I would build on your initial thoughts, because writers of Matthew and Luke were actually making serious points about Jesus’ purpose. Matthew and Luke both took well known birth stories of Octavian, who was the first Roman emperor, and attributed them to Jesus, in order to proclaim to the then persecuted Church that their savior was greater, over and against the Roman Empire. Matthew went further, likening Jesus’ birth stories to those of Moses, using popular midrash stories, and likening pharaoh to Herod in order to proclaim Jesus as one greater than Moses. In addition to comparing Jesus to Caesar, Luke also introduced his gospel readers to the fact that women had the same status as men, in God’s eyes, and that the lowliest of lows- simple shepherds- were worthy to receive the message straight from God, and not any of those who were in power.
I don’t claim to follow Christ, I claim to follow Jesus. You follow protestants like Martin Luther and his theological heirs.
Much of what I point out in this article is confirmed by theologically conservative scholars, including the main who wrote the seminal work on the historical Jesus, Fr. John P. Meier. His multi-volume work, A Marginal Jew, remains the gold standard in examining the work of the actual man Jesus.
Don’t pretend that you’re not following men when you’re spouting your small mined and toxic interpretation of scripture. You’re standing on the shoulders of intellectual giants and oppressive empires who perpetuated this corruption of Jesus’s message for the last 2,000 years. Try to be honest with yourself—go read some Augustine, Luther, and Calvin, and then come back to the grown-up’s table.
But what a cute little hoax it is!
Haha! You’re not wrong - and it makes for great songs!!!
I would build on your initial thoughts, because writers of Matthew and Luke were actually making serious points about Jesus’ purpose. Matthew and Luke both took well known birth stories of Octavian, who was the first Roman emperor, and attributed them to Jesus, in order to proclaim to the then persecuted Church that their savior was greater, over and against the Roman Empire. Matthew went further, likening Jesus’ birth stories to those of Moses, using popular midrash stories, and likening pharaoh to Herod in order to proclaim Jesus as one greater than Moses. In addition to comparing Jesus to Caesar, Luke also introduced his gospel readers to the fact that women had the same status as men, in God’s eyes, and that the lowliest of lows- simple shepherds- were worthy to receive the message straight from God, and not any of those who were in power.
Yes these are great points!!! They really true are amazing pieces of writing.
I don’t claim to follow Christ, I claim to follow Jesus. You follow protestants like Martin Luther and his theological heirs.
Much of what I point out in this article is confirmed by theologically conservative scholars, including the main who wrote the seminal work on the historical Jesus, Fr. John P. Meier. His multi-volume work, A Marginal Jew, remains the gold standard in examining the work of the actual man Jesus.
Don’t pretend that you’re not following men when you’re spouting your small mined and toxic interpretation of scripture. You’re standing on the shoulders of intellectual giants and oppressive empires who perpetuated this corruption of Jesus’s message for the last 2,000 years. Try to be honest with yourself—go read some Augustine, Luther, and Calvin, and then come back to the grown-up’s table.