Source: Crispin Fletcher-Louis, Jesus Monotheism: Christological Origins: The Emerging Consensus and Beyond, vol. 1 (Eugene, OR: Whymanity Publishing, 2019), 65–127.
The Shape of NT Christology.wav
This podcast critically examines the "emerging consensus" in New Testament scholarship, particularly the work of Larry Hurtado and Richard Bauckham, concerning the nature and origins of devotion to Jesus as a divine figure. The author argues that this consensus, while valuable in establishing Jesus' inclusion in the divine identity, downplays the centrality of the Incarnation—the belief that Jesus preexisted as a divine being and became fully human—in early Christian belief and worship. Furthermore, the author challenges the consensus's view that the Gospel expression "Son of Man" was merely a self-reference by Jesus without titular or apocalyptic significance, contending that it likely carried meaning tied to pre-Christian Jewish expectations and pointed towards Jesus' transcendent, and potentially incarnational, identity. The overall purpose is to demonstrate how the prevailing scholarly model overlooks crucial evidence for the distinct identities of the Father and Son within early Christological thought and how a reassessment of the "Son of Man" title supports a more robust understanding of the Incarnation's role in the development of Christian monotheism.
1. An Overview of Larry Hurtado and Richard Bauckham's Work on Early Christian Devotion and Monotheism:
The source begins by framing the discussion around the work of Larry Hurtado, particularly his study Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity. Hurtado's work focuses on the historical analysis of beliefs and practices that constituted devotion to Jesus as a divine figure in earliest Christianity. His analysis explores the historical factors that gave rise to this devotion and describes its shape, encompassing both the behaviors involved and the beliefs about Christ. Key beliefs examined in his work include Christ's preexistence, his role in creation, and the significance of titles like "Christ," "Son," and "Lord." Hurtado is credited with cutting through complex interpretive issues by focusing on observable features of early Christian life, convincingly demonstrating that Christians redefined monotheism to include devotion to Jesus, resulting in a "binitarian" shape to monotheism. Richard Bauckham's work is often discussed alongside Hurtado's, sharing a primary focus on the beliefs about Jesus after his resurrection and exaltation to God's right hand, as seen in early evidence like Paul's letters, where Jesus is worshipped in the present tense. Their work is seen as central to an "emerging consensus" regarding early Christology and the nature of Christian monotheism.
2. The Centrality of Incarnation in Earliest Christology:
A significant topic is the role and importance of the doctrine of the Incarnation (the belief that Christ, a preexistent divine being, came to earth and became human) in earliest Christology and as a basis for devotion. The author argues that while Hurtado and Bauckham acknowledge Christology of incarnation and preexistence, Hurtado minimizes its role, suggesting it was not a primary factor in the origins of Christ devotion or a significant contributor to the "binitarian mutation." The author contends that New Testament evidence, particularly from texts like Philippians 2:6-11, Colossians 1:15-20, 1 Timothy 3:16, and John 1:1-18, strongly suggests that belief in Jesus' incarnation was a key, widely accepted, and constitutive element of earliest Christology. These texts, often considered early Christian hymns, are presented as praising Christ based on his preexistent divine identity, his act of becoming human, and his obedient life culminating in death. The author argues that Hurtado's view, which emphasizes resurrection and exaltation as the basis for worship, overlooks the evidence that incarnation itself was viewed as the basis for devotion. The author sees this as a "gaping incarnation-shaped-hole" in Hurtado's model.
3. The Relationship Between Christ Devotion and the Historical Jesus:
Another major topic is the connection between the devotion directed towards the exalted Christ and the historical life and identity of Jesus of Nazareth. The author analyzes Hurtado's position that the earliest Christians worshipped Jesus based on post-resurrection religious experiences and God's action (exaltation), not on anything inherent in Jesus' historical life, words, or deeds. This perspective, according to the author, leads to a model where there is no logical connection between the fact of Christ devotion and the character of the historical Jesus. The worship is directed towards the "Lord Jesus-glorified-and-transformed Christ," creating an impression of a weak link between the human Jesus and the divine Christ. The author raises questions about what "Jesus" and "Christ" mean in the expression "Lord Jesus Christ" in this model, suggesting they may lack specific historical content. The debate includes whether Jesus' messianic identity (as a human king, prophet, or priest) derived from his earthly life contributed to the shape of Christ devotion. The author also critiques Hurtado's reading of the Gospels, particularly his view that the Synoptics lack an incarnational Christology and that any divine Christological material reflects later developments, arguing this further disconnects Christ devotion from the historical Jesus presented in those narratives.
4. Distinguishing Identities within Early Christian Monotheism:
The source discusses the issue of how early Christians understood the relationship between God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son, within their monotheistic framework. While the "emerging consensus," including Hurtado and Bauckham, highlights the inclusion of Jesus within the divine identity and worship of him as God, the author argues they sometimes play down texts that distinguish the identities of the Father and the Son. This is presented as surprising given Hurtado's emphasis on "binitarian" monotheism. The author critiques what is perceived as a tendency in Bauckham and sometimes Hurtado towards a functional Christology, where Jesus is primarily understood as exercising God's functions or acting as God's agent, which risks obscuring their distinct personal identities. Texts like 1 Corinthians 8:6 are examined, which explicitly distinguish "one God, the Father" and "one Lord, Jesus Christ," suggesting a deliberate emphasis on distinct identities even while Christ is included in the divine realm. The author argues that these distinctions are not a problem for understanding Christ's full deity but are a crucial aspect of the theological shape of New Testament Christology that helps explain its origins and conceptual intelligibility, suggesting the traditional theological language of distinct "persons" within the divine identity is necessary to fully capture the New Testament picture.
5. The Interpretation of the "Son of Man" Expression in the Gospels:
The meaning and significance of the expression "the Son of Man" (ho huios tou anthrōpou) in the Gospels is a major point of discussion. The source contrasts the traditional "apocalyptic Son of Man theory" with the approach of the "emerging consensus." The traditional view linked the expression to Daniel 7:13, interpreting it as a title for a heavenly, preexistent, eschatological figure, expectations elaborated in texts like the Similitudes of Enoch and 4 Ezra. This figure is described in Gospels as coming from heaven, with glory, on a throne, judging, and associated with angels. The traditional view held it was Jesus' preferred self-designation, highlighting a transcendent identity distinct from earthly messianic hopes. The "emerging consensus," however, tends to reject or minimize this connection, arguing there was no pre-Christian "Son of Man" title and that the expression was not a confessional title used by the early church. Hurtado's view, presented as typical of this consensus, argues the expression has no titular force in the Gospels but is simply Jesus' distinctive way of referring to himself, essentially functioning as an emphatic first-person pronoun, denoting Jesus but not conveying significant additional meaning or referring back to Daniel 7.