Reply #24: Was there a Jesus? Of course there was a Jesus--many! [View All]

[golddigger]

Josephus, the first century Jewish historian mentions no fewer than 19 different Yeshuas/Jesii/Jesus's, about half of them of the supposed Christ.

Jesus ben Sirach.
This Jesus was reputedly the author of the 'Book of Sirach'(aka 'Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach'), writing in Greek about 180 BC.

Jesus ben Pandira.
A wonder worker during the reign of Alexander Jannaeus (106-79 BC), one of the most ruthless of the Maccabean kings. He met his own end-time by being hung on a tree - and on the eve of Passover. Scholars have said this Jesus founded the Essene sect.

Jesus ben Ananias.
Beginning in 62 AD, this Jesus had caused disquiet in Jerusalem with a non-stop doom-laden mantra of 'woe to the city'. He prophesied rather vaguely:
"A voice from the east, a voice from the west, a voice four winds, a voice against the bridegrooms and the brides, and a voice against the whole people."--Josephus Wars 6.3
Arrested and flogged by the Romans he was released as nothing more dangerous than a madman. He died during the siege of Jerusalem (70 AD) from a rock hurled by a Roman catapult. He was still yelling "Woe, woe to the city again, and to the people, and to the holy house!" And just when he added his last, "Woe, woe to myself also!" there came a stone out of the catapult, and smote him.--Josephus, War of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem, book 6, chapter 5, section 3.

Jesus ben Saphat-(68 AD)
Jesus ben Gamala-(68/69 AD)
Jesus ben Thebuth-(69 AD)

But no Jesus of Nazareth!
But, something too strange to be a coincidence!
According to Biblical account, Pilate offered the Jews the release of just one prisoner and the people chose 'Barabbas rather than gentle Jesus.

But hold on a minute:In the original text studied by Origen (and in some recent ones) the chosen criminal was Jesus Barabbas--and Bar Abba in Hebrew means 'Son of the Father'!
Are we to believe that Pilate had a Jesus, Son of a God, and a Jesus, Son of the Father in his prison at the same time???!!!
Perhaps the truth is a single executed criminal helped flesh out the whole fantastic fable.
Gospel writers, in scrambling details, used the Aramaic Barabbas knowing that few Latin or Greek speakers would know its meaning.

Information used from the author Kenneth Humphreys.

http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/surfeit.htm

Edited for a typo