University of Pretoria etd – Dannhauser, E H (2006) JESUS THE PROPHET: MAPS AND MEMORIES By ESTELLE HENRIETTA DANNHAUSER Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR PHILOSOPHIAE (PhD) Department of New Testament Studies Faculty of Theology University of Pretoria Supervisor: Prof Dr Andries van Aarde November 2005 University of Pretoria etd –i Dannhauser, E H (2006) TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 CHARTING A MAP…………………………………………………………...1 1.1 Introduction………………………………………………………..1 1.1.1 N T Wright ………………………………………………….1 1.1.2 R A Horsley……………………………………………….. 2 1.1.3 J D G Dunn…………………………………………………4 1.1.4 Prophecy……………………………………………………5 1.2 Scriptural passages with prophetic overtones…………………8 1.3 A pathfinding mission…………………………………………...12 1.4 What they set out to do:………………………………………...24 1.4.1 N T Wright………………………………………………..24 1.4.2 R A Horsley………………………………………………25 1.4.3 J D G Dunn………………………………………………26 1.4.4 My own North Star………………………………………25 2. THE PORTRAIT OF A PROPHET – N T WRIGHT……………………..27 2.1 Eschatological prophet of the kingdom of God…………………29 2.1.1 Preparing for the journey……………………………….29 2.1.2 A preliminary viewing: John the Baptist……………….40 2.1.3 Preparing the basic canvas……………………………..46 2.2 Sketching an outline: The profile of an eschatological prophet………………………………………………………………47 2.3 Against a backdrop in bold colours: The kingdom drama……..59 2.3.1 A drama in three acts: Act one: Annunciation………..59 2.3.2 Act two: Welcome, challenge and summons…………61 2.3.3 Act three: Judgment and vindication…………………..67 2.3.4 Dramatic recension: Same title, different plays………75 University of Pretoria etd –ii Dannhauser, E H (2006) 2.3.5 The script: How best to convey the message………..80 2.3.5.1 Parables………………………………………..80 2.3.5.2 Miraculous deeds……………………………..83 2.3.6 Code red: Symbols and controversy………………….90 2.3.6.1 The Torah……………………………………...93 2.3.6.2 The Temple……………………………………96 2.3.7 Positive symbols of the kingdom…………………….104 2.3.7.1 A new worldview…………………………….104 2.3.7.2 The rebuilt Temple………………………….106 2.3.8 Hues of tragedy: The death of a prophet…………..109 2.3.8.1 The charge of leading people astray……..109 2.4 The portrait: Finishing touches…………………………………111 2.4.1 For the art critics viewing this picture: Who are we? 112 2.4.2 Where are we?…………………………………………112 2.4.3 What is wrong?…………………………………………113 2.4.4 The Beëlzebul controversy……………………………113 2.5 A true likeness?…………………………………………………..120 3. WALKING THE SECLUDED ALLEY OF Q: A VIEW OF THE PRE- MARKAN JESUS? R A HORSLEY……………………………………….121 3.1 Q……………………………………………………………………122 3.1.1 A sighting by word of mouth…………………………..124 3.2 A prophet bent on covenant-renewal? Q 6:20-49…………….135 3.3 An image of a commissioning emissary……………………….140 3.4 The backdrop: A sweeping scope: Reflections on genre, context and origin….……………………………………………..148 3.5 A sighting in Q: The reflection of a prophet……………………153 University of Pretoria etd iii– Dannhauser, E H (2006) 3.6 The message of the prophet in view……………………………157 4. A MEANDER DOWN MEMORY LANE: J D G DUNN……………159 4.1 Preparing for the journey………………………………………..161 4.2 Tripping the well-trodden road of Jesus-scholarship…………165 4.2.1 As the crow flies……………………………………………165 4.3 Road maps and starting lines……………………………………169 4.3.1 Where to start and what sources to use………………….169 4.3.2 External sources…………………………………………….170 4.3.3 The earliest references to Jesus…………………………..171 4.3.4 The Gospels………………………………………………….172 4.3.4.1 The Gospel of Mark…………………………………..173 4.3.4.2 Q………………………………………………………..176 4.3.4.3 The Gospels of Matthew and Luke…………………185 4.3.4.4 The Gospel of John…………………………………..186 4.3.4.5 The Gospel of Thomas………………………………188 4.3.4.6 Other Gospels………………………………………..191 4.3.5 Where the sources led us……………………………………..193 4.3.5.1 In silhouette…………………………………………..193 4.3.5.2 Literate/illiterate?…………………………………….196 4.3.6 Geography and biography……………………………………203 4.3.6.1 Galilee in general……………………………………203 4.3.6.2 Sepphoris and Tiberias……………………………..214 4.3.6.3 Capernaum…………………………………………..214 4.3.6.4 Jerusalem……………………………………………215 4.3.6.5 Caesarea-Philippi…………………………………..216 4.4 The birth and application of the sources……………………………..217 University of Pretoria etd iv– Dannhauser, E H (2006) 4.4.1 The gospel genre…………………………………………….217 4.4.2 The traditioning process…………………………………….219 4.4.3 Oral transmission……………………………………………235 4.5 Historical context: A backdrop……………………………………240 4.5.1 Judaism……………………………………………………….241 4.5.2 “Jew”, “Israel”…………………………………………………243 4.6 From backdrop to view: How to proceed………………………..249 4.6.1 Can a picture truly emerge?