Maccoby begins: “If Jesus was a Pharisee, made no claim that was blasphemous, and never attempted to abolish the sabbath or any other accepted Jewish religious institution, why was he crucified?”
The biblical narrative of Jesus’ crucifixion is directed by Paul, the author argues.
Salvation must be received by a blood sacrifice, prompted by the Jews, who Paul paints as an evil force, rejecting the light of Christ.
In truth, Jesus was considered a threat to the Romans. This threat is why others like Jesus were crucified (46).
Only the gospel of John shows Jesus as being blasphemous, but the author argues John is the last and “least authentic” of all the gospels (48).
We read that Jesus’ religious views could not be separated from political ones during that time, so the Romans perceived him as a threat.
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