Hello Greg,

>LL>If Jesus could read and write, why did he have to ask others
>LL>if they had read scripture?  Did he need others to quote scripture
>LL>for him?  Seems like it.  But hey.  Speculation is fun.  Some
>LL>folks actually believe Jesus spoke fluent Greek.  Doesn't mean
>LL>he did.

>LL>Again, where is the proof/evidence?  Jesus did not write any
>LL>of the gospel accounts, or any other books of the NT.

GG>Most of what we know of Socrates came from his students.
GG>Why is that?

Because somebody wrote down what he had done and said.

GG>Why did Jesus write none of the gospels?

Because somebody wrote down what he had done and said.

GG>Fact is most gospels were written after the fact.

A story of a man's life.  Not an autobiography.

GG>I would like to think that Jesus had way too much going on
GG>it write the gospels, and the disciples probably had a busy
GG>time while the three year ministry was going on, but had
GG>time to reflect on it later.

A busy time?  Doing what?  Following their Master around from place
to place around the countryside?  Even after he had gone, they went
and hid.  Nowhere to be found.  But somehow, or so the story goes,
Jesus went and found them.  Locked up inside of a room.  Refusing to
leave.  Scared shitless, knowing what had happened to their Master,
believing the same fate awaited them.  And then, when they saw him
enter that room, they literally jumped out of their skins, as if
they had seen a ghost!  Not just Thomas, but ALL of them!  Except
the ladies.  They knew he was real.

Anyway, it wasn't until Pentecost that his followers built up enough
courage to do anything.  When they saw their Master ascending into the
clouds, they knew he was leaving them for good.

Nobody knows exactly how long Jesus' public ministry was, whether
it was six months, three years, or some other period of time.  However,
that is less important than what he did.  Or rather, what folks said
he did.

Jesus had no time to reflect on things later, after his public
ministry was over, as he was dead.  The apostles had no time to
reflect on things either, as they had other, far more important
things to do.  Even after their Master had left them.

GG>Add to that many in the early church wanted to know more
GG>about Christ, so that was even more inspiration to get the
GG>written accounts down while they could.

Much has been written about the late Jesus.  But how much do we
know is true?  What did he look like?  Was he a tall white guy
with blond hair and blue eyes, having long straight hair?  Or was
he a short black man with kinky hair, kind of like a black version
of Danny Devito?  Maybe he was bald, or had a receding hairline,
as depicted in early paintings of him.  What kind of clothes did
he wear?  Was he straight?  Was he gay? Was he bi? Was he married?
Maybe he was polygamous, as he always traveled about with lots of
women in tow. Was he a druggie, hallucinating on magic mushrooms?
Did he smoke pot? Was he an alcoholic?  He certainly liked to drink
wine.  As did his disciples. Sometimes to the point of excess, leaving
none for others. Was he a glutton for food?  Did he walk with a limp,
have a patch over one eye, or have disabilities? Perhaps a learning
disorder?  We really don't know, and have no way of knowing.

We do not know who wrote the gospel accounts.  Each gospel account
was written for a specific audience, by different authors.  Obviously,
each author was going to paint a positive picture of Jesus.  Later,
church leaders got together and decided which books would be included
in what is known today as the new testament.  Only those accounts
deemed worthy by those church leaders got into print.

Consider how many different gospel accounts were floating about.
Consider how many different letters were floating about.
Consider how many different apocalypses were floating about.

Only a handful were deemed worthy of inclusion.  So what do we
really know about the late Jesus?  Is the Jesus you think you know
really the same Jesus that existed so long ago?  Are his teachings
really what you think they are?

What would happen if a new gospel were to be uncovered, or discovered?
Suppose an actual gospel written by one of the apostles was discovered?
A first-hand, eyewitness account.  Would that new gospel be accepted by
the church, and by Christians?  Or would it be rejected, out of hand,
just because some Christian leaders say that gospel is anti-Christian?

My guess is that new gospel would be destroyed.  Before anybody else
even found out about it.

>>> Continued to next message

 * SLMR 2.1a * This old dumb piano player just can't figure it out.

--- Maximus 3.01