Wouldn't it have been easier for the writers of the Gospels to say that Jesus simply materialized on earth?

Question

Rather than be born of a mortal like so many other demigods pre dating Christianity?

Ex. Hercules Son of Zeus and Alcmena(Mortal),
Minos Son of Zeus and Europa(Mortal)
Achilles was the son of the mortal Peleus and the Sea Nypmh Thetis.

I mean considering that it was very common for Gods to be born of Mortals especially in Greek and Egyptian religions. I mean there are only very limited accounts of his youth(Much like other religions) and then it jumps ahead 20+ years and goes straight into what he accomplished as a man(Much like other religions). Wouldn't it have been smarter to write the character of Jesus as simply coming to earth rather than having him be born to a mortal and a God like so many other pre existing religions of the time?

Answer 1

If they had written it like that, it would have had no appeal to the masses of gentiles already familiar with the virgin birth stories of gods.

Answer 2

Well, the problem with that is it usually isn't possible to interview the mother of a Hellenic deity for the book you are writing. Would be cool, but not typical. The Physician Luke however, who as a physician no doubt had some experience with childbirth, did substantial research in his account of the life of Jesus, and was a contemporary of most of the principals. Indeed, some scholars believe that some of the more personal touches in the story may reflect Luke having actually spoken with Mary in person, which is altogether plausible. To what Hellenic deity may we compare this? I am at a loss. As for the spans of time unaccounted for, I guess the good doctor was just too dull to make things up that couldn't be verified by eye witnesses.

One more thing, where did all those God-man stories come from, anyway. Kind of suspicious they all do follow a similar pattern, almost as if they represent a kind of shared knowledge. Maybe they're just the exercise of hyperactive imaginations, or maybe there's a deeper connection between the fanciful and the real, one that involves the supernatural.

Answer 3

No, because then it would not have been the truth. Jesus was prophesised as being born exactly the way He was born. And Jesus is not some charactor in a fairy tale that some body could just change the way He was born to satisfy some one elses ideas.
The writers wrote the events as they were suppose to, and as the witnesses actually saw them happen.

Answer 4

Well, the hindsight is 20/20, so it's easy to criticize them now, but the original gospel authors simply went along with their present day myths to explain best they could that Jesus was born of a virgin.

I do agree that the Jesus' birth is basically a variation on the Hellenic myths. Which isn't very surprising, considering that Palestine was under the Greek influence for almost 300 years before Jesus was born.

Answer 5

like this?

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us"

(gospel of john)

gnostics may have explicitly believed something like what you suggest, i'm not sure. but they were heretics, of course, so few of their writings survive.

Answer 6

Jesus Transcended,which means he reached the most highest level of enlightenment and consciousness,which is the higher spiritual self,the light body the soul.All human beings are capable of this if they wish.

Answer 7

Oh, that's definitely one of the stories that were going around at the time, but it was eventually put down in favor of another story.

Answer 8

Obviously Christianity has no originality. But what do you expect from an un educated civilization.

Answer 9

They wanted to teach us that sex was bad.....LOL