Jesus not only held mistaken ideas about theology, as anyone but a
Fundamentalist must admit, but he often gave impressions about earthly
affairs that were unreliable to say the least. Occasionally his
statements were actual misrepresentations of fact.
_Jonah and the Whale_
"For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so
shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the
earth."[1]
Evidently Jesus believed the story of Jonah and the whale, as well as
the tale of Noah's ark[2] both of which are now generally discredited.
Moreover, his prophecy regarding his entombment was inaccurate, for he
was only two nights and one day in the heart of the earth, from Friday
night to Sunday morning.
_End of the World_
Jesus was decidedly mistaken in his theory of the approaching end of the
world.
"Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."[3] "Ye shall not have
gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come."[4] "There
be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the
Son of man coming in his kingdom."[5] "And this gospel of the kingdom
shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and
then shall the end come ... Verily I say unto you, This generation shall
not pass, till all these things be fulfilled."[6] "The time is
fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand."[7] "So ye in like manner,
when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even
at the doors. Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not
pass, till all these things be done."[8] "The hour is coming, in the
which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come
forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they
that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."[9]
Jesus was confident that the day of judgment was coming in the first
century, but it has not come yet, nineteen hundred years later. This
erroneous belief in the imminent end of the world had an important
bearing upon his entire philosophy; for if the end of the world was so
near it was far more important to prepare for life hereafter than to be
concerned over mundane affairs. May we not view with doubt any of Jesus'
teachings that depended upon his mistaken conception of the duration of
the world?
_Miracles_
Jesus is reported to have fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two
fishes, and again 4,000 with seven loaves and a few small fishes. He
walked on the water, calmed the seas, raised three persons from the dead
and performed other miracles contrary to natural laws. These wondrous
acts were depended upon by him to convince the people that he was the
expected Messiah: "Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear
and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers
are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor
have the gospel preached to them."[10]
Jesus assured his disciples that they too would be able to perform
miracles: "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name
shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they
shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not
hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover."[11]
"He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and
greater works than these shall he do."[12]
Jesus set great store by these marvels that only magicians attempt
nowadays. Ministers of the apostolic succession cannot cast out devils
or take up serpents, and they are affected by deadly drinks the same as
others. Jesus had a primitive idea of the value of such magic. Either he
sought to deceive the gullible, or, as is more likely, was himself
overcredulous. It is important to remember that Jesus stressed the value
of enchantment and advised his successors to conjure in his name.
If the miraculous had not been connected with the name of Jesus, it is
probable that he never would have been heard of. His ethical teachings
alone would not have won for him the exalted position that has come from
the stories of his miraculous birth, life and ascension. In other words,
his fame rests upon the supernatural side of his life that is now
discredited by many of his followers.
_Eternal Life_
The remarks of Jesus on the subject of death were not accurate. "If a
man keep my saying, he shall never see death."[13] "Whosoever liveth and
believeth in me shall never die."[14]
Apparently Jesus referred to natural death, in which case he was
utterly mistaken; but if he meant that believers in him should live
forever in heaven, even so he gave a false impression; for there is no
evidence that life after death is assured to Christians more than to
others. Unbelievers were also to have eternal life, though in torment.
_Raising Lazarus_
Jesus took advantage of opportunities, even of death, to create dramatic
effects. The eleventh chapter of John shows that when Lazarus was
reported ill, Jesus said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the
glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." So Jesus
let Lazarus, one of the believers whom he loved, die[15] in order that
he might have the triumph of raising him from the dead. "Then said Jesus
unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I
was not there, to the intent ye may believe."
The confusion between earthly death and loss of eternal life was shown
in the remark of Jesus to Martha: "I am the resurrection and the life:
he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." This
might be construed to mean that believers should have eternal life
hereafter, but Jesus evidently had reference to life on earth for he
proceeded to raise Lazarus from the dead and cause him to live again on
earth with his sisters.
When Martha reminded Jesus that Lazarus had been dead four days, Jesus
replied, "Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou
shouldest see the glory of God?" But Jesus himself had doubts of his
ability to bring back Lazarus to life, as shown by his spontaneous
prayer of thanks: "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me." Then
he revealed again his desire to dramatize the occasion, saying, "And I
knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand
by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me."
"Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which
Jesus did, believed on him." Do the followers of Jesus, who claim that
he made no mistakes, believe on him? If so, they must believe that he
raised Lazarus from the dead as he claimed to have done. Do they believe
that they can also raise people from the dead? Jesus so assured them
when he promised that believers could do greater works than he
performed. No, Jesus gave a false impression of his power.
_God's Protection_
Jesus continued his deception of the world by promising protection that
has never been accorded. "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And
one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the
very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are
of more value than many sparrows."[16]
These sayings may properly be taken as symbolical or allegorical; but
the evident intention was to assure his followers that God would protect
them in their daily life. Safety was promised for believers, a safety
that has been lacking for everyone. There is no evidence that God does
protect believers any more than unbelievers. When the Titanic went down,
those who perished were not solely the wicked persons; there was no
distinction in the terrible disaster between believers and unbelievers.
Jesus created in the minds of his hearers and his followers the idea
that God was watching each individual to save him from danger, but this,
unfortunately, is not a fact. It sounds comforting; it makes people feel
nearer to God; but experience proves that no such close relationship
exists. Jesus gave a false impression of God's loving care for men.
_Belief in Prayer_
Modern religious people may still consistently believe in prayer as a
form of inward aspiration, but it is difficult to take literally the
assurance given by Jesus of practical accomplishments by means of prayer
in his name.
Jesus did not confine himself to promising spiritual results from
prayer, but distinctly gave it to be understood that the physical world
would respond to petitions to Jehovah. "Again I say unto you, That if
two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall
ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven."[17] "If
ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to
the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou
removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things
whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."[18]
"What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive
them, and ye shall have them."[19] "If ye have faith as a grain of
mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder
place; and it shall remove: and nothing shall be impossible unto
you."[20]
These promises have not been fulfilled. Bishops, priests and deacons
with strong faith have been unable to obtain, by means of the most
sincere prayer, results similar to those indicated. They have followed
Jesus in vain. No man living dare put his faith to the test by a public
demonstration of prayer for physical changes. Christian prayers for rain
are conventional, not being offered with confidence that rain will
follow.
Jesus has misled us.