Did Jesus exist?Jewish War (75 CE) Jewish Antiquities (94 CE) Writings about Jesus Jewish...
Transcript of Did Jesus exist?Jewish War (75 CE) Jewish Antiquities (94 CE) Writings about Jesus Jewish...
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OsherLifelongLearningInstitute
DidJesusexist?
1. silenceisnotpositiveevidenceofnon‐existence
2. gospelgenreisnotmeanttobe“history”
3. specificityoftheaccounts
4. developmentdoesnotequalwhole‐scaleinvention
5. ifChristiansinventedJesus,whydidn’tJewsandpaganscritiquethemforthat?
6. problemswithRomansourcesdon’tmakethemuseless
7. agendaofdeniersisnotobjective
8. nocrediblealternativeexplanationfortheriseofChristianity
Class1
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Outline
WhatsourcesdowehaveforreconstructingJesus’life?
Howdoesanhistoriansiftthroughallthisevidence?
WhathasthequestforthehistoricalJesusfound?
WhatarethemajorviewstodayofwhoJesuswas?
IsthequestforahistoricalJesusnecessaryforapersonoffaith?
Question1
TheGreek&RomanAuthorsPlinytheYounger(61–120CE)
Whatdidhewrite?
Whatdidhesay?
Whatwerehissources?
IshistestimonyreliableforreconstructingthehistoricalJesus?
Book10,Letter96
ReportsearlyChristiantradition,notsomethingaboutthehistoricalJesus
Informationwasextractedundertorture,soit’sunreliable
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TheGreek&RomanAuthorsSuetonius(70–130CE)
Whatdidhewrite?
Whatdidhesay?
Whatwerehissources?
IshistestimonyreliableforreconstructingthehistoricalJesus?
LivesoftheCaesars:Claudius
Heoftenstoopstoscandalsandrumor‐mongering,whichmakeshimunreliable
IsinstigatorofarebellioninRomein49CE,“Chrestus,”someothermanof“Christ”misspelled?NoChristianscribefixesit…
TheGreek&RomanAuthorsTacitus(55/56–120CE)
Whatdidhewrite?
Whatdidhesay?
Whatwerehissources?
IshistestimonyreliableforreconstructingthehistoricalJesus?
Annals15.44
Carefuluseofsources(Romanarchives?)
Neverstoopstoscandal
Powerfulwriterwithmoralizingimpulse
This(alone)isimportantexternaltestimonytoJesus’death
JewishSourcesTheDeadSeaScrollsOnline
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TheDeadSeaScrollsasresourcesforreconstructingthehistoricalJesus
TheydonotprovidedirecttestimonyaboutJesusoranyotherfigureintheNewTestament
TheydotellusagreatdealaboutJewishsocietyinJesus’time
EssenebeliefsandpracticesoverlapsomewhatwiththewayChristiansinterpretedthe(shared)Jewishscriptures;bothgroups
usedsimilargenresandforms(beatitudes,parables)
wereassociatedwithhealingandritualwashing
sharedcommunalmealsandpropertyincommon
awaitedmessiahsandbelievedintheresurrection
imaginedanend‐timebattleinthenearfuture
FlaviusJosephusJewishHistorian(37–c.100CE)
Background EducatedJew Rebelleader66‐68 SurrenderedtoRome,prophesiedthe
general’srisetoemperor,rewardedwithadoptionintotheimperialfamily(“Flavius”)
Writings TheJewishWar(75CE) JewishAntiquities(94CE)
WritingsaboutJesus JewishAntiquities20.9.1
JewishAntiquities18.3.3=TestimoniumFlavianum
TestimoniumFlavianumJewishAntiquities18.3.3
AroundthistimetherelivedJesus,awiseman,ifindeedoneoughttocallhimaman.Forhewasonewhodidsurprisingdeeds,andateacherofsuchpeopleasacceptthetruthgladly.HewonovermanyJewsandmanyoftheGreeks.HewastheMessiah.WhenPilate,uponhearinghimaccusedbymenofthehigheststandingamongus,hadcondemnedhimtobecrucified,thosewhointhefirstplacecametolovehimdidnotgiveuptheiraffectionforhim,foronthethirddayheappearedtothemrestoredtolife.TheprophetsofGodhadprophesiedthisandcountlessothermarvelousthingsabouthim.AndthetribeoftheChristians,socalledafterhim,havestilltothisdaynotdiedout.
