self-claims essay

Question 1

para 1

Answer 1

SofM – healing of paralytic
- Mk 2:10-11 - But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.”
- According to the story, the problem is that forgiving sins is a divine prerogative. See Psalm 103. Isa 40:1-2. Isa 43:25 (cf. also Ex 34:7; cf. Num 14:18-20; Neh 9:17; Ps 130:4; Mic 7:18: Dan 9:9). There are no other references to an individual forgiving sins. YHWH’s agency as the one who forgives is always made clear.
- Foreshadows trial
o “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
o Leads to charge of blasphemy
- Dan 7

Question 2

para 1 ao2

Answer 2

• Divine passive
• Hägerland - In early Judaism, prophets could pronounce the forgiveness of sins (142-66).
• Johannson
  o In early Judaism, prophets only could intercede on the behalf of others (369). (Therefore, Hägerland’s other examples are more of this phenomenon.)
  o Possible implications:
  o The scribes accusations of blasphemy make sense; forgiveness is a divine prerogative.
   Would this make it less likely that the historical Jesus would have claimed to forgive sins?
• minimalism
  o Vermes 1973, Casey 1979, Lindars 1983 – simply a circumlocution for ‘I’, man in general, or main in limited group (‘person in my position’)
  o Aside from philological justification, which is less well-established than sometimes thought, based upon total rejection of eschatological/messianic interpretation, in part because belief of no known tradition of messianic interpretation at time of JC
  o Dependent in part upon late dating of 1 Enoch 37-71 and upon excluding possibility that JC = capable of interacting with tradition (Dan 7?) creatively – assumes creative of tradition
  o If ‘I’, why not simply translated this way instead of awkward phrase SM?

Question 3

para 2

Answer 3

Messiah
- Confession at Caesarea Philippi (Mark 8:27)
o look at diverging interpretation of event
o mark 8 = JC reaction is dismissive
o matt 16 = more positive
o but authenticity as all three follow confession with suffering son of man saying
o JC knew messiah must suffer
o neusner - inherent connection between SofM suffering and Messiah
o wrede - messianic secret, sensationalisation
o conzelmann and lindemann - messiah is a ‘theologoumenon’
o however, doesn’t recognise events that allude to messianic status e.g. entry
o does not ever deny messianic status in confession - not actively vocalised but aware of it

Question 4

para 2 ao2

Answer 4

• Bultmann
  o apocalyptic/messianic use common one at time
  o JC not such a figure
  o Invented by overly enthused church
  o Insofar as JC spoke of such a figure, spoke of another figure (see esp. Luke 12:8)
• wrede - messianic secret, sensationalisation
• conzelmann and lindemann - messiah is a ‘theologoumenon’
• however, doesn’t recognise events that allude to messianic status e.g. entry
• does not ever deny messianic status in confession - not actively vocalised but aware of it

Question 5

para 3

Answer 5

• confession before high priest
• but lack of harmony between synoptic accounts
• mark - ‘I am’. exodus 3:14, high christology
• matt - you have said so
• luke - you say that I am
• more evasive
• king of jews, Messianic pretender
• dahl - messianic status ‘belongs to the dogmatic motifs of the passion story’

Question 6

para 3 ao2

Answer 6

• lack of harmony in accounts
• reimarus. - JC was a political liberator. failed mission meant he was transformed into saviour figure
• but, JC predicts crucifixion, matt 26:2
• should also not restrict ourselves to resurrection alone - pre-resurrection miracles e.g. Luke 18:35-42, blind beggar - Isaiah 35:5, ‘the eyes of the blind shall be opened’
• messianic idea of liberation. but not political/militant