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The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Book by O'Collins, Gerald
142 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1973
About the author
Gerald O'Collins
92 books19 followersBorn in Australia, Gerald O’Collins received his PhD at Cambridge University in 1968. From 1973 to 2006 he taught at the Gregorian University (Rome), where he was also dean of the theology faculty (1985–91). He is now a research professor in theology at St Mary’s University College in Twickenham.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 4, 2024
A JESUIT THEOLOGIAN LOOKS AT THE GOSPEL ACCOUNTS
Gerald Glynn O'Collins, SJ is an Australian Jesuit priest, author, academic, and educator, who is currently at the Jesuit Theological College in Parkville, Victoria, and a research professor in theology at St Mary's University College in Twickenham. He was also professor of systematic and fundamental theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome) for many years. He has written many other books, such as 'Christology: A Biblical, Historical, and Systematic Study of Jesus, 'Believing in the Resurrection: The Meaning and Promise of the Risen Jesus,' 'The Second Vatican Council on Other Religions,' etc.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1973 book, "Our initial aim would be to establish ... what Paul and the evangelists affirm and what historical origins lie behind their affirmations... Once the original sense of historical origins of the Easter texts have been clarified, let us put the fundamental question: Can we now accept the apostolic testimony to the resurrection?" (Pg. xii-xiii)
He observes about Matthew 27:62-6, "It is certainly surprising that the enemies of Jesus remember so clearly a prediction which the disciples seem to have completely forgotten. The historical elements behind the story appear to be two: all agreed that the tomb was discovered empty on the third day; the enemies of Jesus accused the disciples of having stolen the body." (Pg. 13)
Examining the gospel accounts, he admits, "To begin with, it is difficult to reconcile the whole set of Galilean appearances with the set of Jerusalem appearances. The Galilean appearances belong to Matthew... and John... The Jerusalem appearances belong to Luke (and Acts)... Apart from the differing location of the post-resurrection encounters, we meet frequent conflict over details in the four gospels..." (Pg. 18) He adds, "Why do the women who plan to embalm Jesus's corpse fail to remember earlier the obvious fact that their access to the tomb will be blocked by the stone?... Why do the two disciples on their walk with Jesus to Emmaus fail to notice the marks of the crucifixion in his hands and feet?" (Pg. 20)
He observes, "the fact that the gospels preserve no elaborated stories of appearances to Peter and James surely tells against the hypothesis that all the Easter stories in the gospels freely developed from the kind of simple affirmation represented by I Corinthians 15:5-8. Why do such stories fail to surface in the case of such influential figures as Peter and James? In fact there exists a massive discrepancy between the list given in I Corinthians 15 and the Easter narratives in the gospels." (Pg. 27)
He concludes, "Once the evangelist's editorial additions have been separated from the pre-Marcan tradition, the question arises: what function did this traditional material serve in the life of the early Church? The best available interpretation connects it with an empty-tomb liturgy of the Christian community in Jerusalem... First-century Judaism and early Christianity have left considerable evidence to demonstrate popular interest in the graves of holy persons... For these first Christians the tomb of Jesus was more than the last resting-place of a mere martyr or prophet. It was the place which had witnessed the mystery of God's final saving act." (Pg. 41-42)
He observes, "Surprisingly, women enjoy a witness function in both the passion and resurrection narratives... In Jewish society they did not count as valid witnesses... The role of women in the story provides a sound argument for its historical reliability." (Pg. 42-43)
He notes, "We may perhaps conclude that Paul knew the empty-tomb tradition, although this remains a highly tentative conclusion... What is certain, however, is that we ought not to exaggerate the significance of the empty tomb. The evangelists show themselves quite conscious of the fact that as such an empty tomb remains ambiguous and does not compel faith." (Pg. 44)
He concludes, "We should now be in a clearer position to affirm and interpret that statement... 'Christianity stands of falls with the reality of Jesus's resurrection from the dead.' In a profound sense Christianity without the resurrection is not simply Christianity without its final chapter. It is not Christianity at all." (Pg. 134)
This book will be of interest to all Christians (not just Catholics) interested in analysis or the resurrection narratives and their doctrinal implications.
