Jesus: God, Man or Myth?: An Examination of the Evidence

309 Pages·2000·9.65 MB·English

by  Herbert Cutner

J E s u s
G O D, �1A N OR MYTH?
AnE xaminaotfti hoEenv idence
b y
HERBERT CUTNER
Published 2000
TheB ooTkr e e
EscondCiAd o
Copyri1g9h5t0,
God,M an Myth?
Jesus: or
ISBN1 -58509-072-7
©2000
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TownsenBdr ownC,h ristiCanoiltdyF ,u sioCno,l loiSdali lvCero,m parativRee ligions, Crop
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FOREWORD
Im aken oa polofgoytr h ef actth atth iwso rki sc ontroveIrts ial.
wasu navoidsaoba,ls ym anyo ft hed efendoeftr hs e" manJ"e su s,
asw elals t hosweh oi nsithsta th ew asa " God'h'a,vb ei tteralsy­
sailneodt,o nloyn c ritibcuatol n p ersognraolu ndtsh,o soefu s
whoh ave instihsattthe eds toroyfJ esuissj usat m ythI. h op e,
howevetrh,ar te adewilrls s eseo methbienygo ntdh ec ontrov ersial
part-wifilnlda reaclr itiocfit shmes o-calelveidd enbcreosu ght
forwatrodp rovteh aJte suCsh rilsitv eodne art h.
Ih avtrei etdo l eavneor elevaarngtu meunntt ouchaenddh ave
refraifnreodm d ealiwnigt hm anyd isputaendd s pecul ative
poinstus,ca hs t hea ctuaolr igionfC sh ristioarnw ihtoyw ast he
authoofrt heo rigiGnoaslp el.
Thew orks liinst theeBd i bliogrwaiplhglyi vaen ys tudent
fulldeert aoilnas n yp roblIeh ma ven ota dequatdeelaylw ti th.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
My gratetfhualn akrsed uet oM r.C .M .H ollinghoafmB righ ton
fomra nyv aluable sugagnedcs otriroencsta inodfn ossr o c arefully
revistihnepg r oooffst hiwso r k.
c
CONTENTS
£·ha1p tcSorm eP relimiCnoanrsyi derations 1
II ChristEivaind ences 9
III TheW itneosfsP aul 30
IV TheC ross 58
v TheM otheorf G od 76
VI Jesuasn dt heW itneosfst heJ ews 86
VII TheP agaWni tnesses 11 0
VIIIS omeS ourcoefst heJ esuMsy th 12 9
IX PagaSna viors 16 5
X ChristiaannidAt lyl egory 179
XI TheM ythT heorayn dI tCsr itics 194
XII TheT eachionfgJ se sus 223
XIIIH ow Didt heG ospeOlrsi in6Jlte? 229
XIV Conclusions 245
XV VarioWuosr ksa ndt heC onclus ion 250
Biblio graphy 289
INTRODUCTION
Thiiss a ni nteresptiiencogefi nvestigwaotrikbv yea na uthor,
Herbert Cutner, whtoop rsoevttesh aJoieu stua ss,a na ctual man,
neveerx isteIdti. s an extremewleyl rle searchbeodo ka nd,
althouaglmhla _yn ota grewei twhh atth ea uthsoary sit,i sh ighly
informatanidv ew elwlo rtrhe ading.
Cutnemrak esa continueofufso trots uppohritsa rguments,
usinmga nyr eferentcheapstr oviadmep lbea ckin_.g--especiallY.
forth e argumetnhta tth e" mirasc"l peerform6eyd C lirist dia
noth appeAnc.c orditnogC utnetrh,e smei raclweesr ei nstead
certaimnY. thologtiheawsle rues etdo e nhanJcees uassa "God"
and toi njepcatg atnh emeisn tao n ewf aitthh awtas tryintg o
enlinsetwm emberBse.c auosfet hes tronegv identchea mty ths
were creoarbt oerdr owteodp ortratyh esmei raclCeust,n earl so
assetrthsa nto s uchm ana sJ esuesv eerx isteeidt,h eHre. c laims
thabte yontdh em iracltehseriesn ote nougehv identcoep rove
1
therweas sucha man.ft lthouI..g dhi sagrweiett hh ipsa rticular
premisIs et,i ll rCeustpneetOcrrt h avinwgr itttehneb ooka sh e
bringosu t mainnyt eresftaicntgs thnaottf oaurneed l sewheIrfe .
Chnstioanne,I Sl iketloyr ethionnke 'esn tirreel igiboeulsi ef
structuarfet reera ditnhgib so ok.
Thea uthaosrs etrthsa tth osweh obe lievteh aJte suhsa dl ived
are holdionngt o" primitainvdce h ildfiasnht asiHees c.l"a ims
thaitn f olfowtihnelg i foefC hriswetf ,i nad m ythologsitcoarly
throughtohuaettf fectidveesltyr tohyeis d etah aJte suesv elri ved.
