By Schubert Ogden
The Notebooks of Schubert Ogden
According to Bultmann, Jesus' call for decision for or against his
person (cf. Mt. 11:6; Lk 12:8 f.; Mk 8:38) implies a christology. This christology cannot be a matter of theoretical observation, but can only be "the explication of the response of decision for him, of obedience to his word, of obedience that allows one's situation to be disclosed as new through him [die Explikation der Antwort der Entscheidung fur ihn, des Gehorsams unter sem Wort, des Gehorsams, der sich durch ihn seine Situation als eine neue aufdecken liiflt]" (Glauben und Verstehen, 1: 205).
From this it would seem that the "response of decision," or, simply, the "decision" of which christology is the explication has three defining characteristics:
1. it is a decision for Jesus;
2.
it is obedience [in the sense of obedient submission] to Jesus' word; and
3.
it is obedience that allows one's situation to be disclosed as a new one through Jesus.
9 February 2000