Lord or Legend?: Wrestling with the Jesus Dilemma

184 Pages·2007·1.47 MB·English

by  Gregory A. Boyd

LORD OR
LEGEND?
Wrestling with the Jesus Dilemma
Gregory A. Boyd
and Paul Rhodes Eddy
~
BakerBooks
GrandRapids,Michigan
©2007byGregoryA BoydandPaulRhodesEddy
PublishedbyBakerBooks
adivisionofBakerPublishingGroup
P.O, Box6287,Grand Rapids,MI495]6-6287
www.bakerbooks.com
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
All rights reserved. Nopart ofthispublicationmaybereproduced, stored inaretrieval
system,ortransmitted inanyform orbyanymeans-forexample,electronic,photocopy,
recording-withoutthepriorwrittenpermissionofthe publisher, The onlyexceptionis
briefquotationsinprintedreviews.
LibraryofCongressCatalogmg-in-PublicationData
Boyd,GregoryA, 1957-
Lordorlegend?,wrestlingwiththeJesusdilemmaIGregoryA BoydandPaul
RhodesEddy.
p. cm,
Includesbibliographicalreferences(p. )andindexes.
ISBN W:0-8010-6505-4(pbk.)
ISBN978-0·8010-6505-7(pbU
J.Apologetics.2.JesusChrist-Historicity, 3. Bible-Evidences,authority,etc.
I. Eddy,PaulR II.Title.
BTI103.B69 2007
232,9'0B-dc22 2007018844
Scripture is takenfrom theNewRevisedStandardVersionofthe Bible,copyright 1989,
DivisionofChristian EducationoftheNationalCounciloftheChurchesofChristinthe
UnitedStatesofAmerica, Usedbypermission,Allrightsreserved,
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press
'N'TlAT'VE
We dedicate this bookto oursiblings:
Debbie Sparrow,Anita Prosser, and Chris Boyd,
with fond childhood memories and heartfelt love,
Greg
RobertW Eddy,
mybrotherand myfriend,
I loveandappreciateyou, bro
(L.T dude),
Paul

Contents
Acknowledgments 9
Introduction: TheJesus ofHistoryand the Challenge
ofFaith 11
PartOne: Jesus, History, and Legend-Making
L Miraculous Claims and the Critical Mind: Can Intelligent
People Still Believe in the Supernatural? 21
2. AMost Unexpected Legend: How Paganized Was First
CenturyPalestinianJudaism? 29
3. "Long, LongAgoand Far, FarAway?"The QuestionofPaul
andthe HistoricalJesus 39
4. RisingGods, Legendary Heroe< and DivinizedTeachers:
How Unique Is theJesus Story? 51
5. OralTraditionsand Legend-Making: How ReliableWere
the EarlyChurch's OralTraditionsaboutJesus? 65
PartTwo: The Gospels andTenTests ofHistorical Reliability
6. Followingthe PaperTrail:The Questions ofTextual
Reconstruction, LiteraryGenre, and Historical Intent 81
7. Who,When, andWhy?The Questions ofHistorical
Position and Bias 91
7
8 Contents
8. Superfluous and Self-IncriminatingTestimony: The
QuestionsofIncidental and Self-DamagingDetails 101
9. HowAm ISupposed to BelieveThat? The Questions of
Consistencyand Plausibility III
10. Jesus andAncient Non-Christian Writers:The Question
ofLiteraryCorroboration 121
II. ExcavatingJesus: The QuestionofArchaeological
Confirmation 137
12. Myth Incarnate: The Lord ofLegend and Love 147
Notes 155
IndexofScripture andAncientWritings 171
Generallndex 177
Acknowledgments
W
want tothankourBakereditor, Robert Hosack, for encourag
ing us to write this bookand for his unendingencouragement
(and patience) through the process. For over tenyears wehave enjoyed
workingwith Bob on a numberofprojects-heis anamazingeditorand
a true friend.
Thanksalsogotoanumberofpeoplewhoseinputonourlargerwork
TheJesus Legend, has also served to influence this shorter work: James
Beilby, Michael Holmes, Erik Leafblad, Jeff Leho, and Stewart Kelly.
Ourappreciationalso goes to Betty Bond and the Bethel University in
terlibrary Loan staff for their tireless help in tracking down countless
volumes for us.
We are grateful for the support ofourecciesial family at Woodland
Hills Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. We especially want to thank our
fellow executive team member,Janice Rohling, for her support of-and
patiencewith---ourtheological endeavors.
We want to thank our families-and especially our wives, Shelley
Boyd and Kelly Eddy-fortheirunendingsupport ofouracademic ven
tures. Finally, we want to acknowledge our siblings-Debbie Sparrow,
Anita Prosser,Chris Boyd,and Robert Eddy-towhomwededicate this
book.
9

Introduction
TheJesus ofHistory and the Challenge ofFaith
r-r::
1;~~ChallengeofFaith:Wewouldliketostartwithaconfessionortwo.
authors of this work are both Christian. Thus, with respect to
thequestion ofworldview, we both embrace Christian theism-but not
always comfortably so. In terms of full-time vocation, one of us (Greg)
is the senior pastor ofa local church; the other (Paul) is a professor of
theology at a Christian university. Nonetheless, intellectuallyspeaking,
faith has not always come easily for us. In fact, at different times in our
lives, we have each found ourselves seriouslyquestioningaspects ofour
Christian worldview. In these times, the question forces itself: Whydid
Iever find this beliefto becredible?
Letthosewhoareentirelywithoutdoubtcastthefirst stone! Itstrikes
us thatifwhatChristians believeaboutJesusis rootedin realityand not
wishful imagination, allowing one's faith to squarely face the difficult
questions can't be a bad thing. \\thy should truth ever fear critical ex
amination? Infact, criticalexaminationofone'sbeliefsystemis theonly
recipeweknowtopreventself-delusionorunthinking,culticfanaticism.
Norshouldanyone find it surprisingthataChristian pastorandaChris
tian professor occasionallyfind themselves facing troubling questions
abouttheirChristianbeliefs.Thinkaboutit!Weareaskedtobelievethat
the Creatorof the universe became a human by being born to a virgin,
II