God's Equal: What Can We Know About Jesus' Self-understanding? (the Library Of New Testament Studies)

Authority is something we experience every day, but is it necessary? Many think that it is not, and that it exists only as a remedy for some defect in us. Victor Lee Austin sets about exploring the higher and nobler functions of authority, and in doing so reveals its human importance as more than simply a provision for human inadequacies. A significant contribution to Christian anthropology, the book illuminates an indispensable feature of human sociality: the need for, and the good provided by, authority. In enabling us to do more complex activities, to gain and communicate understanding of the world around us and to flourish in political communities, authority ultimately leads us to enjoy God. Victor Lee Austin makes a unique contribution to political theology by deliberating the ways that authority functions both socially and epistemologically. The field of ecclesiology is also enriched by the book's discussion of authority as at once necessary and fallible. Those interested in the work of Michael Polanyi, Yves Simon, or Oliver O'Donovan will find these authors brought into the broader conversation about authority in an engaging way. MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict Cover 1 Contents 6 Abbreviations 9 Preface 18 INTRODUCTION 20 Scope 20 Method 23 1. GOD’S VICTORIOUS INTERVENTION: JESUS AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD 25 Background 25 The Kingdom of God in the Teaching of Jesus 35 Conclusion 58 2. DOING THE WORKS OF GOD: JESUS’ MIRACLES 59 Miracles by His Own Power 60 Miracles as God's New Creation 62 Conclusion 78 3. GOD’S PARDON: JESUS AND FORGIVENESS 79 Authenticity 79 Significance 84 Conclusion 94 4. PASSING GOD’S JUDGMENT: JESUS AS THE ESCHATOLOGICAL JUDGE 96 Advocate or Judge? 96 The Authenticity of Mt. 25:31-46 99 The Nature of the Judgment 111 Conclusion 118 5. SPEAKING WITH GOD’S AUTHORITY: JESUS AND THE LAW 120 Authenticity of the Antitheses (Mt. 5:21-48) 121 The Nature of the Claim 127 Conclusion 134 6. ISSUING GOD’S CALL: JESUS’ RELATIONSHIP TO HIS DISCIPLES 136 Twelve Disciples 136 Jesus’ Demands 137 Conclusion 142 7. GOD’S EPITHETS: JESUS’ METAPHORICAL SELF-DESCRIPTIONS 143 The Bridegroom 143 The Mother Bird 146 The King 150 The Sower 151 Conclusion 152 8. MEDIATORY FIGURES IN SECOND TEMPLE JUDAISM 153 The Royal Messiah 154 Messianic Pretenders 159 The Angel of the Lord 160 The Prince of Light 167 Melchizedek 167 Moses 170 Other Enthroned Characters 177 The Son of Man 178 Philo’s Ideal Human Being 183 Logos 184 Conclusion 185 9. THE UNIQUE SON OF GOD: SUBORDINATE AND EQUAL 187 Subordinate to the Father 188 Jesus as the Son of the Father 189 The Unique Son (Lk. 10.21-22/Mt. 11:25-27) 193 Ignorance of the End (Mk 13.32 par.) 203 The Rich Man (Mk 10.18 par.) 205 Conclusion 207 10. JESUS AS THE SON OF MAN 208 Authenticity 208 Son of Man – Generic or Specific? 209 Connotations 218 Conclusion 223 11. GOD’S NEW TEMPLE 224 The Temple Charge (Mk 14.58 par.) 224 Jesus’ Temple Action (Mk 11.15-17 par.) 229 The Messiah and the Temple 231 God’s Eschatological Temple 233 Jesus and the Temple 235 Conclusion 236 CONCLUSION 238 Implications 240 Bibliography 241 Index of References 268 Subject Index 282 Index of Modern Names 283 A 283 B 283 C 283 D 284 E 284 F 284 G 285 H 285 I 286 J 286 K 286 L 286 M 286 N 287 O 287 P 287 R 287 S 287 T 288 U 288 V 288 W 288 X 289 Y 289 Z 289 This is an examination of Jesus' claims in the gospels to be 'God's Equal' with reference to the historical Jesus and the Christology of the early church. In this book Sigurd Grindheim argues that Jesus implicitly claimed to be God's equal and that the Synoptic Gospels on the basis of these claims developed their Christology of Jesus as God's Son. The argument unfolds through analysis of the gospel accounts regarding Jesus' claims to inaugurate the kingdom of God, his understanding of his miracles, his forgiveness of sins, his expectation to be the ultimate judge of all the world, his claim to speak with an authority that matches that of the Mosaic law, the absolute demands he made to his disciples, and his appropriation for himself of metaphors that in the Scriptures of Israel were exclusively used of YHWH. Furthermore Grindheim traces these claimes back to the Historical Jesus. Through a comprehensive examination of the primary sources, Grindheim argues that Jesus' claims go beyond the claims made on behalf of human and even angelic beings within Second Temple Judaism. Jesus presents himself in a role that in a Jewish context was reserved for YHWH. Formerly the Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement , a book series that explores the many aspects of New Testament study including historical perspectives, social-scientific and literary theory, and theological, cultural and contextual approaches. The Early Christianity in Context series, a part of JSNTS, examines the birth and development of early Christianity up to the end of the third century CE. The series places Christianity in its social, cultural, political and economic context. European Seminar on Christian Origins and Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus Supplement are also part of JSNTS . "In this book Sigurd Grindheim argues that Jesus implicitly claimed to be God's equal and that his claim to be God's son must be understood in this light. The argument unfolds through analysis of the gospel accounts regarding Jesus' claims to inaugurate the kingdom of God, his understanding of his miracles, his forgiveness of sins, his expectation to be the ultimate judge of all the world, his claim to speak with an authority that matches that of the Mosaic law, the absolute demands he made to his disciples, and his appropriation for himself of metaphors that in the Scriptures of Israel were exclusively used of YHWH. Furthermore Grindheim traces these claimes back to the Historical Jesus. Through a comprehensive examination of the primary sources, Grindheim argues that Jesus' claims go beyond the claims made on behalf of human and even angelic beings within Second Temple Judaism. Jesus presents himself in a role that in a Jewish context was reserved for YHWH."--Publisher's description In this book Sigurd Grindheim argues that Jesus implicitly claimed to be God's equal and that his claim to be God's son must be understood in this light. The argument unfolds through analysis of the gospel accounts regarding Jesus' claims to inaugurate the Kingdom of God, his understanding of his miracles, his forgiveness of sins, his expectation to be the ultimate judge of all the world, his claim to speak with an authority that matches that of the Mosaic law, the absolute demands he made to his disciples, and his appropriation for himself of metaphors that in the Scriptures of Israel were exclusively used of YHWH. Furthermore Grindheim traces these claimes back to the Historical Jesus. Through a comprehensive examination of the primary sources, Grindheim argues that Jesus' claims go beyond the claims made on behalf of human and even angelic beings within Second Temple Judaism. Jesus presents himself in a role that in a Jewish context was reserved for YHWH. Book Depository Offers an examination of Jesus' claims in the gospels to be 'God's Equal' with reference to the historical Jesus and the Christology of the early church. This title argues that Jesus implicitly claimed to be God's equal and that the Synoptic Gospels on the basis of these claims developed their Christology of Jesus as God's Son.