http://www.issuesetc.org/resource/archives/maier2.htm

http://www.issuesetc.org/resource/archives/maier3.htm

http://www.issuesetc.org/resource/archives/maier4.htm

The historical person known as Jesus, in fact, lived from April 6, 4
B.C. until April 7, 30 A.D., when he was crucified under Pontius Pilate
of Roman Judea. That Jesus lived and died is not in dispute. What is in
dispute, however, is whether or not he physically arose from the dead.

I can attest to Jesus of Nazareth having been not only a REAL person,
but a very efficient orator as well. In a former incarnation in
Galilee, I met Jesus first at Capernaum, a fishing village near the
shore.

Jesus stood approximately 5 feet, 10 inches tall and spoke in fluent
Aramaic, Greek and Latin. Additionally, Jesus could read and write
Coptic. He was skilled with his hands, having crafted various tables,
chairs, bowls and even spoons. Jesus had hair about shoulder length,
which was amber in color. His eyes were not blue but slightly greyish.
Some people who saw his eyes confused them at first with light blue.

My travels with Jesus began around 28 A.D. (during the spring). I
followed Jesus for much of his journey, as we stayed in shanty towns
and villages. The Roman Empire, in those days, was the divide between
the super rich and the super poor. There was very little stratification
across socio-economic boundaries.

I should also mention here that Jesus seldom laughed nor smiled. He was
almost always serious. He was seen weeping in prayer on numerous
occasions while off by himself. Whatever burden he carried, it was
heavy.

The Romans basically ignored Jesus for much of his ministry. At times
they, too, would follow him if he aroused their curiosity. But it was
usually to see where he was going and whether or not he was a malfactor
to Rome. Overall, most Romans did not see Jesus in such a light.

Jesus had a core group of approximately 12 to 15 disciples. These
misfits often squabbled about petty things (e.g. like food, etc.).
Jesus was always the one to calm them down. He also had a female
follower named Mary (not his mother). Jesus and Mary were especially
close. She appeared to be his companion, although whether she was his
wife or not was not known to me.

Eventually, and probably expectantly, the Jewish religious authorities
sought Jesus out. They questioned his teachings and became scornful.
When he, in turn, questioned them, they became fully enraged and had
him arrested while within the Garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus was taken before Caiaphas, who accused Jesus of Blasphemy. Jesus
was silent to these charges, until Caiaphas again questioned him. He
remarked that he was, indeed, the Messiah. Caiaphas ordered Jesus taken
to the Romans to be executed (according to Jewish laws at that time,
Jesus could have been stoned; however, Caiaphas wished to humiliate
Jesus as much as possible...hence he knew that crucifixion would be the
worst death imaginable).

Pontius Pilate, who detested the Jewish populace he "served,"
nevertheless detested them even more for bringing one of their very own
to him for judgment. Pilate wanted to humiliate the Jews, so he ordered
Jesus released. When they refused, he asked them to judge him according
to their own laws. Jesus was then taken before Caiaphas a second time,
who repeated the verdict of his death by execution.

Jesus was again presented to Pilate, who was by now enraged at the
Jewish elders before him. He ordered Jesus chastized, which is to say,
scorged. Jesus was scorged for the better part of half an hour before
he nearly bled to death. He was returned to Pilate, who, as brutal a
man as he was, was nonetheless stunned by his appearance.

Pilate angrily screamed, "Ecce Homo! Ecce Homo!" in order to mock the
Jewish populace before him. His intention was to humiliate the Jewish
elders by showing them their bloodied "king." This, however, backfired.
The elders wanted Jesus dead.

Reluctant to have Jesus crucified -- if only to spite the Jewish elders
-- Pilate presented Barbaras, a notorious villian. He informed them
that he could release one prisoner per year (as was generally custom at
that time). When they chose Barbaras, however, Pilate washed his hands
of the affair and ordered Jesus crucified.

But in a final act of humiliation to a group he so hated, Pontius
Pilate erected a sign on the cross of Jesus (which read): "Iesus
Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum."

Jesus stayed up on the cross for over three hours. Present at his
crucifixion were two women and a man. One was presumed by this man to
be his mother (the other, his wife). The lone man was the youngest of
the disciples. He mostly stood in silence.The women wept.

When Jesus had not yet expired, he cried out,"Eli, Eli, lama
sabachthani?" Only the man and the two women understood what this
meant. The Roman soldiers present paid no attention to his words. A few
minutes later, Jesus died.

To ensure his death, a Roman centurion speared him. A mixture of water
and blood spilled out of a wound near his heart. After this was done,
an older man (of whom I was not aquainted) demanded the body of Jesus.
When the Romans present refused, he left for a time but then came back.
They exchanged brief words, and then the man was allowed to retrieve
the body of Jesus.

Although I was not present (three days later) when Jesus arose from the
tomb, I nonetheless heard remarkable stories about it from a few of his
nearest friends. These I took with a grain of salt, for I did not know
the men personally. Nevertheless, within three years I was fully active
within the infant Jesus movement later known as Christianity.

I passed away in 52 A.D. My name was Matthew (but not the biblical
Matthew).

I, too, was crucified for my belief. I still have the scars upon both
my wrists,. however faint they may be.

Judge me as you will, but I knew the historical Jesus. He was no fairy
tale. He was real.

Paul

The historical person known as Jesus, in fact, lived from April 6, 4 B.C.
until April 7, 30 A.D., when he was crucified under Pontius Pilate of
Roman Judea. That Jesus lived and died is not in dispute. What is in
dispute, however, is whether or not he physically arose from the dead.

I can attest to Jesus of Nazareth having been not only a REAL person, but
a very efficient orator as well. In a former incarnation in Galilee, I met
Jesus first at Capernaum, a fishing village near the shore.

