Quote Originally Posted by allodial View Post
That he survived the cross through subsequent death, resurrection and ascension into heaven is the Bible story. The victory over death is key as was afforded by faith in the remedy provided in the wilderness ala the brazen serpent--victory over death. The notion of ascension is also alluded to per Elijah and Enoch (who were taken up rather than having ascended of their own) thusly is not an invention of the NT.

The impression I get is that heretical Gnostics have set out to force their ideas of the material world being profane, thusly they could not accept that God or any divine being would have much to do with it. So they rendered the crucifixion event in a way that suited their philosophies: thusly him not dying and escaping the cross.
If there are truer words written regarding this, I haven't read them. Thanks allodial!