Jesus and the Word

by Rudolf Karl Bultmann, Louise Pettibone Smith (Translator), Erminie Huntress Lantero (Translator)

The kernel of Bultmann's work is a discussion of the life & message of Jesus. Bultmann's work is strictly historical. The reader will not find a sentimental or romantic pictures of Jesus of Nazareth. Instead, we are bound to the text of the New Testament, & to the historical circumstances in which the text arose, & with all the resources of Bultmann's immense learning are faced with the living historical reality of Jesus' life.

Genres: Theology, Religion, Christianity

236 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1926

About the author

Rudolf Karl Bultmann (August 20, 1884, Wiefelstede – July 30, 1976, Marburg) was a German Lutheran theologian and professor of New Testament at the University of Marburg. He was one of the major figures of early 20th century biblical studies and a prominent voice in liberal Christianity.

Bultmann is known for his belief that the historical analysis of the New Testament is both futile and unnecessary, given that the earliest Christian literature showed little interest in specific locations.] Bultmann argued that all that matters is the "thatness", not the "whatness" of Jesus, i.e. only that Jesus existed, preached and died by crucifixion matters, not what happened throughout his life.

Bultmann relied on demythologization, an approach interpreting the mythological elements in the New Testament existentially. Bultmann contended that only faith in the kerygma, or proclamation, of the New Testament was necessary for Christian faith, not any particular facts regarding the historical Jesus.

Reviews

[Benjamin Merritt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bultmann was a masterful exegete, but seemed to go a bit to far in his deconstruction of the Gospel portraits of Jesus. Still, a very helpful book, which finds at the center of the historical Jesus' teaching the call to radical obedience to God, the "either-or".
Well worth engaging, but read with a grain of salt.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant overview of Bultmann's thoughts. Lots to disagree with but, when he's right, he is so very right. Very very exciting theology.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A "LIFE" OF JESUS BY AN IMPORTANT 20TH CENTURY BIBLICAL SCHOLAR

Rudolf Bultmann (1884-1976) was a German theologian and professor of New Testament at the University of Marburg.

Bultmann writes in the Introduction, "if this book is to be anything more than information on interesting occurrences in the past, more than a walk through a museum of antiquities, if it is really to lead to our seeing Jesus as a part of the history in which we have our being, or in which by critical conflict we achieve being, then this book must be in the nature of a continuous dialogue with history."

He states boldly, "I do indeed think that we can now know almost nothing concerning the life and personality of Jesus, since the early Christian sources show no interest in either, are moreover fragmentary and often legendary; and other sources about Jesus do not exist." He added, "I am personally of the opinion that Jesus did not believe himself to be the Messiah, but I do not imagine that this opinion gives me a clearer picture of his personality."

Here are some representative quotations from the book:

"Of course the doubt as to whether Jesus really existed is unfounded and not worth refutation. No sane person can doubt that Jesus stands as founder behind the historical movement whose first distinct stage is represented by the oldest Palestinian community."
"The message of Jesus is an eschatological gospel---the proclamation that now the fulfillment of the promise is at hand, that now the Kingdom of God begins."
"But if the gospel record is worthy of credence, it is at least clear that Jesus actually lived as a Jewish rabbi."
"Jesus no more teaches a mystic relation to God than he conceives of access to God as mediated through cult and sacrament."
"there can be no doubt that Jesus did the kind of deeds which were miracles to his mind and to the minds of his contemporaries, that is, deeds which were attributed to a supernatural, divine cause.”

Interestingly, Bultmann came to reject some of his skepticism concerning what we can know about Jesus. In a lecture he gave in 1959, he stated, "Characteristic of him are exorcisms, the breach of the Sabbath commandment, the abandonment of ritual purifications, polemic against Jewish legalism, fellowship with outcasts such as publicans and harlots, sympathy for women and children; it can also be seen that Jesus was not an ascetic like John the Baptist, but gladly ate and drank a glass of wine."

This book remains of interest to those interested in the historical Jesus, the early Christian Church, Form Criticism, Biblical Criticism, and New Testament studies.

[Robert D. Cornwall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been carrying around this book for thirty years or so, and finally picked it off the shelf and read it! I'm glad that I did. For many Rudolph Bultmann was a radical biblical critic, and he did read the Bible from a historical-critical perspective.

In this book from the 1920s, Bultmann seeks to place Jesus in his historical context as a Jew among Jews. This is important because attempts will be made to de-Judaize Jesus by German theologians. But Bultmann like Barth and Bonhoeffer stood out against such views. It is a very historical presentation, but if you're attentive to his presentation of the story of Jesus the eschatalogical preacher who reflects deeply his Jewish religious/cultural roots, you will begin to see his spirituality/faith emerge. I found my heart strangely warmed by reading the oft forgotten scholar.

[Noelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm appreciative of his desire to remove the concept of duality from theology in general but i don't buy his argument that Jesus was apolitical.