Where Did Jesus Die? — Page 116
? 116 of Jesus throughout the long dispute. If the risen ‘Lord’ was the centre of his convictions, why did he not say so? In his speech he should have emphasised the ‘resurrection’ more than anything else. But it is not so. It is Paul alone who lays stress on the crucified Jesus, and is enthusiastic about the ‘resurrection’. As he says, If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain and your faith is also vain. 1 And he it was who said: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. 2 And he was who gloried in the Cross of Jesus Christ. 3 The earliest group of disciples did not appreciate his innova- tion, they opposed him as far as they could but as time passed his easy religion, though rejected by the Jews, became the conquering religion of the pagan Roman Empire. The pagan beliefs and cere- monies were enacted, and the merging of the worship of Attis into that of Jesus was effected. And ‘it was at the Council of Nicaea, in the year 325, about three centuries after the crucifixion, that Jesus was first recognised officially by the Church as God’. 4 Thus 1. 1 Cor. 15:14 2. Gal. 3:13 3. Gal. 6:14 4. Paganism in our Christianity, p. 168.