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to be compelled to write. They follow says the popular mythology their inner voices, a feeling for injustice, an urge to face a personal trauma, an artistic vision.
The authors of popular fiction have their own calling: they must not fail the expectations of their audiences. A covenant of loyalty and mutual respect is the basis
on which the author of popular fiction continues his or her work. The typical branches of the production have no contact to mythologies of authorship.
2.2 Jesus in the Bible as Literature
Jesus, the proper, as Christ is the official, name of our Lord. To distinguish him from others so called, he is spoken of as Jesus of Nazareth John 18:7 , and
Jesus the son of Joseph John 6:42. This is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, which was originally
Hoshea Numbers 13:8 Numbers 13:16, but changed by Moses into Jehoshua Numbers 13:16 ; 1 Chronicles 7:27, or Joshua. After the Exile it assumed the form
Jeshua, whence the Greek form Jesus. It was given to our Lord to denote the object of his mission, to save Matthew 1:21.
The life of Jesus on earth may be divided into two great periods, that of his private life, till he was about thirty years of age, that of his public life, which lasted
about three years. In the fullness of time he was born at Bethlehem, in the reign of the emperor
Augustus, of Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph, a carpenter Matthew 1:1 ; Luke 3:23 ; Compare John 7:42. His birth was announced to the shepherds Luke 2:8-20.
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Wise men from the east came to Bethlehem to see him who was born King of the Jews, bringing gifts with them Matthew 2:1-12. Herods cruel jealousy led to
Josephs flight into Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus, where they tarried till the death of this king Matthew 2:13-23, when they returned and settled in Nazareth, in
Lower Galilee 2:23 ; Compare Luke 4:16 ; John 1:46 , etc.. At the age of twelve years he went up to Jerusalem to the Passover with his parents. There, in the temple,
in the midst of the doctors, all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers Luke 2:41 , etc..
Eighteen years pass, of which we have no record beyond this, that he returned to Nazareth and increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man
Luke 2:52. He entered on his public ministry when he was about thirty years of age. It is
generally reckoned to have extended to about three years. “Each of these years had peculiar features of its own.
1 The first year may be called the year of obscurity, both because the records of it
which we possess are very scanty, and because he seems during it to have been only slowly emerging into public notice. It was spent for the most part in Judea.
2 The second year was the year of public favor, during which the country had
become thoroughly aware of him; his activity was incessant, and his frame rang through the length and breadth of the land. It was almost wholly passed in Galilee.
3 The third was the year of opposition, when the public favor ebbed away. His
enemies multiplied and assailed him with more and more pertinacity, and at last he
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felt a victim to their hatred. The first six months of this final year were passed in Galilee, and the last six in other parts of the land. Stalkers Life of Jesus Christ,
p. 45..
2.3 Marriage in the Bible as Literature
