown, without a name, as of old, by the lake-side, He came to those men who knew Him not. He speaks to us the same word: Follow thou me! And to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple, He will reveal Himself in the toils, the conflicts, the sufferings which they shall pass through in His fellowship, and, as an ineffable mystery, they shall learn in their own experience, Who He Is.

The Historical-Critical Method of Biblical Study

Prompted by the Quest of the Historical Jesus (19th c) Searching for the history behind the biblical text Reading the bible as you would read any other ancient text Using the tools of modern historical research: archaeology, political history,

sociology and social history, etc.

Will the REAL Jesus please stand up?

Kerkeslager: Getting Past the People between Us and Jesus*

The Modern Interpreter (0ur worldview and assumptions) Backward from 21st century Earlier Interpreters of the New Testament (Church Tradition) Scribes Who Copy Gospels (Glosses) (Other early Christian texts) Gospel authors and their audiences: Mark, Matthew, Luke, John Paul and his followers: Letters of Paul and other letters attributed to Paul Written Sources: Miracle Stories, Sayings of Jesus, Parables of Jesus, Passion Accounts Oral Sources: Eyewitness Accounts, Miracle Stories, Sayings of Jesus, Parables of Jesus, Passion Accounts Forward from 1st century Jesus, the human being
*Source: Allen Kerkeslager, SJU Department of Theology and Religious Studies, Allen Kerkeslager, "Critical Methods in the Study of the Gospels: A Basic Outline (Blackboard, used by permission of the author)

Results I: Tools of Historical-Criticism

SOURCE CRITICISM: seeking the literary relationship between the 4
gospels and the sources their authors used to create them. Example: The Synoptic Problem--Why is there so much material that seems identical or similar between some of the gospels, but not others?

FORM CRITICISM: seeking the original form of a unit of biblical tradition,

before it was used in the biblical text. Example: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Psalm 22, quoted by Jesus on the cross) REDACTION CRITICISM: seeking, 1) the ways in which each of the gospel writers constructed his narrative of the life of Jesus from units of oral and written tradition; 2) techniques used by a gospel writer to persuade particular readers to adopt his ideas about Jesus; 3) information about the intentions and theology of the gospel writer and the life situation of his audience. Example: Matthew constructs his gospel so that Jesus gives 5 speeches, including one from a mountain, like Moses, as well fulfills Jewish prophesy about the messiah. This suggests that Matthew himself is Jewish and sought to persuade other Jews to follow Jesus as the new Moses, the messiah.

An Example of Source Criticism: The Synoptic Problem

How do we explain the close similarities between Matthew, Mark & Luke? Some hypotheses:

(2nd c. until modern period):

Ancient Answer

+ Q: How to explain discrepancies in the 4 gospels? A: The four New Testament gospels can be put together to give a full picture of Jesus life, death and resurrection.

Harmony of the gospels

Modern 1: The 4-Source Hypothesis

Question 1: How do explain similarities between Mark, Matthew and Luke? + Answer: Matthew and Luke copied from Mark Question 2: How do you explain the commonalities between Matthew & Luke that are not in Mark? + Answer: Matthew and Luke share another source called Quelle = Q (German: source)

Modern 2: Farrar-Goulder Hypothesis (20th-21st c.)

Problems with The 4-Source theory:
Q never been found More complicated than necessary F-G Hypothesis eliminates the need for a hypothetical document, Q

Results II: What can we say about the Historical Jesus?

Sources for the historical Jesus Criteria for evaluating the sources Portraits of the historical Jesus

Sources
Jesus ministries, teaching, & death Oral tradition about Jesus Written collections:
Sayings Parables Miracle stories Passion narratives

Gospel accounts (Mark, Matthew, Luke, John) (Nothing from Paul) Non-canonical gospels and writings Materials from outside the Christian community (for example, Josephus)

More Tools: Criteria for Historically Accurate Data

Embarrassment: any account that would have shamed the early church Discontinuity or Dissimilarity: any account that differs from practices and ideas of either 1st century Judaism or early churches Multiple attestation: reported in more than one place (but an exception is the synoptics gospels)

Criteria, continued
Explains Jesus arrest and public execution Coherence: Sounds like something Jesus would say that we know from other sources

Scholars agree that

Jesus was born to a practicing Jewish family, was raised Jewish, and continued to practice Judaism until his death Jesus was raised in the Galilean town of Nazareth Jesus was trained as a wood-worker Jesus was baptized by John and was very likely a disciple of John the Baptist Jesus left to become an itinerant preacher and healer He was arrested, beaten and execution by crucifixion as a political criminal. His disciples had experiences of him as resurrected which brought them out of hiding to continue his ministry as they understood it.

