In his book, “Jesus in the House of the Pharaohs,” Ahmed Osman claims, among other things, that Jesus lived (and was killed) at the time of Moses. The following quotation from pages 39-40 of his book is about one piece of evidence cited by Osman in support of his farfetched revisionist theory:
“If Jesus lived fourteen centuries earlier than has been thought, it would throw a new light on an event described in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke–the meeting of Jesus and Moses at the time of what has become known as his Transfiguration: ‘And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. And there appeared unto them Elias (Elijah) and Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias…. And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man anymore, save Jesus only with themselves’ (Mark 9: 2-5, 7-8).
“Christian authors avoided trying to interpret the meaning of this account until the nineteenth century. It was then explained away as not being a description of actual hstorical events, but rather a matter of the psychology of Jesus and his disciples or having been a ‘spiritual experience.’ However, the factual nature of the Gospel narratives themselves does not permit this interpretation. Unlike the confrontation with Satan, when Jesus was alone with a fallen angelic being, the Transfiguration cannot be interpreted as symbolic or a description of a vision. Here we have three disciples who are said to be witnesses to a meeting between Jesus and Moses, an event that is the only clue in the Gospels to the era in which Jesus really lived.”
Osman’s assertion that “the factual nature of the Gospel narratives” does not allow the Transfiguration to be interpreted as symbolic or a vision seems rather odd coming from an author who devotes so much effort to arguing for the non-factual nature of the Gospel narratives.
And if the Transfiguration is a clue that Jesus really lived at the time of Moses, then what about Jesus’ disciples who witnessed it, according to the Gospels? Did Peter, James and John also live at the time of Moses? As far as I can see, Osman has not directly addressed that obvious question.
And if the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ disciples seeing him schmoozing with Moses is a clue that Jesus really lived at the time of Moses, then what about Elias (Elijah) who was also seen shooting the shit with Jesus? Did Elias also live at the time of Moses? Osman makes no attempt whatever to answer tht question or in any way to explain the presence of Elias at that particular powwow.
So musch for this ridiculous “argument” in support of Osman’s crackpot revisionist theory that Jesus lived at the time of Moses.