It's a long video Harry, so no problem if you skip it. Crossan has his particular view and the Jesus Seminar has about as many views as members,with certain core ideas.Harry Marks wrote:I will watch the video tomorrow or the next day (tomorrow is a big day at our place) and give you a reaction if I have one.
I'll think about some of your points here before responding. There's no doubt that the kingdom of God or heaven is central in the gospels.
so that needs to be understood.Harry Marks wrote:And yet if such a fundamental matter was at stake, at the heart of all meaning in the universe, it is difficult to understand why the Gospels have only the barest hints of it. Jesus did not lay it all out, Paul did.
For Jesus, God is simply merciful. That is who God is. When Jesus condemns someone, it is for hard-heartedness or self-aggrandizement and making life difficult for others. Thinking oneself better than others and more pure than others evidently makes it difficult for the Kingdom of God to be within us (or among us). No mechanism for forgiveness. No requirement for forgiveness (except that we forgive others).
So I would argue that the purpose Paul saw for the crucifixion was instructive, not transactive.
I'm not so sure it is minimal in the gospels but it's something I would need to look into. In Jesus' teaching in the sermon on the mount he speaks of leaving your gift at the altar. When he cleanses the leper he tells him to go and offer the gift commanded by Moses in Leviticus.
He teaches in the temple and upholds the O.T. as the word of God. So he certainly endorses these things and Leviticus does have much to say about atonement. That's off the top of my head but I'd need to study it more.
I'll get back to you when I've done that.
