Jesus Part 1. Embellished Birth? - By: George Wallace

What is particularly troubling is absence of mention of Jesus in written records of the time. Some of the natural phenomena, like the bright Star of Bethlehem, quite possibly a supernova, were not recorded. Similarly at His execution, the earthquake and eclipse, attributed to the time of the crucifixion were not recorded. Existing written accounts by contemporary authors like Seneca and Pliny the Elder do not mention an earthquake or an eclipse at that time. Both were particularly interested in and recorded such events from across the full extent of the Empire.

What about those religious materials? At first, Jesus' teachings were kept in an oral tradition, and decades later written by unknown persons. They were written after the fact of His death, and in a different language (Greek) than had been used at the time of the events described (Aramaic). In some cases, they were written hundreds of years later, obviously by people who had not been present at the events.

These well-meaning, but misguided persons attempted to "fill in" some of the missing details of Jesus' birth and death. They also made a common mistake of plagiarizing currently available, familiar texts for mysterious phenomena and details when their own imaginations ran thin.

Then, as now, there are all too many people in awe of the written word. They believe that if it is written it must be true. Even if it is a demonstrable falsehood, it must be true. At least spiritually inspired, if not true, and thus still acceptable, even Holy.

The claim of a position as a Son of a God was common. There were many in the history of the Roman Empire. His followers, particularly ones distant in time are subject to exaggerations in the stories that are told about Jesus’ origins.

Much of the Christmas story is just too trite. It is a case study of cognitive dissonance. It follows a pattern common to the time. The sad truth is that most, if not all, of the Gospels were "embellished". That's a fancy word for lie. They were added to, or had parts plagiarized from other books then available. It is sad because it is now impossible to separate the "embellishments" from the truth. Too much time has passed. Records have been lost or destroyed, and the eye witnesses are long dead.

Immaculate Conception was also said of John the Baptist and others. The Star of Bethlehem and the Wise Men from the East (Persia, or India) had their parts. Even King Herod’s part in the play is decorated with extra nastiness as a counterpoint. King Herod ordered the killing of newborn babies. That is about as horrid as you can make a villain. To do so as the result of an offhand remark by apparently wealthy visitors verges on insanity. Herod is, or course, called insane. He might have been paranoid, but you’re only mentally ill if no one is really out to get you.

Jesus was born, raised, and educated as a Jew. We can probably safely assume that He was circumcised as an infant, and later went through the Hebrew rite of passage, called bar Mitzvah. He followed Hebrew religious laws, including the dietary laws.

Why do this only one time? Isn't only one son, all of your eggs in one basket? Why not an army of sons? Every woman in Judea could have been just as easily made pregnant. In the other instances where God does things, He does them in a BIG WAY. Create the Heavens and the Earth, etc.

The part about the census sounds like a point of reality. A birth in a manger is so different from the usual Godly, run of the mill, birth in a palace as a Prince, that it has more verisimilitude. The escape to Egypt seems a bit of an exaggeration, but possible. The family must not have stayed long. The conditions for extended travel by poor individuals were difficult.

Jesus Was A Jew. Jesus was born, raised, and educated as a Jew. Jesus lived at a place and at a time when scholarship was admired. He studied at the Temple. He was a scholar of His religion. Hebrew was the language of the Temple. It is very likely that Jesus spoke at least Aramaic, Greek, and Hebrew. Aramaic was the common language. Greek was the language of commerce. Hebrew was the language of religious instruction. He and Joseph were carpenters and possibly stone cutters.

(c) Copyright 2006: George Wallace completed an MA and taught in the public schools for 28 years. He recently published a book on religion which lashes out at nearly all of the comfortable ideas about God, the trappings of organized religion, the layers of money sucking priesthood, and their departures from the fundamental ideas and messages of Religion. His pithy comments and suggestions for a return to a God-centered personal religion will outrage everyone.

http://www.OhGodIsThatYou.com