Textual Discrepancies & How They Could Impact Christianity

So, how did Jews of the time differentiate between the magical application of a number and the literal application? For instance, if I said to someone then that I was going to come and visit with them in 3 days should they do as you do here and shoot for symbolic touch - or should they set about preparing a room?Or to put it another way. If Jesus fasted for an actual "fourty days" without eating an actual "anything", how would that be described?Edited by iano, : No reason given.

I wouldn't think so. I hazard a guess that it's an honest appraisal of what is there to be seen. Something that rings true being assailed by something that rings hollow. Edited by iano, : No reason given.

The 'context of the quote' is the introduction. The introduction tells us the context with which we are to read the rest. And that introduction tells that historical reportage is to follow. How do you deal with Luke's apparent disagreement? Do you claim to know his intent better than he did?Edited by iano, : No reason given.

You're meandering off the point.A quotemine takes a persons (Lukes) statement out of the context they (Luke) intended. Jaywill wasn't quotemining Lukes introduction in supporting his contention that Lukes account is historical - for that is the very context Luke intends to set (it being the introduction).Whether it's truly historical or not isn't the issue. Whether it's a quotemine or not is.- I'm sure a lot of historians didn't meet the characters about whom they write. And 'cribbed' their information from various sources. History doesn't necessarily morph into allegory by their doing this.- The story being filled with symbolism detracts not one iota from it's historicity. It would more than add to it in the specific case of a long-awaited Messiah. Edited by iano, : No reason given.

I'd remind you that the topic is your claim of (supposed) quote-mining.- You can quotemine Moby Dick by taking something stated in Moby Dick out of the context the author of Moby Dick intended. Whether or not Moby Dick is actual history or not is irrelevant to the issue of quotemining or no.It is not quotemining to point to Lukes declaration that his account is a historical one. The question then is whether you trust his claim. Jaywill says he does.- I think jaywill was doing as I am doing - countering your 'it's allegorical' claim by:a) pointing to the fact that the author doesn't agree with your view.b) stating his trusting the authors position over yours.- You say. He says not. A question of trust.- I'll restrict myself to contending with a single issue: your claim of quotemining. It's better that way