Basic Approaches:  Other historical sources are scarce and authenticity is

suspect
How is Christology done?
 Mark: between 60 - 70 AD
1. Christology “From Above”  Matthew, Luke (Acts): 80 AD
 An approach which begins with the Pre-existent  John (Revelation): 90 AD
Word who is in heaven/from eternity, and who  Synoptic Gospels - Gk syn + optic meaning “seen
descends into human history, becoming incarnate in together”; taken from same sources
Jesus
 Focal point: Incarnation
 The Nature of the Gospels: Are they strictly historical
 Starting point: Church’s dogma
accounts?
 “Testimonies of faith” = historical basis + faith
How is Christology done? interpretation
 not histories or biography in the modern sense
2. Christology “From Below”  stages in the development of the Gospel tradition:
 An approach which begins with the human Jesus of words and deeds of Jesus – the preaching of the
Nazareth, and traces his story from birth to mission, apostles – writing of the gospels
culminating on his death and resurrection
 Focal point: Resurrection
 Starting point: Jesus of history (esp. as contained in The Message and Ministry of Jesus
biblical accounts “Basileia tou theou”

 best translated as “reign of God”: dynamic not static;

What is the better approach? a situation/event, not a place
 eschatological tension: both present and future
 over/exclusive emphasis on “From (“already but not yet”)
Above” may result to a denial of Christ’s  It is present in the person and ministry of Jesus but
its definitive form is yet to come
humanity (e.g. Docetism - physicality,

crucifixion, death were all illusion)

The Kingdom Proclaimed in Words: The Parables
 over/exclusive emphasis on “From
Problem: How to understand the meaning of the parables
Below” may result on a rejection of Jesus’ divinity (Arianism -
(which are many and varied)?
Jesus as the highest creature, subordinate to the Father)
John Dominic Crossan
 suggests a basic and helpful framework to approach
What is the approach preferred by many theologians today?
the study of the parables
 Preference for the “From Below”  three-fold pattern in most, if not, all of the parables:
Approach: Why? advent, reversal, and action
 two parables in Matthew as paradigmatic of this
- Helps us appreciate the full humanity of Jesus and hence his pattern: hidden treasure, pearl of great price (Mt
solidarity with us 13:44-46)
- Inspires discipleship in the context of a world which
identifies more with stories rather than dogmas
o Advent - the Reign of God is coming as a gift;
something unprecedented, something beyond
Biblical Christology expectations is coming or is found which is a cause of
great joy
The gospels As Principal Source for the Life and Teachings of
o Reversal - the encounter with the Reign of God turns
Jesus
the values of the world upside down; change in
outlook and priorities
 o Action - the reign of God is not a mere information;
calling for a response/transformative action
Mt 13:44-46
44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure
hidden in a field, which a man found and
covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all
that he has and buys that field. 45 "Again, the
kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search
of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of
great value, went and sold all that he had and
bought it.
Parables
 In some parables, the element of advent/discovery
is the focus: e.g. lost sheep, lost coin
 In other parables, the element of reversal/change
(sin as omission), prodigal son (mercy and
forgiveness)
 Still in others, the emphasis is on the element of
action/new praxis: talents, unmerciful servant
The Kingdom Proclaimed in Deeds: The
Miracles/Healings/Exorcisms
 sickness or infirmity was attributed to demonic
power and sin
 healings show that the power of evil over human
beings is broken
 The miracles may be understood as symbolic
anticipations and foretastes of what the fulfillment
of the Reign of God will bring to the lives of people:
holiness, healing, liberation, reconciliation, a new
unity and integration of life or wholeness.
The Kingdom Proclaimed in Deeds: Table Fellowships
 importance of meals in the ministry of Jesus;
frequency
 Mt 11: 18-19
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say,
'He has a demon’; 19 the Son of Man came eating and
drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a
friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated
by her deeds.
o cf. Ben Meyer, The Aims of Jesus (London: SCM
Press, 1979), 159-161
Jesus’ openness to sinners did not mean that he
submitted passively to or tolerated sin. He reversed
the normal pattern - conversion then communion.
His offer of communion with sinners triggered
repentance - “conversion flowered from
communion”.
The Death of Jesus
 The meaning of the cross
 Today, no longer seen as a scandal, as instrument of
torture and humiliation
 More an article of jewelry, a fashion accessory, mark
of episcopal authority, an ornament
 Sometimes misunderstood as promoting passive
acceptance of suffering and injustice
1. Cross as salvific - (scholastics) by the cross Jesus has
redeemed the world
2. Cross as sign of misinterpretation — (Bultmann)
Jesus’ religious message was misinterpreted as a
threat to Roman rule; Jesus’ purposes were
misunderstood
3. Cross as not salvific or redemptive - (Schillebeeckx)
a rejection of Jesus; not willed but permitted by God;
death as negativity that God overcomes by the
resurrection
 International Theological Commission 1979: "A
death undergone in a purely passive manner could
not be a ‘Christological’ saving event. It must be...
the willed consequence of the obedience and love of
Jesus...”
 What is salvific is the entire Christ-event, the perfect
life of obedience of Jesus which culminated in the
cross and vindicated in the resurrection.
The Resurrection of Jesus
 Importance and centrality
1. CCC 638: the crowing truth of our faith, regarded as
central truth by first Christian communities
 2. 1 Cor 15:14-17: without the resurrection, in vain is - Church: the human and divine natures are united
our preaching and faith “without confusion, without change” and “without
3. Source of hope for us; our own promise of eternal division, without separation”
life
 Origin/Basis: empty tomb tradition + resurrection
appearances Contemporary Christology

Some Christological issues today:

Conciliar Christology  Humanity and Knowledge: What sort of knowledge

did Jesus possess?
 Transition in Language: From Stories to Concepts
 Humanity and Sinlessness: Without concupiscence,
(Aypostasis, substantia, homoousios, phusis,
what was it like for Jesus to be tempted?
prosopon, persona)
 Ecological Crisis: What does our faith in the
 Challenge when church expanded: how to express
incarnation and resurrection say about
the faith in a manner understandable to a new
environmental issues?
audience
 World Religions: Is Jesus the savior of non-Christians
 From biblical to philosophical language: difficult but
as well?
necessary

 Nicea (325)
- issue: divinity of Christ
- Arius: Jesus as greatest, most perfect creature
- Church: Jesus is “homoousius” (of the same
substance) with the Father, “true God from true God,
begotten not made, one in being...”
- Hence, not subordinate but equal to the Father

 Constantinople (381)
- issue: full humanity of Christ
- Appolinarius of Laodicea: Logos took the place
of the rational soul in Christ hence Christ is not
fully human because he does not have a rational
soul
- Church: Jesus had a human soul

 Ephesus (431)
- issue: two natures but one person
- Nestorius: a human Jesus, “indwelt... as in a temple”
by the divine Christ, hence two persons (the human
as ‘shell’ of the divine person); Mary as the mother
of Jesus but not the mother of God
- Church: the two natures (divine and human) are
united in the one person of Christ; Mary as
Theotokos

 Chalcedon (451)
- issue: distinction of the two natures of Christ
- Eutyches: monophysitism - the union of the divine
and human natures in Christ result in only one divine
nature; the human is absorbed by the divine