Abstract:
The article discusses the similarities and differences between the work of Robert
Funk and Walter Schmithals with regard to the discontinuity between the pre-Easter Jesus of history and the post-Easter Jesus of faith. The article focuses on the 1994 publication of Schmithals, Theologiegeschichte des Urchristentums, and
the 1996 publication of Funic, Honest to Jesus. According to Schmithals, Jesus
was embedded in apocalypticism, while his post-Easter followers projected wisdom
teaching into his message. According to Funic, the pre-Easter Jesus was a subversive
wisdom teacher, while his post-Easter followers interpreted his vision on the Kingdom of God from an apocalyptic perspective. Funk's emphasis criticizes
the kerygma as an alienation from Jesus. Schmithals' emphasis is a critical
endorsement of the kerygma.
