Overcoming The "Jesus Seminar" (And Most of Their Friends) With The Criterion Of Palestianian Environment

The Criterion of Palestinian Environment (CPE), as we have discussed a bit earlier, indicates that many of the linguistic features of the Gospel accounts arose from a predominantly Aramaic-speaking environment. We should count these as "early" according to the CPE timeclock. Such embedded Aramaic features reside in pericopes likely to be authentic or historical for their "primitivity" (of early-Church origin), as the Seminar's idea of legendary growth (and "literary accretion") behind the two-source theory of Gospels development holds that the trend of Gentiles flocking to the later Church altered (Hellenized) its linguistic and ideological character.

Now I have already shown from the "Counterproductive Features" of the Gospel accounts (and the NT more generally) that the Gospels defy any assumed trajectory of legendary growth. This means that the CPF criterion itself refutes the CPE criterion. But just go with it. Assume the veracity of the latter. This way we get to see in action how even false theories can generate very fruitful results, the minor thesis of my former treatise (O Theophilus) on the topic of the biblical philosophy of science.

For more information on that topic, you can visit: http://www.amazon.com/Subduing-Science-Reformation-Natural-Philosophy/dp/0739203584/ref=sr_1_1/103-8986227-6085407?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193423215&sr=1-1

Now J.P. Moreland -- a Christian professor of theology and philosophy somewhere in Southern California I am told -- has written a fancy little textbook called Scaling the Secular City, which has some helpful information in it regard the CPE. He noted there that the NT contains (sprinkled throughout it) a significant number of early Christian creedal affirmations, written in poetic form. These revert easily to Aramaic, and show forth a high Christology, a view of the Lord Jesus as God incarnate, a supernatural miracle-working Christ, prophesied in all the Older Testament Scriptures.

Dr. Moreland lists a few of these as: Romans 1:3-4; 1 Corinthians 11:23ff, 15:3-8; Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-18; 1 Timothy 3:16; 2 Timothy 2:8)

Here is the link to a brief related article by J.P. Moreland:
http://www.trueu.org/Academics/LectureHall/A000000262.cfm

I would add that these clearly formed the basis of teaching new converts, and even of training ministers, elders and deacons by way of catechizing them with these exgetically identifiable literary units. The Bible calls them a "form [pattern] of sound words."

2 Timothy 1:11-14 has Paul refer to the Gospel, he says,

"Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing [the Gospel] which was committed unto thee [also as an Evangelist] keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us" [prophets].

This letter is not simply from one Christian to another, but from an apostle to a prophet, both of which are Evangelists. Timothy received his special calling to this extraordinary office by the laying on of apostolic hands. Timothy is a deputized apostle [Evangelist] and as such has a special requirement to guard and protect the Gospel [as an entrusted deposit] he preaches, which he learned from the apostle Paul, who catechized and trained him, giving him a pattern of teachings, or "form of sound words." These were apostolic, and mimick the precise teaching of the Lord Jesus found in the post-resurrection narratives of the Gospels. For instance, Luke has the Risen Lord specify to his disciples twice -- once to the two on the road to Emmaus, and once to the twelve -- that Christ had to suffer and rise "according to the Scriptures," which phrase appears verbatim repeatedly in 1 Cor. 15:3-8 -- an originally Aramaic pericope and creedal statement of the early Church.

This shows that these conspicuously early creeds prove both dominical and apostolic. Paul says to Timothy "which thou hast heard of me," meaning "learned from me," showing that Paul received them from the apostles by way of the Lord Jesus intact, and passed them onto his disciples the same way. This also shows what we already knew: Paul has read Luke's Gospel, the writing of his close friend (which he quotes -- Luke 10:7 -- to Timothy also, cf. 1 Tim. 5:18-19). And Luke had read many gospel accounts (Luke 1:1-4), as he says, which we must assume Paul knows also. Paul was a "need-to-know" friend from Luke's standpoint, being an apostle who likely oversaw his writing projects. If Luke knows Mark (and he does), Paul has likely read Mark's Gospel -- and the others Luke knows -- in the interest of maintaining orthodoxy in Christian circles. Paul gives every indication that he hates false teaching, invoking "anathemas" upon those who would spoil the Gospel.

This "pattern of words" does not envision a new form of teaching, as the ten commandments, themselves formed a single literary unit by the pen of Moses, and in Hebrew comprise "The Ten Words," or simply "the dabarim." Moreover, Solomon used the term "word" in precisely this same sense, with each Proverb being a "saying of the wise," and a "word of wisdom." Eccelesiastes (12:9) says Solomon "set in order" (just as did Luke his Gospel) "many proverbs" (a.k.a. the Book of Proverbs). A canonical proverb is a special kind of "word of wisdom."

Proverbs 1:6 likewise equates the "words" of the wise with their "sayings." The stated purpose of this canonical book consists in aiding one "To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings."

