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
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins.
Which also our fathers having received, brought in with Joshua into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drove out from the face of our fathers, till the days of David:
And having gone through the whole isle to Paphos, they found a certain magician, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus.
Whose are the fathers, and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is, over all, God, blessed for ever.
receive him,) And Jesus, called Justus, who are of the circumcision: these are the only fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, who have been a 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
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins.
For we have seen his star in the East, and are come to worship him.
And being come into the house, they saw the young child, with Mary his mother; and falling down, they worshiped him. And opening their treasures, they presented to him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said to him, Suffer it now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. read more. And Jesus being baptized, went up straightway from the water, and lo the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and coming upon him.
And Jesus being baptized, went up straightway from the water, and lo the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and coming upon him. And lo a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I delight.
Then was Jesus led up by the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted by the devil.
And the tempter coming to him said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
Then the devil taketh him with him into the holy city, and setteth him on the battlement of the temple,
But when Jesus heard, that John was cast into prison, he retired into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt at Capernaum, which is on the sea coast, in the borders of Zebulon and Naphthali: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, read more. saying, The land of Zebulon and the land of Naphthali, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, The people who walked in darkness, saw a great light, and to them who sat in the region of the shadow of death, light is sprung up. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. read more. And he saith to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And straitway leaving the nets they followed him. And going on from thence, he saw two other brethren, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in a vessel with Zebedee their father mending their nets; and he called them. And leaving the vessel and their father, they immediately followed him.
and not as the scribes.
And Jesus coming into Peter's house, saw his wife's mother lying sick of a fever.
Whereby was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases. And Jesus seeing great multitudes about him, commanded to go to the other side.
And he saith to them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then arising, he rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
And when he was come to the other side, into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two demoniacs, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man could pass by that way.
But when they persecute you in this city, flee to another; for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
And departing thence, he went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand.
And Jesus knowing it withdrew from thence; and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all. And charged them, not to make him known: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, saying, read more. Behold my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul delighteth: I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the heathens. He shall not strive nor clamour, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. He shall not break a bruised reed, and smoking flax he shall not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
But the Pharisees hearing it said, This fellow casteth not out devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
But the Pharisees hearing it said, This fellow casteth not out devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
And Simon Peter answering said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
But he turning said to Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art an offence to me: for thou savourest not the things of God, but the things of men.
And the ten hearing it, were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus calling them to him said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles lord it over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. read more. It shall not be so among you; but whosoever desireth to be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever desireth to be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.
but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. And as they were going from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. read more. And behold two blind men sitting by the way-side, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David. And the multitude charged them to hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.
And the multitude charged them to hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David. And Jesus standing still called them and said, What do ye desire that I should do to you?
saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold thy king cometh to thee, meek and sitting on an ass, even a colt, the fole of an ass.
And Jesus went into the temple, and cast out all that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the mony-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves;
Whose son is he? They say to him, David's. He saith to them, How doth David then by the Spirit call him Lord?
He saith to them, How doth David then by the Spirit call him Lord? Saying, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my righthand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Saying, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my righthand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?
Wherefore behold I send to you prophets, and wise-men, and scribes; and some of them ye will kill and crucify, and some of them ye will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city:
For false Christs and false prophets shall arise and shew great signs and wonders, so that they would deceive (if it were possible) even the elect.
Jesus saith to him, Thou hast said. Moreover I say to you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right-hand of power, and coming upon the clouds of heaven.
Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son God, come down from the cross.
And immediately the Spirit leadeth him out into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild-beasts; and the angels served him. read more. Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, Saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. And walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother, read more. casting a net into the sea (for they were fishers) And Jesus said to them, Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men. And straightway leaving their nets, they followed him. And having gone thence a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were also in the vessel, mending their nets: And he called them; and immediately leaving their father Zebedee in the vessel with the hired servants, they went after him.
And he called them; and immediately leaving their father Zebedee in the vessel with the hired servants, they went after him.
what have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy one of God.
