ISBN 0-9521913-1-8
“Dr Magee’s claims are pure rubbish”
Mary Whitehouse
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From time to time we read of churchmen scaring us with accounts of the spread of paganism, by which they usually mean worshipping satan. Pagan religions were really the religions which preceded Christianity in the lives of the citizens of the Roman empire. When Christianity became the state religion all pagan religions were banned and pagans were persecuted. So it has been ever since, only in the last few hundred years has Christianity adopted a mask of liberality. The author decided to explore the origins of Christianity, an exploration that eventually took him into the present book, The Hidden Jesus, and he found that there is very little that can be identified in Christianity that did not have its origin elsewhere. Christianity is itself pagan insomuch that it has adapted its ceremonies and liturgies from the pagan precursors that it professes to decry as the work of the devil. The Mystery of Barabbas can be thought of as a companion volume to The Hidden Jesus.
…the God of Israel has called out the sword against all the nations, and He will do mighty deeds by the saints of His people.The War Scroll
Jesus Barabbas had no intention of changing Jewish laws - only expectations. He was a fanatically dedicated Jew of an apocalyptic order, the Nazarenes, who believed that God had begun to create his kingdom on earth. He stoutly defended the Law of Moses as the gospels illogically admit. The Jewish people were fed up and hoping for their enemies to be overcome. Jesus Barabbas was one of many men who thought he could lead his people into the kingdom of God. He could only do this if he believed that he was God sent. He did and accepted the crown of David.
He began by urging people that they should prepare for the coming kingdom just as John the Baptist did. Only the Righteous could enter the kingdom so he invited Jews to sincerely repent and symbolically purify themselves through baptism and prepare themselves for the coming battle. In doing this he was metaphorically casting out evil spirits, making the blind see and healing the sick. Those who were thus purified could enter the kingdom and were the soldiers in the messianic army. He made no claim to be the Messiah.
Jesus believed that God helps those who help themselves. So the kingdom of Heaven has to be won by the Righteous showing that they were ready to take on their enemies, then God would intervene with a miracle. He knew it would not be easy for it was prophesied that those called to the messianic kingdom would have to face the might of the heathen. They had to sustain these tribulations to prove themselves faithful.
Jesus gathered together an army in the desert. He knew that by alerting the faithful and gathering an army he would be also alerting the authorities. He was the Nasi, the Prince. a leader of the Davidic mould who would assert the authority of God’s Righteous, and that consequently “one like unto the Son of Man”, who the prophet Daniel told would come on a cloud from God, would arrive to institute the kingdom. After some remarkable successes the uprising was a failure, no “Son of Man” appeared, people asked them to leave them alone and Jesus and the disciples had to flee from Antipas’s soldiers to Phoenicia.
Jesus hid, then ventured back into Antipas’s country. He had come to believe that his mistakes were that God has ordained him the Messiah, the Melchizedek, and that the kingdom of God required him to capture Jerusalem and the Temple. Then God would intervene with a miracle. He became transfigured - crowned as Melchizedek. His band proceeded to Jerusalem disguised as Pilgrims. No one could address him by any title that might draw attention to the spies of the authorities. However at the entry into the city he purposely revealed himself by fulfilling the prophesy of Zechariah, captured the city and controlled the Temple. The Roman garrison in the Antonia barracks probably withdrew to await reinforcements from Caesarea.
Pilate’s troops counter attack after a few days, kill the Galilaeans in the Temple and batter the Tower of Siloam where some were holding out. The Romans had recaptured the city and still there was no miracle. Jesus and his generals in hiding take a last supper together - a messianic meal of the Essene type. Jesus, convinced that he had done all that God required and that a miracle was still in the offing, says he expects to be eating his next meal in the coming kingdom. He tells his men that they must remain armed. The next day was the Sabbath and also the Passover, a likely occasion for a miracle. They went to the Mount of Olives where, according to prophesy, the miracle would take place and Jesus urged his men to keep watchful - not for the enemy but for signs of God’s intervention. It did not occur. A body of the Temple Guard arrived instead and arrested Jesus.
Jesus, the God, and Barabbas, the bandit, were both tried and crucified. Jesus, the God, knew his role in God’s plan and as he expired whispered (Jn 19:30):
It is finished.
But Barabbas, the bandit, still believed that God would intervene - until, despairing, he called out with his last breath (Mk 15:34):
My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?