When I started getting into studying the historical Jesus, I always thought it was weird that Jesus predicts the LITERAL destruction of the temple, but in the story, it's a SPIRITUAL destruction. It just seemed like a really weird plot choice to me. Didn't make sense.
Then I read John Dominic Crossan and he put two and two together for me. He thinks that the historical Jesus was actually saying something about destroying the temple made with hands and rebuilding a new temple made without hands. The author of Mark knew that story, but then the temple actually did get destroyed! So he combined the two--that's why it comes out kind of weird.
Really interesting reading, thanks for this. As someone interested in getting closer to the historical Jesus, and away from the various lenses he is displayed through by the early evangelists, any recommendations for further reading?
Thanks, Mark. I am going to be putting together a reading list on the historical Jesus. You may want to check out James Crossley and Myles Roberts’s’ Jesus: A Life in Class Conflict, Maurice Casey’s Jesus of Nazareth, and Dale Allison’s The Theological Jesus and the Historical Christ. Three of my favourites.
Great read. I love this topic.
When I started getting into studying the historical Jesus, I always thought it was weird that Jesus predicts the LITERAL destruction of the temple, but in the story, it's a SPIRITUAL destruction. It just seemed like a really weird plot choice to me. Didn't make sense.
Then I read John Dominic Crossan and he put two and two together for me. He thinks that the historical Jesus was actually saying something about destroying the temple made with hands and rebuilding a new temple made without hands. The author of Mark knew that story, but then the temple actually did get destroyed! So he combined the two--that's why it comes out kind of weird.
Really interesting reading, thanks for this. As someone interested in getting closer to the historical Jesus, and away from the various lenses he is displayed through by the early evangelists, any recommendations for further reading?
Thanks, Mark. I am going to be putting together a reading list on the historical Jesus. You may want to check out James Crossley and Myles Roberts’s’ Jesus: A Life in Class Conflict, Maurice Casey’s Jesus of Nazareth, and Dale Allison’s The Theological Jesus and the Historical Christ. Three of my favourites.
Appreciate you, John. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.