The Christ-Myth Theory and Its Problems by Price, Robert M. -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Dedication Acknowledgements Introduction: The Quest of the Mythical Jesus…17 Jesus at the Vanishing Point… 25

Methodological Presuppositions… 25 The Traditional Christ-Myth Theory… 31 Jesus: Sender or Recipient?… 35 Son of Scripture… 36 Dying and Rising Gods… 44 The Mythic Hero Archetype… 46 Circularity and Historicity… 49

New Testament Narrative as Old Testament Midrash… 59

A. Introduction… 59 B. The Gospel of Mark… 62

1. Introduction (Mark 1:1-3)… 62 2. Jesus’ Baptism (Mark 1:9-11)… 63 3. The Temptations (Mark 1:12-13)… 64 4. Commencement of the Ministry (Mark 1:14-15)… 65 5. Recruitment of the First Disciples (Mark 1:16-20)…66 6. Exorcism at Capernaum (Mark 1:21-28)… 67 7. Peter’s Mother-in-Law (Mark 1:29-31)… 68 8. The Healing of a Leper (Mark 1:40-45)… 69 9. Healing the Paralytic (2 Kings 1:2-17a; Mark 2:1-12)… 70 10. The Withered Hand (1 Kings 13:1-6; Mark 3:1-6)… 73 11. Choosing the Twelve; Embassy of Relatives (Exodus 18:1-27; Mark 3:13-35)… 74 12. The Stilling of the Storm (Mark 4:35-41)… 79 13. The Gerasene Demoniac (Psalms 107:4-14; Mark 5:1-20)… 80 14. Jairus’ Daughter and the Woman with the Issue of Blood (2 Kings 4:8-37; Mark 5:21-34, 35-43)… 83 15. Rejection at Home (1 Samuel 10:1-27; Mark 6:1-6)… 87 16. Mission Instructions (Mark 6:7-13)… 90 17. The Death of the Baptizer (Mark 6:14-29)… 91 18. Multiplication of Loaves and Fish (2 Kings 4:42-44; Mark 6:30-44; 8:1-10)… 93 19. Walking on the Sea (Psalms 107 [LXX: 106]: 23-30; Mark 6:45-52)… 96 20. Jesus versus the Scribes (Mark 7:1-23)… 98 21. The Syro-Phoenician Woman (1 Kings 17:8-16; Mark 7:24-30)… 99 22. Healing of the Deaf and the Blind (Mark 7:31-37; 8:22-26)… 101 23. The Transfiguration (Exodus 24:15-16; 34:29; Malachi 3:2; Mark 9:1-13)… 103 24. The Deaf-Mute Epileptic (Exodus 32; Mark 9:14-29)… 106 25. Jockeying for Position (Numbers 12:1-15; 16:1-35; Mark 9:33-37)… 110 26. The Independent Exorcist, etc. (Numbers 11:24-30; Mark 9:38-50)… 113 27. Blessing Children (Mark 10:13-16)… 115 28. The Request of James and John (2 Kings 2:1-10; Mark 10:32-45)… 115 29. Blind Bar-Timaeus (Isaiah 35:5a, 6a, 8a LXX); Mark 10:46-52)… 118 30. Preparation for the Entry to Jerusalem and the Passover Supper (1 Samuel 9:1-24; Mark 11:1-6; 14:12-16)… 119 31. The Entry into Jerusalem (Zechariah 9:9; Psalms 118:19-27; Mark 11:7-11)… 122 32. Cursing the Fig Tree (Psalms 37:35-36; Mark 11:12-14, 20)… 123 33. Cleansing the Temple (Malachi 3:1-3; Zechariah 14:21b; Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11; Mark 11:15-18)… 124 34. The Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Isaiah 5:1-7; Mark 12:1-12)… 126 35. The Olivet Discourse (Mark 13:1-37)… 127 36. The Anointing at Bethany (Mark 14:3-9)… 131 37. The Last Supper (Mark 14:17-31)… 133 38. The Garden of Gethsemane (2 Samuel 15:30-37; 16:1-23; Mark 14:32-52)… 135 39. The Sanhedrin Trial (Daniel 6:4 LXX; Mark 14:53-72)… 140 40. The Scapegoat (Leviticus 16:7-10; Mark 15:1-15)… 143 41. The Crucifixion (Psalms 22:1-18; Mark 15:21-41… 145 42. Joseph of Arimathea (Genesis 50:4-5; Mark 15:42-47)… 149 43. The Empty Tomb (Mark 16:1-8)… 150

