An Impossible Task

From the Errancy discussion list, 9-15-97:

Adnan

A Christian claims that Jesus was in a position to fight [the] Romans

by leading an army of believers but instead chose to go to [the] cross peacefully. I doubt that this is true, and I need some information to

counter this claim:

"My point was that Jesus was in a position to accept political

support from virtually the entire Jewish nation. They were on

the verge of crowning Him King! On that day when He arrived

in Jerusalem in the midst of an adoring crowd, who were

oppressed by the Romans, and willing to do anything He

said--it was then He was in a politically ripe position. He

*could* have led an army, just like Muhammad led his--but
He chose not to."

TILL

Your opponent assumes the inerrancy of the scriptures. The gospels

allege that when Jesus was arrested, one of the disciples drew his

sword and cut off the ear of the high priest's servant, which according

to Luke Jesus healed. Jesus then said that if he wanted to he could

ask his "Father" and he would send him "more than twelve legions

of angels" (Luke 22:49-51; Matt. 26:49-53). The task for your opponent

is to prove that any of this is true just because the N[ew] T[estament] 

says that it happened. Even if your opponent could somehow prove

that Jesus actually said this, he would then have to prove that it was

within Jesus's power to receive 12 legions of angels to help him.

Farrell Till