Reference: Jesus Christ
American
The Son of God, the Messiah and Savior of the World, the first and principal object of the prophecies; who was prefigured and promised in the Old Testament; was expected and desired by the patriarchs; the hope and salvation of the Gentiles; the glory, happiness, and consolation of Christians. The name JESUS, in Hebrew JEHOSHUAH or Joshua, signifies Savior, or Jehovah saves. No one ever bore this name with so much justice, nor so perfectly fulfilled the signification of it, as Jesus Christ, who saves from sin and hell, and has merited heaven for us by the price of his blood. It was given to him by divine appointment, Mt 1:21, as the proper name for the Savior so long desired, and whom all the myriads of the redeemed in heaven will for ever adore as their only and all-glorious Redeemer.
JESUS was the common name of the Savior; while the name CHRIST, meaning the Anointed One, The Messiah, was his official name. Both names are used separately, in the gospels and also in the epistles; but JESUS generally stands by itself in the gospels, which are narratives of his life; while in the epistles, which treat of his divine nature and of his redeeming work, he is called CHRIST, CHRIST JESUS, or THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. See CHRIST.
Here, under the Redeemer's human name, belong the facts relating to his human nature and the history of his life upon earth. His true and complete humanity, having the soul as well as the body of man, is everywhere seen in the gospel history. He who is "God over all, blessed forever," was an Israelite "as concerning the flesh," Ro 9:5, and took upon him our whole nature, in order to be a perfect Savior. As a man, Jesus was the King of men. No words can describe that character in which such firmness and gentleness, such dignity and humility, such enthusiasm and calmness, such wisdom and simplicity, such holiness and charity, such justice and mercy, such sympathy with heaven and with earth, such love to God and love to man blended in perfect harmony. Nothing in it was redundant, and nothing was wanting. The world had never produced, nor even conceived of such a character, and its portraiture in the gospels is a proof of their divine origin, which the infidel cannot gainsay. Could the whole human race, of all ages, kindreds, and tongues, be assembled to see the crucified Redeemer as he is, and compare earth's noblest benefactors with Him, there would be but one voice among them. Every crown of glory and every meed of praise would be given to Him who alone is worthy-for perfection of character, for love to mankind, for sacrifices endured, and for benefits bestowed. His glory will forever be celebrated as the Friend of man; the Lamb sacrificed for us.
The visit of JESUS CHRIST to the earth has made it forever glorious above less favored worlds, and forms the most signal event in its annals. The time of his birth is commemorated by the Christian era, the first year of which corresponds to about the year 753 from the building of Rome. It is generally conceded, however, that the Savior was born at least four years before A. D. 1, and four thousand years after the creation of Adam. His public ministry commenced when he was thirty years of age; and continued, according to the received opinion, three and a half years. Respecting his ancestors, see GENEALOGY.
The life of the Redeemer must be studied in the four gospels, where it was recorded under the guidance of supreme wisdom. Many efforts have been made, with valuable results, to arrange the narrations of the evangelists in the true order of time. But as neither of the gospels follows the exact course of events, many incidents are very indeterminate, and are variously arranged by different harmonists. No one, however, has been more successful than Dr. Robinson in his valuable "Harmony of the Gospels".
The divine wisdom is conspicuous not only in what is taught us respecting the life of Jesus, but in what is withheld. Curiosity, and the higher motives of warm affection, raise numerous questions to which the gospels give no reply; and in proportion as men resort to dubious traditions, they lose the power of a pure and spiritual gospel. See further, concerning Christ, MESSIAH, REDEEMER, etc.
Jesus was not an uncommon name among the Jews. It was the name of the father of Elymas the sorcerer, Ac 13:6; and of Justus, a fellow-laborer and friend of Paul, Col 4:11. It is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, or Jeshua, borne by the high priest in Ezra's time, and by the well-known leader of the Jews in to the Promised Land. See also 1Sa 6:14; 2Ki 23:8. The Greek form of the word, Jesus, is twice used in the New Testament when Joshua the son of Nun is intended, Ac 7:45; Heb 4:8.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
She will bear a son, and you will call him 'Jesus,' for he will save his people from their sins."
It was passed on and borne in by our fathers as with Joshua they took possession of the territory of the nations whom God drove out before our fathers. So it remained down to the days of David.
They covered the whole island as far as Paphos, where they fell in with a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet called Bar-Jesus;
the patriarchs are theirs, and theirs too (so far as natural descent goes) is the Christ. (Blessed for evermore be the God who is over all! Amen.)
and so does Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only comrades in the work of God's realm, belonging to the circumcised, who have been any comfort to me.
Fausets
(See JESUS.) ("Jehovah salvation"); for "He Himself (autos, not merely like Joshua He is God's instrument to save) saves His people from their sins" (Mt 1:21). CHRIST, Greek; MESSIAH, Hebrew, "anointed" (1Sa 2:10; Ps 2:2,6 margin; Da 9:25-26). Prophets, priests, and kings (Ex 30:30; 1Ki 19:15-16) were anointed, being types of Him who combines all three in Himself (De 18:18; Zec 6:13). "By one offering He hath perfected forever them that are being sanctified" (Heb 10:5,7,14; 7:25). "Christ," or the Messiah, was looked for by all Jews as "He who should come" (Mt 11:3) according to the Old Testament prophets. Immanuel "God with us" declares His Godhead; also Joh 1:1-18. (See IMMANUEL.) The New Testament shows that Jesus is the Christ (Mt 22:42-45).
Jesus is His personal name, "Christ" is His title. Appropriately, in undesigned confirmation of the Gospels, Acts, and epistles, the question throughout the Gospels is, whether Jesus is "The" (the article is always in the Greek) Christ (Mt 16:16; Joh 6:69), so in the first ministry of the word in Acts (Ac 2:36; 9:22; 10:38; 17:3). When His Messiahship became recognized "Christ" was used as His personal designation; so in the epistles.
Christ implies His consecration and qualification for the work He undertook, namely, by His unction with the Holy Spirit, of which the Old Testament oil anointings were the type; in the womb (Lu 1:35), and especially at His baptism, when the Holy Spirit (as a dove) abode on Him (Mt 3:16; Joh 1:32-33). Transl. Ps 45:7; "O God (the Son), Thy God (the Father) hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows." Full of this unction without measure (Joh 3:34) He preached at Nazareth as the Fulfiller of the scripture He read (Isa 61:1-3), giving "the oil of joy for mourning," "good tidings unto the meek" (Lu 4:17-21). Jesus' claim to be Messiah or "the Christ of God" (Lu 9:20), i.e. the anointed of the Father to be king of the earth (Ps 2:6-12; Re 11:15; 12:10), rests:
(1) On His fulfilling all the prophecies concerning Messiah, so far as His work has been completed, the earnest of the full completion; take as instances Isaiah 53; Psalm 22; Micah 5; Ho 6:2-3; Ge 49:10, compare Luke 2; "the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy" (Re 19:10; Lu 24:26,44-46; Ac 3:22-25).
(2) On His miracles (Joh 7:31; 5:36; 10:25,38). Miracles alleged in opposition, or addition, to Scripture cannot prove a divine mission (2Th 2:9; De 13:1-3; Mt 24:24), but when confirmed by Scripture they prove it indisputably.
Son of David expresses His title to David's throne over Israel and Judah yet to be (Lu 1:32-33). "King of Israel" (Joh 1:49), "King of the Jews" (Mt 2:2; 21:5), "King of Zion." As son of David He is David's "offspring"; as "root of David" (in His divine nature) He is David's "lord" (Re 22:16, compare Mt 22:42-45). His claim to the kingship was the charge against Him before Pilate (Joh 18:37; 19:3,12). The elect of God (Lu 23:35, compare Isa 42:1). The inspired summary of His life is, "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with Him" (Ac 10:38). To be "in Christ," which occurs upward of 70 times in Paul's epistles, is not merely to copy but to be in living union with Him (1Co 15:18; 2Co 12:2), drawn from Christ's own image (Joh 15:1-10). In Christ God is manifested as He is, and man as he ought to be. Our fallen race lost the knowledge of man as utterly as they lost the knowledge of God.
