The Fifth GospelThe Fifth GospelThe Fifth Gospel presents some compelling new evidence about the life of Jesus which has been derived from a variety of sources in the East which are unknown to most Western scholars.
By chance, one of the authors found, in 1965, a reference in Ladakh to the discovery of Buddhist scrolls about Jesus. Since then, the authors have been examining evidence about the survival of Jesus Christ at the time of the crucifixion, and his subsequent travels to the East.
The authors' main purpose in writing this book is to inform the West that "we in the East have some source material about the historical Jesus who lived on after the crucifixion.... This book was not written in one day, but is a result of many years' continued search for evidence," and provides research on some very compelling questions, such as:
Jesus has been mentioned in Oriental manuscripts by many names: Issa, Isa, Issana-deva, Isha Natha, Ishai, Isa Masih, Yusu, Yuzu, Yuzu-Kristo, Yuz-Asaph, and Yusu Masih. In some works, he is mentioned as Eshvara-putram, or the Son of God, and Kanaya-garbum or Born of a Girl. In some ancient manuscripts he is called Metteyya, which is equivalent to Messiah. In some Persian works, he is known as Nasrani or Kristani, which is equivalent to "of Nazareth" or Christian. It is also interesting that the Christians are known in the East as Nasaran and Kira. Jesus is also titled in the East as Ibn-i-Maryam or the Son of Mary.
Whether Jesus Christ did or did not die on the cross, or passed away naturally at an older age, like the Buddha, is a vital question in which not only Christians but others are keenly interested. For example, this book presents startling evidence about the tomb of Jesus or Yuzu-Asaph in Kashmir. The research will remain incomplete until this tomb is opened for investigation.
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Table of Contents |
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Sources
2. Genesis
3. The Son of God
4. Ministry and Crucifixion
5. Jesus Christ in the East
Notes
Bibliography
About the Authors
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Excerpt |
We do not claim to be the inventors of any theory nor the discoverers of any truth. As such, this book does not owe its origin to any sect, group or movement. It is merely the result of our personal efforts to find out and then compile source material about the lost years of Jesus Christ. It was by chance that one of us found in 1965 a reference to a visit of Nicolas Notovitch to Hemis monastery of Ladakh and his discovery of the Buddhist scrolls about Jesus. Since then, we have been examining evidence about the survival of Jesus Christ at the time of crucifixion and subsequent departure towards the East.
But we must stress that our book is not the last word in the domain of researches on the subject. It only presents startling evidence about the tomb of Jesus in Kashmir. Our research would remain incomplete till this tomb is opened for scientific investigation. The conditions are such that nobody will permit us to open this sacred grave. Both Muslims and Christians are against the very idea, which they term as "desecration of the sacred remains."
Eric von Daniken writes: "The crucifixion, theologians assure us, is to be understood only symbolically." Why is this not made clear in religious teaching? My daughter Lela learned-like all previous generations-that Jesus was the only begotten son of God made flesh, that he suffered every pain (for the oppressing original sin) as a man, that he died as a man, struggled as a man, with all the attendant torments and miseries. But how can God, who knowingly let his own son be tortured-because Adam and Eve committed a sin that he could easily have prevented through his foreknowledge-be reconciled by Christ's death with the very men who killed him?
It is evident that during modern times it has become difficult to believe that Jesus Christ was massacred for our sins. Such theories propounded by the Church, in Rome, 150 years after the death of Jesus Christ, have created misgivings in the minds of sincere Christians. S. Basker writes, "I believe in God and follow Christianity, but I do not like to go the Church and hear the sermons of the father of the Church. I hate these preachers!"
Such sentiments, as expressed above, do not arise until something serious occurs. It may be probable that either the original doctrine, as propounded by Jesus Christ, is not placed before us, or mixed-up truths are presented which cannot be digested easily. Helmut Goeckel has expressed the same sentiments, when he writes: "It must be made possible to reconstruct the legitimate doctrine in the original form. The surest way to succeed is to find again the historical personality of Jesus."
Now, where are the original doctrines? More than one billion people in the world have no other holy book except the Bible. It is considered to be the original text on the life and mission of Jesus Christ. The faithful believe that the Bible has always existed in the form in which they see it today. They further believe that there are no other holy books except the Bible. They do not know that not only was the Bible changed, altered and shortened from time to time, but many other scriptures and Gospels were banished from circulation, and destroyed by burning, as ordained by the Church.
From the start, Christian Councils have met and taken decisions on doctrines from time to time, with the result that the Christian faith, as it exists today, is the faith imposed on us by the ecclesiastical priests. The net result has been that Jesus Christ, as presented today, appears to be some other personality from the one which existed two thousand years ago. As such, what is needed, is to search the real Jesus Christ. By searching the real Jesus Christ, we do not intend to do away with all that Christianity stands for today. We plead to make a dispassionate study of the life and mission of Jesus Christ, who has declared, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life."
Blue Dolphin Publishing, 2006