By Schubert Ogden
More on Marxsen's Talk about Jesus' Faith
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29 April 2008
I must say that I've been struck during my recent re-reading of Die Auferstehung Jesu von Nazareth by the care with which Marxsen distinguishes more than once between "faith" and "the expressions of faith," or, alternatively, between "faith as an internal process" and "faith in its community-building function" (99, 125 f., 144). That these are, in fact, alternative, verbally different ways of making one and the same distinction seems clear enough from the contexts in which the terms occur. But, then, it is hardly less clear that the distinction is not unimportant to Marxsen, and it may even warrant considering another interpretation than I've given of many of the statements he makes about "Jesus' faith." Perhaps in them, also, he is not thinking so much of Jesus's faith as such, or as an internal process, as of the expressions of Jesus' faith, or of his faith in its community-building function.
One reason, at least, for considering such a possibility is the complete (or all but complete) absence from Marxsen's statements about Jesus' faith of any of the usual revisionary claims for its extraordinary or even unique character. Furthermore, there is at least one place where he's explicit in rejecting the problematic claim in Hebrews about Jesus' sinlessness (C-p: 47). It's also true that, for the most part, certainly, he conceives normative Christian faith, not as faith with Jesus' faith, but as faith with the faith of the first witnesses (cf., e.g., AJN: 129: "Unser Glaube ist nur dann christlicher Glaube, wenn er ein Mitglauben mit dem Glauben der ersten Zeugen, mit dem Glauben des Petrus ist. Darin ist Petrus nun wirklich der Fels der Kirche.")
On the other hand, he can say that one believes radically only when one believes "as Jesus believes and, against all appearances, entrusts everything to God" (191: "Wer glaubt, glaubt nur dann radikal, wenn er we Jesus glaubt und Gott [gegen den Augenschein] alles zutraut." Only a few pages earlier, however, he says, significantly, that the reason "lived faith" includes hope is not that Jesus is risen, as this is usually understood, thereby making my coming resurrection certain, but "because Jesus of Nazareth has offered the possibility of this life" (187). I find this explanation significant because he does not say, because Jesus of Nazareth himself actualized this possibility by his own faith in God, but says, rather, because he, in effect, represented this possibility.). Also, and probably more telling, is that the only contexts in which he makes the distinction in question are those in which the faith in question is not Jesus' but Peter's.
My best judgment
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_{^}29 April 2008{^}{_}{_}{^}oJfaith{^}_ _{^}remains precisely the question"^_ _^(Doing Theology Today:^_ _{^}258)-1 now see that it fails to reckon with an important ambiguity that I myself have since come to recognize. "It is one question,^{_}{_}{^}II{^}_ _{^}I have written, "whether what a person says and does is a consequence of saving faith and, in this sense, is witness{^}_ _^\[sc.^_ _{^}offaith\].^_ _{^}It{^}_ _{^}is another question whether what a person says and does is experienced by another as confronting her or him with the decision of saving faith and, in this sense, is witness{^}_ _^\[sc.^_ _{^}of faith\]" (Notebooks: January 1993; rev. November 1993; 10 September 2003). But if this distinction is to the point, and ifby "expressions offaith" is to be understood "witness of faith," not in the first sense, but only in the second, my criticism is obviated. For whether or not certain expressions express the faith of the person expressing them, they can{^}_ _^\~ery{^}_ _{^}well be taken by another person as calling for her or his decision offaith-and therefore as, in that sense, preci sely: expressions of faith.^_ _{^}I{^}_ |
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_{^}One reason, at least, for considering such a possibility is the complete (or all but complete) absence frOln Marxsen's statements about Jesus' faith of any of the usual revisionary claims for its extraordinary or even unique character. Furthermore, there is at least one place where he's explicit in rejecting the problenlatic claim in Hebrews about Jesus' sinlessness{^}{_}{_}{^}Inust say that I've been struck during my recent fe-reading of{^}_ _{^}Die Auferstehung Jesu von Nazareth{^}_ _{^}by the care with which Marxsen distinguishes more than once between "faith" and "the expressions of faith/, or, alternatively, between "faith as an internal process" and "faith in its community-building function" (99, 125 f., 144). That these are, in fact, alternative, verbally different ways of making one and the same distinction seems clear enough froln the contexts in which the ternlS occur. But, then, it is hardly less clear that the distinction is not tUl.important to Marxsen, and it may even warrant considering another interpretation than I've given of many of the statements he makes about "Jesus' faith." Perhaps in them, also, he is not thinking so lnuch of Jesus's faith as such, or as an internal process, as of the expressions of Jesus' faith, or of his faith in its cornmunity-building function.^_ _^(C-p: 47).^_ _{^}It's also true that, for the most part, certainly, he conceives nonnative Christian faith, not as faith with Jesus' faith, but as faith with{^}_ _{^}the faith of the first witnesses{^}_ _^(cf.,^_ _{^}e.g.,^_ _{^}AJN:^_ _{^}129:^_ _^"Unser Glaube ist nur dann christlicher Glaube, wenn er ein Mitglauben mit dem Glauben der ersten Zeugen, mit dem Glauben des Petrus ist. Darin ist Petrus nun wirklich del' Fels der Kirche.^_ _^")^_ _{^}On the other hand, he can say that one believes radically only when one believes "as Jesus believes and, against all appearances, entrusts{^}{_}{_}{^}everything{^}_ _{^}to God" (191:^_ _^"Wer glaubt, glaubt nur dann radikal, wenn er zuie Jesus glaubt und Gott \[gegen den Augenscheinl{^}_ _{^}alles{^}_ _{^}zutraut."^_ _{^}Only a few pages earlier, however, he says, significantly, that the reason "lived faith" includes hope is not that Jesus is risen, as this is usually understood, thereby making my coming resurrection certain, but "because Jesus of Nazareth has offered the possibility of this life" (187).^_ _{^}I{^}_ _{^}find this explanation significant because he does not say, because Jesus of Nazareth himself actualized this{^}_ _{^}2{^}{_}{_}^,..^{_}{_}{^}possibility by his own faith in God, but says, rather, belcause he, in effect, re{^}{_}{_}{^}v{^}{_}{_}{^}presented this possibility.). Also, and probably more telling, is that the only contexts in which he Inakes the distinction in question are those in which the faith in question is not Jesus' but Peter's.^_ |
My best judglnent then, is that not all that Marxsen says about Jesus' faith can be fairly interpreted as talking only, or primarily, about its expressions, or its comn1uI1itycommunity-building function, as distinct from his faith as fides qua creditur. Still, it seems well worth exploring just how much of what he says could be accounted for by this alternative interpretation.
11 April 2007