MickinEngland
26th December 2006, 12:30 PM
Can we really dismiss Jesus of Nazareth out of hand?
His credentials seem to be pretty good..
For a start his arrival was foretold centuries before just as he said, - "All things about me in the law of Moses,the Prophets and the Psalms,must be fulfilled" (Luke 24:44)
And when he arrived he didn't skulk in some underground hideout, he travelled all over Israel for 3 long years in front of the people and the occupying Roman Army, that's a lot of eyewitnesses - "I've spoken openly to the world..I said nothing in secret" (John 18:20)
And "Large crowds from Galilee, the Ten Cities, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him" (Matt 4:25) and saw him curing illnesses, raising the dead and speaking of love and kindness and decency in an easy simple way - "And the common people heard him gladly" (Mark 12 :37)
And he pulled crowds of over 4000 and 5000 at two gigs alone (Matt 15:32, Matt 14:13)
He said straight out he was the Messiah, the Christ, the Superprophet and the Son of God (John 4:26, Matt 16:17,Mark 14:62)
And God himself said - "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased, listen to him" (Matt 17:5)
In the end the stuffy priests got fed up with him because he said things to them such as - "Prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you!" (Matt 21:32), and no way were they going to put up with a young 30 year old carpenter from out of town talking to them like that.
So they killed him..
Later the gospels were written with help from "eyewitnesses and ministers of the word" (Luke 1:2)
Even the Koran written some 600 years later dare not deny Jesus was something special:- "Allah.. exalted some messengers above others and gave miracles to Jesus the son of Mary and strengthened him with the holy spirit" (Koran 2:253)
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His credentials seem to be pretty good..
For a start his arrival was foretold centuries before just as he said, - "All things about me in the law of Moses,the Prophets and the Psalms,must be fulfilled" (Luke 24:44)
And when he arrived he didn't skulk in some underground hideout, he travelled all over Israel for 3 long years in front of the people and the occupying Roman Army, that's a lot of eyewitnesses - "I've spoken openly to the world..I said nothing in secret" (John 18:20)
And "Large crowds from Galilee, the Ten Cities, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him" (Matt 4:25) and saw him curing illnesses, raising the dead and speaking of love and kindness and decency in an easy simple way - "And the common people heard him gladly" (Mark 12 :37)
And he pulled crowds of over 4000 and 5000 at two gigs alone (Matt 15:32, Matt 14:13)
He said straight out he was the Messiah, the Christ, the Superprophet and the Son of God (John 4:26, Matt 16:17,Mark 14:62)
And God himself said - "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased, listen to him" (Matt 17:5)
In the end the stuffy priests got fed up with him because he said things to them such as - "Prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you!" (Matt 21:32), and no way were they going to put up with a young 30 year old carpenter from out of town talking to them like that.
So they killed him..
Later the gospels were written with help from "eyewitnesses and ministers of the word" (Luke 1:2)
Even the Koran written some 600 years later dare not deny Jesus was something special:- "Allah.. exalted some messengers above others and gave miracles to Jesus the son of Mary and strengthened him with the holy spirit" (Koran 2:253)
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