An interesptoiinnhgte m akesIS t hatth ee videnccoen tinually
found alrweafyetsro Js e suasst heC hrist-a divine savior figure,
and thuas mythN.o ta man,b ute lemenftrso ma stor{yo r
storitehsa)ct a meb eforteh et imoef C hrisCtu.t ners eiesk ing
referencteoas m ana ndm ana lonneo,t a mythologigcoadll,y
figu�eheaAdn.d int hirse spehcet f,i ndtsh ee vicfenscoer ely
lackmg.
A fascinaarteiano gf t heb ooka ndt hek eyt oi tm ay be
founidn t hea reaosfG nosticainsdm tAhI!Qes tlPea ulC.u tner
doenso tru leo utt hGen ostviice wosf C hri!shte.G nostCihcri st
iso ftenf ounwdi thoinne sealsfo ,p posetdob einagn h istorical
personaPgaeu.la ,c cordtionC gu tnenre,v epro rtraJyeesdu assa
man, buta sa spirioteuianlg --exactalsy t heG nostihcasd
Q.OrtrahyiemdP. a ulw as almosrte jecbtY.e tdh eC hurcfho rh is
Gnostviice wansd wasa pproacvheerdcy a refulblyyt hemb efore
finalbleyi nagc ceptWeidt.ht heC hurcha'csc eptanocfeP aul,
Cutneras settst hatth iisn neGrn ostirce flectiwoasn o utwardly
projecbtyet dh eC hurcihn taon a ctuamla n-as avioTrh.i swas
P.robabwlbY.y P auwlas almosrte jectedv-iheiwsps o sead g reat
'dangert"ot hosweh o mightr elyo n theiorw n �intual
knowledogreg ,n osirsa,t htehra nt hea uthoroiftt yh eC hurch.
Onet hini_.gsc leafrr omt hihsi ghliyn teresatnidin ngf ormative
bookW.ll ethJeers urse allliyv eodrn otw,e s tihlaTv ae greadte al
tol earn abouotu rselavnedos u rt ruep lacient heu niverse.
PauTli ce
CHAPTER I
S ome Prleimniary
Considreations
EVESRI CNED UPUI(1S 742-1809), I NH ISFA MOUS
OrigoifAn l Wlo rshsihposw,et dh aCth ristiwaansib tuyt a n­
othefro nno ft heS olaMry tha,n dt hatth erefnoors eu cphe rson
asJ esuCsh riesvte lri vehdi,st heohrays b eeni ncreasdiinsg­ly
cusseAdc.t ualDluyp,u irse fusteode xami"nien ttoh eq uestion
ofa philosopohrie mrp,o stnoarm,e dC hiistth,ef oundoefra
religkinoonw bny t hen ameo fC hristiaFnoiret vye.in f w ew ere
toc oncedteh ipso inth,e"s aysi,n t hen intchh aptoefrt he
abridgeeddi tioofhn i sw ork",C hristwioaunlsnd o tb es atisfied
unlewsesw eret oa cknowleCdhgrei tsotb ea ni nspimraend,a
sono fG od,n ayh,i mseal Gfo d,c rucififeodro urs inTsh.e yr e­
quire a Godw hoo ncteo ofko oodn e artahn di sn owt hef ooodf
hipse oplNeo.w ,w ea ref afrr omgr antsionmg u cha st hi.s . ."
Hei nvihiste rse adetross t udtyh ep roohfesg ivetsos how" the
natureo fC hristwioarns hiapn"dc, l aihmesc anp rovteh a"tt he
heroof t hel egenkdnso wnb yt hen ameo fg ospeilsts h es ame
herwoh oh asb eecne lebrwaittefhda mro reg eniiunst hep oems
writteinn h onoorf B acchuOss,i riHse,r culAedso,n iasn,d
others."
2 JESUGSO-D,M ANO RM YTH?
Dupuihsa sn eveIrt ,h inbke,e tnr ansliantf eudli ln tEon glish,
andh isw orka sa wholies a lmousntk nowtno E nglirseha ders
andf,o trh amta ttearl,st ooF rencrhe adeBrust.t hep roblheem
posewda st akeunp b ya feww ritenrost,a bilnyE nglanbdy
Robert T(ay18l47-o1r84 )4 andJ ohnM .R obert(s8o16n5 1-339).
Theraer te hree voinet whseq uestoifoJ ne suCsh riTshte.fi rst
ist,h ahte w ast heS ono fG odt,h eS econPde rsoonft heT rinity,
Godh imsetlhfeM, e ssiathh,eR edeemetrh,eS avior-saono dn .
He camed ownt oe artehi thaesra fulglryo wmna no ra so ne
borno ft heV irgMianr yp,e rformmaendy m iraclweassc, r ucified
undePro ntiPuilsa taen dr osfer omt hed eada ftetrh redea ys,
ascendteoHd e aveann,d w ilrle tutrno e artwhh enh et hiniktis s
timfeo trh eS econAdd venTth.i vsi ewh,e lbdy a lmotshtew hole
ofC hristenidspo rmo,p agabtyet dh eB ritiBsrho adcasCtoirn­g
poratainodnf ronme arelvye rCyh ristpiualnp it.
