Unity and Diversity in the New Testament: An Inquiry Into the Character of Earliest Christianity: Enquiry into the Character of Earliest Christianity

James D.G.Dunn

UNITY· . AND DIVERSITY IN THE

NEW TESTAMENT An Inquiry into the Character of Earliest Christianity

SECOND EDITION

Unity and Diversity has proved its value as a textbook over the years, but it is now well over ten years old and scholarship has not stood still in that period. To assist him in making the revisions now needed, Professor Dunn enlisted the help of his New Testament seminar, which subjected the whole book to a chapter-bychapter critique. To take all recent developments into account, including recent studies in the sociology of early Christianity, relations between Judaism arid early Christianity, and literary criticism, the book would have had to be rewritten. Since that was not possible the revision has been limited to completely revised bibliographies, expanded and additional notes to add occasional clarifications or qualifications to the text, and fresh introductions to each chapter. These introductions provide further comment, particularly indicating where a fuller sociological perspective might have led to more changes.

'It is an extraordinary accomplishment as to the scope of material, the command of literature, and the balance of judgment. I can th ink of no overall book on the New Testament comparable to it' (Raym ond E. Brown in The Catholic Biblical Quarterly). 'It will shift New Testament study and contribute to the present revolution in theology . . . It is a major work of synthesis, gathering together what has been written over the last decade and presenting it in a coherent, persuasive thesis' (Kenneth Grayston in . Methodist Recorder). 'It is a remarkable work and the very best introduction to New Testament scholarship that I know' (New Blackfriars). James D. G. Dunn is Professor of Divinity in the University of Durham. Cover desig n b y Ma rk Hamm er

ISB N 0-33 4-02 436- 6

SCM PRESS London TRINITY PRESS INTERNAT IONAL Philadelphia

9 780334 02436 1

Unity and Diversity in the New Testament

JAMES D. G. DUNN

Unity and Diversity in the New Testament An Inquiry into the Character

of Earliest

Christianity

SECOND EDITION

SCM PRESS London

TRINITY PRESS INTERNATIONAL Philadelphia

First published 1977 Second edition 1990 Trinity Press International 3725 Clle':\tl\\lt Street Philadelphia, Pa. 19104

SCM Press '2Er-':SO '('otte.nham Road

Condon NI 4BZ

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers, SCM Press and Trinity Press International. ©James D. G. Dunn 1977, 1990

334024366

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Dunn, James D. G., 1939Unity and diversity in the New Testament: an inquiry into the character of earliest Christianity/James D. G. Dunn. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. l~BN <J-~~J,-<J'2"'~E,-E,

I.

Bible. N.T.- Theology. 2. Theology, Doctrinal-History-Early church, ca. 30-600. I. Title. BS2397.D85 1990 89-20659 270.I-dc20

EX LIBRIS ELTROPICAL

Printed in Great Britain at The Camelot Press, Southampton

To CH1\RLHS MO\JL£. Christian, scholar, friend

CONTENTS Preface Foreword to Second Edition Abbreviations I

Xl XV XXXIX

INTRODUCTION

§ 1 Is 'orthodoxy' a meaningful concept for the New Testament period? PART ONE

UNITY IN DIVERSITY II

KERYGMA OR KERYGMATA? §2 §3 §4 §5 §6 §7

III

Introduction The kerygma ofJesus The kerygma in Acts The kerygma of Paul The kerygma ofJohn Conclusions

PRIMITIVE CONFESSIONAL FORMULAE §8 §9 § 10 §11 §12 § 13

Introduction Jesus is the Son of Man Jesus is Messiah Jesus is Son of God Jesus is Lord The life-settings of the earliest confessional formulae § 14 Conclusions IV

11 13 16 21 26 29

33 35 41 45 50 54 56

THE ROLE OF TRADITION §15 Introduction § 16 'The traditions of the elders'

60 61

Vill

CO;\1TE:'