Gospel by Wilton Barnhardt Page B

Jesus.”
    â€œAh,” said Father Basilios, “but Jesus did speak Greek. He quotes the Septuagint. He preached in Gedara and in the Greek-speaking Decapolis.”
    â€œThe point I’m making is that the Christians,” added the rabbi sanguinely, “have nothing original. In Genesis 14:18 we see the Eucharist prefigured in Melchezidek, not that any of you know your Pentateuch. I think the Christian Eucharist is contemporary with Hebrews, which shows the early cult of Melchezidek, who is declared immaculately conceived in the New Testament, weirdly enough. An addition of the Second Century.”
    â€œLike the Cross and crucifixion itself,” suggested Dr. Abdullah, to much objection and interested laughter.
    Dr. Gribbles cleared his throat and took objection: “It seems to me that Paul does know a good deal about Jesus the man, more than our distinguished imam would admit. Christ’s meekness is alluded to. Not a common trait for a messianic figure of that time. And Paul is certainly aware of the crucifixion. Jews seek signs, and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified. 1 Corinthians 1:22.”
    â€œOdd you should use that one,” said O’Hanrahan. “‘Jews seek signs.’ According to all the gospels, written after Paul, Jesus did perform signs, healings, miracles. Paul doesn’t seem to know about any of the miracles.”
    Dr. Abdullah shrugged serenely.
    O’Hanrahan pursued, “As for crucifixion, Paul in more dependable texts isn’t always so clear. Dr. Gribbles, do you have the RSV there?” O’Hanrahan fumbled for his reading glasses. “ Romans 4:24,” he requested.
    Father Keegan, warmed by his speedy consumption of four ports, leaned over to his book and read it aloud: “It will be reckoned to us who believe in him that raised from the dead Jesus our Lord who was put to death—”
    â€œAh ah,” said O’Hanrahan. “We all know what the Greek is.”
    â€œParedothi,” said Lucy, debuting.
    There was a brief acknowledging silence that she had spoken.
    â€œYes, paredothi, ” confirmed Father Basilios.
    â€œWhich does not mean ‘put to death.’” O’Hanrahan continued. “It is the same verb in 1 Corinthians 11:23.” He flipped the pages. “ Lord Jesus on the night he was betrayed took bread  … The word there is paredidoto and does not mean betrayed. The verb paradidomi means ‘delivered up.’”
    The rabbi interrupted: “As in the Septuagint Isaiah, the Suffering Servant is ‘delivered up,’ taken away.”
    O’Hanrahan went on: “Christians keep translating this word however they please—killed, crucified, betrayed, but Paul and parts of all four gospels in numerous places don’t necessarily say those things. The original says ‘delivered up.’ Which is far more vague concerning the historical Jesus’ death.”
    Dr. Abdullah with a half-smile suggested, “Perhaps the true interpretation is ‘delivered up to Heaven.’ As I was about to say a moment ago, Moslem scholars, myself included, believe Isa Mesih, the Prophet Jesus never went to the Cross but was assumed directly to Heaven. Maybe early texts of Paul, before all the later Christian alterations, confirmed the Prophet Mohammed’s teachings about Jesus’ death.”
    â€œNonsense,” said the archimandrite patiently but firmly. “Jesus most certainly went to the Cross and was later assumed.”
    â€œA lot of early Christians,” began O’Hanrahan, “did not think so, Pater. The Basilidians and the Carpocratian gnostic sects.”
    â€œThis was a Corinthian heresy too, along these lines,” said the sister unsurely, then gaining confidence. “Wasn’t that true?”
    â€œRight,” said Father Beaufoix, always ready to tangle with the know-it-all orthodox. “Your own Orthodox