The Preexistent Son: Recovering the Christologies of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Paperback)
Publisher: Eerdmans Publishing Company
Author: Gathercole, Simon J.
ISBN-10: 0802829015 | ISBN-13: 9780802829016
Binding: Paperback
List Price: $34.00
Westminster Bookstore: $24.72
- 27% Off
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Staff Review: Did inflated views of Jesus of Nazareth gradually morph into unfounded affirmations of his divinity? Though Gathercole's study may not be picked up by a major movie studio, he helpfully dismantles several shibboleths of modern gospels study found scattered from academic journals to pop culture. A common consensus observes that an important aspect of orthodox Christology, Jesus' eternal pre-incarnate existence as the Son with the Father and Spirit, receives little discussion in the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke.
Conceding this observation, Gathercole takes issue with the common conclusions that follow: that the Synoptics are either uninterested in, unaware of, or opposed to the "high" Christology of Paul's letters or John's gospel. Most simply, Paul's influence extended so far and so early that the synoptic writers had to have had at least a basic familiarity with his thought. Did, then, the synoptic authors self-consciously favor a more human Jesus than Paul's cosmic Christ? Gathercole's chief argument points to Jesus' "I have come..." sayings that are spread throughout Matthew, Mark and Luke. The parallel of Jesus' words with angelic sayings strongly suggests an understood preexistent Son, despite the lack of speculative reflection on the issue. This ground then allows Gathercole to explore other issues and evidence in synoptic Christology. - Matthew Harmon, Westminster Bookstore Staff, October 2006
Publisher Description: In this challenging book, rising New Testament scholar Simon Gathercole contradicts a commonly held view among biblical scholars — that the Gospel of John is the only Gospel to give evidence for Jesus’ heavenly identity and preexistence. The Pre-Existent Son demonstrates that Matthew, Mark, and Luke were also well aware that the Son of God existed with the Father prior to his earthly ministry. Gathercole supports his argument by considering the “I have come” sayings of Jesus and strikingly similar angelic sayings discovered in Second Temple and Rabbinic literature. Further, he considers related topics such as Wisdom Christology and the titles applied to Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels.
Gathercole’s carefully researched work should spark debate among Synoptic scholars and extend the understanding of anyone interested in this New Testament question.
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