To: jbe who wrote (34449 ) 4/11/1999 11:02:00 PM From: E Read Replies (2) | Respond to
Hi, jbe, from E's H, aka N. But the original Jesus was not the founder of a new world religion. A new religion was founded on his dead body. On the body of a dead Jew, a layer of innovations was laid down by entrepreneurial successors eager to distance themselves from the traditional Judaism that had allowed the development of a self destructive, violent policy toward Rome (that is, they took up arms against an immensely superior force.) But the closest immediate followers of Jesus remained observant Jews just like Jesus. (What differentiated them from mainstream Judaism was primarily the notion that Jesus would shortly return and establish God's kingdom on earth, as he had promised he would.) very attached to the Law, judging from the NT: Mathew 5:17-20...[I've added bold.)I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven...."But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, 'You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire." even further -- even thought crimes, like feeling anger toward a sibling, made one liable to judgment. And God forbid you should say 'You fool,' because then, Jesus said, you should burn in hell! Jesus was an ultra, a Jewish fundamentalist.