C. The Gospel of Matthew… 152

1. The Nativity of Jesus (Matthew 1:18; 2:1-23)…152 2. The Resurrection of Jesus (Matthew 27:62-28:20)… 156

D. The Gospel of Luke… 157

1. The Nativities of Jesus and John (1 Samuel 1:1-28; 2:1-26; Luke 1:5-2:52)… 159 2. The Centurion’s Child and the Son of the Widow of Nain (1 Kings 17:1-24; Luke 7:1-17)… 170 3. The Sinful Woman (2 Kings 4:1-7; 2 Kings 4:8-37; Luke 7:36-50)… 173 4. Appointment in Samaria (Luke 9:51-56)… 175 5. Calling a Ploughman (1 Kings 19:19-21; Luke 9:59-62)… 176 6. The Central Section (Luke 10:1-18:14)… 177

a. Sending out Emissaries (Deuteronomy 1:1-46; Luke 10:1-3, 17-20)… 178 b. Judgment for Rejection (Deuteronomy 2-3:22; Luke 10:4-16)… 182 c. Praying to the Lord of Heaven and Earth (Deuteronomy 3:23-4:40; Luke 10:21-24)… 183 d. The Commandments and the Shema (Deuteronomy 5:1-33; 6:1-25; Luke 10:25-27)… 184 e. (No) Mercy to the Foreigner (Deuteronomy 7:1-26; Luke 10:29-37)… 188 f. Not by Bread Alone (Deuteronomy 8:1-3; Luke 10:38-42)… 191 g. Fatherly Provision (Deuteronomy 8:4-20; Luke 11:1-13)… 192 h. Vanquishing Strong Enemies (Deuteronomy 9:1-10:11; Luke 11:14-26)… 193 i. Impartiality and Clear Vision (Deuteronomy 10:12-11:32; Luke 11:27-36)… 194 j. Clean and Unclean (Deuteronomy 12:1-16; Luke 11:37-12:12)… 198 k. Inheritance (Deuteronomy 12:17-32; Luke 12:13-34)… 202 l. Severe Punishments (Deuteronomy 13:1-11; Luke 12:35-53)… 204 m. Judgment on this People (Deuteronomy 13:12-18; Luke 12:54-13:5)… 207 n. The Third Year (Deuteronomy 14:28; Luke 13:6-9)… 208 o. Release of the Bondslave (Deuteronomy 15:1-18; Luke 13:10-21)… 209 p. Go to Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 16:1-17; 17:7; Luke 13:22-35)… 212 q. Righteous Judges; Remembering the Poor (Deuteronomy 16:18-20; 17:8-18; Luke 14:1-14)… 215 r. Excuses before Battle (Deuteronomy 20; Luke 14:15-35)… 217 s. Rights of the First-Born versus Wicked Sons (Deuteronomy 21:15-22:4; Luke 15)… 220 t. Masters, Slaves, Money, and Divorce (Deuteronomy 23:15-24:4; Luke 16:1-18)… 225 u. Vindication of the Poor, of Lepers; Fair Judges (Deuteronomy 24:6-25:3; Luke 16:19-18:8)… 228 v. Confessing One’s Righteousness (Deuteronomy 26; Luke 18:9-14)… 233

7. The Ascension (2 Kings 2:11; Luke 24:49-53)… 235

E. The Gospel of John… 238

1. Nathanael (Genesis 28:17; John 1:43-51)… 238 2. Water into Wine (1 Kings 17:8-24 LXX; John 2:1-11)… 239 3. The Samaritan Woman (Exodus 2:15-22; John 4:1-34)… 241 4. Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene (Tobit 12:14-21; John 20:1, 11-17)… 244

F. Acts of the Apostles… 245

1. Pentecost (Numbers 11:6-25; Acts 2:1-4ff)… 245 2. Ananias and Sapphira; the Martyrdom of Stephen (1 Kings 21:1-21; Joshua 7; Acts 5:1-11; 6:8-15)… 246 3. The Ethiopian Eunuch (2 Kings 5:1-14; Acts 8:26-39)… 252 4. Paul’s Conversion (2 Maccabees 3; Acts 9:1-21)… 255 5. Peter’s Vision (Acts 10:9-16)… 260

WORKS NOTED... 262

Dubious Database Second Thoughts on the Red and Pink Materials of the Jesus Seminar… 265

1. Prologue: Birth, childhood & family of Jesus… 266 2. John the Baptist & Jesus…270 3. Jesus is baptized (Mark 1:9)… 272 4. Jesus is tested (Matthew 4:1-11//Luke 4:1-13)… 273 5. Jesus announces the good news… 274

