Cretinist

As Vorkosigan contrasted G. A. Well’s The Jesus Myth with Robert Price’s Deconstructing Jesus, so too would I like to contrast two very similar books, Randal Helms’ Gospel Fictions with Price’s new book The Incredible Shrinking Son of Man. Both of these books have largely the same aim; to show where the Gospel writers got their information from to construct their stories.

As with Wells, the contrast between Price and Helms is stunning. Price is scholar who isn’t afraid to tread new ground and to scoff at traditional scholarship. He even goes so far as to say the Jesus Seminar was “too uncritical.” Helms, on the other hand, in his deconstruction of the Gospels, rarely strays far from comparisons that can be found in standard introductory texts like Brown’s and good study bibles like the Harper Collins or the Oxford Annotated Bible.

Price begins his book with a discussion of the historical criteria he will use to shred the Gospels into pieces. They are three simple criteria; the criterion of dissimilarity, the principle of analogy, and the principle of biographical analogy. Briefly, the criterion of dissimilarity states that we do not have any reason to accept as authentic any saying that has a parallel with contemporary Judaism or Hellenism. The principle of analogy, as we skeptics all know too well, is basically the old Humean position on miracles. And lastly, but certainly not least (Price will make extensive use of this one), the principle of biographical analogy states that we can’t accept anything as authentic when it conforms to standard myths and legends. With a discussion of these criteria and their usage by historians, we move on to the next chapter on sources.

The first chapter is a whirlwind of discussions about the primary source material historians have to work with when reconstructing the life of Jesus. The discussion goes from form criticism, the creativity of the evangelists, the dating of the Gospels, the synoptic problem, and even when to date the historical Jesus! Probably the most interesting, at least in my opinion, is what Price has to say about the dating of the Gospels. Price points out that the conventional dates are the product of the Christian apologetic agenda. All we can say for certain is that Mark was written after the destruction of the temple, based on the ‘Little Apocalypse’. This make it the earliest possible date, not the most probable date. And he points out, if Mark 13 is prior document taken over by Mark, as some scholars believe, this pushes the likely date of Mark’s Gospel back even further! Price also briefly mentions the possibility, argued by Hermann Detering in The Journal of Higher Criticism that Mark 13 doesn’t refer to the destruction of Jerusalem at all, but the Bar Kochba revolt in 132 CE.

The rest of the chapters read much like Helms’ book, except much more radical. While Helms is usually is very careful in pointing out the borrowing, even going so far as to quote the Septuagint and point out the similarity in vocabulary, Price is much more daring in any comparison he makes. No doubt, some of the comparisons might strike the reader as forced, but this is not usually the case because of Price’s hyper-critical eye. One instance in particular was when Price was discussing John as the Elijah figure. As was pointed out by Helms, Mark’s description of John seems to be taken from 2 King 1:8. But is it that simple? No, says Price. He points out that Zechariah 13:4 says similar garb was the standard for any prophet. So which passage does Mark have in mind for his readers?

Price is too radical even for mythicism. Throughout this book, as was the case with Deconstructing Jesus, Price points out many possible historical roles that Jesus could have played, and points out historical parallels to substantiate the point. But Price will ultimately have none of that, showing how these scenarios have no historical weight because they’re derived from the Gospels, which are historically worthless. I suspect, with his new book, Price will emerge as the new champion of Jesus Mythicism.

UV2003

Way over my head right now
It's so interesting to see people who are so far past the point of questioning whether Jesus was real or God that they don't have any doubt whatsoever. I'm still in suspension of disbelief mode, I guess. Since I'm no biblical scholar, all I can say is the stories sound, given a non-biased reading, like nice myths, but with all the apologists and rhetoric I don't know what to believe.

I did just order Price's latest, and I have read his stuff about evangelical maturity and hightlighted much of it.
-UV