In Search of the Historical Jesus Overview and Introduction

Thomas Jefferson on the Historical Jesus: His parentage was obscure, his condition poor, his education null, his natural endowments great, his life correct and innocent; he was meek, benevolent, patient, firm, disinterested, and of the sublimest eloquence . . . But the committing to writing of his life and doctrines fell on unlettered men who wrote from memory, and not till long after the transaction had passed . . . .

Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, April 21, 1803 (cont’d) The doctrines which he really delivered were defective as a whole, and fragments only of what he did deliver have come to us, mutilated, misstated, and often unintelligible. They have been still more disfigured by the corruptions of schismatizing followers, who have found an interest in sophisticating and perverting the simple doctrines he taught, by engrafting on them the mysticisms of a Grecian sophist, frittering into subtleties, and obscuring them with jargon, until they have caused good men to reject the whole in disgust, and to view Jesus himself as an imposter.

Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 18:63 About that time there lived Jesus, a wise man . . . . For he was one who wrought surprising feats and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks . . . . When Pilate, upon hearing him accused by men of the highest standing amongst us, had condemned him to be crucified, those who had in the first place come to love him did not give up their affection for him . . . . And the tribe of Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared.

Historical Jesus Research • An attempt to discover as much as possible about Jesus of Nazareth, who he was, the major events of his life, what he really said, and what the beliefs and expectations of the crowds who followed him were. • Delves into the history, culture, beliefs, religious practices, and special dialect of both Galilee and Judea circa 35 A.D.

The Historical Jesus is NOT the Jesus Christ of faith. • Our focus is upon the facts and impact of events while Jesus was alive – obviously the meaning of everything he said or did changed with crucifixion and resurrection. • To find the historical Jesus, we need to strip away the layers of re-interpretation added by those who knew the end of the story. • Jesus of Nazareth was not the first Christian -- sometimes he is made to sound like one.

Historical Jesus versus Christ Jesus Christ - the divine son of God - Called Christ, Lord (Kyrie), Savior; - Sounds more like a Greek sage than a Jew; - Appeals more to pagan sensibilities.

Historical Jesus -divinely inspired human - called Teacher, Master, Adonai, or Rabboni; - spoke in an obscure dialect of Aramaic; - was a Jew who spoke of Jewish themes.

20th Century Discoveries • Dead Sea Scrolls -- First Century Jewish apocalyptic and messianic beliefs. • Gospel of Peter – an early Passion story. • Gospel of Thomas – an early sayings gospel • “Secret Gospel of Mark” – a letter from Clement of Alexandria. • The Peshita – an Aramaic New Testament. • A host of new archeological discoveries.

The Hypothetical “Q” Gospel • “Q” = German for “Source.” • Q is thought to be the second source used by both Matthew and Luke. • A sayings gospel with the Sermon on the Mount and the Lord’s Prayer, perhaps originating from an early catechism (Q1). • Q2 and Q3 appear to be later sayings, one healing, and the temptation story.

Other Hypothetical Gospel Sources • “Special Matthew” – a handful of pithy kingdom teachings plus instructions from the post-resurrection Jesus. • The Septuagint – the Greek Old Testament • “Special Luke” – extended parables plus a slightly different Passion story. • “Signs Gospel” – the source for the miracles in John’s gospel? (the seven “signs” recounted in Chapters 1 -11.

Barriers to Historical Jesus Research: Beware the Cycle of Prophets and Priests -- a staple of rabbinical commentary: the counter-cultural teachings of an inspired visionary are soon re-shaped by other, more traditional leaders to better fit the very religious paradigms he opposed. -- Peter, Paul, and James the Just were the first great “priests” of Christianity.

Devout Jews, “Greeks,” and “Christianoi” all helped to create the Christian religion • Almost from the outset there were at least three separate sects of Christianity, each with their own set of beliefs, interpretations of Jesus, and rituals. • Their beliefs, as well as those of other, later groups, are intertwined in the gospels and and letters of the New Testament.

James the Just and “the Circumcision Party” • An apocalyptic sect of devout Jews who followed the “Way” by remaining in Jerusalem as the holy remnant and worshipping daily in the Temple. • They called themselves “the Poor (Ebionites)” and did not refer to Jesus as their “Lord” or “Savior.” • They saw Jesus as the apocalyptic “son of man,” a heavenly advocate who would serve as the final judge of righteousness. • They believed in salvation by acts alone, followed the Mosaic Laws of Kosher, and practiced daily immersion (not baptism); their communion table was a seder open only to devout Jews.