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TestimoniumFlavianumJewishAntiquities18.3.3
AroundthistimetherelivedJesus,awiseman,ifindeedoneoughttocallhimaman.Forhewasonewhodidsurprisingdeeds,andateacherofsuchpeopleasacceptthetruthgladly.HewonovermanyJewsandmanyoftheGreeks.HewastheMessiah.WhenPilate,uponhearinghimaccusedbymenofthehigheststandingamongus,hadcondemnedhimtobecrucified,thosewhointhefirstplacecametolovehimdidnotgiveuptheiraffectionforhim,foronthethirddayheappearedtothemrestoredtolife.TheprophetsofGodhadprophesiedthisandcountlessothermarvelousthingsabouthim.AndthetribeoftheChristians,socalledafterhim,havestilltothisdaynotdiedout.
TestimoniumFlavianumJewishAntiquities18.3.3
AroundthistimetherelivedJesus,awiseman.,ifindeedoneoughttocallhimaman.Forhewasonewhodidsurprisingdeeds,andateacherofsuchpeopleasacceptthetruthgladly.HewonovermanyJewsandmanyoftheGreeks.HewastheMessiah.WhenPilate,uponhearinghimaccusedbymenofthehigheststandingamongus,hadcondemnedhimtobecrucified,thosewhointhefirstplacecametolovehimdidnotgiveuptheiraffectionforhim.foronthethirddayheappearedtothemrestoredtolife.TheprophetsofGodhadprophesiedthisandcountlessothermarvelousthingsabouthim.AndthetribeoftheChristians,socalledafterhim,havestilltothisdaynotdiedout.
Question2
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HowDoesanHistorianSifttheEvidence?
Understandtheproblemsposedbytheevidence
Developachronologyofgospelcomposition
Atthesametime,theorizethegospels’relationshipstoeachother
Designcriteriaagainstwhichtotesttheevidence
ChristianSources:Understandingtheproblemspostedbytheevidence
Thegospelsaren’ttransparentrecordsofwhatJesusdid
Developingbeliefsaffectthetellingofthestory
HistoricaleventsafterJesusaffectthetellingtoo
Thegospelsconflictwithoneanother
Thegospelsaresometimesidentical,suggestingtheyaren’tindependent
Theauthorsarebiased,andtheyadmitit
ChristianSources:DevelopingaChronology
Jesus’ Jesus’ MK MTLK JNbirth death4BCE 30CE? 65‐75 75‐85 90‐110
?
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ChristianSources:TheorizingtheRelationshipsoftheGospels
TheSynopticsvs.John
Matthew‐Mark‐Lukeinrelationtoeachother Thesethreeareverysimilar,SOsimilarthattheymustsharesomesourcesincommon
VERYdifferentstoriesandstyle VERYlittleoverlap
Howaretheyrelated?
Thisquestioniscalledthesynopticproblem
ChristianSources:DesigningCriteriatoTesttheEvidence
ItdiffersfromlaterChristianbeliefs,andperhapsfromknownJewishbelief/practice
Materialinthegospelsismorelikelytobehistoricalif:
discontinuity
Itmatchestheearlyfirst‐centurycontext,notthelatefirstcentury,andisconsistentwithJesus’crucifixion
plausibility
Itisawkwardorembarrassing awkwardness
ThesayingmatchesoralstyleandformsJesuslikelytaughtin
orality&form
Itisreportedinmultiple,independentwitnesses
multipleattestation
TheSynopticGospels:TheEvidence
Case1SomematerialissharedbyMark,MatthewandLuke.ThisiscalledtheTripleTradition.
Whilehewasthusspeakingtothem,behold,arulercamein
andkneltbeforehim,saying,“Mydaughterhasjustdied;
butcomeandlayyourhandonher,andshewilllive.”AndJesusroseandfollowedhim,withhisdisciples.
Matthew9:18‐19
Thencameoneoftherulersofthesynagogue,Jairusbyname;andseeinghim,hefellathisfeet,andbesoughthim,saying,“Mylittledaughterisatthepointofdeath.
Comeandlayyourhandsonher,sothatshemaybemadewell,andlive.”Andhewentwithhim.
Mark5:22‐24
AndtherecameamannamedJairus,whowasarulerofthesynagogue;andfallingatJesus’feethebesoughthimtocometohishouse,forhehadanonlydaughter,abouttwelveyearsofage,andshewasdying.
Ashewent,thepeoplepressedroundhim.
Luke8:41‐42
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TheSynopticGospels:TheEvidence
Case2SomematerialisnotinMarkatall,butisidenticalinMatthewandLuke.ThisiscalledtheDoubleTradition.
“Hewholovesfatherormothermorethanmeisnotworthyofme;andhewholovessonordaughtermorethanmeisnotworthyofme;andhewhodoesnottakehiscrossandfollowmeisnotworthyofme.
