Jesus, Sin, and Perfection in Early Christianity

The first full-length study to trace how early Christians came to perceive Jesus as a sinless human being. Jeffrey S. Siker presents a taxonomy of sin in early Judaism and examines moments in Jesus' life associated with sinfulness: his birth to the unwed Mary, his baptism by John the Baptist, his public ministry - transgressing boundaries of family, friends, and faith - and his cursed death by crucifixion. Although followers viewed his immediate death in tragic terms, with no expectation of his resurrection, they soon began to believe that God had raised him from the dead. Their resurrection faith produced a new understanding of Jesus' prophetic ministry, in which his death had been a perfect sacrificial death for sin, his ministry perfectly obedient, his baptism a demonstration of perfect righteousness, and his birth a perfect virgin birth. This study explores the implications of a retrospective faith that elevated Jesus to perfect divinity, redefining sin.

1. Introduction: from sin to perfection; 2. Approaching the gospels; 3. A taxonomy of sin; 4. From sinful birth to virgin birth; 5. From repentant to righteous baptism; 6. A tempting transition; 7. The scandal of family; 8. The scandal of friends; 9. The scandal of faith; 10. From sinful death to perfect death; 11. From sin to perfection; 12. Saving Jesus from perfection.

Jeffrey S. Siker is a Professor of New Testament and Early Christian Studies at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles. His publications include Homosexuality and Religion: An Encyclopedia, Scripture and Ethics: Twentieth-Century Portraits, Homosexuality in the Church: Both Sides of the Debate and Disinheriting the Jews: Abraham in Early Christian Controversy.