And in the evening, when the sun was set, they brought to him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. read more. And he healed many that were ill of divers diseases, and cast out many devils, and suffered not the devils to say that they knew him.
And he healed many that were ill of divers diseases, and cast out many devils, and suffered not the devils to say that they knew him. And in the morning, rising a great while before day, he went out and departed into a desert place and prayed there.
And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was heard that he was in the house.
But certain of the scribes were sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies?
And Jesus immediately knowing in his spirit, that they so reasoned in themselves, said to them, Why reason ye thus in your hearts?
And passing by, he saw Levi, the son of Alpheus sitting at the custom-house, and saith to him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. And as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many, and they followed him. read more. And the scribes and Pharisees seeing him eat with publicans and sinners, said to his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? And Jesus hearing it saith to them- They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
And the apostles gather themselves together to Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. And he said to them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while. For there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. read more. And they departed into a desert place by boat privately. And many saw them departing and knew him, and ran a foot thither from all the cities, and outwent them, and came together to him. And Jesus coming out saw a great multitude, and was moved with tender compassion for them; because they were as sheep having no shepherd, and he taught them many things. And when the day was now far spent, the disciples coming to him said, This is a desert place, and it is now late. Send them away, that they may go into the country and villages round about, and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat. He answered and said to them, Give ye them to eat. And they say to him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?
It seemed good to me also, having accurately traced all things from their first rise, to write unto thee in order, most noble Theophilus,
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob; for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
And the angel answering said to her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that Holy thing which shall be born, shall be called the Son of God.
And there were in the same country shepherds, lying out in the field, and keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo an angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. read more. And the angel said to them, Fear not; for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For to you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign to you; ye shall find the babe, wrapped in swaddling-clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace; goodwill toward men. And when the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us go to Bethlehem, and see this thing which is done, which the Lord hath made known to us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in the manger. And having seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all that heard wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him.
And he said to them, Why sought ye me? Knew ye not, that I must be about my Father's business?
And he said to them, Why sought ye me? Knew ye not, that I must be about my Father's business?
and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily form, like a dove, upon him, and a voice came from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I delight.
And Jesus answering said to him, Get thee hence, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and there went out a fame of him, thro' all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. And he came to Nazareth, where he was brought up; and as his custom was; he went into the synagogue on the sabbath, and stood up to read.
And he came to Nazareth, where he was brought up; and as his custom was; he went into the synagogue on the sabbath, and stood up to read. And there was delivered to him the book of the prophet Isaiah, and having opened the book, read more. he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me, to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To publish the acceptable year of the Lord. And having closed the book, he gave it again to the servant, and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he said to them, This day is the scripture fulfilled in your ears.
And there was in the synagogue, a man who had a spirit of an unclean devil; and he cried out with a loud voice, saying, Let us alone: What have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy one of God. read more. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And the devil having thrown him in the midst, came out of him, and hurt him not. And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What word is this, that with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out! And the same of him went forth into every place of the country round about. And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was ill of a fever, and they besought him for her. And standing over her, he rebuked the fever, and it left her: and immediately she arose and served them. Now when the sun was set, all that had any sick of divers diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. And devils also came out of many, crying out and saying, Thou art Christ, the Son of God. And he rebuking them, suffered them not to say, that they knew he was the Christ.
And as the multitude pressed on him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesareth,
And as the multitude pressed on him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesareth, And saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. read more. And going into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he desired him to thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the multitude out of the boat. When he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. But Simon answering said to him, Master, Having toiled all the night, we have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word, I will let down the net. And having done this, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes, and their net brake. And they beckoned to their partners, who were in the other boat, to come and help them; and they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.
And they beckoned to their partners, who were in the other boat, to come and help them; and they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. Simon Peter seeing it, fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. read more. For astonishment seized him, and all that were with him, at the draught of fishes, which they had taken, And in like manner also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, Fear not: from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
And on a certain day as he was teaching, there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, who were come out of every town of Galilee, and out of Judea and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
But the scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
And in those days he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in the prayer of God.
