AHN Byung Mu: Jesus of Galilee

AHN Byung Mu
23.6.1922 - 19.10.1996

"Jesus of Galilee"

hg. vom Dr. Ahn Byung-Mu Memorial Service Committee

Geleitwort für die englische Übersetzung

Dr. Ahn Byung-Mu, the author of this book, was one of the leading minjung theologians who fought against the Park military dictatorship during the 70s and 80s. He had been forced to resign from his professorship at Hanshin University in 1975 because of his participation in the democratic movement; through his writings, lectures, as well as action. A year later, he was put in prison for participating in the pronouncement of the "Declaration for the Restoration of Democracy." He suffered heart problems during his prison life. After he was released from prison, he continued being active in the frontline of the Korean democratic movement. With the assassination of President Park Jung Hee in 1979, Dr. Ahn was reinstated to his former professorship in February 1980. However, six months later he was once again forced to resign by the military government led by Jeon Doo Hwan.

It was the death of a factory tailor named Jeon Taeil in November, 1970 that turned Dr. Ahn's life to a new direction. Jeon Taeil, only a junior high school graduate, studied the labor law by himself and tried hard to rally his co-workers who might have agreed to fight for the improvement of their poor working conditions with him. Because he was not successful in the rally despite his hard attempt, he burned himself to death in the Pyunghwa market where he worked for the rights of factory workers. His death was shocking news to many intellectuals, especially to Dr. Ahn who interpreted the death as a self-transcending action.

Dr. Ahn had gone to Germany for his study of historical Jesus in 1956-66. For the quest of historical Jesus, he devoured as many books as he could, including Bultmann's. But he had to return to Korea without breaking the taboo for the inconceivability of historical Jesus in European New Testament scholarship. In return, he taught New Testament studies at Hanshin University by applying the Biblical methods that he had studied in Germany. Yet it didn't mean that he gave up on his passion for the quest of historical Jesus.

Finally after experiencing the self-transcending action of minjung, such as Jeon Taeil, and his own imprisonment, Dr. Ahn began to live for and with minjung. As he recognized the power of minjung as the subject of history, despite their poverty and oppression, Dr. Ahn turned his theological point of view on Jesus. For him, Jesus was no longer seen as a person but as an event. After all, he took the position to believe not "In the beginning ... there was a word" but "In the beginning ... there was an event." He also claimed that one could not study the Gospel of Mark without noticing "Ochlos" who were always surrounding Jesus and concluded that they are the subjects of history and its bearer. Therefore, minjung became the core of his study. With his new theological view, he began to read the Gospel, especially the Gospel of Mark, again and thus wrote the present book, "Jesus in Galilee," as the fruit of his studies. Also he eventually claimed "Minjung is the Messiah."

With the purpose of both succeeding and developing the excellence of his theological thoughts, the depth of his theological knowledge, and his practical life, the Dr. Ahn Byung-Mu Memorial Service Committee has published 7 volumes of his work series according to each subject, one commemorative book, and a collection of essays in his memory. The committee plans to continue publishing the work series and essays. Although the committee is sorry that this book was not translated into English during Dr. Ahn's life, we are glad that it is now translated into English so that minjung theology, a Korean contextual theology, can be introduced to English speaking readers.

We want to note that readers will find the word, "minjung," is used a lot in this book without any definition. It was, however, his thoughtful consideration that he intentionally avoided defining the meaning of the word. We also want to note that we put all the references as endnotes but omitted references to Korean books, except his own books.

On the 7th memorial service, October 19, 2003 Dr. Ahn Byung-Mu Memorial Service Committee

 

CONTENTS

Introduction by the Dr. Ahn Byung-Mu Memorial Service Committee
A Note on Re-Writing this Book
Preface

Chapter I The Riddle of Jesus
The Quest for Historical Jesus
A Man Among the People
The Riddle of Jesus
Ho Who Received Full Authority

Chapter II Historical Situation of the Jesus Movement
Political Situation
The Maccabean Revolt and the Royal Hasmonaeans
Rome - The Era of King Herod
King Herod
Politics Through Procurators
Economic Situation

Chapter III John the Baptist and Jesus
Who was John the Baptist?
John the Baptist and Jesus

Chapter IV Toward Galilee: The Call of Jesus
Buddha, Confucius and Jesus
Toward Galilee!

