186. Jesus Christ in the eyes of a non-Christian. Part two

For those persons who wanted to follow him, physically, from place to place, Jesus Christ set an extremely high standard, which was impossible to adopt by ordinary people. The message was that it is not enough to lead a sinless life, but one has to give up everything. Here is what he said to a man who asked him that what he should do to have an eternal life (Mark, 10:17-19). Jesus replied that he should follow the commandments: 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.'" The man said that he has obeyed all the commandments. Jesus said:

²¹ Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Mark, 10:21)

 A lot has been made about his message of non violence, but it is not found in gospel of Mark. Here is the famous passage from Mathews (5:38-41):³⁸ Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:³⁹ But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.⁴⁰ And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.⁴¹ And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain”.

I don’t know what to make of it. Maybe, Jesus never said it, and that is why it is not in Gospel of Mark; or Jesus said it in an idealistic way for an ideal world. It sure is impractical. If Hitler had not been resisted in Second World War, the world today would be different and evil. Hitler could not have been stopped by passive resistance.

Miracles. A miracle is a manifestation of Divine power and glory. People who perform it do so only by the permission of God, which He has delegated to His deputies or Forces of evil (for some mysterious reason). No man in human history has performed so many, so powerful, and such varieties of miracles as Jesus Christ. He is unique in this respect. Most often some power is given to a person, like speaking in foreign tongues or the ability to prophecy, or healing the sick of some minor disease, or curing mental illnesses, and so on. But it never happens (except in the case of Jesus) that so many powers are given to one person. Imagine how much power of God he had. Let me give you examples from the Gospel of Mark:

1. He cured many persons who were suffering from mental diseases like hysteria, madness and epilepsy.
2. He cured other diseases such as fever ( mother of Simon and Andrew ), leprosy ( an incurable disease at that time ), paralysis ( an incurable disease ), deformity of hand ( an irreversible problem ), near death ( Mark 5:39), bleeding problem for twelve years,  and blindness ( incurable disease ). He healed a deaf and mute person. He cured some other diseases/deformities according to other Gospels. A woman who touched the fringe of his robe got cured. He cured the daughter of a Gentile woman from a distance, just by saying “your daughter is healed”, without seeing or touching her. A man cured mental disease just by using Jesus’ name, although he was not even his follower.
3. He could see things from a distance, like he saw a colt in a distant house ( Mark 11:2)
4. He predicted events which were going to happen in future. He repeatedly predicted his death and resurrection after three days. He predicted that Peter will deny him:                                                          ³⁰ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice^[a] you yourself will disown me three times. (14:30)”.                                                                                                                                 He foretold the destruction of the Temple: (13:1-2) “As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”  “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down.” It happened just as he had told.
5. Jesus walked on water
6. Jesus calmed the storm, just by rebuking the wind
7. Jesus fed five thousand people with meager amount of food:                                                    ⁴¹ And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. ⁴² And they all ate and were satisfied. ⁴³ And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. ⁴⁴ And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. (6; 41-44).  At another time he fed four thousand people with small amount of food.

To be continued.

181. Jesus And The Historians. Part three

 

We were discussing the five arguments which Aslan furnished to support the notion that Jesus thought that  the aims of his revolution could not be achieved without violence. Please read blogs 179-180 first.

1. Kingdom of God ( heaven ) did not necessarily mean that it had to be established on earth, in Palestine, in near future. As a matter of fact, nowhere did Jesus specify the geographical nature or the time of this kingdom. Look at these statements:

⁴³ If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. ^{[44] [a] 45} And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. ^{[46] [b] 47} And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, (Mark 9:43-47)

²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”²⁴ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is^[a] to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”( Mark 10:23-25)

Any impartial person, after reading these passages, will conclude that Jesus is referring to heavens, because he is contrasting it with hell: those who enter life, after stumble, with one foot, one hand, one eye; go in kingdom of God; two feet, two hands, two eyes; are thrown into hell. Rich people, in general, usually have a better life, in this world, than the poor, because their money can buy all the comforts which poor lack, then, if kingdom of God refers to this world then why Jesus said that it was impossible for rich to enter it.

I chose passages from Mark, because that is the earliest gospel, there are similar passages in other gospels. For example, “ …..that many Gentiles will come all over the world and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob….” (Mathew 8:11; Luke 13:28-30)). These prophets had died long time ago!

The author has a different take in this matter. He thinks that ‘kingdom of God’ and a ‘call to revolution’ are simply interchangeable terms. He further adds that Palestine was under Roman occupation. There was no other way to freedom except use of force.( page 120). Jesus agreed ( according to Aslan ) with the zealots that a change of whole system of government was needed, which included political. ( page 121)

There are passages in gospels which state that the kingdom of God is near, which can be interpreted as pointing to a violent rebellion, throwing the Romans out ( as happened few decades later), and establishing a new society based on new principles. Maybe, Jesus understood that his noble death ( which he predicted was going to happen ) and resurrection will result in a moral revolution in human beings. Persons like Peter, Paul, Stephens, and James (brother of Jesus) did achieve Kingdom of God in this world.

