4 out of 4 stars
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“The Bible is not the Word of God. The Holy Spirit is” (p 13). This assertion is the basis of Robert Wahler’s bold interpretation of Christian religious history. Wahler, a life-long follower of the teachings of Jesus Christ, examines the Bible, using newly discovered ancient documents to uncover significant untruths in the holy talisman. The Bible says “Saviors” – Obadiah 1:21 offers evidence that Jesus was not the one and only Lord and Savior. Wahler guides the reader through an extensive analysis revealing that John the Baptist and James the Just were also saviors, as part of a traditional succession of many masters.
Recent discoveries of ancient Gnostic texts such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Gospel of Judas, and the Nag Hammadi Library provide Wahler with ample evidence of mistranslation, misinterpretation, and an early Pauline church with cause to conceal the truth, in favor of Jesus as sole Lord and Savior. The author’s analysis of three versions of the Holy Bible reveals the existence of dozens of additional masters, one even more prominent in history than Jesus.
Wahler’s research reiterates the fact that The Bible, taken as absolute truth by many, is often distilled from “translations of translations of copies” (p13) of recollections of original oral versions, sometimes recounted years after they were spoken. The material is meant to be understood non-literally, through the context of mysticism. An incorrectly translated tense, word, or even letter, can affect the meaning of an entire verse. The Bible says “Saviors” succeeds at assembling evidence of a Bible several times removed from the truth, and flawed, due to both misinterpretation and intentional obfuscation. It was, in fact, some of the very authors of the scriptures who deceived through their writings. Wahler’s book reveals why the important role of Jesus’ brother James was completely omitted from the Bible and who played the villain who benefitted from erasing James’ existence.
I was riveted by much of this book. It felt important that Wahler dissected the Bible with allegiance to the language of the original period, noting inconsistencies born of careless reliance on contemporary overlays. I think readers will find the analysis of John 3:16 and countless other verses to reflect some fascinating departures from conventional understanding. I appreciate that Wahler draws from seasoned Biblical scholars to build his case for textual inaccuracies. Robert Eisenman’s and Bart Ehrman’s scholarly New Testament work, as well as James Tabor’s analysis of the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew, provide some scaffolding for the book, but Wahler adeptly connects the elements to reach his conclusions.
I brushed up on reference punctuation to review this book. I detected only a couple of minor errors. It proved to be somewhat challenging to identify small errors amid the density of punctuation elements required for Wahler’s complex in-text referencing style, but I am confident that the book is professionally edited for grammar and punctuation.
The Introduction and Conclusion outline the book’s primary assertions with great clarity, helping the reader stay oriented to the complex material. The book might benefit from a bit more content editing. The author introduces labyrinthine concepts that sometimes want for context. Important takeaways may be revealed miles from the evidence presented, so the thread between the two can get lost. But don’t be discouraged. The book is well worth a couple of evenings of attention, to gain an understanding of the material.
I award The Bible says “Saviors” – Obadiah 1:21 with a rating of 4 out of 4 stars for its impeccable research, analytical excellence, and revolutionary conclusions. While the content was dense at times, I know this was necessary for the author’s comprehensive argument.
Openminded followers of any religion or wisdom tradition, as well as students of comparative religion, will enjoy this book. Jewish readers and those familiar with the Gnostic Gospels will recognize some of the conclusions and appreciate the explorations. I think Christians open to a mystical interpretation of the Bible will appreciate the material. Orthodox thinkers will likely be challenged by Wahler’s entire position, but I don't discourage these readers. I was raised with very traditional Christian teachings, and I find Wahler’s perspectives enlightening, even if provocative. What I recall from my study of neuropsychology is that exposure to information that challenges our preconceptions enhances our intelligence and bolsters our personal wisdom. The Bible says “Saviors” will not only surprise you - it may make you smarter.
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The Bible says Saviors -- Obadiah 1:21
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