Christian beginnings
Noël Staples reflects on a history of early Christianity
Geza Vermes, who died aged eighty-eight in 2013, was probably the greatest Jesus scholar of his time. The last book published in his lifetime, Christian Beginnings: From Nazareth to Nicea, AD 30-325, summarises his view of the historical Jesus the Jew, preaching to Jews, not gentiles as scholars such as E P Sanders would claim.
Christians reading this book may well wish to review the foundations of their faith. It is an easy read, clear, concise, and courteous towards the views of others. Geza Vermes was a Hungarian Jew who first became a Roman Catholic priest before taking up his original Judaism. Although a Jew, seeing Jesus as a Jew, Geza Vermes is a true scholar, illustrating what he says by reference to texts. Christianity is not mentioned until the third chapter, as the first two chapters introduce charismatic Judaism up to Jesus’ time and Jesus’ own charismatic religion:
‘The religion proclaimed by Jesus was a wholly theocentric one in which he played the role of the man of God par excellence, the prophet of prophets, the shepherd of the flock, the leader, revealer and teacher without being himself in any sense the object of worship as he later became in the fully fledged Christianity created by Paul and John, and especially from the second century onwards… Christocentricity does not stem from the historical Jesus.’
From chapter three, considering mainly the first twelve chapters of Acts and some of Paul’s letters, we begin reading early Christians’ interpretation of Jesus’ life and teaching. Helpful headings such as ‘The Primitive Jewish-Christian Church’, ‘Entry into The Church’, ‘Characteristic Phenomena in The Religion of The Early Church’, and ‘Principal Beliefs’ guide us easily through the chapter towards ‘An Outline of First-Century Christianity’.
Geza Vermes considers Pauline Christianity, again with helpful headings on its visible aspects such as ‘Baptism’, ‘The Lord’s Supper’, ‘Charisma’ and the beginning of Paul’s organised church structure. Once Constantine embraced Christianity there was a need to compromise with and fit into the Roman Empire, with its intensive bureaucracy. Doubtless this began further to enhance an already reasonably well-developed administrative structure, with its concomitant hierarchy. Johannine Christianity, the Didache, Barnabus and the apostolic fathers - Clement I and Clement II, Ignatius, Polycarp, Hermas and Diognetus – are discussed, as are second century theologians and apologists such as Justin, Melito and Irenaeus.
His final chapter, ‘From Charisma to Dogma’, makes the main point of the book – that Christianity changed, in something of a doctrinal volte-face, away from the charismatic and experiential Judaic tradition of Jesus into more of a religion based primarily on acceptance of dogma and belief. The book’s concluding optimistic lines are, though, well worth quoting along with Geza Vermes’ postscript ‘teaser’ question:
‘At the end of this journey, those readers who wonder where they now stand should remember that in the sixteenth century the rediscovery by Renaissance scholars of the ancient sources of classical civilisation forced Christians to return to the Bible for a revitalisation and purification of their faith. This revolution first created Protestantism, but subsequently spread over the whole spectrum of the churches. It would seem that by now it has reached, or will soon reach, a stage when a fresh revival will be called for, a new “reformation”, zealous to reach back to the pure religious vision and enthusiasm of Jesus, the Jewish charismatic messenger of God, and not to the deifying message Paul, John and the church attributed to him. (My italics)
‘…What would the historical Jesus have made of the Council of Nicea?’
Maybe, who knows, Christian churches will become more Quakerly, moving more towards Jesus’ silent, prayerful contemplation of God and his relationship with the Divine – so strong it may only have faltered once in those terrible words: Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani? (My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?)
Christian Beginnings: From Nazareth to Nicea, AD 30-325 by Geza Vermes is published by Penguin Books at £9.99. ISBN: 9780141037998.
Comments
dear noel this is a great book and your review describes its contents and approach perfectly. I found it really refreshing to read. now when I hear ministry, worship or sermons on the radio now, I say to myself oh, they are focusing on early Jesus the jewish prophet christianity or third century more abstract trinitarian christianity. I dont know why this makes me feel more in touch with my beliefs but it does! and there is the very nice jewish fable at the end to illustrate how much the description of our beliefs change (and how to still feel the truth is there!) I paraphrase - Elijah (maybe it was another prophet, I cannot find my copy to check! sorry) in Heaven after 500 years attends a lecture about the Jewish religion, and is late.) He listens for fifty minutes and is fascinated. He doesn’t recognise any of this theology but it is good, very good. At the end he asks the lecturer who wrote this theology and is astounded to hear that it was the prophet Elijah! thank you again David Fish (20/9/18) member of Coventry Quaker Meeting (and not, area meeting minutes please note, merely a branch meeting).
By davidfishcf@msn.com on 20th September 2018 - 11:31
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