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.
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she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for He will save His people from their sins.
which our fathers receiving, brought in along with Joshua in the dispossession of the nations, whom God drove out, from the face of our fathers, until the days of David,
And having gone through the whole island to Paphos, they found a certain man, a magician, a Jewish false prophet, to whom was the name of Bar-Jesus:
of whom are the fathers, and of whom is Christ according to the flesh. Who is over all, God blessed forever: amen.
and Jesus, called Justus, who being of the circumcision: these are my only fellow-laborers in the kingdom of God, who have been made a comfort to me.
For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not speak concerning another day after these things.
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
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she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for He will save His people from their sins.
Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and have come to worship Him-
And having come into the house they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and having fallen down they worshiped Him, and opening their treasures they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
and was there until the death of Herod: in order that the Word, having been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, might be fulfilled, saying; Out of Egypt have I called my son.
And John continued to forbid Him saying, I have need to be baptized by thee, and comest thou unto me?
And John continued to forbid Him saying, I have need to be baptized by thee, and comest thou unto me? And Jesus responding said to him; Suffer it now; for thus it is becoming us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffers Him. read more. And Jesus having been baptized, came up straightway from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened and He saw the Spirit of God, descending like a dove, coming on Him.
And Jesus having been baptized, came up straightway from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened and He saw the Spirit of God, descending like a dove, coming on Him. And behold, a voice from the heavens, saying; This is my beloved Son in whom I delight.
Then Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Spirit, to be tempted by the devil.
And the tempter having come to Him, said; If thou art the Son of God, speak in order that these stones may become bread.
Then the devil takes Him into the holy city and stood Him on the pinnacle of the temple,
And Jesus having heard that John was cast into prison, departed into Galilee. And having left Nazareth, having come into Capernaum, by the seaside, in the borders of Zabulon and Naphtali, He dwelt there; read more. in order that the word having been spoken by Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, Thou land Zabulon and land Naphtali, way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people sitting in darkness saw a great light, and to those sitting in the valley and shadow of death, light sprang up. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent; for the kingdom of the heavens draweth nigh.
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent; for the kingdom of the heavens draweth nigh. And He walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting their net into the sea; for they were fishers. read more. And He says to them, Follow after me, and I will make you fishers of men. And immediately, having left their nets, they followed Him. And going forth from thence, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. And immediately having left the ship and their father, they followed Him.
for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
And He having come into Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, entreating Him,
And Jesus having come into the house of Peter, saw his mother-in-law prostrated and burning with fever.
in order that the word spoken by Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, He took our infirmities, and carried our sicknesses. And Jesus seeing the multitudes about Him, gave command to go away to the other side.
And He says to them, Why are you afraid, O ye of little faith? Then having arisen, He rebuked the wind and the sea; and there was a great calm.
Two demoniacs met Him, having come to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, coming out from the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one was able to pass through that way.
And having embarked into the ship, He crossed over, and came into His own city.
And when they may persecute you in this city, fly to another: for truly I say unto you, You may not complete the cities of Israel, until the Son of man may come.
said to Him, Art thou He who is coming, or must we expect another?
And Jesus having known it departed thence: and many multitudes followed him, and he healed them all. And He charged them much that they should not make Him known. read more. In order that the word spoken by Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, Behold, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved in whom my soul took delight: I will place my Spirit upon Him, and He will proclaim judgment to the Gentiles. He will not strive, nor scream, nor shall any one hear His voice in the streets. The bruised reed He will not break, and He will not quench the smoking wick, until He may send forth judgment unto victory.
And the Pharisees hearing, said, This man casts not out demons, except through Beelzebul the prince of the demons.
And the Pharisees hearing, said, This man casts not out demons, except through Beelzebul the prince of the demons.
On that day Jesus having come out from the house, was sitting by the sea:
And Simon Peter responding said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
And turning He said to Peter, Get behind me, adversary: thou art my stumbling-block; because thou art not thinking about the things of God, but those of men.
And the ten hearing were indignant concerning the two brothers. But Jesus calling them to Him, said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles domineer over them, and the great ones exercise authority over them. read more. It shall not be so among you; but whosoever may wish to be great among you, shall be your servant; and whosoever may wish to be first among you, shall be your slave: as the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His soul a ransom for many.
as the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His soul a ransom for many. And they going out from Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. read more. And behold, two blind men sitting by the wayside, hearing that Jesus is passing by, cried out, saying; Have mercy on us, O son of David. And the multitude rebuked them, that they should keep silent. And they cried out the more, saying; Have mercy on us, O Lord, son of David.
And the multitude rebuked them, that they should keep silent. And they cried out the more, saying; Have mercy on us, O Lord, son of David. Jesus standing, called them, and said, What do you wish that I shall do unto you?
Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh, meek, and seated upon a donkey, even a colt, the progeny of the work-beast.