He said to them, but whom say ye, that I am?
And as he prayed, the fashien of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
And when the time was fulfilled, that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
Therefore also the wisdom of God hath said, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will slay, and persecute the rest.
And he said to him, Strive to enter in thro' the strait gate; for many, I say to you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
And they brought to him infants also, that he might touch them; but the disciples seeing it, rebuked them. But Jesus calling them to him, said, Suffer little children to come to me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. read more. Verily I say to you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall in no wise enter therein.
And there appeared to him an angel from heaven strengthening him. And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down on the ground.
And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And Jesus answering said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear and healed him.
And he answering him said, Thou sayest. Then said Pilate to the chief priests and the multitude, I find no fault in this man.
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment and cast lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others: let him save himself, if he be the Christ, the chosen of God.
But the other answering, rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this person hath done nothing amiss. read more. And he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me, when thou comest in thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
And the centurion seeing what was done, glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
And he said to them, These are the words which I spake to you, being yet with you, that all things written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms concerning me, must be fulfilled. Then opened he their understanding, read more. to understand the scriptures, And said to them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
In the beginning existed the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. read more. All things were made by him, and without him was not one single thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, but the darkness perceived it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a testimony, to testify of the light, that all thro' it might believe. He was not the light, but was sent to testify of the light. This was the true light, who lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him; yet the world knew him not. He came to his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he privilege to become the sons of God, to them that believe in his name: Who were born, not of blood, nor by the will of the flesh, nor by the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and tabernacled among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth. John testified of him and cried, saying, This is he of whom I said, He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. And out of his fulness have we all received, even grace upon grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth was by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
And I knew him not, but that he might be manifested to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John testified, saying, I saw the Spirit descending like a dove, and it abode upon him.
And John testified, saying, I saw the Spirit descending like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not, but he that sent me to baptize with water, he had said to me, On whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding on him, this is he who baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
And I knew him not, but he that sent me to baptize with water, he had said to me, On whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding on him, this is he who baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
The day following he was minded to depart into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith to him, Follow me.
Philip findeth Nathanael and saith to him, We have found him, whom Moses in the law and the prophets described, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
Nathagael answered and said to him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel.
Nathagael answered and said to him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel.
And the third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
For the passover of the Jews was nigh, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple them that fold oxen,
Then answered the Jews and said to him, What sign shewest thou us, seeing thou dost these things? Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days. read more. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou raise it up in three days?
After these things Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea, and there he tarried with them and baptized. And John also was baptizing in Enon, near Salim, because there was much water there; and they came and were baptized. read more. For John was not yet cast into prison.
For John was not yet cast into prison. Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews, about purifying. read more. And they came to John, and said to him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou gavest testimony, behold he baptizeth, and all men come to him.
For he whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God; for God giveth not him the Spirit by measure.
When therefore the Lord knew, that the Pharisees had heard, Jesus maketh and baptizeth more disciples than John,
When therefore the Lord knew, that the Pharisees had heard, Jesus maketh and baptizeth more disciples than John, (Tho' Jesus himself batized not;
(Tho' Jesus himself batized not; but his disciples) He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee.
but his disciples) He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go thro' Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, read more. called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore being wearied with the journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus saith to her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone to the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria to him, How dost thou, being a Jew, ask drink of me, who am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, If thou hadst known the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith to him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and himself drank thereof, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said to her, Whosoever drinketh of this water, will thirst again. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, will never thirst; but the water that I shall give him, will be in him a fountain of water, springing up into everlasting life. The woman saith to him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. Jesus saith to her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said to her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband. For thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast, is not thy husband: in this thou saidst truly. The woman saith to him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshiped in this mountain: but ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith to her, Woman, Believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what; we know what we worship; for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such worshipers. God is a spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith to him, I know that the Messiah is coming, who is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith to her, I that speak to thee, am He. And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with a woman. Yet none said, What seekest thou? Or, Why talkest thou with her? The woman then left her water-pot, and went to the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man who told me all things that ever I did: Is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came to him. In the mean time his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said to them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. The disciples said one to another, Hath any man brought him to eat? Jesus saith to them, My meat is, to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say ye not, There are yet four months, and the harvest cometh? Lo, I say to you, Lift up your eyes, and survey the fields, for they are white already to harvest.
