From Jewish Messianology to Christian Christology: Some Caveats and Perspectives

Earliest Christianity within the Boundaries of Judaism

“…What was needed for the first generation of Jesus' Jewish followers was not more development but transference of symbolic thought from various figures to Jesus and the emergence of Christology. 79 The activities and message of Jesus were fundamental focal points for those who believed in him (using different concepts and titles).80 Most of the great Christological developments occurred not after "Christianity" is seen to break from Judaism but as Jews within Judaism, a polemical environment, contemplated Jesus as crucified and risen Lord.81 For the first time, a passage in the Thanksgiving Hymns is offered as a main source, among others, for the belief that Christ descended into Sheol to save those who had not heard him proclaim the good news of salvation. Thus, the background of this concept is to be found within Second Temple Judaism; it had been enriched by many cultures, especially Greece and Parthia.…”

“…Following the formation or codification of the Mishnah, the Amoraim clearly accepted its authority and added scriptural support for its prescriptions. Eventually Jews also accepted the Tosefta, Genesis Rabbah, 75 79 The many "non-biblical" books were also found side by side with the "biblical" books. 80 If the number of copies at Qumran is any indication of how that community valued their books, then pride of place goes to the Psalms (36 copies), Deuteronomy (30 copies), and Isaiah (21 copies (3 each), Joshua and Proverbs (2 each), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Chronicles (1 each).…”

“…78 I will deal with these issues later. 79 For the purpose of this paper, I refer to these rival missionaries as "interlopers" to emphasize their effect on Paul's mission in Corinth. Since I do not see them as a single front, I cannot deal with the question of Paul's opponents as such, but follow Dieter Georgi's stress upon the authority of Paul's rivals in Corinth as based upon an appeal to heavenly visions, esoteric knowledge, charismatic eloquence, tradition and letters of acceptance.…”

Michael or Yhwh? Toward Identifying Melchizedek in 11Q13

“…46 Melchizedek's roles of judging the wicked and destroying them (11QMelch 2.9, 13), as well as ruling over a kingdom (2.24-25) agree, moreover, with what other early Jewish sources ascribe to messianism. 47 Nor is his portrait as a cosmic Messiah foreign to other Qumran documents. 48 An echo of Dan.…”

¿Fue Jesús el Mesías esperado? Pues no y sí

“…Existe un consenso entre los estudiosos en que no se puede realizar una síntesis de las características de este mesías esct desde los diferentes textos 47 . Hasta donde podemos conocer se puede afirmar que no existía un concepto unificado de lo que significaba mesías esct en el siglo I CE 48 . Para Grabbe no hay una idea de escatología y mesianismo convincente que pueda explicar incidentes, movimientos o ideología en el judaísmo de este tiempo 49 .…”