Book Review
Brief Review of Barrie Wilson’s Book
“How Jesus Became Christian”
Rev. Tony Costa, B.A., M.A.
Professor Barrie Wilson from York Univer­ Christianity and not Jesus has been used
sity published a new book entitled “How also by Muslim apologists who show a
Jesus Became Christian”Wilson converted
. disdain for Paul (even though Muslim Tony Costa
to Judaism when he married his Jewish traditional sources speak of Paul as a
wife 32 years ago. He admits that his faithful disciple of Jesus!) and who seek
Romans 9­11 to become immediately
book will get a few people excited but he to distance Paul from Jesus whom they
aware how much grief Paul carried in
does not see it as a negative book at all. view as a Muslim. The reason for this view
his heart that his Jewish brethren had
Of course, those whom Wilson expects to of Paul trumping Jesus and His message
not accepted Jesus as Messiah to the
excite are Christians, why would anyone is drawn out from what the critics see as a
point that Paul wished himself if it were
else be upset about what a university de­emphasis on the Jewishness of Jesus.
possible accursed if it would bring about
professor writes about Jesus? Christianity But this is not a fair charge as Paul was
their salvation (Romans 9:1­4), hardly
has become an easy target for many primarily an apostle to the Gentiles and
something an anti­semite would say!
who wish to make monetary profit. One of course he would have had to make
Wilson states the obvious in his book
need only remember Dan Brown’s ‘The the Gospel which arose first in a Jewish
in claiming that Jesus was Jewish, His
Da Vinci Code’ to recall that as long as milieu palatable and understandable
mother was Jewish and Judaism was the
someone writes something controversial for his Gentile audiences. Missionaries
religion He practiced. None of this has ever
about one of the most controversial do this all the time when they adapt
been denied by Christians. Wilson asks
figures in history like Jesus of Nazareth themselves in the countries and peoples
how this Jewish Jesus become a “gentile
one can make considerable financial they seek to reach.
Christ”? Here we have a false dichotomy,
profits. The person of Jesus continues to Wilson admits that his book is not for
we either have a Jewish Jesus or a Gentile
provoke controversy and debate and one the academic reader, but for the general
Christ. On the contrary, the Christian faith
of the reasons I think is because Jesus is reader. Wilson knows quite well that
affirms Jesus is the Christ which as noted
irreducible. He is very complex and cannot those who are academically trained are
above was part of the confession of Peter,
be reduced to merely a good man, a good very familiar with his arguments, it is the
“You [Jesus] are the Christ, the Son of the
rabbi, a prophet, which interestingly general reader which in most cases are Living God” (Matthew 16:16). The same
Wilson in his book reduces him to. Jesus’ readers who are not familiar with the confession is made in John 20:31. Paul
question, “Who do people say the Son of background of his arguments and its also identifies Jesus as the Christ and Son
Man is?” (Matthew 16:13) continues to be place in scholarship. To those who are of God (Romans 1:3­4). Wilson however
asked today. The only satisfactory answer not well grounded in their faith this book charges Paul with misrepresenting and
to that question is that given in Scripture, has the potential to confuse them and it sabotaging Jesus. Many scholarly works
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living seems that is what Wilson hopes to do. have been published which show that
God” (Matthew. 16:16), anything short of The more controversial a book, the more Paul was actually very faithful to the
this is to deny the biblical Jesus. sales it makes. Wilson also proceeds in message of Jesus and that far from
Wilson’s book introduces nothing his book to blame Christianity and distorting it, he did what no Jew has
entirely new. It is rather a rehash of old Paul himself (!) with propagating anti­ ever done, Paul was the first Jew to bring
scholarly opinion that is truly outdated. Semitism which is on the whole unfair. the Gospel and knowledge of the God
The thesis basically is as follows, Jesus Anti­semitism to be sure was a part of Israel to the Gentile nations! Paul did
was a devout Jew, a prophet (note Jesus of Church history, but here we must what God called ancient Israel to do, to be
rejected this mere identification of Himself be very careful. We must never judge God’s witnesses to the world and to be a
as only a prophet in Matthew 16:14­15) a philosophy or belief based on its light to them (Isaiah 43:10; Romans 2:19).
who came to teach about the Kingdom of abuse. We should always distinguish A number of very good scholarly books
God. Unfortunately, Jesus was executed “Christianity” and what can be termed that have already responded to Wilson’s
(nothing is said about resurrection) and “Churchianity” There is much in Church
. rehashed claims are the following: David
His message and mission were later history which is deplorable, but this is Wenham. Paul: Follower of Jesus or Founder
hijacked by another Jewish figure, Saul not indicative of Christianity itself which of Christianity? (Grand Rapids, MI: William
of Tarsus who was also known as the is rooted and based on the Lord Jesus B. Eerdmans, 1995); N.T. Wright. What Saint
Apostle Paul. This idea that Paul revised Christ. What sinful people claim and do Paul Really Said: Was Paul of Tarsus the Real
the teachings and message of Jesus is under the banner of “Christian” has no Founder of Christianity?(Grand Rapids, MI:
nothing new. This kind of argument has bearing on what and who Jesus is and Eerdmans, 1997). A classic book but still
been argued for decades, so again Wilson what He taught. Jesus never taught anti­ very good is J. Gresham Machen. The Origin
brings nothing new to the table. The semitism nor did the Apostle Paul both of Paul’s Religion (New York: Macmillan,
idea that Paul was the true founder of of whom were Jews! One need only read 1921). As can be seen from the publication
6 Protestant Challenge

earliest at that, which tells us about Jesus
in the first place.
