Why on earth would Paul use twelve symbolically? He doesn't strike me as that type of guy or rather, when he does use symbols, he then uses twenty verses to elaborate on them to ensure that his readers understand exactly what he meant. By using eleven he would be emphasising Judas' punishment for his betrayal (as Matthew does 28:18). And by the time Revelation was written, then there were twelve apostles again.
"Matthew says that the priests transacted business for the obtaining of the field, but they did not thereby have possession of the field. The money they used was Judas' and the field was bought in his name; the field was technically and legally his."
Again, you are creating biblical verses here, or have a translation I'm not familiar with. I cannot see where Matthew says that "the priests did not thereby have possession of the field". Judas was almost certainly dead before they bought the field - could you buy things in a dead persons name? I doubt it.
And then you go to extra-biblical records for "acknowledged fact" to try and twist the timeline that Paul gives very clearly - He appeared to Peter. Then to the twelve. Then to more than 500. Then to James, and after forty days he ascended. AFTER the ascension Matthias was accepted as the "new" twelfth apostle, but you would have your "acknowledged fact" having Jesus return after the ascension so that he could appear to the twelve! Which would mean that we've already had the second coming, but nobody really noticed (apart from you).
Thank you for your efforts, but I think it is time to finish. You won't accept that the bible is the true word of god unless it is interpreted, symbolised and inventions created to eliminate many, many inconsistencies in the pure written word. It is impossible, therefore to take the bible seriously as the word of god, as there can be (and are, hence the multitude of versions of christianity) many different ways that it tells you how to live. I was hoping that we could discuss the truth in the bible, rather than whether it was true, but maybe that is too difficult and time-consuming to do over a keyboard.
