While the book became a popular sensation, it is widely criticized or dismissed by mainstream academic historians.
: They argue the Gospels were never intended as eyewitness history. Instead, they were "Outer Mysteries" (spiritual allegories) designed to guide beginners toward "Inner Mysteries" or secret mystical knowledge (Gnosis).
The authors contend that early Christianity was essentially a Jewish adaptation of the ancient .
Did Jesus Exist? | Notes & Review - vialogue - WordPress.com
: The book suggests that "Literalist" Christians later took these allegories as historical facts and brutally suppressed the original Gnostic "True Christians". Critical Reception and Scholarship