Humanity in Christ is generic (1Co 15:45,47), as the second "man" or "last Adam," "the Son of man" (a title used in New Testament only by Himself of Himself, except in Stephen's dying speech, Ac 7:56; from Da 7:13; marking at once His humiliation as man's representative Head, and His consequent glorification in the same nature: Mt 20:28; 26:64.) Sinless Himself, yet merciful to sinners; meek under provocation, yet with refined sensibility; dignified, yet without arrogance; pure Himself, yet with a deep insight into evil; Christ is a character of human and divine loveliness such as man could never have invented; for no man has ever conceived, much less attained, such a standard; see His portraiture, Mt 12:15-20. Even His own brethren could not understand His withdrawal into Galilee, as, regarding Him like other men, they took it for granted that publicity was His aim (Joh 7:3-4; contrast Joh 5:44). Jesus was always more accessible than His disciples, they all rebuked the parents who brought their infants for Him to bless (Lu 18:15-17), they all would have sent the woman of Canaan away.
But He never misunderstood nor discouraged any sincere seeker, contrast Mt 20:31 with Mt 20:24-32. Earthly princes look greatest at a distance, surrounded with pomp; but He needed no earthly state, for the more closely He is viewed the more He stands forth in peerless majesty, sinless and divine. (On His miracles, see MIRACLES and on His parables, see PARABLES.) He rested His teaching on His own authority, and the claim was felt by all, through some mysterious power, to be no undue one (Mt 7:29). He appeals to Scripture as His own: "Behold I send unto you prophets," etc. (Mt 23:34; in Lu 11:49, "the Wisdom of God said, I will send them prophets".) His secret spring of unstained holiness, yet tender sympathy, was His constant communion with God; at all times, so that He was never alone (Joh 16:32), "rising up a great while before day, in a solitary place" (Mr 1:35).
Luke tells us much of His prayers: "He continued all night in prayer to God," before ordaining the twelve (Lu 6:12); it was as He was "praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended, and (the Father's) voice came from heaven, Thou art My beloved Son," etc. (Lu 3:22); it was "as He prayed, the fashion of His countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistering" (Lu 9:29); when the angel strengthened Him in Gethsemane, "in an agony He prayed more earnestly," using the additional strength received not to refresh Himself after His exhausting conflict, but to strive in supplication, His example confirming His precept, Lu 13:24 (Lu 22:44; Heb 5:7). His Father's glory, not His own, was His absorbing aim (Joh 8:29,50; 7:18); from His childhood when at 12 years old (for it was only in His 12th year that Archelaus was banished and His parents ventured to bring Him to the Passover: Josephus, Ant. 17:15) His first recorded utterance was, "Wist ye not that I must be about My Father's business?" or else "in My Father's places" (Lu 2:49; Ps 40:6,8).
Little is recorded of His childhood, but as much as the Spirit saw it safe for us to know; so prone is man to lose sight of Christ's main work, to fulfill the law and pay its penalty in our stead. The reticence of Scripture as remarkably shows God's inspiration of it as its records and revelations. Had the writers been left to themselves, they would have tried to gratify our natural curiosity about His early years. But a veil is drawn over all the rest of His sayings for the first 30 years. "He waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom ... He increased in wisdom" (Lu 2:40,52), which proves that He had a" reasonable soul" capable of development, as distinct from His Godhead; Athanasian Creed: "perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting." His tender considerateness for His disciples after their missionary journey, and His compassion for the fainting multitudes, outweighing all thought; of His own repose when He was weary, and when others would have been impatient of their retirement being intruded on (Mr 6:30-37), are lovely examples of His human, and at the same time superhuman, sympathy (Heb 4:15). Then how utterly void was He of resentment for wrongs.
When apprehended, instead of sharing the disciples' indignation He rebuked it; instead of rejoicing in His enemy's suffering, He removed it (Lu 22:50-51); instead of condemning His murderers He prayed for them: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Lu 23:34). What exquisite tact and tenderness appear in His dealing with the woman of Samaria (John 4), as He draws the spiritual lesson from
See Verses Found in Dictionary
She will bear a son, and you will call him 'Jesus,' for he will save his people from their sins."
asking, "Where is the newly-born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose, and we have come to worship him."
on reaching the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, they fell down to worship him, and opening their caskets they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
where he stayed until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had said by the prophet: I called my Son from Egypt.
John tried to prevent him; "I need to get baptized by you," he said, "and you come to me!"
John tried to prevent him; "I need to get baptized by you," he said, "and you come to me!" But Jesus answered him, "Come now, this is how we should fulfil all our duty to God." Then John gave in to him. read more. Now when Jesus had been baptized, the moment he rose out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove upon him.
Now when Jesus had been baptized, the moment he rose out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove upon him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, in him is my delight."
Then Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil.
So the tempter came up and said to him, "If you are God's son, tell these stones to become loaves."
Then the devil conveyed him to the holy city and, placing him on the pinnacle of the temple,
Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee; ??13 he left Nazaret and settled at Capharnahum beside the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali
for the fulfilment of what had been said by the prophet Isaiah: Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali lying to the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles! read more. The people who sat in darkness saw a great light, yea light dawned on those who sat in the land and the shadow of death. From that day Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, the Reign of heaven is near."
From that day Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, the Reign of heaven is near." As he was walking along the sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew, casting a net in the sea ??for they were fishermen; read more. so he said to them, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fish for men." And they dropped their nets at once and followed him. Then going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedaeus and his brother John, mending their nets in the boat beside their father Zebedaeus. He called them, and they left the boat and their father at once, and went after him.
for he taught them like an authority, not like their own scribes.
When he entered Capharnahum an army-captain came up to him and appealed to him,
On entering the house of Peter, Jesus noticed his mother-in-law was down with fever,
When Jesus saw crowds round him he gave orders for crossing to the other side.
He said to them, "Why are you afraid? How little you trust God!" Then he got up and checked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
When he reached the opposite side, the country of the Gadarenes, he was met by two demoniacs who ran out of the tombs; they were so violent that nobody could pass along the road there.
When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; truly I tell you, you will not have covered the towns of Israel before the Son of man arrives.
to ask him, "Are you the Coming One? Or are we to look out for someone else?"
but as Jesus knew of it he retired from the spot. Many followed him, and he healed them all, charging them strictly not to make him known ??17 it was for the fulfilment of what had been said by the prophet Isaiah,
Here is my servant whom I have selected, my Beloved in whom my soul delights; I will invest him with my Spirit, and he will proclaim religion to the Gentiles. He will not wrangle or shout, no one will hear his voice in the streets. read more. He will not break the bruised reed, he will not put out the smouldering flax, till he carries religion to victory:
But when the Pharisees heard of it they said, "This fellow only casts out daemons by Beelzebul the prince of daemons."
But when the Pharisees heard of it they said, "This fellow only casts out daemons by Beelzebul the prince of daemons."
But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, you Satan! You are a hindrance to me! Your outlook is not God's but man's."
When the ten heard of this, they were angry at the two brothers, but Jesus called them and said, "You know the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men overbear them: read more. not so with you. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of man has not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
just as the Son of man has not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." As they were leaving Jericho a crowd followed him, read more. and when two blind men who were sitting beside the road heard Jesus was passing, they shouted, "O Lord, Son of David, have pity on us!" The crowd checked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, "O Lord, Son of David, have pity on us!"
The crowd checked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, "O Lord, Son of David, have pity on us!" So Jesus stopped and called them. He said, "What do you want me to do for you?"
Tell the daughter of Sion, 'Here is your king coming to you, He is gentle and mounted on an ass, And on a colt the foal of a beast of burden.'
Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all who were buying and selling inside the temple; he upset the tables of the money-changers and the stalls of those who sold doves,
"Tell me," he said, "what you think about the Christ. Whose son is he?" They said to him, "David's."
"Tell me," he said, "what you think about the Christ. Whose son is he?" They said to him, "David's." He said to them, "How is it then that David in the Spirit calls him Lord?
He said to them, "How is it then that David in the Spirit calls him Lord? The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand, till I put your enemies under your feet.'
The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand, till I put your enemies under your feet.' If David calls him Lord, how can he be his son?"
This is why I will send you prophets, wise men, and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, some of whom you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town;
for false Christs and false prophets will rise and bring forward great signs and wonders, so as to mislead the very elect, ??if that were possible.
Jesus said to him, "Even so! But I tell you, in future you will all see the Son of man seated at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."
and calling, "You were to destroy the temple and build it in three days! Save yourself, if you are God's Son! Come down from the cross!"
