Historical Jesus Flashcards
What challenge do historians face when reconstructing the “historical Jesus”?
The challenge is separating “historical Jesus” material from content added by gospel writers or letter writers to meet the needs of their specific communities.
How do the gospels portray Jesus in different ways?
Mark portrays Jesus as an apocalyptic figure during the Jewish War, Matthew presents him as a “new Moses” in inner-Pharisaic disputes, and John depicts him as the Wisdom/Word of God after being expelled from the synagogue.
Why is it important to consider the perspectives of different gospel writers and letter writers?
Each perspective reflects the aspirations and concerns of early Christian communities, and all are important theologically. Separating the “historical Jesus” from these perspectives deepens understanding of early Christianity.
What does separating “historical Jesus” material from later theological material NOT imply?
It does not imply that “historical Jesus” material is superior or more valid than the theological reflections of gospel writers or letter writers.
What is the general rule for determining historical accuracy in sources?
The earlier a source is, the more likely it is to contain accurate information. However, this does not mean earlier sources are free from their own voices and agendas.
What is the “Criterion for Historicity: Independent Attestation”?
Independent attestation suggests that when multiple, independent sources agree on something, it is likely that the tradition predates both authors. This does not confirm it as historical but indicates it was not invented by the authors.
What is a problem when using independent attestation to determine historical accuracy?
It’s tricky to define what counts as “independent” since texts like Matthew depend on Mark, and there is uncertainty about whether Luke and John depend on other gospels or sources like Thomas.
What does the “Criterion of Embarrassment” suggest?
Events or statements that could be embarrassing to the writer are less likely to have been invented by the author. Such material is often seen as stemming from earlier traditions.
How does an author’s theological agenda affect the historical nature of a story?
If a narrative closely aligns with an author’s theological or literary agenda, it may have been created to address specific community needs and thus has a lower claim to being “historical Jesus” material.
How is contextual credibility used to assess the historical nature of a story?
A story that fits within the known historical context of first-century Judea and Galilee has a higher claim to being historical. If it involves ideas or practices from a later time or different geographic context, it’s less likely to be historical.
What is a two-level narrative?
A two-level narrative is a story that has both a political or religious message while also appearing to describe a historical event. Such narratives are less likely to be considered purely historical.
What criteria should be used when assessing the historicity of a narrative?
Date (earlier is better), independent attestation, criterion of embarrassment, literary or theological agenda of the writer, contextual credibility, and whether the narrative is a two-level story.
How do you assess whether a story is likely historical?
Tally the “pluses” and “minuses” based on the criteria: earlier date, independent attestation, embarrassment, and contextual credibility all contribute positively, while literary agendas or two-level narratives detract.
How does the story of Jesus in the temple at age 12 appear in the sources?
Luke 2:41-52 and Infancy Gospel of Thomas 19:1-3 both tell the story of Jesus teaching the elders at the temple at age 12.
What sources tell the story of Jesus’s baptism by John?
Matthew 3:1-17, Mark 1:1-15, and John 1:19-34 all describe the baptism of Jesus by John.
