# If you had lived during New Testament times would you have accepted Christ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 24, 2000, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128 "2000-04-24T22:16:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Holly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/48db29/32.png) [@Holly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Holly)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/21 "2000-04-25T11:06:00Z")
I think your question is interesting, jenkinsfan. In fact, when I was a Christian, I also couldn’t understand how anyone could doubt Jesus. After all, the Bible makes it very clear that people flocked to Jesus from the moment of his birth. He performed miracles, healed the sick, rose from the dead. Since all these acts were witnessed by the multitudes, what kind of moron would have doubts? Well… this line of reasoning only follows if you believe the Biblical accounts are factual. Since (as spoke pointed out) the Gospels were written well after Jesus died and the various accounts contradict each other, I’m no longer convinced that the Bible is factual. Without the Bible to give “evidence” to what happened so long ago, belief in the divinity of Jesus is based solely on faith. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/22 "2000-04-25T13:22:00Z")
The Jews amongst whom Jesus spoke, preached, and did miracles (let’s accept those for the time being) had seen many such before. Jesus wasn’t the first, nor the last. The Bible mentions that Moses does some pretty stupendous things in front of Pharoah, but the Egyptian magicians are able to duplicate some of the wonders. Moses’ staff turns into a serpent, but the Egyptian magicians can duplicate this. The Old Testament makes it very clear, not to accept mere magic as evidence of God’s presence. Bad guys with bad theology can do magic, too. The prophecies that Luke says that the post-death Jesus says refer to him (if you’re following this) are misquoted – I hesitate to say, non-existent. Those are NOT Old Testament prophecies. Old Testament prophecies that do refer to a messianic era (and outside of Isaiah, there are very few such references), mention that the coming of the messiah will be heralded by the revival of the dead, and that an era of peace will ensue (when the lion lies down with the lamb, and all that.) None of that happened. Therefore, for most contemporaries of Jesus and for me today, there is no reason that doing some two-bit magic (walks on water, changes water to wine, pulls the ace of spades from the deck of cards, etc) would change our beliefs. The number of believers (Christians) in the first few decades after Jesus’ death was small. It was only after Paul had a mystic vision of the dead Jesus, and decided to go convert pagans, that the religion got rolling. That was mainly converting folks from multi-god paganism (that pretty much never had much connection to individual’s inner lives) to monotheism/Jesus-ism, which DID have connection to individual’s inner lives. As I’ve said before, Paul did what is undoubtedly the greatest PR job in history… and I say that with admiration. ---
**Author:** ![Twin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/85f322/32.png) [@Twin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twin)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/23 "2000-04-25T13:22:00Z")
> [@](#): > > the Gospels were written well after Jesus died and the various accounts contradict each other This is the first time I’ve heard this. Could you show me one of the contradictions? ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/24 "2000-04-25T13:53:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by jenkinsfan: > \*\* Considering that I don’t know you or your ancestors…why not? > > \*\* Well, Jenkins, my ancestors (the Jews who did live in Jesus’ times) did not accept him as the messiah. If they, who witnessed his actions would not accept him, why should I, thousands of years removed from him? Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/25 "2000-04-25T14:04:00Z")
Gospel contradictions? Your wish is my command: ======== \> Who is the father of Joseph? MAT 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. # LUK 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, \> Who was at the Empty Tomb? Is it : MAT 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. MAR 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. # JOH 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. # \>Jesus’ first sermon plain or mount? Matt.5:1,2: “And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying…” Luke6:17,20: “And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people…came to hear him… And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples and said…” \>Jesus’ last words Matt.27:46,50: “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, eli, lama sabachthani?” that is to say, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” …Jesus, when he cried again with a loud voice, yielded u the ghost.” Luke23:46: “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, “Father, unto thy hands I commend my spirit:” and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.” # John19:30: “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished:” and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” \>Judas died how? “And he cast down the pieces of silver into the temple and departed, and went out and hanged himself.” (Matt. 27:5) ``` "And falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all of his bowels gushed out." (Acts 1:18) ``` ======== \>who bought potter’s field ACT 1:18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of ini- quity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. ACT 1:19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Acelda- ma, that is to say, The field of blood. # MAT 27:6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. MAT 27:7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. MAT 27:8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Whom did they see at the tomb? MAT 