Messianic prophesies
Kingship from Judah, of David, perpetual (Genesis 49:10, Num 24:7, II Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 9:6-7, Isa. 11:1-9, Jer. 23:5-6, Dan 9:25); execute justice, protect, save, make war. Also, humble, suffering servant of the Lord. True Israelite identity came to be associated with exile and oppression. Zech 9:9, Isaiah 42:1-7; 49:1-7; 52:13—53:12.
Worker of miracles as proof of call and anointing, inbreaking of God’s kingdom. Isaiah 35:5-6
In light of continued political pressure, Jer, Ezekiel emphasize spiritual element (new covenant, new heart Jer 31:31, Eze 36:26); Zech blends governor and priest Zech 4:14 “two anointed ones”
As oppression continues and restoration is anti-climactic, messianic hope turns apocalyptic and cosmic. God’s operations in the world include all the nations, and forces of darkness are very much engaged and influence political sphere.
Conclusions
Scripture is focused and unified
- single story, single main character, single trajectory
God can be “imaged”
- God condescends; takes human form; active in history
Use of earthly, concrete metaphors
- establishment of offices, significance of people, land.
- materials for theologizing, but need to go behind the metaphor to the essence
- cannot immediately conclude that God has a body, etc.
New Testament Christology
Discussing the NT portrait of Jesus
- not a complete picture, indirect (even Jesus' believers struggled to understand him John 14:9)
- Jesus is not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be engaged in
- this is not a NT exegesis class; we are after specific issues pertinent to systematic theology
- e.g. if people were healed by their faith when encountering Jesus, is that the same for us today?
- we take our systematic theological question and we interact with biblical theology and scripture. i.e. miracles were signs of kingdom of God and his rule breaking into space and time (Matt. 12:28; Luke 11:20)
The biblical-theological question (microscope, compass, in time): What is Jesus’ role in redemption history?
The dogmatic question (telescope, map, outside time): what kind of person must Jesus be to effect salvation? This is the loci communes of christological reflection.
à therefore, to go from biblical theology/exegesis to dogmatics (historic events to timeless propositions), we want to know:
1. what is Jesus’ mission and how does he achieve it?
2. What does that say about who he is?
The bible insists that Jesus is remarkable, not just another man, prophet, teacher. How remarkable is he, and what did the church conclude? Spoiler: trajectory from NT to church dogma (and beyond) is preoccupied with the relationship between Jesus’ humanity and divinity! There are states of Christ: humiliation and exaltation
Gospel Portrayals
Aspects of human nature
1. Genealogy and birth
- Adam, Seth, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Boaz, David. Promised Seed, crushing Satan, Davidic king; themes of sovereignty of God, barrenness, election, inclusion of sinners and Gentiles
- of Mary, through Nathan, David’s son; of Joseph legally through kings, which ends with curse upon Jehoiakim, Jer 22:30.
- virgin birth: fulfillment of Isa 7:14 (sign to Ahaz re: Immanuel) Matt 1:25, Matt 2:13 Joseph NOT the father Note: Matt 1:15 Ἐλιοὺδ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἐλεάζαρ· Ἐλεάζαρ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ματθάν· Ματθὰν δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰακώβ·
Matt 1:16 Ἰακὼβ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰωσὴφ τὸν ἄνδρα Μαρίας, ἐξ ἧς ἐγεννήθη Ἰησοῦς ὁ λεγόμενος Χριστός. (and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, out of whom was begotten Jesus, who is called Christ)
- Micah 5:2 Bethlehem, king * “One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.”
- worshiped by Magi
christological questions: how can a divine person be born, why virgin birth?
