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Jesus Remembered: Christianity in the Making, vol. 1

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THE MISSION OF JESUS §12.5<br />

(1) The first (Mark 3.22-26 pars.) poses a nice conundrum to <strong>the</strong> charge of<br />

black magic or sorcery. Given <strong>the</strong> established view of demon possession as<br />

someth<strong>in</strong>g sought by <strong>the</strong> demons, it would make no sense for <strong>the</strong> ruler of <strong>the</strong> demons<br />

to enable or assist <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> ejection of demons. 356 We will reflect on <strong>the</strong> significance<br />

of <strong>the</strong> passage later on (§ 15.7b, h). Here we need simply note that <strong>the</strong><br />

power of evil is depicted as a k<strong>in</strong>gdom (explicitly <strong>in</strong> Matt. 12.26/Luke 11.18)<br />

with Satan 357 as ruler or pr<strong>in</strong>ce (archön). 35S The implication is that <strong>Jesus</strong>' exorcisms<br />

are empowered not by that k<strong>in</strong>gdom but by <strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>gdom of God. 359<br />

(2) This is made explicit <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> second say<strong>in</strong>g (Matt. 12.27-28/Luke 11.19-<br />

20): <strong>Jesus</strong>' exorcisms are effected by God's power and demonstrate that '<strong>the</strong><br />

k<strong>in</strong>gdom of God has come upon (ephthasen) you'. This has been long regarded<br />

suits of modern criticism' (Davies and Allison, Mat<strong>the</strong>w 2.339). I attempted to address<br />

Sanders's doubts with regard to (2) (<strong>Jesus</strong> and Judaism 133-41) <strong>in</strong> my 'Mat<strong>the</strong>w 12:28/Luke<br />

11:20 — A Word of <strong>Jesus</strong>?' <strong>in</strong> W. H. Gloer, ed., Eschatology and <strong>the</strong> New Testament, G. R.<br />

Beasley-Murray FS (Peabody; Hendrickson 1988), repr<strong>in</strong>ted <strong>in</strong> my The Christ and <strong>the</strong> Spirit<br />

<strong>vol</strong>. 2: Pneumatology (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998) 187-204. Sanders weakens his case by<br />

cont<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>in</strong>sist that what would have to be <strong>in</strong> view was <strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>gdom 'fully present'<strong>in</strong> <strong>Jesus</strong>'<br />

actions (Historical Figure 177-78). On (3) Meier observes that <strong>the</strong> term ischuros ('strong') for<br />

Satan, '<strong>the</strong> strong one', was not Christian usage and presumably, <strong>the</strong>refore, reflects a dist<strong>in</strong>ctive<br />

feature of <strong>Jesus</strong>' vocabulary recalled here (Marg<strong>in</strong>al Jew 2.421).<br />

356. J. Marcus, The Beelezebul Controversy and <strong>the</strong> Eschatologies of <strong>Jesus</strong>', <strong>in</strong> Chiltcn<br />

and Evans, eds., Au<strong>the</strong>nticat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Activities of <strong>Jesus</strong> 247-77, argues that <strong>the</strong> logic of Mark<br />

3.22-26 is that Satan's power is not yet broken, which <strong>the</strong>refore stands <strong>in</strong> contrast to <strong>the</strong> claim<br />

of 3.27. To meet <strong>the</strong> problem he hypo<strong>the</strong>sizes that <strong>Jesus</strong>' eschatological thought underwent discernible<br />

change, 3.22-26 reflect<strong>in</strong>g an earlier stage, 3.27 <strong>the</strong> later. The transition po<strong>in</strong>t was <strong>Jesus</strong>'<br />

baptism, <strong>the</strong> conclusion he drew from his baptismal vision (see below, n. 373). In o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

words, he hypo<strong>the</strong>sizes a pre-baptismal exorcistic mission by <strong>Jesus</strong> — aga<strong>in</strong>st all implications<br />

of <strong>the</strong> Gospel accounts. It makes better sense to see two metaphors/images used by <strong>Jesus</strong> at different<br />

times, one ad hom<strong>in</strong>em (3.22-26), <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r express<strong>in</strong>g his own conviction as to Satan's<br />

defeat <strong>in</strong> his exorcisms (3.27).<br />

357. 'BeelzebouV was <strong>the</strong> name for an old Canaanite god, 'Baal, Lord of <strong>the</strong> heavens',<br />

so naturally seen as a/<strong>the</strong> rival to Yahweh, '<strong>the</strong> Lord of heaven' (Dan. 5.23) (see fur<strong>the</strong>r <strong>in</strong><br />

Fitzmyer, Luke 2.920; Davies and Allison, Mat<strong>the</strong>w 2.195-96). S<strong>in</strong>ce b'l zbul is a Hebrew<br />

(ra<strong>the</strong>r than Aramaic) formation, Casey speculates that <strong>the</strong> exchange between <strong>Jesus</strong> and <strong>the</strong><br />

'scribes who came down from Jerusalem' (Mark 3.22) was likely to have been <strong>in</strong> Hebrew (Aramaic<br />

Sources 88).<br />

358. The conception of evil as a structured hierarchy with Satan (variously named; see,<br />

e.g., Fitzmyer, Luke 921) at <strong>the</strong> head was a fairly recent development <strong>in</strong> Jewish demonology<br />

(see Jub. 48.15; 1QS 3.20-25; 1QM 17.5-6; 18.1-3; HQMelch 2.13; T. Dan 5.6).<br />

359. Wright typically presses <strong>the</strong> parable <strong>in</strong>to his master hypo<strong>the</strong>sis: <strong>Jesus</strong>' mastery over<br />

<strong>the</strong> demons should lead to only one conclusion: 'Israel's god was at last becom<strong>in</strong>g k<strong>in</strong>g' (<strong>Jesus</strong><br />

453-54). In contrast, by putt<strong>in</strong>g his discussion of <strong>the</strong> Beelzebul controversy <strong>in</strong>to his chapter on<br />

'Magic and Meal', Crossan ignores its relevance to <strong>the</strong> issue of <strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>gdom (Historical <strong>Jesus</strong><br />

318-20).<br />

458

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