28:2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. MAT 28:3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: MAT 28:4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. MAT 28:5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. MAR 16:5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. LUK 24:4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: # JOH 20:12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. What was the color of the robe placed on Jesus during his trial? scarlet - Matthew 27:28 # purple John 19:2 What did they give him to drink? vinegar - Matthew 27:34 # wine with myrrh - Mark 15:23 # How long was Jesus in the tomb? Depends where you look; Matthew 12:40 gives Jesus prophesying that he will spend “three days and three nights in the heart of the earth”, and Mark 10:34 has “after three days (meta treis emeras) he will rise again”. As far as I can see from a quick look, the prophecies have “after three days”, but the post-resurrection narratives have “on the third day”. Heck, they’re not even internally consistent: Matt 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (NIV) Matt 6:3-4 “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secert. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (NIV) Just let me know if you want more. ---
**Author:** ![meara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@meara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meara)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/26 "2000-04-25T14:23:00Z")
Re: Jesus never said he was God John 8:58 (English-KJV) “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” Sounds like Jesus considered himself immortal, supernatural or otherwise extra-dimensional. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/27 "2000-04-25T15:01:00Z")
The ironic thing is that with this current wave of rampant literalist fundamentalism in the Christian faith in America, the fact is if people back then worshipped like these folks do now, Jesus would have never even been considered the messiah! Think about it… Along comes a guy who is supposedly the son of God. However, this person does not live up to the prophesies in the Old Testament. Not only that, but they add the quirk that Jesus will come yet again to do this - meanwhile, the OT never mentions that the messiah needed a second time to get the job done. Quite an oversight! And on top of that, suddenly all Levitical Law - you know, that inerrent, never-changing word of God - is out the window too? How would people - people who believe the Bible in such a manner that facing the fact that the universe is not 6,000 years old scares them - deal with Jesus, someone who clearly went against all of the above? So, jenkinsfan, allow me to say that if you were around back then, and you looked at the Bible as you currently do (inerrant and literal), then **you wouldn’t have become a Christian either!** * * * Yer pal, Satan [http://www.raleighmusic.com/board/Images/devil.gif](http://www.raleighmusic.com/board/Images/devil.gif) _I HAVE BEEN SMOKE-FREE FOR: Two weeks, two days, 13 hours, 0 minutes and 58 seconds. 661 cigarettes not smoked, saving $82.71. Life saved: 2 days, 7 hours, 5 minutes._ ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/28 "2000-04-25T15:51:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by meara: > Sounds like Jesus considered himself immortal, supernatural or otherwise extra-dimensional. There was a guy on the Howard Stern Show today, that thought he was a warewolf and that the anti-christ was after him. He also thought he saw the future and he would be president in 12 years after which he would push the big red button and plunge the world into armagedon. Sounds like JC would be a great follow-up act to that freak. In this day and age, I think JC would be on Prozac. ---
**Author:** ![Tinker\_Grey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tinker_grey/32/8136_2.png) [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/29 "2000-04-25T16:13:00Z")
I am a Christian. However, I believe it is an act of hubris to believe that I would have accepted Jesus when so many around Him did not. This belief would be similar to asserting that I would not have deserted Him that night in the garden. I would like to think I would have believed. But faith, by definition, requires stepping beyond facts to accept that which can neither be proven or disproven. Therefore, if I had a will to _disbelieve_, I’m sure I could have found sufficient reason to dismiss what I witnessed. **QuickSilver** , I am sure we could agree to disagree on whether the Gospels are an accurate reflection of what Jesus said and claimed. However, these are the only accounts of Jesus’ actions and words. Based on them, there is no reason to conclude that Jesus was a kook (barring the assertion of divinity itself which is not kooky if true). Tinker ---
**Author:** ![meara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@meara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meara)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/30 "2000-04-25T16:15:00Z")
Maybe he could be a regular on Art Bell. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/31 "2000-04-25T18:16:00Z")
Well, obviously there were a fair number of Jews who _didn’t_ believe he was the son of God, and they were right there when he performed the acts you mentioned. So why didn’t they believe? Doesn’t that mean about the same number of us, had we lived then, also would not have believed? I think the only miracle any of us would have believed is if he had been able to disprove Cecil _and_ posted on this board soundly enough that we would have respected him. Now _that_ would be a miracle! 😃 Esprix * * * Evidently, I rock. [Ask the Gay Guy!](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001376.html) ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/32 "2000-04-25T18:18:00Z")
spoke- wrote: > [@](#): > > If I’m not mistaken, Luke is generally considered to be the latest of the Gospels, written long after the facts it purports to describe. I thought that was John. ---
