The Historical Christ and the Theological Jesus

Dale C. Allison, Jr.

William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company

Grand Rapids, Michigan / Cambridge, U.K.

© 2009 Dale C. Allison, Jr.

All rights reserved

Published 2009 by

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

2140 Oak Industrial Drive N.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49505 /

P.O. Box 163, Cambridge CB3 9PU U.K.

www.eerdmans.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Allison, Dale C.

The historical Christ and the theological Jesus / Dale C. Allison, Jr.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-0-8028-6262-4 (pbk.: alk. paper)

1. Jesus Christ—Historicity. 2. Jesus Christ—History of doctrines.

I. Title.

BT303.2.A545 2009

232.9′08—dc22

2008046908

Quotations from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible are copyrighted © 1999 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches in the U.S.A. and used by permission.

For Ron Tappy

In friendship

ישׂבעו עצי יהיה … אשׁר־שׁם צפרים יקננו

Contents

Preface

Introduction: A Brief Overview

1. The Problem of Theological Utility

The Enduring Discord of the Experts

The Enduring Challenge of Personal Predilection

The Perceptions of Others and Personal Identity

2. Disputed Questions

How Much History Does Theology Require?

How Should We Treat Our Texts?

How Might One Come to Know Jesus?

3. How to Proceed

The Wrong Tools for the Wrong Job

The General and the Particular

Miracles Here, There, and Everywhere

4. Some Difficult Conclusions

Christology: Too Low and Too High

Eschatology: Here to Stay

Context: Gone for Good

5. Some Personal Impressions

Contradiction: Divine Love and Human Woe

Imagination: Ought over Is

Synthesis: The Coincidence of Opposites

Index of Modern Names

Index of Scripture

Preface

I have, for many years now, involved myself in the so-called quest of the historical Jesus. During most of that time, the religious implications of my activities have been at the margin of my awareness. Despite being a lifelong churchgoer, my self-conception has usually been that of a historian writing to historians, not of a Christian writing to Christians. Moved by curiosity and the attendant joy of discovery, and desiring to evaluate the evidence honestly, whatever the outcome, I have sought to learn, through historical-critical methods, what I can about the first-century Jew Jesus of Nazareth.

I have never been without theological motives or interests. Until a few years ago, however, I had not attempted to pursue those interests with much diligence or to examine my motives with much care. Recent circumstances have pushed me out of my historical-critical pose. After accepting a teaching post at a Protestant theological seminary, I soon discovered that future pastors are not interested in undertaking historical labor without the prospect of theological reward. In order, then, to keep my audience, I was compelled to complement my critical inquiries with theological deliberations.

Sustained theological reflection also became incumbent when I accepted ...