Say ye not, There are yet four months, and the harvest cometh? Lo, I say to you, Lift up your eyes, and survey the fields, for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth, receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit to life eternal, that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. read more. And herein is the saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I have sent you to reap that whereon ye have bestowed no labour: others have laboured, and ye are entered into their labour. And many of the Samaritans out of that city believed on him, for the saying of the woman testifying, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come to him, they besought him to tarry with them. And he abode there two days. And many more believed, because of his word, And said to the woman, We no longer believe, because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. After the two days, he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
So he came again to Cana of Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
Jesus said to him, Unless ye see signs and wonders, ye will in no wise believe.
After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem, by the sheep-gate, a bath, which is called in the Hebrew tongue, Bethesda, having five porticos.
Now there is in Jerusalem, by the sheep-gate, a bath, which is called in the Hebrew tongue, Bethesda, having five porticos. In these lay a great multitude of diseased, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
In these lay a great multitude of diseased, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at certain times into the bath, and the water was troubled: and whosoever went in first, after the troubling of the water, was made whole, whatsoever disease he had.
For an angel went down at certain times into the bath, and the water was troubled: and whosoever went in first, after the troubling of the water, was made whole, whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, who had been diseased eight and thirty years.
And a certain man was there, who had been diseased eight and thirty years. Jesus seeing him lie, and knowing that he had now been diseased a long time, saith to him, Desirest thou to be made whole?
Jesus seeing him lie, and knowing that he had now been diseased a long time, saith to him, Desirest thou to be made whole? The infirm man answered him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the bath, when the water is troubled; and while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
The infirm man answered him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the bath, when the water is troubled; and while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith to him, Rise, take up thy bed and walk.
Jesus saith to him, Rise, take up thy bed and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked: and the same day was the sabbath.
And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked: and the same day was the sabbath. Then said the Jews to him that was healed, It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for thee to take up the bed.
Then said the Jews to him that was healed, It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for thee to take up the bed. He answered, He that made me whole, he said to me, Take up thy bed and walk. read more. Then asked they him, Who is the man that said to thee, Take up thy bed and walk? And he that was healed knew not who he was; for Jesus had retired, a multitude being in the place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said to him, Lo, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come to thee. The man departed and told the Jews, that it was Jesus who had made him whole. And therefore the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill him, because he had done these things on the sabbath. But Jesus answered them, My father worketh until now, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath, but also said, that God was his own Father, making himself equal with God. Then answered Jesus and said to them, Verily, verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do; but what things soever he doth, these also doth the Son likewise.
But I have a greater testimony than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to fulfil, the very works which I do, testify of me, that the Father hath sent me.
How can ye believe, while ye receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that is from God only?
Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we have believed and known, that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him.
After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him.
His brethren therefore said to him, Depart hence and go into Judea, that thy disciples there also may see the works which thou dost. For no man doth any thing in secret, but desireth to be publickly known: if thou dost these things, shew thyself to the world.
He that speaketh of himself, seeketh his own glory; but he that seekth the glory of him that sent him, the same is true, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?
On the last, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink.
And as they continued asking him, he raised himself and said to them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
She saith, No man, Sir. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee. Go, and sin no more. Then spake Jesus again to them, saying, I am the light of the world; he that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Ye judge after the flesh: I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is valid; for I am not alone:
And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always the things that please him.
Now the feast of the dedication came on at Jerusalem: and it was winter. And Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon's portico.
If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I have told you; yet ye do not believe: the works that I do in my Father's name, they testify of me.
I and the Father are one. Then the Jews again took up stones to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; read more. for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, We stone thee not for a good work, but for blasphemy, and because thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
But if I do, tho' ye believe not me, believe the works; that ye may know and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
But for this cause I came, for this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then a voice came from heaven, I have both glorified, and I will glorify it again.
