The Christ: A Critical Review and Analysis of the Evidences of His Existence

Chapter 220: 208

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About This Book

A skeptical, systematic critique argues that the Christ of the New Testament is a constructed myth rather than a reliably attested historical person. It assesses the silence of contemporary writers, the anonymous and late character of the gospels, and the contradictions within infancy narratives, ministry accounts, crucifixion, and resurrection reports. The author evaluates the moral portrait and teachings attributed to the figure and traces parallels with older pagan religions and divinities as possible sources of the myth. The conclusion asserts that supernatural claims lack sufficient historical support and that veneration rests on literary and theological fabrication rather than firm documentary evidence.

208

In going to Jerusalem to attend his last Passover, what route did he take?

Luke: “He passed through the midst of Samaria” (xvii, 11).

Mark: He “cometh into the coasts of Judea by the farther side of the Jordan” (x, 1).

Two entirely different routes. As the province of Samaria lay between those of Galilee and Judea, the direct route from Galilee to Jerusalem was “through the midst of Samaria.” The orthodox Jews, however, in order to avoid the Samaritans, whom they thoroughly despised, usually crossed the Jordan, which formed the boundary of the three provinces, came down on the east side of the river through Perea, recrossed the river, and thus entered “into the coasts of Judea from the farther side of Jordan.”