Richard Smoley

Dec 18, 2015 3:54 PM EST

I was just re-reading parts of Zealot: The LIfe and TImes of Jesus of Nazareth, by Reza Aslan. I like his book, though I disagree with his assumption that Jesus was illiterate. I think he was fairly educated for his time. . .Anyway, I went from that to reading your article, and enjoyed it with eerie synchronicity. Good article. Shared the link at facebook.

- John Shirley

Dec 18, 2015 4:08 PM EST

This article, the full article in Quest, reminds me of LOST CHRISTIANITY by Needleman: Christ as the "intermediary" spirit.

- John Shirley

Dec 19, 2015 7:35 AM EST

I disagree with Aslan's claim that Jesus was a political agitator, which contradicts all the evidence. If you claim that he was a political agitator, you have (a) to discard practically all the evidence about him in the Gospels and elsewhere and (b) invent an enormous amount of evidence that is simply absent. Rather irresponsible to do with historical sources, however you want to take them. But of course the historical Jesus at this point is little more than a Rorschach blot.

- Richard Smoley