[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [1 Thessalonians 5:2][/font]
You take a case to court and you stand in front of the Jury, they call in the witnesses only to find that they had all fled the scene when the even took place, but the police or shall we say the investigators who came on to the scene took acounts from people who were not there at the time,and they want to hold a case with third account evidence.Does this case stand in the court of law.
You take a case to court and you stand in front of the Jury, they call in the witnesses only to find that they had all fled the scene when the even took place, but the police or shall we say the investigators who came on to the scene took acounts from people who were not there at the time,and they want to hold a case with third account evidence.Does this case stand in the court of law.
I dare humbly claim that such unattested documents would be thrown out of hand, in any Court-of-Law, in any civilised country, in just two minutes. Furthermore, one of the alleged witness, St. Mark, tells us that at the most critical juncture in the life of Jesus - "They (the disciples)ALL forsook him and fled" [Mark 14:50] (see below under "Genuine disciples" for more detail). So the so-called "eye-witnesses" were not really eye-witnesses to the happenings, unless St. Mark is not telling us the whole truth, the "Gospel truth". Yet he is supposed to be speaking under oath! You will agree that a case based on such hearsay evidence would be thrown out of Court, TWICE in two minutes, in any civilised country; that is TWICE in just 120 seconds flat! But a ghost (dogma) of two thousand years standing, upon which hangs the salvation of over a billion Christians today, should not be summarily dismissed. We will therefore entertain the alleged testimonies of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as if they were duly attested.
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[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]ESTABLISHING GOD'S KINGDOM[/font]
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March Into Jerusalem[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Jesus (pbuh) made his triumphant royal entry into Jerusalem at the head of an excited and enthusiastic following, with high hopes of establishing the "Kingdom of God" any minute; riding a donkey to fulfil prophecy (Zechariah 9:9) - Tell ye the daughter of Zion, behold, thy KING cometh...sitting upon as ass...And a great multitude spread their garments...and branches in the way...and the multitude cried, saying, "Hosanna to the SON OF DAVID...Hosanna in the highest..." - [Matthew 21:5-9] - let Luke the beloved physician, add his strokes to clarify the picture. "...because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should IMMEDIATELY appear" - [Luke 19:11][/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Heavenly Kingdom???[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]"But those mine enemies, who would not that I should REIGN over them, bring them hither and SLAY them before me"-[Luke 19:27]. "...Blessed be the KING who cometh in the name of the Lord..."-[Luke 19:38]. And John adds that the excited throng exclaimed - "Hosanna! Blessed is the KING of ISRAEL, that cometh in the name of the Lord"-[John 12:13]. "The Pharisees said...Behold, the world is gone (mad) after him (Jesus)"-[John 12:19]. "NOW is the judgement of this world; N-O-W shall the prince of this world be CAST OUT"-[John 12:31].[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Who would withstand such heady-wine of impeding glory? Little wonder that Jesus was tempted physically to oust those that bought and sold within the temple precincts. He overthrew the money-changer's tables and drove them out with a "whip of cord"-[John 12:15].[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]An Aborted Coup[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]The overthrow of the Temple Authority was imminent, and a forerunner to the expulsion of the Romans, heralding the "Kingdom of God." But alas his high hopes did not materialise. The whole performance fizzled out like a damp squib, despite all the "Hosannas" and hoorays to the "Son of David" and the "King of Israel." All this ballyhoo was only forty years premature.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Jesus had failed to heed the warning of the Pharisees to curb the over exuberance of his disciples (Luke 19:39). He had miscalculated. Now he must pay the price of failure. His nation was not ready for any sacrifice, in spite of all their infantile clamour.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Jewish Reasoning[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]The Jewish leaders reasoned that this one man had almost brought the nation to destruction. Therefore, "It is expedient for one man to die for the nation"-[John 11:50]. But with all the mass hysteria surrounding him, it was also NOT expedient to apprehend Jesus in public. They waited for the opportunity of a clandestine arrest. As luck would have it they found in Judas, an elected disciple of Jesus (pbuh), a traitor who would sell his Lord and Master for thirty miserable pieces of silver.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Judas was Disgruntled[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]As a purser for the elect group of Jesus, Judas had endless opportunities of pinching pennies permanently. Why jeopardise that for all times for 30 paltry pieces? There is more to that than meets the eye. Judas was disgruntled, after all those mass demonstrations on Jesus' regal entry into Jerusalem - those hot-pourings of: "The HOUR is come - and NOW is - the prince of this World will be CAST OUT - I should REIGN over them - bring them HITHER and SLAY THEM before me." Jesus has now developed cold-feet. If only Jesus could be provoked, he might react with miracles, and bring down fire and brimstones from Heaven upon his enemies, which would enable him and his disciples to rule the world.