From Jesus of the Scriptures…

to Jesus of the CreedsRevd Dr Piotr Ashwin-Siejkowski - St Mary’s Church/Twickenham

In this presentation we shall only scratch the surface of an iceberg….

The ‘earliest’ words of Jesus…• 1 Corinthians, 7:10, “To those who are married I command –

not I, but the Lord: A women should not be separated from her husband… and a man should not divorce his wife.”

• 1 Corinthians, 11:24-25, “For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. 25 In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

• Acts, 20:35, "Remember the word of the Lord Jesus, how he said: It is a more blessed thing to give, rather than to receive."

Paul’s views of Jesus

Paul and Jesus of Nazareth…

Paul’s views of Jesuspart.2

• “Paul was interested in what God has done in Jesus more than in who Jesus was”*

• Jesus’ death and resurrection is the central event in the history of humanity: Jesus, the ‘second Adam’: - disobedience/obedience; - death/life; - transgression/reunion;

• Paul believed in Christ’s immanent return, this faith shaped his seven letters: 1 Thessalonians, 1 – 2 Corinthians; Philippians, Philemon, Galatians, Romans.

* R.A. Burridge and G. Gould, Jesus Now and Then, (2004): 86.

Paul’s views of Jesus part.2: the Epistle to Philippians, 2.5-11 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

6 who, though he was in the form of God,    did not regard equality with God    as something to be exploited,7 but emptied himself,    taking the form of a slave,    being born in human likeness.and being found in human form,8     he humbled himself    and became obedient to the point of death—    even death on a cross.9 Therefore God also highly exalted him    and gave him the name    that is above every name,10 so that at the name of Jesus    every knee should bend,    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11 and every tongue should confess    that Jesus Christ is Lord,    to the glory of God the Father.

the Epistle to the Philippians, 2.5-11 in the earliestexisting papyri P46 (2nd CE, now in ChesterBeatty LibraryDublin)

Paul’s views of Jesus the Epistle to Philippians, 2.5-11 in the Codex Sinaiticus a manuscript of the Christian Bible written in the middle of the fourth century, contains the earliest complete Greek copy of the Christian New Testament (you may see it in the British Library!)

Paul’s views of Jesus part.2: the Epistle to Philippians, 2.5-11

Destruction of Jerusalem (70 CE)- why does it matter?

The Arch of Titus near the Coliseum in Rome depicts the Roman conquest of Jerusalem in 70 CD

Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels….

• Mark (c. 70 CE): the shortest Gospel (only 16 chapters the last chapter is later edited), shows the growing conflict between Jesus and his Jewish milieu (Jesus rushes around/immediately 10 times). Jesus is the secret (divine) Messiah. No continuity with Judaism… The end of the current world is near…

Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels….

• Matthew (c.80 – 96 CE): The Christ of the Scriptures: the Scriptures had foretold the exact circumstances of Jesus’ coming, death and resurrection (e.g. the Bethlehem star: Numbers 24:17 – in Mt 2:2). The Gospel presents a strong anti-Jewish polemic.

Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels….

• Luke (c.80 – 96 CE): The Christ of the Gentiles: Jesus is depicted as the patient teacher concerned about the poor, the hungry, the sorrowful… Jesus the model for his followers.

Jesus in John’s Gospel• John (100 – 110 CE) portrays Jesus as

the divine Redeemer/Stranger (Wayne A. Meeks) who has descended and will ascend. Jesus reveals his Father and his unique relationship with God. Salvation comes through recognition of Jesus’ true status.

From the original Jewish Christianity to Gentile communities

From the original Jewish Christianity to Gentile communities

1/ Jesus of Nazareth did not found a new religion (‘Christianity’), he wished to reform his own religious tradition in Palestine (Galilee).

2/ Destruction of Jerusalem (70 CE) – Christians (so far mainly Jewish converts) asked themselves about their identity. “Where do we stand?”

3/ The mission among the Jews more and more difficult: no success – rejection of Jesus as ‘the Messiah’. (This problem is reflected in all four Gospels).

4/ Paul’s ministry and authority (after the so-called Council in Jerusalem

Gal 1:16 ) turns towards non-Jewish audience/disciples and is successful.

5/ The Kingdom of God, Jesus’ return did not happen as expected…

Jesus of the Apologists (2nd CE)

The Alexamenos graffito (2 CE/Rome): “Alexamenos worshipping [his] god” (Αλεξαμενος ϲεβετε θεον)

Jesus of the Apologists (2nd CE)

1/ who were ‘apologists’? Christian intellectuals who defended Christian faith against Gentile (!) accusations of superstition and being an immoral cult.

2/ Irenaeus of Lyons (2 CE): Pauline theme: Jesus the second (divine) Adam, Jesus ‘repaired’ what Adam destroyed (Jesus- new Adam; Mary- new Eve)

3/ Justin Martyr (2 CE): Jesus is the embodiment of the divine Logos/Mind proclaimed by Greek philosophers. Jesus existed before the creation of the world.

4/ During the 2 CE Christian intellectuals well acquainted with philosophical notions (‘person’, ‘substance’, ‘trinity’, ‘consubstantial’) introduced these notions to their audience. Christianity lost its links with Judaism.

Jesus in inter-Christian polemic (2nd CE): docetism? adoptionism? or…

Jesus and the praying Churches (2-3rd CE)

Didache/Ch 7: “And concerning baptism, baptise this way: Having first said all these things, baptise into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in living water. But if you have no living water, baptise into other water; and if you cannot do so in cold water, do so in warm. But if you have neither, pour out water three times upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit.”

Arius (d. 336): Jesus ‘above’ all creation but ‘lower’ than God

Arius (d. 336)Arius’ argument based on the Gospels:1/ John 14:28: If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I.2/ John 17:3: And this is eternal life, that they may know you [Father], the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.3/ Mark 10:17-18: Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus said to him: “why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone”.

AriusArius’ ‘creed’:

We acknowledge One God, alone not-begotten, alone everlasting, alone without the beginning, alone true, alone having immortality, alone wise, alone good, alone sovereign; judge, governor and administrator of all, unalterable and unchangeable, just and good, God of Law and Prophets and New Testament; who begat an Only-begotten Son before all times, through whom he has made both the ages and the universe. The Son – the offspring is not a portion of the Father, is not consubstantial (Gr. homoousios – ‘of one essence’) with the Father....

Athanasius, On the Synods of Ariminum and Seleukeia, 16.

Arius’ opponent: Athanasius of Alexandria,

one of the architects of the Nicene Creed

The Creed of Nicaea (325 CE) rejection of Arius’ view: introduction of the non-Scriptural term “of one substance

(ὁμοούσιον)”We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible;and in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten from the Father, only-begotten, that is, from the substance of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one substance with the Father (ὁμοούσιον τῷ Πατρί), through Whom all things came into being, things in heaven and things on earth, who because of us men and because of our salvation came down, and became incarnate and became man, and suffered, and rose again on the third day, and ascended to the heavens, and will come to judge the living and dead,and in the Holy Spirit.

Jesus for us (“For whom are you looking?” John 20:15)