Sapper Redux said:Quote:
That's why your scapegoat's ribbon didn't change color.
The ribbon changing color is not in the Mishnah. It's in the analysis/discussion in the Talmud. It wasn't considered some vital ritual annd isn't annywhere in the Tanakh. And the era where it stopped changing color began in reference to the time after the death of Shi'mon the Righteous from the 3rd century BC. During his life as high priest a number of positive signs were always seen and after his death they would occasionally happen and occasionally not. The changing of the ribbon color was one of these signs. Others included the western candle remaining lit, not needing additional firewood, and the bread provided being enough for the priests.
The discussion of the last 40 years takes this tradition to one of impending doom over the Temple. 40 is an important number in Judaism. It often represents change or transformation. So in the discussion of the end of the Temple era, 40 years or months or days would be important milestones. But it would be exactly 40 years. The Temple was destroyed in 70. You'd have to show that Jesus died in 30 and only in the year 30 for your logic to work.
The era where it stopped changing color was several decades before the fall of the 2nd temple, which coincides with the death of Christ, I know numerology is important to the Hebrew's but it wouldn't be unknown for them to round up 37 to 40.
And 2nd, the scapegoat's color is just a fun trivia fact related in the Talmud, more curious is the explosion of prophets that pre-dated the birth of Christ; Daniel, Moses, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Micah, and dozens more. Overflowing with prophecies concerning the messiah and the fate of Israel. Absent for the last 2,000 years.
Doesn't take more than a couple points to draw that line