The True Founder of Christianity and the Hellenistic Philosophy

87 Pages·1979·1.19 MB·English

by  Max Rieser

THE TRUE FOUNDERO F CHRISTIANITY
AND
THE HELLENISTPHIICL OSOPHY
by
MaxR ieser
GRADUATEP RESS
/
AMSTERDAM UITHOORN
1979
ISBN9 06 2960 812
PrintienTd h eN etherlands
CONTENTS
Thei ncrnaatioonft heL ogo.s. .........................7. ..
GenealoogfyC hristi.a.n.i.t.y. .........................1 3
Trailo fJ esu.s. ..................................1. .5.
TheE uchar.i.s.t. ................................1.6. .
Thep lacoefo rig.i..n. ................................2 2
Thel iteroarriygo ifnc rucifix.i.o.n. .................2.4. ...
TheW orkosf t heA postl.e.s. ......................2.8....
Quov ad.i.s. ......................................3.9
Thep robloefmt heo rigainnd tahceh ievemoefnC thsr isti.a.n.i.t.y4. 0
Monogramasn dS ymbol.s. ............................4.5
TheT rini.t.y. ....................................4.9
Thed eatthr ioaflt heX ris.t.o.s. ........................5.2
Redempticoant,h arbsaipst,i. s.m. ...................5.6....
TheQ uarraeblo tut heF ait.h. ......................6.0....
Thep hasoefsC hristi.a.n.i.t..y. .......................6.3
TheR omano rigionfCs h risti.a.n.i.t.y. ...............6.5...
Jewipsahr tiaensdG reepkh iloso.p.h.e.r.s.. ................7 2
Judaiasnmd m essian.i.s.m. ..........................7.4.
Thew ayo fC hristi.a.n.i.ty. ..........................8.0
Origisnian.l. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... ... .. ...8 .7. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Resum.e. .......................................8.8.

Thie nacrnatiooftn h Leo gos
Christiahnaisnt oy f oundeirn tuhseu asle nsbee,c auistew as
origailnlnyo tc onsidearn eedwr eligbiuotna ,m essiacnoimcp le­
tioonf t heJ ewisrhe ligTiohneg. o speolfst heN ewT estam ent
cannobte regardaesdh istoridcoaclu mentbse,c austeh eir
accounltasc ikn formatainodnt heiwrr itearrseu nkonwn.A s
authoorfts h et wob asiscy noptgiocs pealrsen ameda fteMra rcos
andM athaiTohse.s aer et won ameuss eadt t hatti mbey H ellen­
istJiecw so,n eo ft hemi sL atitnh,e o thesrh ortenHeedb rew.
The nameo ft het hiridsm ostp robabolfLy a tionr igi(nL ucas)
witha Greeekn dinHge. i st hem oste laboraantdet hem os t
novelisotfit ch et hreaen di sa lstoh em osta nti-JewHies h.
dedicahtiessg ospeals w elals t he" Praxeaipso stoltoona "
Thepohilowsh,o ,h owevedro,e sn ots eema reaple rsoHni. s
namem ean"sB elovoefdG od"(,s imiltahreH etbor eYwo hanan,
theG ermanGo ttlioertb h eS lavic BogIunom tihle.wr)o rdtsh e
writiinsag d drestsoep de rsobnesl ovoefdG od.T hesnea measr e
ficticioaunsd havep robablsyo mes ymbolmieca nintgh,e
initibaelisnL gM M.N oneo ft hesael leged wwraispt reerssea nt t,
or eye-witonfe,st sh ee vents desbcyr hiibemd,s ot hatt h e
contentosft heiwrr itianrgebs a seodn s omeh earsTahye.f our th
gospeslt andasp artt,h ea uthoirs s aitdo b e "loanneis."e .
