The Mistakes of Jesus by William Floyd (phonics books .txt) π
There is dispute as to whether Jesus was born in Bethlehem or Nazareth, and the date of his birth has been placed anywhere from 4 B.C. to 7 A.D. Matthew says that Jesus was born "in the days of Herod", while Luke says it was "When Cyrenius was governor of Syria." Herod died in 4 B.C., while Cyrenius did not become governor of Syria until 7 A.D.
The romantic story of the Christ-child is not corroborated by the historians of the time and is in opposition to the theory of evolution by natural processes. And yet it is still one of the main sources of Jesus' fame, being repeated at Christmas-tide in the churches, thus connecting Jesus with God in a superhuman manner.
The consensus of scholarship is in practical agreement that the theory of the virgin birth as a link between Jesus and God is a mistake; but whose mistake was it? Jesus never referred to his miraculous birth. If he was merely a man and never heard of the r
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Faulty Judgment
Jesus selected Judas to be the treasurer of the apostles' joint funds, but later admitted his error, saying: "Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for it was he that should betray him, being one of the twelve."[40]
Jesus erroneously supposed that "salvation is of the Jews."[41] "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."[42] A nationalistic and partial spirit is expressed in these sentences, a spirit that has been followed to the extent that Jesus would not be permitted to enter America if he applied for a visa.
Unconvincing
Jesus failed in his mission to save the world. He made the supreme sacrifice in vain. His method of proving his divinity did not convince his hearers: "But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him."[43] "For neither did his brethren believe in him."[44] After he had healed many, cast out unclean spirits and appointed his twelve apostles to do likewise, his friends "went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself."[45]
Jesus admitted his impotence as a human being when he said, "I can of mine own self do nothing."[46] Even with the assistance of his Father he did not accomplish what he set out to do.
Prohibition
The miracle of turning water into wine, providing one hundred gallons of wine after the people at the party had "well drunk", must appear to prohibitionists like a mistake on the part of Jesus. Many Methodists and Baptists would have preferred to have him turn the wine into water; yet they will not admit that Jesus made a mistake.
Lack of Experience
So far as the gospels relate, Jesus never had any experience with three of the chief difficulties of human lifeβsex, earning a living and illness. He was therefore less able to explain those relationships than one who has struggled through in the customary manner of mankind. To take the inexperienced Jesus as our guide in practical living would be like a traveller who was planning a trip over perilous mountains and engaged as a guide a man who had never crossed the mountains.
As Jesus believed that the end of the world was approaching, and as he revealed no information about the future, his teachings should be taken as applying solely to his own time. A divinity living now would preach far differently from the inadequate doctrines of Jesus.
The abandonment of reliance upon a Jesus who has not changed in nineteen hundred years, in favor of an Evolutionary philosophy that requires constant change, leads to a new conception of the world and its possibilities for man. A person who has thought himself out of antiquated theology may be expected to have an open mind towards the betterment of human customs.
Every improvement in human relationships originates secularly and is adopted by the Church only after a bitter struggle. Faith in Jesus is a reactionary force. The Christian opposes change in the creations of God; the Evolutionist seeks to alter every unsatisfactory condition. The Evolutionist is more responsive than the orthodox Christian to proposals for promoting the happiness of the human race. Many liberals have abandoned conservatism because they saw the hypocrisy in Christianity.
[1] Matt. xx, 1-16.
[2] John x, 13.
[3] Luke xvii, 10.
[4] Matt. xxv, 30.
[5] Luke xii, 47-48.
[6] Matt. xviii, 23-34.
[7] Matt. vi, 25-31, discussed under the Sermon on the Mount.
[8] Luke vi, 20.
[9] Matt. v, 25-26.
[10] Luke xix, 23.
[11] Matt. xxv, 20.
[12] Mark x, 30.
[13] Matt. xiii, 12.
[14] Matt. ix, 6.
[15] Mark viii, 23.
[16] John ix, 6.
[17] Mark x, 52.
[18] Luke xxii, 51.
[19] Matt. xxiv, 6-7.
[20] Mark xiii, 7-8.
[21] Luke xxi, 9-10.
[22] Matt. xxvi, 52.
[23] Luke xxii, 36-38.
[24] Matt. x, 34.
[25] Luke xii, 51.
[26] Luke xix, 27.
