The Titles of Jesus in Christology

Hahn's famous work on the history of the titles of Jesus is a detailed examination of the Christological traditions which led to the use of names for Jesus long embedded in the life of Judaism, the Palestinian primitive Church, and in pre-Pauline Christianity. Hahn says: The titles of majesty have been dealt with independently of one another so far as overlappings, and contacts have not emerged in the history of the tradition itself. A convergence of results has been asked for only in conclusion. It has seemed advisable to distinguish as carefully as possible from one another the different Christological conceptions, as also the stages of tradition within the several views, in order that peculiarities may not be overlooked. In the treatment of the five titles of majesty much could only be sketched, and all the problems could not be taken into account in an equally detailed way. Where a question arises that is essential for a judgement of the whole, an attempt has been made to give a closer argument. Hahn's approach has been followed by many later scholars and The Titles of Jesus in Christology is seen as a key work in the development of Christological ideas.