the_cave

Maybe, but let's look at it this way: take our old friend William Tell. He may be fictional, and may simply represent the independent spirit of the stout yeoman farmer, etc., but the story of William Tell happens in a specific place and a specific time [i]because that's when the Swiss cantons began to act independently.[i] (Also corresponds to the Interregnum, the rise of the Hapsburgs, etc.)

So what happened during the reign of Pontius Pilate that the early Christians should hold the era in such reverence?

Toto

There is one theory that the Passion is based on some events in Egypt about that time, described by Philo in Contra Flaccus The Passion Narrative and Philo.

the_cave

Ah, yes, I do recall that (in fact I posted on that thread...) I also recall being unpersuaded.

But even if that were so, why would Christians even bother with the text? What would prompt them to use it as a model for their history? Not to mention that the one takes place in Egypt, while the other takes place in Palestine...

I seem to recall Robert Price or someone claiming that it was merely garbled memories of one rebel leader or another. Would this really be enough to place it in a millieu as specific as Pontius Pilate? (Who in fact I believe was unrelated to any of the other recorded rebel leaders of Judaean history...)

spin

Reverence? Pilate has come down to us with a level of brutality which was both memorable and suitable as a candidate for harsh action, given for example his heavy treatment of the Jews in their reaction to him.


spin

The Evil One

They had to set their origin story sometime. Your argument would apply no matter what time they chose. If they'd set it in the reign of Herod the Great, you'd be asking right now "what happened during the reign of Herod the Great that the early Christians should hold the era in such reverence?"

the_cave

I meant the fact that that's when they located the career of Jesus.

So you think they placed the Crucifiction there because it would be a believable setting?

the_cave

So you think it was arbitrary?

spin

It is possible, . . . while we theorise.


spin

the_cave

But then who were these apostles, Simon/Peter/Cephas, James, Paul? Why does James have a mother named Mary? Would they, too, be fictional creations?

What I'm saying is, even if their writings are inauthentic, even if the history is garbled or false, even if there is no accurate written record--isn't the most likely explanation that there were real people who went by these names, and that they must have had something to do with the early Christian movement, or its predecessors?

Artemus

Who was the real Scarlett O'Hara? Why did she have a mother named <whatever>? Why did she marry someone named Rhett Butler? What was so important about the reign of Abraham Lincoln that her story was placed during that time?