[27] John xviii, 36.
[28] Luke xi, 21-22.
[29] John ii, 15.
[30] Matt. xix, 5-6.
[31] Matt. xxii, 30.
[32] Luke xx, 34-35.
[33] Matt. v, 28.
[34] Matt. xix, 12.
[35] Luke xviii, 29-30.
[36] John iv, 18.
[37] John viii, 7-11.
[38] Matt. xxi, 31.
[39] Matt. v, 31-32.
[40] John vi, 70-71.
[41] John iv, 22.
[42] Matt. x, 5-6.
[43] John xii, 37.
[44] John vii, 5.
[45] Mark iii, 21.
[46] John v, 30.
AN INFERIOR PROTOTYPEOrthodox Christians accept both Old and New Testaments as authority for their actions, whereas Modernists are not much concerned with the commands of Jehovah but maintain that Jesus is the pattern for their lives. Religious liberals feel that the troubles of the world come largely from failure to follow the teachings of the Nazarene. They look upon him as the perfect example of what a man should be. In their opinion, if everyone would act as Jesus did all would be well.
On December 7, 1931, Dr. Henry Van Dyke preached at the Brick Presbyterian Church, New York City, that the way to end the financial depression was to act as Jesus would: "We can judge only by what he did and said in the first century, an age not so different from our own, an age of unsettlement, violence, drunkenness and license. Christ would tell us not to yield to panic.... Christ would not tell us to join any political party or social group...."
Such a sermon sounds encouraging but, as a matter of fact, Jesus has not shown any of his ministers how to end the depression. To trust him for guidance in our modern world is to pin faith on an incompetent instructor. We can learn how to end the depression by examining the records of our own time and by correcting the errors that have been made. It is not safe to rely upon a person who had no knowledge of America's practical needs and whose acts and advice regarding worldly affairs in Jerusalem fell short of the best ethical values.
In this treatise it has been shown that Jesus made mistakes. Every instance cited may not appeal to all readers as worthy of criticism, but there can be no doubt in the mind of any honest thinker that several at least of Jesus' ideas were erroneous. His theology was filled with superstitions, his cosmology was that of the pre-scientific era, he expected the end of the world within a generation, his conception of sin was theological rather than ethical, he failed to convince his hearers by his oratory, he exaggerated the results from prayer and he related parables that gave a false sense of values.
Now we shall turn to his personal character and teachings to see if he was always the meek, gentle soul portrayed by the conventional Christ.
Cursing Nature
The act in Jesus' life that has been most difficult for theologians to explain was the cursing of the fig tree. The tree was created to bear fruit in the Summer, but when Jesus found it without fruit in the Spring, he cursed it so that it withered away.
"Now in the morning, as he returned into the city, and when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away."[1] "For the time of figs was not yet."[2]
This episode involves several mistakesβignorance of the seasons; destruction of a profitable food-producing tree; exhibition of temper when thwarted, and giving false information regarding man's power to effect physical changes by a curse.[3]
If Jesus acted unwisely in this one instance and was right in all others, he is neither an infallible God nor a perfect pattern for mankind.
Forgiveness
The conventional Jesus is emblematic of supreme kindness and forgiveness, but in reality he was far from lenient in many instances, nor did he advocate forgiveness for certain offenses.
"Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee ... tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican."[4]
In the parable of Dives and Lazarus, Abraham was represented as justified in not forgiving the rich man tortured in hell, or even in saving the rich man's brothers as requested by the victim of Jesus' policy of punishment.
Again Jesus said: "Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father."[5] "Whosoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness."[6]
All the wicked were condemned by Jesus to eternal punishment with no chance of forgiveness.
Vituperation
Jesus was often vehement in his language to an extent hardly compatible with gentleness of character.
"O generation of vipers! how can ye, being evil, speak good things?"[7]
"Woe unto you, hypocrites, for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him two-fold more the child of hell than yourselves."[8]
"Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"[9]
"If I should say I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you."[10]
"All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers."[11]
"Ye fools and blind."[12]
This language may have been necessary, in Jesus' opinion, to convince his hearers of their sins, but such vituperation does not become a modern ethical teacher.
Destruction of Property
Two acts of Jesus, consistent with his disregard of worldly goods, were destructive in character.
"And there was a good way off from them a herd of many swine feeding. So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
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