Problems of Early Christianity

In his Foreword to another masterpiece on a Biblical theme Amal says, "It is a fighting piece of work". Which piece of work of Amal's is not "fighting"? To challenge the received opinion of anything in the light of Sri Aurobindo is his swadharma. But before he draws his sword he arms himself sufficiently. The number of books and articles he refers to shows his thoroughness. His knowledge of the Bible in its different editions, especially the Jerusalem Bible, would astound any Christian.

Even apart from the issues of controversy the details he places before the reader are illuminating. How many Christians know there is a possibility that Jesus was born not on the 25th of December in the year 1 B.C. but in 7 B.C. sometime between March and November? It is not impossible that he was born on the 25th of March 7 B.C. since the spring season began on that date according to ancient calendars. How many are aware of the similarities between Augustus Caesar and Jesus who were contemporaries? Even Augustus was credited with divine powers. In any case, together, both are responsible for what Europe is today. Not many account for Paul's views on Christ's resurrection by the Judaic concept of Death: the Jews did not believer in an immortal soul and the death of the body was the end of life.

We learn that when Jesus asked his disciple to teach his gospel in "all the world" and "to the ends of the earth" the world and the earth comprised of the Roman Empire and no farther. Augustus wanted "all the world to be taxed". Was India thought of by him? The Apostle Thomas, on the same grounds could not have visited India nor have been martyred at "Mailapore" (Mylapore), Madras!

In recent newspapers we read about "The Shroud of Turin" being exhibited at the Abbey of Turin (Italy) from the 14th of August to the 22nd of October 2000. Before expressing his agreement with the view of scientists that the Turin Shroud could not have been of an earlier date than the 13th Century and could not have covered Jesus, he gives a vivid account of it and examines from all possible points of view. One of the delightful essays in the volume is a discussion of the line in Luke. It reads in the King James version, "The Kingdom of God is within you." The original "entos" in Greek is also rendered "among". Suggesting that the best rendering would be "pervades" he points out that the meaning could be brought out with a hyphen between "with" and "in" in the King James version.

One of the main topics of discussion in the book is whether the Virgin-Birth is literally true. Amal Kiran has no two thoughts on its symbolic significance. He has the authority of Sri Aurobindo himself to say the Avatar is derived from the higher spiritual nature – Para Prakriti or Para Maya, the Divine Shakti, the Virgin Mother of all Beings. In the companion volume "A Follower of Christ and a Disciple of Sri Aurobindo" Amal states beautifully,

"I consider this doctrine (of Virgin Birth) the most beautiful component of the ensemble (of many traditions), bringing into the new religion (Christianity) the vision of God the Mother … with a finer and closer approach to the Indian insight of the Adya Shakti, the Para-Prakriti…"

What he contests is the acceptance of it as a literal fact. Only two of the twenty-seven Books of the New Testament mention it and an authority like St. Paul ignores it. Many modern scholars including the well-known Roman Catholic priest and scholar Raymond Brown do not take it seriously.

Closely linked with the question is if Jesus had brothers and sisters. Scholars not only claim Virgin Birth for Christ but say that Mary remained a virgin after the Divine Birth. Arguing powerfully with the support from the Bible itself and of Biblical scholars that Jesus did have brothers and sisters, the learned author shows how Luke who mentions Virgin Birth in the Gospel was different from the author of the Acts of the Apostles. He also shows Mark, the evangelist, was different from Mark, the friend of St. Paul.

The other question he discusses is the time of the Second Coming of Christ, according to St. Paul. Contrary to the received opinion he demonstrates how it was expected in the First Century itself. The one question discussed in great detail is the nature of Jesus' Resurrection. Did the corpse of Jesus after crucifixion come to life? Analysing all the evidence Amal Kiran, while admitting the appearance of the Lord after crucifixion, shows how he did not appear in the physical body that died on the Cross. It was in a spirit-body.

Even those who differ from Amal cannot fail to admire the painstaking work of a master-mind to whom deeper experiences are not strange.

— K. B. Sitaramayya

December 2000