6. Divine_Identity_Christology.mp4
6. Paul_Redefined_Monotheism_To_Include_Jesus.m4a
The provided topic explores Paul’s high Christology, arguing that it operates within the framework of a strict early Jewish monotheism by adopting a "Christology of divine identity." The central thesis posits that the earliest Christian understanding of Jesus was not based on applying existing categories for semi-divine intermediary figures, but rather by including Jesus directly in the unique identity of the one God of Israel. This unique identity was defined by God's exclusive roles as sole Creator and sole Sovereign Ruler over all creation, encapsulated in the Hebrew name YHWH. Paul’s practice of applying Old Testament texts about YHWH (often translated as kurios or "Lord") to Jesus, particularly those dealing with eschatological monotheism (God's final, universal rule), demonstrates this inclusion, confirming that for Paul, confessing Jesus as Lord was equivalent to acknowledging YHWH as the one true God. This radical christological monotheism redefined the core Jewish confession of God's oneness without violating its exclusivity.
How did the earliest followers of Jesus, who were devout monotheistic Jews, begin to worship him as divine? This question presents a profound puzzle. For these first-century believers, the central commandment of their faith was to worship the one God of Israel, YHWH, and no other. To worship a second, separate divine figure would have been a catastrophic violation of their most sacred beliefs. And yet, they worshipped Jesus. The answer to this puzzle lies not in a sudden break from their faith, but in a radical and surprising re-imagining of it from within.
The modern mind often frames the question of divinity around "nature" or "essence"—what a being is made of. However, Second Temple Jewish monotheism was less concerned with defining a metaphysical "divine nature" and more focused on a practical question: who is the one God? It was a matter of unique identity, not abstract substance.
This unique identity was defined by clear and absolute characteristics that separated God from all other reality. First, it was defined by His unique covenant relationship with His people, Israel, to whom He had revealed his personal name, YHWH. Second, it was defined by His unique relationship to all reality: God was understood to be the sole Creator of all things and the sole sovereign Ruler over all things. This focus on God as the exclusive Creator and Ruler is a concept we can call creational monotheism. These characteristics made a bright line distinguishing the one true God from everything and everyone else.
Understanding this shift in perspective—from divine nature to divine identity—is crucial for grasping how the first Christians thought about Jesus. They weren't trying to fit him into a philosophical category of "divinity"; they were grappling with how he fit into the unique identity of the God they already knew.