The Historical, Rhetorical Jesus
Issue: Vol 38 No. 1-2 (2019) Special Issue: Festschrift for Michel Desjardins
Journal: Religious Studies and Theology
Subject Areas: Religious Studies Buddhist Studies Islamic Studies Biblical Studies
DOI: 10.1558/rsth.38298
Abstract:
This paper shares with readers a brief conversational moment in time approximately two years ago. Michel and I constantly imagine ever-changing theories, ideas and opinions regarding possible psychological aspects of an unknown "Historical Jesus." There is such a vast array of theories about the actual man in the first-century sandals, as there are theories about the reality, meaning and origin of the phrase "the Son of man," that both quests get lost and confused into an unknown abyss. What is historically true? What is imaginatively rhetorical? Who was Jesus? In spite of the historical unknowns, Einstein was right to say, "Imagination is more important than knowledge." And so, those of us who find these topics interesting press on imaginatively. As Michel taught me, "Imagination is the beginning of learning." Jesus was, at least in my humble opinion, a radical, young, wild man of his time and place, a healer and a teacher, whom we can't actually know personally. By contrast, Michel is a moral and ethical teacher of his time and place, of our time and place - the very best teacher I have had the pleasure to get to know personally. This is because Michel is such a patient and profound, insightful, and above all else, an honest man.
Author: John Mitrosky
References :
Arnal, William E. and Michel Desjardins (Eds.). 1997. Whose Historical Jesus?. Waterloo, ON: Canadian Corporation for Studies in Religion, Wilfrid Laurier University Press. https://doi.org/10.1177/000842989902800308
Boccaccini, Gabriele. (Ed.). 2007. Enoch and the Messiah Son of Man: Revisiting the Book of Parables. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. https://doi.org/10.5508/jhs.2009.v9.r48
Desjardins, Michel. 1997. Peace, Violence and the New Testament. Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Academic Press.
Knibb, Michael A. (Trans.). 1985. “1 Enoch 46:1-8.” In Outside the Old Testament, compiled by M. de Jonge. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press.