9780802875129

0802875122

9781467468572

"Brant Pitre argues that the historical Jesus saw himself as divine, leading to the emergence of high Christology among his early followers"-- Provided by publisher.

"Did Jesus see himself as divine? Since the beginning of the quest for the historical Jesus, scholars have dismissed the idea that Jesus could have identified himself as God. Such high Christology is frequently depicted as an invention of the councils of Nicaea and Chalcedon, centuries later. Yet recent research has shown that the earliest Jewish followers of Jesus already regarded him as divine. Brant Pitre tackles this paradox in his bold new monograph. Pitre challenges this widespread assumption and makes a robust case that Jesus did consider himself divine. Carefully explicating the Gospels in the context of Second Temple Judaism, Pitre shows how Jesus used riddles, questions, and scriptural allusions to reveal the apocalyptic secret of his divinity. Moreover, Pitre explains how Jesus acts as if he is divine in both the Synoptics and the Gospel of John. Carefully weighing the historical evidence, Pitre argues that the origins of early high Christology can be traced to the historical Jesus's words and actions. Jesus and Divine Christology sheds light on long-neglected yet key evidence that the historical Jesus saw himself as divine. Scholars and students of the New Testament-and anyone curious about the Jewish context of early Christianity-will find Pitre's argument a necessary and provocative corrective to a critically underexamined topic"-- Provided by publisher.

Machine generated contents note: Table of Contents 1. The Problem

The Quest and Jesus's Divinity

Early High Christology

Four Historical Warrants

Method of Proceeding

2. The Epiphany Miracles

The Miracles of Jesus

Stilling the Storm

Walking on the Sea

The Transfiguration

3. The Riddles of Jesus's Divinity

The Teacher of Parables

Greater than Father or Mother

No One is Good but God

The Riddle of David's Lord

4. The Apocalyptic Secret

The Apocalyptic Jesus

The Heavenly Son of Man

The Question of John the Baptist

The Apocalyptic "Thunderbolt"

5. Crucified for Blasphemy

The Criterion of Execution

They Picked Up Stones

You Make Yourself God

The Charge of Blasphemy

6. Implications

Ex Nihilo Nihil Fit

Early Divine Christology

The Parting of the Ways

The Long Road to Nicaea

Acknowledgments

Indexes.

Jesus Christ > Divinity.

Jesus Christ > Person and offices.