Jesus after 2000 Years

704 Pages·2012·12.03 MB·English

by  Gerd Lüdemann

For James M. Robinson
Jesuasf tTewro T housanYde ars
What he really said and did
Gerd Ludemann
With contributions by
Frank Schleritt and Martina Janssen
SCM PRESS
TranslabtyJe odh nB owdefnr otmh eG ermaJn esnuas2c0 h00
JahrWeanes.wr i rkslaiguctntheda ptu,bl is2h0e0db0 y z uK lampen
VerlaLgii,n eburg
© zuK lampe2n00 0
Transla©tJioohnn B owde2n0 00
Alrli ghrtesse rveNdo. p arotft hipsu blicamtaiyob ner eproduced,
storienda r etriseyvsatle omrt, r ansmititnae ndyf, o romr b ya ny
means, elecmtercohnainci,pc haolt,o copoyrio ntgh erwwiisteh,o ut
thep riopre rmissioofnt hpeu blisShCeMr ,P ress.
03 34027746
Thiesd itifiornsp tu blis2h0e0db0 y
SCM Press
9-71S tA lbanPsl acLeo ndoNnI o NX
SCM Presissa d ivisoifo n
SCM-CanterbPurreysL st d
TypesbeytR egenTty pesettLionngd,o n
PrintienGd r eaBtr itabiyn
BiddiLetsd G,u ilfdo radn dK ingL'ysn n
Contents
Preface IX
IntroducPtrieosnu:p posiMteitohnosad,n dI nterests I
I TheG ospeolfM ark 7
II TheG ospeolfM atthew 117
IIIT heG ospeolfL uke 257
IV TheG ospeolfJ ohn 416
(byF ranSkc hleritt)
v TheG ospeolfT homas
VI ApocrypJheasluT sr aditions
(byM artiJnaan ssen)
VIIA ShorLti foefJ esus 686
IndeoxfA ltlh eA uthenStaiyci nagnsdA ctioonfJs e sus
Preface
This sbeotoousktt o f ialg la ipn t heololgiitcearTlah tiugsra ieps p. a rticularly
evidteotn hto wsheo a rceo ncewrintethdh ceh uracnhdC hristcilaenrigtyy,:
teacohfre erlsi agniadob noa vltelh i en crenausmibnoegfpr e opwlheaor ien terested
inJ esAulsol.ft heamrb ee iunngs etbtyal nae bdu ndoafcn ocnef lbiocotakibsno gu t
Jesiunms o detrinm aensad,l sboyt hceo nflpiiccttiounfJrg ee ssiu nts h Nee w
Testaimtesn.Bet el tfwuesean n d NtehwTe e stalmietenw te ncteyn tuirnwi heisc h
peopleu nhdasevtreoJ oeds iunsq uidtieeff rewnaty Tsh.e h istorical-critical
reseianrJtceohs wuhsi hcahbs e edne velforoap reod u2n5yd0e amrashy a vbee come
thset andfroas rcdh olairts ,hh aabrsudb tle yea nb lteoc ommaang de necroanl­
sensMuosr.e otvhelera dsetc apdaer,t iciuntl haEern lgyl ish-wsoprelhadak,si ng
experiaef nlcoooefsdd c holaanprdol pyu lliatre raabtoJuuertse Iu tsss.o urce seems
tob ei nexhaaunsidtft il bolwtesh meio nsv ta rdiierde ctions.
Consequuenniittnliyra etaeddge etrths ie m pressrieosne iatusrhn caphtl anned,
fluolf c ontradaincidts gi ooinnnsog,w heTrheil.se atdhse emi tthoes ri nikn to
resigonrat tohi oolendv en fmiorrtmeoal f yia twhh iicashb ohviteso rqiuceals tions.
Yente itrheesri gnnaoutrni ioonnrf mefidat mha ksee n-scee rtanoiitnna l nya ge
whiche nhcaosu rtahdgeie sdpo lfaa nuy n imagwienaelodtfk h n owlaendwdgh ei ch
att hsea mtei mael modsatir leym iunsdo sft hmeo rmeo depsots iotfhi uomna n
beinignts h ceo smSoosi .ts eemsm ett hoaa ht i stosrtioccaklto afck riintgi cal
concweirttnhh c ee ntprearlso ofCn h ristJieasnouifNst a yz,a rwehtihhc,ah bs e en
thbeu sinsecshso floroatf rw hsou ndarnefddi fyteyai rlsso ,no gv erdue.
