Tom Holmén – författare

One of the characteristic pursuits of the current phase of historical Jesus research, the so-called Third Quest, has been the serious attempt to locate Jesus within first-century CE Judaism, to seek a Jesus who could be found plausible within his Jewish context. Comparatively less emphasis has been laid on the question as to whether or how the contextually plausible picture of Jesus also suits and accounts for thehistory of the reception of Jesus in early Christianity. By integrating the Jewish context, the teaching of Jesus and Christian reception history into one explanation, the continuum perspective seeks to reveal a Jesus who would both be fitting within his Jewish context and would also help to explain and understand early Christian stances. Thus, according to this perspective, a historically plausible picture of Jesus is one that can be placed in the Judaism-Christianity continuum.

The death of Jesus is commonly regarded as the one radically novel perspective from which the problem of suffering is viewed in the New Testament, as opposed to the appropriation of viewpoints present elsewhere in contemporary writings and in the Old Testament. Tom Holmén’s focus on the death of Jesus as a source of New Testament theodicy reveals a two-fold reasoning: the lasting relevance of the theme of Jesus’ death on the cross and theodicy, and the lack of thorough and sustained New Testament investigations into this theme. Holmén’s argument focuses on the changes in the concept of suffering occasioned by the unprecedented sacrifice of Jesus. He explores both the derivative nature of suffering as God’s retribution or a test for discipline – in line with the traditions known in the time contemporary to the formation of the New Testament – and the sharp, wholly new contrast of suffering as intercessory in the crucifixion of Christ, Son of God, appearing to the world as ‘impossible’. Holmén considers many issues in his discussion, including the context of providence and covenant, and the problem that Jesus’ death causes for theodicy. He also examines other perspectives, such as the writings of Paul, and practical considerations of coping with anguish. Taken as a whole, this study provides a fresh examination of the crucifixion’s central role for understanding New Testament approaches to suffering.

The death of Jesus is commonly regarded as the one radically novel perspective from which the problem of suffering is viewed in the New Testament, as opposed to the appropriation of viewpoints present elsewhere in contemporary writings and in the Old Testament. Tom Holmén’s focus on the death of Jesus as a source of New Testament theodicy reveals a two-fold reasoning: the lasting relevance of the theme of Jesus’ death on the cross and theodicy, and the lack of thorough and sustained New Testament investigations into this theme. Holmén’s argument focuses on the changes in the concept of suffering occasioned by the unprecedented sacrifice of Jesus. He explores both the derivative nature of suffering as God’s retribution or a test for discipline – in line with the traditions known in the time contemporary to the formation of the New Testament – and the sharp, wholly new contrast of suffering as intercessory in the crucifixion of Christ, Son of God, appearing to the world as ‘impossible’. Holmén considers many issues in his discussion, including the context of providence and covenant, and the problem that Jesus’ death causes for theodicy. He also examines other perspectives, such as the writings of Paul, and practical considerations of coping with anguish. Taken as a whole, this study provides a fresh examination of the crucifixion’s central role for understanding New Testament approaches to suffering.

Eines der Hauptmerkmale der aktuellen historischen Jesusforschung ist der Versuch, Jesus innerhalb des Judentums im 1. Jahrhundert zu positionieren. Vergleichsweise wenig Bedeutung wurde bisher der Frage beigemessen, ob oder wie überhaupt das Bild von Jesus innerhalb des jüdischen Kontextes auch zum geschichtlichen Einfluss und zur Rezeptionsgeschichte Jesu im frühen Christentum paßt und beiträgt. Tom Holmén plädiert dafür, dass die christliche Rezeptionsgeschichte Jesu einen angemessenen Stellenwert in der Forschung erhält. Die genaue Prüfung der Rezeption sollte nicht nur als Anhängsel einer sorgsameren Studie der Rolle Jesu innerhalb des Judentums betrachtet werden. Statt dessen sollte der Rezeption genauso große Beachtung geschenkt werden und sie sollte ein integrierter Teil der wissenschaftlichen Forschung sein. Jesus sollte also nicht mehr länger innerhalb des Judentums, sondern in der Kontinuität vom frühen Judentum bis zum frühen Christentum untersucht werden.