Then the Spirit drove him immediately into the desert, and in the desert he remained for forty days, while Satan tempted him; he was in the company of wild beasts, but angels ministered to him. read more. After John had been arrested, Jesus went to Galilee preaching the gospel of God;
After John had been arrested, Jesus went to Galilee preaching the gospel of God; he said, "The time has now come, God's reign is near: repent and believe in the gospel."
he said, "The time has now come, God's reign is near: repent and believe in the gospel." Now as he passed along the sea of Galilee he saw Simon and Simon's brother Andrew netting fish in the sea ??for they were fishermen; read more. so Jesus said to them, "Come, follow me and I will make you fish for men." At once they dropped their nets and went after him. Then going on a little further he saw James the son of Zebedaeus and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets; he called them at once, and they left their father Zebedaeus in the boat with the crew and went to follow him.
he called them at once, and they left their father Zebedaeus in the boat with the crew and went to follow him.
"Jesus of Nazaret, what business have you with us? Have you come to destroy us? We know who you are, you are God's holy One."
Now when evening came, when the sun set, they brought him all who were ill or possessed by daemons ??33 indeed the whole town was gathered at the door ??34 and he cured many who were ill with various diseases and cast out many daemons; but as the daemons knew him he would not let them say anything.
Then in the early morning, long before daylight, he got up and went away out to a lonely spot.
When he entered Capharnahum again after some days it was reported that he was at home,
Conscious at once that they were arguing to themselves in this way, Jesus asked them, "Why do you argue thus in your hearts?
As he passed along he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax-office; he said to him, "Follow me," and he rose and followed him. Now Levi was at table in his own house, and he had many taxgatherers and sinners as guests along with Jesus and his disciples ??for there were many of them among his followers. read more. So when some scribes of the Pharisees saw he was eating with sinners and taxgatherers they said to his disciples, "Why does he eat and drink with taxgatherers and sinners?" On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "Those who are strong have no need of a doctor, but those who are ill: I have not come to call just men but sinners."
shrieking aloud, "Jesus, son of God most High, what business have you with me? By God, I adjure you, do not torture me."
Now the apostles gathered to meet Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. And he said to them, "Come away to some lonely spot and get a little rest" (for there were many people coming and going, and they could get no time even to eat). read more. So they went away privately in the boat to a lonely spot. However a number of people who saw them start and recognized them, got to the place before them by hurrying there on foot from all the towns. So when Jesus disembarked he saw a large crowd, and out of pity for them, as they were like sheep without a shepherd, he proceeded to teach them at length. Then, as the day was far gone, his disciples came up to him, saying, "It is a desert place and the day is now far gone; send them off to the farms and villages round about to buy some food for themselves." He replied, "Give them some food, yourselves." They said, "Are we to go and buy ten pounds' worth of food and give them that to eat?"
and inasmuch as I have gone carefully over them all myself from the very beginning, I have decided, O Theophilus, to write them out in order for your excellency,
He will be great, he will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father; he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and to his reign there will be no end."
The angel answered her, "The holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Most High will overshadow you; hence what is born will be called holy, Son of God.
There were some shepherds in the district who were out in the fields keeping guard over their flocks by night; and an angel of the Lord flashed upon them, the glory of the Lord shone all round them. They were terribly afraid, read more. but the angel said to them, "Have no fear. This is good news I am bringing you, news of a great joy that is meant for all the People. To-day you have a saviour born in the town of David, the Lord messiah. And here is a proof for you: you will find a baby wrapped up and lying in a stall for cattle." Then a host of heaven's army suddenly appeared beside the angel extolling God and saying, "Glory to God in high heaven, and peace on earth for men whom he favours!" Now when the angels had left them and gone away to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us be off to Bethlehem to see this thing that the Lord has told us of." So they made haste and discovered Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the stall for cattle. When they saw this they told people about the word which had been spoken to them about the child; all who heard it were astonished at the story of the shepherds,
And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the favour of God was on him.
"Why did you look for me?" he said, "Did you not know I had to be at my Father's house?"
"Why did you look for me?" he said, "Did you not know I had to be at my Father's house?"
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favour with God and man.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favour with God and man.
and the holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon him; and a voice came from heaven, "Thou art my son, the Beloved, to-day have I become thy father."
Jesus answered him, "It is written, You must worship the Lord your God, and serve him alone."
Then Jesus came back in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and the news of him spread over all the surrounding country. He taught in their synagogues and was glorified by all.
He taught in their synagogues and was glorified by all. Then he came to Nazaret, where he had been brought up, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue as was his custom. He stood up to read the lesson
Then he came to Nazaret, where he had been brought up, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue as was his custom. He stood up to read the lesson and was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah; on opening the book he came upon the place where it was written, read more. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me: for he has consecrated me to preach the gospel to the poor, he has sent me to proclaim release for captives and recovery of sight for the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the Lord's year of favour. Then, folding up the book, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him, and he proceeded to tell them that "To-day, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
Now in the synagogue there was a man possessed by the spirit of an unclean daemon, who shrieked aloud, "Ha! Jesus of Nazaret, what business have you with us? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, you are God's holy One!" read more. But Jesus checked it, saying, "Be quiet, come out of him." And after throwing him down before them the daemon did come out of him without doing him any harm. Then amazement came over them all; they talked it over among themselves, saying, "What does this mean? He orders the unclean spirits with authority and power, and they come out!" And a report of him spread over all the surrounding country. When he got up to leave the synagogue he went to the house of Simon. Simon's mother-in-law was laid up with a severe attack of fever, so they asked him about her; he stood over her and checked the fever, and it left her. Then she instantly got up and ministered to them. At sunset all who had any people ill with any sort of disease brought them to him; he laid his hands on everyone and healed them. From many people daemons were also driven out, clamouring aloud, "You are God's son!" But he checked them and refused to let them say anything, as they knew he was the Christ.
Now as the crowd were pressing on him to listen to the word of God, he saw, as he stood beside the lake of Gennesaret,
Now as the crowd were pressing on him to listen to the word of God, he saw, as he stood beside the lake of Gennesaret, two boats on the shore of the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. read more. So he entered one of the boats, which belonged to Simon, and asked him to push out a little from the land. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he stopped speaking, he said to Simon, "Push out to the deep water and lower your nets for a take." Simon replied, "Master, we worked all night and got nothing! However, I will lower the nets at your command." And when they did so, they enclosed a huge shoal of fish, so that their nets began to break. Then they made signals to their mates in the other boat to come and assist them. They came and filled both the boats, till they began to sink.
Then they made signals to their mates in the other boat to come and assist them. They came and filled both the boats, till they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it he fell at the knees of Jesus, crying, "Lord, leave me; I am a sinful man." read more. For amazement had seized him and all his companions at the take of fish they had caught; as was the case with James and John, the sons of Zebedaeus, who were partners of Simon. Then said Jesus to Simon, "Have no fear; from now your catch will be men."
One day he was teaching, and near him sat Pharisees and doctors of the Law who had come from every village of Galilee and Judaea as well as from Jerusalem. Now the power of the Lord was present for the work of healing.
But the Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with taxgatherers and sinners?"
It was in these days that he went off to the hillside to pray. He spent the whole night in prayer to God,
He said to them, "And who do you say I am?" Peter replied, "The Christ of God."
While he was praying the appearance of his face altered and his dress turned dazzling white.
As the time for his assumption was now due, he set his face for the journey to Jerusalem.
This is why the Wisdom of God said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some they will kill and some they will persecute';
"Strive to get in through the narrow door, for I tell you many will try to get in and not be able,
Now people even brought their infants for him to touch them; when the disciples noticed it they checked them, but Jesus called for the infants. "Let the children come to me," he said, "do not stop them: the Realm of God belongs to such as these. read more. I tell you truly, whoever will not submit to the Reign of God like a child will never get into it at all."
[And an angel from heaven appeared to strengthen him; he fell into an agony and prayed with greater intensity, his sweat dropping to the ground like clots of blood.]
And one of them did strike the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. Jesus said, "Let me do this at least," and cured him by touching his ear.
And Pilate said to the high priests and the crowds, "I cannot find anything criminal about him."
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, they do not know what they are doing." Then they distributed his clothes among themselves by drawing lots. The people stood and looked on, and even the rulers sneered at him, saying, "He saved others, let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One!"
But the other checked him, saying, "Have you no fear even of God? You are suffering the same punishment as he. And we suffer justly; we are getting what we deserve for our deeds. But he has done no harm." read more. And he added, "Jesus, do not forget me when you come to reign." "I tell you truly," said Jesus, "you will be in paradise with me this very day."
When the army-captain saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "This man was really innocent."
Had not the Christ to suffer thus and so enter his glory?"