Is halplr ensotethn eitis t thheerm atoiric naac lolmyp rehaecncsoiouvftne ht e
resuolftt hrsee seoafor tchhse crh oalsad riAsdl, b eSrcthi wtezienhr iQ sue tso ft eh
HitsroicJaeslu (so f wthhifiecr hs t cotmrpalnestliean ttEiono gnl iissb he ing
publishaettd h seoa nmtleiy m aest hviosl uamneld)a tWearl tPe.Wr e av(eTrh e
HitsroicJeauslsi n Ttwheteni eCtethnu ryI9 oo-I9159909,f) ro t hfier shtao lfft he
twentcieentthIum ruysa.tl esmop hatshitazhteii nsso atl eio ffJe suso nblauynt
analoyfts himeso sitm porwtoarnadtns ad c tiooJfne ssa usasp resuppoofasl ieit fion
of]ewshuisic nsho yte pto ss(ibbsuletete h aet tempt iVnI IMC)yh.p al paittnseo r
offeanr e twr ansolfta htei oimnmo psotr etxatntatrn atd iatbioJouentssi u nts h fei rst
twcoe nturitehset noi a nnvde stthieghiairts et ocrriecdailib nis luicatwh yat,yh at
edutcelada pye optloeco,a,f n lo ltohwe argument.
Prfaece vii
ThJee sSuesm ifnuoanrd beydR obeWr.Ft u nakn d vtohleu TmheeF si vGoes epls
(1993a)n dTh eA csto fJ esu(s19 98h)a vbee eanni mporsttainmtut ols uusca hn
undertIantk hienvsgoe.l utmhedese groefhe i stoorfti hcweio tryad nsad c tioofn s
Jesaursie n cdaitbeydd i effrecnotl oBuuratsl .t hforous gehv eyreaaIlrh sa vbee ean
fleloowft hJee sSuesm inaancrdo, n cur gwoioatlfdh e tietrsm tihnweio nragdn sd
actiooftn hshe i stoJreiscIupa srl,ee rtf od ispewintscheo loumraerdk ionfag nsy
kinIdn.es atIdh avieni dcabtyeia dtl itchsop saes swahgiebcseh y odnodu dbetr ive
formt hpea rtiecvualnagre listst.h eRierc orgenwdioazricikastn n igeo cneasls ary
stetpo warredcso nsttrhutecr taidnitgth ieeov nasn greelciestitsvh eed ;ta hnidr d
finsatle pt oii dse yn tthisefa yianngdas c tioofJn ess wuhsi carhpe r esumably
authentic.
Thimse thionwd h,i scohm ettihmfeei str wssott agecso maprleie ntt heseda me
sectsihoonw,sv ailptuaser ticiuntl hcaear oslefty h owsrei ttihnfegi sn al oafu thors
whiwcehd on oktn obwyn ame t(ittohlftee h sfeuo rN ewT estaGmoesnptde altse
onlfyor mt hsee cocnedn tutrhyo)ut,gh hec ya bne i dentaisaf uitehdoo ftr hse
writwihnigcasrh ae s socwiiatthe do tnht ehmbe a soifcs l ecahra ractoefr istics
langaunacdgo en tBeync to.m partihsiosn o,mfp o rdoec eidnsuo rated visiantb hlee
casoeft hGeo spoefTl h omaansd stahyeia nngadsc tioofJne ss us hwahvbieec ehn
handdeodwi nni solastiinhocenert, eh c eo ndiotfti roannss mairses eidroei(nnffo ftr
thdee tsaeitelh sie n trodtuoc twtirhoient sii nqn ugess tion).
Thec ritferotr hiias iantviaeorsnet miteghteh doedvse liontp hecedr itsitcuadly
oft hBei bolveet rhl ea 2ss toy eaarnsad,r e valniedaw n buden ttmtieeltr h toadkse
thepilra ce.