**Author:** ![Tinker\_Grey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tinker_grey/32/8136_2.png) [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/33 "2000-04-25T18:35:00Z")
According to a Ryrie Study Bible: Matthew: 60’s AD Mark: 50’s Luke: 60 John: 85-90 Score 1 for tracer. Tinker ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/34 "2000-04-25T20:42:00Z")
Explanations of these contradictions were taken from various websites, all linked from [http://members.tripod.com/~vantillian/bible\_difficulties.html.](http://members.tripod.com/~vantillian/bible_difficulties.html.) My thanks to them. ======== > [@](#): > > Who is the father of Joseph? > > MAT 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. > > LUK 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli Rather than give a lengthy explanation, I will point you to this website [http://www.christian-thinktank.com/fabprof4.html](http://www.christian-thinktank.com/fabprof4.html) which fully explains this contradiction. ======== > [@](#): > > Who was at the Empty Tomb? Is it : > > MAT 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. > > MAR 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. > > JOH 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. There is no real contradiction here. Mary Magdalene, Mary and Solome went to see the grave of Jesus. At first, it appears John only claims Mary Magdalene went, but if we read the next verse, we see this: JOH 20:2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the LORD out of the sepulchre, and **we** know not where they have laid him. This indicates there was more than just Mary Magdalene there. ======== > [@](#): > > Jesus’ first sermon plain or mount? > Matt.5:1,2: “And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying…” > > Luke6:17,20: “And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people…came to hear him… And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples and said…” The Greek in Matthew is interpreted as referring not to “on a mountain” but “in mountain country” - it is a regional rather than a specific reference. ======== > [@](#): > > Jesus’ last words > > Matt.27:46,50: “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, eli, lama sabachthani?” that is to say, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” …Jesus, when he cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.” > > Luke23:46: “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, “Father, unto thy hands I commend my spirit:” and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.” > > John19:30: “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished:” and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” Why leave out Matthew 27:47-49? It mentions the vinegar. Couldn’t it have happened this way? Jesus says “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Next he asks for some vinegar and says “It is finished.” Then he cries with a loud voice, saying “Father, unto thy hands I commend my spirit.”, bows his head, and gives up the ghost. Sounds reasonable to me. ======== > [@](#): > > Judas died how? > “And he cast down the pieces of silver into the temple and departed, and went out and hanged himself.” (Matt. 27:5) > > “And falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all of his bowels gushed out.” (Acts 1:18) First of all, notice that the text does not say that Judas died as a result of hanging. All it says is that he “went and hanged himself.” Luke however, in Acts, tells us that “and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out.” This is a pretty clear indication (along with the other details given in Acts - Peter’s speech, the need to pick a new apostle, etc.) that at least after Judas’ fall, he was dead. He may have hanged himself over a cliff, the branch broke, and he fell to the ground. ======== > [@](#): > > Who bought potter’s field > > ACT 1:18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. > ACT 1:19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. > > MAT 27:6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. > MAT 27:7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. > MAT 27:8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Perhaps here, the following maxim holds - “He who does a thing by another, does it himself.” That is, yes it was the chief priests who actually bought the field, but Judas had furnished the occasion for its purchase. Thus, the verse in Acts could be employing a figure of speech where we attribute to the man himself any act which he has directly or indirectly procured to be done. After all, we attribute the “Clinton health care plan” to Bill Clinton, when in reality, it is a plan devised by others associated with Bill Clinton. ======== > [@](#): > > Whom did they see at the tomb? > > MAT 28:2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. > MAT 28:3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: > MAT 28:4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. > MAT 28:5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. > > MAR 16:5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. > > LUK 24:4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: > > JOH 20:12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. It is quite possible that much of the confusion about these facts stems from the fact that many women went to the tomb that morning (Luke 24:10). It’s possible, at the very least, that a group of women came to the tomb, and saw that the stone had been rolled away. Some women went inside, but the more timid remained outside. Those inside saw the vision of the two angels, while those outside saw the angel on the stone. Also, in response to the manner in which this supposed contradiction is presented, I would point out that a.) Matthew does not say there was “but one angel,” he simply focuses on the angel who moved the stone; b.) the Greek word in Luke rendered “stood near” also means, “to come near, to appear to.” In Luke 2:9 and Acts 12:7 it is translated as “came upon.” Thus, Luke may simply have said that angels suddenly appeared to them without reference to posture. ======== > [@](#): > > What was the color of the robe placed on Jesus during his trial? > > scarlet - Matthew 27:28 > > purple John 19:2 Couldn’t it have been purple and scarlet? That’s my belief anyway. ======== [quote] What did they give him to drink? vinegar - Matthew 27:34 w ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2000, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/35 "2000-04-25T20:44:00Z")