- born of woman in order to be proper representative for humanity (truly man)
- seed of woman of the Holy Spirit, gives some distinction/contrast from Adam à free from Adamic curse i.e. original sin (yet without sin). Immaculate conception takes this too far
“(1) Christ had to be constituted the Messiah and the Messianic Son of God. Consequently, it was necessary that He should be born of a woman, but also that He should not be the fruit of the will of man, but should be born of God. What is born of flesh is flesh. In all probability this wonderful birth of Jesus was' in the back-ground of the mind of John when he wrote as he did in John 1:13. (2) If Christ had been generated by man, He would have been a human person, included in the covenant of works, and as such would have shared the common guilt of mankind. But now that His subject, His ego, His person, is not out of Adam, He is not in the covenant of works and is free from the guilt of sin. And being free from the guilt of sin, His human nature could also be kept free, both before and after His birth, from the pollution of sin.” – Berkof, 336
One way to think about it …
- aspects of Davidic Kingship à there is still eschatological/historical work to be done wrt Israel and nations
- Sinless savior à finished work
- within NT his dual natures causes him to break out of every mold and expectation; displays of his extreme suffering and extreme glory surprise us
Features of ministry
1. unprecedented claim to authority
- over creation: nature, sickness, demons. Esp. Matthew 12:22-50 by the Spirit of God I drive out, kingdom has come; stronger man; unforgivable sin à places himself on par with Spirit of God; angels, Matthew 26:53
- over religious establishment: temple (Mark 11:15-17), Sabbath Mark 2 23-8; 3:1-5, oral law Mark 7:9-13, written law Matt. 5:21-48 “I say to you.”
- over sin, Mark 2:1-12; death including his own John 10:18
- over salvation history, cosmic realm (Luke 22:29-30 ; Matt 19:28, Matt 10:32-3
- all authority Matt 28:19-20. Sense in which he possesses all authority AND ALSO gains all authority. His mission operates on an arc that is infinite in scope (accomplishment and reward scheme within covenant of redemption)
2. Continuation, extension, fulfillment of OT
- transfiguration: proves fulfillment of law and prophets
- new moses, new israel
- state of “humiliation” refers to his work under the law: humble circumstances; poor, servant, acquainted with sorrow, rejected; must live under the disobedience and curse of Adamic race + Israel.
- succeed where Adam/Israel failed, covenant of works/mosaic law. Born under the law, learning obedience, fulfilling all righteousness, inaugurate kingdom of God; overcomes temptation (lust of eyes, flesh, pride of life)
- ministry to Israel; condemnation of Israel; Zion is finished! “it is finished!”
- fulfills and extends messianic expectation. Not political!
- 3 offices: prophet and priest are completed; king remains into future
- his blood is key à new covenant
- prophecies toward Israel, treatment of prophets, fig tree
3. Divine relations
- revelation of the Father; Son is sent; Spirit will be sent
- Jesus’ work will produce unbreakable chain of being
- John 17- prediction that God’s people will participate in this
4. Demons, hell, Gentiles, poor, outcast
- challenging Jewish beliefs
- demonstrates universal lordship, inbreaking of kingdom and forming of new society
Suffering and resurrection
- early church was suffering community, imitating Jesus
- once clear that Jesus died to save sinners à spirit is primary; suffering is redeemed and redemptive
- suffering during all of life; climax at passion week
- predicted, but so is future joy – following prophetic pattern.
- innocence as well as guilt: betrayed, unjustly convicted. But must be convicted by ruler; numbered with sinners
- resurrection is explosive but requires faith
2. Sinlessness and active obedience
- virgin birth secures his sinlessness (sanctified by Holy Spirit, will of man not involved); prevents him from being just another human individual
- sinlessness: Luke 1:35; John 8:46; 14:30; II Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 9:14; I Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5.
3. Obvious display of human nature
- growth, submission, Luke 2:39-40; Luke 2:51-52; under Pontius Pilate, John 19:11
- sleep, hunger, distress, emotions, pain, etc. dies on cross quicker than expected
- ignorance(?) Matt 24:36 (note TR omits “nor the Son”).