Gerald Glynn O'Collins, SJ is an Australian Jesuit priest, author, academic, and educator, who is currently at the Jesuit Theological College in Parkville, Victoria, and a research professor in theology at St Mary's University College in Twickenham. He was also professor of systematic and fundamental theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome) for many years. He has written many other books, such as 'Christology: A Biblical, Historical, and Systematic Study of Jesus, 'Believing in the Resurrection: The Meaning and Promise of the Risen Jesus,' 'The Second Vatican Council on Other Religions,' etc.
He wrote in the Preface to this 1973 book, "Our initial aim would be to establish ... what Paul and the evangelists affirm and what historical origins lie behind their affirmations... Once the original sense of historical origins of the Easter texts have been clarified, let us put the fundamental question: Can we now accept the apostolic testimony to the resurrection?" (Pg. xii-xiii)
He observes about Matthew 27:62-6, "It is certainly surprising that the enemies of Jesus remember so clearly a prediction which the disciples seem to have completely forgotten. The historical elements behind the story appear to be two: all agreed that the tomb was discovered empty on the third day; the enemies of Jesus accused the disciples of having stolen the body." (Pg. 13)
Examining the gospel accounts, he admits, "To begin with, it is difficult to reconcile the whole set of Galilean appearances with the set of Jerusalem appearances. The Galilean appearances belong to Matthew... and John... The Jerusalem appearances belong to Luke (and Acts)... Apart from the differing location of the post-resurrection encounters, we meet frequent conflict over details in the four gospels..." (Pg. 18) He adds, "Why do the women who plan to embalm Jesus's corpse fail to remember earlier the obvious fact that their access to the tomb will be blocked by the stone?... Why do the two disciples on their walk with Jesus to Emmaus fail to notice the marks of the crucifixion in his hands and feet?" (Pg. 20)
He observes, "the fact that the gospels preserve no elaborated stories of appearances to Peter and James surely tells against the hypothesis that all the Easter stories in the gospels freely developed from the kind of simple affirmation represented by I Corinthians 15:5-8. Why do such stories fail to surface in the case of such influential figures as Peter and James? In fact there exists a massive discrepancy between the list given in I Corinthians 15 and the Easter narratives in the gospels." (Pg. 27)
He concludes, "Once the evangelist's editorial additions have been separated from the pre-Marcan tradition, the question arises: what function did this traditional material serve in the life of the early Church? The best available interpretation connects it with an empty-tomb liturgy of the Christian community in Jerusalem... First-century Judaism and early Christianity have left considerable evidence to demonstrate popular interest in the graves of holy persons... For these first Christians the tomb of Jesus was more than the last resting-place of a mere martyr or prophet. It was the place which had witnessed the mystery of God's final saving act." (Pg. 41-42)
He observes, "Surprisingly, women enjoy a witness function in both the passion and resurrection narratives... In Jewish society they did not count as valid witnesses... The role of women in the story provides a sound argument for its historical reliability." (Pg. 42-43)
He notes, "We may perhaps conclude that Paul knew the empty-tomb tradition, although this remains a highly tentative conclusion... What is certain, however, is that we ought not to exaggerate the significance of the empty tomb. The evangelists show themselves quite conscious of the fact that as such an empty tomb remains ambiguous and does not compel faith." (Pg. 44)
He concludes, "We should now be in a clearer position to affirm and interpret that statement... 'Christianity stands of falls with the reality of Jesus's resurrection from the dead.' In a profound sense Christianity without the resurrection is not simply Christianity without its final chapter. It is not Christianity at all." (Pg. 134)
This book will be of interest to all Christians (not just Catholics) interested in analysis or the resurrection narratives and their doctrinal implications.
April 4, 2013
Gerald O'Collins always has something interesting to say on the subject of the resurrection. Despite this book being the transcription of a lecture at Marquette University, it is tough slogging in places. Still there were some novel takeaways. I had never heard it pointed out for example that Paul "does not fully and clearly distinguish the risen Christ and the Holy Spirit, and he nowhere as such says that Christ sent or sends the Spirit". O'Collins is very sensitive to the problems of not reading back later insights into New Testament thought, which is extremely helpful especially if one is working through one's own theories about what might or might not have happened two thousand years ago.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews