A Man Attested by God: The Human Jesus of the Synoptic Gospels

by J. R. Daniel Kirk

Overview

Thought-provoking alternative perspective on the full humanity of Jesus Christ

In A Man Attested by God J. R. Daniel Kirk presents a comprehensive defense of the thesis that the Synoptic Gospels present Jesus not as divine but as an idealized human figure.

Counterbalancing the recent trend toward early high Christology in such scholars as Richard Bauckham, Simon Gathercole, and Richard Hays, Kirk here thoroughly unpacks the humanity of Jesus as understood by Gospel writers whose language is rooted in the religious and literary context of early Judaism. Without dismissing divine Christologies out of hand, Kirk argues that idealized human Christology is the best way to read the Synoptic Gospels, and he explores Jesus as exorcist and miracle worker within the framework of his humanity.

With wide-ranging exegetical and theological insight that sheds startling new light on familiar Gospel texts, A Man Attested by God offers up-to-date, provocative scholarship that will have to be reckoned with.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467445771
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	12/09/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	656
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

J. R. Daniel Kirk holds a PhD in New Testament from Duke University and has taught at North Carolina State University, St. Joseph's University, Eastern College, and Fuller Theological Seminary. His previous books include Jesus Have I Loved, but Paul? and Unlocking Romans: Resurrection and the Justification of God.

Table of Contents

Tables x

Preface xi

Abbreviations xiv

Introduction 1

A Idealized Human Figures 3

B Methodology: Framework, Hypothesis, and Paradigm Testing 4

C What This Study Is 9

D What This Study Is Not 13

E Recent Proposals for Early High Christology 16

F Value of the Current Proposal 39

G The Path Ahead 42

1 Idealized Human Figures in Early Judaism 44

A Adam as Past and Future 47

B Moses and the Prophets 77

C Rings in Worship and Rule 96

D Priests of Divinity 120

E The Son of Man 139

F The Community of the Elect 158

G Conclusions: Idealized Human Figures and the Identity of God 173

2 Son of God as Human King 177

A Son of God as Human King in Mark 179

B Son of God, Son of David, Son of Adam in Luke 218

C Son of God in Matthew 237

D Conclusion: Son of God as Idealized Human King 258

3 Son of Man as the Human One 261

A Narrative Unity of the Son of Man Sayings in Mark 263

B The Son of Man in Mark's Narrative Arc 269

C The Son of Man Outside Mark 339

D The Human One: Son of Man as Son of Adam 353

E Conclusion: Son of Man as the Human One 356

4 Messiah Born and Raised 359

A God with Us: Matthew's Christ in Birth and Resurrection 359

B The Son of David: Jesus in Luke's Birth and Resurrection Narratives 387

C Conclusion: Messiah Born and Raised 411

5 Lord of All Creation 413

A Exorcisms 415

B Nature Miracles 433

C Healing Hands 460

D Conclusions: Human Agent of Divine Power 486

6 Jesus and the Scriptures of Israel 489

A Mark 491

B Matthew 516

C Luke 535

D Conclusions: Messianic Hermeneutics 568

Conclusions: A Man Attested by God 570

A Jesus as Idealized Human Figure in the Synoptic Gospels 570

B The Stories of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, and Luke 573

C Human Christology and Jesus's Followers 575

D Locating Jesus in the Biblical Narrative 578

E Concluding Thoughts 580

Bibliography 583

Author Index 605

Subject Index 609

Ancient Sources Index 619