Wilson while rejecting the earliest
records is willing to give credit to later
second century sources of Gnosticism
that denied the orthodox teaching about
Jesus. What is highly ironic is that these
very Gnostic sources are not only much
later than the New Testament documents,
but are anti­semitic. For instance, they
identify the God of the Old Testament
as an ignorant inferior god (called the
“Demiurge”) different from that of Jesus
and in addition these sources reject the
Old Testament as Scripture, something
early Christianity including Paul never
did! In fact Paul stated it was to the Jews
that the very oracles or words of God
were given (Romans 3:1­2). Paul and the
early Christians were faithful Jews who
reverenced the Old Testament as God’s
of Machen’s book, this argument has been come” In other words, this was a prayer
. Word and it was always in conjunction
around for over 80 years. that the Aramaic speaking Christians with the New Testament also revered
Wilson charges Paul with deifying prayed to the risen Jesus to return or as Scripture as it is to this day. It was the
Jesus rather than accepting the purely come back. Note that before Paul, the Gnostics who attacked the Old Testament
human teacher, Jesus. This charge again original disciples were addressing Jesus or Hebrew Bible, not the Christians.
is baseless. Paul is not the only writer to in prayer! How could they do this if Jesus Much of what Barrie Wilson attacks in
speak of Jesus in the category of Deity, was nothing more than a mere human? his book are based on false assumptions
John does the same (John 1:1­3; 20:28) Note the divine title “Lord” is also given which he reads into the texts.While Wilson
as does the writer of Hebrews (Hebrews to Jesus. The word “Lord” was the name rejects the New Testament accounts of
1:1­3, 8­10), and hence we have three given in the Greek translation of the Old Jesus, he still wants to retain Jesus as a
independent sources supporting the Testament (known as the Septuagint) good Jew who was Torah observant and
view of the Deity of Christ. Wilson to Yahweh or Jehovah. The confession who preached the Kingdom of God. How
charges Paul with making Jesus into a “Jesus Christ is Lord” in Philippians 2:11 is does Wilson know this about Jesus? He
god even though Paul was an avowed based on Isaiah 45:23 where it is Yahweh uses the New Testament gospels, but then
monotheist who believed in only one who receives worship. he claims the gospels embellish their
God (1 Corinthians 8:4; 1 Timothy 2:5). Wilson also tries to argue that Paul and stories of Jesus and hence Wilson ends
James were in opposition to each other. up arguing in a circle, using the gospels
Most importantly however is the fact
to make his case while discrediting them
that Wilson does not understand that But surely, one need only read Acts to see
at the same time. Here Wilson operates
many scholars see in Paul pieces of that Paul and James worked together as
under a double standard. He wants his
earlier Christian belief about Jesus, partners in the Gospel. The letter of James
cake and wants to eat it too. Wilson ends
what we call “pre­Pauline” material usually said to be written against Paul is up using his own selective standards of
(materials that predate Paul). Many see not anti­Pauline at all. James speaks about arbitrarily picking and choosing what he
Philippians 2:6­11 as coming from the the works of faith, and Paul speaks about wants to accommodate his view without
Christians before Paul and some believe the works of the law, two different things any consistent standard or method. That
it this passage may have had an Aramaic being discussed by both James and Paul. is not how we do research. What this
original. Aramaic was the language of Wilson ends up denying that the method shows is one thing, inconsistency,
Jesus and the apostles. In Philippians historical Jesus can be found in the and inconsistency is the sign of a failed
2:6 we are told that the pre­existent gospels and Acts in the New Testament argument. Wilson’s arguments on the
Jesus existed “in the form of God” and but rather sees a Jesus there who has whole are hardly convincing but what
that He had “equality with God” Another
. been embellished. This is certainly an they do show is that we are always called
important passage is 1 Corinthians 16:22 extreme form of skepticism on Wilson’s to be vigilant and to be always ready to
where Paul uses the Aramaic expression part that even some radical critics of the give an answer to those who ask about
“Maranatha” Why would Paul use an
. Bible would not entertain. Many liberal the hope we have, and that hope is Jesus
Aramaic expression like this to a Greek scholars and historians believe that we Christ, the Son of God (1 Peter 3:15). How
speaking church in Corinth? The logical can retrieve the historical Jesus from the we answer the question posed by Jesus,
explanation is that this Aramaic term gospels, and the sermons recorded in Acts “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15),
came from the Jerusalem apostles, like they regard as very primitive accounts of carries with it serious consequences.
Peter, James, John, those who walked early Christian preaching. Wilson ends Such a question is not to be trifled with
with Jesus. Maranatha means “Our Lord, up reviling the very documents and the
s ola s cr iptura
in light of eternity.
Spring 2009 7