Thes econvdi ewi st haJte suCsh riisstn otr ealtlhyeC hrist;
thaits t,h eA nointtehdeM, e ssiabhu,tj usptl aiJne sutsh;a hte
wasm erelay m anw how ent about g"odoodai"nn dgp reaching
a simplfea itthh;a hte n evepre rformeadn ym iracltehsa;wt e
knowv erlyi ttle abobuutt t hhiaamtf; t heerw asc rucifiuendd er
PontiPuisl ahtiefs,o llowbeergsat no w eavmea nyr omancienst o
hisl ifweh icahc counftosrt hel egenadnsd m ythssu rrounding
thes toirnyt heG ospeIlfst .h esaer ep uta sidwee,g ett hep icture
ofa -moroer l ess-ficnhea racwtheord ,i edi,na way,f ora ll
humaniTthyi.vs i eiw sh elbdy m anyT heisUtnsi,t ariJaenwss,,
ando therre ligioansiw setlasls, b yn umeroFurse ethinaknedr s
Rationalists.
Thet hirvdi eiws t hatth ew holset ooryf J esuassr elatienad l l
theG ospeClasn,o niacnadlA pocrypihsaj l�,sm ty tha ndl egend;
thatth ernee vewra sa JesuCsh risotr,a mana bouwth omt hese
legengdrse wN.o rw a�a nyb eincgr ucifiaesdr ,e latiendt he
NewT estameunntd,e Pro ntiuPsi laItnes .h orwte, h avei nt he
picturder awfno ru sb yt heG ospel wriat leirtse rcarrye ation,
growna nde xpandefdr oms omei nwarrde ligieoxpuesr iences,
perhaopfsa manl ikPea ulT.h iiss t hev iewo fa comparatively
smalnlu mbero fs tudeanntdsw ritesrosm,eo fw homd on otd is­
belieivnGe o d.
Int her esewnotr kw e shaldle awli tsho mea,t l easotft, h e
SOMEP REILMINARCYO NSDIERAOTNIS 3
evidenpcreo ducbeydt het hrecel asisnes su ppoorftt h eviri ews.
Iti sn ecessaattr yh eo utsteotb eq uitcel eaarst ot hen atuorfe
thep roblem.
Theq uestiwoe na ret od iscuissns o wth etheartt, h eb acokf
theG ospels, wtahsae nro eb scure indaibvoiudwtuh aomlw e
knowl iternaoltlhyi bnugt, wmhou shta ve been totg hievree
risteoC hristiaInfwi et kyn.o wn othiwnhga tevaebro uhti mi,t
isu seletsods i scuhsismA .. D .H owelSlm itihn,h iJs esNuotsA
Myth( pag1e9 )9s,a ys:
"ThGeo speslt otrhye inst rual lye gen.d .. B ut.b eneatthhe
mysticaanldm ythiccarlu stth erlei eh iddehni storfiaccatls ,
thougihti se xceedihnagrldy- niamyp ossiblber-itntogh ema ll
tol ight."
Ifi ti si mposstiobb lrei ntgh eam ltlol ighittw, o ulbde i nterest­
ingt ok noww hihcahv bee ebnr ougthotl ighOtfc. o ursifet ,h ere
wasa reamla nb ehintdh eG ospeslt oroyb,v iouhselh ya dt o
eatd,r inakn,d s leep.
Inh ilsa swto rko nt hep robleJme,s aunsJd u daJ.sM .,R obert­
sona dmitassa, n h ypotheas "iwso,n der-woJreksiunwsgh" o w as
"noatt eachneorta, n u tteroefl ro gnioatt, h eh eado fa bando f
Twelve Discnioptcl reusc,i fiuendd ePro ntiPuisl ateet,c .I"t
seemtso m e thaitt i s aunt tewra stoef t imet od iscutshse
existeonfsc uec ah beinwgh oh asl efnto t racienh istoarnyd
whos eemindgildyn othitnoga ccoufnotr s ucha religaiso n
ChristiaTnhietrwyee .r ea,sa mattoefrf acqtu,i tae l argneu m­
bero ft hes"ew onder-worrkeilnigg"if oaunsa tailclos v ert he
Easta,n dw e havem anyt racoefst hemO.u rs pecicaoln cern,
howeveirs,n otw iths ucha st hesbeu,t w itht her ecognized
foundoefrC hristiaWnhiattiy st. h ee videnfcoerh isr eaelx ist­
ence?
Thec uriotuhsi nigst hawth ilmea nyo ft heh istoriacries ts
readtyog ivuep a miracle-monTgeesrutishn,e� sy h owi ncreased
reluctatnopc uet s omeoncel,e ardleyfi neidn,h isp lacMea.n y
yearasg oG eorgSeo lomwroont ea p rovocaatnidvc eo ntroversial
worko nT hJee suosfH istaonrtdyh Jee soufTs r daitIidoenn ti­
fiedHi.st heswiasst haJutd aosf G alilaenedt heJ esumse ntioned
byJ osephduusr itnhgeR omans iegoefJ erusaalsec mr yi'nWgo e
toJ erusaleomn"i twsa llbso,t gha ver isteot hee sucsu latn d