Seeing how easily an impersonator can move into ones YA shoes... how easily Jesus may have been impersonated?

Question

After the Crucifixion, in those days without data bases or any simple ways to check it would have been easy for someone to impersonate Jesus after he was executed, perhaps one of the other disciples who wanted to defy the authorities one more time and to make people think Jesus had not been disposed of.

theoven8, I think you may be correct there, if you ever saw a film by fellini called Satyricon a group of people are required to eat the felsh of a dead wealthy man to inherit his riches, I think it may have been quite a common thing in those times, to take the dead persons body into your own.It explains the eucharist idea of eating the body & blood of Jesus...cannibalism!!!

fortunato, Paul never met Jesus so I can't explain it, I don't think the scriptures are real so I wouldn't believe too much of what you read there about any of them.

Answer 1

The disciples ate Jesus. He taught them how to do so at the Last Supper.

They devoured him to gain his strengths and to keep the body from being disgraced by the Roman Jews.

Answer 2

As far as cannibalism goes, there's two basic points there:

1. Jesus DID word his comment VERY strongly, so it's understandable you bring it up.

2. He worded it so strongly that MANY people turned away from him after that point (i.e., stopped following him), and it was so bad he even asked his disciples, "Are you going to leave me now too?"

This suggests that the cannibalism you're referring to was NOT an acceptable part of society at the time. The concept you're referring to usually shows up in the more primal tribal cultures... and maybe that white guy named Hannibal Lecter. :)

(As far as what Jesus meant by his comment, that's a different question than what you asked.)

The argument here that Jesus was impersonated is simple speculation. If you're going to improve your theory, at the least you need to explain why a bunch of simple guys (including at least one doubter, Thomas) who were hard-headed realists and not very creative believed it was Jesus (after seeing him) strongly enough to leave secure homes behind, live pretty unstable and financially poor lives, and die miserable deaths.

Same thing with Paul, who had every reason to stay a Pharisee and gain a lot of power in Jewish culture, but instead became a wandering apostle and ended up being martyred.

The best reason (without convoluted logic) is that they BELIEVED they were dealing with Jesus. And since they spent three years with the guy, I'd be surprised if someone could fool them.

Answer 3

What you have to consider is not how easily somone could have "impersonated" Jesus but what the eyewitnesses to the risen Lord had to say.

"It was the evening of the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked because they were afraid of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, "Peace be with you." After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side, and when they saw the Lord the disciples were overjoyed. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, so I am sending you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive people's sins, they are forgiven. If you retain people's sins, they are retained."

Thomas, one of the twelve, who was called the Twin, wasn't with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples kept telling him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he told them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger into them, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe!" A week later his disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were shut, Jesus came, stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Take your hand, and put it into my side. Stop doubting, but believe." Thomas answered him, saying "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Is it because you have seen me that you have believed? How blessed are those who have never seen me and yet have believed!" Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not recorded in this book. John 20:19-30

There are similar accounts in the other gospel stories and in the book of Acts. All but one of the 12 Apostles died a martyrs death because they believed that Jesus died and rose again. People like to ask questions like "Well what about the Muslims who die because they believe that they will go to Heaven if they die fighting for Allah?".

Unwittingly they are making my point for me because none of those Muslims would give up their lives for a lie but only because they believe they are operating according to the truth. In the case of the Apostles they were operating from first hand knowledge. They travelled with Jesus for 3 years and they saw him cruicified and buried and risen again. An impersonator could have fooled people who only saw Jesus as a part of a crowd that He taught before his death. But the Apostles wouldn't have been fooled.

Answer 4

They could have impersonated Jesus IF
1. Bear the scars of Crucifixion and the beating he took

Answer 5

I like you. No matter what the question is it always comes back to you. That is why Christianity is perfect for you. God loves YOU. He sent his son to die for YOU. Jesus said I go away to prepare a place for YOU. In my fathers house there are many mansions, if it were not so I would have told YOU.

I love YOU EarthAngel

Answer 6

I suggest that impersonation in this day and age is far easier than it would have been then!

Answer 7

Not hardly. Read the book.

Answer 8

very easy

Answer 9

yes i love me!