Price's table of Jesus' story origins

[Jubal]

Here is the table from R.G. Price's book which lists the references and allusions to the Jewish scriptures found in the Gospel of Mark.

No tables here, so I'll post each item like this :
Scene
Reference
Subject

The proclamation of John the Baptist
Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40; 2 Kings 1
Judgment of God on Israel; comfort to Israel for fulfillment of punishment through destruction; identification of Elijah

The baptism of Jesus
Isaiah 11; Isaiah 42
Identification of God’s servant

Jesus calls the first disciples
Jeremiah 16
Punishment of Israel

The man with an unclean spirit
Isaiah 65
God’s people don’t recognize him

Jesus heals a paralytic
2 Kings 5
Elijah/Elisha healing miracles

The purpose of the parables
Isaiah 6
Punishment of Israel

Jesus stills a storm
Psalm 107
Identification of the Lord

Jesus heals the Gerasene demoniac
Isaiah 64
Punishment of Israel

A girl restored to life and a woman healed
1 Kings 17; 2 Kings 4
Elijah/Elisha healing miracles

Death of John the Baptist
2 Kings 2
Transfer of Spirit from Elijah to Elisha

Feeding the five thousand
2 Kings 4
Elijah/Elisha feeding miracles

Jesus walks on water
Isaiah 43
Identification of the Savior of Israel

Feeding the four thousand
2 Kings 4
Elijah/Elisha feeding miracles

Jesus foretells his death and resurrection
Isaiah 53
Suffering Servant

The Transfiguration
Daniel 12
Description of eternal life and shining like a star for the righteous

Temptations to sin
Isaiah 66
Description of punishment for opponents of God

Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem
Zachariah 14; Zachariah 9; Psalm 118
Identification of the ruler of Israel

Jesus curses the fig tree and clears the temple
Hosea 9
Admonition of the Jews, punishment of Israel

The parable of the wicked tenants
Isaiah 5
Admonition of the Jews, punishment of Israel

The destruction of the temple foretold
Isaiah 13, 14, 19
Admonition of the Jews, punishment of Israel

The desolating sacrilege
Daniel 9, 11, 12
Admonition of the Jews, destruction foretold

The coming of the Son of Man
Isaiah 13; Daniel 7
Destruction, punishment of the world; coming of an eternal ruler

The anointing at Bethany
2 Kings 9; 1 Samuel 10
Anointing of the ruler of Israel

Judas agrees to betray Jesus
Amos 2
Admonition of the Jews, punishment of Israel

The Passover with the disciples
1 Samuel 10
Preparations for kingship

Jesus predicts his betrayal
Psalm 41
Invocation for revenge against transgressors

Peter’s denial foretold
Zechariah 13
Wrath against betrayers

The betrayal and arrest of Jesus
Amos 2
Admonition of the Jews, punishment of Israel

Jesus before the council
Isaiah 53; Psalm 110; Psalm 35
Suffering Servant; prayer for deliverance from enemies; prayer for retribution on oppressors

Jesus before Pilate
Isaiah 53
Suffering Servant

The soldiers mock Jesus
Isaiah 50
Suffering Servant

The Crucifixion of Jesus
Amos 2; Psalm 22; Amos 8
Judgment on Israel; prayer for deliverance from suffering; admonition of the Jews, punishment of Israel

The burial of Jesus
Isaiah 53
Suffering Servant

(This is reasonable fair use, it's a tiny fraction of the book ~1%)

[Jagella]

Here is the table from R.G. Price's book which lists the references and allusions to the Jewish scriptures found in the Gospel of Mark.

Is there a question for debate?

I'm familiar with the work of Robert Price. He debated Bart Ehrman on the historicity of Jesus, and I've read his book, The Christ-Myth Theory And Its Problems. I think he has some good points regarding the gospel's taking passages from the Old Testament, but some of the parallels he draws are a bit of a stretch.

[Jubal]

[Replying to post 2 by Jagella]

It was a big post, figured I'd make a new thread.

I guess the question would be :
is there anything to the Jesus of Nazareth legend that doesn't come from the Tanakh ?

BTW -
R.G. Price is not the same person as Dr Robert M. Price.

Jubal

[Willum]

I regret not being imaginative enough to envision your table.

I will add, that, for whatever reasons, the prophesy of Isaiah describe Caesar's Augustus and Tiberius exactly.

