NOGO

I disagree!

1 and 2 says that the Bible presents a single view one way or another.

My camp (the fourth) cannot agree that the bible presents a single view. This is in fact the most important element in camp no 4.

Also where for you see in 1 or 2 a man possessed by the spirit of God just as some people in the Gospels are possessed by demons?

diana

Hmph.

Mornington Crescent sullies nothing.

Besides...my thread was shot anyhow.

There was a most excellent game of it here over a year ago. 'Tis probably best if you take it to the humor forum, though. There seem to still be people here haggling about...god knows at this point. But they seem to be enjoying it and after all, this is the right forum to be discussing, proverbially at least, what god knows.

d

[Edit: or did you mean by "battle royale" that NOGO's and Magus's standoff? Oh by all means...should be here.]

Amaleq13

As they say in the old country, "Yepperdoodle". Whether anybody actually shows up is another question.

What if they threw a war and nobody came?

Bob K

Amaleq13:Oneupmanship #1: What if they threw a circle jerk and nobody came?

Doctor X

Then you have to be flexible in your exegesis. . . .

--J.D.

Bob K

NOGO: Can you provide us with evidence which supports your assertion "Different books of the New Testament speak of different kinds of Jesus Christs"?

Magus55: Can you provide us with evidence which supports your assertion "[Jesus] is a man and God in every book"?

NOGO

Paul had a mental disorder. On the way to damascus his brain acted up and he started to hear voices. He felt terribly guity about persecuting Christians and his conscience troubled him. The voices that he heard gave him a shock and he got scared to death. Scared that one day he would have to account for what he did.

He became a slave of the new cult to get forgiveness.

Yes this is speculation!
But it is entirely possible.

It is also more probable than the idea that the mythological son of Yahweh, which the new cult ivented, actually spoke to Paul.

NOGO

Sure!

I will start with the Gospel of John.

This Gospel is most often quoted to show that Jesus is God.
So I am taking aim at the best evidence Christians have.

John 6
33 "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world."
34 Then they said to Him, "Lord, always give us this bread."
35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.
...
38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
...
40 "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."
...
51 "I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh."

etc. etc.

Now we all know that Jesus spoke in parables.
So the question is this...
Is Jesus actually saying that he is the bread which came from heaven?

Jesus explains what he means.

63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

So Jesus explains that the bread from heaven is actually the teachings that he gives. It is the words which come from heaven not Jesus.

When Jesus says "I am the bread from heaven" it is the personification of the words of God.

Conside the last supper.
Jesus gives some bread to his disciples and says "eat for this is my body".

What does he mean?
Does he mean Bread = flesh of a man called Jesus?
The last supper is entirely symbolic. It is about the spreading of the word of God.

It is the word of God which is the saviour not the man Jesus.
Verse 51 above says exactly that.

John 7
16 So Jesus answered them and said, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.
17 "If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.

So we should not confuse the "Word of God" and the man who speaks it.


John 14
10 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.

So it is the Father that speaks (ie: the Word of God) through the human Jesus.

NOGO

No Takers?

Doctor X

Methinks most [Strawmen--Ed.] scholars and probably posters here recognize that the different writers present different Juniors.

--J.D.