Chapter V The Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God
The Struggle for the Coming of the Kingdom of God

Chapter VI Jesus and the Minjung
The Minjung of Jewish Society
The People with Whom Jesus Associated
Ochlos
The Kingdom of God and the Minjung

Chapter VII Struggle with Satan
The Miracles as Events of the Minjung
An Example of the Anti-Rome Minjung Movement

Chapter VIII Jesus and Women
The Jesus of Women in Jewish Society
Jesus' Concern for Women
Women and Discipleship: the Relationship between Jesus and Women
Patriarchy and Women
The Women Who Moved Jesus
An Anonymous Woman
Mary Magdalene

Chapter IX To God What is God's: Repentance
All Things Belong to God
Liberation from Privatization
Liberation from the Privatization of Power
The Things of Caesar and the Things of God
Following Jesus

Chapter X Conflict with the System
Enemies of the Jesus Movement
The Forces of Jerusalem
Confrontation with the Forces of Jerusalem
Confrontation with the Political Powers

Chapter XI The Passion Narrative
Christianity and the Cross
The Synoptic Gospels and the Passion Narrative
The Context of Jesus' Passion
The Minjung Movement of Jesus
The Crucifixion

Chapter XII Minjung Arise: The Story of the Resurrection
Jesus Who Arose from the Dead
Analysis of the Resurrection Story
The Meaning of the Resurrection
The Reality of Resurrection in the Passion of Jesus
Our Suffering, Our Resurrection

Introduction by the Dr. Ahn Byung-Mu Memorial Service Committee
A Note on Re-Writing this Book
Preface

Chapter I The Riddle of Jesus
The Quest for Historical Jesus
A Man Among the People
The Riddle of Jesus
Ho Who Received Full Authority

Chapter II Historical Situation of the Jesus Movement
Political Situation
The Maccabean Revolt and the Royal Hasmonaeans
Rome - The Era of King Herod
King Herod
Politics Through Procurators
Economic Situation

Chapter III John the Baptist and Jesus
Who was John the Baptist?
John the Baptist and Jesus

Chapter IV Toward Galilee: The Call of Jesus
Buddha, Confucius and Jesus
Toward Galilee!

Chapter V The Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God
The Struggle for the Coming of the Kingdom of God

Chapter VI Jesus and the Minjung
The Minjung of Jewish Society
The People with Whom Jesus Associated
Ochlos
The Kingdom of God and the Minjung

Chapter VII Struggle with Satan
The Miracles as Events of the Minjung
An Example of the Anti-Rome Minjung Movement

Chapter VIII Jesus and Women
The Jesus of Women in Jewish Society
Jesus' Concern for Women
Women and Discipleship: the Relationship between Jesus and Women
Patriarchy and Women
The Women Who Moved Jesus
An Anonymous Woman
Mary Magdalene

Chapter IX To God What is God's: Repentance
All Things Belong to God
Liberation from Privatization
Liberation from the Privatization of Power
The Things of Caesar and the Things of God
Following Jesus

Chapter X Conflict with the System
Enemies of the Jesus Movement
The Forces of Jerusalem
Confrontation with the Forces of Jerusalem
Confrontation with the Political Powers

Chapter XI The Passion Narrative
Christianity and the Cross
The Synoptic Gospels and the Passion Narrative
The Context of Jesus' Passion
The Minjung Movement of Jesus
The Crucifixion

Chapter XII Minjung Arise: The Story of the Resurrection
Jesus Who Arose from the Dead
Analysis of the Resurrection Story
The Meaning of the Resurrection
The Reality of Resurrection in the Passion of Jesus
Our Suffering, Our Resurrection