[Jagella]

is there anything to the Jesus of Nazareth legend that doesn't come from the Tanakh ?

Some of the doctrines in the gospel tale probably originated in Egyptian mythology rather than in the Hebrew scriptures. The Tale of Khaemwese, an Egyptian story, for example, describes a rich man who dies and is sentenced to eternal punishment. He was sentenced to this punishment because while he was still alive he lacked charity. A poor man, by contrast, dies and enjoys a blessed state. This story is very similar to the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man in Luke 16:19-31. It is very possible that Christians heard The Tale of Khaemwese from traders from Egypt and incorporated it into the gospel tale putting it into the mouth of a mythical Christ.

So yes, we have here one example of an element of the gospel tale that does not appear in the Hebrew scriptures. Although I have a lot of respect for Robert Price, I cannot agree with his position that everything in the gospel tale is derived from the Hebrew bible. In addition to Jewish mythology, the gospel story was influenced by pagan mythology as well.

[bjs]

Death of John the Baptist
2 Kings 2
Transfer of Spirit from Elijah to Elisha

The author of Mark certainly believed that Jesus was fulfilling OT prophesies, especially those from Isaiah. Also, I tend to give people a lot of leniency in their interpretations and what connections they want to draw. However, even the most liberal of thinkers would find this a massive stretch.

How exactly is the “transfer of Spirit from Elijah to Elisha� (not an accurate description of 2 Kings chapter 2, but I’ll let that go) and allusion to the death of John the Baptist? The two stories appear to have nothing in common. What is your thinking here?

[Jagella]

How exactly is the “transfer of Spirit from Elijah to Elisha� (not an accurate description of 2 Kings chapter 2, but I’ll let that go) and allusion to the death of John the Baptist? The two stories appear to have nothing in common. What is your thinking here?

I think Price might be referring to John the Baptist as the second coming of Elijah. So the "spirit transfer" from Elijah to Elisha is borrowed in the story of John the Baptist as Elijah come again. It is an intriguing possibility and not really too much of a stretch.

[bjs]

How exactly is the “transfer of Spirit from Elijah to Elisha� (not an accurate description of 2 Kings chapter 2, but I’ll let that go) and allusion to the death of John the Baptist? The two stories appear to have nothing in common. What is your thinking here?

I think Price might be referring to John the Baptist as the second coming of Elijah. So the "spirit transfer" from Elijah to Elisha is borrowed in the story of John the Baptist as Elijah come again. It is an intriguing possibility and not really too much of a stretch.

Are you saying that the “spirit transfer� is from Elijah to John the Baptist? What does that have to do with the death of John the Baptist?

I assumed Price was comparing the “spirit transfer� from Elijah to Elisha to the relationship of John the Baptist to Jesus. Except there was no “spirit transfer� or passing of a mantle from John to Jesus. The relationship of Elijah and Elisha was bears no resemblance to the relationship of John and Jesus. The roles of Elijah and Elisha were fundamentally different from roles of John and Jesus in their respective narratives. The story of Elijah leaving this world bears no similarity to the story of John leaving this world. Elisha’s life after Elijah, and the way it related to Elijah’s ministry, is nothing like the life of Jesus after John, nor is it similar to the way Jesus related John’s ministry.

Personally, I thought I was being generous calling Price’s theory a massive stretch. “Completely fictional� would be a more accurate description of Price’s theory.

[Jagella]

Are you saying that the “spirit transfer� is from Elijah to John the Baptist? What does that have to do with the death of John the Baptist?

Well, we would need to ask Bob Price; it's his theory. But I've known for a long time that John the Baptist is portrayed as the reincarnated Elijah. Consider Matthew 11:13-15 English Standard Version (ESV):

For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.

So that's the "spirit transfer" from Elijah to John the Baptist. There's a heck of a lot of other story elements taken from the Hebrew scriptures and placed into the gospels. If Jesus is historical, then how can his life be made up of this midrash?

[StuartJ]

[Replying to post 2 by Jagella]

I guess the question would be :
is there anything to the Jesus of Nazareth legend that doesn't come from the Tanakh ?

Claiming that Jesus the Nazarite is "God" doesn't come from the Tanakh.

The Christianities are the only cults I know arrogant enough to claim that their leader actually IS God.