The creeds, catechisms and confessions of the Church of the Lord Jesus carried forward this dominical and apostolic tradition, only they used and systematized what was already delivered to them. Nevertheless, these Hellenized (translated into Koine) Aramaic creedal statements summarize the most important information about the Lord Jesus found in the Gospel accounts. They are by all accounts quite early [even by those not accepting the Criterion of Palestinian environment], Aramaic-based, single units, of excellent poetry, and they are Christological in content.

These also form a powerful united -- did I mention multiply attested and christologically coherent? -- testimony that the Gospel of John merits no such late date as radical scholarship would assign to it on the basis of its "high Christology," which shows -- they say -- "too much mature reflection on the nature and Person of Jesus as the Christ" to have come from the earlier Church. Nor is this Gospel nearly as "Greek" as they suppose on behalf of their counter-historical excuse for their characteristically late dates.

Some have imagined these to be songs of the early Church without warrant. Even if they such a warrant did exist, there is no evidence anyone used them in public worship.

1 Corinthians 15:3-8 forms one of the more obvious exemplars native to this catechism. Paul introduces it as a summary of what he preaches ["Christ crucified"], saying:

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory [remember] what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time."

This uses the Aramaic name for Peter, or Simon (Cephas), and names only the two apostles Paul met in Jerusalem (confirming his testimony in Galatians 1, his earliest Epistle). The Epistle deals with the earliest question of controversy in the Church, the relation of circumcision to the Gospel of Christ. This confirms the early status of the embedded Corinthian pericope by multiple attestation and coherence.

A brief aside: The Word of God consistently shows such features as indicate that God has actually anticipated every possible future assault on His Word. This is why the criteria advanced by the Seminar consistently refute themselves in light of, and when applied to, biblical teaching and features. This is because God has done just this. Solomon wrote: "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan [no pseudo-historical, criteriological construction?], which can succeed against the Lord."

This means that the Bible contains a kind of "built-in" ability, when rightly handled, to overcome all opposition to the Gospel as God intended. Just as Stephen and Apollos spoke by a Spirit which their opponents "could not resist," so the Word of God has a peculiar apologetic feature which I think it not profane to describe in the vulgar tongue (as the apostles themselves often speak very bluntly) as a decided propensity for "forensic whoopass." It innately leads one to overcome opposition to its sacrosanct verities when one submits to its teachings wholeheartedly and in earnest. Though I do not directly offer this as any sort of proof, I personally find this absolutely fascinating as a mark of truth and grace upon the once-for-all-delivered faith of Jesus inscripturate. There simply is nothing like this Book called humbly "the Bible," in all the earth.

Now this form of sound words treated just earlier, was "according to the Scriptures," or based on the prophetic teachings of the First Testament about the Lord Jesus. The apostles corporately composed it, as The Risen Lord taught such doctrines to them for forty days, expounding all things concerning Himself, and teaching them of the Kingdom of God to be scribes fully trained, who might bring forth many treasures, both old and new from the Scriptures. Luke describes this extended (40 days, presumably all day, since the Lord Jesus is very diligent and does all things well) didactic training of the apostles.

These -- this pattern of sound words -- represent some of those gems from both Testaments. This is part of the same "apodosis," or apostolic corpus of dominical tradition which Paul committed to the Corinthians in quoting the Lord Jesus concerning his last supper with them as a mortal (1 Cor. 11-14). This shows that the early Christian Church did what Rabbis always do -- they MEMORIZED the traditions of their teachers verbatim. Neither the Lord Jesus in the resurrection, nor the converted apostle Paul ever stopped being a Rabbi.

Once someone is born (or raised) from above with the gift of teaching, it never quits. The gifts an calling of God are without revocation. Crucial terms to look for in spotting this form of sound words are "received...delivered," which conveys the transmitting (of biblical truth) work of a rabbi and their students. They memorized and kept unchanged (accurately "remembered") sacred teaching, passing it on to the next generation of rabbinical students.

This signifying pair (received, delivered) does not always appear where the apostles or prophets cite the apodosis, or holy deposit committed to them. But when it does appear, the apodosis follows in each case.

In 1 Timothy 3, we encounter a short "saying of the wise" with the above noted characteristics, enabling it to pass the CPE. Here, after giving the qualifications of elders and deacons, Paul refers to the Church as "The Church of the Living God, the pillar and ground of Truth." He then proceeds to quote the Church, by citing its "form of sound words," saying (v. 16),
"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

God was manifest in the flesh

Note: this characteristically Johannine phrase refutes the late-date for John's Gospel. Paul and John share the same theology.

justified in the Spirit,

[i.e. "vindicated by the Holy Spirit" = raised from the dead by the Spirit]
seen of angels,

preached unto the Gentiles,

believed on in the world,

received up into glory."

This pericope is shocking for several reasons.

