Jesus, Gnosis and Dogma [Hardcover]

In Jesus, Gnosis and Dogma Roukema investigates and assesses the various views of Jesus in early Christianity, basing his approach on a distinction between historical and theological statements about Jesus. Historical statements can be arrived at through a critical study of the earliest records, although Roukema recognizes that scholars differ widely here. Theological statements about Jesus are to do with what has been and is believed about him.

Roukema demonstrates that Gnostic traditions about Jesus mostly derive from the earlier traditions preserved in the New Testament writings and do not give a more accurate view of the historical Jesus. He shows that the view of Jesus as the divine Lord (Yahweh) and Son of God is inspired by an early Jewish pattern that was exploited by the very first Christians. In spite of some later dogmatic precisions, there is more continuity between the New Testament picture of Jesus and the Nicene creed than between the historical Jesus and the Jesus of early Gnosticism. Even the essence of the Trinitarian dogma appears to have Jewish roots.

1. Introduction
Jesus as a source of inspiration
Jesus considered historically and theologically
Who is Jesus? Reactions by Peter, Matthew, and Thomas
Plan of this book

2. Jesus' origin and identity
Paul's epistles
The Gospel of Mark
The Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel of Luke
The Gospel of John
Evaluation of the New Testament data
The Gospel of Thomas
Cerinthus and the Ophites
The Gospel of Judas
Theodotus
The Tripartite Tractate
Comparison between the New Testament and other writings

3. Jesus' teachings
The Gospel of Mark
The Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel of Luke
The Gospel of John
Evaluation of the New Testament data
The Gospel of Thomas
The Gospel of Judas
The Gospel of Mary
The Tripartite Tractate
Other teachings of Jesus after his death and resurrection
Comparison between the New Testament alSä