Peter, Barnabas, and the “Greeks” • Believed that Jesus was Adonai (my Lord) -- the messianic Righteous One, a prophetic messenger of the new covenant. • A missionary calling to preach the “Word” – God’s final instructions -- to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” • Practiced John’s baptism of repentance. • Preached to the Samaritans and in the synagogues of the Diaspora; they kept an open table for all who “feared God” – i.e., Gentiles worshipping in the synagogues.

Paul and the “Christianoi” • Began in Antioch where Gentiles outnumbered Jews in the synagogues and quickly spread as a heretical sect for Gentiles to Turkey, Greece, and Rome. • Paul used symbolism and ritual from the pagan world to make his gospel of salvation by faith appeal to polytheistic Gentiles because he believed in a third theme of OT prophecy – the apocalypse would occur when the Gentiles worshipped God.

Paul’s and his “Christians” • Worshipped in private homes, accepted polytheistic Gentiles, practiced communion, and greeted each other with a “holy kiss.” • Paul’s baptism was for forgiveness of sins. • His communion was a memorial meal open to all, even polytheistic Gentile “sinners.” • Believed that Jesus was the apocalyptic “Christ” – the anointed one – who would come again to lead the faithful in an imminent final battle.

II. Christian Orthodoxy and the Impact of the Nicean Council • By 250 A.D., after two-hundred years of intense missionary activity, there were only about one million Christians – less than 2% of the population of the Roman Empire. • Less than a century later, after the conversion of Emperor Constantine, more than 34 million people – 56.5% of the Empire – called themselves “Christians” – a religion that owed more to Paul’s heresy than the beliefs of either Peter or James.

Orthodoxy or Heresy? • Obviously the beliefs of the millions who rushed to adopt the Emperor’s new religion were a far cry from those who had hidden in the catacombs from his predecessors. • Unfortunately, it was largely these new followers who defined Christian orthodoxy while the creeds of competing sects were outlawed as heresy and destroyed.

Among those beliefs eliminated (but still in the New Testament): • The Adoptionist Beliefs of the Ebionites (“The Poor”) – Jewish Christians still led by descendants of Jesus’ family • Gnosticism, Docetism, and Kabbalah – more mystical and spiritual approaches. • The Arian Heresy – as the son of God, Jesus was less powerful than the Father.

The Modern Search for the Historical Jesus began with Albert Schweitzer • He concluded that even though He was divinely inspired, the historical Jesus believed that the apocalypse was at hand – i.e., the historical Jesus was wrong. • He felt that that the best that mankind could do was to try and put the divinely inspired portion of Jesus’ message into practice. • Focused on discerning “the Word.”

The Challenge of Interpreting Jesus • Schweitzer saw that the problem with trying to find the historical Jesus was that when you looked into the deep well of the gospels, you saw your own reflection – your own beliefs defined your view of Jesus. • One test for validity: did the writer see too much of himself in his depiction of Jesus?

Gospel Interpretations of Jesus • Mark – Jesus was the angry prophet of the apocalypse – a secret messiah who battled evil. • Matthew – Jesus was the promised messiah of the Jews, the Davidic king of a new heavenly realm. • Luke provides a more human portrait, more in the Greek tradition, of Jesus as the savior of Gentiles. • John depicts Jesus as the messianic messenger of a spiritual kingdom – a precursor to the Holy Spirit.

Other Interpretations • Peter: Jesus was the heaven-sent messenger of the Word – the final instructions (the Way) for “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Jesus was Adonai. • Paul: Jesus was the messianic “Christ” who would come again to lead the righteous – both Jews and Gentiles -- in an apocalyptic battle against evil. • Hebrews (Barnabas?): Jesus was the messianic priest of the new covenant • James the Just: as the “son of man,” Jesus would return in the apocalypse as the final heavenly judge of righteousness – similar to Enoch.

Who Was the Historical Jesus? • The unique (monoges) or “only” son of God? • Marginal Jew or Pious Jewish Reformer? • Counter-cultural peasant revolutionary or an innocent scapegoat? • Mystic Spiritual Guide or Inspired Sage? • Prophet of Apocalyptic doom or messenger of a new earthly kingdom of brotherly love? • Miraculous Healer or Charismatic Shaman?