REL 253: Study Guide 6

Harris: ch. 5

If there were various kinds of Judaisms in the world of the New Testament, can we—or should we—speak of various kinds of Christianities (in the time of the early church or even today)?

Brown: Intro to NT Christology, 155–61 (“A Brief History of the Development of the Royal Messianic Hope in Israel”)

Before reading this, make a note of what characteristics of qualities come to mind when you think about the word "Messiah." After reading Brown, see how your notes compare to the general Jewish expectations of what a messiah should be or do.