Chapter 19 - The Question: Is Jesus divine ?

 

Chapter 19 - The Question: Is Jesus divine ?

 

The short answer is no. There are two routes to answer this question: 1) Present evidence from the Old Testament. 2) Present evidence from the New Testament using deductive reasoning. Option two takes on the role of a detective and is more convincing if it is proven true. Especially, more convincing to those following the New Testament as a primary source and using the Old Testament as a secondary source supporting their respective doctrine - The dispensationalists, futurists and Millennialists. First, we must know that the primary belief and tenet of a follower of Paul's Christ(Messiah) is the doctrine of the physical resurrection of Jesus. Paul lays out the importance of the physical resurrection of Jesus in 1st Corinthians chapter fifteen. The contents of the previous chapter not only presents Paul's position but also presents evidence that he had received problematic questioning and doubts from other early Christians concerning his interpretation of the “gospel”. There are four main themes within 1st Corinthians chapter 15: verse 4 - Third day resurrection of Jesus, verse 13 and 14 - No resurrection then No Faith., verse 32 - competing doctrines, verse 51 and 52 - mass resurrection or "rapture".

The first thing we must look at is who qualifies as the competing group? And why they are the group which Paul attacks in Ephesus. This particular group, which Paul attacks, are the Jewish-Christians who disagreed with Paul's doctrine or account of events. To envision this conflict among Paul's group and the Jewish-Christian group among the early Christians, two verses must be presented as outlier events. What are the outliers? The one particular datum or information which is not part of the usual collection of data. In other words, things or events which are out-of-the ordinary for a particular subject or a collection of data. In this presentation, it would be data that does not agree with the common perception of what is part of Christian teachings or Paul's doctrine. The three outliers are: (1) Matthew 27:52-53, (2) Matthew 24:20, (3) Matthew 10:5-15.

 

Matthew 27:52-53 is an outlier datum because neither this event is told by other gospel writers nor by common historians like Josephus. It is known that when events happen around Jerusalem it is usually spread to even Syria (Matthew 4:24 and Acts 10:37-39). The previous statement or verse is supported by the Jewish chronicler Josephus when he described the existence of Jesus and his followers in detail within his treatise. Also, other nationalities where stated in the Gospel of John to be in the city or travelling through it (John 12:20,19:20). This is clearly an epistemological error or flaw by the Gospel writer because this event would have spread into other parts of the Roman Empire and nearby regions. The most important factor is that the Gospel of Matthew is before the Gospel of John. The Gospel of John was written in response to the failed predictions of the Temple's desecration or its destruction. In other words, when Jesus of Nazareth never materialized during the event of the Temple's supposed desecration and evident destruction it forces John to compose the next or last "Gospel". The other verses which could discredit the above evidence would be the verses in Matthew 28:12-15. These verses are more in describing the bribery of the Roman soldiers concerning the supposed event at the sepulchre site at the start of Matthew chapter twenty-eight but not describing a city-wide bribery. Also, this event would have been stated in the other three gospels. For even if it was a city-wide bribery clearly the other three gospel writers would have mentioned its importance. Also; Josephus, the Jewish chronicler, would have mentioned it in his collection because of the high-profile importance of the Jewish "saints". Paul is a brilliant politician and cunning theoretician because he influenced at least two gospel writers agreed with his doctrine and gospel (2nd Timothy 2:8,3:10, Romans 2:16,16:17,16:25). Paul is also known through the collection of Titus (TITUS 1:10-16) to have expressed his disgust towards the Jewish-Christian group and possibly Jews in general which disagreed with his doctrine towards the Gentiles. This conflict is also noted by James, the supposed half-brother of Jesus (JAMES 4:1). The other important note is that the writer of the Book of Revelation is also part of this exclusive short-lived club of "Jewish-Christians"(Revelation 14:4). This fact was noted earlier because of John's usage of Essenic language to describe the group in symbolic language to describe the "144,000".



   The difference over the timing of "rapture" was noted by Paul himself in 2nd Timothy 2:17-18. Paul verbally attacks Hymenae and Philetus for propagating something which differs from his policy - mass resurrection or rapture already occurred. From deduction, the assumption is created where this supposition is stated - Matthew 27:52-53. It has to be the case because the "mass resurrection of the saints" were never recorded by any independent historical source and so it must represent a symbolic or spiritual representation of "rapture". The theory is that Hymenae and Philetus are following another Gospel or message opposing Paul's agreed Gospel. It is then agreed that they were following the Gospel of Matthew, which is for Paul, a serious departure from his truth (Gospel). Paul would have proposed only Luke and Mark as Gospels and also excluded the Book of Revelation. It is known St.Augustine of Hippo, years after Paul, forced the acceptance of the Book of Revelation into the New Testament canon. Surely, the previous proposed theory could be supported by collaborated evidence because of the contradictions within the New Testament canon.