Matthew10:37‐38 Mark
Nowgreatmultitudesaccompaniedhim;andheturnedandsaidtothem,“Ifanyonecomestomeanddoesnothatehisownfatherandmotherandwifeandchildrenandbrothersandsisters,yes,andevenhisownlife,hecannotbemydisciple.Whoeverdoesnotbearhisowncrossandcomeafterme,cannotbemydisciple.
Luke14:25‐26
TheSynopticGospels:TheEvidence
LukeMark31“WhentheSonofMancomesinhisglory,andalltheangelswithhim,thenhewillsitonthethroneofhisglory.32Allthenationswillbegatheredbeforehim,andhewillseparatepeopleonefromanotherasashepherdseparatesthesheepfromthegoats,33andhewillputthesheepathisrighthandandthegoatsattheleft.34Thenthekingwillsaytothoseathisrighthand,‘Come,youthatareblessedbymyFather,inheritthekingdompreparedforyoufromthefoundationoftheworld;35forIwashungryandyougavemefood,Iwasthirstyandyougavemesomethingtodrink,Iwasastrangerandyouwelcomedme,36Iwasnakedandyougavemeclothing,Iwassickandyoutookcareofme,Iwasinprisonandyouvisitedme.’37Thentherighteouswillanswerhim,‘Lord,whenwasitthatwesawyouhungryandgaveyoufood,orthirstyandgaveyousomethingtodrink?38Andwhenwasitthatwesawyouastrangerandwelcomedyou,ornakedandgaveyouclothing?39Andwhenwasitthatwesawyousickorinprisonandvisitedyou?’40Andthekingwillanswerthem,‘TrulyItellyou,justasyoudidittooneoftheleastofthesewhoaremembersofmyfamily,youdidittome.’”
Matthew25:31‐40
Case3aSomematerialisonlyfoundinMatthew.
TheSynopticGospels:TheEvidence
Case3bSomematerialisonlyfoundinLuke.
Matthew Mark
Andhesaid,“Therewasamanwhohadtwosons;andtheyoungerofthemsaidtohisfather,‘Father,givemetheshareofpropertythatfallstome.’Andhedividedhislivingbetweenthem.Notmanydayslater,theyoungersongatheredallhehadandtookhisjourneyintoafarcountry,andtherehesquanderedhispropertyinlooseliving.Andwhenhehadspenteverything,agreatfaminearoseinthatcountry,andhebegantobeinwant.Sohewentandjoinedhimselftooneofthecitizensofthatcountry,whosenthimintohisfieldstofeedswine.Andhewouldgladlyhavefedonthepodsthattheswineate;andnoonegavehimanything.Butwhenhecametohimselfhesaid,‘Howmanyofmyfather’shiredservantshavebreadenoughandtospare,butIperishherewithhunger!...”
Luke15:11‐32
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TheSynopticGospelsTheConsensusSolution:TheTwo‐SourceHypothesis
ThetheorythattheauthorsofMatthewandLukeusedtwosharedsourcesfortheirgospels
• Q(alistofsayingsofJesus)
• andtheGospelofMark,
inadditiontotheirownuniquematerial.Thetheoryisonewayofaccountingforthesynopticproblem.
TheSynopticGospelsWhyIt’stheConsensusView
1.MarkanPriority
2.“Q”(QstandsforQuelle,theGermanwordforsource)
ThestyleandtheologyofMark’sgospelisrough.It’seasiertoexplainhowlaterauthors“cleanedup”MarkthantoarguethatMarkabbreviatedtheothergospelsandcreatedaninferiornarrative.
MatthewandLukehaveallofMarkexcept3verses,andlargelyfollowMark’sorder.Meanwhile,there’salotinMatthewandLukethatdoesn’tappearintheotherorinMark.
It’sreasonabletoimaginethatalistofJesus’sayingswouldhavecirculated.
We’veneverfoundit,buttheGospelofThomasislikeit.
TheFormationoftheGospels:ASketchforallEarlyMaterial
MatthewLuke
M
L
John
SQ
Canonical Gospels & their sources Non-canonical Gospels
partsofGospelofThomas,GospelofPeter,
&otherisolatedsayings
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ApocryphalChristianSourcesaboutJesus
• Gospels
• Epistlesorletters
• Actsofapostles
• Apocalypses
EgertonPapyrus,GospelofPeter,InfancyGospelofofJames,InfancyGospelofThomas
EpistlesofBarnabas,Clement,Ignatius
ActsofPaulandThecla,ActsofAndrew,ActsofPeter
ApocalypseofPeter,ApocalypseofPaul
CanonicalNTExamplesofApocryphalWorks
TheGreatDiscoveries
Oxyrhynchus1895–1930
50,000+fragmentaryGreekmss,someofthemChristian
NagHammadi1945
13bookswith52separate“tractates”—4thcenturycopiesofearliergnosticworks
Grenfell Hunt
Oxyrhynchus
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MuhammadAliSamman,whodiscoveredthe
codices
NagHammadi
CopticMuseum,Cairo
NagHammadi
PaulasSourcefortheHistoricalJesus
WhatdoeshesayaboutJesus?
