Likewise...

Likewise, it is not known who was the John, the author of the fourth `gospel', Christian public is led to believe that it was written by John, the apostle of Jesus Christ. But the above-mentioned Dictionary (under `John, the gospel according to') clearly says that many scholars believe that the author was some "disciple and follower of John the son of Zabedee (the apostle).

His name is either un- known to us or, more likely, was John the Presb- yter or Elder." Writers of the remaining two `gospels' were disciples and followers of the Apostles, and most probably had not seen or met Jesus Christ at all. Thus, not only were these four books written decades after Jesus Christ, but they were not written by his immediate disciples either. And at least two of them were written by unknown persons.

Gospels: Not Trustworthy Apart from this dubious authorship, the texts of these `gospels' show that the writers, whoever they were, were not trustworthy. Let me point out a few examples of blatant alterations: The figure `7' was considered very impor tant to Israelites (no doubt, because of the pa- ganistic idea that God was tired after creating the universe in six days, and rested on the seventh day).

Thus they were fond of adjusting known historical facts to fit in the frame of `7' or multiples of `7'. The author of the `gospel' according to Matthew gives the geneology of Jesus Christ in the first chapter. He divides it into three parts of 14+14+14. And to fit the names in this scheme of `14,' he omits four names in between.

He has omitted the name of Jehoiakim between Josias and Jechonias (thus presenting the grandson as the son); and the names of Ahaziah, Goash and Azariah between Joram and Ozias (thus presenting a great-great- grandson as the son). It is quite apart from other known histori- cal inaccuracies which permeate this geneology.

Then if you compare this geneology with that given in the `gospel' according to Luke (Chapter 3) you will find that the names between David and Joseph (husband of Mary) are completely different, putting one man in two different clans.

In the `gospel' of Matthew, Joseph was son of Jacob, son of Matthan who was from the clan of Prophet Solomon son of Prophet David, and between Joseph and Prophet Solo- mon were twenty four generations.` According to the `gospel' of Luke, Joseph was son of Heli, son of Matthat, who was from the clan of Nathan son of Prophet David, and between Joseph and Nathan were thirty nine generations.