Earliest Christian theology

1
Jesus
is
Messiah jyvm
Anointed one
MESSIAH
Christ cristov?
Earliest Christian theology
CHRISTOLOGY
was
How to conceptualize and describe Jesus the
Christ?
2
Images of Jesus the Christ
in Jewish Christianity

• Jesus the descendant of David kingly warrior

• Jesus the eschatological prophet like Moses

• Jesus the priest mediator, new high priest

• Jesus the angel of great counsel

• Jesus descended from and ascended to heaven

• Jesus liberator of the saints of Israel from
  hades

3
Jesus' friends
ate and drank with him every day
?
expectation
love
anger
saw him experience human emotions
?
fear
abandonment
frustration
knew his outstanding gifts and limitations
?
4
hug children
cry over the death of a friend
they saw him
get indignant with those who tried to trap him
with trick questions
become outraged over hypocrisy
show compassion toward people who were disabled
or hurting
welcome strangers
5
Jesus
can admit ignorance of the end-time (Mk 1332)
can show amazement at the faith of the centurion
(Matt 810)
felt both longing and sorrow over his last meal
with his friends
He said to them, I have eagerly desired to eat
this Passover with you before I suffer (Lk
2215)
experiences dread and anguish over his fate
I am deeply grieved, even to death remain here,
and stay awake with me. (Matt 2638)
6
Belief in Jesus Divinity
Lord
Early Christian communities seemed to have no
difficulty accepting Jesus as
God
And a voice came from heaven, You are my Son,
the Beloved with you I am well pleased. (Mk
111)
7
Thomas
Thomas answered him, My Lord and my God! (Jn
2028)
we have seen his glory, the glory as of the
fathers only son, full of grace and truth. (Jn
114)
8
Divergent Views
arose while the Jesus followers were still part
of Judaism
Ebionites
wanted to keep faith with the Jewish heritage
from Jesus and disciples
Jews who accepted Jesus
Denied the virgin birth
Denied pre-existence of the Son
true prophet of God
Jesus
man endowed with special powers good example
for others
9
Jesus followers
Jewish monotheism
struggled to remain faithful to
stressed the monarchy of Godhead
Monarchianism
no distinction between Father and Son
denied humanity of Christ
Adoptionism
Jesus was the adopted son of God and not truly
the divine Son
denied divinity of Christ
10
GNOSTICISM
gnwsi? Knowledge
secret knowledge
is available only to those who have
Salvation
created by a spiritual being other than God
Material world
prison for the eternal human spirit
Body
leads the spirit astray
11
Salvation
means escaping material world to be united to the
true world of the spirit
Christ's
role was to save us from materiality and the flesh
so
it is not logical that Christ could have taken on
human nature
Christ only appeared to be human
12
2nd century
Christianity
characterised by
geographically
variety
theologically
DIVERSITY
UNITY
IN
No epoch of Christology displays such numerous
and different currents of thought as the second
century. Aloys Grillmeier, Christ in Christian
Tradition. London Mowbrays, 1975, 37
13
Extent of Christian communities by the 1st
century CE Extent of Christian communities by
185 CE (the time of Irenaeus)
14
2nd century
Christianity
continued reflection on the person and work of
Jesus Christ
continued an output of writings
Apocrypha
hidden secret esoteric
Christianity encounters variant teachings
composed to amplify and embroider issues touched
on in the canonical writings
HERESY
15
New Testament Apocrypha
Gospels
James
names Marys parents choice of Joseph by
blossoming staff
passion story doubts reality of Jesus sufferings
Peter
Thomas
miracles of Jesus boyhood
Thomas
Gnostic collection of Jesus sayings
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Arabic Gospel of the Infancy
flight into Egypt miracle stories
descent into hell Marys version of annunciation
(pre 4th)
Gospel of Bartholomew
Gospel of Philip
Egyptian Gnostic gospel
16
Acts
John
miracles - unreality of Jesus body Encratite
marriage sinful
Paul
Paul and Thecla martyrdom of Paul
Peter
Docetic and Encratite quo vadis crucifixion of
Peter
Andrew
miracles crucifixion of Andrew Encratite
Thomas
Thos persuades wives to leave husbands in India
Philip
fantastic miracles orthodox (pre 5th)
17
Epistles