WhatishisportraitofJesus?
IsitreliableforreconstructingthehistoricalJesus?
Nottoomuch!Hedidn’tknowthehistoricalJesus;caresmoreabouttherisen,livingJesus.
• lastsupper(1Cor11:23‐25)• prohibitionofdivorce(1Cor7:10)• disciplesshouldgetlivingbygospel(1Cor9:14)• loveofenemies?(Rom12:14,17‐20)
• thetwelve(1Cor15:5)• JesusofDavidicdescent(Rom1:3)
oneofourearliestsources
materialissecond‐orthird‐hand(butfromeyewitnesses)
butit’sshapedbyhisbeliefintherisenJesus
Writesmanyletters–7surviveintheNT
Writesc.50‐mid‐60sCE
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Question3
OriginsoftheQuestintheProtestantReformation(1517–1648)
Protestantconcerntocastofflater“tradition”andreturntoscripture
Optimismabouttextualreliability
AnimpetustoreturntoChristianoriginsfornormsoffaith
Allofthiscontributestoaconcernto“recover”a“true”Jesus
OriginsoftheQuestintheEnlightenment(1650–1800)
Rulesofscientificproofbegantoreplaceauthoritativetraditionorpronouncementsasappropriatewarrantsfortruthclaims
Applicationtoscripture:Texts,evenreligiousones,couldnolongersimplybeacceptedatfacevalue.TheirtruthclaimsaboutJesuswouldhavetobeevaluatedbythesamecriteriaofproofweuseinothervenues(science,courts,etc.).
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EnlightenmentChallenges
Anewsenseofhistory
Impactofreligiouscontroversiesandwars
Thenewastronomy
Voyagesofdiscovery
Limitsofreliableknowledge
ThreeQuests
Quest#1‐1770s‐1906
Quest#2‐1945‐1970s
Quest#3‐1908s‐present
TheFirstQuestH.S.Reimarus(1694–1768)TheWolfenbüttelFragments(publishedposthumouslybyG.E.Lessing)
PreachingofJesusisnottheapostles’faith
Jesus’preachingcanonlybeunderstoodwithinthecontextofJudaism
Jesus’messagewasaboutpolitics,buttheapostles’messagewasaboutsalvation;thiswasawillfuldeceptionbyJesus’followers
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TheFirstQuestH.S.Reimarus(1694–1768)TheWolfenbüttelFragments(publishedposthumouslybyG.E.Lessing)
TherealJesuswasarevolutionarywhopreachedtheendoftheworld.
Hewaswrong,andhisfollowersinventedtheclaimthatherose.
Theybelievedhewouldreturn,andhedidn’t.
ThusChristianityisbasedontwofailedeschatons(end‐times).
TheFirstQuestD.F.Strauss(1808–1874)LifeofJesus
Theconceptof“myth”(suchasinGenesis1‐3)helpsustounderstandwhatthegospelsare.
Routein:miracles
Neithernaïve,supernaturalistcredulitynor“sophisticated”scientificexplanationsappreciatethegenre
Miraclesaremyths–poetrywithapurpose
TheFirstQuestD.F.Strauss(1808–1874)LifeofJesus
Miraclesareimpossible;theymusthavebeenaddedbythegospelauthors.Thegospelsarecompositesoftheauthors’viewsintendedtoconvinceusthatJesusistheChrist.Theydonotreflecthistoryatall.
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TheFirstQuestContinued
Otherscholarsbegantowrite“livesofJesus,”biographiesinnovelformthatreconstructedwhathisdailylifeandthoughtswouldhavebeenlike.Thebooks,likeErnstRenan’sViedeJésus,wereverypopular.
Somescholarscontinuedtotrytotracetheearliestmaterialintheearliestsources(thegospels),andconcludedthatMark’sgospelwastheearliestandgaveustheactions,words,andsequenceofeventsofthelifeofthehistoricalJesus.