Current Researchers
John Dominic Crossan: Jesus as social critic and threatened the present social order; thus he was arrested and executed

Current Researchers
John P. Meier: Jesus is like other prophets in the Jewish tradition and understood his own relationship to God as intimate and his death as redemptive

Current Researchers
E. P. Sanders: Jesus saw his mission as reforming and revitalizing Judaism; a threat to establishment Judaism

Current Researchers

Elisabeth Schssler Fiorenza: Jesus taught and practiced egalitarian relationships as indicative of the realm of God

Current Researchers

Obery Hendricks: Jesus was a strategic leader to taught his followers how to live out of the realm of God so as to resist the crushing burden of Roman oppression

Tools of Reason Tools of Faith?

Historical-criticism uses all the tools available to modern scientific-historical study to investigate the figure of Jesus in any available sources:
History as fact seeking what really happened Archaeology what do found objects tell us about the world of Jesus and the early churches? Sociology What does studying social and economic relationships tells us about these worlds? Literary and rhetorical criticism What does analyzing the structure of these and other ancient historical texts reveal about the authors intentions?

Implications for Christology

ALL of these methods must use information that is:
never complete (what else might we find/find out?) always the product of human interpretation (there are different ways of interpreting data/information)

What PROBLEM does this raise for Christian faith?

REGARDLESS of these problems, the QUEST persists

People have an abiding interest in the person of Jesus (a historical endeavor - historical, but not religious).

This raises A QUESTION for faith:

Is it essential to Christian faith that we know anything about the life of the historical Jesus? .With TWO ANSWERS:
NO: Jesus as a historical personality remains a stranger to our time. However, his spirit, which lies hidden in his words, is known simply and directly.And they [who obey him] shall experience who he is as an inexpressible mystery. Albert Schweitzer

YES: If Jesus is Christ, then the Christ is Jesus. Eduard Schweizer

What Do You Think-Does the Historical Jesus Matter?

Which of the following statements best describes your own opinion? Christian faith MUST take the full risk of the ambiguity of historical research. Christian faith CANNOT depend on the probabilities of historical research.

JESUS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

Timeline for the New Testament

Stages in Formation of New Testament

Paul (Saul of Tarsus) 40s-60s
Earliest material in the New Testament a Pharisee involved in persecution of early members of

Jesus movement
Sees stoning of Stephen (first Christian martyr) Traveling to Damascus in Syria; hears voice identifying

itself as Jesus and sees vision of Jesus

Is struck from his horse and suffers blindness Taken to house of Barnabus in Damascus during his

recovery he regains his sight and becomes a follower of Jesus

Pauls Christology
Has never met earthly Jesus Identifies himself as called to be an apostle Expects Parousia (return of Jesus) immediately All believers will be taken up to heaven to live with Jesus and God Preaches salvation from sin through belief in Jesus as crucified and risen

Savior; uninterested in Jesus life or teachings

Sees Jesus as liberator from all human laws and religious rules (For

freedom, Christ has set you freeuse your freedom to love one another.)
His understanding of being a follower of Jesus is in constant conflict with

that of Jerusalem church, e.g., all food is allowable, Gentiles do not need to be circumcised to be baptized

Paul (cont)
Embarks on mission to convert Gentiles Tension with Jerusalem church over Gentile-Jewish relationship for

new converts; attends Jerusalem conference (49 CE)

Argues Christians are no longer bound by human laws (including

religious laws)
Writes letters to churches he has visited or founded offering

blessings, news and practical advice (50s-60s)

Tradition says he is executed in Rome before 66 CE Key passages from his letters in the NT:
Galatians 3:28: There is neither Greek nor Jew, slave nor free, male nor

female, but you all are one in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 2:2-12: The kenosis (self-emptying) of Christ; setting aside of

divinity in order to become human and be crucified.

I Corinthians 8:1-13 Concerning food offered to idols. Galatians 5:13-14: on Christian freedom and responsibility The Letter to the Romans: justification before God by faith in Christ Jesus,

even while continuing to be sinners

Sources for NT Gospel Writers

Jesus:

Passed on first by oral tradition, then written down.

Communities of the
Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/maps/

Gospels

The New Testament Gospels

THEMES in MARKS STORY OF JESUS

Marks Theme #1: Journeys & Meals

Jesus is often on the way somewhere, moving swiftly,

soon, immediately. Mark is constructed as an account of Jesus travels through Palestine with an urgent purpose. the 5000 (+ women and children!)

