How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee

Bart D. Ehrman

Mar 2014 · Sold by Harper Collins

About this eBook

New York Times bestselling author and Bible expert Bart Ehrman reveals how Jesus’s divinity became dogma in the first few centuries of the early church.

The claim at the heart of the Christian faith is that Jesus of Nazareth was, and is, God. But this is not what the original disciples believed during Jesus’s lifetime—and it is not what Jesus claimed about himself. How Jesus Became God tells the story of an idea that shaped Christianity, and of the evolution of a belief that looked very different in the fourth century than it did in the first.

A master explainer of Christian history, texts, and traditions, Ehrman reveals how an apocalyptic prophet from the backwaters of rural Galilee crucified for crimes against the state came to be thought of as equal with the one God Almighty, Creator of all things. But how did he move from being a Jewish prophet to being God? In a book that took eight years to research and write, Ehrman sketches Jesus’s transformation from a human prophet to the Son of God exalted to divine status at his resurrection. Only when some of Jesus’s followers had visions of him after his death—alive again—did anyone come to think that he, the prophet from Galilee, had become God. And what they meant by that was not at all what people mean today.

Written for secular historians of religion and believers alike, How Jesus Became God will engage anyone interested in the historical developments that led to the affirmation at the heart of Christianity: Jesus was, and is, God.

Ratings and reviews

Highly disappointing that a former Christian would leave the Truest Word of Jesus Christ for the opinions of men. This book is a questionable reference book. I do not recommend. ... So from the Beginning...In Genesis Chapter 1, we read of Elohim (Hebrew for Creator ...plural); the Holy Spirit, (the Divine Power of Elohim) who moved upon the void; and, the "Son of Man" (Jesus was called "Son of Man" 27 times in the New Testament) meaning Adam was created in Their likeness including an eternal spirit form. Adam, in this passage, foreshadows Jesus Christ's presence and eventual birth, death and resurrection. May the Lord bless each of you!

Ehrman explains in great detail how divinity in the Jewish religion was seen as more of a 'continuum', and he contrasts it with the concept of divine and semi-divine beings in the Roman Empire. I felt that these initial chapters were the best part of the book because we get an understanding of how the Romans understood their theology. Ehrman also coins the phrases "Exaltation Christology" and "Incarnation Christology". But when it comes to trying to fit the Letters of Paul into this progression from Exaltation to Incarnation, I felt that Ehrman struggles to give a sound answer. Going into the book I had assumed that the origins of these "low" and "high" Christology progressions were some of the questions that would most likely be answered, but I didn't find that he answered them conclusively. Ehrman also recaps a lot of his views from his other books to give the reader a holistic picture. He's no doubt a great scholar, but I personally felt that this was not one of his better books.

I would NOT recommend this book to anyone because it does not agree with what the Bible says. The Word of GOD says that Jesus is the Son of GOD. Although many Christians believe that Jesus is God the Son I agree that is Not true also because the Word of God does Not say that. The Word of God says that Jesus is the Son of God which is True according to the Word of GOD, as we all should be striving to be the sons and daughters of GOD. Because it is only ONE GOD. GOD sits on the throne Jesus sits on his righthand NOT on the throne. Jesus was made by GOD as a man by his spirit but that did NOT make Jesus GOD. Jesus is more than a prophet Jesus is the first of many of sons and daughters of GOD. Jesus was made by GOD for an example for us to follow 1Peter 2:21. After Jesus was raised from the dead by God Jesus became immortal still not God as when the children of God will be raised from the dead we will not become God we will become immortal.

About the author

Bart D. Ehrman is one of the most renowned and controversial Bible scholars in the world today. He is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and is the author of more than twenty books, including the New York Times bestsellers How Jesus Became God; Misquoting Jesus; God’s Problem; Jesus, Interrupted; and Forged. He has appeared on Dateline NBC, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, CNN, History, and top NPR programs, as well as been featured in TIME, the New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, and other publications. He lives in Durham, North Carolina. Visit the author online at www.bartdehrman.com.