Then he said to them, "When I was still with you, this is what I told you, that whatever is written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. read more. "Thus," he said, "it is written that the Christ has to suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
THE Logos existed in the very beginning, the Logos was with God, the Logos was divine. He was with God in the very beginning: read more. through him all existence came into being, no existence came into being apart from him. In him life lay, and this life was the Light for men: amid the darkness the Light shone, but the darkness did not master it. A man appeared, sent by God, whose name was John: he came for the purpose of witnessing, to bear testimony to the Light, so that all men might believe by means of him. He was not the Light; it was to bear testimony to the Light that he appeared. The real Light, which enlightens every man, was coming then into the world: he entered the world ??the world which existed through him ??yet the world did not recognize him; he came to what was his own, yet his own folk did not welcome him. On those who have accepted him, however, he has conferred the right of being children of God, that is, on those who believe in his Name, who owe this birth of theirs to God, not to human blood, nor to any impulse of the flesh or of man. So the Logos became flesh and tarried among us; we have seen his glory ??glory such as an only son enjoys from his father ??seen it to be full of grace and reality. (John testified to him with the cry, 'This was he of whom I said, my successor has taken precedence of me, for he preceded me.') For we have all been receiving grace after grace from his fulness; while the Law was given through Moses, grace and reality are ours through Jesus Christ. Nobody has ever seen God, but God has been unfolded by the divine One, the only Son, who lies upon the Father's breast.
This took place at Bethany on the opposite side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
I myself did not recognize him; I only came to baptize with water, in order that he might be disclosed to Israel." And John bore this testimony also: "I saw the Spirit descend like a dove from heaven and rest on him.
And John bore this testimony also: "I saw the Spirit descend like a dove from heaven and rest on him. I myself did not recognize him, but He who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descending and resting, that is he who baptizes with the holy Spirit.'
I myself did not recognize him, but He who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descending and resting, that is he who baptizes with the holy Spirit.'
Next day Jesus determined to leave for Galilee; there he met Philip and told him, "Follow me."
he met Nathanael and told him, "We have found him whom Moses wrote about in the Law, and also the prophets ??it is Jesus, the son of Joseph, who comes from Nazaret."
"Rabbi," said Nathanael, "you are the Son of God, you are the king of Israel!"
"Rabbi," said Nathanael, "you are the Son of God, you are the king of Israel!"
Two days later a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee; the mother of Jesus was present,
Then the Jews accosted him with the words, "What sign of authority have you to show us, for acting in this way?" Jesus replied, "Destroy this sanctuary and I will raise it up in three days." read more. "This sanctuary took forty-six years to build," the Jews retorted, "and you are going to raise it up in three days!"
[vss 22-30 moved to between 2:12 and 2:13] After this Jesus and his disciples went into the country of Judaea, where he spent some time with them baptizing. John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, as there was plenty of water there, and people came to him and were baptized read more. (John had not yet been thrown into prison).
(John had not yet been thrown into prison). Now a dispute arose between John's disciples and a Jew over the question of 'purification'; read more. and they came and told John, "Rabbi, the man who was with you on the opposite side of the Jordan, the man to whom you bore testimony ??here he is, baptizing, and everybody goes to him!"
For he whom God has sent utters the words of God ??God gives him the Spirit in no sparing measure;
Now when the Lord learned that the Pharisees had heard of Jesus gaining and baptizing more disciples than John
Now when the Lord learned that the Pharisees had heard of Jesus gaining and baptizing more disciples than John (though Jesus himself did not baptize, it was his disciples),
(though Jesus himself did not baptize, it was his disciples), he left Judaea and went back to Galilee.
he left Judaea and went back to Galilee. He had to pass through Samaria, read more. and in so doing he arrived at a Samaritan town called Sychar; it lay near the territory which Jacob had given to his son Joseph, and Jacob's spring was there. Jesus, exhausted by the journey, sat down at the spring, just as he was. It was about noon, and a Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink" (his disciples had gone to the town to buy some food). The Samaritan woman said, "What? You are a Jew, and you ask me for a drink ??me, a Samaritan!" (Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) Jesus answered, "If you knew what is the free gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked him instead, and he would have given you 'living' water." "Sir," said the woman, "you have nothing to draw water with, and it is a deep well; where do you get your 'living' water? Are you a greater man than Jacob, our ancestor? He gave us this well, and he drank from it, with his sons and his cattle." Jesus answered, "Anyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but anyone who drinks the water I shall give him will never thirst any more; the water I shall give him will turn into a spring of water welling up to eternal life." "Ah, sir," said the woman, "give me this water, so that I need not thirst or come all this road to draw water." Jesus said to her, "Go and call your husband, then come back here." The woman replied, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You were right in saying, 'I have no husband'; you have had five husbands, and he whom you have now espoused is not your husband. That was a true word." "Sir," said the woman, "I see you are a prophet. Now our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, whereas you Jews declare the proper place for worship is at Jerusalem." "Woman," said Jesus, "believe me, the time is coming when you will be worshipping the Father neither on this mountain nor at Jerusalem. You are worshipping something you do not know; we are worshipping what we do know ??for salvation comes from the Jews. But the time is coming, it has come already, when the real worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and in reality; for these are the worshippers that the Father wants. God is Spirit, and his worshippers must worship him in Spirit and in reality." The woman said to him, "Well, I know messiah (which means Christ) is coming. When he arrives, he will explain it all to us." "I am messiah," said Jesus, "I who am talking to you." At this point his disciples came up; they were surprised that he was talking to a woman, but none of them said, "What is it?" or, "Why are you talking to her?" Then the woman left her water-pot, and going off to the town told the people, "Come here, look at a man who has told me everything I ever did! Can he be the Christ?" They set out from the town on their way to him. Meanwhile the disciples pressed him, saying, "Rabbi, eat something." But he said to them, "I have food, of which you know nothing." So the disciples asked each other, "Can anyone have brought him something to eat?" Jesus said, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work. You have a saying, have you not, 'Four months yet, then harvest'? Look round, I tell you; see, the fields are white for harvesting!
You have a saying, have you not, 'Four months yet, then harvest'? Look round, I tell you; see, the fields are white for harvesting! The reaper is already getting his wages and harvesting for eternal life, so that the sower shares the reaper's joy. read more. That proverb, 'One sows and another reaps,' holds true here: I sent you to reap a crop for which you did not toil; other men have toiled, and you reap the profit of their toil." Now many Samaritans belonging to that town believed in him on account of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." So when the Samaritans arrived, they pressed him to stay with them; he did stay there two days, and far more of them believed on account of what he said himself. As they told the woman, "We no longer believe on account of what you said; we have heard for ourselves, we know that he is really the Saviour of the world." When the two days were over, he left for Galilee
Once more he came to Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a royal official, whose son was lying ill at Capernaum;
Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you never will believe."
After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem there is a bath beside the sheep-pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethzatha; it has five porticoes,
Now in Jerusalem there is a bath beside the sheep-pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethzatha; it has five porticoes, where a crowd of invalids used to lie, the blind, the lame, and folk with shrivelled limbs [waiting for the water to bubble.
where a crowd of invalids used to lie, the blind, the lame, and folk with shrivelled limbs [waiting for the water to bubble. For an angel used to descend from time to time into the bath, and disturb the water; whereupon the first person who stepped in after the water was disturbed was restored to health, no matter what disease he had been afflicted with].
For an angel used to descend from time to time into the bath, and disturb the water; whereupon the first person who stepped in after the water was disturbed was restored to health, no matter what disease he had been afflicted with]. Now one man was there, whose illness had lasted thirty-eight years.
Now one man was there, whose illness had lasted thirty-eight years. Jesus saw him lying, and knowing he had been ill for a long while he said to him, "Do you want your health restored?"
Jesus saw him lying, and knowing he had been ill for a long while he said to him, "Do you want your health restored?" The invalid replied, "Sir, I have nobody to put me into the bath, when the water is disturbed; and while I am getting down myself, someone else gets in before me."
The invalid replied, "Sir, I have nobody to put me into the bath, when the water is disturbed; and while I am getting down myself, someone else gets in before me." Jesus said to him, "Get up, lift your mat, and walk."
Jesus said to him, "Get up, lift your mat, and walk." And instantly the man got well, lifted his mat, and started to walk. Now it was the sabbath on that day.
And instantly the man got well, lifted his mat, and started to walk. Now it was the sabbath on that day. So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, "This is the sabbath, you have no right to be carrying your mat."