6:39-49 Jesus Jesus ministry of nourishment: feeding 7:20-37 Jesus travels in both Jewish & Gentile areas. Ch 8: Mark sometimes tells the story as sets of parallel

events: Jewish/Gentile; blindness/sight areas: metaphor of unity

8:14 One loaf on the lake between Jewish and Gentile

Marks Theme #2: Conflict & Blindness

Jesus inner circle (the twelve) do not

understand him (seating in the K of God; Peters confession) Phoenican woman [Gentile], the Roman centurion] all do recognize Jesus; his family and followers do not

Those outside the circle (blind Bartimaeus, the Syro-

The literary sandwich: Mark tells a story sandwiched

between two other parallel stories to make contrasting point: the Messianic secret

Jesus in conflict with scribes and Pharisees Passages: 3:1-6 (conflict), 5:41-6:8, Mark 10 ( conflict,

blindness and blindness)

Marks Theme #3: Suffering & Death

Jesus repeatedly tells followers not to tell anyone about him

after he has performed a healing (e.g., lepers): Jesus doesnt want to attract crowds who are looking for a triumphant Messiah Jesus from suffering and death: I am not the kind of Messiah you have been expecting Temple: interpreting the aftermath of the war Ch. 13 (the little apocalypse)

Jesus rebukes Peter for saying the disciples will prevent

Jesus speaks of the devastation of Jerusalem and the Passages: 3:12 (Messianic secret), Ch. 8 (Peter rebuked),

Between the Lines: Marks Concerns

Division: Marks Jesus addresses the problem of

Jews and Gentiles relationship in the church

Confusion: Marks story anticipates the

disappearance of the Mother Church of Christianity that existed in Jerusalem destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple) -- in Mark, Jesus knows about and experiences the suffering and devastation that are everywhere.

Suffering: Mark is writing after 70CE (the

Between the Lines: Marks Jesus Saves his People

Unity: Mark enacts a church united: Jew and Gentile; insider and

outsider
Comfort: Marks story offers an answer to the question of why

the founding church of Christianity (church in Jerusalem) no longer exists

Empathy & Re-vision: Mark speaks to those who have suffered

then & now

Jesus knows your experience of suffering Salvation and victory will not look like success as the world defines it

The New Testament Gospels

THEMES in MATTHEWS STORY OF JESUS

Matthews Theme #1: Declaring Identity The True Judaism

Ch1 and 2 (selections) - genealogy and slaughter of the

innocents 2:12-22 - Jesus as the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy: Out of Egypt I have called my son* to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet (x 7) 4:1-11 temptations in the desert: Jesus fulfills what the Hebrews could not in their own wilderness experience beyond Egypt Ch 5-7: Jesus as the new Moses: teaching from the mountain; 5 sets of teaching**; survives Herod (Ch 2)
*Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son **Matthews 5 Discourses: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Discourses_of_Matthew

Matthews Theme #2: Maintaining Identity Boundary Lines 5:17ff. Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. (Also, Theme #1: Jesus is the genuine fulfillment of Judaism)
Strict Rules for Living (5: 17-43, You have heard it said,

but I say to you; 7:17, the narrow gate) 18.17-27: forgive 70 times 7 Ch 19: Jesus on divorce; to young man about possessions; camel through the eye of a needle Gatekeeping Ch 20: parable of the wicked tenants (recog. Messiah) Ch 25: separation of the true from the false followers: parables of bridesmaids and of the talents; judgment of the nations

Matthews Theme #3: Practicing Identity: Witnessing Compassion

Ch 5-7: from the Sermon on the Mount
The Beatitudes Salt and Light Spirit of the Law Judging oneself

Healings & compassion for the crowds (7:29-8:18, 8:9-19; 8:28-33; 8:31-9:36) Ch 25: Whosoever does it to one of the least of these

(hungry, thirst, naked, sick, imprisoned)does it also to me.

Between the Lines: Matthews Context and Concerns

Probable place of writing: Antioch of Syria Probable dating: 80 CE Probable audience: Jewish followers of Jesus in

conflict with other Jewish groups after 70

Only Jesus movement and Pharisees remain:

Essenes (destroyed )and Sadducees (die out).

Matthews Q: what is the place of Jesus

movement vis--vis Judaism? What is its place in the world beyond Palestine?

Between the Lines: Matthews Jesus Saves his People

Identity: the true Judaism. Although we

are few, recognize the true Messiah and follow the true way of Judaism
Identity: the narrow gate. In a

complicated, cosmopolitan world, we know who we are because our way of living is clear and true
Compassion: Following Jesus means

extending compassion to others, especially the most vulnerable. This is the basis for how we will be judged.