Now before the feast of the passover, Jesus knowing his hour was come to pass out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, loved them to the end.
Philip saith to him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith to him, Have I been so long with you, and hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father: and how sayest thou, Shew us the Father? read more. Believest thou not, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak to you, I speak not of myself; and the Father that dwelleth in me, he doth the works. Believe me, because I am in the Father, and the Father in me; but if not, believe me for the sake of the works.
Hereafter I shall not talk much with with you; for the prince of this world is coming; but he hath nothing in me:
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away; and every one that beareth fruit, he purifieth it, that it may bear more fruit. read more. Now ye are pure thro' the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, so neither can ye, unless ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me and I in him, he beareth much fruit; but, separate from me, ye can do nothing. If any one abide not in me, he is cast out as a branch, and is withered: and they gather and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done for you. Hereby is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit: so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you. Abide ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
yea, is already come, that ye shall be scattered every one to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone; for the Father is with me.
And led him away to Annas first (for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.)
Now Simon Peter followed Jesus, and another disciple. That disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.
Then said Pilate to them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews said to him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
Pilate said to him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest. I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I might bear witness to the truth.
And they smote him on the cheeks.
Upon this Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou release this man, thou art not a friend to Cesar. Whosoever maketh himself a king, opposeth Cesar.
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, That God hath made this Jesus whom ye crucified, both Lord and Christ.
For Moses truly said to the fathers, The Lord your God shall raise you up a prophet of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things, whatsoever he shall say to you. And every soul who will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. read more. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and them that followed, whosoever have spoken, have also foretold these days. Ye are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right-hand of God.
And Philip coming down to a city of Samaria, preached Christ to them.
But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed by the devil; for God was with him.
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed by the devil; for God was with him.
Opening them and evincing, That Christ ought to suffer, and to rise from the dead, and that this is the Christ, even Jesus, whom I declare unto you.
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: read more. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that we might no longer serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. And we believe, that if we are dead with Christ, we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him. For in that he died, he died to sin once for all; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. So reckon ye also yourselves to be dead to sin, and alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Behold your calling brethren: that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world, to shame the wise, and the weak things of the world, to shame the things that are mighty: read more. And the base things of the world, and things that are despised, hath God chosen; yea, things that are not, to bring to nought the things that are; That no flesh may glory before him. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who is made by God unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Then also they who sleep in Christ are perished.
And so it is written, The first Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam is a quickening Spirit.
The first man was from the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; read more. Yet emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above every name, That at the name of Jesus every knee might bow, of those in heaven, and those on earth, and those under the earth: And every tongue might confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord in the glory of God the Father.
Whose coming is after the mighty working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders,
let us hold fast our profession, For we have not an high-priest who cannot sympathize with our infirmities, but who was in all points tempted like as we are: yet without sin.
So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest, but he that said to him, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee.
Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death, and being heard from his fears; Tho' he was a son,
Wherefore he is able also, to save them to the uttermost who come to God thro' him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens:
Therefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou hast not chosen, but a body hast thou prepared for me.
Therefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou hast not chosen, but a body hast thou prepared for me.
Then I said, Lo I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God.
For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
For Christ also once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh,
Seeing then Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind: (for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin) That ye may no longer live the rest of your time in the flesh, to the desire of men, but to the will of God.
For all that is in the world, the desire of the flesh, and the desire of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the desire thereof; but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever.
And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.
And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come the salvation, and the might, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is cast out, who accused them before our God day and night.
And I fell before his feet to worship him: but he saith to me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
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
And Salmon begat Boaz of Rahab, and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth, and Obed begat Jesse; And Jesse begat David the king.
