Lecture 13: The Quests for Jesus

Question 1

What did Schweitzer believe the important part of Jesus’s message was?

Answer 1

That we should prepare for the coming of God by repenting.

Question 2

Who believed Jesus was a failed messianic prophet who failed to change history?

Answer 2

Albert Schweitzer

Question 3

Describe form criticism.

Answer 3

It seeks to get behind the written sources of the Bible to discover the original oral forms that were eventually written down.

Question 4

Who developed the criteria of dissimilarity and coherence, and in which movement?

Answer 4

Norman Perrin in the Second Quest

Question 5

What did Bultmann believe was the significance of the cross and resurrection?

Answer 5

We should believe the cross allows us to die to the false security of the world by being crucified in the present and radically align ourselves with God.

Question 6

The Jesus Seminar believed these passages were spoken by Jesus or added by an editor?

• Turn the other cheek
• Love your enemies
• The good Samaritan

Answer 6

Spoken by Jesus

Question 7

What did scholars realize by the Third Quest?

Answer 7

We must understand Jesus in his Jewish context.

Question 8

What did Bultmann believe with regard to the resurrection’s historicity?

Answer 8

There was no resurrection. It is not possible scientifically nor something we can know as historical fact.

Question 9

What methodology did the Jesus Seminar use?

Answer 9

It assumed all statements attributed to Jesus were inauthentic until proven otherwise. It also followed methodological naturalism.

Question 10

The Jesus Seminar believed any claims of divinity were spoken by Jesus or added by an editor?

Answer 10

Added by an editor

Question 11

Give five criticisms of the Jesus Seminar.

Answer 11

• Rejections a priori
• Jesus would not have been crucified
• Gospel of Thomas
• Only liberal scholars on the project
• Jesus not Jewish enough

Question 12

What does redaction criticism believe about the gospel accounts?

Answer 12

They give information about the theology of the early church rather than the teaching of Jesus.

Question 13

Who first came up of the idea of the New Testament as myth?

Answer 13

D. F. Strauss

Question 14

The Jesus Seminar used what questionable source?

Answer 14

The Gospel of Thomas, a Gnostic work written in Coptic

Question 15

Before Strauss, what two options existed for interpreting miracles in the New Testament?

Answer 15

They either happened as described or could be rationally explained.

Question 16

Which Jesus discovery movement did not strictly separate the ‘Jesus of history’ versus the ‘Christ of faith’?

Answer 16

The Second Quest

Question 17

According to Bultmann, what can and cannot the New Testament tell us?

Answer 17

At best, that there was a Jesus of Nazareth who lived and was crucified. However, the gospels cannot tell us the ‘what’ of his story.

Question 18

What two points make it unlike the New Testament writers intended to embellish the accounts, and undercut the “Jesus of history” versus “Christ of faith” distinction?

Answer 18

• Luke attempted to give an accurate record in Luke and Acts.
• Paul’s discussion in 1 Corinthians 15 discusses eyewitness accounts

Question 19

What does form criticism believe the gospel accounts can teach us?

Answer 19

They show what the church believed and preached about Jesus rather than what Jesus actually said and did.

Question 20

Describe redaction criticism.

Answer 20

It believes the people who eventually wrote down the oral units added their own perspective and theology. These must be stripped away to find the original meanings.

Question 21

Which Jesus discovery moment was Bultmann part of?

Answer 21

The Old Quest

Question 22

What two things is the Jesus Seminar criticized for rejecting a priori?

Answer 22

• Any longer speeches without context

- Jesus quoting Scripture or suggesting he is the Messiah

Question 23

What does form criticism believe about the parables?

Answer 23

The explanations of the parables do not belong with the parables.

Question 24

What did Strauss believe about Jesus?

Answer 24

He was a human man whose disciples added messianic teachings to his legend after the fact. Still, Jesus embodies the truth of the unity of God and mankind, infinite and finite.

Question 25

The Jesus Seminar believed the gospel of John was spoken by Jesus or added by an editor?

Answer 25

Mostly added by an editor

Question 26

What is the strongest argument for rejecting the Jesus Seminar conclusions?

Answer 26

The Jesus they depict would not have been upset the Jews and Romans enough to be crucified.

Question 27

What process did Bultmann want to apply to the New Testament?

Answer 27

demythologization

Question 28

Define demythologization.

Answer 28

As defended by Bultmann, it meant discerning the significance of New Testament events by understanding them subjectively and existentially. He wanted to find the significance of the kerygma without accepting the pre-scientific worldview of the early church.

Question 29

What did Strauss believe about miracles?

Answer 29

The miracle stories were myths, meaning a legend. Even if not historically true, the idea of the story is what matters.