Becaoufts heae b undoafnt ceext tobs ed iscuasnsde cdto hnes eqnueeefndrot
breviintt yh,i s accoduinstp eIwn ishteeahdxv pel diicsictu osfss ieocno ndary
literaanthdua rvoeen loyc casimoennatlilioynnb erda ctkheneta sm eosf scholars
formw homp artiicnutlearrp rdeetraitHvieeori.nest s e emteomd e t hatti tolfe s
boodkisnd o t ntoeb eemd e nteidoT.nh esya y nottolh apiyen ogp lsep eacnida lists
knotwh eamn ywOacyc.a suinodrnelailn wiinmlgalsk i eet a stioge erit n tthote e xt.
Somceo mmeonntt hsse t rucotftu hbrioeso k:
TheI ntrodiuncidtciaiottneps sr esuppoasndidet vieolntoshmp eos d eosfp ro­
ceduarntedh mee thod.
ChapItc eorn taat irnasn salnaadtn iaolnoy fts hieesa rliestth oaGfMtoa srpke.l ,
Thiisfslo lowienCd h aptIeaIrn IsdI bIya t ransalnaadtn iaolnoy fts hiGeso spels
ofM atthaenwLd u ke, whiocnth h Gebo usipolefMdl a rikn depenodfee ancthl y
other.
ChapItVet,rh ter ansalnaadtn iaolnoy fts hiGeso spoefJl o hhna,bs e ewnr itten
byF raSnckh leritt.
ChapVtc eorn ttahitenr sa nsalnaadtn iaolnoy fts hiGeso spoefTlh omas.
InC hapVtIeM,ra rtJiannas tsreann salnacdto emsm eonntt shr ee osftt h Jee sus
tradwihtiihcoahnbs e epnr esefrorvmte hdfe i trwscote nturies.
Jesuasfe trT woT housaYneadr s
Vlll
ChapVteIroIff erass holreit of fJ esuHser.Ie a ttemsptta,rf torimnt gh e
histoarsiscuamrlaeltdye troid aelp,i clteia fntfdhta eeo J fe soufNs a zarReetahd.i ng
thfiinsac lh apmtaeyr r beec ommeansadw eaidyn tthobe o oka w ahso le.
Theb ooekn dwsi tahni ndoefax l la utthhee snatyiiacnn gadsc tiooJfne ss us.
Ia mg rautlte ofa ltlh ose,a nndfera a,wr h oo vetrh lea fswet y ears have
encourmaetg oce odn triensueeia nrCtchohr istian oruingeirnrsai,nn dgd liyr ectly,
withcooumtp roamnitdsh eut,som akaec ontritbotu htei oqnfuro te hstetr uIt h.
amg rautlteo Sf ilRkoet hmkyes ,e creotfma arnyy yferoha errrse ,p etaytpeaidn ndg
correocftt himeoa nn uscFrriapSntck.h lhearasil tsto t ost ehteeen c hnoircgaaln iza­
tioonf saul cahrw goer k,o vaetnrhdl e a fswet y eahrasas l wasytsob oydm ea sa
relicaoblllea bWoirtaht ovrto.hli usmm yef ,ir enDdrJ ohBno wdheanas l ready
transmlyna tienbdto hoi kn Etnog lIiw sihal.ll w bayeis n dheibastl t,lh m eo rsei nce
thantkohs i SmC MP reistssh oen lpyu blihsohuiwsnhegi hcahas l wabyesel no yal
tom eI.a ma lgsroa utlte omf yf irenadnN da shvnielilgeh bourT eESuefglroel nee
readtihnrgo tuhgEehn gltirsahn salnamdta ikoinn gu lcu osmemfeJnitRmso .b inson
haasl lomweet dod edaittceh bioso tkoh imH.a rdalnyy oenles em ahdaaems o re
lastcionngt ritbotu htqeiu oens tth heoi ofsr tiJceasltu hsah neh aasn,nd o o neel se
hadso nmeo rteom editahtbeee osftG ermtahne olsocghioclaatlrot shEheni gpl ish­
speawkoilrndTg.h ibso oikas s matlolk oefgn r autdieIt.wt i blelp ubliisnth heed
UnitSetda tbeyPs r ometBhoeoukassn di sa ni mprosveecdoe nddi toifto hne
Germoarni ginal.
