RE: Did Jesus Even Really Exist?
November 21, 2011 at 2:07 am
(This post was last modified: November 21, 2011 at 2:16 am by Justtristo.)
I voted no, not necessarily because of the lack of evidence in the extra biblical sources. However because of the lack of evidence in the New Testament itself outside the Gospels. As Earl Doherty argued in both The Jesus Puzzle and Jesus: Neither God Nor Man, when you read the New Testament letters. The authors never use the authority of Jesus, which you would expect if he had been a historical character in trying argue their positions. Instead when they talk about Jesus or the Lord, they are very likely describing a character who existed in the heavenly realms, rather than our world.
As I see it now the figure of Jesus started out as a mythical character and then got historicised later on when the gospels were written. Not to mention I believe the Gospels were written a lot latter than a lot of scholars argue. Also that the Paul described in the New Testament did not exist, although it was likely there was a historical character which Paul was based off. Which would led to my developing belief that Christianity started out as a mystery cult outside Palestine and that it was heavily Gnostic in flavor.
As I see it now the figure of Jesus started out as a mythical character and then got historicised later on when the gospels were written. Not to mention I believe the Gospels were written a lot latter than a lot of scholars argue. Also that the Paul described in the New Testament did not exist, although it was likely there was a historical character which Paul was based off. Which would led to my developing belief that Christianity started out as a mystery cult outside Palestine and that it was heavily Gnostic in flavor.
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