The Real Jesus Was Erased to Control You | Prof Jiang Explains

About this video

• Video Title: The Real Jesus Was Erased to Control You | Prof Jiang Explains
• Channel: Prof Jiang Explains
• Speakers: Prof Jiang
• Duration: 00:31:32

Overview

This video explores the historical context of Jesus's life and teachings, arguing that the original message of Jesus, rooted in Gnosticism, has been altered and controlled over time. Professor Jiang discusses the historical and religious influences on Jesus, his synthesis of various philosophical and spiritual ideas, and how his teachings evolved into Christianity, particularly through the influence of Paul.

Key takeaways

• Historical Context: The video begins by detailing the complex political and religious landscape of Judea around the time of Jesus, including the influence of Babylonian exile, Greek (Hellenistic) culture, and Roman conquest.
• Synthesis of Religions and Philosophies: Jesus's teachings are presented as a synthesis of various contemporary ideas, including Platonic philosophy (the "Form of the Good"), Zoroastrianism (the dualism of light and darkness), Eastern religions (Hinduism and Buddhism's concepts of liberation), Cynicism, Stoicism, and pagan mystery cults.
• Gnosticism and Jesus: The speaker posits that Jesus was a Gnostic, teaching a multi-layered system with secret, inner, and outer teachings. The outer layer focused on compassion and egalitarianism (e.g., Sermon on the Mount), while the inner and secret layers (revealed in the Gospel of Thomas) involved hidden knowledge about the true nature of reality and the divine spark within humanity.
• The Gnostic Creation Story: The video explains a Gnostic creation myth involving a supreme deity (the Monad), Sophia, and a flawed creator god (Yahweh), suggesting the material world is inherently flawed because it was created by a lesser, ignorant deity, not the ultimate good.
• Jesus's Death and its Transformation: Jesus's crucifixion is presented not just as a religious event but as a catalyst that, due to the apocalyptic expectations of the time, transformed him into a heroic figure, sparking interest in his teachings and leading to the spread of his message.
• Paul's Role in Christianity: The video distinguishes between Jesus's original teachings (Gnosticism) and the religion that emerged later, arguing that Paul, not Jesus, was the true founder of Christianity as it is known today, fundamentally changing Jesus's message of self-redemption through inner knowledge to one of redemption through Jesus's sacrifice.
• Critique of Modern Christianity: The speaker suggests that Jesus would likely reject modern Christianity, which focuses on him as a redeemer, due to its deviation from his original teachings on inner realization and self-empowerment.