Date Posted:19:58:24 09/21/04 Tue Author:schwabra Author Host/IP: dialup-4.225.158.94.Dial1.Cincinnati1.Level3.net / 4.225.158.94 Subject: Jesus
I am sure you understand my disagreement to Jesus being the Ultimate truth.
I would also suggest that the Ultimate Truth is beyond our understanding and really irrelevant to who we are. We are here to experience life, not to deny it for someone else's idea of what is true.
The idea of sacrifice. The Sadducees pushed sacrifice, they needed to make the Temple central.
The Pharisees stressed works. Much like Judaism today, they tried to make Judaism do-able for everyone.
Did you realize that there were many Jews that did not live in Jerusalem (then and now). How would Jews outside make sacrifices? This was and still is the majority of Jews. How can anyone expect sacrifice to take on an almost daily part in a Jew's life?
Have you ever heard the theory that the Torah was actually a way to reduce sacrifice? First the most aromatic animals and parts of animals were forbidden from sacrificial use (pigs). Then the there was only one place to sacrfice, the Temple. Now the God that gave the Torah, took the Temple. This ended sacrifice.
Can you also understand that Jesus being used as a sacrifice seems wrong? It is then a throw back to human sacrifice at the time of Abraham. Even Abraham was able to avoid sacrificing Isaac, so shouldn't God have been able to avoid sacrificing His son? Even beyond that, Jesus was not prepared or treated in a way to be considered a sacrifice. He was beaten, and his flesh torn. Then he was killed in a way to cause pain. This is forbidden in Jewish sacrifice. It is part of pagan practices. his is one reason that the NT is suggested to be more influenced by non-Jews than Jews. Jews would not have accepted it as a "sacrifice."
One!life > Hello schwabralife! Gift given/life taken/Jesus gave his life -- One!life, 21:53:48 12/03/04 Fri