Interpretations of Jesus from Theologians

Question 1

J. S Reimarus

Answer 1

Christians invented God’s Jesus as God’s son. He was actually a Jewish reformer. His failed political fanaticism is what led to his execution. The resurrection was made up by the disciples who hoped God would bring about an end to the world.

Question 2

William Wrede

Answer 2

In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus told people not to say that that he was the Messiah. The invention of the Messianic secret intended to answer why he was never considered to be a Messiah in his lifetime and that the Gospels are almost entirely invention. Pseudo-historical.

Question 3

Albert Schweitzer

Answer 3

The quest of the historical Jesus. Jesus’ image has changed over time with the personal views of the various authors. He thinks that the life and thinking of Jesus must be interpreted in the light of Jesus’ own convictions. Jesus genuinely believed that his ministry would bring about the end of history. He didn’t see any prolonged period between his time on earth and judgement.

Question 4

E. P Sanders

Answer 4

Faith claims are different to claims made in the realm of reason. Jesus was a man who must have been acting within the laws of science and the limits of history. As a historian writing about Jesus, it would be a category mistake to venture into theology. When placed in a Jewish setting, we can know a fair bit about Jesus but he can’t be painted as ‘unique’. He wasn’t ‘unique’ but his teachings on hope for outcasts, non-violence and God’s grace placed him as different to others at the time.

Question 5

Rudolph Bultmann

Answer 5

The Jesus of history is less important than the Christ of faith. Sceptical of what we know about the historical Jesus, can only know from preaching’s and teachings. He proposed demythologising the bible. People used metaphors to express their spiritual, psychological and philosophical experiences (not objective facts). The basis of Christian faith is reflections of the early church, inspired by ongoing experiences of Christ; rather than the historical Jesus.

Question 6

James Cone

Answer 6

Black Messiah. The starting point is historical because of the suffering and oppression of black people. Jesus is given many titles in the new testament and ‘Black Messiah’ continues this. Cone uses ‘black’ to connote the fact that Jesus would not have been white and to metaphorically represent Jesus suffering in unity with the oppressed. The cross was not just a symbol, but it resonates with the ‘lynching tree’. Both Jesus and black people died and suffered as a result of injustice.