Doctor X

acronos:

'twas a tease.

JES:

Indeed. Welcome to the forums.

--J.D.

Infidelettante

I don’t know that this counts as a contradiction. It is a lack. Something not said or something underplayed to a purpose. It is the almost complete absence of detail about the Roman occupation of Israel during the time the gospels were to have taken place. Yes there is a Roman presence but it is only the barest reflection of the turmoil the entire region was subjected to.

From the Roman conquest of Jerusalem in 63 BC to the destruction of the Jewish state in 70 AD Israel was awash in Zealots, Dagger men, Messiahs announcing the Kingdom of God and crucifixions. It was a time of rebellion against Rome and the Jewish upper classes. The leader of one rebellion, Judas the Galilean even made it into the NT. Acts 5: 27. His actions are echoed in Jesus who “stirred up the people” Luke 23: 5 and in John the Baptist.

Some evidence of the true nature of the times is found in Matthew 10: 16-42. The passage is the words of Jesus to his disciples on sending them out to spread the word of the coming kingdom of heaven. If one were to write a warning to those about to embark on a guerilla campaign against an occupying force he could do no better that this. There are bits and pieces through out the Gospels like this. Little truths wrapped in the robes of the Son of God. Little truths that say the story is other than you think.

JT

MrDarwin

The two stories of Judas' death have to be my favorite contradiction. In fact, a book on apologetics that my father gave me to read presented a laughable argument as to how the stories were not contradictory (and they cannot be contradictory if the bible is be both literally and consistently true, which it must be) was just so silly that it convinced me once and for all that the Christian bible is just a book of myths and that the people who claim it's not are just fooling themselves.

Baidarka

I have many favorite contradictions but I think that the NTs slip is showing when JC cries to God about his terrible fate. Proving that in these layers of the NT myth Jesus and God are not the same guy. Jesus speaks to God as a man in pain and not as an all knowing God sacrificing himself to save mankind.
Matthew 27:46
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi,[ 27:46 Some manuscripts Eli, Eli] lama sabachthani?"–which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"[ 27:46 Psalm 22:1]

Mark 15:34
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"–which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Baidarka

MrDarwin “The two stories of Judas' death have to be my favorite contradiction. In fact, a book on apologetics that my father gave me to read presented a laughable argument as to how the stories were not contradictory (and they cannot be contradictory if the bible is be both literally and consistently true, which it must be) was just so silly that it convinced me once and for all that the Christian bible is just a book of myths and that the people who claim it's not are just fooling themselves.”
Not only 2 stories of Judas’ death.
2 stories of the coins paid to Judas (in one a repentant Judas throws the coins back into the temple. In the other an unrepentant Judas buys land with the coins )
2 stories of the purchase of the field. (in one Judas buys the land. In the other the priests buy the land)
2 stories of the naming of the field ( In one the land is called “Field of blood because Jesus’ blood was spilled for the land. In the other it was called field of blood for the blood that Judas spilled on the land)
To harmonize these stories violence has to be committed against the literary intentions of both writers.

Amos

"Why hast thou forsaken me" is just Matthew. Religion is the "suffering church" and can not see the victory here. Luke says "father into thy hands I commit my spirit" and this means that Jesus is moving to the upper room (comedy). Incidently, on the last page of Joyce's "Portrait" he writes: "Old afther, old artificer, stand me now and ever in good stead." This was after a 40 day count-down with May 1 being the 40 day when new life in heaven began for Joyce.

In John 20:28 Thomas exclaimed to Jesus "my Lord and my God!" and that was evidence of the comedy.

Magus55

Sorry, not a contradiction and probably the first time i've ever actually seen an atheist use this argument. Its called the Trinity. Jesus is both God and man ( known as the hypostatic union). Jesus' human side cried out to God the Father ( i.e the first part of the Trinity). That doesn't mean Jesus isn't God.

Based on your claim that this was a "slip", and proof of Jesus not being God, I really get the sense you don't understand the Trinity at all.

Infidelettante

The hypostatic union, the doctrine that Jesus is both God and man, being no less a man for being God and no less God for being a man. I recall that this was the only question on my final in Systematic Theology and the answer took up three pages largely because we were not allowed to say "there is no biblical support for this belief" which would have taken, well, eight words.

JT

Magus55

No Biblical support that Jesus is God? Hardly.

Infidelettante

I can't help but notice that you offer none.