Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use most podcast platforms if you wish to listen. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

Last week I brought forth a series of past blog posts that were aimed at those that have not been given all the facts about different elements in how the social structures that govern this world influence and act upon the human populus. As well has trying to inform them of about the possible reality of God and His Son Jesus Christ that they never heard or was presented to them in ways that caused them to not pursue looking further into coming to see if God were real or not.

Today, I wish to continue these messages.

Let’s talk about Jesus.

Now this is not going to be a sermon. This is just a look at who Jesus is.

Here are known factors that come from outside the Bible. Historical governmental officials mentioned in the Bible have been documented in addition there is physical evidence of their existence.

Two Examples: Pontius Pilate and Caiaphas. The latter of which the remains of his body were officially unearthed and identified.

Furthermore, we know also of Jesus’ brother: James, a son of Mary as well, who was stoned for professing his brother to be the Messiah.

There is also archaeological evidence which corresponds to areas said to have been visited by Jesus.

Hence, we have several points of evidence that support history and it can be said due to these facts that Jesus lived and was crucified. In fact, there is none that truly study history that question the existence of Jesus of Nazareth. Consequently, Jesus as a human being is not doubted in any form.

What does come into question is the resurrection that confirms Jesus as the Son of God.

Now what I am about to state is an actuality you must come to accept. A keystone of the Jewish community in the time period of Jesus was the use of the oral tradition to pass on religious information accurately. It is so solid that a Torah written in 600 B.C. matches a Torah from 10 A.D. that in turn corresponds to a Torah of today.

In the first twenty to twenty-five years after the resurrection this was the main component of early Christianity as well. This is due mainly to the fact that most in this time frame were originally Jewish.

One such oral tradition can be traced to within eight years after the resurrection, 38 – 41 A.D. Which in turn is included in 1 Corinthians which is dated to have been written in the mid-50s A.D., so within 20 to 25 years after the resurrection.

One of the myths out there is that it was a hallucination that those who say they saw Jesus after his death. Now why I say myth is the last key element of the tradition I am referring to. Five hundred (500) seeing Jesus post-resurrection at one time. There is no way this is a hallucination. It is physically impossible. On top of which those hearing the tradition or seeing it written to the Corinthians are literally challenged to find those that still live and saw Jesus and ask them. No one could refute it. None. On top of which those calling it a “hallucination” said this after the one hundred fifty-year mark, which shows that those pushing this hypothesis are the ones chasing after myths, per their own understanding when something becomes classified as a myth.

So here is the Jesus that is supported by facts.

He existed 2000 years ago. He died either in 30 A.D. or 33 A.D. On the third day he came to life again with his wounds received upon the cross still visible. He walked several miles the day he came back to live. He then vanishes. He then appears in a locked room with all the living apostles. Thomas touches his wounds, and Jesus eats food. He then disappears again. So, this is Jesus. If you wish to know more. Just ask.

New Testament history

There are elements out there that call the Bible a lie, a myth. Most of those in your age group have heard these inaccuracies. What you are about to listen to and/or read is to help you see facts very few know or even care to know, which I find very unfortunate, but I have come to expect it in the way people are raised and taught in this time.

From the moment the four gospels and the letters of the apostles were written they have been studied, debated, analyzed, and questioned. Commentaries have been written and studied and again debated from early in the second century to today. Men like Chrysostom, Clement of Alexandria, Epiphanius, Ignatius of Antioch, Irenaeous, Jerome and Justin Martyr to name the most notable of these early scholars.

All twenty-seven books of the New Testament have been copied into different languages not only by professional scribes but by average and devoted followers of Jesus of Nazareth. Many have been lost, many others have not. In fact, out of all historical documents the Bible has the most surviving copies that date back all the way to the first century when they were originally written, even though an original version has not been found that I am aware of. The number of Greek copies alone are over 5800 copies. While there are only four ancient copies of the Iliad.

