Iriemon

An example of different language being used in a passage where Jesus is publicly asked if he is the son of God, from Matthew 26:63-64:

And the high priest said to him,(CU) "I adjure you by(CV) the living God,(CW) tell us if you are(CX) the Christ,(CY) the Son of God." 64Jesus said to him, (CZ) "You have said so.

English standard version.

63and Jesus was silent. And the chief priest answering said to him, `I adjure thee, by the living God, that thou mayest say to us, if thou art the Christ -- the Son of God.' 64Jesus saith to him, `Thou hast said;

Young's literal translation.

Tell us, are you the Messiah, the Son of God?" [j] 64"That is what you say!" Jesus answered.

Contemporary English version.

Compare to:

The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ,[e] the Son of God." 64"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.

New International Version.

To me, this passage is an important one, because it was a public statement (as opposed to a private one) and it is reported in different gospels, it is more likely to be accurate.

__________________
Matthew 5:9

Mach

If there was a Jesus in the context of Christianity, he was a human cult leader. I believe that should be fairly obvious. Keep in mind that some cult leaders are delusional, so it may not have been "intentional" fraud. Did Lewis consider that it may have just been a crazy person?

Cults can make a cool transition to religions once their cult leader dies, apparently.

-Mach

__________________
Let teachers and priests and philosophers brood over questions of reality and illusion. I know this: if life is an illusion, then I am no less an illusion, and being thus, the illusion is real to me. I live, I burn with life, I love, I slay, and I am content.- Conan