 

1. The author reconciles Jesus’ message of love and peace, to use of force against the Romans, by the  argument, that  his commands to ‘ love your enemies’ and ‘turn the other cheek ‘ did not apply to treatment of foreigners and outsiders but was meant only within the Jewish community. This is a preposterous argument and not worthy of discussion. Laws of God are the same for everybody.
2. Author states that Jesus was crucified for the crime of  sedition. Sedition must be aimed against Roman state, because crucifixion was reserved for treason, sedition, rebellion and banditry. Therefore, author argues, that Jesus was promoting sedition. His point of view is probably correct. Jesus was a revolutionary, though a peaceful one, but Roman and Temple authorities considered him a threat. That does not make him a violent revolutionary but he might have been perceived as such. To make his point valid, author had to argue that the other two bandits crucified along with Jesus had to be resistance fighters too. There is no evidence to support it.
3. Aslan contends that Jesus was calling for revolution with the use of force, because he was primarily a Jew, and Jews were rising up against Roman rule. Jesus could not have been unaffected. Palestine was seething with rebellion in the 1^st century, which finally resulted in driving the Romans out in 66 A.D, and have a Jewish rule for four years. There were revolts near about Jesus’ time; Judas the Galilean, Fourth sect; etc.
   This is an indirect deduction without any evidence. Revolutionary Jesus is not mentioned in any of the four gospels, letters of Paul, and by Josephus or Tacitus.
    
   To be continued

 

 

 180. Jesus And The Historians. Part two

 

We were discussing whether Jesus had a trial before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate.

Aslan thinks that the gospel writers and Paul were trying to absolve the Roman Governor for crucifixion by putting all the blame on the Temple Authorities, and by doing so were trying to please the Romans. Jews had risen in revolt against Romans and had been crushed. The Temple had been destroyed in 70 A.D. Jews had scattered in Roman Empire and were trying to live peacefully with other nations (mostly in Roman Empire) and that is why they were trying to absolve the Roman Governor .

It is surprising that Aslan does not quote an impartial writer, who had no axe to grind one way or the other. In the Antiquities of the Jews, Jewish historian Josephus, stated (Ant 18.3.3):

“. Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, (9) those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; (10) as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day...”.

Did the author present any evidence that the trial never took place? In other words did he find any writing or tablet saying that Jesus was never tried before the Roman Governor?

 

Thus the author violated the basic principle of research by rejecting all the four gospels and the letter of Paul, despite the fact that Mark was in Rome, Mathew in Damascus, Luke in Antioch, John in Ephesus, and Paul in Rome or Macedonia. They were also separated in time.

 

Aslan goes one step further. He contends that the trial before Caiaphas also did not take place (page 157). He furnishes a variety of minor reasons, but no evidence. To him, ‘the most troublesome aspect’ was the verdict; Jesus was not stoned to death.  All the scenes must have   been concocted by the gospel writers.

 

The back cover of the book has an excerpt by Judith Shulevitz. It characterizes Jesus as a ‘ A violent revolutionary,’‘ A fanatical ideologue’, ‘Odd and scary’

 

I wonder if the author approved such language.

Aslan rejects the arguments regarding the peaceful nature of his message. He furnishes 5 arguments to support his contention that Jesus envisaged that the aims of his revolution could not be achieved without violence.

1. He showed violent behavior in the Temple and instructed his disciples to buy swords (Luke 22:36-38). 
2. Jesus was promising Kingdom of God ( heaven), on earth
3. He meant peaceful behavior only towards Jews and not Romans
4. First century Palestine was seething with revolution
5. Jesus was crucified for sedition

Let us examine what the Synoptic Gospels, Josephus (a Jewish historian), and Tacitus (a Roman historian) have to say about this violent revolutionary.

1. There is zero evidence that Jesus was a violent revolutionary. He was a revolutionary alright but not a violent one. His revolution was not directed against the Romans but against the base nature of human beings. He wanted to reform us. He wanted us to love our fellow humans, even our enemies. He was an idealist, with an unachievable message, because he advocated selflessness, whereas self interest is the basis of all human and animal voluntary behavior. Let me quote his famous message:

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ ³⁹ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. ⁴¹ If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[b] and hate your enemy.⁴⁴ But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:38-44 )

"all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword".( Mathew 26:52)

Where is the evidence of violence? The author himself concedes as much. He writes that there was no evidence that Jesus himself openly advocated violent actions.( page 120)

Jesus was a human being. At least on three occasions he was overcome with emotions like all of us. Once in the Temple when he saw the deceit and the loot and overturned the tables of the money changers; second time in Mount of Olives before his arrest; and lastly just before his death, when he famously exclaimed, “ My God, my God, why have You forsaken me.” He was overcome with mercy on several other occasions.

The first two episodes are taken as evidence that Jesus was not a nonviolent person. May be he was not a pacifist, maybe he justified resistance against an enemy, but that is a far cry from advocating rebellion. Look at his life. Did he raise armies? Did his followers kill a single Roman soldier?

His distress before his arrest is heart wrenching, “³³ He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. ³⁴ “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

³⁵ Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. ³⁶ “Abba,^[a] Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what You will.” ( Mark 14:33-36).

 So what, if overcome with grief, he told his disciples to arm themselves with swords in their future journeys, so that they avoid what was going to happen to him in a short while. It is worth noting, that as the author mentions on page 124, Jesus knew his fate. He mentioned it to his disciples many times that he was soon going to be arrested, tortured, and killed. ( Mathew 16:21,17-22-23, 20:18-19; Mark 8:31, 9:31,10:33; Luke 9:22, 44, 18:32-33)”

To be continued