Christology in the Synoptic Gospels: God or God's Servant

Description

When Mark, Matthew, and Luke decided to give a written account of Jesus Christ, they were faced with a formidable challenge. How could they tell the story of the man who spoke and acted like God? They used several titles, such as 'prophet', 'Messiah', 'Son of God', 'Son of Man', 'Servant of the Lord', and even 'Lord' itself. But none of these really did justice to the person of Jesus. Through a carefully crafted narrative, the synoptic evangelists painted pictures of Jesus that went beyond all of Israel's expectations and showed a man who was God's humble, suffering servant and at the same time God's equal. Sigurd Grindheim shows how the Synoptic Evangelists reinterpreted Israel's hopes in light of the Jesus story. He shows how they went beyond Old Testament and Jewish material regarding the messiah, drawing heavily upon the expectations of God's own intervention in history. The result is a picture of Jesus who fulfills all of Israel's hopes, not only those relating to God's eschatological agent, but also those pertaining to God himself.

Sigurd Grindheim teaches New Testament at Fjellhaug International University College, Norway.

'This book is an ideal choice for serious students of the gospels or the life of Jesus. It is well organized, clearly written, and easily intelligible without being simplistic. Dr. Grindheim is abreast of the latest scholarship and interacts with it appreciatively, but takes his own carefully argued approach to the presentation in the synoptic gospels of Jesus' relationship to God. The result is a book that introduces students to the basic issues in the field, and, at the same time, provides interesting and throught-provoking reading.' - Frank Thielman, Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School, USA -- Frank Thielman 'In this exceptionally rich, informative and rewarding study, Sigurd Grindheim explores the Christology of the Synoptic Gospels by first focusing on contemporary Jewish eschatological expectations. This sets the stage for the study of the individual Synoptics with a focus on their distinctive Christologies. The whole discussion is set fully in the first-century theological context by frequent reference to non-canonical literature. An ideal textbook for courses on the Synoptic Gospels.' - Donald A. Hagner, George Eldon Ladd Professor Emeritus of New Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary, USA. -- Donald A. Hagner 'In this careful work, Dr. Grindheim has provided a refreshing study on the relationship between Christ and God the Father. Paying close attention to both the historical background of the various christological titles as well as the narrative contexts in which they are situated, he has demonstrated how the christological confessions articulated in the Nicene Creed find their roots in the earliest gospel witnesses. This will serve as a clear, informed, and reliable guide for those entering the field of New Testament Christology.' - Dr. David W. Pao, Professor of New Testament and Chair of the New Testament Department, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, USA. -- David W. Pao 'The prose is clear and succinct; key terms are highlighted and defined in an end-of-book glossary; and the narrative critical approach is far superior to form critical and reaction critical readings of the text...Those looking to get their feet wet in NT Christology will do well to begin with Grindheim's concise treatment.'-Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth ...a succinct, rich, and helpful text. -- Donald Senior, CP, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago * Bible Today * This seemingly unpretentious treatise contains a world of insights... This exciting and controversial treatise should not be ignored by either NT students or specialists. -- Casimir Bernas, Holy Trinity Abbey * Religious Studies Review *