Abraham & Sarah Never Happened?

[David Merrill]

Even if you take everything Paul said out of the NT texts, and leave only the OT and the four gospels, you still have a consistency. All of the Epistles were internal to the Christ's assembly. Furthermore, the events surrounding Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection caused many Romans to really consider the difference between the doctrines of the Pharisees and the doctrines that Jesus taught.

Thank you for itemizing.

Re: Abraham & Guilt
I'm not sure why Abraham would have had a reason to feel guilty about having married his half sister especially with the likelihood of him being among the exempted royalty class and that he was not under Mosaic law. Mosaic law was specific to a period. This doesn't mean that similar laws would be lacking. But Moses was over Israel subsequent to the exodus from Egypt. I'm not sure why that would be construed to have made Moses into a universal sovereign or trustee over all mankind.

This guilt was a consequence of realizing the nature of natural law. 50% recombined DNA is bad especially when compounded over generations.

Re: Paul & Moses
The parallels between Moses and Paul are astonishingly worth looking into. If one can ask "Where did Paul get the right or authority?" One can also ponder the same regarding Moses.

I can see a few off the bat.

Re: Babylon, Rome and Salvation
That God was not out to protect the syncretism that resulted from Babylonian occupation or exile is clear in the Pentateuch alone.

Please describe... I think I may be miseducated about syncretism.

Re: Resurrection & Necromancy
Furthermore, there is nothing in OT that suggests resurrection by a de jure priest to have been necromancy or for any full resurrection to have been necromancy. Consultation of the dead for divination was AFAIK deemed to be necromancy. If resurrection were necromancy, what of Elijah? What of God giving breath to Adam? What state was Adam in before he was given breath? Alive or dead? Necromancers fiddle around with death for the sake of gaining power or knowledge.

I had to look through several dictionary definitions to apply necromancy to resurrection.

Is an executioner a necromancer? Are those who stone someone necromancers because they bring about death? Then why would someone be a necromancer for bringing about life or giving breath?

No. The executioner kills. It is not necromancy if the executioner does not bring the dead back to life.

Re: Jesus and Moses Parallel
Looking at the text Moses Was Not A Magician we see a parallel in that Jesus said: "Truly, truly, I say to you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do: for what things soever he does, these also does the Son likewise."

Agreed. We have the power to heal. Some have tried to master God - cabala.

Re: Paul In Custody
Paul confessed to being a Roman citizen. And the scepter had departed from Judah for over 30 years prior. The Romans under their own law had authority to protect Paul as a Roman citizen from harm from the Sanhedrin which had been stripped of authority exactly as foretold in Genesis:



It is also translated: "until he to whom it belongs". This is even written about in Rabbinical writings of the time and after--they know the scepter had departed but could not see that the one to whom it belongs had come. Babylonian syncretism perhaps made it difficult to discern? They didn't have authority to execute Jesus, they didn't have authority over Paul either. With Paul being a Roman citizen, the Romans owed him protection.

Interesting that they had no authority over Paul? I think that consent was Paul going into Jerusalem.

Re: Deuteronomy Curses & Confusion of Mind
It might be possible that one reason those Pharisees in syncretism could not see is because of the Deuteronomy 28 curses:

Yes!

Re: Paul
There is at least once instance when Paul speaks his own opinion, he makes it clear that it is his own opinion. That doesn't strike me as something someone with low integrity would do. Those with a knowledge of the OT and NT can nonetheless discern even if Paul were to make a mist-statement.

The whole interpretation Pragmatism is about how Paul was a participant in the writing of the Gospel of Mark. I cannot say that I would have stayed for execution.

Re: What Jesus Drew On the Ground
At John 8:6 I know of someone who a vision where I saw what Jesus wrote on the ground. Now I could have dismissed it but shortly thereafter, someone else thousands of miles away saw the same thing and published it online. They were trying to stone a woman for adultery. What else could Jesus draw on the ground but the symbol of their own spiritual adultery--their involvement in a secret society of kind might have something to do with it.

I am curious about that symbol.

I imagine, maybe not a vision that Jesus wrote out the ineffable Name of God and in doing so expressed an authority they associated only with the Cohen Gadol - the high priest.

Re: God and the Supernatural
From what I recall, in the OT, during exodus, when there was no water, miracles were used to bring about water. If there was water available, then the miracles were no longer needed.

I sometimes wonder if the difference between magic and miracles is whether or not you put God out there or are inside Him.

Joseph was placed into Egyptian custody in consequence of his own brothers' crimes. Consider that in some way Moses was in Egyptian custody until the Exodus. Josephus was in Roman custody in consequence of being taken captive. The Babylonian Talmud was written or compiled during Babylonian exile (i.e. i.e. during Babylonian custody). The crown or mantle of Babylon itself came to be in the custody of the (Etruscan) Romans in consequence of Attalus III's will. To this day reign of the king of Babylon continues. On that note, regarding Paul I'm not sure what is so special or outstanding about Paul having been in Roman custody.