And Jesus came into the temple of God, and cast out all the buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money-exchangers, and the seats of those selling the doves;
saying, What seems to you concerning the Christ? whose son is He? They say to Him, Of David.
saying, What seems to you concerning the Christ? whose son is He? They say to Him, Of David. He says to them, How then does David in the Spirit call Him Lord, saying,
He says to them, How then does David in the Spirit call Him Lord, saying, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I may make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet?
The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I may make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet? Then if David calls Him Lord, how is He his son?
Then if David calls Him Lord, how is He his son?
Therefore I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: you will kill and crucify some of them; and will scourge some of them in your synagogues, and will persecute them from city to city;
for false Christs and false prophets will rise up, and give great signs and wonders; so as to deceive even the elect, if possible.
Jesus says to him, Thou didst say it. Moreover I say unto you, that, Hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself: if thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross.
And immediately the Spirit casts Him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels continued to minister unto Him. read more. After that John was cast into prison, Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
After that John was cast into prison, Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, That the time is fulfilled: the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe the gospel.
and saying, That the time is fulfilled: the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe the gospel. And walking by the sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting their net in the sea: for they were fishers. read more. Jesus said to them, Come after me, and I will make you to be fishers of men. And immediately, having left their nets, they followed Him. And going forth thence a little, He saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, themselves also in a ship mending their nets, and immediately He called them. And having left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired hands, they departed after Him.
and immediately He called them. And having left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired hands, they departed after Him.
saying, Let me alone; what is there to us and thee, thou Jesus, the Nazarene? You have come to destroy us; I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
And it being evening, when the sun went down, they were carrying to Him all the sick and demonized; and the whole city was gathered to the door. read more. And He healed many who were afflicted with various diseases, and He cast out many demons; and did not suffer the demons to speak, because they knew Him.
And He healed many who were afflicted with various diseases, and He cast out many demons; and did not suffer the demons to speak, because they knew Him. And in the morning, exceedingly early, while it was yet night, having arisen up He came out, and went away into a desert place, and was praying there.
And again He having come into Capernaum during those days; and it was heard that He was in the house.
And certain ones of the scribes were sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
And Jesus immediately knowing in His spirit that they are thus reasoning among themselves, said to them, Why do you thus reason in your hearts?
And passing along, he saw Levi, the son of Alpheus sitting at the toll, and says to him, Follow me. And rising up, he followed Him. And it came to pass, while He was sitting at the table in his house, and many publicans and sinners were sitting along with Jesus and his disciples: for they were many, and they followed Him. read more. And the scribes and Pharisees, seeing Him eating with the publicans and sinners, were saying to His disciples, Why does He eat and drink with publicans and sinners? Jesus hearing, says to them, They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
and crying with a loud voice, he says, What is there to me and to thee, O Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee in the name of God, that you may not torment me.
The apostles return to Jesus, and related unto Him all things, even so many as they did, and so many as they taught. And He said to them, Come ye privately into a desert place, and rest a little while. For many were coming and going, neither had they leisure even to eat. read more. And they came away into a desert place privately in a ship. And the multitudes saw them going, and many recognized them, and they ran together thither on foot from many cities, and came before them and came together to Him. And Jesus having come out saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion in their behalf, because they were as sheep having no shepherd: and He began to teach them many things. And already the hour being late, His disciples coming to Him, say, That it is a desert place, and the hour is already late: send them away, that having gone into the surrounding country and the villages, they may purchase for themselves bread: for they have not what they may eat. And responding He said to them, You give to them to eat. And they say to Him, Having gone away must we purchase the loaves of two hundred denaria, and give them to eat?
it seemed good to me also, having followed carefully all things from the beginning, to write unto thee consecutively, O most noble Theophilus,
He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there shall be no end.
And the angel responding said to her; The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore, indeed, that holy thing that is begotten shall be called the Son of God.
And the shepherds were in that country, tenting out and keeping guard over their flock by night. And behold an angel of the Lord stood over them and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they feared with great fear. read more. And the angel said to them; Fear not; for behold, I preach unto you the gospel of great joy, which shall be to all people; because this day a Savior is born unto you, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be the sign unto you; you shall find an infant lying in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. And immediately a multitude of the heavenly host was with the angel, praising God and saying; Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth; good will among men. And it came to pass, when the angels departed from them into heaven, indeed, the shepherds said to one another; Now let us go unto Bethlehem and see this word which has taken place, which the Lord made known to us. They went making haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. And seeing, they made known concerning the word which was spoken to them about this little child. And all hearing wondered concerning the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.
And the child continued to grow and waxed strong in spirit, being full of wisdom; and the grace of God was on Him.
And He said to them, Why were you seeking after me? Did you not know that it behooved me to be in the affairs of my Father?
