Hello Kevin,

>LL>Again, where is the proof/evidence?

KG>Craig Evans:

KG>>Indications of Jesus' literacy may also be seen in
KG>>his familiarity with and usage of Scripture.

KG>>According to the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus quotes
KG>>or alludes to 23 of the 36 books of the Hebrew Bible
KG>>(counting the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles
KG>>as three books, not six).  Jesus alludes to or quotes
KG>>all five books of Moses, the three Major Prophets
KG>>(Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel), eight of the twelve
KG>>Minor Prophets, and five of the "writings."

KG>>In other words, Jesus quotes or alludes to all of the
KG>>books of the Law, most of the Prophets, and some of
KG>>the Writings.

KG>>According to the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus quotes or
KG>>alludes to Deuteronomy some 15 or 16 times,
KG>>Isaiah some 40 times, and the Psalms some 13 times.

KG>If you believe Jesus actually lived and did some
KG>of the things recorded in the Bible, the question
KG>I'd ask *you* is "Why?"  What's your reason?

St. Paul told us to question.  Not just some things,
but all things.  I am merely taking his good advice.  :)

Why do folks "believe Jesus actually lived and did some
of the things recorded in the Bible"?  Because their parents
told them so.

The same can be said of a number of other things, whether it be about
religion, politics, or anything else.  We believe certain things because
that is what we have been taught to believe.  Not just by our parents,
but also by our peers, relatives, friends, even enemies.

Is that a reason for believing?  Of course it is.  Maybe not a good
reason, but a reason nonetheless.  And if folks want to believe what
they have been taught to believe, without question, that's fine.
But just because they believe it is true (even if only in their own
mind), it doesn't mean it is true.

Millions upon millions of children throughout the world have been
taught to believe in Santa Claus, as if Santa Claus were a very real
person. And those millions upon millions of children honestly believe
Santa Claus is a very real person who does what they have been taught
to believe.

The point is, we should question.  Not just some things, but all
things.  Including our most sacredly-held beliefs.  After all, that
is what St. Paul told us to do.  We should take him at his word.
Or should we?

Was Jesus literate?  Could he read and/or write?  Considering that
less than 3 percent of the people in Roman-occupied Palestine were
literate, the real question should be "Were most people literate?"
The answer to that question is obvious.  Among those who could read
and/or write, none were poor.  That too, is obvious.  Or should be.

The evidence presented by Evans is very scant, and far from convincing
that Jesus could read and/or write.  The only evidence he presents are
accounts from the gospels which only suggest would could have been.
In other words, a contention of "maybe" Jesus could read and/or write.

Evans cites an example of Jesus "reading" from a scroll in synagogue.
How do we know Jesus was not merely going through the motions of
"reading," as some sort of religious rite?  Historians have noted
orators to have held blank documents and "reading" from those documents
as their means of giving oracles.  Is this what Jesus did?  Perhaps.
[`Why Jesus Could Walk On The Sea But He Could Not Read And Write'
(Neotestamenica 39.1, 2005), Pieter F. Craffert and Pieter J.J. Botha.]

We have no writings of Jesus.  No books, papers, documents, etc.
of any kind.  Only what has been written about him, by unknown
authors, in languages other than his own.  What were their motives
for writing anything at all?  What story did they want to tell?

Notice the contrast in how Jesus is portrayed by those promoting
what is called the "prosperity gospel".  In that version, Jesus is
highly educated, a gifted speaker, friend of the wealthy, etc.

Of course, people are free to believe whatever they have been told
to believe.  Many do.  And many never question what they have been
told, believing every word they hear as if it was the gospel truth.

Oh how wonderful it is to believe in Santa Claus...

KG>Lee, I've seen enough of these kinds of arguments
KG>demanding evidence and proof over the course of my life.
KG>Yours is no different.  You offer nothing new here.

Except rare insights into the vast unknown.  :)

KG>What's your motivation?

Truth.  What is your motivation?

KG>... Can you show me some _proof_ of your identity?

I am just a blip on a computer monitor.  What are you?

--Lee


 * SLMR 2.1a * "How sweet it is!" - Jackie Gleason

--- Maximus 3.01