Jesus as an opponent of the rich

[ERCougar]

This is one of my favorites but I think I lent it out to someone on this board and they haven't returned it yet

Will check out Zealot.

Sorry...didn't mean to assume you hadn't read anything. As you know, Ehrman dives into the historical conclusion process as well. He has another book, Jesus, Interrupted, that dives a little more deeply into the historical Jesus, that looks interesting but I haven't read any of it.

Now, neither Ehrman nor the author of Zealot (whose name I can't remember) are Christian, so that will make them more or less credible, depending on your opinion, I guess. Marcus Borg is a Christian, although a liberal one, and a few others have written on the topic in less depth, but i haven't seen much to contradict anything Ehrman says.

[Pelado]

You might be right about him disliking educated people. Jesus was almost certainly illiterate.

He was a builder (a tekton). His profession was so lowly that Romans used the word tekton as a swear word. Tektons could not read or write.

How could an omniscient being not know how to read and write?

I don't think "most scholars think he knew greek" is all that different from "most scholars think he may have spoken greek," but if you want that inch of ground, it's all yours. I hereby revise my earlier statement: most scholars think he may have spoken aramaic, hebrew, and greek.

Even if he could speak multiple languages, that wouldn't necessarily mean that he could read and/or write in any of them.

As for the NT evidence of his literacy, the time that he "read" the passage in the synagogue could have been from memory. As has already been mentioned, nobody claimed that the writing in the sand was actual words. Could have just been doodling.

[All-American]

As for the NT evidence of his literacy, the time that he "read" the passage in the synagogue could have been from memory.

If so, then having the scroll handed to him, unrolling it to find his place, closing it after "reading" it and handing it back was just for show. So he certainly intended for us to think he could read. Which is the kind of thing someone who puts dinosaurs on a 6,000 year-old earth to make sure we have faith would do, so I guess he's nothing if not consistent.

[Moliere]

Sorry...didn't mean to assume you hadn't read anything. As you know, Ehrman dives into the historical conclusion process as well. He has another book, Jesus, Interrupted, that dives a little more deeply into the historical Jesus, that looks interesting but I haven't read any of it.

Now, neither Ehrman nor the author of Zealot (whose name I can't remember) are Christian, so that will make them more or less credible, depending on your opinion, I guess. Marcus Borg is a Christian, although a liberal one, and a few others have written on the topic in less depth, but i haven't seen much to contradict anything Ehrman says.

Despite being totally offended I'll let it slide

I'm certainly no expert on this, but it interests me to no end. I was taught one Christ all my life growing up and it's actually refreshing to step outside of correlation and learn what the Bible is really trying to say to the reader. Totally fascinating. I still spend a good amount of time each week with the NRSV and a couple Bible commentaries. It's made scripture study more fun and less boring.

[Pelado]

If so, then having the scroll handed to him, unrolling it to find his place, closing it after "reading" it and handing it back was just for show. So he certainly intended for us to think he could read. Which is the kind of thing someone who puts dinosaurs on a 6,000 year-old earth to make sure we have faith would do, so I guess he's nothing if not consistent.

Definitely consistent. Like making sure students at Ricks/BYU-I have more rules than other church-owned schools just as an extra obedience test.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I like Jesus.

[SCcoug]

How rich are we talking about here?

[creekster]

I like Jesus.

Jesus is just alright with me.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Sorry...didn't mean to assume you hadn't read anything. As you know, Ehrman dives into the historical conclusion process as well. He has another book, Jesus, Interrupted, that dives a little more deeply into the historical Jesus, that looks interesting but I haven't read any of it.

Now, neither Ehrman nor the author of Zealot (whose name I can't remember) are Christian, so that will make them more or less credible, depending on your opinion, I guess. Marcus Borg is a Christian, although a liberal one, and a few others have written on the topic in less depth, but i haven't seen much to contradict anything Ehrman says.

I have seen enough biblical scholars trash Zealot that I can't decide if it is worth the read or not. You liked it?

I am in the middle of Bart Ehrman's How Jesus Became God. It is excellent. He is a great writer.

[ERCougar]

I have seen enough biblical scholars trash Zealot that I can't decide if it is worth the read or not. You liked it?

I am in the middle of Bart Ehrman's How Jesus Became God. It is excellent. He is a great writer.

Yeah, that happens a lot when someone writes a best seller. Academically, I'm sure it's lacking. But from a casual observer standpoint, it serves as a very readable and interesting intro to the subject. Here's a pretty accurate synopsis:

“Zealot” is not innovative or original scholarship, but it makes an entertaining read. It is also a serious presentation of one plausible portrait of the life of Jesus of Nazareth.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/06/bo...anted=all&_r=0

Guess who else gets routinely lambasted by scholars. Bart Ehrman.

[hostile]

Jesus is just alright with me.

Jesus is my friend.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7-NOZU2iPA8

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

I like Jesus.

You are educated so He hates you, unless you are poor then He is nuetral.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Yeah, that happens a lot when someone writes a best seller. Academically, I'm sure it's lacking. But from a casual observer standpoint, it serves as a very readable and interesting intro to the subject. Here's a pretty accurate synopsis:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/06/bo...anted=all&_r=0

Guess who else gets routinely lambasted by scholars. Bart Ehrman.

Yeah, but it seems like a different kind of criticism. The two reviews I read were written by scholars who like Ehrman's work.

Either way, I did a little more background reading on Zealot and it looks like it is worth a shot. I will check it out. (as if my backlog needed another entry - )

[Jeff Lebowski]

You are educated so He hates you, unless you are poor then He is nuetral.

Wrong again, my green and yellow friend. Jesus loves everyone.

[creekster]

Jesus is my friend.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7-NOZU2iPA8

http://youtu.be/Bh4nNdNJ_U8