Ep. 14. PAUL AND THE RESURRECTION A conversation with Professor Dale B Martin
Audio Brief
Show transcript
This episode introduces a new three-part series exploring early Christianity, focusing on the historical timeline of the New Testament and the nature of the resurrection.
There are three key takeaways from this discussion. First, Paul's letters represent the earliest and most crucial historical evidence for early Christian beliefs, significantly predating the gospels. Second, the New Testament should be viewed as a collection of documents written by different authors at various times for distinct purposes. Third, early Christian concepts of Jesus's resurrected body, particularly Paul's account of a spiritual body, contrast significantly with later gospel narratives.
Professor Dale B. Martin from Yale outlines the scholarly consensus on New Testament chronology. The Gospel of Mark dates to around 70 AD, with Matthew and Luke in the 80s, and John in the 90s, all written after the fall of Jerusalem. This timeline underscores the primacy of Paul's authentic letters, composed approximately 20 years after Jesus's crucifixion and decades before the first gospel.
Paul's writings offer direct insight into first-generation Christian communities and their understanding of Jesus. The discussion emphasizes Paul's description of a "pneumatic" or spiritual resurrected body. This concept differs markedly from the varied and often ambiguous physical forms described in the gospels, where disciples frequently failed to recognize Jesus.
Understanding this distinction is vital for analyzing early Christian thought. It highlights the importance of differentiating between academic-critical scholarship and faith-based interpretations when studying religious texts, particularly regarding the dating and authorship of the gospels.
This foundational episode sets the stage for a deeper exploration into Christianity's historical development and its profound impact on political thought.
Episode Overview
- This episode introduces a three-part series exploring the history of Christianity and its influence on political thought, featuring expert guest Professor Dale B. Martin.
- The discussion focuses on the earliest Christian writings, establishing the letters of Paul as the most historically proximate and valuable source for understanding the life of Jesus and the origins of the church.
- It analyzes the nature of the resurrection, contrasting the ancient understanding of a "pneumatic" (spiritual) body with modern interpretations of a physically resuscitated corpse.
- The conversation concludes with a minimalist historical reconstruction of Jesus's life and the powerful, sincere post-mortem experiences of his followers that ignited the Christian movement.
Key Concepts
- Nature of the Resurrected Body: Early Christians understood Jesus's resurrected body as "physical" but not in a modern, flesh-and-blood sense. It was described as a "dazzling" or "pneumatic" (spiritual) body, distinct from a reanimated corpse.
- Dating of New Testament Texts: Critical scholarly consensus dates Paul's letters to around 50 AD, making them the earliest Christian writings. The Gospels are dated significantly later: Mark around 70 AD, Matthew and Luke in the 80s, and John in the 90s.
- Historical Primacy of Paul: As the earliest Christian writer by at least two decades, Paul's letters are considered the most important historical evidence for the existence of Jesus and the beliefs of the earliest followers.
- Reliability of Gospel Resurrection Accounts: The resurrection narratives in the Gospels are viewed by critical scholars as historically problematic and contradictory, disagreeing with one another on nearly every detail.
- Paul's Visionary Experience: Paul, the only firsthand source to describe a resurrection appearance, claims to have seen a non-physical, "pneumatic" body, suggesting a visionary experience rather than a physical encounter.
- Minimalist Historical View of Jesus: Based on the earliest evidence, Jesus was a Galilean preacher and follower of John the Baptist who was executed. The Christian movement was founded on the sincere post-mortem visionary experiences of his followers.
Quotes
- At 0:12 - "They all assumed it was physical... but it's not in the sense of what we consider physical." - The speaker distinguishes the ancient concept of a "physical" resurrected body from modern scientific definitions.
- At 2:02 - "Today's episode is going to be the first of a three-part series on the history of Christianity and its impact on the history of political thought." - The host introduces the overarching theme for the current and subsequent two episodes.
- At 19:06 - "Mark is the earliest gospel. It's from around the year 70." - The speaker establishes the scholarly consensus on the date of the first written Gospel.
- At 19:50 - "No. You wouldn't find a critical scholar saying that... That would be said by evangelical scholars who want to pre-date everything in Christianity to as early as possible." - The speaker distinguishes the consensus of critical, academic scholarship from the views of some faith-based scholars regarding the dating of the Gospels.
- At 20:52 - "Paul is one of the most important pieces of historical evidence that there was a historical Jesus. Because he's writing only 20 years after the crucifixion of Jesus, whereas Mark is writing, you know, 40 years after the crucifixion of Jesus." - The speaker uses a direct comparison to emphasize the chronological advantage of Paul's testimony.
- At 24:16 - "He [Paul] never claims to have seen Jesus until a few years after Jesus's death. And then he also claims that he didn't see a flesh and blood body. He saw a pneumatic body, a body made of pneuma." - The speaker clarifies the nature of Paul's resurrection claim, distinguishing it from the idea of a physically resuscitated body.
- At 26:35 - "The closest we can get is saying that at least several people who had been followers of Jesus, including Paul... they saw, they really believe they saw something. They're not making it up. They're not lying." - The speaker affirms the sincerity of the early followers' experiences, suggesting they were based on genuine visions rather than fabrication.
Takeaways
- To get the most historically reliable view of early Christianity, prioritize studying Paul's letters over the Gospels, as they were written decades closer to the actual events.
- Re-evaluate modern assumptions about the resurrection by considering the ancient concept of a "pneumatic" or spiritual body, which differs significantly from the idea of a reanimated physical corpse.
- When analyzing historical religious texts, distinguish between the findings of critical academic scholarship and faith-based interpretations, as they often operate with different methodologies and goals.
- The sincerity of the early followers' visionary experiences was a powerful historical catalyst for the Christian movement, regardless of one's personal belief in the supernatural.
