I showed you that Flavius Josephus makes no mention that a stinking and rotting corpse came back to life physically , and physically shared a meal with friends, had his physical wounds poked and prodded physically and then physically went up into heaven only to come down again on a cloud, physically.
you seem to think Josephus had a stake in confirming the biblical narrative, although he does in many ways.
Nope. Stop being so ridiculous. I am saying the complete opposite. Flavius Josephus had NOTHING to say on the matter at all, did he. AND you are simply ignoring the PHYSICAL.
Every eye will see him and he will return the way he went.
But he did have all kinds of things to say regarding biblical prophecy. He did not support Jesus as Messiah, but he certainly wrote about Him, and he wrote about what was prophesied in the NT in startlingly confirming terms, seemingly unbeknownst to him.
"Look, he is coming with the clouds," and "every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him"; and all peoples on earth "will mourn
because of him." So shall it be! Amen. <<<<< If this was meant only spiritually what were the supposed to be "looking " at.
"Look" does not have to mean physical sight. Look, I'm making a point.
Definition of
look (Entry 2 of 2)
the act of
looking2a: the expression of the countenance
b: physical appearance especially : attractive physical appearance —usually used in plural
c: a combination of design features giving a unified appearance a new look in women's fashions
3: the state or form in which something appears
I speak of definitions 2c and 3.
Not only this,
many translations use the word "Behold," not "look," to make the point that it is not physical sighting being spoken of.
NASB - Behold.
KJV - Behold.
ESV - Behold.
As for every eye, does that mean every single eye, or does it mean in regards to a specific group, or is it used in a figurative sense to include the whole of OT Israel? The tribes of the land speak of the twelve tribes of Israel. Did every person pierce Him? No, yet God attributes that piercing to OT Israel. They were the ones who handed Him over to the Romans when Pilate gave them the option. Was every OT Israelite there when Jesus was pierced? Nope. So, "those who pierced Him" places the blame on Israel as a nation even though not everyone handed Him over to be pierced.
So, you want to take this dogmatically literally. That is not possible. You have to understand that "those who pierced Him" were first of all the Romans, and second, attributed to the nation of Israel, who God repeatedly warned of coming judgment once they filled up the full measure of their sins by causing the crucifixion of His Son.
Many people have understood His coming in Revelation 1:7 as His judgment on Israel. The whole of Revelation speaks of this judgment to ISRAEL. Jesus is coming to avenge the blood of all the saints (and
His own blood) shed on the land since the forefathers' time.
If you want to go on those who looked at Him when He was pierced, that was not everyone but a small representation --> OT Israel.
John 19:36-37 (NASB)
36 For these things took place so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “Not a bone of Him shall be [
a]broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They will look at Him whom they pierced.”
Those looking on Him were mainly 1st-century Jews. They were responsible for His piercing.
And what were these Jews to see Him doing? They were to see Him coming in judgment of Israel. That is what they were going to see or witness - the judgment taking place.
"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky?
This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven,
will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Yes good question isn't it, why were they "looking" skyward?
The Ascension
9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were watching, and a cloud took Him up, out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, then behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them, 11 and they said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”
Men of Galilee - who were they? That was a specific group of people. Were there women and children there? How did they see Him go into heaven? They saw Him lifted into the cloud presence of God. The clouds surrounded Him. (So, the presence of God was with Him and that is how He would return, in the presence and glory of the Father). Are these every eye of Revelation 1:7? Are they with His angels where He repaired every person for their deeds? Did the trumpet sound? Did a voice of the archangel speak? What is common to all these accounts of His return? It is the cloud cover or presence of God. That is how they would see/understand His return.
Matthew 16:27 - "come in
the glory of His
Father with His angels." How was that? How did the Fathter come in glory in the OT?
Matthew 24:30 - "see the Son of Man coming on the
clouds of the sky with power and great glory." Coming in power and great glory - the glory of the Father.
Matthew 26:64 - "at the right hand of power, and coming on the
clouds of heaven.” Clouds speak of judgment.
Mark 13:26 - "they will see the Son of Man coming in
clouds with great power and glory."
Mark 14:62 - "see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the
clouds of heaven.”
Acts 1:9 - "a
cloud took Him up, out of their sight.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 - "we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air," They would be in God's presence.
Until you can tell me how God was manifest in glory in the OT your argument is mute and moot (having no practical relevence.