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1 Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Did Jesus exist? 1. silence is not positive evidence of non‐existence 2. gospel genre is not meant to be “history” 3. specificity of the accounts 4. development does not equal whole‐scale invention 5. if Christians invented Jesus, why didn’t Jews and pagans critique them for that? 6. problems with Roman sources don’t make them useless 7. agenda of deniers is not objective 8. no credible alternative explanation for the rise of Christianity Class 1

Did Jesus exist?Jewish War (75 CE) Jewish Antiquities (94 CE) Writings about Jesus Jewish Antiquities 20.9.1 Jewish Antiquities 18.3.3 = Testimonium Flavianum Testimonium Flavianum

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Page 1: Did Jesus exist?Jewish War (75 CE) Jewish Antiquities (94 CE) Writings about Jesus Jewish Antiquities 20.9.1 Jewish Antiquities 18.3.3 = Testimonium Flavianum Testimonium Flavianum

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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