Epistle of Abgar
Abgar of Edessa writes asking Jesus to come and
heal him Jesus sends Thaddeus (pre 4th)
compiled of phrases from canonical Epistles (pre
4th)
to the Laodiceans
of the Apostles
revelations of Jesus after his resurrection about
resurrection and judgment c.160
Paul and Seneca
14 short letters between Paul and Seneca Roman
philosopher shows sympathy for Christianity (pre
4th)
18
Apocalypses
Revelation of the future through dreams and
visions rich in symbolism
Peter 2nd Century
Paul
4th century
Thomas
James
containing descriptions of visions of the last
judgment, joys of heaven, torments of hell
19
Early Heresies
Docetism
Jesus only appeared to be human
Serapion of Antioch
every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit
that does not confess Jesus is not from God. 1
John 42
Gnosticism
possessed unique higher knowledge
matter is evil
Simon Magus
was dualistic
Marcion
rejected OT and Judaism
Valentinus
Tatian
20
Apostolic Fathers
Bishop of Rome
Clement of Rome c.30 c.100
1 Clement to the Corinthians
martyred under Domitian
Jesus Christ was sent forth from God (1 Clem 42)
Let all the Gentiles know that you are God alone,
and Jesus Christ is Your Son, and we are your
people and the sheep of your pasture (1 Clem 59)
21
Ignatius of Antioch d. 112
Ephesians Magnesians Trallians Romans
Philadelphians Smyrnaeans Polycaarp
Letters written en route to martyrdom in Rome
distinguished between bishops and elders
the presence of the Father
Jesus
God in a human being
Jesus is Lord
22
Knew the Apostle John
Polycarp of Smyrna c.69 - 160
compiled and preserved letters of Ignatius
Letter to the Philippians
confronted Marcion as firstborn of Satan
Strong opponent of Docetism
Anathematized those who did not confess that
Jesus Christ came in the flesh (Phil 7.1)
Eighty-six years have I served Him and He has
done me no wrong. How can I speak evil of my King
who saved me?
23
Second-Century Apologists
wrote to refute the intellectual attacks on
Christianity
Hellenistic
Christian thought reached a new level in its
encounter with
cultures
Roman
Christianity had broken with Judaism
was mainly
Gentile
had to be explained in new language and concepts
Jesus Christ
Greek Philosophy
24
Justin Martyr (d.165)
Tried to harmonize Christianity with Hellenistic
culture
First Apology
Wrote
Dialogue with Trypho the Jew
from God but not the first and ultimate deity
Logos
Christ is at once God and man Dial 71.2
25
Bishop of Lyons
Irenaeus c.125-c.202
Against Heresies 5 vols
Wrote
Refutation of Gnostic and Docetic ideas
pre-existent Logos became human
Christ had to be human to save human nature
When the Lord was tempted, suffered and died the
Word remained quiet but cooperated with the
humanity in its victory, endurance and
resurrection. Haer 3,19,3
26
Key to the Christology of Irenaeus
Jesus Christ
Saviour
is
soteriology
refrained from trying to explain the deity of
Christ and how it related to the Father
?
Doctrine of the Trinity not yet formulated
iesus Christus vere homo, vere deus
Christ is the incarnation of God not of an aeon
?
?
To save us Christs humanity had to be identical
with ours
27
Tertullian c.160 c.230
layman living in Carthage
Stressed the two natures in Christ
both continue unaltered and unimpaired after the
union
28
(No Transcript)
29
School of Alexandria
Emphasized
of Jesus
Divinity
of Christs humanity
Word
unity
with
Focused on
Clement of Alexandria d.215
Logos has entered into human flesh
he is alone both God and man
Christ was free of human passions
30
Origen c.185-254
First real Christian Bible scholar
?
De Principiis first comprehensive dogmatic study
?
Against Celsus concludes great series of early
Christian apologetics
?
taught pre-existence of human soul one of these
united with the Logos
emphasised the complete humanity of Jesus
taught that Jesus loses his humanity as it
becomes deified
31
School of Antioch
Humanity
Emphasized
of Jesus
Human Being
Word
becomes a
Nestorius (d. c. 451)
Insisted that the humanity of Jesus was a
separate and distinct personal entity
Denied that Mary was truly the Mother of God
32
Montanism
expected imminent start of the millennium
considered themselves spiritual others carnal
Montanus
held to universal priesthood of believers