One of my favorite of Bart Ehrman's works is "Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium" I think all of these quotes can be interpreted based on his observation of Jesus as an Apocalypticist (of course I believe he didn't exist at all). Here is a brief synopsis taken from a reviewer of his book on Amazon:
Bart Ehrman conveys to us an historian's view of who Jesus was. His conclusion is the same as that of the famous humanitarian doctor and theologian, Albert Schweitzer, in the early years of the 20th century: Jesus was an apocalyptic prophet, who was convinced that Doomsday was about to arrive very soon, even in his own lifetime. The present age was evil, and the imminent coming of the Kingdom of God would change everything. Hence you must prepare yourself. Give away all your possessions to the poor: a rich man has little chance of entering the Kingdom of God. Everything will be turned upside down: the weak and poor will prevail over the rich and mighty. Mend your ways: Love God above everything! Love your neighbour as yourself! Love even your enemy! Apocalyptic ideas were common in Palestine 2000 years ago. And they turn up, in various forms, throughout Christendom. Ehrman provides illuminating examples from present-day America. However, the apocalyptic interpretation of Jesus is rather out of favour with most contemporary Christian scholars. But Ehrman can rely on solid arguments. The first third of his book is an admirably clear presentation of the way a professional historian goes about constructing his picture of the past. He has to assess the date of his sources, and analyse their relation to each other, their possible bias, and their context. All this should be required reading for people who think they must interpret their Bible literally. In most of the rest of the book Ehrman uses his critical apparatus for discussing the Jesus figure of the Gospels and Acts. This leads him to a conclusion which is very much in line with that of the majority of modern Christian scholars. Regrettably, Ehrman's main point, Jesus' apocalypticism, tends to recede into the background in this part of the book. However, it is reasserted with some force in the final chapters. As the product of a clear-sighted and well-informed liberal scholar, this book has much to offer. Ehrman presents current scholarly opinion clearly and fairly, and in a very readable style. In my opinion, however, he could have been more controversial on some basic issues. I am thinking especially of the case for considering the Gospel Jesus as a deliberate and wholly mythical construction of the second-century Christian church, which needed a Jesus figure which was both human and spiritual, in its struggle with the Gnostics of their time. That is the picture presented, with considerable supporting new evidence and fresh arguments, in several recent books by George Wells, Timothy Freke & Peter Gandy, Earl Doherty, and myself. But perhaps it is just as well that Ehrman avoids scaring away readers of a less liberal turn of mind than himself. They will certainly find much food for thought in his book. I should also like to draw attention here to a recent book by Michael Rick S On Jan 13, 11:06 pm, "Jason (Memphis)" <[email protected]> wrote: > this is a post from Clog on the Occam's site: > > Hi y'all - yes, you heard correctly. We have been thinking of this > subject as a topic for future discussion but I suppose we could > equally well address it here. > When engaged in a friendship with a Christian, I must admit to feeling > something less than a second class citizen, and on occasions rather > lucky to be alive at all. There is nothing interposed between my > friendship with a Christian - I have nothing to hide, and I say what I > believe quite openly - the Christian has nothing to fear from me. I do > not feel that it can possibly be the same for a Christian, given his > biblical instructions. God comes between a Christian and his friend - > even his family! Here are a few examples for starters: > > Matthew10:21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, > and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their > parents, and cause them to be put to death. > > Matthew 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not > worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not > worthy of me. > > Matthew 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or > sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my > name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit > everlasting life. > > Mark 10:29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There > is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or > mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, > > Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, > and wife, and children,and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own > life also, he cannot be my disciple. > > Luke 21:16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and > kinfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to > death. > > Deuteronomy 13:6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or > thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as > thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve > other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; > 13:9 But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon > him to put him to death, > > Joshua 7:15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed > thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he > hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath > wrought folly in Israel. > > 2 Chronicles 15:13 That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of > Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or > woman. > > Psalm 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as > soon as they be born, speaking lies. > 58:10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he > shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. > > Isaiah 9:19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land > darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man > shall spare his brother. > 9:20 And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he > shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they > shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: > > On Jan 13, 2:51 pm, "Jason (Memphis)" <[email protected]> > wrote: > > - Hide quoted text - > - Show quoted text - > > > > > ....or, at least that was the gist of what you said to Steve W. if I > > heard you correctly. > > On Jan 13, 2:44 pm, "Jason (Memphis)" <[email protected]> > > wrote: > > > Steve A., > > > You said something about the Christian God commanding Christians not > > > to be friends with wicked atheists? Do you have scripture or even an > > > argument to back that up? > > > Jason- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/memphisfreethoughtalliance?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
