How Jesus Became God summary

The Historical Jesus

In How Jesus Became God, Bart D. Ehrman starts by painting a picture of the historical Jesus, a Jewish preacher from Nazareth. He emphasizes that Jesus didn't consider himself divine, but saw himself as a human being chosen by God to bring about the Kingdom of God. Ehrman argues that Jesus' crucifixion was a result of his radical teachings and his claim to be the future king of the Jews.

Ehrman then delves into the earliest Christian beliefs about Jesus, which he maintains, were influenced by the Jewish belief in resurrection. He explains that the earliest followers of Jesus believed he had been raised from the dead and exalted to heaven, not as God, but as the future ruler of the coming Kingdom of God.

Developing Christological Beliefs

The second part of the book explores how the earliest followers of Jesus' teachings came to believe in his divinity. Ehrman argues that the belief in Jesus' divinity was a gradual process, influenced by a variety of factors such as the interpretation of Jewish scriptures, the influence of Greco-Roman religious beliefs, and the experiences of the resurrected Jesus by his followers.

According to Ehrman, these factors led to the development of different Christological beliefs among early Christian communities. Some believed that Jesus became divine at his resurrection, others at his baptism, and still others at his birth. Ehrman also discusses the role of the Apostle Paul in shaping these early Christological beliefs and spreading them among various Christian communities.

The Councils and Creedal Formulations

In the third part, Ehrman examines the formalization of Christological beliefs through a series of church councils and creedal formulations. He discusses the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE, where the divinity of Jesus was officially declared in the Nicene Creed. Ehrman emphasizes that the decision was not unanimous and that it took several decades and more councils to establish the orthodox Christian belief in the Trinity.

Ehrman also highlights the role of political and social factors in these creedal formulations, arguing that the Roman Emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity and his desire for religious unity greatly influenced the outcome of these councils. The author stresses that these developments were not just about theology, but also about power, politics, and social control.

Christology in the Early Christian Communities

In the final part of the book, Ehrman returns to the early Christian communities to examine how the newly established Christological beliefs affected their understanding of Jesus. He argues that the belief in Jesus' divinity as formulated in the creeds was not universally accepted, and that different Christian groups continued to hold diverse beliefs about Jesus for centuries.

He also discusses the emergence of the New Testament canon and how the inclusion of certain texts and exclusion of others helped solidify the orthodox Christian beliefs about Jesus' divinity. Ehrman concludes by emphasizing that the belief in Jesus' divinity was a complex and evolving process, shaped by a variety of historical, social, and theological factors.

Final Thoughts

In How Jesus Became God, Bart D. Ehrman provides a comprehensive and thought-provoking exploration of the historical development of Christological beliefs in early Christianity. He challenges the traditional view of Jesus as a divine figure and presents a nuanced understanding of the complex and evolving nature of early Christian beliefs about Jesus' identity. Ehrman's work invites readers to critically examine the historical context of religious beliefs and the diverse interpretations of Jesus in the early Christian tradition.