And Jesse begat David the king. And David the king begat Solomon, of the wife of Uriah; And Solomon begat Rehoboam, and Rehoboam begat Abijah, and Abijah begat Asa; read more. And Asa begat Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat begat Jehoram, and Jehoram begat Uzziah; And Uzziah begat Jotham, and Jotham begat Ahaz, and Ahaz begat Hezekiah; And Hezekiah begat Manasseh, and Manasseh begat Amon, and Amon begat Josiah; And Josiah begat Jeconiah and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon. And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begat Salathiel, and Salathiel begat Zerubbabel; And Zerubbabel begat Abiud, and Abiud begat Eliakim, and Eliakim begat Azor; And Azor begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Achim, and Achim begat Eliud; And Eliud begat Eleazar, and Eleazar begat Matthan, and Matthan begat Jacob; And Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations: and from David to the Babylonish captivity are fourteen generations, and from the Babylonish captivity to Christ are fourteen generations. Now the birth of Christ was on this wise: His mother Mary, being espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Now the birth of Christ was on this wise: His mother Mary, being espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and yet not willing to make her a publick example, purposed to put her away privily.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and yet not willing to make her a publick example, purposed to put her away privily. But while he was thinking on these things, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take to thee Mary thy wife; for that which is begotten in her, is of the Holy Ghost.
But while he was thinking on these things, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take to thee Mary thy wife; for that which is begotten in her, is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins. (Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet,
(Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold the virgin shall be with child, and bring forth a Son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which is, being interpreted, God with us.)
saying, Behold the virgin shall be with child, and bring forth a Son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which is, being interpreted, God with us.) Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold wise men came from the East to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and are come to worship him. read more. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him. And having assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he demanded of them, Where the Christ was to be born? And they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou, Bethlehem in the land of Judah, art in no wise the least among the princes of Judah; for out of thee shall come forth a Ruler, who shall feed my people Israel. Then Herod, having privately called the wise men, inquired of them with great exactness, at what time the star appeared: And sending them to Bethlehem, he said, Go, inquire exactly concerning the young child, and if ye find him, bring me word again, that I also may come and worship him. And having heard the king, they departed; and lo the star which they had seen in the East, moved on before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. And seeing the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And being come into the house, they saw the young child, with Mary his mother; and falling down, they worshiped him. And opening their treasures, they presented to him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream, not to return to Herod, they went back into their own country another way. And when they were gone back, behold an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and continue there till I shall tell thee; for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother by night, and retired into Egypt, And continued there till the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod, seeing that he was deluded by the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sending forth, slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the confines thereof, from two years old and under; according to the time which he had exactly inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
While he yet talked to the multitude, behold his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him. And one said to him, Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking to speak to thee. read more. And he answering said to him that told him, Who is my mother, and who are my brethren? And stretching forth his hand toward his disciples he said, Behold my mother and my brethren. For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother and sister and mother.
And Jesus came and spake to them, saying, All power is given me in heaven and in earth. Go ye and disciple all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. read more. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the world.
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God: As it is written in the prophets,
And his relations hearing of it, came out to lay hold on him; for they said, He is beside himself.
Then come his brethren and his mother, and standing without, sent to him, calling him.
And he saith to them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answering saith to him, Thou art the Christ.
What is it which these witness against thee? But he held his peace and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him and said to him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man, sitting on the right-hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.
THE KING OF THE JEWS.
And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God, to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin of the house of David, espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, and the virgin's name was Mary. read more. And the angel coming in to her, said, Hail, thou highly favoured; the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. But she seeing him, was troubled at his saying, and reasoned, what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said to her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob; for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary to the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answering said to her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that Holy thing which shall be born, shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God, nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. And Mary arose in those days, and went with haste into the hill-country, into a city of Judah, And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb: and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost, And cried with a loud voice and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For lo! when the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And happy is she that believed; for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him, from generation to generation. He hath wrought strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things, but sent the rich empty away. He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house. Now Elisabeth's full time came, that she should be delivered, and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and relations heard, that the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. But his mother answering said, Nay, but he shall be called John. And they said to her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, what he would have him called. And asking for a writing-tablet, he wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, praising God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them, and all these things were noised abroad, in all the hill-country of Judea. And all that heard them, laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be? And the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us, in the house of his servant David: As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, who have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant us, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, to serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be a prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, to prepare his ways, To give knowledge of salvation to his people, by the remission of their sins, Thro' the tender mercy of our God, whereby the Day-spring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts, till the day of his being shewn to Israel.