So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, "This is the sabbath, you have no right to be carrying your mat." He replied, "But the man who healed me, he told me, 'Lift your mat and walk'." read more. They questioned him, "Who was it that told you, 'Lift it and walk'?" Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for (owing to the crowd on the spot) Jesus had slipped away. Later on Jesus met him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you are well and strong; commit no more sins, in case something worse befalls you." Off went the man and told the Jews it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did things like this on the sabbath. The reply of Jesus was, "As my Father has continued working to this hour, so I work too." But this only made the Jews more eager to kill him, because he not merely broke the sabbath but actually spoke of God as his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God. So Jesus made this answer to them: "Truly, truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, nothing but what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, the Son also does the same.
But I possess a testimony greater than that of John, for the deeds which the Father has granted me to accomplish, the very deeds on which I am engaged, are my testimony that the Father has sent me.
How can you believe, you who accept credit from one another instead of aiming at the credit which comes from the only God?
After this Jesus went off to the opposite side of the sea of Galilee (the lake of Tiberias),
and we believe, we are certain, that you are the holy One of God."
After this Jesus moved about in Galilee; he would not move in Judaea, because the Jews were trying to kill him.
After this Jesus moved about in Galilee; he would not move in Judaea, because the Jews were trying to kill him.
so his brothers said to him, "Leave this and go across into Judaea, to let your disciples witness what you can do; for nobody who aims at public recognition ever keeps his actions secret. Since you can do these deeds, display yourself to the world"
He who talks on his own authority aims at his own credit, but he who aims at the credit of the person who sent him, he is sincere, and there is no dishonesty in him.
Indeed many of the people believed in him, saying, "When the Christ does come, will he perform more Signs than this man?"
Now on the last day, the great day, of the festival, Jesus stood and cried aloud, "If anyone is athirst, let him come to me and drink;
but as they persisted with their question, he raised himself and said to them, "Let the innocent among you throw the first stone at her";
She said, "No one, sir." Jesus said, "Neither do I; be off, and never sin again."] Then Jesus again addressed them, saying, "I am the light of the world: he who follows me will not walk in darkness, he will enjoy the light of life."
You judge by the outside. I judge no one;
He who sent me is at my side; he has not left me alone; for I always do what pleases him."
However, I do not aim at my own credit; there is One who cares for my credit, and he is judge.
[vss 22-29 moved to follow 9:41] Then came the festival of Dedication at Jerusalem; it was winter, and Jesus used to walk inside the temple, in the portico of Solomon.
Jesus replied, "I have told you, but you do not believe; the deeds I do in the name of my Father testify to me, but you do not believe,
I and my Father are one ??." The Jews again caught up stones to stone him. read more. Jesus replied, "I have let you see many a good deed of God; for which of them do you mean to stone me?" The Jews retorted, "We mean to stone you, not for a good deed, but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, make yourself God."
but if I am, then believe the deeds, though you will not believe me ??that you may learn and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."
I will say, 'Father, glorify thy name.'" Then came a voice from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."
Now before the passover festival Jesus knew the time had come for him to pass from this world to the Father. He had loved his own in this world and he loved them to the end;
"Lord," said Philip, "let us see the Father; that is all we want." Jesus said to him, "Philip, have I been with you all this time, and yet you do not understand me? He who has seen me has seen the Father. What do you mean by saying, 'Let us see the Father'? read more. Do you not believe I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak to you all I do not speak of my own accord; it is the Father who remains ever in me, who is performing his own deeds. Believe me, I am in the Father and the Father is in me: ??or else, believe because of the deeds themselves.
I will no longer talk much with you, for the Prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me;
[Chapters he cuts away any branch on me which is not bearing fruit, and cleans every branch which does bear fruit, to make it bear richer fruit. read more. You are already clean, by the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you: just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, without remaining on the vine, neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains in me, as I in him, bears rich fruit (because apart from me you can do nothing). If anyone does not remain in me he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers up; then the branches are gathered and thrown into the fire to be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then ask whatever you like and you shall have it. As you bear rich fruit and prove yourselves my disciples, my Father is glorified. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain within my love. If you keep my commands you will remain within my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain within his love.
Behold, the time is coming, it has come already, when you will be scattered to your homes, everyone of you, leaving me alone. But I am not alone, for the Father is with me.
and brought him first of all to Annas (for Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year ??14 the Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was for their interests that one man should die for the people).
Then said Pilate, "Take him yourselves, and sentence him according to your own Law." The Jews said, "We have no right to put anyone to death"
"So you are a king?" said Pilate, "you!" "Certainly," said Jesus, "I am a king. This is why I was born, this is why I came into the world, to bear testimony to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."
marching up to him and shouting, "Hail, king of the Jews!" ??and striking him.
This made Pilate anxious to release him, but the Jews yelled, "If you release him, you are no friend of Caesar's! Anyone who makes himself a king is against Caesar!"
So let all the house of Israel understand beyond a doubt that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this very Jesus whom you have crucified."
for Moses said, The Lord our God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brotherhood, as he raised me: you must listen to whatever he may tell you. Any soul that will not listen to this prophet shall be exterminated from the People; read more. and all the prophets who have spoken since Samuel and his successors have also announced these days. Now you are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers when he said to Abraham, all families on earth shall be blessed in your offspring.
"Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of man standing at God's right hand!"
Philip travelled down to a town in Samaria, where he preached Christ to the people.
Saul became more and more vigorous. He put the Jewish residents in Damascus to confusion by his proof that Jesus was the Christ;
explaining and quoting passages to prove that the messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, and that "the Jesus I proclaim to you is the messiah."
Our baptism in his death made us share his burial, so that, as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live and move in the new sphere of Life. For if we have grown into him by a death like his, we shall grow into him by a resurrection like his, read more. knowing as we do that our old self has been crucified with him in order to crush the sinful body and free us from any further slavery to sin (for once dead, a man is absolved from the claims of sin). We believe that as we have died with Christ we shall also live with him; for we know that Christ never dies after his resurrection from the dead ??death has no more hold over him; the death he died was for sin, once for all, but the life he lives is for God. So you must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Why, look at your own ranks, my brothers; not many wise men (that is, judged by human standards), not many leading men, not many of good birth, have been called! No, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame what is strong; read more. God has chosen what is mean and despised in the world ??things which are not, to put down things that are; that no person may boast in the sight of God. This is the God to whom you owe your being in Christ Jesus, whom God has made our 'Wisdom,' that is, our righteousness and consecration and redemption; so that, as it is written, let him who boasts boast of the Lord.
More than that: those who have slept the sleep of death in Christ have perished after all.
Thus it is written, 'The first man, Adam, became an animate being, the last Adam a life-giving Spirit';
Man the first is from the earth, material; Man the second is from heaven.
Treat one another with the same spirit as you experience in Christ Jesus. Though he was divine by nature, he did not set store upon equality with God read more. but emptied himself by taking the nature of a servant; born in human guise and appearing in human form, he humbly stooped in his obedience even to die, and to die upon the cross. Therefore God raised him high and conferred on him a Name above all names, so that before the Name of Jesus every knee should bend in heaven, on earth, and underneath the earth, and every tongue confess that 'Jesus Christ is Lord,' to the glory of God the Father.
for ours is no high priest who is incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every respect like ourselves, yet without sinning.
Similarly Christ was not raised to the glory of the high priesthood by himself but by Him who declared to him, Thou art my son, to-day have I become thy father.
In the days of his flesh, with bitter cries and tears, he offered prayers and supplications to Him who was able to save him from death; and he was heard, because of his godly fear.
Hence for all time he is able to save those who approach God through him, as he is always living to intercede on their behalf. Such was the high priest for us, saintly, innocent, unstained, lifted high above the heavens, far from all contact with the sinful,
Hence, on entering the world he says, Thou hast no desire for sacrifice or offering; it is a body thou hast prepared for me ??6 in holocausts and sin-offerings thou takest no delight.
Hence, on entering the world he says, Thou hast no desire for sacrifice or offering; it is a body thou hast prepared for me ??6 in holocausts and sin-offerings thou takest no delight.
So I said, 'Here I come ??in the roll of the book this is written of me ??I come to do thy will, O God.'
For by a single offering he has made the sanctified perfect for all time.
Christ himself died for sins, once for all, a just man for unjust men, that he might bring us near to God; in the flesh he was put to death but he came to life in the Spirit.
Well, as Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, let this very conviction that he who has suffered in the flesh gets quit of sin, nerve you to spend the rest of your time in the flesh for the will of God and no longer for human passions.
For all that is in the world, the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the proud glory of life, belongs not to the Father but to the world; and the world is passing away with its desire, while he who does the will of God remains for ever.
Then the seventh angel blew; and loud voices followed in heaven, crying, "The rule of the world has passed to our Lord and his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever."
Then the seventh angel blew; and loud voices followed in heaven, crying, "The rule of the world has passed to our Lord and his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever."
