I grew up under the Baptist hue of the Christian belief system. It troubled me for a long time that the "truth" held within the bible has lead the bourgeoisie of Christianity no where except deeper into moral disrepair. How could this be if God wrote the text of the Bible, AND then sent is Son to make it real for us. It must be our fault for not understanding the furtive truths within the Bible.
-Years of thinking-
-Years of disbelief-
Did Jesus have access to Eastern Religious traditions? During his time period the East was not closed off and trade routes existed between Rome and the East which could have serviced more than just physical goods.
Postulate:
Let's say Jesus was born just a normal human, but had some miraculous access to Eastern religious, alchemical, teachings and utilized them to become the person we know him to be in the bible. (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Jesus?)
-More thinking-
There has to be proof in the Bible if the postulate has any merit. To understand you must relinquish old ideas of Jesus' teachings. Replacing them instead with an original basis in Eastern Religious tradition. Read the following verses within this frame.
John 14:6 - Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 10:30 - I and the Father are one.
John 15:1 - I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
John 10:9 - I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.
In all cases where Jesus refers to himself as the gate or way, I believe now, that He, if he ever existed, was referring to the personal path he took to find himself.
He was NOT saying he was the way for everyone, he was referring to the Eastern methodology of finding Peace within; Take another read of John 14:6 with this in mind.
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. "Through Me" in this case referring to doing the internal work for practice and eventually self-realization.
It makes more sense, to me, now that if the "Devil" is bent on deceiving mankind, namely Christians, this view of Jesus' teachings would be the point of deviation. Where Jesus was saying take ownership in your self and know you are the way to Heaven... Has been reworded and re-contextualized to mean 'give all your power to Jesus because you are weak and he is strong.' Also don't worry about the shitty things you do to each other because Jesus' forgives you(not taking ownership in your actions).
The postulate, if accurate and accepted, returns power and ownership of personal growth back to the individual.
All this with a healthy spirit. In all cases, be.