In the previous essay, we examined the biblical character of Jesus of Nazareth as a mythical one. Now, let us suppose that he was an historical figure.
Most biblical scholars agree that Jesus, Yeshua/Joshua in Hebrew, was most likely a member of the Essene sect. The Essenes were a splinter group of Judaism, denounced by the Sanhedrin (Rabbinical Council) as heretics; they were to that religion as the Puritans were to Christianity, i.e. reformists who believed that the mainstream had lost sight of the foundations of Judaism and sought to restore them. They were itinerant preachers who spoke to anyone who would listen.
By and large, however, the scholars view the synoptic gospels as ahistorical writings because they were written decades after the alleged events. It is a fact that word-of-mouth transmission of information tends to become muddled over time; one person passes on what (s)he thought (s)he heard from someone else ad infinitum. Otherwise, one would have to believe that someone followed Jesus around 24/7, writing down everything Jesus said or did, to be published later. But, that wasn’t the case; literacy in those days was limited to the local elite, and they had no desire to speak favorably about this pesky Essene.
The scholars suggest that parts of the biblical narrative were manufactured for one purpose or another. The gospels might have gained more credence had it not been for the so-called “miracles” attributed to the preacher. The authors obviously wished to imbue him with supernatural powers in order to support their claim that he was the “son of God.” Nowhere in the narrative did Jesus claim to be the “son of God”; rather, he called himself the “son of Man,” i.e. of all humankind. On the other hand, he did not disabuse those who believed he was “divine” of that notion.
A case in point concerning manufacturing is the alleged birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The alleged date was what our calendar designates as December 25. Yet, the gospels say that shepherds were in the fields tending their flocks. Shepherds tend their flocks in the field only when the ewes are about to give birth to their lambs; this occurs in the springtime, not in the dead of Winter.
Two-thousand years ago, December 25 was the date of the birth of Mithra, a Persian savior-god. Roman soldiers stationed in Southwest Asia embraced the cult of Mithra because it was more dynamic that the tired old pantheon of Rome; they spread it throughout the Empire, and it became very popular. The early Church co-opted December 25 as a means of gaining converts to their religion, claiming that date as the birth of their savior-god.
The grandest “miracle” of all that the gospel writers allege was the “death” and “resurrection” of Jesus. In 1965, the noted biblical scholar, Dr. Hugh J. Schoenfeld, published The Passover Plot to debunk this final part of the narrative.
First, crucifixions in Roman times did not correspond to the gospel accounts. This method of execution was slow and painful, meant to serve as a warning to other would-be “criminals.” The normal procedure was to break the legs of the condemned in order to hasten death. This did not happen according to the narrative.
The “vinegar” given to Jesus when he cried out for water was not a common practice. Dr. Schoenfeld suggested that he was given a drug which feigned death whereupon he could be taken down from the cross at once.
Jewish law forbade the presence of an unburied corpse during the Passover observance. Therefore, Joseph of Arimathea asked Roman consul Pontius Pilate for a special dispensation. A sizable bribe may have speeded things along! The guards at the execution site were bribed to look the other way while the body was taken down. Dr. Schoenfeld suggested that the body of another man was hung on the cross for appearance’s sake.
Jesus was then carried to Joseph’s private tomb, dressed in a clean cloth, and laid to rest until the effects of the drug wore off.
When Jesus revived, he was escorted out of the tomb and encountered a group of his followers (including Mary Magdalene) who had been holding a vigil for the “dearly departed.” They marveled at his “resurrection” and believed that he truly was the “son of God.”
Jesus departed Jerusalem because that city would not be safe for him in case Pilate learned that he had been tricked. Dr. Schoenfeld suggested he might have left for Egypt, a known haven for “heretics” in those days.
A footnote: Biblical scholars view the wedding at Cana as Jesus’ nuptials. Otherwise, if he had been just a guest, he would not have been allowed to order the servants around. Who might have been “Mrs. Jesus”? The likely candidate was Mary Magdalene, who seemed to have been his constant companion. He and she thus disappeared into the mists of Time and became a Legend. (Wouldn’t it interesting to learn that someone alive today was their descendant?)
Just a thought.
Happy Solstice, dear reader!