Christology, the doctrine concerning the revelation of God in Christ and the salvation of humanity through Christ, is at the heart of Christian theology and at the heart of the church's proclamation.

These studies, including hitherto unpublished work, explore the origins of Christology. They explore, for example, the earliest christological thinking, the messianic claim of Jesus, the reasons for the condemnation of Jesus, the exaltation of Christ, the development of hymn singing, the development of christological titles and neglected features of Johannine Christology. In these mysterious beginnings, Martin Hengel discovers a coherent and unique process.