GotgteiInnJ,A p r2ioloo
IntroducPtrieosnu:p positions,
Methoadn dI nterests
Thep resbeonostku bjaellct thse Jtersaudsif torimto hnfesi trwsctoe ntutroi easn
analaynsidin sv easttteihsge aiurt henlthtia cbsie tewynr. ititnte hcneo nvitchtaito n
Chrismtuiseatnn tsie nrat c or edriebllaet itooJn esshuistp,h aabltoul tt hm eerna nd
womeinnt hceu ltaurresaatl a mpetdhC ehb ryi sWteissathn o uallbdse oe nabtloe d
assutrhee mseolfv hetishs et orroiooctfaCs lh ristiinta hnpeie tryso ofJn e soufs
NazarFeotbrho .t ghr outphsqi,us e stoifco onp ing wiotwhnh iosntaeon'rdsy
shaptihnfetug u irvesi tiamlployr tant.
Todaiiytgs e nerallyt rhneauctmo egrnwoiouzrsead dnsa d c tiwoenraset tributed
tJo esounsla yft heidrse aHtehr.te ob egwiinta hrj esu ttw eox amples:
(aT)h e' aIm s'a yiinntg hsGe o spoefl] owhhni,mc ahk e Jeosfhu ism ssieanly f
thfier psetr stohna t thhreee siusr rheec ttihilseoi ngo,hft t hw eo rhledi ,ts h vei ne,
etcce.r,t daoin nogltoyb actkJo e sbuuswt e rpeuo tnh ilsi opnsla ytal atsetrai gne ,
ordteoer x prtehfseias t ohfa l atgeern eroafCt hiroins tians.
(bT)h es amiets r ouefm o sotft h mei rasctloerT ioedsan.yoo ne searcicoeupstlsy
thJaets iunfsca tw alketdh seoe nsa t,i als lteodrm mu,l tibprleitaeuddr, n weadt er
intwoi naen rda itshedede aRda.t htehre,as cet iwoenrisen venfrotJ eeds ounsl y
aftheidrse aotrhh i ssu pposed rienosr udrterohre e citgihhoitinsem n p ortance.
Thebseet itnesri wghhitwcseh,r fi er wsotr koeudbt yh iosrticcrailt idconi ostm ,
alttehfreca tth tahtee a rClhyr isrteigaanarsldt elhad is as u thewnittithchif enar me­
worokft hcea noniozfat thbieoo onok fst hBei bCloen.s equfeornmtt hleyon,n
inauthseanytiainncgad sc tiooJfne ssh uasv e pbaeorefttn h ceo roefh olsyc ripture.
Theorreoefn caeg awiemn u srti gorsoeuecskll ayar biotauyltt lh t er adiotJfie osnuss
ine arClhyr istwihainpciohts ysa ec slsat ioam u thenatnicdcl iaytrw yih,faJ te sus
reaslalaiynd dd i wdh,a rte ahlalpyp etnheeadnn w dh awta csl eaardldlyea dt er.
Sucaph r ocehdauisrtf esuo ndatiinto hinens t elhliescttooufWrae yls tceurlnt ure
ansdh ounlobdted enriagtaesEd u ropeetahnn oceFnotqrru iicatipetaf yror.tmt he
fcatt hatthc er itmiectahlo db ehcaosem set abliinas lahlre edoa fts h nea tural
scienceesx paesr imamoned noetfp a rlo ceadnucdra epn o itnoat m azsiuncgc esses,
itssi sitnte hrde i sciopftl hihenu emsa nitthpiehe isl,o lhoiogsriticmcaealtl h hoads,
letdoa c omplneetvwei leoyw ft h pea sTth.eq uesotfwi hoanwt a rse aanlwd h awta s
2 Jeussaft erT woT housaYneda rs
onlays sehratiser dr evobceacboalmneye l emienn to url ivotewhsnaw ett akfroe
grantedo.n meTa hyeu vses np eoafak moroaftl hiotuywg hhitnc ohot n ly works
ouwth aitrs i gahntwd r ontgr,ua tnhfd la sehbouowtdh ,i mcahk desie ffrentiating
betwtehetenw aop ubtlaisck .