And He said to them, Why were you seeking after me? Did you not know that it behooved me to be in the affairs of my Father?
And Jesus continued to grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and men.
And Jesus continued to grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and men.
and the Holy Spirit in bodily appearance like a dove descended on Him; and there was a voice from heaven, saying; Thou art my beloved Son, I am delighted in Thee.
And Jesus responding said to him; It has been 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 the fame concerning Him went throughout the whole country. And He was teaching in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
And He was teaching in their synagogues, being glorified by all. And He came into Nazareth, where He was brought up: and according to the custom to Him, He came into the synagogue on the Sabbath-day, and stood up to read.
And He came into Nazareth, where He was brought up: and according to the custom to Him, He came into the synagogue on the Sabbath-day, and stood up to read. And the Book of Isaiah the prophet was given to Him; and having opened the book, He found the place where it was written, read more. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor: hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim deliverance to the captives, and sight to the blind, and to set at liberty them that are bruised, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. And having closed the book, and giving it back to the officer, He sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on Him. And He began to say to them; This day has this Scripture been fulfilled in your ears.
and He having passed through the midst of them went away.
And in the synagogue there was a man having a spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried with a great voice, saying, Let me alone; what is there to us and to thee, O Jesus the Nazarene? Hast thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. read more. Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be silent and come out from him; and the demon having thrown him down in the midst came out from him, not having injured him. And fear came upon them all, and they were talking together to one another, saying, What word is this? because with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out. And the report concerning Him was going out into every place in the surrounding country, Having arisen up from the synagogue, He came into the house of Simon. And the mother-in-law of Simon was afflicted with a great fever; and they asked Him concerning her. And He, standing over her, rebuked the fever; and dismissed it; and immediately, having stood up, she continued to minister unto them. And the sun having gone down, all so many as had people afflicted with various diseases continued to lead them to Him; and He having put His hands on each one of them, healed them. And the demons continued to go out from many, crying, and saying, Thou art the Christ, the Son of God. And rebuking them, He did not suffer them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ.
And it came to pass, while the multitude is pressing on Him to hear the word of God, and He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret;
And it came to pass, while the multitude is pressing on Him to hear the word of God, and He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; and He saw two ships standing by the lake: the fishermen, having gone from them, were washing their nets. read more. And having come into one of the ships, which belonged to Simon, He asked him to lead out a little from the land, and sitting down He was teaching the multitudes from the ship. When He ceased speaking He said to Simon, Lead out into the deep, and spread your nets for a draught. And Simon responding said to Him, Master, having toiled all night, we caught nothing: but at thy word I will spread the net. And having done this, they caught a great multitude of fishes; and their net was breaking; and they beckoned to their comrades in another ship, having come to assist them, And they came, and filled both ships, so as to sink them.
and they beckoned to their comrades in another ship, having come to assist them, And they came, and filled both ships, so as to sink them. And Simon Peter, seeing, fell down at the knees of Jesus, saying; Depart from me, Lord, because I am a sinful man, read more. For fear took hold of him, and all of those with him, at the draught of fishes which they received. And likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were companions to Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, Fear not; from now you shall be catching men.
And He was in one of the cities, and was teaching; and there were many Pharisees and theologians, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
And their scribes and the Pharisees were murmuring to His disciples, saying, Wherefore do you eat and drink with publicans and, sinners?
And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into the mountain to pray; and was there through the night in the prayer of God.
And He said to them, But whom do you say that I am? And Peter responding said, The Christ of God.
And it came to pass while He was praying, the appearance of His countenance was changed, and His raiment shining white.
And it came to pass while the days of His taking up were being fulfilled, and He turned His face to go to Jerusalem,
Therefore the wisdom of God said, I will send unto them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will slay and persecute.
Agonize to enter in through the narrow gate: because many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and will not be able.
And they were indeed bringing the infants to Him, that He should touch them: but the disciples seeing rebuked them. And Jesus calling them to Him, said, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. read more. Truly I say unto you, whosoever may not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, can not enter into it.
And speaking these things, He was journeying before them, going up to Jerusalem.
And an angel from heaven appeared unto Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony He continued to pray the more earnestly. And His sweat was like drops of blood falling down upon the ground.
And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And Jesus responding said, Hold on until this: and touching his ear, healed him.
And Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, I find nothing criminal in this man.
And Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing. And dividing His garments, they were casting the lots. The people stood looking: and the rulers were even mocking with themselves, saying, He saved others; let Him save Himself, if He is the Christ, the elect of God.
But the other one responding, rebuked him saying, Do you not fear God, because you are in the same condemnation? and we indeed justly; for we are receiving the deservings of the things we did: but this one has done nothing amiss. read more. And he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou mayest come in thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him, Truly I say unto thee, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.