 

If the accounts of events surrounding the resurrection is not accurate and complete then there is a possibility that Jesus resurrection never took place. The weakest Gospel is the Gospel of Matthew which contains the epistemological error concerning the mass resurrection of the "saints". It is noted that even the Gospel of Matthew speaks of Jesus resurrection. However, the epistemological flaw gives reason of doubt concerning Jesus' resurrection. The supporting evidence of the flaw is the supposed bribery of the guards or soldiers at the sepulchre or tomb (Matthew 28:12-15). There is no historical evidence of a bribe and it is not even stated in the collection attributed to Josephus. For Josephus would have hinted and even stated this injustice in his collection concerning the trials and struggles of the nascent Christian community. The two Gospels in allegiance with Paul, does not even mention a bribe by the Jewish Priests. Therefore, this omission by Paul's Gospel writers (2nd Timothy 4:11) and the Gospel of John gives the evidence that Jesus resurrection never occurred. This only concludes in a set of events surrounding the death of Jesus the man: (1) Jesus was a non-violent revolutionary against the injustices of the Roman Empire and the Jewish priests. (2) Jesus was convicted and crucified. (3) Jesus was buried and never resurrected.

 

Matthew 24:20 is evidence against Jesus returning to Earth therefore rejecting the first premise of his resurrection. For the verse is evidence that the writer was not only a Jewish-Christian but one in disagreement with Paul. For instance, the prohibition of travelling during the "sabbath" is neither followed nor stated by the Gospel writers loyal to Paul. The prohibition is clearly omitted in the Gospel of Mark (Mark 13:18) and the Gospel of Luke (Luke 21:23-24) the very Gospel writers in allegiance with Paul's doctrine. The parallel verses, contained in Mark and Luke, with Matthew 24:20 is presenting to the reader that the actual return of Jesus was to occur in the past and not in a future date or era. In other words, the term "sabbath" in verse twenty is an outlier data signifying that the existence of the Jewish-Christians during that particular time were to observe the return of Jesus. Despite the exclusion of the Pauline group the outlier in the Gospel of Matthew exposes yet another dilemma - the supposed early return of Jesus. The reason being that the prohibition of travelling during the "sabbath" is not followed by any modern Christian. The previous evidence would conclude in the following premise: Matthew's prophecies mentioned in Matthew chapters twenty-four was addressing and detailing the desecration of the Temple in Jerusalem. Is it possible that Paul, through his letters, expressed Matthew's prophecies and described as "the dispensation"? Yes, Paul also believed in this theory of a "rapture" before the Temple's destruction or rather desecration. Therefore, when Paul's prediction did not materialize then later John composed two books defending the creed: the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation knowing that many could have left the early Christian movement. Furthermore, John's composition of the Book of Revelation is after A.D. 70 and then developed a doctrine and included a Millennial vision and language to cover Paul's mistake.

Paul would have succeeded if only those who canonized the New Testament did not include the Gospel of Matthew and the Book of Revelation. Both of these books are expressing the existence of the Jewish-Christian group, the very group predicted to observe Jesus' physical return, and presents to the reader the flaws inherit in Paul's own doctrine and gospel. The two outliers in order (Matthew 27:52-53 & Matthew 24:20) located in the Gospel of Matthew tells the reader four things: (1) Jesus did not resurrect at all. (2) Jesus is not going to return. (3) The Jewish-Christian group who were supposed to observe Jesus' physical return no longer exist as a group. (4) Finally, Jesus is neither divine nor God.

 The proof above was constructed by using the New Testament canon without extracting verses from the Old Testament and through analogical deduction. For the maxim below could be constructed:

(1) Paul used the Old Testament source to develop and present a fictional Jesus (2nd Timothy 4:13). James used HOSEA 6:1-3 in the Sunday morning eulogy telling the audience, in front of the empty tomb, a fictional account that Jesus had risen and told them to announce the "Good News" to the weary earthquake victims in the city of Jerusalem (Matthew 27:51-54).

(2) The supposed "miracles" are heresay from others spread by those loyal to the non-violent revolutionary Jesus (Josephus writings on the subject of Jesus and Christians in contrast with Matthew 4:24).

(3) There are no treatise or books by either Jesus or Lazarus (The Gospel of John chapter twelve) to verify the "miracles".

(4) The events predicted by all four Gospel writers, the writer of the Book of Revelation and Paul expired at A.D. 140. This would mean that the Book of Daniel expired years earlier despite the usage by the New Testament writers to naturally predict the destruction of the Temple by the Romans. Exposing the whole New Testament as a collection of expired prophecies or false predictions or events written after the facts.

(5) The New Testament canon is a collection of natural political documents expressing the hope of a new political movement. This new movement was to preserve the survival of the Jewish tribe in the face of continuing conquest by other empires. The movement called the "Christians" was utilized to unite Jews and non-Jews (Romans chapter eleven) by creating a fictional Jesus. A fictional Jesus created out of a non-violent revolutionary Jesus who was crucified and buried without a resurrection.

(6) Matthew 10:5-15 is definitely an outlier knowing the actions which Paul took to include the Gentile Christians. Romans chapter eleven will forever be the protest chapter against the contents Matthew chapter ten. The Matthew passage was definately enforced and followed (Galatians chapter two) and the compromise was initiated by James (Acts 21:18-25). The issue of foods bought and sold in the Roman marketplace became the next point of contention before the execution of Paul by Nero (1st Corinthians chapter eight and Revelation chapter thirteen). The previous contention presents the case that the New Testament canon is a collection of group think and politically natural document rather than a supernaturally guided text. If the text is supernaturally guided then it would be properly assumed that "God" believes in a social evolutionary development or "dispensation" of the Gospel. However, Paul's own words according to the previous observation creates doubt that the New Testament canon is "divinely" inspired (Colossians 1:25-29). In other words, it would be proper to describe the New Testament canon as a natural collection of letters and documents concerning the survival of the messianic movement intended only for the Jewish people (Matthew 10:5-15).