As a big fan of magic (the Houdini kind), I find it odd that anyone would ever accept anyone who claimed to be in league with God just because he could perform some “miracles”. I have been about ten feet away from Penn and Teller’s famous Bullet Catch, and have seen it on television several times. I even know how this trick is usually done, and I don’t have any idea how they did it. It’s a nifty trick, but should I consider Penn Jillette a god just because he did something cool that I can’t explain? Fortunately, P&T claim no such divinity. Uri Gellar, on the other hand, asks us to believe in his incredible powers because he can do some lame spoon-bending tricks. So I must say that walking on water or turning water into wine wouldn’t have convinced me of anyone’s divinity. I would think it was pretty cool, and I would try to spot the gaffe, but I would assume that a more reasonable explanation existed. Dr. J * * * “Seriously, baby, I can prescribe anything I want!” -Dr. Nick Riviera ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2000, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/36 "2000-04-26T00:47:00Z")
Twin, your explanation of contradictions in the Bible astounds me. If there are two different accounts, they _both_ happened? If there are three, all _three_ of them happened? The robe was scarlet on one side, purple on the other? Matthew only mentioned one angel, because he didn’t think the other “Heavenly Hosts” were worth talking about? You’ve only proven one thing with your “response”. If the Bible said that the moon was red in one verse, and white in another, you would believe in a striped moon. With that kind of gullability, I would suggest staying away from the poker table. * * * Eagles may soar free and proud, but weasels never get sucked into jet engines. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2000, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/37 "2000-04-26T00:54:00Z")
Not to pick nits, (OK to pick nits) but I beleive in Latin the term for “purple” covered the color span for both red and purple. So its possible that the translation is at fault here. I’m off to find a Latin version of the Bible to see if I can determine if the color term used is the same. ---
**Author:** ![Twin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/85f322/32.png) [@Twin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twin)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2000, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/38 "2000-04-26T01:38:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Twin, your explanation of contradictions in the Bible astounds me. If there are two different accounts, they both happened? If there are three, all three of them happened? The robe was scarlet on one side, purple on the other? Matthew only mentioned one angel, because he didn’t think the other “Heavenly Hosts” were worth talking about? You’ve only proven one thing with your “response”. If the Bible said that the moon was red in one verse, and white in another, you would believe in a striped moon. Which of my explanations do you have a problem with? As Gaudere pointed out, the colors could have been the same. I didn’t say that about Matthew. You did. Who knows why Matthew only mentioned the angel outside of the tomb? His account does not invalidate the other accounts. Let’s say we both watched a movie. When we described the movie to other people, we might mention different things that impacted us. Both stories would be true, but not identical. Sorry if my explanations aren’t to your liking. I’m doing the best that I can. ---
**Author:** ![inertia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d07c76/32.png) [@inertia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inertia)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2000, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/39 "2000-04-26T01:50:00Z")
tracer: You put the writing of Mark at 40 years after the supposed death of JC. I’ve heard numbers between 60-100. spoke-: Indeed Mark is considered to be the earliest gospel. Matthew, Luke and John are considered to be embelished _copies_ of the original Mark. The thought that the gospels corroborate each other collapses at this notion. Danielinthewolvesden: Only 200 or fewer Christians before Paul? How many people committed suicide at Jonesville? It occurs to me that there were hundreds of cults at the time in question and that any one of them could have developed into a full fledged religion with a strong enough personality driving it. It is my opinion that Paul’s contribution to Christianity was that he was able to tip the scales in its favor in order to overcome the other now-faded cults. Gaudere: I believe I saw a discussion about the diction of color in ancient society and that for the most part there wasn’t any. I mean to say that the Romans only refered to a very limited number of colors, possibly only black, white, red, blue and green. Any other translation would have to be inspired by God Himself. Face it people, there was no Jesus. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2000, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128/40 "2000-04-26T02:11:00Z")
I find this question really interesting, because its the question that made me realize I wasn’t a Christian. I’m enough of a skeptic to not confuse magic with miracles. Now, had I been the leper healed, that I would have accepted. But simply a witness - nope - not controlled enough circumstances. And if I’m not going to believe something I experience, why should I believe something simply because someone else has been telling me its the truth all my life. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-lived-during-new-testament-times-would-you-have-accepted-christ/18128.md?page=3)