Why wait nearly 2 000 years before raising questions about the truthfulness of the New Testament?

Over the last few years, historians have made discoveries that have radically changed our view of the origins of Christianity. Yet the divide between the knowledge of the scholars and that of the mass of followers continues to widen. To date, millions of Christians are still unaware that the New Testament is a mixture of myths, fabrications, shortened accounts and passages borrowed from other traditions. In doing so, they miss the key points and defend an increasingly vulnerable system of belief.

When questioned about the inconsistencies in the Gospels, they simply answer, "after 2 000 years, we would know by now if it were all a fabrication". However, since Constantine in the 4th century up to the French Revolution in the 18th century, it was unthinkable to even raise questions about the dogma of the story of Jesus Christ. During all that time, the Church prohibited followers from owning and even reading the Bible; this privilege was reserved for priests only. They were admittedly often the only ones who knew how to read.

The first critical analyses of the New Testament only date back to the 19th century, which can be interpreted as an almost superstitious reluctance to challenge the fundamental texts. Even in that era, those who doubted the historical reality of the Bible ended up with their careers in tatters.

It was not until the 20th century and the discovery of the Qumran scrolls and the Nag Hammadi manuscripts that researchers finally subjected the Bible to the criteria for analysing the historical texts and subsequently reached some astounding conclusions.

Chronology

- 1000

- 930

- 721

- 586

- 301

- 197

- 175

- 167

- 63

- 46

- 40

- 4

0

6

14

18

26

33

37

41

54

55

62

66

70

75

90

132

135

140

175

312

391

Foundation of the Kingdom of Israel by David.

Separation of the Southern Kingdom (Judah) and the Northern Kingdom (Israel).

Invasion by the Assyrians. Fall of Samaria, end of the Kingdom of Israel.

Fall of Jerusalem, end of the Kingdom of Judah.

Palestine fell under the authority of the Lagids.

Succession by the Seleucids.

Hellenisation policy by Antiochus Epiphanes.

Uprising of the Maccabees. Advent of the Hasmonean dynasty.

Taking of Jerusalem by the Roman army under the leadership of Pompey.

Caesar attributes a special status to Jews.

Herod the Great is named King of Judea by Rome.

Death of Herod the Great and division of his kingdom. Herod Antipas becomes Tetrarch of Galilee (until the year 39).

Theoretical birth of Jesus and start of the Christian era.

Judea and Samaria constitute a Roman province. Uprising of Judas the Galilean.

Tiberius, Emperor (until 37).

Caiaphas, high priest of the Temple of Jerusalem (until 36).

Pontius Pilate, prefect of Judea (until 36).

Theoretical crucifixion of Jesus.

Caligula, Emperor (until 41).

(or 49) Expulsion of the Jews from Rome.

Nero, Emperor (until 68).

1st Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians.

Stoning of James, Jesus' brother, in Jerusalem.

Beginning of the Jewish revolt.

Taking of Jerusalem by the Romans and destruction of the Temple. Gospel according to Mark.

(- 90) Gospel according to Matthew. Gospel according to Luke. Acts of the Apostles.

(- 100) Gospel according to John.

(to 135) Second Jewish revolt led by Simon Bar Kochba. Jerusalem is forbidden to the Jews and renamed Aelia Capitolina.

Ryland fragment: oldest fragment of a copy of a gospel.

Publication of the epistles of Paul.

Papyrus Bodmer: oldest almost complete copy of the Gospel of John.

Conversion to Christianity of Emperor Constantine.

Christianity becomes the official religion of the Roman Empire.

Bibliographical sources

The Templar Revelation, Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince (Corgi Adult, 1998)

The Dead Sea Scrolls Deception and Holy Blood, Holy Grail, Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln (Arrow, 2001 - 2004)

Trial and Death of Jesus, Haim Hermann Cohn (1972)

Jesus and the Mortal Secret of the Templars, Robert Ambelain (Robert Laffont, 1970)

Jesus against Jesus and Jesus after Jesus, Gérard Mordillat and Jérôme Prieur (Seuil, 1999 - 2004)

Secrets of the Old Testament, Roger Sabbah (Carnot USA Books, 2004)

Jesus spoke Aramean, Éric Edelmann (Relié, 2000)

The Hiram Key and The Second Messiah, Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas (Arrow, 1997 - 1998)

The Other Jesus: Jesus' Life According to the Apocryphal Gospels, Antonio Pinero (Seuil, 1998)

Jesus: Miracle Worker or Physician, Thierry Murcia (Carnot, 2003)

The Enigma of Jesus Christ in 3 volumes, Daniel Massé (Sphinx, 1929)

Picture sources

Website: The life of Jesus as soon through paintings