the case for the deity of christ part ii: paul’s epistles and early hymns

The Case for the Deity The Case for the Deity of Christof Christ

Part II: Paul’s Epistles and Early HymnsPart II: Paul’s Epistles and Early Hymns

OutlineOutline

First Century Hymns IntroducedFirst Century Hymns Introduced Examples of First Century HymnsExamples of First Century Hymns Paul’s Portrayal of Jesus as YHWHPaul’s Portrayal of Jesus as YHWH ConclusionConclusion

Hymns/PsalmsHymns/Psalms

““Scholars commonly recognize that hymns Scholars commonly recognize that hymns formed a characteristic feature of early formed a characteristic feature of early Christian worship, and have shown great Christian worship, and have shown great interest in finding and studying hymns in interest in finding and studying hymns in the New Testament and other early the New Testament and other early Christian texts.”Christian texts.”

—Larry Hurtado, —Larry Hurtado, Lord Jesus ChristLord Jesus Christ (Grand (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2003), 146-147.Publishing, 2003), 146-147.

Colossians 3:16Colossians 3:16

““Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing sing psalmspsalms, , hymnshymns, and spiritual songs to , and spiritual songs to God.” God.”

Matthew 26:30Matthew 26:30

““When they had sung the When they had sung the hymnhymn, they went , they went out to the Mount of Olives.” out to the Mount of Olives.”

Acts 16:25Acts 16:25

““About midnight Paul and Silas were About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praying and singing hymns hymns to God, and to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” the prisoners were listening to them.”

James 5:13James 5:13

““Are any among you suffering? They Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing should sing songs of praisesongs of praise.” .”

Pliny the Younger (111-112 C.E.)Pliny the Younger (111-112 C.E.)

““They affirmed, however, the whole of their They affirmed, however, the whole of their guilt; or their error, was, that they were in guilt; or their error, was, that they were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when before it was light, when they sangthey sang in in alternate verses alternate verses a hymn to Christ as to a a hymn to Christ as to a godgod…”—Pliny, …”—Pliny, Epistles to TrajanEpistles to Trajan 10.96.7 10.96.7

Hymn ExamplesHymn Examples

““A number of New Testament passages A number of New Testament passages are widely thought to incorporate hymnic are widely thought to incorporate hymnic material from the worship of first-century material from the worship of first-century Christian circles (Christian circles (e.g., Phil. 2:6-11; Col. e.g., Phil. 2:6-11; Col. 1:15-20; John 1:1-18; Eph. 5:14; 1 Tim. 1:15-20; John 1:1-18; Eph. 5:14; 1 Tim. 3:163:16), among which the Pauline passages ), among which the Pauline passages are the earliest.”—Larry Hurtado, are the earliest.”—Larry Hurtado, Lord Lord Jesus ChristJesus Christ, 147., 147.

Bart Ehrman ExplainsBart Ehrman Explains

““Many scholars believe that several of the Many scholars believe that several of the earliest hymns to Christ have been earliest hymns to Christ have been inserted by the authors of the New inserted by the authors of the New Testament in appropriate places of their Testament in appropriate places of their writings (writings (e.g., John 1:1-18e.g., John 1:1-18)... )...

Bart Ehrman ExplainsBart Ehrman Explains

……There are various ways to reconstruct There are various ways to reconstruct the original form of the hymn that the original form of the hymn that Paul Paul appears to be citingappears to be citing in in Phil 2:6-11Phil 2:6-11.”.”

—Bart Ehrman, —Bart Ehrman, The New Testament: A The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Historical Introduction to the Early Christian WritingsChristian Writings. . Fourth EditionFourth Edition (New (New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press, York, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008), 350.2008), 350.

Philippians 2:6-11Philippians 2:6-11

““55Let the same mind be in you that was in Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, Christ Jesus, 66who, though who, though he he waswas in the in the formform of God of God,, did not regard equality with God did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited as something to be exploited77but but emptied himself,emptied himself, taking the taking the formform of a slave, of a slave, being born in human likeness… being born in human likeness…


And being found in human And being found in human formform, , 88 he humbled himself he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of and became obedient to the point of death—death— even death on a cross… even death on a cross…


9 Therefore God also highly exalted him9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name and gave him the name that is above every name, that is above every name, 10 so that 10 so that at the name of Jesusat the name of Jesus every knee should bend, every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the in heaven and on earth and under the earth,.. earth,..


and every tongue should confessand every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” to the glory of God the Father.”

Isaiah 45:22b-23Isaiah 45:22b-23

““Turn to me and be saved,Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no otherFor I am God, and there is no other. . 23 By myself I have sworn,23 By myself I have sworn, from my mouth has gone forth in from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness… righteousness…

Isaiah 45:22b-23Isaiah 45:22b-23

‘‘To meTo me every knee shall bow every knee shall bow,, every tongue shall swearevery tongue shall swear.’” .’”

Richard Bauckham WritesRichard Bauckham Writes ““The Philippians passage is, therefore, no The Philippians passage is, therefore, no

unconsidered echo of an Old Testament text, but unconsidered echo of an Old Testament text, but a claim that it is in the exaltation of a claim that it is in the exaltation of Jesus, his Jesus, his identification as YHWHidentification as YHWH in YHWH’s universal in YHWH’s universal sovereignty, that the unique deity of the God of sovereignty, that the unique deity of the God of Israel comes to be acknowledged as such by all Israel comes to be acknowledged as such by all creation.”creation.”