Iohann,ab utthis isa lstoh en ameo fJ ohnt heB aptiwshto,i s
ani mportapnetr sonaignte h igso speTlh.i gso spheals a p hilos­
ophicianlt roducwthiiocnrh,e fecrlse artloty h ep hilosoopfh y
Philoonf AlexanIdtsr eittash. e reftohreeo rigint hoemf e ssianic
faitihnt hec entoerft heH elleniswtoircl ads t hec ontinuation
oft hea malgamatiotnh eHo efl lenitshtoiucg hatn dJ udaism
whichb eganw itht het ranslaotfit ohneO ldT estameinntt o
Greeka,n a ctw hicmhu sth aves eemetdo t hep iouJse wso f
Palestaisna e d esecraotfit ohne h olyl anguaignew hicGho d
spokteo M osesT.h eo rigoifnt hen ewf aitwha st herefnoor te
baseodn t hea llegtehda umatusrhgoircat c tivoifta yni tinerant
7
preachienra provincpiaarlot f t hew orldb,u to n theL ogos
philosopohfy t hem ostp romineAnlte xandrJieawno ft hat
timeT.h isi nt raductiiomni tatiens s tylaen dc ontentth e
passagoefs t heG enesaibso utt hec reatioofnt hew orladn d
establiGsohdea sn dt he Loagsocs r eatoorfts h ew orldw,h ereby
thet ruce reatiosrn ott heG od Fathebru,t t heL ogosP.h ilon
establisah Terdi nitcyo nsistoifn Ggo d theL ogosa ndt he
Kosmosa,n dc alltsh eL ogost hSeo no fG odT!h eC hristian
Trinidtiyf fefrrso mt heP hiloniinat nh atth eK osmoisso mitted,
andt heH olyG hosatd dedB.u ti ts houlbde o bservtehda sto n
of God whichs omeC hristiuanndse rstoroadt hebri ologically
mighhta vea differemneta ninignP hiloHne.m ayh avien m ind
theH ebrew" ben"m eaninsgo nb,u ta lsmoe aninsgo mething
elsTeh.e " beneIis raemle"a nssi mpltyh eI sraelniottet sh,es ons
ofYsiraetlh,eB 'nYeei minid"o enso tm eant hes onosf B enjamin,
butt heB enjaminoirtt ehse" peoploef( thcea naanite) Yemen.
To caltlh eL ogo"ss oni"n t hel itesreanls weo ulbde e quivocal.
Thisi ntroducitnicoonr portahteeM se ssiafnaiictw hi thitnh e
keno fH ellenipshitliocs opWhhye.t heirti sf romt hes ameh and
ast her emainitnegx otf t heg ospeils,a nothqeure stiTohni.s
texfte aturfeisrS sttJ. o hnt heB aptiis.tet .h ee remiYtoe- hanan
andt henas a paralolfeh li st heX ristIoess ouBsu.t t hes trong
protestatoifYo onhsa nant hat whaes n ott hes oughmte ssiah
seemt os uggetshta stu cah messiaasha livirnega lizaotfit ohne
Logosw as" soughpte"r hapnso tg eographibcuatls lpyi ritually
andt hatth es anctoiftY yo hanalne df irtsott hea ssumpttihoant
he wast hem essiasho ughatf teBru.t t hem essiamhe anst he
"Anointed aonndet "h aitso nlya kinagn dY ohanawna sn oto f
kinglbyi rthw,h ilte hel attwears a ttributtoe tdh em essiah
Iesou-s at leasitn t heg ospelbse,c austeh ereex istneod
descendeaonft Ksi ngD avidi nr ealiWthye.t he"rg ospeolr"
"evangelimoena"n sr eal"lgyl atdi dinsgese"m asm ootp oinitt,
may mean" badt iding(si"nH ebrewb:e ssoraahn)db er eally
a euphemisomre quivocbaelc,a utshee c ominogf t hem essiah
meansa lstoh ee ndo ft hew orldT.h es earcfho rt he messiah
(indicaitnte hde g ospe"lk atIao annewna)s s uccessafnudtl h is
iss hownb yt hee xpress"ikoanhi o Logossa rexg eneto""Th,e
Logosb ecamefl esh"t;h iesx pressmieoann st heb irtohf t he
new messianriecl igion,fi ndtihneog f theA nointeodn ei n
8
whom theL ogosw asi ncarnateHde.r et heo rigoifnt hef aith
isi ndicatIetid sa. l ssoa itdh atth osweh os awh imr,e jechtiemd.
TheX ristiossc, o mparewdi thM osesb,u ti ti ss aitdh awth ile
Moysegsa vet hel aw( nomost)h,e X ristgoasv et heg racaen d
thet rut(hX ariksa iA letheiTah)e.n i nt heg enealyo ogft he
Xristtohse n ameo ft he siosftM eory se(sM iriaomr M ariam)
isa ttriebdut toh ism otherT.h att hef amilyo ft heX ristfloesd
to Egyptw,h ilMeo sesf lefdr omE gypits a n egatipvaer allelism.
