gizmo_2655 wrote on Aug 14
th, 2011 at 5:55pm:
NorthOfNorth wrote on Aug 14
th, 2011 at 5:38pm:
gizmo_2655 wrote on Aug 14
th, 2011 at 5:23pm:
And what is the reason???
The reason? New Testament writers claim that Jesus was the Messiah. It was of paramount importance to the authors of the Jesus birth story that he had to be born in Bethlehem -
The City of David, which is why all the effort in the NT nativity stories to make sure he was born there.gizmo_2655 wrote on Aug 14
th, 2011 at 5:23pm:
Any way you look at it...it's pretty specious to 'worry' about the birth location...
I'm sorry, but how does a religious reference to a birth location affect historical facts???
[highlight]It's a worry to those ancient Pauline writers who had it in their heads that the Messiah must be born in Bethlehem.[/highlight]
gizmo_2655 wrote on Aug 14
th, 2011 at 5:23pm:
he may not have done the miracles or been the 'son of god'...but he most likely DID life...
Yes, I agree... He probably existed as an historical figure. (I have said so 2 or 3 times above).1)
The reason? New Testament writers claim that Jesus was the Messiah. Yeah but that's a 'political' idea...and not really 'true'
2)
[highlight]It's a worry to those ancient Pauline writers who had it in their heads that the Messiah must be born in Bethlehem.[/highlight]
And again...it's 'political, not historical...
3)
The City of David, which is why all the effort in the NT nativity stories to make sure he was born there.Well the City of David is (possibly) important to the whole Jesus story...since Jesus WAS(apparently), the Scion of the House of David and therefore the Wearer of the Crown of Israel...
"
Yes, I agree... He probably existed as an historical figure. (I have said so 2 or 3 times above)."
Which means that he wasn't the 'Son of God'...but 'may' have been a political opponent of the Roman Regime...
1. Yes, it was political, but was transmogrified into a spiritual status by Pauline Christians
2. Yes, the new Christian movement inherited the idea of Messianism from its direct predecessor Messianic Judaism, but it was considered a spiritual role by Pauline Christians.
3. But as the Gospel of Matthew tells us, Jesus is related to David via Joseph (not Mary), thereby putting paid to his 'seed of David' claim through descent from his father.
4. He may have been an unsuccessful political opponent of Rome who paid for his crime by the harshest known Roman punishment reserved for the worst criminals and insurrectionists - Crucifixion.