I'll will make this short because it is pointless. You ignore the context of the question about authority following the temple incident. The temple incident was on the mount. That is the point. It did challenge temple authority as they had responsibility for the peace of the entire complex. You dismiss the Talmudic evidence because it is so clearly against you, even though it comes from the Jewish tradition you attempt to defend (And ignore the corroborative evidence in the Jewish-Christian debates of the second century and beyond). You claim that the Jews had no independent evidence about Jesus. That is special pleading; they did interact with him and certainly had a position as my notes about Annas II and James shows. We agree to disagree. Speak for reason all you wish and engage in as much selfelevating rhetoric you wish. These points still stand.

dlb