Ritröð Guðfræðistofnunar - 01.09.1998, Blaðsíða 174

Jón Ma. Asgeirsson
Bultmann, the most prominent New Testament Scholar of the century,
identifies the words attributed to Jesus in the account of the Last Supper (1
Cor 11:23-25) as one of few “Sayings of the Lord” cited by Paul (the others
being 1 Thess 4:15-17 [but uncertain]; I Cor 1:lOf; and 1 Cor 9:14), albeit,
not without the characteristic modifications of the early Christian community.
Bultmann considers it further questionable to what extent the parenetical
sayings in Paul draw on similar or related sayings attributed to Jesus in the
(canonical) gospels.36 This is, in Bultmann’s opinion, one indication of how
little Paul was dependent on the “historical” Jesus.37 Despite the fact that the
core elements of Paul’s theology do not derive from the sayings tradition of
Jesus, as Bultmann observes, he does argue that the law constitutes a common
link between the preaching of Jesus and the theology of Paul with basically
a functional difference due to the period before and after the proclaimed
resurrection of Christ. Thus, Bultmann claims the law to be in the background
of the preaching of Jesus and that Jesus not be at odd with the law put certain
practicioners of the law (such as Pharisees) or its interpretators (such as the
scribes). To love god and your enemies (neighbors) is just as crucial for Paul
as for Jesus but what separates Paul’s message is, according to Bultmann, the
role he assigns it over against the grace of god. The law, thus, not only
manifests proper relations between the world and god but also humbles human
beings to the end of understanding who they really are and, consequently, how
they are in need of god’s grace. While this theoretical exposition is not to be
found in the preaching of Jesus as it is in Paul, Bultmann believes the two to
be more or less of common understanding. What divides the two is, again,
the time frame in which each addresses his audience. The kingdom of god is
a future reference in the preaching of Jesus whereas for Paul the justification
of god is a reality already for the act of salvation through the person of Jesus
as original such as 1 Cor 11:23-25; c) implications from other sources such as other canon-
ical letters and works of the Apostolic Fathers, vide his, Theologie des Neuen Testaments,
8th ed., O. Merk ed., Uni-Taschenbiicher 630 (Tiibingen: Mohr (Siebeck), 1980) [1958]
66-68 [Tlieology of the New Testament, K. Grobel transl. 2 Vols. (New York, NY:
Scribners, 1951-1955)].
36 “Die Bedeutung des geschichtlichen Jesus fiir die Theologie des Paulus,” in idem, Glauben
und Verstehen. Gesammelte Aufsatze, Vol. I (Tiibingen: Mohr (Siebeck, 1933) [1929] 190-
191. [Faith and Understanding, R. W. Funk transl., Vol I (New York, NY: Harper, 1969)].
For a more detailed treatment on the sayings of Jesus in Paul, vide Helmut Koester, Ancient
Christian Gospels: Their History and Development (London & Philadelphia, PA: SCM &
Trinity Press International, 1990) 52-62; he identifies considerably more sayings from the
Jesus tradition in the Pauline epistles.
37 Ibid., 188-191.
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