Thep lacoef o rigoifnt heL ogopsh ilosoapnhdyo ft hee piphany
oft hei ncarnLaotgeo bse cometsh ep lacoef r efugoeft hen ew
Moyses.
Iti sn otc leafrr omt heO ldT estamewnhto thiasl leged
messioarhA nointeodn e( in Greek: iXrssi usptpooss)te odb e.
Deute-rIosaicaahl l(sc hapt4e5r1, )al stoh eP ersikainn Cgy rus
"ThiAsn ointoedn e". aI snt ud"yI sai4a0h- 6(6L"e id1en9 77)
HarrMy. O rlinsky statesc ontcheapt(t ostfD h eeu tero-Isaiah)
"servaonftt heL ord"a nd" suffersienrvga nta"r ep ost-biblical
andu seda ftetrh ed eathof andi nc onjunctwiiotnhJ esus.
NormanH .S naitcho nfirtmhse rteh atth esied eawlesr e applied
toJ esuosfN azareatnhd w eret hee xclusniavtei onalistic applica­
tioonf t her eturnienxgi leIst .h intkh atth eseex pressions are
notp ost-biblTihceac lo.n cept "EJbHeVdH "( servaonftt he
Lordi)s n ota ppliteoda manb utt ot hep eoploef I sraeals a
wholeM,o sesi sa lso" ebedJ HVH" andt himse anss imply
"wosrhipopfeJ rHV H".C hapte4r31 ,1s,p eakosf" myw orship­
per"m eanintgh e peoopfl Ies tae4l4;, s1a yss:h emaJ aacob
abdi"l:i stmeyn w orshipJpaecro bw,h icmhe anst hep eoploef
Israaenld,4 4,2t1h:o ua rtm y serva(nwto rshipIpserra)Te hle.
conclues pirvootfh atth es ocalmleesds ioafhc hapt5e3ri sn ota
persobnu,t t hep eoploef I sraiesli n5 3,1(2T herefwoirleil
dividhime a portiwoin tht hegr eat. .".)b ecause ctahninso t
refetro a persobnu,t i td oesr efetro t hep eoploef I sraaesl
suchT.h es avioofr Isrameeln tioniendt heD eutero-Isiasi ah
kadosIhs ra(eTlh eH olyo nei nI sraealn)dt hiiss G od. Read
correctthleyD eutero-Iissaa i paohe ma ppealtiont gh eJ ewsi n
exilteo r eturnh omea ndt or ebuitlhde c ountrEyv.e rything
willb en ew,e vent hes kyT.h eraer em anym essianic isnt ories
theO ldT estameTnhti.ss y mboluisceo fa p ersofno rt hep eople
ofI sraiesl nuonti quIet.s eemosb voiust hatth eb ookH ioba lso
9
refercsr ypticanloltty o anyp ersonbu,t t o Jacobi,. et.h e
peoploef I sraleilk e Dtehuet ero-Iwshaoi naohw herree fetros
anyp ersonMaels siaThh.i sp oemh asn or eaeln dinBgo.th Hiob
(orJ acob) tahneDd e utero-Imsaaiinatha tihna tth eJ ewss hould
notq uarrweilt Gho db ecaushei mso tivaerse s uperitoohr u man
understandAinndg t.h em isofrtuneosf Hioba ren ational,
notp ersonmailso frtunjeuss ats t hoseo fD eutero-IsAanidaas h.
tot heS ono fG od whicPhh iloind entifwiietdhL ogosi,tm ay
be observtehda Pts alm2 ,s7t at"e. s. t.h eL ordh aths aiudn to
me:T houa rtm y Son;t hidsa yh aveI b egotttehne e.w"h,i ch
iso bviousslyym boliTch.e sem essiansitco rideesa ol nlyw ith
ther egeneratoifo Ins raeAln.o theorn ei si n" Malachtih"e,
twelfltiht ptrloep hewth,o sen ameo ccurisnt het exats " I will
sendm y messen..g (e"m ra lacwhhii)c mha ym eana lsmoy angel
.
