Why do the gospel stories of the risen Jesus show signs of being inspired by this book of black magic, The Sepher Ha-Razim?

Sepher Ha-Razim means Book of Secrets.  This is an occult work that claims to date from long before Jesus and to go back to the time of Noah. The work however dates from the third century and was very prevalent in its day. Fragments were very common. The book naturally consists of many old tradition that probably do go back to the Jesus timeframe.

The book may help account for some strange practices around the time Jesus was supposedly buried.

Principally, it may explain what the women friends of Jesus were doing at the tomb when there was no need and no tradition for doing so.  More about that later.

It looks like that the gospels are describing not so much a resurrection as a necromantic rite in which Jesus was called up.  All they had to do was report the dignified bits.  Who wants to hear if the vision had signs of decomposition or was frightening?

Anyway, here is a quote from the Sepher.

The seventh firmament, all of it is sevenfold light, and from its light all the (seven) heavens shine. Within it is the throne of glory, set on the four glorious Hayot, lso within it are the storehouses of lives, and the storehouses of souls. There is no calculation or limit to the great light within it, and the fullness of the light illumines all the earth. The angels are fixed in pillars of light, and their light is as the light of the brilliant star and cannot be extinguished, for their eyes are like flashes of lightning, and they stand upon the margins of (the divine) light, and glorify in fear the One who sits upon the throne of glory. For He alone sits in the heaven of His holiness, seeking out judgment, evening the scales of justice; judging in truth and speaking in righteousness. And before Him the books of fire are open.

My comment here is that there is enough to suggest the star of Bethlehem. Matthew alone reports this light in the sky when Jesus was born.  And the Book of Revelation supposedly created by somebody who was contacting the risen Jesus regularly is definitely inspired by the above.  You would actually think you are reading a few verses from it.   Revelation uses the motifs of books belonging to God too and the number seven is important.  God even has seven spirits.  Compare the vision of God on the throne to the Book of Revelation.

Here is an even more startling quote from the Sephir.

His soldiers stand before Him, But they do not gaze upon His likeness. For He is hidden from every eye. And none can see Him and live. His appearance is hidden from all. But no appearance is hidden from Him. He uncovers deep things from the darkness, And He knows the secrets of obscurity. For light dwells with Him, And He puts on light as a garment. He sits on light as a throne. And light is a wall around Him.

This could prompt the gospel account of the transfiguration when Jesus glows before Peter and John and they can barely look at him.

The Christians would read the text and think it could match the risen Jesus accounts.  In fact it matches how Christians go beyond the stories which do not actually say the returned Jesus was that supernatural looking and mystical.  Light is not even mentioned.  It would be shocking if Christian theology about the nature of the risen Jesus came from occult sources and not the New Testament.

The Sephir vision is not really a vision of the divine but you see a light and make assumptions about who is inside it.  That makes me wonder if belief in Jesus rising may have been sustained by witnesses but were they that important?  Was it more about assumptions than anything else?

The following quote may have led to the invention of Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey as Messiah.

Troops upon troops stand one above another before Him, And immerse themselves in rivers of purity. And wrap themselves in garments of white fire. And sing with humility in a strong voice: "Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts, The whole world is full of His glory, He is prior to all creatures; He was when earth and heaven were not yet. He is alone; There is no stranger with Him. By His strength He upholds the heaven(s). And in all the heavens He is feared, And by all the angels He is revered. For by the breath of His mouth they were formed And to glorify His power they were established. He (acts) alone and who can turn Him back? And if He commands none can annul. For He is the King of Kings of Kings, Ruling over all of the kings of the earth. And exalted among the angels of heaven. He searches hearts before they are formed. And He knows thoughts before they occur. Blessed be His name And blessed the greatness of His glory.

The next quote may explain the following:

The women going to the tomb of Jesus to put spices and oils on his body when there was no need.  It had been done already and he would have been starting to rot.  And he was a criminal so special treatment was banned.  Were they there for some occult purpose?

