[P-Marlowe]

The character of Jesus presented in the NT is a re-presentation of the dying & rising god-man of the near eastern mystery cults presented in a mixture of Jewish and Roman symbols, stories, metaphors, analogies, etc. Hope that helps answer your question.

So Jesus really didn't exist? He was just a fairy tale?

So what does "PresbyRev" stand for? I had assumed you were a Presbyterian minister. Aren't you supposed to believe in Jesus? Doesn't that ordination require some belief that He actually existed? Or is that optional these days?

Pinging a few Presbyterians.

[Paperdoll]

Take a look at my 1214 - he was a young priest. And tell me, what are they teaching in seminary these days? One world government includes one world religion, and by the look of all that's been happening in this country lately, it won't be the Christian religion.

[Matchett-PI]

The preposterous "PresbyRev" needs to get up to speed with reality and truth:

The Divine Claims of Jesus
The "Son of Man" Title J. P. Holding
http://www.tektonics.org/jesusclaims/sonofman.html

[PresbyRev]

I can't speak for you - I encounter the risen Christ in the Word and the Sacraments.

Beyond that, the metaphors, the attributes, sayings, miracles, stories surrounding Jesus in the NT are found throughout the Eastern religions and Near Eastern mystery religions and cults long before the first century CE. Sorry. Make of it what you will.