And the centurion seeing that which took place, glorified God, saying, Surely this was a righteous man.
Did it not behoove Christ to suffer, and to enter into His glory?
And He said to them, These are my words which I spoke to you, being still with you, that it behooves all things which have been written concerning me in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the Psalms, to be fulfilled. Then He opened their mind, that they might understand the Scriptures. read more. And He said to them, As it has been written, That Christ must suffer, and rise from the dead on the third day;
In the beginning was 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 nothing was made, that has been made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of the men. And the light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man having been sent from God, whose name was John; The same came for a witness, that he might bear witness concerning the light, in order that all through him might believe. He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness concerning the light. That was the true light, which lighteth every man, coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But so many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become the children of God, to those believing on His name: who were born not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. The Word was made flesh, and tented among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten with the Father), full of grace and truth. John beareth witness concerning Him, and cried out saying; This is He of whom I spoke, He that cometh after me has been before me: because He was my Creator. And of His fullness we all received grace upon grace. Because the law was given by Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only begotten Son, the one being in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared him.
These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
And I did not know Him, but in order that He may be made manifest to Israel, on this account I came baptizing with water. And John testified saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and remained on Him.
And John testified saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and remained on Him. And I did not know Him, but the One having sent me to baptize with water, He said to me, On whom you may see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, He is the one baptizing with the Holy Ghost.
And I did not know Him, but the One having sent me to baptize with water, He said to me, On whom you may see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, He is the one baptizing with the Holy Ghost.
On the following day he wished to depart into Galilee, and he finds Philip. And Jesus says to him; Follow me.
Philip finds Nathanael and says to him, We have found Him, of whom Moses and the prophets, in the law, did write, Jesus the son of Joseph, who is from Nazareth.
Nathanael responded, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, the King of Israel.
Nathanael responded, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, the King of Israel.
On the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
And the passover of the Jews were nigh, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Then the Jews responded and said to Him, What sign do you show us, because you do these things? Jesus responded and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will rear it up. read more. Then the Jews said, Forty and six years was this temple being built, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the Judean country; and there He was tarrying with them and baptizing. And John was also baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there were many waters there: and they came and baptized. read more. For John was not yet cast into prison.
For John was not yet cast into prison. And there was a disputation of the disciples of John, concerning purifying. read more. And they came to John, and said to him, Rabbi, He who is with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou hast borne witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all are coming to Him.
For whom God sent speaketh the words of God: for He does not give His spirit by measure.
Thus when the Lord knew when the Pharisees heard that Jesus is making and baptizing more disciples than John
Thus when the Lord knew when the Pharisees heard that Jesus is making and baptizing more disciples than John (truly Jesus himself was not baptizing, but His disciples),
(truly Jesus himself was not baptizing, but His disciples), He left Judea and came again into Galilee.
He left Judea and came again into Galilee. And it behooved Him to go through Samaria. read more. Then He comes into a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the place which Jacob gave to his son Joseph. And the well of Jacob was there. Then Jesus having become weary from the journey, was sitting thus by the well: it was about the sixth hour. A woman comes from Samaria to draw water. Jesus says to her, Give me to drink. For His disciples had gone into the city, that they might purchase food. A Samaritan woman says to Him, How do you, being a Jew, ask to drink from me, being a Samaritan woman? And Jesus responded and said to her, If you knew the gift of God, and the one who is speaking to you, Give me to drink; you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water. The woman says to Him, Sir, thou hast no windlass, and the well is deep: whence hast thou living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and himself and his sons, and his herds, drank of it? Jesus responded and said to her, Every one drinking of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever may drink of the water that I shall give to him shall never thirst; but the water which I shall give to him shall be in him a well of water springing up unto eternal life. Then the woman says to Him, Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come hither to draw. He says to her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman responded and said, I have no husband. Jesus says to her, Well didst thou say, I have no husband: for thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: thou hast spoken this truly. The woman says to Him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshiped in this mountain; and you say, that in Jerusalem is the place where it behooveth to worship. Jesus says to her, Believe me, woman, that the hour cometh, you will worship the Father neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem. You worship, you know not what: we worship that which we know: because salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such worshiping Him. God is a Spirit, and it behooveth those who worship Him to worship in spirit and in truth. The woman says to Him, I know that Messiah cometh (who is called Christ): when He may come, He will proclaim to us all things. Jesus says to her, I who speak to thee am He. And at this time His disciples came, and were wondering because He was speaking with the woman; no one said, What seekest thou? or, Why do you speak with her? Then the woman left her waterpot, and went away into the city, and says to the men, Come hither, see the man who told me all things which I did: Is not He the Christ? They came out from the city, and came to Him. Meanwhile His disciples were asking Him, saying, Master eat. He said to them, I have meat to eat, which you know not. Then His disciples were speaking to one another, Whether has any one brought Him something to eat? Jesus says to them, My food is that I may do the will of Him that sent me, and finish His work. Do you not say, That it is yet four months, and the harvest cometh? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes and see the fields, because they are white unto the harvest
Do you not say, That it is yet four months, and the harvest cometh? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes and see the fields, because they are white unto the harvest already. He that reapeth receiveth reward, and gathereth fruit unto eternal life; in order that both the sower and the reaper may rejoice together. read more. For in this the word is true, that there is one sowing, and another reaping. I have sent you to reap that upon which you have never labored: others have labored, and you have entered into their labor. But many of the Samaritans from that city believed on Him through the word of the woman, testifying that, He told me all things which I did. Then when the Samaritans came to Him they asked Him to abide with them: and He remained there two days: and many more believed on Him through His word; and they continued to say to the woman, We no longer believe through your talk; for we have heard and we know that He is truly the Savior of the world. And after two days He departed thence into Galilee.
