Originally Posted by Switch89

However, I do see a problem: If you read the end of the gospel of Matthew, you will notice that Matthew tells of a report amongst the Jews that the disciples stole Jesus' body, to which Matthew replies that the guards were paid to say this. Let's think about this for a minute: If the empty tomb was a symbolic fiction, wouldn't Matthew have reacted to this rumor amongst the Jews by saying that the empty tomb was not literal, but only a symbolic expression meant to convey some spiritual truth?

Originally Posted by Solo

I have highlighted the touchpoints. It looks like Jesus in Mk 9:1 has in mind something like the 'little death' (or NDE) of Philo's Moses.. He says in effect : some of you will not taste death before you have experienced the 'transformation into a most sun-like mind', which I am going to demonstrate to Peter & Co.'

Originally Posted by GakuseiDon

I see what you mean now. Hmmm... I don't see it myself. I think Jesus in Mark is speaking fairly literally, i.e. that the Kingdom of God would come before all with him had died. But it's an interesting idea.