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, "Now it has come, the salvation and power, the reign of our God and the authority of his Christ! ??for the Accuser of our brothers is thrown down, who accused them before God day and night.
Then I fell before his feet to worship him; but he said to me, "No, not that! I am but a servant like yourself and your brothers, who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God" (for the testimony borne by Jesus is the breath of all prophecy).
& 13] Lo, I am coming very soon, with my reward, to requite everyone for what he has done."
Hastings
There is no historical task which is more important than to set forth the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, and none to which it is so difficult to do justice. The importance of the theme is sufficiently attested by the fact that it is felt to be His due to reckon a new era from the date of His birth. From the point of view of Christian faith there is nothing in time worthy to be set beside the deeds and the words of One who is adored as God manifest in the flesh, and the Saviour of the world. In the perspective of universal history. His influence ranks with Greek culture and Roman law as one of the three most valuable elements in the heritage from the ancient world, while it surpasses these other factors in the spiritual quality of its effects. On the other hand, the superlative task has its peculiar difficulties. It is quite certain that a modern European makes many mistakes when trying to reproduce the conditions of the distant province of Oriental antiquity in which Jesus lived. The literary documents, moreover, are of no great compass, and are reticent or obscure in regard to many matters which are of capital interest to the modern biographer. And when erudition has done its best with the primary and auxiliary sources, the historian has still to put the heart-searching question whether he possesses the qualifications that would enable him to understand the character, the experience, and the purpose of Jesus. 'He who would worthily write the Life of Jesus Christ must have a pen dipped in the imaginative sympathy of a poet, in the prophet's fire, in the artist's charm and grace, and in the reverence and purity of the saint' (Stewart, The Life of Christ, 1906, p. vi.).
1. The Literary Sources
(A) Canonical
(1) The Gospels and their purpose.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, Obed the father of Jessai, and Jessai the father of king David. David was the father of Solomon by Uriah's wife,
and Jessai the father of king David. David was the father of Solomon by Uriah's wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, read more. Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the period of the Babylonian captivity. After the Babylonian captivity, Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, and Joseph (to whom the virgin Mary was betrothed) the father of Jesus, who is called 'Christ.' Thus all the generations from Abraham to David number fourteen, from David to the Babylonian captivity fourteen, and from the Babylonian captivity to Christ fourteen. The birth of [Jesus] Christ came about thus. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they came together she was discovered to be pregnant by the holy Spirit.
The birth of [Jesus] Christ came about thus. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they came together she was discovered to be pregnant by the holy Spirit. As Joseph her husband was a just man but unwilling to disgrace her, he resolved to divorce her secretly;
As Joseph her husband was a just man but unwilling to disgrace her, he resolved to divorce her secretly; but after he had planned this, there appeared an angel of the Lord to him in a dream saying, "Joseph, son of David, fear not to take Mary your wife home, for what is begotten in her comes from the holy Spirit.
but after he had planned this, there appeared an angel of the Lord to him in a dream saying, "Joseph, son of David, fear not to take Mary your wife home, for what is begotten in her comes from the holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you will call him 'Jesus,' for he will save his people from their sins."
She will bear a son, and you will call him 'Jesus,' for he will save his people from their sins." All this happened for the fulfilment of what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
All this happened for the fulfilment of what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: The maiden will conceive and bear a son, and his name will be called Immanuel (which may be translated, God is with us).
The maiden will conceive and bear a son, and his name will be called Immanuel (which may be translated, God is with us). So on waking from sleep Joseph did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him; he took his wife home,
Now when Jesus was born at Bethlehem, belonging to Judaea, in the days of king Herod, magicians from the East arrived at Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the newly-born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose, and we have come to worship him." read more. The news of this troubled king Herod and all Jerusalem as well; so he gathered all the high priests and scribes of the people and made inquiries of them about where the messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem belonging to Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet: And you Bethlehem, in Judah's land, You are not least among the rulers of Judah: For a ruler will come from you, Who will shepherd Israel my people." Then Herod summoned the magicians in secret and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance. He also sent them to Bethlehem, telling them, "Go and make a careful search for the child, and when you have found him report to me, so that I may go and worship him too." The magicians listened to the king and then went their way. And the star they had seen rise went in front of them till it stopped over the place where the child was. When they caught sight of the star, they were intensely glad; on reaching the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, they fell down to worship him, and opening their caskets they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. Then, as they had been divinely warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by a different road. After they had gone, there appeared an angel of the Lord to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt; stay there till I tell you. For Herod is going to search for the child and destroy him." So he got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went off to Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had said by the prophet: I called my Son from Egypt. Then Herod saw the magicians had trifled with him, and he was furiously angry; he sent and slew all the male children in Bethlehem and in all the neighbourhood who were two years old or under, calculating by the time he had ascertained from the magicians. Then the saying was fulfilled which had been uttered by the prophet Jeremiah: A cry was heard in Rama, weeping and sore lamentation ??Rachel weeping for her children, and inconsolable because they are no more.
He was still speaking to the crowds when his mother and brothers came and stood outside; they wanted to speak to him. ??- read more. But he replied to the man who told him this, "Who is my mother? and who are my brothers?" Stretching out his hand towards his disciples he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven, that is my brother and sister and mother."
Then Jesus came forward to them and said, "Full authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth; go and make disciples of all nations, baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the holy Spirit, read more. and teach them to obey all the commands I have laid on you. And I will be with you all the time, to the very end of the world."
THE beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ [the Son of God].
And when his family heard this, they set out to get hold of him, for what they said was, "He is out of his mind."
Then came his brothers and his mother, and standing outside they sent to call him;
So he inquired of them, "And who do you say I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Christ."
He said nothing and made no answer. Again the high priest put a question to him. "Are you the Christ?" he said, "the Son of the Blessed?" Jesus said, "I am. And, what is more, you will all see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven."
The inscription bearing his charge was: THE KING OF THE JEWS.
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazaret, to a maiden who was betrothed to a man called Joseph, belonging to the house of David. The maiden's name was Mary. read more. The angel went in and said to her, "Hail, O favoured one! the Lord be with you!" At this she was startled; she thought to herself, whatever can this greeting mean? But the angel said to her, "Fear not, Mary, you have found favour with God. You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must call his name Jesus. He will be great, he will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father; he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and to his reign there will be no end." "How can this be?" said Mary to the angel, "I have no husband." The angel answered her, "The holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Most High will overshadow you; hence what is born will be called holy, Son of God. Look, there is your kinswoman Elizabeth! Even she has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month; for with God nothing is ever impossible." Mary said, "I am here to serve the Lord. Let it be as you have said." Then the angel went away. In those days Mary started with haste for the hill-country, for a town of Judah; she entered the house of Zechariah and saluted Elizabeth, and when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leapt in her womb. Then Elizabeth was filled with the holy Spirit; she called out with a loud cry, "Blessed among women are you, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! What have I done to have the mother of my Lord come to me? Why, as soon as the sound of your salutation reached my ears, the babe leapt for joy within my womb. And blessed is she who believed that the Lord's words to her would be fulfilled." Then Mary said "My soul magnifies the Lord, My spirit has joy in God my Saviour: for he has considered the humiliation of his servant. From this time forth all generations will call me blessed, for He who is Mighty has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy is on generation after generation, for those who reverence him. He has done a deed of might with his arm, he has scattered the proud with their purposes, princes he has dethroned and the poor he has uplifted, he has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He has succoured his servant Israel, mindful of his mercy as he promised our fathers, to have mercy on Abraham and his offspring for ever." Mary stayed with her about three months and then returned home. Now the time for Elizabeth's delivery had elapsed, and she gave birth to a son. When her neighbours and kinsfolk heard of the Lord's great mercy to her they rejoiced with her, and on the eighth day came to circumcise the child. They were going to call it by the name of its father Zechariah, but the mother told them, "No, the child is to be called John." They said to her, "None of your family is called by that name." Then they made signs to the father, to find out what he wanted the child to be called, and he asked for a writing-tablet and wrote down, "His name is John," to the astonishment of all. Instantly his mouth was opened, his tongue loosed, and he spoke out blessing God. Then fear fell on all their neighbours, and all these events were talked of through the whole of the hill-country of Judaea. All who heard of it bore it in mind; they said, "Whatever will this child become?" For the hand of the Lord was indeed with him. And Zechariah his father was filled with the holy Spirit; he prophesied in these words, "Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, for he has cared for his people and wrought them redemption; he has raised up a strong saviour for us in the house of his servant David as he promised of old by the lips of his prophets to save us from our foes and from the hand of all who hate us, to deal mercifully with our fathers and to be mindful of his holy covenant, of the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that freed from fear and from the hand of our foes we should worship him in holiness and uprightness all our days within his presence. And you, my child, shall be called a prophet of the Most High; for you shall go in front of the Lord to make his ways ready, to bring his people the knowledge of salvation through the remission of their sins by the tender mercy of our God, who will make the Dawn visit us from on high, to shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our steps into the way of peace." And the child grew, he became strong in the Spirit and remained in the desert till the day when he made his appearance before Israel.