Then He came again into Cana of Galilee, where He turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royalist, whose son was sick in Capernaum;
Then Jesus said to him, Unless you may see signs and wonders, you can not believe.
After these things was the feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up into Jerusalem.
After these things was the feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up into Jerusalem.
After these things was the feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up into Jerusalem.
After these things was the feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up into Jerusalem. And there is a pool at the sheep-market, called in Hebrew Bethzatha, having five porches.
And there is a pool at the sheep-market, called in Hebrew Bethzatha, having five porches. In them a multitude of the sick, blind, lame, withered, were lying down.
In them a multitude of the sick, blind, lame, withered, were lying down. OMITTED TEXT
OMITTED TEXT And a certain man was there, being thirty-eight years in his infirmity;
And a certain man was there, being thirty-eight years in his infirmity; Jesus seeing him lying down, and knowing that he already has much time, says to him; Do you wish to be whole?
Jesus seeing him lying down, and knowing that he already has much time, says to him; Do you wish to be whole? The sick man responded to Him, Lord, I have no man that may put me in the pool, when the water may be troubled: and while I come, another goes down before me.
The sick man responded to Him, Lord, I have no man that may put me in the pool, when the water may be troubled: and while I come, another goes down before me. And Jesus says to him, Arise, take thy bed, and walk about.
And Jesus says to him, Arise, take thy bed, and walk about. And the man was made whole, and he took up his bed and continued to walk about. And it was the Sabbath on that day.
And the man was made whole, and he took up his bed and continued to walk about. And it was the Sabbath on that day. Then the Jews were saying to the healed man, It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
Then the Jews were saying to the healed man, It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He responded to them, the one having made me whole, He said to me, Take thy bed, and walk about. read more. They asked him, Who is the man who said to thee, Take thy bed, and walk about? And the sick man did not know who He is: for Jesus went out, the crowd being in the place. And after these things, Jesus finds him in the temple, and said to him, Behold, thou hast been made whole: sin no more, lest something worse may come on thee. And the man departed, and said to the Jews, that Jesus is the one having made him whole. And on account of this the Jews continued to persecute Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. And He responded to them, My Father worketh until now, and I work. Therefore the Jews the more sought to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but said that God was His Father, making himself equal to God. Then Jesus responded and said to them, Truly, truly, I say unto you, The Son is not able to do anything Himself, unless He may see the Father doing it: for whatsoever He may do, the Son likewise also doeth the same.
But I have a testimony greater than that of John: for the works that the Father hath given me that I may perfect them, these works which I do, testify concerning me, that the Father hath sent me.
How are you able to believe, receiving glory from one another, and do not seek the glory which is with God only?
After these things Jesus went beyond the Sea of Galilee, of Tiberias.
And the passover, the feast of the Jews, was nigh.
we have believed and we know that thou art the Holy One of God.
After these things Jesus walked about in Galilee: for He was not willing to walk about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.
After these things Jesus walked about in Galilee: for He was not willing to walk about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.
Then His brothers said to Him; Depart hence, and go into Judea; in order that thy disciples shall see thy works which thou art doing. For no one does anything in secret, and Himself seeks to be public. If thou doest these things, show thyself to the world.
He that speaketh from himself seeketh his own glory: he that seeketh the glory of Him that sent Him, the same is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
And many from the multitude believed on Him; and continued to say, When Christ may come, will He do more miracles than this one is doing?
And on the last great day of the feast, Jesus stood and continued to cry out, saying, If any one thirst, let him come and drink.
OMITTED TEXT
OMITTED TEXT Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world: the one following me can not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of the life.
You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
Truly the One having sent me is with me; He has not left me alone; because I always do those things which are pleasing to Him.
And it was the feast of dedication in Jerusalem: and it was winter; and Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon's porch.
If thou art the Christ, tell us openly. Jesus responded, I told you, and you do not believe: the works which I do in the name of my Father, these testify concerning me.