Although I was not present (three days later) when Jesus arose from the
tomb, I nonetheless heard remarkable stories about it from a few of his
nearest friends. These I took with a grain of salt, for I did not know
the men personally. Nevertheless, within three years I was fully active
within the infant Jesus movement later known as Christianity.

I passed away in 52 A.D. My name was Matthew (but not the biblical
Matthew).

I, too, was crucified for my belief. I still have the scars upon both my
wrists,. however faint they may be.

Judge me as you will, but I knew the historical Jesus. He was no fairy
tale. He was real.

Paul

The historical person known as Jesus, in fact, lived from April 6, 4
B.C. until April 7, 30 A.D., when he was crucified under Pontius Pilate
of Roman Judea. That Jesus lived and died is not in dispute. What is in
dispute, however, is whether or not he physically arose from the dead.

I can attest to Jesus of Nazareth having been not only a REAL person,
but a very efficient orator as well. In a former incarnation in
Galilee, I met Jesus first at Capernaum, a fishing village near the
shore.

Jesus stood approximately 5 feet, 10 inches tall and spoke in fluent
Aramaic, Greek and Latin. Additionally, Jesus could read and write
Coptic. He was skilled with his hands, having crafted various tables,
chairs, bowls and even spoons. Jesus had hair about shoulder length,
which was amber in color. His eyes were not blue but slightly greyish.
Some people who saw his eyes confused them at first with light blue.

My travels with Jesus began around 28 A.D. (during the spring). I
followed Jesus for much of his journey, as we stayed in shanty towns
and villages. The Roman Empire, in those days, was the divide between
the super rich and the super poor. There was very little stratification
across socio-economic boundaries.

I should also mention here that Jesus seldom laughed nor smiled. He was
almost always serious. He was seen weeping in prayer on numerous
occasions while off by himself. Whatever burden he carried, it was
heavy.

The Romans basically ignored Jesus for much of his ministry. At times
they, too, would follow him if he aroused their curiosity. But it was
usually to see where he was going and whether or not he was a malfactor
to Rome. Overall, most Romans did not see Jesus in such a light.

Jesus had a core group of approximately 12 to 15 disciples. These
misfits often squabbled about petty things (e.g. like food, etc.).
Jesus was always the one to calm them down. He also had a female
follower named Mary (not his mother). Jesus and Mary were especially
close. She appeared to be his companion, although whether she was his
wife or not was not known to me.

Eventually, and probably expectantly, the Jewish religious authorities
sought Jesus out. They questioned his teachings and became scornful.
When he, in turn, questioned them, they became fully enraged and had
him arrested while within the Garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus was taken before Caiaphas, who accused Jesus of Blasphemy. Jesus
was silent to these charges, until Caiaphas again questioned him. He
remarked that he was, indeed, the Messiah. Caiaphas ordered Jesus taken
to the Romans to be executed (according to Jewish laws at that time,
Jesus could have been stoned; however, Caiaphas wished to humiliate
Jesus as much as possible...hence he knew that crucifixion would be the
worst death imaginable).

Pontius Pilate, who detested the Jewish populace he "served,"
nevertheless detested them even more for bringing one of their very own
to him for judgment. Pilate wanted to humiliate the Jews, so he ordered
Jesus released. When they refused, he asked them to judge him according
to their own laws. Jesus was then taken before Caiaphas a second time,
who repeated the verdict of his death by execution.

Jesus was again presented to Pilate, who was by now enraged at the
Jewish elders before him. He ordered Jesus chastized, which is to say,
scorged. Jesus was scorged for the better part of half an hour before
he nearly bled to death. He was returned to Pilate, who, as brutal a
man as he was, was nonetheless stunned by his appearance.

Pilate angrily screamed, "Ecce Homo! Ecce Homo!" in order to mock the
Jewish populace before him. His intention was to humiliate the Jewish
elders by showing them their bloodied "king." This, however, backfired.
The elders wanted Jesus dead.

Reluctant to have Jesus crucified -- if only to spite the Jewish elders
-- Pilate presented Barbaras, a notorious villian. He informed them
that he could release one prisoner per year (as was generally custom at
that time). When they chose Barbaras, however, Pilate washed his hands
of the affair and ordered Jesus crucified.

But in a final act of humiliation to a group he so hated, Pontius
Pilate erected a sign on the cross of Jesus (which read): "Iesus
Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum."

Jesus stayed up on the cross for over three hours. Present at his
crucifixion were two women and a man. One was presumed by this man to
be his mother (the other, his wife). The lone man was the youngest of
the disciples. He mostly stood in silence.The women wept.

When Jesus had not yet expired, he cried out,"Eli, Eli, lama
sabachthani?" Only the man and the two women understood what this
meant. The Roman soldiers present paid no attention to his words. A few
minutes later, Jesus died.

To ensure his death, a Roman centurion speared him. A mixture of water
and blood spilled out of a wound near his heart. After this was done,
an older man (of whom I was not aquainted) demanded the body of Jesus.
When the Romans present refused, he left for a time but then came back.
They exchanged brief words, and then the man was allowed to retrieve
the body of Jesus.

Although I was not present (three days later) when Jesus arose from the
tomb, I nonetheless heard remarkable stories about it from a few of his
nearest friends. These I took with a grain of salt, for I did not know
the men personally. Nevertheless, within three years I was fully active
within the infant Jesus movement later known as Christianity.

I passed away in 52 A.D. My name was Matthew (but not the biblical
Matthew).

I, too, was crucified for my belief. I still have the scars upon both
my wrists,. however faint they may be.

Judge me as you will, but I knew the historical Jesus. He was no fairy
tale. He was real.

Paul