Matthew and Anti-Judaism

The Historical Context of Matthews AntiJudaism

Matthew as a Jewish follower of Jesus Conflict between Jesus movement and other Jewish groups

seen throughout New Testament

The Jesus movement as the right way of being Jewish; Jesus

is the Jewish messiah.

The Distortion of Matthews Gospellater Xty

The growth of early Christianity as a Gentile religion The legitimization of Christianity in the Empire The use of this power to claim supersession of Judaism 27:24 Scripture taken out of its historical context: "His blood
beon us, and on our children!

The New Testament Gospels

THEMES in LUKES STORY OF JESUS

Lukes Theme #1: A Proper Account

1:1-4 Writing an orderly account based on the best

sources to distinguish truth about Jesus from fiction

1:3 The addressee is most excellent Theophilus (lit.

God-lover), either an actual person named Theophilus or a metaphor for all Christians. constructing a narrative of Jesus ministry other less orderly accounts circulating among Christian communities

Luke tells us that there are a variety of sources for

3:23ff A genealogy from Joseph back to Adam, He was

the son (as was thought) of Joseph,...son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.

Lukes Theme #2: God Saves the Poor

1:46-55: The Magnificat (Marys Song)
My

soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God mySavior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.

He has shown strength with hisarm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; and sent the rich away empty.

he has filled the hungry with goodthings,

4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon meto bring good

news to the poor,to proclaim the year of the Lords favor.

6:20 Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the

kingdom of God. (compare Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.)

Lukes Theme #3: The Innocence of Jesus

Ch. 23: Jesus innocence announced by 4 outsiders
The Roman procurator, Pontius Pilate
23: 4 I find no basis for an accusation against this man.

The Roman client king, Herod Antipas

23:15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us.

A criminal, also being crucified

23:41 we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but

this man has done nothing wrong.

A Roman centurion on guard at the crucifixion

23:47 When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God

and said, Certainly this man was innocent.

Between the Lines: Lukes Concerns

Providing a correct account of the story of Jesus Gods special concern for the poor The role of the Spirit A two-volume work: Luke-Acts The universality of the Christian message A Gentile audience The relationship of early Christians to Rome

Between the Lines: Lukes Jesus Saves his People

The Spirit of God acts first through Jesus, then

through the Church

God takes sides: inequities will be righted, the

poor will inherit the realm of God

The message of Jesus is a worldwide message;

The church is becoming more Gentile

Christians are not a threat to Rome Jesus was

innocent; Christians are being persecuted without cause

The New Testament Gospels

THEMES in JOHNS STORY OF JESUS

Johns Theme #1: The Eternal Logos...

Genesis 1: 1-5a In the beginning when God createdthe heavens and the earth,the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from Godswept over the face of the waters. Then God said, Let there be light; and there was light.And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.

John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.He was in the beginning with God.All things came into being through him.What has come into beingin him was the light of all people.The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome itThe true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

Theme #1: the Word become flesh

1: 6-9, 24There was a man sent from God,

whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.14And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a fathers only son, full of grace and truth.

Theme #1: Of the Father, One with the Father

1.18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is

closeto theFathers heart, who has made him known.

3.35 TheFatherloves the Son and has placed all things in his

hands.
10.38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me,

believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I amin the Father.
10:27-28, 30 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they

follow me.I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.The Father and I are one.
14.10 Do you not believe that I amin the Fatherand the Father

is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.Believe me because of the works themselves.

Johns Theme #2: Signs & Metaphors

Seven Signs
1. Turning water into wine in Cana (2:1-11) 2. Healing an officials son in Capernaum (4:46-54) 3. Healing an invalid at the Pool of Bethesda (5:1-18) 4. Feeding the 5,000 near the Sea of Galilee (6:5-14) 5. Walking on the water of the Sea of Galilee (6:16-21) 6. Healing a blind man in Jerusalem (9:1-7) 7. Raising dead Lazarus in Bethany (11:1-45)
20:30-31 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Johns Theme #2: Signs & Metaphors

Other metaphors: 1:29 the lamb of God who takes away the sins

of the world
4:6-16 living water the woman at the well 6:30-40 the true bread; the bread of life; the

bread that came down from heaven; the living bread

John 15:1-5 the true vine and the branches

Johns Theme #3: Conflict, Rejection & Belief

1: 10-11He was in the world, and the world came

into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.
5.16 Therefore theJewsstarted persecuting Jesus,

because he was doing such things on the sabbath.

15:18-25 The worlds hatred: If the world hates

you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you.If you belonged to the world,the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the worldtherefore the world hates you.