The gospels and the letters can be dated to a range of twenty to twenty-five years after the resurrection of Jesus. Now as I have stated before those that say that an item can be called a “myth” is when it is written 150 years after the original event. This, as I have just shown, does not apply to the New Testament. The first I have just shown, which is the date the gospels and letters were written. Well within the range for survivors of the actual events to have never questioned any inaccuracy within them. The second is something the Jewish people have prided themselves for centuries. That being the oral tradition as mentioned earlier. The earliest oral tradition that is known within the letters of the apostles is within 1 Corinthians. (1 Corinthians 15:3-9), which is dated to have been taught within eight years after the resurrection (38-41 A.D.).

Now as I mentioned earlier what we call the books of the New Testament were copied into different languages. Two languages become the dominant ones, Latin and Greek. There are many factors for this, which is an entire history lesson in itself, but the basics is due to the split in the Rome Empire itself when it broke into two. The western empire based in Rome where Latin was the primary language. The eastern empire based in Constantinople where Greek became dominant, which is now known as Istanbul, Turkey.

As Islam spread violently throughout Northern Africa and the Middle East it finally threatened to overrun Constantinople, which in fact fell into their hands in 1453, ending the Byzantine Empire. As a result, the Biblical scholars, priest and monks fled this area as the threat become more and more obvious. They carried with them their copies of the New Testament books to the west. Here they fell into the hands of the western scholars, like Martin Luther (1483-1546).

It is due in fact to this Islamic conquest that caused what we now call the Reformation to take place, in addition to the creation of the printing press (1440). For men like Luther saw the difference between the Latin versions from the Greek of the gospels and apostolic letters that led him to question and challenge the Catholic Church. For those within the Catholic Church has changed and perverted these documents for their own glory and riches. Subsequently, Martin Luther called them out for that which was shown to be in the right. This is the main reason that when you seek to learn the original meaning of the words within the New Testament you must look to the Greek not the Latin.

The first fully “approved” English version of the Bible come into being in 1611. There are those that point to this date as the creation of the Bible and say that since it was made at this point that the resurrection of Jesus is a myth. But as I have just shown earlier this is the furthest thing from the truth. As I also have shown that since this idea was made even after 1611 it is those stating this theory who are the ones creating their own myth. A myth that God is not real and that His Son did not exist nor raise from the dead.

So, this is a brief overview of the history of the New Testament. It is now up to you to think and decide for yourself what you wish to think and believe. For that is something that can only come from each person on their own to decide. You cannot depend on what others or even I say. You must look, think, challenge, and learn what is real and what is true on your own. I challenge you as those early scholars did all the way to the point when these books were written in the first place.

“The world owes me!” mentality.

When this post was originally written was the beginning of this selfish, self-serving mentality, thus the wording that will follow.

In the last few months this mentality has become a focal point within many of collage aged people within the United States. This, however, is not a reality.

Look at it this way for a moment. Carla, a woman who is 43 years of age is now head of her department at work. How did she get here? She was a stripper from the age of 19 to 21. She allowed men to look at her naked body and to paw and pet her. She hated it. In the daytime she went to college and just did what was required to guarantee she got her degree. A few of her professors said weird things, but she did her best to ignore them for it was not her goal. At 21 she graduated with no collage bills left to pay. She moved to a different city so she would not encounter any that may have seen her in her life that sickened her. She got a good job and slowly rose through the ranks, becoming married to her work. For even though she likes men she could not get over how sick they made her in those years she was a striper. When she turned 40, she met a man, fell in love, and married. Both were married to their work, but they for the most part was happy.

Now we come to those demanding that all be given to them just become they deserve to have it handed to them because they were told the world must give them whatever they want. Most of them are between the ages of 19 and 21. Professors filled their heads not with knowledge but words of rebellion and demands. Stating that the world handed over to them all it had for they were the select, the special. They had been pampered and spoiled all their lives and so they believed what these people told them.

So these selfish self-serving young people demanded that Carla. Who has suffered degradation at the hands of self-centered self-serving men for three years of her life; a time she can never ever forget. Is being told to surrender her hard-earned salary and turn it over to these youths. Who has done nothing except party and celebrate and wonder why none wishes to reward them. They care or know nothing of the moral and physical sacrifices people like Carla have made.

Is this story real? There is a very strong possibility there really is a “Carla” out there that did live this life. But it is of no doubt there are young people out there that have made no effort to contribute to how the world works. They do not understand that nothing is given, it must be earned. Let’s define the word “earn.”

