Extracting the Divinity out of Jesus

I read this review of Bill OReilly's latest book "Killing Jesus" on The Catholic Thing Blog

I read the book earlier this month and I had similar thoughts on the book. I read through most of OReilly's Killing Lincoln and I think it was well done. The historicity structure of the book is well done. The final hour of the presidents life is described in enough detail draw one into that fateful tragic evening.

O'Reilly's structure of portraying Jesus only in historical terms just doesn't work because of one very important factor...no pun intended.

....This is Jesus Christ, Son of God! You can't extract the historical Jesus without diminishing his divinity.

Bill sticks to his outline of Jesus with only facts he can prove with whatever resource he uses. And so while reading the book Jesus' character seems diminished and seems to doubt himself and Bill says just that, "he can't focus on his message to his disciples".

That's what I mean of his human aspect takes over his divine aspect. He is fully human and fully divine and I realize O'Reilly is sticking to his guns on the historicity approach however I couldn't help but get the feeling that Jesus seems kind of hollow.

In some of his statements on this show "The Factor", he has mentioned that he believes that many of the biblical passages mentioned at those times on his show are "Allegorical". While it's true that the Allegory is a sense of reading bible passages there are actually four senses of Scripture. The other three others that Bill never mentions (at least I haven't heard his say) are Literal, Moral and Anagogical and one passage can have more than one.



Also in one of his interviews promoting his new book, he seems to be saying that he doesn't believe Jesus said anything that could be heard while hanging on the cross. What about "Son behold your Mother....Mother your Son"?

How about "...it is finished".

I wonder if while only providing "historical provable facts" O'Reilly has convinced himself of dismissing some important aspects of the Catholic Faith.

Not once does he mention his claim of "you must eat my body  and drink my blood in order for you to have life". This is one of Jesus' most important claims and the focal point of our Mass.No other church makes this claim of consuming Christ.

Anyway I can't prove that, only he can answer that of himself.

I do like the early chapters involving the the history of Rome, the settings of the Holy Lands and the description of the relationship of the Romans and the Jewish people.

Not a bad book, again I just don't think believe it portrays the full Jesus.

Jesus is not just a historical character.like President Lincoln or President Kennedy, he is God.

You can't take the Divinity out of Jesus.