—Richard Bauckham, —Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the God of Jesus and the God of IsraelIsrael (William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2009), (William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2009), 38.38.


Paul is most likely quoting this hymn, which Paul is most likely quoting this hymn, which predates the writing of Philippians.predates the writing of Philippians.

Paul wrote Philippians sometime in the 50s.Paul wrote Philippians sometime in the 50s. This means Christians were probably This means Christians were probably

proclaiming Jesus was “in the form of God” proclaiming Jesus was “in the form of God” and worshiping Jesus as YHWH no more and worshiping Jesus as YHWH no more than ~20 years after Jesus’s crucifixion.than ~20 years after Jesus’s crucifixion.

Isaiah 44:24Isaiah 44:24

““Thus says YHWHThus says YHWH, your Redeemer,, your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: who formed you in the womb:I am YHWH, I am YHWH, who made all thingswho made all things,, who alonewho alone stretched out the heavens stretched out the heavens,, who who by myselfby myself spread out the earth.” spread out the earth.”

John 1:1-3John 1:1-3

““In the beginning was the Word, and the In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Word was with God, and the Word was the Word was GodGod. . 22He was in the beginning with God. He was in the beginning with God. 33All things came into being through himAll things came into being through him, , and and without him not one thing came into without him not one thing came into beingbeing.” .”

Worship God OnlyWorship God Only

““For For you shall worship no other godyou shall worship no other god, , because the Lord, whose name is Jealous, because the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” (Exodus 34:14).is a jealous God.” (Exodus 34:14).

People should only worship God.People should only worship God. The early Christians worshipped Jesus.The early Christians worshipped Jesus. If Jewish Christians were worshipping If Jewish Christians were worshipping

Jesus, this indicates that they believed Jesus, this indicates that they believed Jesus was God.Jesus was God.

Portions of Paul’s Letters Apply Portions of Paul’s Letters Apply Hebrew Bible Passages Hebrew Bible Passages

Concerning YHWH to JesusConcerning YHWH to Jesus

Larry Hurtado WritesLarry Hurtado Writes

““So it is remarkable that, in other citations So it is remarkable that, in other citations of Old Testament passages which of Old Testament passages which originally had to do with God, Paul applies originally had to do with God, Paul applies the passages to Jesus, making him the the passages to Jesus, making him the KyriosKyrios:…:…

Larry Hurtado ExplainsLarry Hurtado Explains

...Romans 10:13 (Joel 2:32), 1 Corinthians ...Romans 10:13 (Joel 2:32), 1 Corinthians 1:31 (Jer. 9:23-24), 1 Corinthians 10:26 1:31 (Jer. 9:23-24), 1 Corinthians 10:26 (Ps. 24:1), 2 Corinthians 10:17 (Jer. 9:23-(Ps. 24:1), 2 Corinthians 10:17 (Jer. 9:23-24).”—Larry Hurtado, 24).”—Larry Hurtado, Lord Jesus ChristLord Jesus Christ, , 112.112.

Hurtado ContinuesHurtado Continues

““There are also a number of cases where There are also a number of cases where Paul alludes to Old Testament passages Paul alludes to Old Testament passages that mention that mention YahwehYahweh as the as the KyriosKyrios and and Paul clearly makes Jesus the referent: 1 Paul clearly makes Jesus the referent: 1 Corinthians 10:21 (Mal. 1:7, 12), 1 Corinthians 10:21 (Mal. 1:7, 12), 1 Corinthians 10:22 (Deut. 32:21),… Corinthians 10:22 (Deut. 32:21),…

Hurtado ContinuesHurtado Continues

……2 Corinthians 3:16 (Exod. 34:34), 1 2 Corinthians 3:16 (Exod. 34:34), 1 Thessalonians 3:13 (Zech. 14:5), 1 Thessalonians 3:13 (Zech. 14:5), 1 Thessalonians 4:6 (Ps. 94:2).”—Larry Thessalonians 4:6 (Ps. 94:2).”—Larry Hurtado, Hurtado, Lord Jesus ChristLord Jesus Christ, 112., 112.

Joel 2:32Joel 2:32

““Then everyone who calls on the name of Then everyone who calls on the name of the LORD the LORD (YHWH)(YHWH) shall be saved.” shall be saved.”

Romans 10:13 Romans 10:13

““If you confess with your lips that If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Jesus is LordLord and believe in your heart that God and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be raised him from the dead, you will be saved…For, ‘Everyone who saved…For, ‘Everyone who calls on thecalls on the name of the Lordname of the Lord shall be saved.’” shall be saved.’”

ConclusionConclusion

These first century hymns indicate that These first century hymns indicate that Christians were already worshipping Jesus Christians were already worshipping Jesus as YHWH approximately 20 years after as YHWH approximately 20 years after Jesus’s death.Jesus’s death.

Paul’s letters and the Gospel of John all date Paul’s letters and the Gospel of John all date to the first century.to the first century.

ConclusionConclusion

Therefore, it is evident that belief in Therefore, it is evident that belief in Jesus’s divinity was present in the first Jesus’s divinity was present in the first century, even if the New Testament century, even if the New Testament preserved no hymns at all.preserved no hymns at all.

Pliny the Younger, a Roman official, Pliny the Younger, a Roman official, reports that Christians were singing hymns reports that Christians were singing hymns to Christ “as to a god” by the first half of to Christ “as to a god” by the first half of the second century.the second century.

the case for the deity of christ part ii: paul’s epistles and early hymns

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