True Christianity

The gnostic interpretation of the gospel assumed the existence of a ‘messianic secret’ in the narrative (Wrede). This idea is reinforced in the reports of the ancient Church Fathers since Irenaeus of Rome. The evidence from these and various other sources is that this ‘secret doctrine’ was that Jesus came to announce someone else as the messiah. This remains the cornerstone of early Islamic theology (which is now the near universal faith of people from Jesus’ “part of the world’). Yet second and third century witnesses within the Church preserve an identical understanding. Origen of Alexandria, one of the most influential Church Fathers ever, went so far as to argue that the understanding the ‘Jesus was the Christ’ was not only unknown to Jesus’ disciples but was actively discouraged by Jesus himself (Origen Commentary on Matthew xii:15 – 17).
I have assembled a sampling of some passages which have traditionally been used to support this point of view. Where possible I have given textual variants found in early Christian sources.
A) Those sayings where Jesus was understood to deny that he is the messiah:
• “But what about you?" Jesus asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ." And he rebuked Peter and enjoined His disciples that they should tell no man that He was the Christ.” [cf Mt. xvi: 20; Lk ix:19 – 21; Orig. Comm. Matt. xii; Tert AM iv:26]
• Those who were healed shouted out ‘Thou art the Messiah, the Son of God’ and Jesus rebuked them much.’ [Diat. vi:52 - 54; Mk iii. 9f, Lk vi. 18f]
• And those that had plagues and unclean spirits, as soon as they beheld him, would fall, and cry out, and say, Thou art the Son of God. And he rebuked them and ordered them to be silent. [Lk iv:41 from Tert. AM iv:8]
• And the demoniac and cried with a loud voice and said, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, Son of the most high God? … and Jesus commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man [Mk v:1-20; Lk viii: 26 – 36; cf Tert. AM iv 20]
• a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that Jesus was coming he began to shout, "Jesus thou Son of David, have mercy on me!" … Jesus stopped and said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." "Go," said Jesus, "your [new] faith has just healed you." [Mk x:46 – 50; Lk xviii:35 – 40; Tert AM iv:37]
• Jesus said “Many will come claiming that I am the Christ and will deceive many. Do not follow them.” [Mt xxiv:5 from Tert. AM iv:39 cf. Lk xxi:8; Mk xiii:6]
• And the chief priest and teachers of the law said “If you are the Christ, tell us." Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me.” [Lk xxii:67]
• Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the Christ?" Jesus replied ‘that is what you say” [Lk xxiii:3 from Tert AM iv:42 cf Matt xxvi:62,63]
B) Those sayings where Jesus was understood to announce someone else as the messiah:
• Jesus said “I have come and ye have not received me: when another shall come him ye will receive.” [Iren Haer v:25:4 cf Jn v:43]
• Jesus said “the Father will give you another Paraclete to be with you forever … The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives among you …” [Jn xiv:16f]
• Jesus said “I will not leave you bereaved; I will come to you in another little one.” [Jn xiv:18 Peshitta]
• Jesus said “when I will go I will send you the Paraclete.” [Jn xvi:7 from Coptic Manichaean Kephalaia19:7]
• Jesus said “I will go to my Father and will send the Paraclete straightaway to you.” [Jn xvi:10 from Act Arch. 31]
• Jesus said “If I go not away, that Paraclete shall not come to you; but if I go away, I will send Him to you.” [Jn xvi:7]
• Jesus said “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now; but when the Paraclete is come, He will teach you all things, and will bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” [Jn xvi:12 from Act Arch. 28]
• Jesus said “Whosoever shall deny me and my sayings in this sinful and adulterous generation, the Son of man also will deny him when he comes. For the Son of Man is about to come and reward each man according to his works.” [cf. Diat. xxiii:49,50; Mk viii:38]
• Jesus said “the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” [Lk xii:40]
• Jesus said “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" [Lk xviii:8]
• Jesus said “whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.” [Lk. xii:8]
• Jesus said to his disciples “I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” [Mt x:23]
• And Jesus said unto them, “Verily I say unto you, There be here now some standing that shall not taste death, until they see the kingdom of God come with strength, and the Son of man who cometh in his kingdom.” [Diat. xxiv:1 - 3; Mk ix. 1,Mt. xvi. 28b]
• Jesus said “… the Son of man shall sit on his throne” [cf Mt xxv:31]
• Jesus said “Watch at all times, and pray, that ye may be worthy to escape from all the things that are to be [in Jerusalem] and that ye may stand before the Son of man” [Lk xxi:36]
• The high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God to tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him “You say that. But I say to you that after me you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power.” [Mt. xxvi:63, 64 Peshitta]