5.a. Children in God’s domain (Mark 10:13-16)… 274 5.b. Kingdom banquet (Luke 14:16-24)… 275 5.c. Mustard Seed (Thomas 20:1-4//Mark 4:30-32//Matthew 13:31-32)… 277 5.d. Leaven (Luke 13:20-21//Matthew 13:33//Thomas 96)… 277

6. Disciples & Discipleship… 278

6.a. First disciples Simon Peter and Andrew, James and John (Mark 1:16-20)… 278 6.b. Levi (Mark 2:14)… 279 6.c. Women companions of Jesus (Luke 8:1-3)… 280

7. Teaching with authority In the synagogue at Capernaum (Mark 1:21-22)… 282 8. Vineyard laborers (Matthew 20:1-15)… 283 9. Demons by the finger of God Jesus tours Galilee (Mark 1:35-39)… 284) 10. Unclean demon (Mark 1:23-28)… 285 11. Beelzebul controversy (Luke 11:15-19) Demons by the finger of God (Luke 11:20) Powerful Man (Mark 3:27)… 286 12. Greek woman’s daughter (Mark 7:24-30)… 287 13. Herod beheads John the Baptist (Mark 6:14-29)… 288 14. Love & forgiveness The first stone (John 8:3-11)… 290 15. Jesus at the table Dining with sinners (Mark 2:15-17)… 291 16. Question of fasting (Mark 2:18-19)… 291 17. Aged wine (Thomas 47//Luke 5:37-39//Mark 2:22//Matthew 9:17)… 292 18. Celebration Children in the marketplace (Luke 7:31-35//Matthew 11:16-19)… 294 19. The lost sheep (Luke 15:4-6//Matthew 18:12-13//Thomas 107)… 295 20. Prodigal (Luke 15:11-32)… 296 21. Sabbath observance… 297

21.a. Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-24, 27-28)… 297 21.b. Man with crippled hand (Mark 3:1-5)… 297

22. Kinship in the kingdom… 299

22.a. True relatives (Mark 3:20b-21, 31-35)… 299 22.b. Hating father and mother (Luke 14:25-26//Matthew 10:37//Thomas 55, 101)… 299 22.c. No respect at home (Mark 6:1-6)… 302

23. In parables… 301

23.a. Shrewd manager (Luke 16:1-8)… 301 23.b. Corrupt judge (Luke 18:1-8)… 301 23.c. Leased vineyard (Thomas 65//Mark 12:1-8)… 302

24. Public & private piety Pharisee and toll collector (Luke 18:9-14)… 304 25. Jesus & purity… 304

25.a. Eating with defiled hands (Mark 7:1-5)… 304 25.b. What goes in (Mark7:14-16)… 305

26. Five cures… 305

26.a. Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:29-31)… 305 26.b. Paralytic and four (Mark 213-12)… 306 26.c. Woman with a vaginal hemorrhage (Mark 5:24-34)… 307 26.d. Blind man of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-24)… 308

27. Hospitality Hospitable Samaritan (Luke10:30-35)… 309 28. Sight & light Blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52)… 309 29. In Jerusalem… 310

29.a. Temple incident (Mark 11:15, 17)… 310 29.b. Paralytic by the pool (John 5:2-3, 5-9)… 311

30. Somebody Said Them: Vote Red… 312 31. Dead End Doorway… 313

The Abhorrent Void: The Rapid Attribution of Fictive Sayings and Stories to a Mythic Jesus… 319

Out of Nothing Something Comes… 319 Kid Stuff… 321 The (Growing) Beard of the Prophet… 324 From Muhammad to Nag Hammadi… 329

James the Just: Achilles’ Heel of the Christ Myth Theory?… 333

You Don’t Mess Around With Jim… 333 Image of the Invisible God… 336 Big Brother Is Watching You… 343 Grafted into the Family Tree… 347 Josephus and James… 350 Stranger in Paradigm… 351

Does the Christ Myth Theory Require an Early Date for the Pauline Epistles?… 353

Epistles versus Gospels… 353 Yesteryear and Beyond… 362 Mythology versus Methodology… 367 Myths versus Legends… 373 Marcion and the Gospel Story… 379 Conclusion… 385

The “Pre-Christian Jesus” Revisited… 387

Ancient Israel not Monotheistic… 388 Apocalyptic Son of Man… 391 Wisdom… 396 Gnostic Primal Man… 400 Dying and Rising Savior Joshua… 401 Yahweh himself!… 414 The Peril of Historicizing Jesus… 418 The Sum of the Matter… 420

Conclusion: Worse Than Atheism… 421

Stand up, Stand up for Jesus, Opponents of the Cross!… 421 There is no God, and Jesus is his Prophet… 423 Do You “No” Jesus?… 425 Et Tu, Brute?… 426

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