Christological convergence across all NT books

High Christology is not a single tradition's invention. The treatment of Jesus as in some genuine sense divine appears, with distinct vocabulary, in essentially every author of the New Testament: Paul, Mark, Matthew, Luke, John, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, Jude, Revelation.

Pauline (~50s to 60s AD): Lord (kyrios) is Paul's standard designation, applying to Jesus texts the Septuagint applied to YHWH. Philippians 2:6 to 11 calls Jesus "in the form of God" and applies Isaiah 45:23 to him. 1 Corinthians 8:6 modifies the Jewish Shema to include Jesus inside the divine identity. Romans 10:13 applies Joel 2:32 to Jesus.

Markan (~65 to 70 AD): Jesus forgives sins on his own authority; the response is the orthodox Jewish "who can forgive sins but God alone." Lord of the Sabbath. Son of Man invocation at the trial.

Johannine (~85 to 95 AD): the most explicit. Prologue identifies the Word with God. The "I am" sayings echo YHWH's self revelation. Thomas's confession (John 20:28): "My Lord and my God."

Hebrews (~60s AD): Jesus is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being. Hebrews 1:8 applies Psalm 45:6 to the Son.

James (~40s to 60s AD): "the Lord of Glory." 1 Peter (~60s AD): pre existent Christ, the Spirit identified as "the Spirit of Christ." Jude: "our only Master and Lord." 2 Peter: "our God and Saviour Jesus Christ." Revelation: throne sharing with the Father, universal worship from every creature, "Alpha and Omega."

Twenty seven books, thirteen or more authors, written across roughly fifty years, in different cities to different audiences, all treat Jesus as in some genuine sense divine. The diversity of theological vocabulary (Wisdom Christology in Paul, Logos Christology in John, the radiance of glory in Hebrews, throne sharing in Revelation) suggests independent traditions converging on the same conviction rather than a single school transmitting a fixed formula.

This is not what one would expect if Jesus had been a merely human teacher gradually deified. It is what one would expect if Jesus had himself made the divine claims, was crucified for them, and was vindicated by the resurrection.

Reading

• Larry Hurtado, Lord Jesus Christ, 2003.
• Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the God of Israel, 2008.
• N. T. Wright, The Climax of the Covenant, 1991.
• Andrew Chester, Messiah and Exaltation, 2007.