NEW VERSION OF CHRIST'S LIFE.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20168, 21 February 1931, Page 15

NEW VERSION OF CHRIST'S LIFE.

GERMAN DOCTOR'S WORK.

COMMENT IN ENGLAND.

-(CNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—BI. . SUSCT&IC TELEGRAPH— COFTBIGHT.) (Received February 20th, 8.5 p.m.) LONDON", February 19. Thougli admitting that his reconstruct tion is purely hypothetical a* German, Dr. Eisler, gives in his book, "Tho Messiah, Jesus, and John the Baptist,'? a translation of which into English is just available, a picture of Christ's life on earth, conflicting startlingly with the orthodox' versions. It purports to be based on contemporary accounts of Christ as quoted by Josephus in old Russian and other versions recently discovered. Dr. Eisler contends that '' Despite the tireless efforts of ecclesiastical revisers,, enough has been preserved in out of j the way corners of the world among the Jews and heretics, besides quota-. | tions in Christian .literature, to allow of a reconstruction of the fundamental i features of Christ's personality and i mission as it appeared to his enemies." Josephus, as reconstructed*, describes l Jesus aB a small, bent, homely figure. He alleges that some of his armed followers attempted to seize- Jorusalem, upon which Pilate suppressed the rising and crucified Christ and twe followers, elsewhere • • described 1 as thieves. It is also alleged that the resurrection was made possible by a twiiubrother of Jesus, who was seen after the Crucifixion. No reason is given why the Romans did not produce the body, thus settling the question. ■ The Rev. Thomas Nightingale, on behalf Ai the National Council: Of Free Churches, issues a dramatic denunciation of Dr. Eisler's boos, as. the . "work' of a hostile Jew, attempting to account for the 'resurrection : and ; putting "the b<Jßt face he can on the treatment-of Jesus by „ his fellow-countrymen.- ' Mr Nightingale says the • book starts -by postulating a theory which, this writer builds up to suit his own purpose. "Experts should not find it difficult to, -reduce his theories to their proper 'value. Even supposing that tho text of v Josephus is authentic, the *whole of Dr. Eisler's work involves'».*/reconstruction which is largely imagin Thislrind of thing has been.attemptedi again £nd' again, but Christianity remains; v i'^-' * Dr. Mingana, of the John.Eylandi Library, Manchester, the chief ~authority on Josephus, says J.hat there»ar& Only two references to" ChriPt ■ in 1 tfte "recog-" nised edition of leading authorities are/ unanimous that both are mediaeval iforgeries.- _ "