CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Could Christianity be a hoax? Ancient script written on a stone tablet discovered near the site of the Dead Sea Scrolls appears to reveal that chroniclers of a Jewish messiah named Simon claimed he would rise in three days. Their belief predates the arrival of Jesus' ministry. Some scholars contend this latest evidence suggests Christ's followers filched the resurrection story from that motif. The story is on the front page of today's New York Times. But it is circulating across the globe in the pages of the International Herald Tribune under this headline: "Tablet ignites debate on messiah and resurrection."
A professor at Hebrew University who has been translating the script contends the Dead Sea Stone could rattle the foundations of the world's largest religion:
"This should shake our basic view of Christianity. Resurrection after three days becomes a motif developed before Jesus, which runs contrary to nearly all scholarship. What happens in the New Testament was adopted by Jesus and his followers based on an earlier messiah story."
History notes possible messianic claimants named Simon, including Simon ben Kosiba, who fought the Romans and was the subject of coins minted with a messianic symbol in Jerusalem. More on Simon ben Kosiba is available here in this treatise that is skeptical about a messianic claim. Simon of Peraea was a slave who led a revolt around the time of Jesus' birth. The Dead Sea Stone is said to describe "Gabriel's Revelation," about a prince of princes who is summoned by the angel.
I am stunned by the complete absence of real scholarship here...I am only reading bias and obvious agendas. The entire old testament canon is filled with messianic prophecies, even of death and resurrection, particularly in the Psalms, Isaiah, and in Daniel. To claim that this stone somehow "shakes up" our understanding of Christianity is ludicrous. Read Isaiah 53 and Daniel 9, as well as Psalm 22. A messiah who would die and be resurrected runs throughout the canon, it is not an invention of first century Christians. Please, do some research of older (not contemporary) Jewish 'scholars' and you will see a suffering, dying, and even resurrected messiah. Jesus rebuked his early followers many times for not believing in these prophecies in the old testament canon. This stone (if authentic) is merely a reflection of prophecy that already existed in Jewish scripture.
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ReplyDeleteOh, for Christ sakes !
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In the end times even the very elect shall be fooled by the Devil. Beware!
ReplyDeleteR. McWilson wrote: “Jesus rebuked his early followers many times for not believing in these prophecies in the old testament canon. ”
ReplyDeleteI want to comment.
[To differentiate,]First of all,
The historical Messiah was a Ribi named Yehoshua.
His authentic teachings were written down by his apprentice student Matityahu and were later redacted into the “gospel of Matthew”. In his true teachings one finds that he taught – just that which is written in the Tank’’h) – that humankind is required to do their utmost to keep the directives in Torah non-selectively. The followers of Ribi Yehoshua were called the Netzarim and their message was always antithetical to Christianity [note 1].
Furthermore, the historical Ribi Yehoshua – ha-Mashiakh (the Messiah) was not an “incarnate man-god”. [2] He was not a “Saviour”. The Netzarim never accepted the “NT”, because its teachings contradict Torah. [3]
There are a lot of Messianic prophecies in the Tan’’kh – which Christians erroneously calls the “Old testament” – and Ribi Yehoshua fulfilled the prophecies that the Mashiakh was prophecied to fulfil in the first century.
Relating to the Creator exactly in the same way Ribi Yehoshua did – i.e. observing the Creators directives in the Torah – leads oneself into an intimate relationship with the Creator, which is very meaningful!
1.These statements are proved in the website of Netzarims website [the only legitimate Netzarim, located in Ra’anana]
2. Read more in the website in note 1; History Museum; Mashiakh-section (top menu)
3. Proof in this link on my blog: Link
Christ said many false messiahs will emerge, but only Jesus healed the sick, made the blind see, walked on water, calmed storms, and...this is the big one, rose from the dead and was seen by over 500 followers, whom He ate with and continued to teach the word of God. He stressed love and the rejection of sin...a very profound philosophy, and the direct word of God.
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