Aspects of divine nature
2. Demonstrations of divinity
- Father’s confirmation of his sonship; transfiguration; receiving worship; knowledge,
Pauline Christology
- much of it is assumed between he and his readers
- his writings provide raw material for later theologizing, but not concerned or aware of classic orthodox issues
- cannot be separated from what Jesus has done (soteriology)
- Paul belongs to a "high christology" , like John and Hebrews
- strongly christologicaly. he cannot speak of what God has done without speaking of what Christ has done
Centrality of Christ
- dramatic extension of redemption history
- role of Paul’s radical conversion
- a high christology and high soteriology; cannot be separated (Christ and him crucified)
- redemption lifted to cosmic sphere
- union/participation with Christ – heightened sense of believer’s relation to God and his benefits
Father and Son
Thessalonians
- clear distinctions between God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; not synonymous or confused; spheres of activity distinguishable
- God is prime mover; lover, elector; Christ effects salvation; Christ is Lord (Yahweh); Kyrios also functions to critique Roman empire and gods
- forced to see Paul espousing "christological monotheism"; view of monotheism expands naturally; Paul doesn't see a problem/tension
"in Christ"
- Christians: in the Lord
- object: confidence in, trusting in
- instrument: called in, in Christ God forgave
- locative: full deity in x, in x not Adam, one body in Christ
- union: ephesians, blessing, chosen, adopted, redemption, sealed, in dwelt
1 Cor 8:6 - context of pagan idolatry
- restates Shema into 2 parts: one God the Father and one Lord, Jesus Christ
- Father is source, goal; Christ is effective agent of creation and redemption (preexistent). ie. identity of one God includes the one Lord
- general consistency of using "God" to refer to the Father (except possibly Rom 9:5 and Tit 2:13)
1 Cor 10:4, 20-22
- present with Israel; punished them for their rebellion, idolatry, testing him
- in what way is he present? sacramentally present? allegorically?
- overlap seems like more than analogy; Christians participate with body and blood through the Supper
1 Cor 15 resurrection body
- strong affirmation of true humanity
Philippians 2:6-11
- 4 difficult wordings: form of God, seize, emptied himself, in human likeness
- primary concern is pastoral and illustrative: having same, non-selfish mindset
- "being" in the form of God. always the case; contrast with simple past
- "form" = metaphor to describe transition between 2 states, God and man. speaks of features, not shape; platonic influence?
- seized, taken advantage of, used selfishly. prob contrast with "empty"; maybe ties to Eden's temptation story
- "emptied" metaphor for humiliation; not emptying of actual stuff/properties, but pours himself out by becoming an obedient slave and follower cf. Isa 53:12-13
- "likeness"; same but also different; still God
--> Jesus does the opposite of being selfish
- "the name" - cf Deut 12:5,11 Jesus is given the Name; exalted out his humiliation so that we can see that he is above all.
- every knee bow: Isa 45:18-24. as a result of his work, he becomes the physical focus of worship; says a lot about the significance of atonement for creation and cosmos.
- glory to the Father - Paul's economic monotheism
Break from Judaism
- challenge of NPP: how much law is included in justification?
- Paul: none. Faith in Christ alone. No other gospel
- against Gentiles tempted to copy Jewish ways (he considers dung! Philippians 3:4-8) and law; in X, wall of hostility destroyed, no more jew and gentile. Eph 2:14-17 ..
Cosmic Scope
- now in a state of struggle/contest with spiritual powers moving to climax
Eph 1:10-13 Eph 3:10-14 ...
Col 2:15
1 Cor 15:24-26 .. note: Christ will be subjected to the Father does not mean essential/eternal subjection. Christ is the reconciler/summation of all things with the intention to bring glory to the Father (phil 2), which he has always had with the Father. Need to distinguish essence of the Son from mission of the God-man
Christology of Hebrews – Rev
- “greater than” David, Adam, Angels, Moses, Levitical priesthood,
- Rev recap Daniel’s visions of Christ, lamb, warrior, king, judge
Link to Messianism
- usually cosmic and eternal in scope
God's Son is not simply the messianic king, sent by God to
deliver Israel from bondage; God's Son is the one whom the Father sent to earth to redeem his people and give them adoption as "sons" so that they, too, become full heirs—not now of a strip of land on the eastern Mediterranean shore but of eternity itself. - Fee, 545
Sonship
Paul's Son of God Christology, with its roots deep in Israel's story, finds its grand expression in human redemption that transforms the redeemed into "sons" and heirs of God as well. No wonder, then, that when Paul bursts into doxology, it is expressed in terms of "the God [who is now known as] the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," the eternal Son.