Per the Oxford Dictionary:

Earn: 1) Obtain (money) in return for labor or services.

2) Gain deservedly in return for one’s behavior or achievements.

Clear and straight forward I would say.

Now let’s look at how the Bible sees how people should behave.

Well, what it boils down to is this. Those that truly seek to honor the Bible place all others before themselves. Does this mean that Carla must surrender her hard-earned money that she had to suffer to get to the point of achieving? No, it does not. How she should handle her money is not something we have time to discuss in this topic, but back on topic. She should not be forced to surrender her earnings to those that have not made any attempt to earn their own way in life. Marching, chanting, and demanding, does not constitute earning, please see the second definition of the word “earn.”

The Bible teaches us to respect our employers. To earn our livings and thus earn a life. If we are fortunate enough to become wealthy, we are not to hoard it and keep it to ourselves, but to share without taxation to our community. Helping those that are in true need and true suffering. Those that are starving, those that have been beaten by their husbands, or as the case may be their wives (it does happen).

If you do contribute to society, society owes you nothing in return. This is seen within the Bible as well and it is something that the founders of the United States saw as well. Two revolutions occurred nearly at the same time. The American Revolution, and the French Revolution. Both had extremely different outcomes. Because both revolutions were at their core based upon two different ideals.

The French Revolution was based upon the concept that the world owed them. As a result, there was widespread violence and murder. The final result of this revolution ended in the dictatorship of Napoleon Bonaparte, which resulted in war and death and left France weak.

The American Revolution was based upon freedom to live one’s life as they saw fit and to allow people to earn their own way in life. After their victory against the English, it led to a time of prosperity and growth to the point of becoming one of the great nations in the world.

Both revolutions had more elements to them, but this is the basic formation of these revolts and their outcome, which none can truly dispute, even though many will.

The Bible teaches to work, to earn and to do what is right and honorable. Any that teach otherwise goes against the Bible and thus goes against nature, which is in turn against God. Anything that goes against nature is always against God.

“The world owes me!!” continued.

These are the words many, especially those that attend colleges, shout out constantly. Most became followers of Bernie Sanders. A man until the age of 40 never had a job, and that job was mayor.

When saying the Lord’s Prayer. One part of the prayer requests we be given our daily bread. Two thousand years ago food did not miraculously appear on the dinner table. The events of Harry Potter and the feasts in the great hall are not real. Also, if you actually read the books. House Elves slaved for hours in the kitchen cooking all the food and placed them on matching tables directly below the tables in the hall. Then through a spell the items on the tables would switch to the tables above.

The lesson from this? Nothing is free and if it is promised who is to slave, toil and suffer just so you can have it for free, because it is owed to you.

All must struggle in some form to achieve that which they seek. If any have what they seek just handed to them, it will be at the cost of another’s struggles. Plus, it will not be appreciated once it is given to you.

A prime example – slavery. The slave master lived in luxury and was never satisfied. While their slaves were beaten, starved, raped, and left to live in squalor. This has been a core element of the Democratic Party in the United States. 95% of which were slave-owners in the slave states before the Civil War.

How important voting was made to end slavery and allow blacks to vote:

Vote for the 13th Amendment: For 100% Republican. Against 77% Democrat

Vote for the 14th Amendment: For 94% Republican. Against 100% Democrat

Vote for the 15th Amendment: For 100% Republican. Against 100% Democrat

Any who says the parties flipped forget theses votes.

When you truly seek knowledge, you learn that it only comes through wisdom. That is only achieved through struggles, conflicts, adversity, and humility. These are all things taught within the Bible.

When the Nazarene was rejected by those who knew Him his entire life, He knew adversity.

When Jesus was confronted by those in religious power, He knew conflict.

When Christ was arrested, beaten, whipped, and then hung bloody upon a cross. He experienced true struggle. The struggle to let His Father’s will be fulfilled.

Today’s world is soft compared to events not only two thousand years ago, but seventy to seventy-five years ago. Many today would not survive the simplest of issues or difficulties that those that lived in those times overcame. Sometimes with easy, other times through adversity, conflict, and struggle.

Those that are older and alive today have earned their rewards for the most part. They are not owed them. They purchased them with their sweat, blood, and tears.

How much have you truly sacrificed?