The Jesus Problem: A Restatement of the Myth TheoryRobertson, J. M. (John Mackinnon)
Religion
The Jesus Problem: A Restatement of the Myth Theory
Robertson, J. M. (John Mackinnon)
Jesus Christ
The embodiment of the rite of baptism on the basis of the Baptist's
alleged acclamation of Jesus as the Messiah, either carried with it
or followed upon the claim that Jesus, hitherto regarded as a simple
Saviour-God, was a Messiah. After the fall of Jerusalem, the old
dream of an earthly Messiah who should restore the Kingdom of Judah
or Israel [300] was shattered for the vast majority of Jews. Even in
the Assumption of Moses, in the main the work of a Quietist Pharisee,
written in Hebrew probably between 7 and 29 of the first century,
[301] there is a virtual abandonment of Messianism, the task of
overthrowing the Gentiles being assigned to "the Most High." [302]
In the composite Apocalypse of Baruch, written in Hebrew, mainly by
Pharisaic Jews, in the latter half of the first century, probably as an
implicit polemic against early Jesuism, [303] we see the effect of the
catastrophe. In the sections written before the fall of Jerusalem,
the hope of a Messianic Kingdom is proclaimed; in those written
later there is either at most a hope of a Messianic Kingdom without
a Messiah or a complete abandonment of mundane expectations. [304]
What the Jesuist movement did was to develop, outside of Jewry, [305]
the earlier notion of a Messiah "concealed," pre-appointed, and coming
from heaven to effect the consummation of all things earthly. [306]
Such Messianism may have either preceded or proceeded-on an adoption
of the rite of baptism. Given a resort to Messianism by the Jesuists
after the fall of Jerusalem, the alleged testimony of the Baptist to
Jesus as the Appointed One might be the first step; and the resort
to the baptismal rite would follow on the myth that Jesus had been
actually baptized by John. In Acts, i, 5, Jesus is in effect made
to represent John's baptism with water as superseded by a baptism
in the Holy Ghost. [307] In the Pauline epistles we have trace of a
conflict over this as over other Judaic practices, Paul being made
to declare (1 Cor. i, 17) that "Christ sent me not to baptize but
to preach the gospel," though he admits having baptized a few. [308]
All that is clear is that the Jesuists were not primarily baptizers;
that they began to baptize "in the name of Jesus Christ," [309] with
a formula of the Holy Ghost and fire, but really in the traditional
manner with water; and that long afterwards they feigned that the
Founder had prescribed baptism with a trinitarian formula. [310]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account