Any of you guys see the National Geographic Channel special on the Crucifixion of Jesus aired tonight?
I didn't see the show, but I read the book.
I think most of their information is pulled from the book appropriately titled 'Jesus: A
Revolutionary Biography' by this fellow by the name of Crossan. It's a fascinating read.
They just called Jesus himself a Violent "Rabble Rouser"
Well, he was certainly a rabble rouser. He tried to destroy the class system that had been in place for centuries, millenia even - definitely shook
things up. The whole dining with whores, touching lepers, these were acts of civil disobedience according to Crossan, because Jesus was flying in the
face of tradition and social stigma, trying to bring about an egalitarian society.
Don't know about the violent part, that certainly doesn't jive with what I understand...
placing the blame of his crucifixion on Rome
Where it belongs, IMO. Pilate was not a saint, and he was not some sympathetic lover of Christ backed into a corner by the actions of the mob. He
was a cold-blooded killer, a thuggish petty tyrant - not some sensitive, conflicted buddy of Jesus.
Saying Judas was chosen by Jesus rather than any kind of betrayal.
You don't find that plausible? I find it quite interesting...
The notion that Christ knew he had to die for his message to reach through the ages intrigues me. What if he wanted to have some measure of control
over the circumstances of his death, and the character of his legacy? He would need to orchestrate it himself. If he did need someone to sell him to
the Romans, he would have to pick the smartest, most devoted disciple, the one who would understand the self-sacrifice and the true motivations behind
the plan.
I don't know if it's true or not, but it's a wonderful theory IMO. Quite a few scholars are attempting to de-mystify Jesus, and I think that might
be for the best. Time will tell...
Anyway, you might enjoy the book, it's quite interesting and written well enough to keep you turning the pages.