On Docetic Christology in Early Christianity. Part 3.2

Abstract

The so-called docetic Christology was based on the idea that the earthly Jesus and the heavenly Christ were two different persons; it was Jesus who suffered on the cross, whereas Christ just entered Jesus’ body for a while and abandoned it before his death on the cross; consequently, the suffering of Christ was mere appearance. Based on some passages from Gnostic texts containing examples of docetic Christology, the author attempts here to trace the life of that concept, starting with the New Testament (Pt. 1: Synoptic Gospels). In previous parts of the article (Pt. 2.1; 2.2; 2.3; 2.4), he analyzed such Paul’s passages as Rom. 1.3–4, Gal. 4. 4–7, 1Cor 8.4–6, Phlp. 2.5–11, Col 1.15–20; in Pt. 3.1, the subject of research was 1John 4.2–3; 2John 7 and some related sayings from the Letters of Ignatius. In this part, the author discusses some (antidocetic) problems of the Gospel of John. To be continued.