Nowo ccasitohcneha alrilmgsyae daeg aisnuscathnu ndertianrk eisnegia nrtcoh
Jestuhsa t:
(ai)ot v erestiitmsa ptooewssns iboifdl iisttiiensgb ueitswhaeiuentngh entic and
inauth(ebn)tc ioicmt;et sog rietfh feoca ntt hastc holvaerrldyoi ncw thsai ts
authentwihcai tsia nnadu thseonmteitcdi imveeswr igdee (lciy)dt; o enso tta ke
sufficiaecnctoo uftn htfec a tt htahtse p iorJfie ts us bceco ounltdai inin neadu thentic
Jesus tr(add)li etiaiatvos enisrsd e;ec ephtiisotwnoh riysc,hh o awnsi nflueonftc hee
bibltircaadlia tbioJouentss iu nsd epenodfte hnqetu leyso tfai uotnh enitnti hcaitt y,
milloifpo enospi lnte hp ea asnttd h per esheanvbtee enno uribsyth heedam n;(d e )
iftro getthsta htqe u esotfwi ohne twhoerrod rsa ctiaoraneus t heonrit niacu thentic
iisr relteofv ataihsn,it n ocneae n tdh sea mLeo ridss p eaiknit nhhgei stoJreiscuasl
anidnt hrei sCehnr ist.
On( aI)d :on outn derstthoaibnsjd e cetsipoencs,ii anilcctlea y n nboedt e nitehda t
inauthseanytioinJfcge ssa ursce e rtainlyi ntc hoBeni tbBaluieitn.nt e hdca atts eh e
attempitn dcemaeunds, bt e,m adteow oroku atu thesnatyiiacnn gadsc tioofn s
Jesus.
On( bT)h:ed ieffrernetc onstorfut chsteai yoinansnga dsc tiooftn hshe i storical
Jeswuhsi dcohi ndeeexdia srnteo argaugmaeisnnuts cathnu ndertaam kuilntgi:­
pliocfio tpyi ndiooennssor te liuesv teoho feb ligtaoat pipornoh aicsht orreiaclailt y
witthhg eo oalft hger eatesto bpjoescstiibvliet y.
On( cT)h:ic sa nnboedt i sputiendo ,r dtbeoiur dt e ynt thisefp iorfJi ets iuts is
firnsetc essmaarkye tioct l eqauri trweeh ceorgena iuztahbeJlneyts tiurcsa ditions
are co.n tained
On( dD)o:e tsh ien flueonftc eexs tusffi tcoem akgeo otdh ecilra Iinmm ?yv iew
thiinsso hto wo ngee ttost hbeo ttooftm h inI,gff sroe. x ampJlesedu,is nd o rti se
histortihceoannl cela yn,nr oets tchupeer imiCthirviess ttiaatne wmheincctlhsa im
thbiysr e fleocntt hieo nrse hciespttnoiomro aynt, th eorwp owertfheueffl e ocftt h is
proclammaayht aivobene eann tdoh owm any piehtoa pgsli evc eonm fort.
On( eO)n:ec acno mbaanthy i stowroirwckia tlh tthheiosla orggiucmaAle nt.
hiosrtiacpaplr oacshet eh wreiee lfrle ntcote hr ei sCehnr aisst ths ep eaokfwe orr ds
simpalsly y ionugt siitcdsoe m petHeonwic iteps .o sstiodb elmeo nstrate with argu­
menwthsi ccahbn e f lolowtehdat th' eR isOennes' a ido rtt hhiaostre , v edni d
partitchuilnIagnors t ?hw eorr disnt, hs ipsh enroet haitan lgl b ecga ani ndeidr ectly
froh istocrriisctmaiB.lcu iitmt a yb ea skwehde tthheoirrst hwaotr odft hRei sen
Oneg oebsa ctkot hhei osrtical Jesus. weAc nadcn hceowcnhkve etrhseerl y
worodfst hRei sOenne h avneo bte emna dien twoo rodsft hhei osrtiJceaslu s.
Shoutlhldea tbtete hre tchaesaneu ,t omatweiw coaulhlladyv t eoj uedt ghat they