Jesus Remembered: Christianity in the Making, vol. 1

§14.1 The Character of Disciple ship
king: within Yahweh's authority and power lay Israel's ultimate assurance of
protection and justice. 7
It is this confidence in God as protector and judge, that is, as the ultimate
authority and power ensuring peace and justice, and as the one above all to whom
submission and obedience is owed which is reflected in Jesus' talk of God's
kingship. The subject owes unconditional obedience to the king; a double allegiance
is impossible (Matt. 6.24/Luke 16.13/GTh 47.1-2). 8 Otherwise we need
simply recall the strong emphasis in Jesus' kingdom preaching on eschatological
reversal, judgment, and reward. 9 Those who cherished the Jesus tradition did not
hesitate to emphasize both the 'up-side' and the 'down-side' of God as king. On
the one hand, God would ensure justice for the poor. On the other hand, God
could be portrayed as the master who would reward faithful servants and punish
unfaithful servants 10 and as the king who would hand over his unmerciful servant
to the torturers/jailers (Matt. 18.23-35). God was the one who would determine
both the future bliss of the beggar Lazarus and the fate of the rich man to be tormented
in Hades (Luke 16.19-31).
Particularly striking is the Q(?) saying Matt. 10.28/Luke 12.4-5:
Matt. 10.28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the bodv but
are not able to kill the soul.
But fear rather him who is
able to destroy soul and body in hell.
Luke 12.4-5
Do not be afraid of those who kill the bodv. and
after that have no more that they can do. But I
will show vou whom to fear: fear him who. after
he has killed, has authority to cast into hell.
Luke's version appears to be both a typical oral variant and slight elaboration
of something Jesus was remembered as saying. 11 The saying is an uncomfortable
one and widely attributed to the situation of the later churches under persecution.
12 But fear of God is a deeply rooted theme within Israel's theology
and worship, particularly in the Wisdom literature, 13 and the emphasis is
hardly at odds with the portrayal of God as final judge elsewhere in the Jesus
tradition. To exclude that portrayal from the 'authentic' Jesus tradition when it
7. See again Whitelam, ABD 4.43-44.
8. There is hardly any doubt that the warning against trying to serve two masters originated
with Jesus (see above, chapter 13 n. 159). For the disciple likened to a 'slave, servant'
(doulos) see Mark 10.44 pars.; 13.34; Matt. 24.45-51/Luke 12.42-46; Matt. 25.14-30/Luke
19.11-27; Matt. 10.24-25; 18.23-35; Luke 12.35-48; 17.7-10; John 13.16; 15.20.
9. See above, § 12.4c, e, f.
10. Note particularly the 'parables of crisis', §12.4g.
11. Robinson/Hoffmann/Kloppenborg follow Matthew in reconstructing Q (Critical
Edition of Q 296-99).
12. Funk, Five Gospels 173; Lüdemann, Jesus 169.
13. G. Wanke, phobeö, TDNT 9.201-203; H. F. Fuhs, yare\ TDOT 6.300-14.
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