………………………………..251 4.7 Jesus: His image revealed………………………………………..256 4.7.1 The Kingdom of God………………………………………..256 4.7.2 Jesus’ banquet: An open invitation………………………..261 4.7.3 Discipleship………………………………………………….263 4.8 The image: Stirring memories of… ……………………………..266 4.8.1 Messiah………………………………………………………266 4.8.2 Prophet……………………………………………………….268 4.8.2.1 Apocalyptic and / or / nor / eschatology: Confusion at the crossroads………………………………………277 4.8.3 Sage………………………………………………………….285 4.9 Jesus’ last days……………………………………………………287 4.10 In conclusion……………………………………………………..289 5. COMPARING AND ASSESSING THE JOURNEYS……………….293 5.1 M Borg……………………………………………………………..293 5.1.1 Jesus the Spirit person…………………………………….293 5.1.2 Jesus the sage……………………………………………..294 5.1.3 Jesus as healer and exorcist……………………………..294 5.1.4 Jesus the prophet………………………………………….295 University of Pretoria etd –v Dannhauser, E H (2006) 5.1.5 Jesus as movement initiator………………………………297 5.2 N T Wright…………………………………………………………297 5.2.1 A summary of Wright’s route………………………………297 5.2.2 An assessment: Wright’s journey in retrospect………….300 5.3 R A Horsley………………………………………………………..300 5.3.1 A summary of Horsley’s route…………………………….300 5.3.2 An assessment: Horsley’s journey in retrospect………..305 5.4 J D G Dunn………………………………………………………..306 5.4.1 A summary of Dunn’s route……………………………….306 5.4.2 Horsley and Dunn: Comparing notes on the journey…..313 5.4.3 An assessment: Dunn’s journey in retrospect…………..317 6. PROPHETIC ICONS: THE PROPHETIC PHENOMENON……….320 6.1 Status quo typical for prophetic intervention…………………..320 6.2 The prophet……………………………………………………….324 6.3 The phenomenon “prophecy”: Conveyor of the word………...328 6.4 Symbolic actions………………………………………………….333 6.5 Visions……………………………………………………………..335 6.6 Suffering…………………………………………………………...339 6.7 The prophetic message – valid for ever?………………………343 6.8 The prophetic message: Divine wrath, divine love……………344 6.9 Speaking with divine authority…………………………………..345 6.10 The prophetic formula…………………………………………..346 6.11 Prophet and Spirit……………………………………………….348 6.12 “I”………………………………………………………………….350 6.13 Disciples…………………………………………………………350 6.14 Guardian of God’s people……………………………………..351 University of Pretoria etd vi– Dannhauser, E H (2006) 6.15 Aspects of the phenomenon “prophecy”…………………….354 6.15.1 Eschatology………………………………………………..354 6.15.2 Wisdom…………………………………………………….358 6.16 Venturing outside of theology: Sociology…………………..359 6.17 Spirit persons………………………………………………….365 6.18 Prophets: Messengers from God or ventriloquists for kings?………………………………………………………369 7. CONCLUSION……………………………………………………..385 7.1 Was Jesus a prophet? Different routes, one destination…..385 7.2 N T Wright……………………………………………………….385 7.3 R A Horsley……………………………………………………...387 7.4 J D G Dunn………………………………………………………389 BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………395 1 University of Pretoria etd – Dannhauser, E H (2006) CHAPTER 1 CHARTING A MAP 1.1 Introduction Current research detects similarities in the Jesus tradition between Jesus and the classical prophets. However, does this research take into account all that needs to be considered in this respect? I shall peruse three models of research, all reaching the conclusion that Jesus was a prophet, all working from different angles and using different methodologies, to try and determine whether they may have left any research gaps that need to be filled. 1.1.1 N T Wright The first model we shall scrutinize, is that of N T Wright. Wright attempts through his research to determine the thought processes of the average Galilean contemporaries of Jesus as they watched him walking through the villages, extolling the virtues of the kingdom of the god of Israel and celebrating this said kingdom in meals thrown welcomingly open to all and sundry. He further attempts, to the best of his ability, a retrojection into the worldview and mindset of Jesus. His endeavours lead him to the conclusion that Jesus’ Galilean contemporaries, in watching him and listening to him, would have experienced a flood of memories in which the picture of Jesus would have merged with that of the prophets of old. All evidence, according to Wright (1996:150), points to the probability that Jesus was seen as and saw himself as a prophet and typifies the praxis and worldview of Jesus as that of a prophet bearing an urgent eschatological, or, to be more specific, apocalyptic, message for Israel. His mighty works are believed by Wright (1996:196) to have been perceived as constituent of the inauguration of the redefined kingdom of Israel’s god, with its backbone of welcome and warning. Moreover, he considers them, together with 2 University of Pretoria etd – Dannhauser, E H (2006) the parables typical of Jesus’ oral ministry and his other signature actions, to be an integral part of Jesus’ ministry in its entirety, bringing him on par with or maybe even enabling him to surpass the likes of Elijah and Elisha in the prophetic hierarchy. That he saw himself as prophet called to announce the word of Israel’s god to his recalcitrant people and assemble them around him as the true people of YHWH is a probability, but Wright (1996:196) finds himself open to the further possibility that he saw himself as the prophet of Deuteronomy, the prophet to end all prophecies, the prophet through whose work the history of Israel would reach its climax.