There is another option. Jesus didn’t write the gospels. Other people did. They wrote them long after the events happened, and had their own motivations for what they included and didn’t include.
John Allegro wrote ‘The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross’ describing one potential motivation for the author of some of what became “Mark”.
We know that some parts of Matthew were being added to as late as the 4th Century. Later additions probably have little to do with who or what Jesus may have been.
>>There is another option. Jesus didn’t write the gospels.
Jesus did not write the gospels. He never wrote anything, except for some symbols in the sand that no one ever saw.
But, I covered that in my third paradox. If the gospels are a hoax, then why follow the teachings of Jesus at all?
It’s called faith. You have to believe in something. I believe in Christ. If I’m wrong, it hasn’t really cost me anything because I enjoy my time in church and I like my church family. If I’m right, then I have everything to gain.
>>We know that some parts of Matthew were being added to as late as the 4th Century.
“We” don’t know that. I’d like to see proof of that claim.