Many of the sources that we investigated comment on the person of Jesus.^2 In contemporary theology, the titles of Jesus are taken to be exceptionally important indications of who he thought he was, as well as how the early church identified him. The pre-New Testament creeds are crucial in this regard because of their early and authoritative nature. These confessional statements agree that Jesus was deity. We are told (30)that he was of the same nature or essence as God (creed: Phil. 2:6). He is specifically given the titles of (31)Lord (creeds: 1 Cor. 11:23; Acts 2:36; 10:36; Rom. 1:4; Rom. 10:9; Luke 24:34), (32)Son of God (creeds: Acts 13:33; Rom. 1:3–4) and (33)Christ (creeds: 1 Cor. 15:3; Acts 2:36, 38; 3:18, 20; 4:10; 10:36; Rom. 1:4; 1 Tim. 6:13; 2 Tim. 2:8; 1 Pet. 3:18; 1 John 4:2). Other titles from the Acts traditions include (34)Savior (Acts 5:31; 13:23), (35)the Holy and Righteous One (Acts 3:14; cf. 2:27; 13:35), and (36)Prince (Acts 5:31).
Secular sources report some similar data. (37)Jesus was worshiped as deity (Pliny; Lucian), (38)some believed that he was the Messiah (Josephus) and (39) called him “King” (Mara Bar-Serapion).
The Gnostic sources are even in agreement here. (40)We are told that on one occasion Jesus asked his disciples who they believed he was (Gospel of Thomas). Various answers are given in the Gnostic works, all of which agree (41)that he was both God and man. While he was a real flesh and blood person (Gospel of Truth; Treatise on Resurrection), as indicated (in the context) by the title Son of Man (Gospel of Thomas), he is also called (42)the Son of God (Treatise on Resurrection; Gospel of Truth) and (43)the “All” (Gospel of Thomas). The Teachings of Jesus
It is recorded (44)that Jesus preached to and taught Israel, a people whom he loved (Barnabas). (45)He exhorted the Jews to repent, yet they refused to do so even after he rose from the dead (Justin).
2 Our explicit intention in Chapter 10 was only to mention the post-New Testament Christian sources that reported historical facts during the life of Jesus. We did not mention the sources that also make claims concerning Jesus’ deity. For examples, see Clement, Corinthians, 36; Ignatius, Ephesians, 7, 18; Romans, Introduction; Smyrnaeans, 1; To Polycarp, 8; Polycarp, Philippians, 12. In these examples from Ignatius and Polycarp, Jesus is specifically called God.
(46)Jesus’ major teaching was the gospel (creed: 1 Cor. 15:1–4), (47)which he received from God and later imparted to his apostles (Clement; Barnabas). (48)The apostles were fully convinced of the truthfulness of the gospel and they, in turn, preached the Kingdom of God everywhere (Clement).
The tendency among some of the secular sources was (49)to view Jesus as a philosopher with some distinct teachings (Lucian; Mara Bar Serapion; cf. Gospel of Thomas). For instance, Lucian refers to Jesus as a “sage.” Lucian and Pliny, in particular, corroborate some of the major teachings of Jesus as mentioned earlier in the Christian sources.
Lucian asserts (50)that Jesus introduced new teachings in Palestine. These included (51)the need for conversion, (52)the denial of the gods, and (53)the brotherhood of all believers. Jesus’ teachings additionally included and encouraged
(54)worship of himself, (55)living according to his teachings, (56)the importance of faith, and (57)immortality, which led to a contempt for death among believers. Lucian also notes (58)that Christians had sacred Scripture which was frequently read.
