tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20930767.post5013040215202627449..comments2023-06-01T14:08:49.977+00:00Comments on Confessions of a Doubting Thomas: The Criterion of Dissimilarity and the Son of ManUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20930767.post-60679673774272262002012-06-15T16:06:25.859+00:002012-06-15T16:06:25.859+00:00CK Barrett, in an article in a book called "N...CK Barrett, in an article in a book called "New Testament Essays", made the point that 'son of man' is very odd Greek, but quite unremarkable Aramaic. Since the Synoptics originated in Greek, it is unlikely that the phrase originated with them. The least that can be said is that it is an Aramaism which therefore reaches back to the first decade or so of the Jesus-movement. What seems most likely is that it was preserved as early tradition (possibly originating with Jesus himself), but as the faith moved into increasingly Hellenistic societies it became an awkward and indeed incomprehensible phrase to explain. A parallel case can made for the gradual replacement of very Hebraic terms such as 'messiah' with more accessible Greek terms such as 'Lord.'<br /><br />I agree with you about the criterion of dissimilarity - if anything which related to either his Jewish background or his Christian successors is deemed inauthentic, the only Jesus we could be left with is an absolute alien. Gerd Theissen suggests replacing most of John Meier's criteria with a criterion of historical plausibility (the book is called The Quest for the Plausible Jesus). The aim is to demonstrate the plausibility of Jesus within his historical context (contextual plausibility) and as the cause of continuing Jesus-tradition and subsequent events (plausibility of historical effects). Both are necessary. With reference to the son of man sayings, I suggest the scenario I have outlined is a more plausible explanation for their place in the tradition than their being invented by the writers of the synoptics.Rev Tony Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09248241050776947372noreply@blogger.com