Now in those days an edict was issued by Caesar Augustus for a census of the whole world. (This was the first census, and it took place when Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
There were some shepherds in the district who were out in the fields keeping guard over their flocks by night; and an angel of the Lord flashed upon them, the glory of the Lord shone all round them. They were terribly afraid, read more. but the angel said to them, "Have no fear. This is good news I am bringing you, news of a great joy that is meant for all the People. To-day you have a saviour born in the town of David, the Lord messiah. And here is a proof for you: you will find a baby wrapped up and lying in a stall for cattle." Then a host of heaven's army suddenly appeared beside the angel extolling God and saying, "Glory to God in high heaven, and peace on earth for men whom he favours!" Now when the angels had left them and gone away to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us be off to Bethlehem to see this thing that the Lord has told us of." So they made haste and discovered Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the stall for cattle. When they saw this they told people about the word which had been spoken to them about the child; all who heard it were astonished at the story of the shepherds, and as for Mary, she treasured it all up and mused upon it. Then the shepherds went away back, glorifying and extolling God for all they had heard and seen as they had been told they would. When the eight days had passed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus ??the name given by the angel before he had been conceived in the womb. When the days for their purification in terms of the Mosaic law had elapsed, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord: every male that opens the womb must be considered consecrated to the Lord)
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judaea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, Philip his brother tetrarch of the country of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysias tetrarch of Abilene,
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judaea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, Philip his brother tetrarch of the country of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysias tetrarch of Abilene,
At the outset Jesus was about thirty years of age; he was the son, as people supposed, of Joseph, the son of Heli,
the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,
Then he came to Nazaret, where he had been brought up, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue as was his custom. He stood up to read the lesson and was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah; on opening the book he came upon the place where it was written, read more. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me: for he has consecrated me to preach the gospel to the poor, he has sent me to proclaim release for captives and recovery of sight for the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the Lord's year of favour. Then, folding up the book, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him, and he proceeded to tell them that "To-day, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." All spoke well of him and marvelled at the gracious words that came from his lips; they said, "Is this not Joseph's son?" So he said to them, "No doubt you will repeat to me this proverb, 'Doctor, cure yourself!' 'Do here in your own country all we have heard you did in Capharnahum.'" He added, "I tell you truly, no prophet is ever welcome in his native place. I tell you for a fact, In Israel there were many widows during the days of Elijah, when the sky was closed for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land: yet Elijah was not sent to any of these, but only to a widow woman at Zarephath in Sidon. And in Israel there were many lepers in the time of the prophet Elisha, yet none of these was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage; they rose up, put him out of the town, and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, in order to hurl him down. But he made his way through them and went off.
As the time for his assumption was now due, he set his face for the journey to Jerusalem.
After that the Lord commissioned other seventy disciples, sending them in front of him two by two to every town and place that he intended to visit himself. He said to them, "The harvest is rich, but the labourers are few; so pray the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to gather his harvest. read more. Go your way; I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no wallet, no sandals. Do not stop to salute anybody on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this household!' Then, if there is a soul there breathing peace, your peace will rest on him; otherwise it will come back to you. Stay at the same house, eating and drinking what the people provide (for the workman deserves his wages); you are not to shift from one house to another. Wherever you are received on entering any town, eat what is provided for you, heal those in the town who are ill, and tell them, 'The Reign of God is nearly on you.' But wherever you are not received on entering any town, go out into the streets of the town and cry, 'The very dust of your town that clings to us, we wipe off from our feet as a protest. But mark this, the Reign of God is near!' I tell you, on the great Day it will be more bearable for Sodom than for that town. Woe to you, Khorazin! woe to you, Bethsaida! Had the miracles performed in you been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have been sitting penitent in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, O Capharnahum! Exalted to heaven? No, you will sink to Hades! He who listens to you listens to me, he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me." The seventy came back with joy. "Lord," they said, "the very daemons obey us in your name." He said to them, "Yes, I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. I have indeed given you the power of treading on serpents and scorpions and of trampling down all the power of the Enemy; nothing shall injure you. Only, do not rejoice because the spirits obey you: rejoice because your names are enrolled in heaven."
Was there no one to return and give glory to God except this foreigner?" And he said to him, "Get up and go, your faith has made you well."
I tell you, he went home accepted by God rather than the other man; for everyone who uplifts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be uplifted."
And when he saw the city, as he approached, he wept over it, saying, "Would that you too knew even to-day on what your peace depends! But no, it is hidden from you! read more. A time is coming for you when your enemies will throw up ramparts round you and encircle you and besiege you on every side and raze you and your children within you to the ground, leaving not one stone upon another within you ??and all because you would not understand when God was visiting you."
THE Logos existed in the very beginning, the Logos was with God, the Logos was divine.
So the Logos became flesh and tarried among us; we have seen his glory ??glory such as an only son enjoys from his father ??seen it to be full of grace and reality.
"This sanctuary took forty-six years to build," the Jews retorted, "and you are going to raise it up in three days!"
He who saw it has borne witness (his witness is true; God knows he is telling the truth), that you may believe.
This was the disciple who bears testimony to these facts and who wrote them down; his testimony, we know, is true.
concerning his Son, who was born of David's offspring by natural descent
I passed on to you what I received from the Lord himself, namely, that on the night he was betrayed the Lord Jesus took a loaf,
for ours is no high priest who is incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every respect like ourselves, yet without sinning.
In the days of his flesh, with bitter cries and tears, he offered prayers and supplications to Him who was able to save him from death; and he was heard, because of his godly fear.
when he was invested with honour and glory by God the Father, and when the following voice was borne to him from the sublime Glory, "This is my son, the Beloved, in whom I delight."
Smith
Je'sus Christ.
The life and character of Jesus Christ, says Dr. Schaff, "is the holy of holies in the history of the world."
1. NAME. --The name Jesus signifies saviour. It is the Greek form of JEHOSHUA (Joshua). The name Christ signifies anointed. Jesus was both priest and king. Among the Jews priests were anointed, as their inauguration to their office.
See Jehoshua
In the New Testament the name Christ is used as equivalent to the Hebrew Messiah (anointed),
Joh 1:41
the name given to the long-promised Prophet and King whom the Jews had been taught by their prophets to expect.
The use of this name, as applied to the Lord, has always a reference to the promises of the prophets. The name of Jesus is the proper name of our Lord, and that of Christ is added to identify him with the promised Messiah. Other names are sometimes added to the names Jesus Christ, thus, "Lord," "a king," "King of Israel," "Emmanuel," "Son of David," "chosen of God." II. BIRTH. --Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, God being his father, at Bethlehem of Judea, six miles south of Jerusalem. The date of his birth was most probably in December, B.C. 5, four years before the era from which we count our years. That era was not used till several hundred years after Christ. The calculations were made by a learned monk, Dionysius Exiguus, in the sixth century, who made an error of four years; so that to get the exact date from the birth of Christ we must add four years to our usual dates; i.e. A.D. 1882 is really 1886 years since the birth of Christ. It is also more than likely that our usual date for Christmas, December 25, is not far from the real date of Christ's birth. Since the 25th of December comes when the longest night gives way to the returning sun on his triumphant march, it makes an appropriate anniversary to make the birth of him who appeared in the darkest night of error and sin as the true Light of the world. At the time of Christ's birth Augustus Caesar was emperor of Rome, and Herod the Great king of Judea, but subject of Rome. God's providence had prepared the world for the coming of Christ, and this was the fittest time in all its history.
1. All the world was subject to one government, so that the apostles could travel everywhere: the door of every land was open for the gospel.
2. The world was at peace, so that the gospel could have free course.
3. The Greek language was spoken everywhere with their other languages.
4. The Jews were scattered everywhere with synagogues and Bibles. III. EARLY LIFE. --Jesus, having a manger at Bethlehem for his cradle, received a visit of adoration from the three wise men of the East. At forty days old he was taken to the temple at Jerusalem; and returning to Bethlehem, was soon taken to Egypt to escape Herod's massacre of the infants there. After a few months stay there, Herod having died in April, B.C. 4, the family returned to their Nazareth home, where Jesus lived till he was about thirty years old, subject to his parent, and increasing "in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." The only incident recorded of his early life is his going up to Jerusalem to attend the passover when he was twelve years old, and his conversation with the learned men in the temple. But we can understand the childhood and youth of Jesus better when we remember the surrounding influences amid which he grew.
