Joseph of Arimathea: Historical or Mythological?
()
About this ebook
In this booklet Mark McGiveron assesses the often-proposed theory that Joseph of Arimathea is mythological and was created by the Gospel writers to aid the narrative of the entombment of Jesus. The present study thus represents a ‘back door’ entry to the study of the historicity of the Gospels and in particular the Passion accounts within them.
Mark McGiveron
to follow
Related to Joseph of Arimathea
Related ebooks
The History of the Christian Church According to Eusebius & Philip Schaff: The Complete 8 Volume Edition of Schaff's Church History & The Eusebius' History of the Early Christianity Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJudas of Nazareth: How the Greatest Teacher of First-Century Israel Was Replaced by a Literary Creation Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The “Lost Book of the Nativity of John” Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The Jesus Discovery: The Resurrection Tomb that Reveals the Birth of Christianity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE: The Right Man at the Right Time 3rd Edition Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Wisdom of Jesus: Between the Sages of Israel and the Apostles of the Church Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Ascension of Jesus Christ into Heaven: the Hidden Context Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Shift in Time: How Historical Documents Reveal the Surprising Truth about Jesus Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Messiah and the Jews: Three Thousand Years of Tradition, Belief and Hope Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5They Loved the Torah: What Yeshua's First Followers Really Thought About the Law Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jesus in the Jewish World Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Mountain of the Lord Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Secret Initiation of Jesus at Qumran: The Essene Mysteries of John the Baptist Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Jewish Holidays, Foundations of Christianity, Keys to Prophecy: They're Not Just for Jews Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBorder Lines: The Partition of Judaeo-Christianity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pious Irreverence: Confronting God in Rabbinic Judaism Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSearching for the Real Jesus: Jesus, the Dead Sea Scrolls and Other Religious Themes Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mishnah and the Words of Jesus Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Meet the Rabbis: Rabbinic Thought and the Teachings of Jesus Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5John the Jewish Gospel Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Jewish Gospel of John: Discovering Jesus, King of All Israel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Other Talmud—The Yerushalmi: Unlocking the Secrets of The Talmud of Israel for Judaism Today Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJesus the Wicked Priest: How Christianity Was Born of an Essene Schism Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Israel: Ancient Kingdom or Late Invention? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Paul within Judaism: Restoring the First-Century Context to the Apostle Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Yeshua, Lamb of the First Year Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLevirate Marriage and the Family in Ancient Judaism Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Sage from Galilee: Rediscovering Jesus' Genius Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Daniel’s Son of Man in Mark: A Redefinition of the Jerusalem Temple and the Formation of a New Covenant Community Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Christianity For You
Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Bible Recap: A One-Year Guide to Reading and Understanding the Entire Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Holy Bible (World English Bible, Easy Navigation) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex: Creating a Marriage That's Both Holy and Hot Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of Enoch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Screwtape Letters Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table: It's Time to Win the Battle of Your Mind... Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mere Christianity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I'll Start Again Monday: Break the Cycle of Unhealthy Eating Habits with Lasting Spiritual Satisfaction Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Your Brain's Not Broken: Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life with ADHD Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Law of Connection: Lesson 10 from The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Four Loves Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wild at Heart Expanded Edition: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Warrior of the Light: A Manual Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Changes That Heal: Four Practical Steps to a Happier, Healthier You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries with Kids: How Healthy Choices Grow Healthy Children Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Lead When You're Not in Charge: Leveraging Influence When You Lack Authority Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Joseph of Arimathea
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Joseph of Arimathea - Mark McGiveron
up
PROLOGUE
Myself and the ‘Central Question’ of this booklet
Let me first state that this booklet is not of a devotional nature. I have no clearly definable Christian faith although I attended a Methodist Church every Sunday from the age of two to fourteen, partly as a result of the fact that I played for the Cubs football team that was affiliated to the Church. In my mid teens I stopped attending the Church but then started drifting into Anglican Churches in my early twenties out of an historical interest more than a religious impulse. Therefore, I believe, I have no particularly doctrinal axe to grind.
My interest in Joseph of Arimathea stems from my interest in his association with my home town of Glastonbury but, as I do not assess this legend in any great detail in this book, personal bias is not an issue. Rather in this booklet I will assess the often-proposed theory that Joseph of Arimathea is mythological and present the various arguments that have been put forward to support his categorisation as such. This study thus represents both an analysis of Joseph of Arimathea and a ‘back door’ entry to the study of the historicity of the Gospels and in particular the Passion accounts within them.
1
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA
The Central Mystery of Christianity
On Easter Friday the dreams and aspirations of the first Christian Apostles were shattered when Jesus was nailed to a cross but roughly thirty-six hours later a religion began to flower in a garden tomb; on Easter Sunday Jesus was said to have resurrected from the dead.
The Christian faith is based upon two (asserted) historical events; the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. These two events represent both the founding moment and the central mystery of the Christian religion.
The Gospels describe the last three days of Jesus’ ministry in great detail, culminating in what is an almost moment-by-moment account of the day of his crucifixion. The sufferings of Jesus on this day, his scourging, mocking and crucifixion, are commonly called the Passion, ‘Passion’ being a Greek word for ‘suffering’. In the Gospels’ presentation of these events Jesus willingly undergoes the various punishments as a penance for all mankind’s sins. He endures unimaginably excruciating pain and suffering and by doing so he gains remission for these sins from God.
To a Christian the Passion of Christ represents a ‘New Covenant’ with God. Matthew (26:28) has Jesus comment during his suffering For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins
. This ‘New Covenant’ is seen as the replacement for the ancient covenants made between Jehovah and Abraham (Genesis 17) [1] and Jehovah and Israel at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:1-6).
‘New Covenant’ theology is most developed in John’s Gospel. More importantly, from a historical perspective, however, is that ‘New Covenant’ theology is also there in the New Testament Epistles, which are the earliest and most authenticated Christian texts. Paul, the most prolific Apostle, is the first writer to have interpreted the death of Jesus as a ‘New Covenant’ (Hebrews 8:13, 10:16) and puts this at the very heart of his teaching. Indeed many scholars believe that Paul is the sole architect of this article of faith. While this may be true, it is important to state that this interpretation of Jesus’ Passion developed from an earlier reading of Jesus’ death as a ‘New Passover’. The ‘New Covenant’ and the ‘New Passover’ are separate concepts but also indelibly linked. The one could not have developed without the other.
In the first Passover the Israelites, who were captives of Pharaoh, were spared their first-born sons by each household making a sacrifice of an unblemished... one year old... male... lamb or goat
and smearing its blood on their door post [2]. Exodus (12:23) records:
When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.
The celebrated ‘Passover lamb’ was sacrificed so that the people could live. It is the same with the new Christian Passover; Our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed
St. Paul says (1 Corinthians 5:7).
Peter also refers to this ‘New Passover’ through his use of Paschal lamb imagery in his first Epistle [3]. In this letter, addressed to Christian churches in Asia Minor, Peter (1:18-19) writes:
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your