1. Portraits of Jesus from Modern Scholarship
Jesus the Cynic (Burton Mack, Gerald Downing)
Jesus the Jew (Geza Vermes, Shaye Cohen)
now: Jesus the Revolutionary (Richard Horsley)
2. First-Century Palestine: Revisiting Historical Context
a) three violent revolts against Rome which frame the activities
of the gospels:
i) Maccabean revolt, 168-167 BCE
ii) The Jewish War, 66-70 CE
iii) Bar Kochba revolt, 132-135 CE
b) Horsleyís ěSpiral of Violenceî
i) injustice
ii) protest and resistance
iii) repression
iv) revolt
c) Some groups representing the aims of Empire
Procurator
Client (or ěPuppetî) King
Priestly Aristocracy (Sadducees)
Interpreters of the Law (Pharisees)
d) Some groups opposed to Empire:
intellectuals
Zealots
Sicarii
Essenes
peasants
3. Impact of political oppression on religious expression of Jesusí
day:
a) development in the concept of sin
b) development of the concept of demonic possession
c) development of cosmic dualism
d) ritual commemoration of oppression and community
e) rise of prophetic movements
4. Jesus the Revolutionary
a) a Jesus of peace and love? (cf. Matt 10:34 and Luke 12:51)
b) gospels as documents of class conflict
c) restoration of Israel (Matt 19:28; Luke 22:28-30; see also
Q):
d) preaching to the lost sheep of israel (Matt 15:24 and 10:6)
-goes only to the small cities; no mention of him preaching
to gentiles in nearby Hellenized communities such as Sepphoris
e) advocates repentance