this post was submitted on 24 Mar 2025
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[–] Gloomy@mander.xyz 0 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

So Jesus was probably very anti Roman, and killed by the Roman state as a potential revolutionary leader. Later, Paul (or his forgers) realizes that rewriting some of the theology a bit to be more sympathetic to power might be helpful.

Isn't that the gospel of Matthew?

To my knowledge his employer let him rewrite the gospel in a more pro Roman way, possibly to make the religion that was spreading amongst Romans more accesable to them.

[–] andros_rex@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

The Gospel of Matthew is a synoptic gospel like Luke - it’s made up of material from Mark, Q and the sayings source.

I don’t know if it’s really “pro Roman.” I’ve always taken ‘Render unto Caesar’ as a dark joke. My impression now might be colored by the Pasolini film, which is so faithful an adaptation that it’s got the endorsement of the Vatican, and really brings Jesus to life in a way that makes him the kind of angry socialist I want to team up with.

Luke felt like the pro Roman one to me, and is why I think it’s why most Christians in the US turn to it for their passion plays (if you can make out near the Holy City of the Wichitas during the off season, lots of funny pictures to be taken on that cross) and nativities. Luke was of course evangelizing to the Roman gentiles.

If I was a Christian, I’d believe “Luke” and Paul ruined it. The Roman state did not really seriously persecute Christians in the way that pop culture portrays, barring maybe Nero, so I’m pretty sure the religion had been pacified/made acceptable by the turn of the first century.