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]From close contact with the Master, he had learned that Jesus was kind, tender and loving. But, he was not a mealy-mouthed man; he was no milk-and-water Messiah. But Judas could not understand the "hot and cold" blowings of Jesus. Perhaps if Jesus was accosted, he would yet deliver the goods. To this end Judas schemed.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]The Traitor Known[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]The furtive looks and the suspicious behaviour of Judas had revealed everything to Jesus (pbuh). At the table in the Upper-room where Jesus and his disciples were having that "Last Supper", Jesus dismissed Judas with the words:[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Long before the crucifixion, Jesus says:[/font]
Policy Change
Jesus will not be a sitting-duck for a clandestine arrest by the Jews. He prepares his disciples for what is coming and introduces the subject of defence:
"And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no SWORD, let him sell his garment, and buy one." [Luke 22:35-36]
Holy War - Jews against Jews! Why! Why this somersault? Did he not advise them to "turn the other cheek"; "to forgive seventy times seven" (70 x 7 = 490)? Did he not send his chosen Twelve with the advice:
"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be ye, therefore, as wise as serpents, (?) and as harmless as doves." [Matthew 10:16]
To Arms! To Arms!
The situation and the circumstances have changed and as with any wise and able general, the strategy must also change. The disciples were already armed. They had some foresight. They had not left Galilee with bare knuckles. They responded:
"...Lord, behold, here are two SWORDS. And he said unto them, It is enough." [Luke 22:38]
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[/font][/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]CALL YOUR WITNESSES[/font]
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Demand For Proof
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"Say: 'Produce your proof if ye but speak the truth'." [Holy Qur'an 2:111]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [1 Thessalonians 5:2][/font]
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Third Party Evidence - "According To . . ."
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[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]The amazing thing about the Christians' sworn writings attributed to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John is that not a single one of them is duly attested. Not a single one bears the signature, mark or thumb-print of its author in the so-called originals. They now boast of being in possession of over 5000 "originals" of which no two "original" are identical. Amazing! Little-wonder the Christians themselves label their Gospels as - "The Gospel according to St. Matthew", "The Gospel according to St. Mark", "The Gospel according to St. Luke" and "The Gospel according to St. John".[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]When Christian scholars are asked why the words "according to" are repeated at the beginning of every Gospel, the obvious implication is that they are not autographed. It is only assumed that they are authored by the names the Gospels carry today (see the page titled "Is the Bible God's Word?" for more detail). In the "New International Version" the translators have unceremoniously expunged the "according to's" from the four Gospels in their latest translation. Of the alleged Gospel writers, viz., Matthew, Mark, Luke and John it can be categorically stated that 50% were not even the elected Twelve Disciples of Jesus (pbuh
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial][/font][font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]ESTABLISHING GOD'S KINGDOM[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]
March Into Jerusalem[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Jesus (pbuh) made his triumphant royal entry into Jerusalem at the head of an excited and enthusiastic following, with high hopes of establishing the "Kingdom of God" any minute; riding a donkey to fulfil prophecy (Zechariah 9:9) - Tell ye the daughter of Zion, behold, thy KING cometh...sitting upon as ass...And a great multitude spread their garments...and branches in the way...and the multitude cried, saying, "Hosanna to the SON OF DAVID...Hosanna in the highest..." - [Matthew 21:5-9] - let Luke the beloved physician, add his strokes to clarify the picture. "...because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should IMMEDIATELY appear" - [Luke 19:11][/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Heavenly Kingdom???[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]"But those mine enemies, who would not that I should REIGN over them, bring them hither and SLAY them before me"-[Luke 19:27]. "...Blessed be the KING who cometh in the name of the Lord..."-[Luke 19:38]. And John adds that the excited throng exclaimed - "Hosanna! Blessed is the KING of ISRAEL, that cometh in the name of the Lord"-[John 12:13]. "The Pharisees said...Behold, the world is gone (mad) after him (Jesus)"-[John 12:19]. "NOW is the judgement of this world; N-O-W shall the prince of this world be CAST OUT"-[John 12:31].