This was for a presentation I gave in the Spring 2012 course, "In Search of Jesus" (RELS 316), taught by Chair of the Religious Studies Department Dr. Mitchell Reddish at Stetson University. The presentation was based on Chapter 2 of the book by Jaroslav Pelikan, "Jesus Through the Centuries."

1. JESUS:
“THE TURNING POINT
OF HISTORY”
Chapter 2
Jesus Through the Centuries
Jaroslav Pelikan

2. How did we get here?
Because of Jesus of Nazareth, history will never be the same
Why?
• Easy answer: worldwide use of near-universal Western
calendar forces even atheists, agnostics and those of other
faith traditions to realize that fact.
• Deeper answer: Jesus’ followers rewrote history. In doing
so, they transfigured metaphysics* and invited a new
‘grammar of history’
*Wikipedia: ‘Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining
the fundamental nature of being and the world.”

3. A different ‘transfiguration’
The evolution of metaphysics led by early believers produces a
divergence in two significant areas:
• Christianity and classicism: seen through history, as one mode of
thought overtook the other
• Church and synagogue: seen in the way Christians appropriated the
interpretation of the redemption of Israel:
• Historical meaning of redemption of Israel accomplished by the Exodus
from Egypt …
becomes
• … the redemption of humanity accomplished by Jesus’ resurrection from
the dead

4. How did that happen?
Pelikan helps us trace this evolution of thought. We start with
the words Jesus preached:
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe
in the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15)
What does that mean?
Jesus’ early followers ask the same question. They reflect on
what was distinctive about Jesus’ prophetic mission.

5. Finding a meaning
• Jesus’ followers turn to scripture as they seek to understand
the prophetic mission. They find Jesus as Son:
“God spoke of old our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by
a Son …” (Heb. 1:1-3)
• Contemporary Jewish sources believe Jesus’ proclamation
about the kingdom of God echoes Jewish apocalypticism –
the expectation that the victory of the God of Israel over its
enemies isfinally at hand. This is a deep belief:
• Jesus and John the Baptist preach to people who are waiting for this to
happen (Luke 3:15)
• In Acts, the disciples even ask Jesus what time he will restore the
kingdom to Israel. (Acts 1:6-7)
BUT…

6. What About the Parousia*?
Jesus delivered one message repeatedly: His call for
repentance, for ethical change, was grounded in the Parousia.
• *Parousia: The coming of the Son of Man will put an end to human
history and usher in the new order of the kingdom of God.
People expect the time between Jesus’ earthy ministry and the
end of history will be short.
• Because of this expectation, early followers are able to accept teachings
such as “turn the other cheek.”
• All three Synoptic Gospels quote Jesus as saying, near the end of his
ministry, “Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all these
things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not
pass away.”
BUT …

7. The non-Parousia
The Parousia doesn’t happen. It’s a non-event.
Now what?
• What does the non-Parousia mean for Jesus’ promise that
“my words will not pass away”?
• How does he retain his authority when his validity had rested
on the announcement of the impending end of history?
???????
Pelikan calls the delay of the Parousia the
inner history of Christianity

8. Re-framing
Jesus’ followers are OK with the delay of the Parousia
• 2nd and 3rd century sources don’t mention any crisis about it
• People at the time accept both an apocalyptic expectation and the
prospect of continuing history
• Both understandings find expression in an increasing emphasis on the
centrality of Jesus Christ
• 2nd century scholar Tertullian counsels moral living and the awaiting of
Christ’s return while also praying for the emperor and for preservation of
the peace of the kingdom

9. History starts to change
• Dualistic approach paves way for 4th century idea of a Christian
Roman emperor who reigns in the name of and by power of Jesus
• Tertullian’s paradoxical look (toward the Parousia, while also
preserving the current world) is the “new understanding of the
meaning of history”
• Jesus’ second coming is not simply going to be the end of history.
Instead:
Jesus is already the Turning Point of History
• History is transformed and overturned by the fact of Jesus’ first
coming, in the past.

10. New interpretations for a new history
Theological
Tertullian (2nd century) is a major player in developing the
dogma of the Trinity and the person of Christ. He anticipates
outcome of 3rd and 4th century debates, when:
• theological and dogmatic significance of Jesus as Son are worked out in the
clarification of the dogma of the Trinity
• the cultural significance of Jesus as hinge on which history turns becomes
understood
This new understanding becomes the basis for a new
interpretation of the historical process

11. What is new theological interpretation?
• Starts with history of Israel, whose main goal now taken to be life, death,
and resurrection of Jesus. This is understood via prophecies fulfilled
• Kingdom of Israel now authentic kingdom of God. The Crucified reigns
over it “from the tree” of David.
• Reunification of the kingdoms of Israel anticipates Christ as one and only
king
• Priesthood of Israel is viewed from the perspective of Jesus as its turning
point. Aaron’s Levitical priesthood was temporary; Jesus now “holds the
priesthood permanently” (Heb 7:24)
• Church adopts Jewish name for ordained clergy: NT never uses term priest
for ministers of Christian church or even for the apostles.

12. New interpretations for a new history
Political
• Jesus ID’d as turning point in history of all nations of the
world, because that history is encapsulated in history of the
Roman Empire.
• Augustine of Hippo’s 5th century City of God most influences
this line of thought. According to Augustine:
• The life, death, and resurrection of Christ was a single, unrepeatable
event, and yet at same time a message and mystery announced from very
beginning of the human race.
(Augustine accused of being not only founder of Christian philosophy
but also first man to discover meaning of time.)

13. New interpretations for a new history
Historical record
4th century Greek Christian writers illustrate new historiography
inspired by the life of Jesus
Eusebius of Caesarea: Writes a history of Jesus that goes back to
beginning of the human experience and up through his
contemporary times. Decisive event in that history took place in the
life of Christ. Eusebius understands entry of Jesus into the world as
basis of God’s plan for the world.
Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria: Writes biography of the founder
of Egyptian Christian monasticism. Life of Antony a new type of
biography inspired by the life of Jesus in the Gospels. Hero expresses
Christian ideals and imitates Christ, making the life of Jesus the
turning point in biographies.

14. New interpretations for a new history
Time and date
Views of Jesus as turning point in history make their way into
the calendar, which evolves into a general recognition of Jesus
as that turning point
• 6th century Scythian monk – Dionysius Exiguus (Little Denis) in Rome
proposes the new system, named for the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
• It takes several centuries to establish itself.
• Before that, everyone, including Gospel writers, uses Roman system of
dating events by the reigns of emperors.

15. Jesus remains the historical turning point
• Until recently, the letters BC and AD, for Before Christ and Anno
Domini (Year of Our Lord), marked which side of Jesus’ birth a date
occurred on the calendar
• We now use BCE and CE, for Before Common Era and Common Era
No matter what we call it,
we’re still marking time by way of Jesus,
and his words still have not passed away