I and the Father are one. Again the Jews took up stones, that they might stone Him. read more. Jesus responded to them, I have shown unto you many beautiful works from the Father; on account of which of these do you stone me? The Jews responded to Him, We do not stone Thee for good work, but for blasphemy; because Thou, being a man, art making Thyself God.
If I do, believe not me, believe the works: that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.
Father, glorify thy name. Then a voice came from heaven, I have indeed glorified thee, and will glorify thee again.
And before the feast of the passover, Jesus knowing that the hour has come when He must depart out of this world to His Father, having loved His own who were in the world, with divine love, He loved them perfectly.
Philip says to Him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus says to Him, Am I so long time with you, and hast thou not known me, Philip? The one having seen me hath seen the Father: how do you say, Show us the Father? read more. Dost thou not believe, that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me? The words which I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father who abideth in me doeth His own works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or if not, believe for the sake of the works themselves.
I shall no longer speak many things with you, because the prince of the world comes: and he has nothing in me;
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me not producing fruit, He takes it away: and every one producing fruit, He purifies it, that it may produce more fruit. read more. So ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch is not able to produce fruit of itself, unless it may abide in the vine; so you are not able, unless you may abide in me. I am the vine, and ye are the branches. The one abiding in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit: because you are not able to do anything without me. If any one may not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch, and withered; and they gather it, and cast it into the fire, and it is burnt. If you may abide in me, and my words may abide in you, ask whatsoever you may wish, and it shall be done unto you. In this my Father is glorified, that you may bear much fruit; and ye shall be my disciples. As the Father loved me, I also loved you: abide in my love. If you may keep my commandments, abide in my love; as I have kept the commandments of my Father, and I abide in His love.
Behold, the hour cometh, and is already come, that you must be scattered abroad, each one to his own place, and leave me alone: I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
And they led Him first to Annas; for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.
And Simon Peter and the other disciples followed Jesus. And that disciple was known to the high priest, and came with Jesus into the court of the high priest.
Then Pilate said to them. You take Him, and judge Him according to your law. Then the Jews said to him, It is not lawful for us to kill any one.
Then Pilate said to Him, Then, art thou not a king? Jesus responded, Thou says that I am king. Unto this I was born, and unto this I have come into the world, in order that I may bear witness to the truth. Every one being of the truth hears my voice.
and came to Him and continued to say, Hail, King of the Jews! and they gave Him slaps.
After this Pilate still sought to release Him: but the Jews continued to cry out, saying, If you release Him, you are not the friend of Caesar: every one making himself king speaks against Caesar.
Then let all the house of Israel assuredly know that God hath made this same Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Moses indeed said; The Lord our God will raise up to you from your brethren a prophet like unto me; Him you will hear concerning all things so many as he may speak to you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul whosoever will not hear that prophet, shall be cut off from the people. read more. And indeed all the prophets from Samuel and consecutively, so many as spoke, also proclaimed these days. Ye are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, In thy seed shall the families of the earth be truly blessed.
and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
and Philip, having gone down to the city of Samaria, was preaching Christ to them,
And Saul continued to be the more filled up with dynamite, and he was confounding the Jews dwelling in Damascus, proving that Jesus is the Christ.
Jesus, the one from Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Ghost and power: who went about doing good, and healing all oppressed by the devil: because God is with Him.
Jesus, the one from Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Ghost and power: who went about doing good, and healing all oppressed by the devil: because God is with Him.
opening and proving, that it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead, and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is the Christ.
Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death: in order that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so must we also walk in newness of life. For if we have grown together in the likeness of His death, we shall also be in the likeness of his resurrection: read more. knowing this, that our old man is crucified along with him, in order that the body of sin may be destroyed, that we may no longer serve sin; for the one having died has been made free from sin. But if we died along with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him: knowing that Christ having risen from the dead dies no more; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death that he died, he died unto sin once: but the life that he lives, he lives unto God. So you also thus reckon yourselves dead unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ.
For you see your calling, brethren, that there are not many wise according to the flesh, not many influential, not many high-born: but God has chosen the foolish things of the world, that he may confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world, that he may confound the strong; read more. and God has chosen the base-born of the world, and those of no reputation, the things which are not, that He may set at nought the things which are, in order that no flesh can boast in the sight of God. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God was made unto us wisdom, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption: in order that, as it has been written, Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord.
Then indeed those having fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
As indeed it has been written; The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last man Adam, a life-creating spirit.
The first man was from the earth, earthy: the second man from heaven.
