The quests on historical Jesus for the past two centuries are although counterproductive, they pointed to the classic faith-reason dichotomy. Yes there are apparent weaknesses in their presuppositions (e.g. antisupernatualism) and inadequate methodologies in the past historical investigations, they have contributed to today’s new endeavor.
In fact, historical investigation is necessary against docetic belief. We know that God reveals Himself through history. The quest can be very useful if one is asking about faith seeking understanding. Only when faith in Christ is utilized in the search for historical Jesus, while employing the principle of probability in its method, and with humility in hearts, I believe the investigation will help us to grasp the significance of the distinctive historical features of the real human Jesus in His Judaism background. An increased understanding of the historical Jesus will be able to solidify our Christian theology, and hence create in us the real conviction and adoration on the divinity of Christ, especially our belief on the incarnation of Christ, Jesus’ divine authority on earth witnessed through His miraculous healing and preaching ministry, and His atoning death and victorious resurrection.
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Hi Cheryl,
ReplyDeleteCorrect me if I'm wrong but, as you have written, the quest for the historical Jesus will actually solidify our Christian theology, and hence create in us the real conviction and adoration on the divinity of Christ, especially our belief on the incarnation of Christ, Jesus’ divine authority on earth witnessed through His miraculous healing and preaching ministry, and His atoning death and victorious resurrection.
Now, history has attested that there was once a man who walked on earth by the name of Jesus who did really die on the cross. Also, we know that miracles and Christ's divinity is something that cannot be proven in history. These are matters of faith. Now, how then would the investigation for the historical Jesus solidify our Christian theology and prove Christ's divine authority when even his birth being the incarnation of God cannot be attested in history?
Hi Cheryl,
ReplyDeletewhen you say about "solidifying our Christian Theology" in your context, what do you mean by Christian theology? Are you referring specifically to the divinity of Christ or the humanity of Christ. i ask this because the text that goes before it seems to suggest the aspect of his Humanity, but the text that goes after it seems to suggest the aspects of his divinity.
Hi Cheryl, Lionel Lim here,
ReplyDeleteYour stand seems to be quite far from the actusl stand of the historical Jesus scholars. they reject the divinity of Christ you seem to embrace it.
Don't you think that the presupposition of faith is a block to research? as in you would tke everything as miraculous even when it is proven. Science has to be able to be prven nd replicated.
Do you think there is a danger in your presupposition of faith in research?
Dear Bryan,
ReplyDeleteIt is not to prove, but to attest and support with probability. In this world nothing is absolute, same to theology, history tells us that theology also develops over time.
Everything in life takes faith. U believe that this chair can support you, you sit on it. You believe that science can improve health, you take the medication. You believe that the kerygmatic Christ is God, you accept Him as Lord. But the search for the Historical Jesus if being conducted in correct way, it should enhance your faith.
Dear Jason,
ReplyDeleteChristian theology here includes both the humanity and divinity aspects of Christ. We know that these two are intertwined, as Christ is fully man and fully God while walking on earth. Allow me to paraphrase from Millard’s Christian Theology p. 723, in regards to the work accomplished in Christ’s death, its applicability to us depends upon the reality of his humanity, and its efficacy to us depends upon the genuineness of his deity.
TQ!
Dear Lionel,
ReplyDeleteHaha, good question, actually you already have the answer in your blog lei. Ok, the historical Jesus of the past researches failed to embrace the divinity of Christ due to their inadequate criteria and unfounded methodology.
There is no danger in the presupposition of faith, indeed it should be the necessary starting point for the search of historical Jesus. As how I answered Bryan earlier, everything in life takes certain presuppositions or preunderstandings. To believe in the kerygmatic Christ, you need to have faith on the witness of early Christians and your personal encounter with God. It serves as a hypothesis to interpret ad integrate the data supplied by inquiry into the historical Jesus. I believe with an increase understanding of the Jesus of Nazareth, it will enhance our faith in the apostles’ interpretation of Christ.
TQ!
