Download pdf - 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

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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?



LivesoftheCaesars:Claudius

Heoftenstoopstoscandalsandrumor‐mongering,whichmakeshimunreliable

IsinstigatorofarebellioninRomein49CE,“Chrestus,”someothermanof“Christ”misspelled?NoChristianscribefixesit…

TheGreek&RomanAuthorsTacitus(55/56–120CE)

  Whatdidhewrite?

  Whatdidhesay?



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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AroundthistimetherelivedJesus,awiseman,ifindeedoneoughttocallhimaman.Forhewasonewhodidsurprisingdeeds,andateacherofsuchpeopleasacceptthetruthgladly.HewonovermanyJewsandmanyoftheGreeks.HewastheMessiah.WhenPilate,uponhearinghimaccusedbymenofthehigheststandingamongus,hadcondemnedhimtobecrucified,thosewhointhefirstplacecametolovehimdidnotgiveuptheiraffectionforhim,foronthethirddayheappearedtothemrestoredtolife.TheprophetsofGodhadprophesiedthisandcountlessothermarvelousthingsabouthim.AndthetribeoftheChristians,socalledafterhim,havestilltothisdaynotdiedout.


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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Case2SomematerialisnotinMarkatall,butisidenticalinMatthewandLuke.ThisiscalledtheDoubleTradition.

“Hewholovesfatherormothermorethanmeisnotworthyofme;andhewholovessonordaughtermorethanmeisnotworthyofme;andhewhodoesnottakehiscrossandfollowmeisnotworthyofme.

Matthew10:37‐38 Mark

Nowgreatmultitudesaccompaniedhim;andheturnedandsaidtothem,“Ifanyonecomestomeanddoesnothatehisownfatherandmotherandwifeandchildrenandbrothersandsisters,yes,andevenhisownlife,hecannotbemydisciple.Whoeverdoesnotbearhisowncrossandcomeafterme,cannotbemydisciple.

Luke14:25‐26


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.


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