Re: jesus christ
Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2003 3:53 pm
Caractacus, I think you've got the basics of current historical thinking about right. few scholars genuinely question the existence of Jesus a a person. Apart from the Gospels (not written that long after the death of Jesus - certainly in the 1st century AD) and some references in the Apocrypha the main textual evidence comes down to us from the 1st century Jewish historian, Josephus.
He was born around 4BC and died at 1500 hrs on Friday 3rd April 33AD.
He was certainly a religious irritant to the ruling Pharisaic elite in Judea as he believed the elites got richer and the poor got poorer. The priests even had their own entrances into the Temple so as to avoid contact with the great unwashed. From the Roman point of view, they actively colluded with the Pharisees as the Empire was more concerned about social and political stability and conformity. Not for religious reasons - the Romans were incredibly tolerant toward native beliefs. It was social unrest they would not tolerate as it meant a dilution of their political and economic power. So this combination proved fatal for the Jewish non-conformist called Jesus.
But ancient and modern jews have always believed in capital punishment. Death sentences could only be passed by a court of priests and scholars called the Sanhedrin. Though you are right in suggesting execution was very rare.
For the saddos who've read this to the end I know this stuff not because I'm religious -which I'm not- but because read this at university. Sorry to be so boring..........I'll get my coat.
He was born around 4BC and died at 1500 hrs on Friday 3rd April 33AD.
He was certainly a religious irritant to the ruling Pharisaic elite in Judea as he believed the elites got richer and the poor got poorer. The priests even had their own entrances into the Temple so as to avoid contact with the great unwashed. From the Roman point of view, they actively colluded with the Pharisees as the Empire was more concerned about social and political stability and conformity. Not for religious reasons - the Romans were incredibly tolerant toward native beliefs. It was social unrest they would not tolerate as it meant a dilution of their political and economic power. So this combination proved fatal for the Jewish non-conformist called Jesus.
But ancient and modern jews have always believed in capital punishment. Death sentences could only be passed by a court of priests and scholars called the Sanhedrin. Though you are right in suggesting execution was very rare.
For the saddos who've read this to the end I know this stuff not because I'm religious -which I'm not- but because read this at university. Sorry to be so boring..........I'll get my coat.