Between the Lines: Johns Context and Concerns

Probably the last of the New Testament Gospel written

(90 CE or later?).
The separation from Judaism is complete. Johns

community is persecuted (?expelled from synagogue?)

Dualism: good vs. evil, light vs. darkness, love vs.

hatred; truth vs. falsehood; faith vs. unbelief

The strongest claims about the closeness of Jesus to

God as his Word and light in the world

Jesus identity & glory is clearly revealed (cp. Marks

Messianic Secret); he is always in control and enacting Gods will and word

Between the Lines: Johns Jesus Saves his People

Johns Jesus presents a world where it is clear what is good and

what is evil.
Judaisms message and meaning is transferred to the followers

of Christ: Jesus is now the Passover lamb

Johns Jesus embodies the love and truth and light of God. To be

with Jesus is to experience Gods presence.

God forgives sins through People need only recognize the signs

and believe he is the Christ.

Johns Jesus offers comfort to the isolated and rejected. Jesus

loves his disciples and sends the paraclete to be with them, as opposed to those who hate.

Anti-Judaism in John
5:17-18 But Jesus answered them, My Father is still working,

and I also am working.For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him.
7:1 After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish to

go about in Judea because theJewswere looking for an opportunity to kill him.

Compare Matthew, Mark and Luke: the scribes and Pharisees,

the Sadducees, the chief priest and the scribes

In John, the Jews used 71 times; only 16 times in M, M and L

together. The phrase almost always identifies the Jews as opposing Jesus.

Gospel Images of Jesus

History?.....

Or,. Interpretation?

THE GNOSTIC GOSPELS

In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, suppressed groups of Christians (usually identified as gnostics) hide some of their writings to keep them from being destroyed by proto-orthodox church leaders, who have condemned them as heretical.
Copies are discovered in 1945 in Egyptian desert outside the town of Nag Hammadi Nag Hammadi gospels = Gnostic Gospels 13 codices (volumes, singular: codex) containing banned books A window onto the diversity of early Christianity

EARLIEST CHRISTIANITIES
The

Jerusalem Church:

James, Peter and others who were among Jesus disciples and early followers; institutional memorydisappears during Jewish-Roman war of 66-70 CE. Understands the Jesus Movement as a new form of Judaism continue to follow Jewish dietary practices, in conflict with Pauls interpretation of how to follow; the only remains are embedded in the canonical gospels

Ebionites

a lost Christianity

Christianity as a sect of Judaism Jesus as a human being chosen by God Jesus is not a divine figure, but a bearer of the logos (the Wisdom or Word of God)

MORE LOST CHRISTIANITIES

Gnostic Sects

Various groups of gentile Christians who believed that salvation lies in escaping the mortality of the body so that a divine spark within can return to the world of the spirit, emphasis on Christs divinity

Marcionites
Rejection of Judaism Jesus as divine spirit not encumbered by being human

Other Gnostic Writings

The Gospel of Thomas (sayings of Jesus) The Gospel of Mary Magdalene (Mary as apostle) The Gospel of Philip (Mary Magdalene as closest to Jesus) The Infancy Gospel of Thomas (Jesus as a magical and dangerous child!)

GNOSTIC CHARACTERISTICS
Many claimed to have secret knowledge from Jesus
Thus, the name gnostic from the Greek, gnosis meaning knowledge

Their descriptions of Jesus rejected his humanity

Jesus in gnostic texts is often docetic (from the Greek to appear); viz., Jesus only appears to be human

Some were more open to women:

God as dyadic: with both male and female elements Womens leadership in worship and other church functions

FROM THE MANY TO THE ONE

The Emergence of proto-orthodoxy
The form of early Christianity that develops into Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and (later) Protestantism Emphasis on crucifixion; bodily resurrection; affirmation of Hebrew bible; humanity and divinity of Jesus

The drive for unity

Begins in the 2nd century Proliferation of writings Persecution and martyrdom One important critic: Irenaeus of Lyon, Against Heresies

Lost Christianities/Lost Scriptures:

Banning & destruction of non-orthodox writings Rejection and suppression of non-orthodox sects and their members

RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY

PBS Frontline: From Jesus to Christ web site:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/story/heretics.html

Elaine Pagels, The Gnostic Gospels (winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award) Elaine Pagels, Rereading Judas (with a translation of the Gospel of Judas by Karen King) Bart Ehrmann, Lost Christianities Bart Ehrmann, Lost Scriptures (English translations of gnostic and other banned texts) English translations of gnostic gospels:
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/gnostics.html