Tilling Paul: relationship of Christ to his people modelled on Yahweh to his people in the OT

Beginnings of Christian theology in its historical framework

Doctrine and scripture
Faith and philosophy
Systematic theology
Prayer and worship

Theology before Christianity: The Jews did not do theology as we now know it, they had no
investigation into who god really was. They would critique theology as the Christian (aspects of
Rabbinic theology) preoccupation and you Do Judaism. Simply though Monotheism and election are
the foundations and they equal eschatology. This is the centre of Jewish belief. Only Philo argues
about this and discusses/conceptualise it. But even for Philo it is how this works out in practise, a life
of virtue, a practical life. Ben Sira and Wisdom of Solomon suggest but not really

In the pagan world, theology is part of physics, Cicero de natura (what intelligent Romans are saying
about god 100 years before Christ
Stoic, pantheist
Epicurian, deist
Academics (linear from Plato): reserved judgement due to not enough info, philosophical position.
Although they had to show they ritually were pagan (for societal reasons) they were critical of the
gods
Not entirely clear how to live a life as a Stoic or a Epicurean Seneca (learnt under Nero) is an
example of this angst in his letters
Prayer reflection on who god is and what he is up to plays a far larger role than in pagan or Jewish
circles
Prayerful corporate reflection in the light of scripture of who god is and what he is doing
Difference between Christian and pagan ideas of virtue is that in the pagan world vitue is not a
teamsport unlike the hero virtue
4 virtues introduced, love, humility patience and chastity by Christians and they are all about
community.
Its a new discipline in Christianity it has some analogies and similarities as pagan musings
(cosmologies, teleology) but is new and from a Jewish mindset
Can we integrate what the early Christians are saying about Christ and the spirit and what they are
saying about other things e.g. Pauls rewriting of the Shema and its link to eating meat offered in 1
Corinthians 8. As in Romans 1.1-4 , 8.3-4 is a dense statement that Paul unpacks later.
Need to puts these texts back in their historical-sociological context, it was more about how do we
pray and live in light of these concepts and not just musings

Pauls worldview he was inculcating to his churches, the church as a symbol its own symbol unity
and holiness (Eph, 1 Cor ) calling Jesus as Lord. United communities across traditional boundaries
without Jewish cultural boundaries. Paul invents Christian theology to sustain these communities
and act as a glue
What was going on in 20 years before Paul writes his letters. When we meet Christology in Paul he is
not arguing it only stating it. Debates about the status of Jesus are not going on.
No evidence for monotheism and Christology was a problem in the early church contra Huratdo

Vermesch: Popular Judaism High Christology is late as it is influenced by pagan ideas
J Dunn it is late but its from Judaism , wisdom /Logos etc
Hegel, Pauls is high already and it seems to go back to that early period before Paul
How much goes back to Jesus? Or how much goes back to the cross and how much to the
resurrection. Son of god is an Israel title and messianic title originally but in paul it takes on the
divine idea
Hurtado: Jewish monotheism is more varied with intermediaries
The experience of the presence of Jesus and worship the first Christians ransack these
intermediaries to explain flesh out
Ch 2 bauckham
Identity in baucham is a slippery idea
William Horbury: pre-Christian ideas about the messiah could have a divine aspect
Boyarin: The Jews had a pluriform idea of God and incarnation was a possibility

Question: How much do we know about Jewish monotheism? Akibah 135 going on praying the
shema thats monotheism I will be loyal to my god even if these pagans go on killing me
What does messiahship mean and how does it fit/get factored in?
Where does the real innovation take place?
Use of scripture, what ones were they drawing on , how were they using it, ps 110
Was Christology a cause or symptom of the break with the Jews was Paul persecuting the
Christians for their Christology
Or the temple? What about the temple - the return of Yahweh to zion Is 40, 52, ez 40 and end of
exodus, this has never happened in the 2
nd
temple period
Beginning of Mark starts with Isaiah 40 yahweh has returned to zion in Jesus
What has happened to the kingdom of god the orthodox confession of his divinity is substituted for
his kingdom
Phil 2, col 1 john 1, heb 1,2 cor 3,4