The Early Church (In Acts of the Apostles)
Its message and format: the kerygmata
Big question: Did the early church get their view of Jesus right?
Hermann Samuel Reimarus was an enlightenment thinker who accused the disciples of
changing the views of Jesus.
Reimarus said that Jesus accepted a Jewish viewpoint popular in his time that the world was
about to end - Jewish apocalypticism.
The noun apocalypse means revelation and has come to be associated with the sudden end of
the world by God in an act of judgement.
Reimarus believed the apostles removed this view, and changed Jesus’ beliefs into timeless
and spiritual truths. They did this because the world didn’t end and they faked Jesus’
resurrection and founded a new religion, as they didn’t want to return to fishing.
Kerygma
At the heart of the debate is the kerygma of the Apostles in Acts 2 and 3.
Kerygma is the Greek term for preaching. It is an announcement rather than a set of teachings.
It is used by Luke to describe the ministry of Jesus.
Also by Paul too.
When the disciples presented the message of Jesus, they didn’t lecture, they heralded the
event.
Acts 2:14-39 - mentioned in specification
Peter addresses the crowd. He explains how Jesus fulfilled prophecies, he died and was
resurrected etc
Acts 3:12-26 - also in spec
Peter blames the crowd for Jesus’ death, and calls them to repent
C H Dodd on kerygma
C H Dodd: British New Testament Scholar
He said that we should be careful not to confuse kerygma with teaching or historical fact -
Its message and format: the kerygmata
Big question: Did the early church get their view of Jesus right?
Hermann Samuel Reimarus was an enlightenment thinker who accused the disciples of
changing the views of Jesus.
Reimarus said that Jesus accepted a Jewish viewpoint popular in his time that the world was
about to end - Jewish apocalypticism.
The noun apocalypse means revelation and has come to be associated with the sudden end of
the world by God in an act of judgement.
Reimarus believed the apostles removed this view, and changed Jesus’ beliefs into timeless
and spiritual truths. They did this because the world didn’t end and they faked Jesus’
resurrection and founded a new religion, as they didn’t want to return to fishing.
Kerygma
At the heart of the debate is the kerygma of the Apostles in Acts 2 and 3.
Kerygma is the Greek term for preaching. It is an announcement rather than a set of teachings.
It is used by Luke to describe the ministry of Jesus.
Also by Paul too.
When the disciples presented the message of Jesus, they didn’t lecture, they heralded the
event.
Acts 2:14-39 - mentioned in specification
Peter addresses the crowd. He explains how Jesus fulfilled prophecies, he died and was
resurrected etc
Acts 3:12-26 - also in spec
Peter blames the crowd for Jesus’ death, and calls them to repent
C H Dodd on kerygma
C H Dodd: British New Testament Scholar
He said that we should be careful not to confuse kerygma with teaching or historical fact -
