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From: dlh@cbdkc1.UUCP (Don L. Hayes CB 1K336 x4289 KBR)
Newsgroups: mod.religion.christian
Subject: Re: More Questions on Christianity
Message-ID: <9953@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Mon, 9-Mar-87 01:15:17 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.9953
Posted: Mon Mar  9 01:15:17 1987
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[This article is a response to a posting from jeh, that hypothesized
 that Jesus had not really died on the cross.  His theory is that 
 Jesus and Judas arranged Jesus' ministry so as to carry out OT
 prophecy.  The crucifixion was nothing something they intended.
 It also comments that the Vatican has material that it is
 suppressing. --clh]

Diversity in views is always welcome by open minded individuals.
However, let's not stray to far from the bibical facts.

Luke, the physician, and Matthew, the tax collector, were a members of
the "crew."  So I would conclude from Luke's profession that he was a
scholar. By studing the book of Matthew and examining the style in
which it is written, one can conclude that Matthew was an Old
Testament scholar.  (N.B. the references to O.T.)

Consider the chain of events up to when Judas entered into the plot.
  - John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus
  - Christ's Wilderness adventure
  - Christ's preaching in Samaria, Galilee and Nazareth, and the
	 circumstances surrounding the events.
  - The discourse  of Christ and Nicodemus, the Pharisees and ruler of 
	the Jews.

If Judas was up on prophesies then he should have realized the
persecution that Christ would suffer as illustrated in the prophesies
of Isaiah.

I do not recall ever reading about Jesus being poked in the knee,
however their is a reference about a spear in the side. Could this be
what is referred to? and was this done to test his vitality?

Also consider the natural environment and the changes reported when
Jesus was around. Some of these things could not be staged or
predicted.

People sometimes interpret things the way they want them to be
interpreted.  But their must be a bases of interpretation and the base
can not be altered to make a point at least by scholars.

The Vatican collects religious materials but that does not mean that
everything that is collected is biblical. I would agree that editing
is dependent on the version of the Bible you read. A scholar would
seek the closest to the originals.