alivweh o wilble p recedbeydt hep ropheEtl ijawhh,oi su nder­
stooidn h ist uma liv.e.( .d espihtiesa bsconditnohg e aveHne.
wilwla rn them( thpee oploef I sraetlh)a tt hem essengweirl l
comel ikteh eP aracleotfet heN ew Testameanntd punish the
sinneerssp,e citahlesl iyn nipnrgi ests (LTehveimteessns)gee.r may
bea lsuon derstoaosmd e ssiabhu,th ei sa na ngeolf G od.H ere
thet rinictoyn siosftG so d,E lijaanhd t hem essengAenro.t her
Triniitsty h aitn t hep ropheJto nach onsiinsgto fG od,t heB ig
Fisahn dJ onahB.u t Jontahhep rophehta sa namew hicmhe ans
"dove"F.o rt harte asotnh et hird peirnts hoenm essiaTnriicin ty
(GodL,o go(sS ona nd HoGlhyo sti)ss ymbolibzeyad " dove".
Theg ospe"lk atIao annehna"s n o genealoogfyt heX risthoes ,
hass tiblrlo thearnsda mothelri koet hemre n.A ndt heriesn o
question ohfet rheeV irginoifth yi sm otherA.lt houghhe i s
picrteudi nt higso spealsa seconMdo sesh,i sg enealoignty h e
synoptgiocs peilmsi tatreast htehr eb irtohf I saabcy S ara(t he
princewsist)h t hea nnunciatbiyo ann angeelt cT.h ev irginal
birtihs o f course miracualno iunsc arnbauttLe o gosn eeds
perhanpos m otherT.h eerforteh ermea yb el ogiicnt hev irginal
birtThh.e L ogoosr S ono fG odw asb orn realilnty h ep hilosophy
ofP hiloann di tisn carnatiwoans" soughats"t heg ospe"lk ata
Ioanneinn"d icaItetws a.s fouinntd h e stories told about him.
Them essiafnaiicwt ohu lbde i mpossiwbilteh otuhte s ymbolic
methodo f interpretatthieoO nl dT oefs tamebnyt Philon,
modelloend t hes ymboliinct erpretoaftt ihoeHn o meripco ems
10
by theA lexandrsicahno laar ss,y stesmt ielxlp andebdy the
followoefrP sh ilownh,o adoptetdh em essianviics iownh,i ch
consistiend t he eschatologciocnacle ptioofn m essianism.
OriginaalnAl nyo inteodn e( Messiiasha ) k inogf I srawehlo i s
undesrp eciparlo tectoifot nh ed eitays su(cDahv iwdo uldn ot
kilSla uble causheei sa nA nointoende )b,u t evCeynr usa, n on­
Jewishk ingi sa lsaon anointoende T.h el atemre aninogf t he
wordm ay haveb eeni nfluencbeyd theP ersiraenl igiaocn­,
corditnogw hichin 3 000y earas h olym anw ouldr econciliate
theP owerosf L ighatn dD arkneasnsd f initshhe iert ernaslt rife.
Thisi sa messianciocn cepitnt hel atesre nsTeh.e raer eo ther
traceosf theP esrianr eligiionnt heB ookE stherb,u tt he
mythologisctaolri yst ransforimnea d h istorniactailo nsaeln se
asa lolr iginamlyltyh ological Isstroareialebisot uetd eitioefs
theO ldT estamenwte ret ransformTehde. P ersiadnisd n ot
persecutJee wtsht,eh eB ook Esther deraelawsli ltyht h es truggle
oft heP owerosf L igh(tA hashveraogsahi)n tshto soef D arkness
(HamanA)h.u ramazidsac hangeidn tAoh ashveraonsdhA ngro­
Mainyui ntoH aman.A hashveromseha ns" theO ne andt he
Head),t hiisst hem aing odn,o tt hek ingof P ersiTah.ep owers
ofL ighwti nw itht heh elpo fE stheorrI shtoarrA star-teo r
Isha(hI siinsE gyptimaynt hologTyh)e.q ueenV ashtwih oi s
detsroyeidsp erhaVpess tMao.r dehiasiM ardukt,h eB abylonian
godt hahte lptso d estrtohye f orsc oefd arkness.m yTthhiosl ­
ogicsatlo riyst ransforimnetdao n ationeavle notn thed ayo f
theB abyloniNaenw Y earT.h ist ooi sa Jewismhe ssiasntioc,r y
Marduakn dE sthearss aviors.