TheCollapseoftheFirstQuestWilliamWrede(1859–1906)TheMessianicSecret
Thereisageneralhistoricalframe‐workinthe“earliestgospel,”Mark
Buttoitareaddeddogmaticthreads
Jesusisadivinebeing
Disciplescannotunderstand
Jesus’enemiesarefullofevil
The Gospel of Mark belongs to the history of dogma,not to the history of Jesus
TheCollapseoftheFirstQuestAlbertSchweitzer(1875–1965)TheQuestoftheHistoricalJesus
• Jesuswasaneschatologicalprophet,buthiszealwasmisguided;theendoftheworldneveroccurred.Heisthusirrelevanttoourculture
• TheVictorianlivesofJesusthatsoughtischronologyandmotivesarenothingmorethantheauthors’idealsproject‐edbackontothepsycheofJesus
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TheAryanJesusduringtheThirdReich(1933–1945)
• The“official”storyofthehistoricalJesusquestimaginesagapbetweenSchweitzer(1906)andBultmann(1941)
• ButtherewasworkbeingdoneonthehistoricalJesusduringtheThirdReich(1933–1945)
Butamongtheologians,Jesus’Jewishidentitywaserased
Jewsweremadehischiefenemies
OfficialNaziideologywasatheistic
TheCollapseoftheFirstQuestRudolphBultmann(1884–1976)NeuesTestamentundMythologie(1941)
WecannotrecoverthehistoricalJesus
ahistoricalconclusion
WeneednotrecoverthehistoricalJesus
atheologicalconclusion
WhatmattersisnotwhatJesusdid,butwhatGoddidinJesus
ThusChristiansbelieveintheChristoffaith,nottheJesusofhistory
TheSecondor“New”QuestErnstKäsemann(1906–1998)TheProblemoftheHistoricalJesus(1954)
TheChristoffaithcannotbedivorcedfromtheJesusofhistory
AcriticallyensuredminimumofauthenticJesusmaterialcanberecovered,ifyoufilterout
AnythingthatlookedtooJewish
AnythingthatlookedtoomuchlikelaterChristianity
Anythingthatlookedtoomuchlikehumanculture
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TheThirdQuestTheCurrentOne
Aimstostudythestrandsofthetextualtradition
Utilizesnewmanuscriptdiscoveriestodeveloparicherportraitofthetextualtraditionandsocialworld
DevelopsthecriteriaofhistoricitytofiltertraditionmoreeffectivelythantheSecondQuest
Minesarchaeologicaldatatobuildmoreaccurateportraitofsocial,political,economiccontext
JohnDominicCrossan MarcusJ.Borg JohnP.Meier PaulaFredriksen
PointsonwhichCriticsAgree
JesuswasbornlateinHerodtheGreat’sreign
BornandraisedinNazarethbyMary(andmaybeJoseph);hadbrothersandsisters
Baptizedaroundage28–30
PreachedavariationofJohntheBaptist’smessage
Associatedwithsocialpariahs(andrespectablecitizens)
Itinerantpreacherandhealerwhoembracedalifestyleofpoverty(hewasa“peasant,”soalreadysubsistence)
EncounteredoppositionfromsomeJews,Romans
Crucified
EvaluatingHistoricityForLiteraryTexts
INthetext(notanargumentfromsilence)
eyewitnesstestimony
embarrassingtotheauthor
multiplyattestedinindependentwitnesses
coherentwithothersayings/actionsestablishedashistorical
discontinuouswithknownJewishorChristiantradition
consistentwithJesus’execution
Somethinginthetextsismorelikelytobehistoricalifitis
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EvaluatingHistoricityForLiteraryTexts
theauthoriscarefulwithhissources
theauthorhasagoodreputation;he’snotascandal‐monger
theauthorisreportingaboutthehistoricalpersonorevent
thetextitselfhasintegrity:itwasnotlikelychangedbyalaterChristianscribe
Additionalconsiderationsinfavorofhistoricity:
EvaluatingHistoricityForArchaeologicalSites&Artifacts
Provenance Stratigraphy Analogy
HistoricalEvaluationofArtifacts
Allartifactsarehistorical.Thequestionis,whathistory,orwhosehistory,dotheyattest?
Historiansdoubtthehistoricityoftraditionsorartifacts: thelaterthefirstreportoftheartifact’sexistence
themoretheymatchlaterordevelopingtraditionsratherthanthecircumstancesofJesus’lifetime
theyamplifythemiraculous,ortheroleofdreamsandvisions
theyfillgapsoranswerquestionsinstories
theyincludeotherandlater“scripts”
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Question4
Pointsonwhichcriticsdisagree
Jesusemphasizedanimminenteschatological
judgment
liketheJewishprophets
Jesussaidnothingabouttheendoftime
liketheGreekCynics–itinerantphilosophers
ThiswasthepositionoftheearliestscholarsoftheThirdQuest
ThisisthepositionoftheJesusSeminar
Question5