Hi Cheryl,
ReplyDeleteI like the way you answers your commentators: simply seasoned with grace:)I have one question in mind, hopefully you can answer or maybe some of your thoughts? I'm sure we can learn together. I spoke to Sophin earlier that I do believe that the historical Jesus serves as a complement to the divinity of Christ. I think we are on the same page? Eheh. So do you think there is a possibility that the findings of the historicity of Jesus could prove his divinity? I mean think about that. It would probably silence all skeptics!
Hi Cheryl,
ReplyDeleteTruly agreed that the histroical Jesus is importance. If Jesus truly existed, then redemption and salvation are relevant. But Jesus can only be truly proven from the books in the bible which have been tested for their consistency. The study of the Apocryphal Gospels (Thomas, Peter & Philips) to substantial who Jesus was must be rejected.
Dear Kenrick,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. I wish I can answer u better that a proper search of historical Jesus will be able to ascertain or support the divinity of Jesus. I do not keen to use "prove" actually because there is no absolute fact in many human findings esp. on theology, but more towards achieving a high probability.
When Ptr Lim asked us on how to explain about the tragedy of Haiti from the perspectives of the divinity of Christ, I was convicted that I have not been learning about theology by heart. Hence, I hope historical Jesus can open my eyes to see the true humanity of Jesus, from there we may be able to grasp the divinity of Christ in a better and deeper sense. For e.g., learning more about the reasons that led to the crucifixion of Christ in the Judaism background at that time, it may help us to see that Jesus has to be truly and fully divine, only then he could suffer to such an indescribable extent for human race. Or about His resurrection, when this is being attested historically from all possible angles that it is true, faith of many will rise! For it is the confirmation of God that Jesus is divine.
Dear TK Wong,
ReplyDeleteThx for your opinion. I agreed with you. But to my very limited knowledge about apocryphal gospels, I may want to say that for scholars who focus their time in doing historical Jesus, apocryphal may help them to see some good links to the Judaism background of NT period. Hope I have time to browse through a bit of them in the future though. Thanks!
"The distinctive historical features of the real human Jesus in His Judaism background" seems a lofty pursuit where many have attempted and gone astray. You may want to read on E P Sanders and get a glimpse.
ReplyDeleteIn the final analysis, how does one substantiate the real human Jesus? What methods would you employ and what would be your basis for that selection? Pak
Dear PAK,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all thank you for your guidance in this matter. And my apology for the delay of feedback as I was taking some time to do some read up before responding to you.
As we know, our faith is rooted in personal experience and deep intuitions of the heart. Although historical search cannot prove the articles of faith that Jesus is the divine Lord, it can demonstrate that having faith in what the early disciples claimed is reasonable. A good historical search will provide a solid intellectual foundation to the faith that believers already embraced.
The important factors needed in a critical historical search are as follows:
1. Like any other historians’ attitudes toward an ancient document, one should remain genuinely open to the historical possibility that the Gospels’ portrait of Jesus is generally reliable. And by its very nature, we cannot claim based on historical evidence that it proves with absolute certainty that Jesus is divine. Historical research can only offer conclusions of probability—never certainty.
2. Be critical about the naturalistic worldview because this is an unwarranted, dogmatic assumption held by the western world.
3. To understand the religious culture of the 1st century Palestinian Jews. Basically, they tend to resist pagan religious ideas and actually became more conservative in their monotheistic religious convictions. While Jesus story is full of countercultural elements in against the fundamental aspects of its Jewish environment—the embodiment of Yahweh in a man, what the gospels claimed shows that the faith of the disciples was based on God’s attestation through the deeds and wonders of Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection event (Acts 2:22-32). They were being so convinced that they reported how things had actually happened, till they willing to stake their lives on these claims.
4. To compare the Jesus story with other myths or legends and see the contrast.
5. To understand how the oral traditions were being maintained in the orally dominant community.
6. To apply the ten tests critical historians typically applied to ancient documents:
a. Textual reconstruction
b. Literary genre and Historical Intent
c. Historical position
d. Historical biasness
e. The incidental details
f. The self-damaging details
g. Internal consistency
h. Level of plausibility
i. Literary corroboration
j. Archaeological confirmation
Lastly, I agreed with what Gregory and Paul concluded in their book “Lord or Legend”, that if honestly examines all the evidence—gospel presentation of Jesus is deeply rooted in history. To say it is legendary is even more implausible.