Think the same thing among yourselves, which is also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not usurpation to be equal with God, read more. but he humbled himself, having taken the form of a servant, being in the likeness of men; and having been found in fashion like a man; he humbled himself, being obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross. Therefore God has indeed exalted him, and given him a name above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee must bow, of things in heaven and things upon the earth and things beneath the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, unto the glory of God the Father.
whose coming is according to the energy of Satan in all power and signs and wonders of falsehood,
For we have not a high priest who is not able to be touched with our infirmities; but one having been tempted as to all things like unto us, apart from sin.
Likewise Christ also did not glorify himself to become a high priest, but the one having spoken to him, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee:
Who in the days of his flesh, having with strong crying and tears offered up both prayers and supplications unto him who is able to save him from death, and having been heard on account of his piety,
wherefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those coming unto God through him, ever living to intercede for them. For such a high priest was indeed appropriate unto us, holy, free from sin, undefiled, having been separated from the sinners, and being higher than the heavens;
Therefore, coming into the world, he says; Sacrifice an offering thou willest not, but thou hast perfected for me a body:
Therefore, coming into the world, he says; Sacrifice an offering thou willest not, but thou hast perfected for me a body:
then I said, Lo, I come in the volume of the Book it has been written of me to do thy will, O God.
For by one offering he has forever perfected the sanctified.
Because Christ indeed once died for our sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, indeed being put to death in the flesh, but quickened in spirit:
Therefore Christ having suffered in the flesh, you also arm yourselves with the same mind: because the one having suffered in carnality has ceased from sin; that he may no longer live the remaining time in carnality according to the lusts of men, but in the will of God.
because this is all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, which is not of the Father, but is of the world. The world and its lust are indeed passing away; but the one doing the will of God abides forever.
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in the heaven, saying, The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and his Christ; and he will reign until the ages of the ages.
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in the heaven, saying, The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and his Christ; and he will reign until the ages of the ages.
And I heard a great voice in the heaven saying, Now has come salvation, and power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: because the accuser of our brethren, the one accusing them before our God day and night, is cast out.
And I fell down before his feet to worship him. And he says to me; See that you do it not: I am your fellow-servant, and one of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
I Jesus sent my angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and offspring of David, the bright and morning-star.
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 Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; and Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her who was the wife of Uriah;
and Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her who was the wife of Uriah; and Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; read more. and Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; Joram begat Hozias; Hozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; Achaz begat Hezekiah; and Hezekiah begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josiah; and Josiah begat Jechonias and his brothers in the captivity of Babylon. And after the captivity of Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorababbel; Zorababbel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; and Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Acheim; Acheim begat Eliud; and Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, from whom Jesus, who is called Christ, was born. Therefore all the generations from Abraham unto David are fourteen generations; from David unto the captivity of Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the captivity of Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. The birth of Jesus Christ was thus: His mother Mary, having been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, was found having gestation from the Holy Ghost.
The birth of Jesus Christ was thus: His mother Mary, having been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, was found having gestation from the Holy Ghost. And Joseph her husband, being righteous and not wishing to expose her publicly, determined to send her away secretly.
And Joseph her husband, being righteous and not wishing to expose her publicly, determined to send her away secretly. And he meditating on these things, behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying; Joseph, son of David, do not fear to receive Mary thy wife; for that which is begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit;
And he meditating on these things, behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying; Joseph, son of David, do not fear to receive Mary thy wife; for that which is begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit; she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for He will save His people from their sins.
she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for He will save His people from their sins. And all this took place in order that the Word, having been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, might be fulfilled, saying;
And all this took place in order that the Word, having been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, might be fulfilled, saying; Behold, the virgin shall have gestation and bring forth a son, and they will call his name Emmanuel, which is interpreted, God is with us.
Behold, the virgin shall have gestation and bring forth a son, and they will call his name Emmanuel, which is interpreted, God is with us. And Joseph rising from sleep did as the angel of the Lord commanded him;
Jesus having been born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came into Jerusalem saying; Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and have come to worship Him- read more. And Herod the king having heard, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him, and gathering together all the chief priests and scribes, inquired with them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it has been written by the prophet; And thou, Bethlehem, the land of Judea, art by no means the least among the princes of Judah; for out of thee shall come a leader, who will shepherd my people, Israel. Then Herod secretly calling the wise men, inquired with them the time of the appearing of the star, and sending them to Bethlehem he said; Having gone search diligently for the young child; and when you may find Him, notify me, in order that I, having gone, may worship Him also. And hearing the king they departed, and, behold, the star which they saw in the east went before them, until having come, it stood above where the young child was. And seeing the star they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And having come into the house they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and having fallen down they worshiped Him, and opening their treasures they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed into their own country by another way. And they having gone away, behold, the angel of the Lord appears in a dream to Joseph, saying; Having arisen, take the young child and His mother, and fly into Egypt; and be thou there until I may speak to thee; for Herod is about to seek the young child in order to destroy Him. And having arisen, he took with him the young child and His mother by night and departed into Egypt; and was there until the death of Herod: in order that the Word, having been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, might be fulfilled, saying; Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod, seeing that he was mocked by the wise men, became exceedingly angry; and having sent forth, he slew all the boys in Bethlehem and in all its boundaries, from two years old and under, according to the time which he inquired with the wise men. Then the word having been spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying: A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and weeping and great mourning; Rachel weeping for her children; and was not willing to be comforted, because they are not.
