The title of this week’s class is a joke that I probably find funnier than most. On the satirical podcast Mega, the Aussie youth pastor of fictional Twin Hills Community Church, Gray Hass, constantly makes reference to “Jesus… and Christ specifically” (and vice versa). He prays to “Jesus… and Christ specifically.” “Jesus… and Christ specifically” died on the cross. And so on.

What other Jesus would Hass be referring to? Why does he need to add the “specifically”??

This week we ask the questions, what does it mean to call Jesus the Christ? And, what were–and are–the implications of this to the Jewish world and to the Empire?

The first reading this week is pretty disruptive. I’d like you to start with Hedges’s piece on Christology and antisemitism. I want this to shape the way you read the other three texts (assuming you still want to–bah!):

From there, I’d like you to read Kärkkäinen’s chapter on the “Gospel Silhouettes of Jesus.” You’ll find a lot of familiar information here from the McGrath chapter. Feel free to skim this one.

Then read the chapter from Christ and Empire by Rieger. This builds off the gospel treatment of Jesus’ Lordship and moves into the writings of Paul and Deutero-Paul.

Hop onto TikTok for Dan McClellan’s insights on Matthew 27 and Psalm 22. Think about Dan’s response in light of the Hedges piece in particular. Is he demonstrating a kind of anti-antisemitic view of Jesus?

And finally, I’d like you to engage the wisdom and wit of Amy-Jill Levine’s talk on Jesus, the “misunderstood Jew.” You can stop playback at the start of the Q&A.

Happy reading and watching, folks!