1. The natural scenery was rugged and mountainous, but full of beauty. He breathed the pure air. He lived in a village, not in a city.
2. The Roman dominion was irksome and galling. The people of God were subject to a foreign yoke. The taxes were heavy. Roman soldiers, laws, money, every reminded them of their subjection, when they ought to be free and themselves the rulers of the world. When Jesus was ten years old, there was a great insurrection,
in Galilee. He who was to be King of the Jews heard and felt all this.
3. The Jewish hopes of a Redeemer, of throwing off their bondage, of becoming the glorious nation promised in the prophet, were in the very air he breathed. The conversation at home and in the streets was full of them.
4. Within his view, and his boyish excursions, were many remarkable historic places, --rivers, hills, cities, plains, --that would keep in mind the history of his people and God's dealings with them.
5. His school training. Mr. Deutsch, in the Quarterly Review, says, "Eighty years before Christ, schools flourished throughout the length and the breadth of the land: education had been made compulsory. While there is not a single term for 'school' to be found before the captivity, there were by that time about a dozen in common usage. Here are a few of the innumerable popular sayings of the period: 'Jerusalem was destroyed because the instruction of the young was neglected.' 'The world is only saved by the breath of the school-children.' 'Even for the rebuilding of the temple the schools must not be interrupted.'"
6. His home training. According to Ellicott, the stages of Jewish childhood were marked as follows: "At three the boy was weaned, and word for the first time the fringed or tasselled garment prescribed by
and Deut 22:12 His education began at first under the mother's care. At five he was to learn the law, at first by extracts written on scrolls of the more important passages, the Shema or creed of
De 2:4
the Hallel or festival psalms, Psal 114, 118, 136, and by catechetical teaching in school. At twelve he became more directly responsible for his obedience of the law; and on the day when he attained the age of thirteen, put on for the first time the phylacteries which were worn at the recital of his daily prayer." In addition to this, Jesus no doubt learned the carpenter's trade of his reputed father Joseph, and, as Joseph probably died before Jesus began his public ministry, he may have contributed to the support of his mother. (IV. PUBLIC MINISTRY. --All the leading events recorded of Jesus' life are given at the end of this volume in the Chronological Chart and in the Chronological Table of the life of Christ; so that here will be given only a general survey. Jesus began to enter upon his ministry when he was "about thirty years old;" that is, he was not very far from thirty, older or younger. He is regarded as nearly thirty-one by Andrews (in the tables of chronology referred to above) and by most others. Having been baptized by John early in the winter of 26-27, he spent the larger portion of his year in Judea and about the lower Jordan, till in December he went northward to Galilee through Samaria. The next year and a half, from December, A.D. 27, to October or November, A.D. 29, was spent in Galilee and norther Palestine, chiefly in the vicinity of the Sea of Galilee. In November, 29, Jesus made his final departure from Galilee, and the rest of his ministry was in Judea and Perea, beyond Jordan, till his crucifixion, April 7, A.D. 30. After three days he proved his divinity by rising from the dead; and after appearing on eleven different occasions to his disciples during forty days, he finally ascended to heaven, where he is the living, ever present, all-powerful Saviour of his people. Jesus Christ, being both human and divine, is fitted to be the true Saviour of men. In this, as in every action and character, he is shown to be "the wisdom and power of God unto salvation." As human, he reaches down to our natures, sympathizes with us, shows us that God knows all our feelings and weaknesses and sorrows and sins, brings God near to us, who otherwise could not realize the Infinite and Eternal as a father and friend. He is divine, in order that he may be an all-powerful, all-loving Saviour, able and willing to defend us from every enemy, to subdue all temptations, to deliver from all sin, and to bring each of his people, and the whole Church, into complete and final victory. Jesus Christ is the centre of the world's history, as he is the centre of the Bible. --ED.)
See Verses Found in Dictionary
to ask him, "Are you the Coming One? Or are we to look out for someone else?"
In the morning he met his brother Simon and told him, "We have found the messiah" (which may be translated, 'Christ').
After him Judas the Galilean started up at the time of the census, and got people to desert to him; but he perished too, and all his followers were scattered.
"John," said Paul, "baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus."
Watsons
JESUS CHRIST, the son of God, the Messiah, and Saviour of the world, the first and principal object of the prophecies, prefigured and promised in the Old Testament, expected and desired by the patriarchs; the hope of the Gentiles; the glory, salvation, and consolation of Christians. The name Jesus, or, as the Hebrews pronounce it, ??????, Jehoshua or Joshua, '??????, signifies, he who shall save. No one ever bore this name with so much justice, nor so perfectly fulfilled the signification of it, as Jesus Christ, who saves even from sin and hell, and hath merited heaven for us by the price of his blood. It is not necessary here to narrate the history of our Saviour's life, which can no where be read with advantage except in the writings of the four evangelists; but there are several general views which require to be noticed under this article.
1. Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ or Messiah promised under the Old Testament. That he professed himself to be that Messiah to whom all the prophets gave witness, and who was, in fact, at the time of his appearing, expected by the Jews; and that he was received under that character by his disciples, and by all Christians ever since, is certain. And if the Old Testament Scriptures afford sufficiently definite marks by which the long announced Christ should be infallibly known at his advent, and these presignations are found realized in our Lord, then is the truth of his pretensions established. From the books of the Old Testament we learn that the Messiah was to authenticate his claim by miracles; and in those predictions respecting him, so many circumstances are recorded, that they could meet only in one person; and so, if they are accomplished in him, they leave no room for doubt, as far as the evidence of prophecy is deemed conclusive. As to MIRACLES, we refer to that article; here only observing, that if the miraculous works wrought by Christ were really done, they prove his mission, because, from their nature, and having been wrought to confirm his claim to be the Messiah, they necessarily imply a divine attestation. With respect to PROPHECY, the principles under which its evidence must be regarded as conclusive will be given under that head; and here therefore it will only be necessary to show the completion of the prophecies of the sacred books of the Jews relative to the Messiah in one person, and that person the founder of the Christian religion.
The time of the Messiah's appearance in the world, as predicted in the Old Testament, is defined, says Keith, by a number of concurring circumstances, which fix it to the very date of the advent of Christ. The last blessing of Jacob to his sons, when he commanded them to gather themselves together that he might tell them what should befall them in the last days, contains this prediction concerning Judah: "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be," Ge 49:10, The date fixed by this prophecy for the coming of Shiloh, or the Saviour, was not to exceed the time during which the descendants of Judah were to continue a united people, while a king should reign among them, while they should be governed by their own laws, and while their judges should be from among their brethren. The prophecy of Malachi adds another standard for measuring the time: "Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall come suddenly to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts," Mal 3:1. No words can be more expressive of the coming of the promised Messiah; and they as clearly imply his appearance in the second temple before it should be destroyed. In regard to the advent of the Messiah before the destruction of the second temple, the words of Haggai are remarkably explicit: "The desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of Hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former, and in this place will I give peace," Hag 2:7. The Saviour was thus to appear, according to the prophecies of the Old Testament, during the time of the continuance of the kingdom of Judah, previous to the demolition of the temple, and immediately subsequent to the next prophet. But the time is rendered yet more definite. In the prophecies of Daniel, the kingdom of the Messiah is not only foretold as commencing in the time of the fourth monarchy, or Roman empire, but the express number of years that were to precede his coming are plainly intimated: "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sin, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. Know, therefore, and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem, unto Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks," Da 9:24-25. Computation by weeks of years was common among the Jews, and every seventh was the sabbatical year; seventy weeks, thus amounted to four hundred and ninety years. In these words the prophet marks the very time, and uses the very name of Messiah, the Prince; so entirety is all ambiguity done away. The plainest inference may be drawn from these prophecies. All of them, while, in every respect, they presuppose the most perfect knowledge of futurity; while they were unquestionably delivered and publicly known for ages previous to the time to which they referred; and while they refer to different contingent and unconnected events, utterly undeterminable and inconceivable by all human sagacity; accord in perfect unison to a single precise period where all their different lines terminate at once,
See Verses Found in Dictionary
The people who sat in darkness saw a great light, yea light dawned on those who sat in the land and the shadow of death.