Has Bart Ehrman's teaching that Jesus became God (as a construction of the church) rather than being God, God the Son, worried you or influenced you?
If the answer is ‘yes’, then can I recommend 'How God Became Jesus?' by Bird, Evans and others? It tackles his ideas head on exposing their weakness. And, I especially want to recommend the chapters by Chris Tilling. He is careful and fair as all scholars should be. And totally destroys Bart Ehrman's scholarship. A quote from chapter 7 as Chris wraps up what he has shown:
'and I want this point to sink in, Ehrman’s questionable exegesis of Phil 2:6 – 11 is the only extended engagement with Paul’s letters in his entire book! Ehrman has constructed a case about the nature of Paul’s Christology by analyzing in depth only six verses in one passage. Just one passage!' (page 147)
Not only this, but Chris Tilling in his remarkable chapter shows how the Yahweh-Israel relationship of monotheism is taken on by Paul but now becomes the Christ-Christian relationship. This is evident across Paul’s letters. Thus, proving that the Apostle Paul understood Jesus as fully divine, on the God side of the Creator / Creation divide. Jesus didn’t become God. He was God.
Here’s the book. May I commend it to you.
How God became Jesus. Response to Bart Ehrman
My one critique of the book so far is the cover. It is very unappealing! But don’t let that put you off. The contents are excellent.