The rite below prescribes going to the place where the tragic death happened.  The tomb of Jesus was virtually where he died for he was nailed nearby on the cross.  And maybe Jesus did die in the tomb after all for he was taken from the cross faster than usual.  As necromancy was a sin, it was considered to be more effective if you tried it with some evil dead person.  The gospels say the women left the tomb in fear so you can assume they used a different way home as the rite says.  The reason was there was a concern that the creature would follow you back to the house.

Let us quote again.

If you wish to question a ghost; stand facing a tomb and repeat the names of the angels of the fifth encampment (while holding) in your hand a new flask (containing) oil and honey mixed together and say thus: I adjure you spirit of the ram bearer who dwell among the graves upon the bones of the dead, that you will accept from my hand this offering and do my will and bring me (the spirit of) N son of N who is dead. Raise him up so that he will speak to me without fear and tell me true things without concealment, Let me not be afraid of him and let him tell me (for) my question, (the answer) I need from him. He should appear immediately. But if he does not, repeat the adjuration a second time (and) up to three times. When he appears set the flask before him and after this speak your words while holding a twig of myrtle in your hand. If you wish to release him, strike him three times with the myrtle and pour out the oil and honey, and break the cup, and throw the myrtle from your hand, and return home by a different route.

If you wish to speak with the spirits, go out to "the place of the killed whimpering way: and call out there in a singsong. I adjure you in the name of the angels who serve in the fifth encampment, and in the name of the overseer who is over them, who is 'SYMWR, that you will hear me at this time and send me the spirit of EGRGYRWT. She shall go according to my will for whatever I send her and shall obey me in everything until such and such a time.

If you see opposite you a column of smoke, speak your words and send (her) for whatever purpose you wish.

Here at the end of the quote I wish to say that Jesus used a cloud - smoke - at his ascension to Heaven

Also the gospels say Jesus died and WAS SEEN three days later.  There is nothing only hearsay telling us he didn't rise soon after being interred.  And the New Testament does not attempt to show that nobody stole the body.  And Jesus could have been taken by body snatchers and still have risen.

Clearly in occult fashion, the New Testament is not concerned at all about showing God saved the body of Jesus like he will ours.  The focus is on narrating his appearances and messages.

The next quote has the three days motif.

These are the names of the angels in charge of dreaming, to make anyone who approaches them in purity know what the dream (was) and what its interpretation is. If the king, or the head of the city, or governor, or your friend summons you and you want to give him an answer from your wisdom, say to him, "I will make known to you what is in your heart concerning me." (or "what you thought about me," or "what you want to do," or "what is the interpretation of your dream.")

"Give me a period of three days and I will make known to you all that is in your heart." Then go out on Sunday to the sea shore or to a river bank during the third hour of the night. Wear a new cloak and do not eat (the meat of) any animal, nor anything which yields blood (when slaughtered), and do not drink wine. Take myrrh and pure frankincense and place them on burning coals in a new earthen vessel, and turn your face toward the water and repeat three times the name of the overseer with the name(s) of the angels of the encampment.

When you see a pillar of fire between heaven and earth say thus: I adjure you by the One who measured the waters in the palm of His hand and rebuked the waters so that they fled from Him and made winds flying in the air his personal servants as a fiery flame who rebuked the sea and dried it up and made rivers a desert by His name and by its letters I adjure you and by the names of the angels of the seventh encampment who serve BW'L, that you make known to me what is in the heart of N son of N and what is his desire, and what is the interpretation of his dream and what is his thought.

Do likewise on the second and third nights and you will see that a pillar of fire will appear to you with a cloud on it like the image of a man. Question him and he will tell you whatever you ask. And if you wish to release him throw some of the water, from the sea or the river by which you are standing, toward heaven three times and say under your breath Invisible Lord BW'Ly sufficient to our need, the perfect shield bearer I free you, I free you, subside and return to your (heavenly) course. Say this seven times. Perform the entire rite in purity and you will succeed.

QUESTION
Why is there enough in these occult writings to suggest the story of Jesus rising from the dead? Angels, tombs, guards, three days, Sunday, messages from the beyond, place of execution, spices, oils and visions - they are all there. The gospels do not claim to be telling us all so do we have a sanitised story which was originally an occult tale?

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