And in those days there went out a decree from Augustus Cesar, that all the world should be inrolled. (Now this first inrolment was made, when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
And there were in the same country shepherds, lying out in the field, and keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo an angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. read more. And the angel said to them, Fear not; for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For to you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign to you; ye shall find the babe, wrapped in swaddling-clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace; goodwill toward men. And when the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us go to Bethlehem, and see this thing which is done, which the Lord hath made known to us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in the manger. And having seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all that heard wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, comparing them together in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them. And when eight days were fulfilled, to circumcise the child, his name was called Jesus, which was named of the angel, before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of purification were fulfilled according to the law of Moses, 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
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
And Jesus was about thirty years of age, when he began his ministry, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, who was the son of Heli,
And he came to Nazareth, where he was brought up; and as his custom was; he went into the synagogue on the sabbath, and stood up to read. And there was delivered to him the book of the prophet Isaiah, and having opened the book, read more. he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me, to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To publish the acceptable year of the Lord. And having closed the book, he gave it again to the servant, and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he said to them, This day is the scripture fulfilled in your ears. And they all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? And he said to them, Ye will surely say to me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself. Whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy own country. And he said, Verily I say to you, No prophet is acceptable in his own country. I tell you of a truth, Many widows were in Israel, in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, while a great famine was thro' all the land. Yet to none of these was Elijah sent, but to Sarepta, a city of Sidon, to a widow. And many lepers were in Israel, in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet none of them was healed, but Naaman the Syrian. And all in the synagogue hearing these things, were filled with fury, And rising up, thrust him out of the city, and brought him to the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, to cast him down headlong. But he passing thro' the midst of them, went away.
And when the time was fulfilled, that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two by two into every place, whither he himself intended to come. And he said to them, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. read more. Go: behold I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry not purse or scrip or shoes, and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. And remain in the same house eating and drinking such things as they have; for the labourer is worthy of his hire: go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick that are therein, and say to them, The kingdom of God is come nigh to you. But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, going out into the streets of it, say, Even the dust of your city which cleaveth to our feet, do we wipe off against you: yet know this, that the kingdom of God is at hand. I say to you, it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city. Wo to thee, Chorazin, wo to thee Bethsaida; for if the mighty works which have been done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which hast been exalted to heaven, shall be thrust down to hell. He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that rejecteth you, rejecteth me; and he that rejecteth me, rejecteth him that sent me. And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject to us thro' thy name. And he said to them, I beheld Satan falling as lightning from heaven. Behold I give ydu power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall in any wise hurt you.
But where are the nine? There are not found to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said to him, Arise and go, thy faith hath saved thee.
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
And as he drew near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, O that thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day the things that are for thy peace. But now they are hid from thine eyes. read more. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and press thee on every side, And shall dash thee against the ground, and thy children, that are in thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another: because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
In the beginning existed the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
And the Word was made flesh, and tabernacled among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth.
Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou raise it up in three days?
And he that saw, hath testified it, and his testimony is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye may believe.
This is the disciple, who testifieth of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did,
Concerning his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord,
But if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband.
I praise you not. For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus the night in which he was betrayed,
let us hold fast our profession, For we have not an high-priest who cannot sympathize with our infirmities, but who was in all points tempted like as we are: yet without sin.
Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death, and being heard from his fears; Tho' he was a son,
For he received honour and glory from God the Father, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, 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
He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith to him, We have found the Messiah (which is, being interpreted the Christ.)
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee, in the days of the inrolment, and drew away much people after him; he also perished, and all who had hearkened to him were dispersed.
And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe on him that was to come after him, that is on 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
beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, The people who walked in darkness, saw a great light, and to them who sat in the region of the shadow of death, light is sprung up.