Peracles and Curaezipirid,

Please see my post:

- Oliver, Monday, 2 June 2008 7:52:25 PM

Boaz did not want this analytical interpreation. I think, he wants use to read, as if, naive interpreters, without the knowledge of language or history or context?

The historical context is, Jesus was re-establishing the House of David, and, would have had problems owing to his illegimate birth. When a measure of power was given Herodians, the House of David was delegated the lowly task of ministering to the Gentiles.

Baptism was a means to joing the club and to pay a fee, a part of which, was used to build palaces for Herod. There is a religious interpretation too, based on a book called, The Bible, compiled as a works in 325CE.

Ok Boazy, since you specifically asked for it, I’ll give it a go.

>1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

I’m guessing this is the start of a book about a guy called Jesus Christ, so right there the author is treating their audience like a bunch of idiots, otherwise I would have thought it was the middle bit.

The Son of God bit sounds like advertising, a title to make him sound Important.

>2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

I interpret this as: As it was predicted long ago, (presumably God? said at some point) Have a Look, I’ll send a wingman to soften them up before you can show your face around those parts. My guess is God says this because anyone who just turns up out of nowhere claiming to be the Son of God could get lynched unless someone butters ‘em up first.

>3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Someone a having a bit of an emotional moment out in the wilderness, Get out the way, no gay people please (presumably the Lord doesn’t like gay people).

>4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

So, John was out in the wilderness baptizing and preaching. This doesn’t seem like a very productive exercise to me, as generally speaking there are not many people in the wilderness, otherwise it isn’t really wilderness, by definition. But then later on, I notice the guy has a serious insect fetish (as he only seems to eat locusts and wild honey), wears camel hair and pretends to drown people in the river to let them off the hook for anything they may have done, so I guess he’s a little odd.

How’d I do, do I get a lollipop?

Bugsy, you're not taking this exercise seriously.

You're hereby sentenced to picking up rubbish in the playground at lunchtime for a week. Any more insolence and it'll be off to Brother Gibo for six of the best.

Bugsy.. you did an excellent job!

There was just one minor point.. you could have tied 'John' to the 'voice/messenger' a bit tighter..other than that.. you did wonderfully.

I might add, I'm submitting your name to the next editorial committee for 'contemporary language translation' of the New Testament..(not serious, but the language is quite readable. Tidy the sarcasm and you have a winner)

The reason you did so well, is that you did not "inject" much if anything of what you already know into the text.. and that.. has been my point all along. (it's how I approach the Quran)

So..in all seriousness..thanx, not that you did it 'for me'..but that you 'did' it.

We could extend this a little further.. if you are willing.

If I told you how much 'time' in Jesus ministry is covered by chapter 1 to 8, it might give the game away, but consider this..

Chapters 1 to 8 cover a period of time, and 9-16 another period. Both are 8 chapters long, but the times are very different. Jesus had ministry for 3 yrs.. a little digging might show something VERY important (in terms of Marks method/structure/purpose) about when the next mention of 'Christ' is in the book.

To find where they are mentioned one can do a word search in bible gateway.

I still recall how blown away I was at college when I actually 'saw' what was there...

Now..to be fair.. would you like me do something along those lines with Darwin?(or some other) allocate a chunk and I'll see what I can do.

CJ.. nothing funnier than whining sideliners who tried to spoil the game but failed 0_

Actually Boazy, I think this thread is a complete wank.

"The Jews were_not chosen, but were_urgent to-be-a Church, from their Love_of Pre-eminence"

It does appear God was right for choosing the stiff-necks. Christians never demanded from the Gospel writers that the Father present himself - so they ended up with something else. Jews demanded this of Moses, and it resulted in the greatest OPEN revelation in Creation.

"For as to all these men who have seen My glory,
and My miracles,.. and yet have tempted Me these ten times,
and have not Obeyed My voice, (Numb. xiv). "

This is a lie-by-omission. The Jews were in fact forgiven - which is absent from your reporting. Technically, the Hebrews did not sin, because the law was yet not handed down - Moses was also right in asserting he will not go forth unless God forgives Israel - Moses was being tested here. What a difference with Moses and those Europeans who never confronted Rome which genicided 2 million Jews for refusing to worship a roman emperor, while the NT focuses on hapless money changers: there was obviously no Moses here! The law concerning image worship is foremost applicable to Europe - who would have failed the test: Heaven understandeth the nature of man.

"but that they were urgent,-had-a-passion-[were_salty]
and therefore it was done. (AC n. 4290)"

You cannot judge Jews, who have a seperate covenant - even the Pope has acknowkedged this reality. Judge christians - they commited more mass murders than any other peoples in Geo-History - even when disregarding their worst last two centuries, and spread more false charges of desperation than any other religion: blood libels, deicide, the protocols, muslims are Palestinians, a deathly 3-state is a 2-state in Palestine, zionists are zionising zion, etc, etc, etc.

European christianity has commited too many crimes, and has no business judging anyone else - least of all the Jews. Millions of otherwise innocent believers are tragically hijacked - because the NT hinged all belief in God dependent on falsehoods directed at a people they robbed and massacred.