[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Who would withstand such heady-wine of impeding glory? Little wonder that Jesus was tempted physically to oust those that bought and sold within the temple precincts. He overthrew the money-changer's tables and drove them out with a "whip of cord"-[John 12:15].[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]An Aborted Coup[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]The overthrow of the Temple Authority was imminent, and a forerunner to the expulsion of the Romans, heralding the "Kingdom of God." But alas his high hopes did not materialise. The whole performance fizzled out like a damp squib, despite all the "Hosannas" and hoorays to the "Son of David" and the "King of Israel." All this ballyhoo was only forty years premature.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Jesus had failed to heed the warning of the Pharisees to curb the over exuberance of his disciples (Luke 19:39). He had miscalculated. Now he must pay the price of failure. His nation was not ready for any sacrifice, in spite of all their infantile clamour.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Jewish Reasoning[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]The Jewish leaders reasoned that this one man had almost brought the nation to destruction. Therefore, "It is expedient for one man to die for the nation"-[John 11:50]. But with all the mass hysteria surrounding him, it was also NOT expedient to apprehend Jesus in public. They waited for the opportunity of a clandestine arrest. As luck would have it they found in Judas, an elected disciple of Jesus (pbuh), a traitor who would sell his Lord and Master for thirty miserable pieces of silver.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Judas was Disgruntled[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]As a purser for the elect group of Jesus, Judas had endless opportunities of pinching pennies permanently. Why jeopardise that for all times for 30 paltry pieces? There is more to that than meets the eye. Judas was disgruntled, after all those mass demonstrations on Jesus' regal entry into Jerusalem - those hot-pourings of: "The HOUR is come - and NOW is - the prince of this World will be CAST OUT - I should REIGN over them - bring them HITHER and SLAY THEM before me." Jesus has now developed cold-feet. If only Jesus could be provoked, he might react with miracles, and bring down fire and brimstones from Heaven upon his enemies, which would enable him and his disciples to rule the world.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]From close contact with the Master, he had learned that Jesus was kind, tender and loving. But, he was not a mealy-mouthed man; he was no milk-and-water Messiah. But Judas could not understand the "hot and cold" blowings of Jesus. Perhaps if Jesus was accosted, he would yet deliver the goods. To this end Judas schemed.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]The Traitor Known[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]The furtive looks and the suspicious behaviour of Judas had revealed everything to Jesus (pbuh). At the table in the Upper-room where Jesus and his disciples were having that "Last Supper", Jesus dismissed Judas with the words:[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]"...What thou doest, do quickly." [John 13:27][/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]JESUS FINISHED THE WORK[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]JESUS FINISHED THE WORK[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]Long before the crucifixion, Jesus says:[/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]"And this is life eternal, THAT THEY MAY KNOW THEE, the ONLY TRUE GOD, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." [John 17:3]
"I have glorified thee on the earth: I have FINISHED the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." [John 17:4-5][/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]He had FINISHED the work that he was sent for. His work was to deliver the message of God unto the Jews. That they might know THE ONLY TRUE GOD and that Jesus Christ was the CHOSEN MESSIAH sent for the Jews - if you had faith in this, then you would have eternal life. There was no crucifixion in sight when he said this. Jesus did not know anything about it. He had done the work that he came to do. When you have finished the work for your employer, you go and ask him for your pay. Jesus is doing just that and is asking God for his "pay", "And now, O Father, glorify thou me"."I have glorified thee on the earth: I have FINISHED the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." [John 17:4-5][/font]
Policy Change
Jesus will not be a sitting-duck for a clandestine arrest by the Jews. He prepares his disciples for what is coming and introduces the subject of defence:
"And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no SWORD, let him sell his garment, and buy one." [Luke 22:35-36]
Holy War - Jews against Jews! Why! Why this somersault? Did he not advise them to "turn the other cheek"; "to forgive seventy times seven" (70 x 7 = 490)? Did he not send his chosen Twelve with the advice:
"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be ye, therefore, as wise as serpents, (?) and as harmless as doves." [Matthew 10:16]
To Arms! To Arms!
The situation and the circumstances have changed and as with any wise and able general, the strategy must also change. The disciples were already armed. They had some foresight. They had not left Galilee with bare knuckles. They responded:
"...Lord, behold, here are two SWORDS. And he said unto them, It is enough." [Luke 22:38]
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