Black Hole Discovered In The New Testament?

Well the plot gets sicker - a black hole has been discovered in the middle of the New Testament!

While no response is forthcoming from one of my new hero's, A.J. Jacob, I did get an earth shaking comment on the challenge from a "Bill in Harvard Square." Perhaps this means that Jesus really has come to Harvard after all.

Bill's perspective is identical to every other Christian interpreter, i.e. "the disciples decided you didn't have to become a Jew in order to become a Christian."

So Bill in Harvard Square, without giving you what I believe to be the answer to my challenge (after all I am still trying to lure Mr. Jacobs into this twisted little game), you will get a consolation prize of one cheap beer in the Cowboy Bar of your choice in my neck of the Rocky Mountains for publicly circumnavigating the aforesaid black hole.

Your interpretation almost works if you leave out verse 21. I believe that this verse is actually made of antimatter and that is why every Christian misses it. I am just stumped on what neurological warpage or mutation allows it to be visualized by others.

If Bill in Harvard Square is game, lets see if he will train his Ivy League wit specifically on verse 21 to see if the antimatter can be overcome. Consider that the word Christian had only just been used in Antioch to define this particular group of Jews and that James in Jerusalem may not have even heard this term applied to the group he was leading.

Further, keep in mind that the word synagogue appears 10 times more frequently in the New Testament than does the word Christian. If you put yourself in the councils shoes as first century Jews, then it might become more apparent why four such strange requests were made of these "gentiles" and what Moses being preached every Sabbath has to do with the price of tea in China.

Lastly, Bill retorts, "Circumcision is not necessary, but clean living is." While you could say that the second bit about sexual immorality might fall into the "clean living" pigeon hole, the other three (food, meat and blood) requirements are altogether different birds. C'mon Bill, do the Harvard Pilgrims proud - onward to Veritas!

The excitement builds! Stay tuned for the next installment.

P.S. Bill - your location put me in mind of one of my Dad's favorite jokes:

A Pittsburgher is in downtown Harvard Square. He sees a person who clearly seems to be a Harvard student–small, nerdy, wearing a Harvard beany cap. The Texan says, “Hey, Harvard kid, where’s Harvard Yard at?” The Harvard man answers back, “One never ends a sentence with a preposition, would you care to try that again, sir?” The Pittsburgher thinks for a second and replies, “Okay. Hey Harvard kid, where’s Harvard Yard at, ASSHOLE?”

Of course Dad was a Princeton Man from Pittsburgh!