Theg ospe(lk atIao annehna)s a passaignew hiciht i ss aid
that" priesatnsdL evitewse"r es entt oJ ohnt heB aptiasntd
askehdi mw hethehre i sE lijaah p,r opheotrt hem essiaWhh.y
priesatnsdL eviteOsb"v?i oustlhyew rittehri ntkhsa tth eyw ere
them ostk nowledgeiabnrl eel igitohuisn gs.
Thisw asc ertainnoltyt hec asaet t het imet hiwsa sw ritten,
ina dditiporni esatnsdL evites fonrom oerdg anized tbhoadty
wouldb ea blteo s endd elegattoea s l oneleyr emintoer w ould
theyb e interesitned do insgo .A t thitsi meH erodes Antipas
waso fficiraulllebyry t heg racoef t heR omansa ndh ew asa n
ldumea(no ft heH ousoef E domo rE sauT)h.o sEed omitweesr e
alwaycso nsidearsee nde mioefst he Jeawsts h ep ropheObta diah
11
declarseos e loquentTlhye.y w eres ubjugaatneddf orcetdo
circumcibsyit ohneH asmonean Hkyirncga nos.
Moseiss s aiidn t heP entatetuocb he f romt het riobfeL evi,
hencae L evitBeu.th isbi rtihsm ythologaincdaa l p araphroafs e
thes toroyf I siasn dO siriIss.i( sl ssoahrI shahe)x isatlss ion
Jewismhy tholoagnyd hbeerl oveOds iriisst heH ebreAws ser.
Ishaohr I ssa(hi nH ebrewW:o mano rg oddesissc) o ntainiend
thes toroyf Eliyahaun dE lishwah ichi so bviousal dyi vine
couplweh icwha sl ateorn transformiendt toh ep ropheEtl ijah
andh isp upiEll ishEal.i yahmue ans" GodY ahu"a ndE lsiha
"God-WomanT"h.e refoErleij anhe vedri esw,a sa bsondeidn to
heaveann dh isc ominagt t heP assafhe asitse venno w expected
by piouJse wsT.h erefotrhee·yl eavteh ed ooro pent ol ehti m
enteMro.y zeissa nE gyptiwaonr da ndi nean"ss on"W.h oses on
wash e?P robabolfyI siasn dO sirinso,to ft hed aughtoefrt he
Pharabou ta ccordtiont gh eB iblhei sf athwears A mrama ndh is
motheJro chebed. Amirssa imm iltaoAr b rama ndt ot heP heni­
cianH iramT.h esea reC anaanintaem esA.b ramo r Abraham
may beA barami .ef.a theorrg odo ft heA ramaeanAsm.r am
maya lsboe a shortenAemda ram i.ep.e otphloeef A ramw hile
Jo-<;hebemde ans" worshipopfYe arh "w hicihs t hen ameo ft he
Jewisgho d( asi nh allelu-pyraahi)tz,he e L ord( Yah)E.g yptian
isa lstoh ew ord" susm"e aninhgo rsien H ebrewa ndt hen ame
Pinehaswsheitc ihs s hortenienHd e bretwo P inhaasn di su sed
ofteansf irnsatm eb yt heJ ewst oday.
The wordM osesi sc ontainiends uchE gyptinaanm esa s
Ramseis. et.h eS ono fR hao rT utmest,h eS ono fT ut.T he
Pentateusctha ttehsa tt heI sraelwietreesf orcetdo d o heavy
worki nE gypatn dt ob uiltdh ec itiPeist oamn dR amsesTh.e se
arer athenra meso fg odsn,o to fc itiseosn:o fR hai sR amses
andP itoms eemtso r efetrot heg odP tahC.a ssiDuiso nm ain­
tainetdh att heJ ewsw ereE gyptiawnhsi chs eemdso ubtful,
becausteh eilra nguawgaesC anaanistiem,i ltaotr h osoef o ther
Canaaniatnedst ot hosoef theP heniciaanndsC artaginians.
Hannibailsi dentiwciatlh H annibaaanld i ss imiltaor t he
HebrewJ o-hanaonnl,y t hen ameo fG od isi nt heP henician
versiBoana aln di nt he HeborneewY ah.
12