1. It follows a prophetic pattern from the Psalms, and forms a sketchy list of Christologically important events from the Gospels. This follows the pattern set by Jesus in his teaching that the Christ first had to suffer, and then enter his "glory" -- the last word in this unit -- "according to the Scriptures" [or here, "Psalms" -- the early Church's hymn book]

2. It is early, and deliberately "poetically structured" (almost symmetrical, as one can see from my "lining out" of the text)

3. It was given by the apostles in Aramaic, and it is quite bare (not theologically ornate).

4. Most notably, this is very early and possesses an extremely high Christology, without hesitation ascribing deity to the Lord Jesus from the outset, and exalted glory at the end.

I conclude, because it clearly follows precisely the pattern set by Jesus (in Luke), that this in fact originated with the Risen Lord (during the forty day didactic stint) in the Spring of A.D. 30. What Jesus taught them was "set in order," for this is God's nature. This is symmetrical and Psalmic. The apostles memorized it. Paul wrote it down. The early Church used it, given its context, to train ministers (like Timothy), elders and deacons so that they could meet the qualifications of that office, having a "good understanding of the faith," and "refuting the gainsayers."

This directly challenges both the doctrine of "legendary growth" and any late date for any Gospel account. Right from the beginning of its early years the Christian Church formally and dogmatically declares that Jesus is "God manifested in the flesh," a multiply attested [CMA] doctrine of the Synoptic Gospels, and of the early catechical formulations scattered throughout the NT. Those sections of the Gospel consistent [criterion of coherence, "CC"] with this doctrine cannot be considered LATE for their high Christology. This is chiefly how radical NT scholars justify a late-date for John's Gospel, contrary to the CPE, CMA and CC.

Philippians 2:6-11 has classically been dubbed "the Christ Hymn," though no one can say with any certainty that the early Church sang it at all (Do not be alarmed -- there were not "three wise men" either said to have visited the young Lord, but some man-made traditions die hard).

The Christ-poem in question refers to "Jesus Christ":

"Who, being in the form of God,
thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
But made himself of no reputation,
and took upon him the form of a servant,
and was made in the likeness of men:

And being found in fashion as a man,
he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,
and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord [Gk. Kyrios],
to the glory of God the Father."

Now please notice that this creedal expression, expands the one we just read, beginning and ending EXACTLY the same way. It opens with a direct claim of Christ's deity, and closes with His exalted glory. This Aramaic (translated into Greek) poem forms a like saying of exactly symmetrical structure.

It begins in heaven with Christ in glory, then he condescends to become human. In his humanity, he makes himself (lit. Gk. "Doulos," a slave). Slaves fit one of three categories of Roman persons who could be crucified. Philippi was a Roman colony. They knew this. Christ's deliberate humbling of Himself, taking to himself the nature of a slave thus inevitably culminates in his crucifixion. Then the poem, just as much "step by step," reverses direction to the exaltation of Christ, showing the inevitable result of His service to God.

The poem then moves from the glory of heaven to the lowest point on earth; and from there it quickly moves in the reverse direction, slightly undoing the symmetry at the end in its finish. This shows that the exaltation of Christ was greater at the end than at the first. Heaven's king had inherited the earth as well. For "God gave to men the earth" (Psalm 24:1). Thus, the humiliation of Christ aims at the King of heaven condescending to inherit and redeem the earth. The mission is an extraordinary success (to put it mildly), just as is the means shocking -- Paul even says "offensive."

It finally culminates in the direction of exaltation with his inheriting a new name, "Kyrios," so that Christ sits as Emperor of all (replacing Caesar, but not only as king of kings on earth, but also of heaven). Matthew 28:18-19 makes this clearer still.

Since the Philippian poem clearly expands the embedded creed of 1 Timothy, we might justly allow a later date for it. The apostles doubtless had aggregated to it other material they had also learned from the Lord Jesus, and which notably -- though later -- remains entirely consistent with the high Christology of the earlier. The "growth" is anything but legendary, and the criterion of coherence must admit this, since the Gospels (Matthew, Luke and John) confirm the information given here. So does Acts 1.

From these points we can hardly conclude otherwise than that, although the Seminar's criterion of counterproductive features eliminates the criterion of Palestinian environment (by a very criteriologically coherent, and multiply-attested counter-argument), we can assume the contrary to win the day in any case.

The CPE necessarily validates a host of early poems, and portions of the Gospels, which both early and enthusiastically maintain that Jesus of Nazareth, the Jesus of history, was a supernatural, miracle-working Person, who fit the Messianic prophecies like a glove in the eyes of his contemporaries, and whose life and sayings convinced even the most skeptical (Saul was not exactly Christian-friendly) that He was Lord of heaven and earth, God manifest in the flesh, at whose Name every knee must bow of those in heaven and on earth, to the glory of God the Father.

This was not the result of much later legendary growth. By any criteriological standard, this Christology formed the immediate consequence of the shock and awe He inspired in those who met Him face-to-face. Even when not prepared to call Him "God" directly, his early disciples could only ask, "What manner of Man is this?" The earliest creeds of the faith of Jesus have the answer.

And the contrary is impossible, even in plain Aramaic. Our own poets (and their "criteria") have said it.