And He yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and His brothers stood without, seeking to speak to Him. And a certain one said to Him; Behold, thy mother and thy brothers stand without, seeking to speak to thee. read more. And He responding said to the one speaking to Him; Who is my mother, and who are my brothers? And reaching forth His hand to His disciples, He said, Behold my mother and my brothers! For whosoever may do the will of my Father who is in the heavens, the same is my brother, and my sister, and my mother.
And Jesus having come spoke to them, saying, All authority is given unto me in heaven and upon earth. Going, disciple all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost: read more. teaching them to observe all things which I commanded you. And lo, I am with you all the days, unto the end of the age.
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
And those along with Him hearing came out to arrest Him: for they continued to say, He is beside Himself.
And His mother and His brothers come; and standing without, sent to Him, calling Him.
And He asked them, Whom do you say that I am? And Peter responding says to Him, Thou art the Christ.
And He was silent, and answered nothing: again the high priest asked Him, and says to Him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
And the superscription of His accusation was written over Him, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, to which was the name Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man, to whom was the name Joseph of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary. read more. And the angel having come to her said; Hail, thou blessed one; the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women. And she seeing was troubled over his word, and was reasoning what kind this salutation might be. And the angel said to her; Fear not, Mary; for thou didst find favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive and hear a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said to the angel; How shall this be, since I know not man? And the angel responding said to her; The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore, indeed, that holy thing that is begotten shall be called the Son of God. And behold Elizabeth thy kinswoman, indeed, herself having conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month, to her who is called barren. Because no word shall be impossible with God. And Mary said; Behold the handmaiden of the Lord; may it be done unto me according to thy word. And the angel went away from her. And Mary, rising, departed into the mountainous land, with haste, into a city of Judah. And she came into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant in her womb leaped; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit; and she spoke 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 may come unto me? For behold when the voice of your salutation came into my ears, the infant in my womb leaped with joy. And blessed is she that believeth, because there shall be a perfection to those things having been spoken to her by the Lord. And Mary said; My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, because He looked upon the low state of his handmaiden. For behold from now all generations call me blessed; because the Mighty One did great things unto me, and His name is holy; and His mercy unto generation of generations to them that fear Him. He wrought power by his own arm; he dispersed the proud in the thought of their heart. He cast down the mighty from thrones and exalted the humble. He filled the poor with good things, and sent away the rich empty. He delivered his son Israel, to remember mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever. And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her own house. And the time of her parturition was fulfilled unto Elizabeth and she brought forth a son. And the neighbors and her relatives heard, that the Lord was magnifying His mercy with her, and they continued to rejoice with her. And it came to pass on the eighth day, they came to circumcise the little child; and they were calling him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother responding said; No, but he shall be called John. And they said to her; That there is no one among thy kindred who is called by this name. And they were beckoning to his father, what he might wish to call him. And having asked for a writing tablet, he wrote saying; His name is John. And all marveled. And his mouth immediately opened and his tongue loosed, and he continued to speak, praising God. And fear came upon all of those dwelling around; and all these words were spoken abroad in all the mountainous regions of Judea. And all those hearing placed them in their heart, saying; What then shall this little child be? And the hand of the Lord was with him. And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied saying; Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because He looked upon us and wrought redemption to His people, and raised up unto us a horn of salvation in the house of David His son. As he spoke through the mouth of His holy prophets from the beginning; salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all those who hate us, to execute mercy with our fathers, and remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to Abraham our father: to grant unto us, having been 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, little child, shall be called 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 in remission of their sins, through the bowels of mercy of our God, in which the dayspring from on high looked upon us, to appear unto those sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet in the way of peace. And the little child continued to grow and waxed strong in spirit; and was in the deserts until the day of his showing unto Israel.
It came to pass in those days, a decree went out from Augustus Caesar, to enroll all the world. This was the first enrollment, Cyrenius being governor of Syria.
And the shepherds were in that country, tenting out and keeping guard over their flock by night. And behold an angel of the Lord stood over them and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they feared with great fear. read more. And the angel said to them; Fear not; for behold, I preach unto you the gospel of great joy, which shall be to all people; because this day a Savior is born unto you, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be the sign unto you; you shall find an infant lying in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. And immediately a multitude of the heavenly host was with the angel, praising God and saying; Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth; good will among men. And it came to pass, when the angels departed from them into heaven, indeed, the shepherds said to one another; Now let us go unto Bethlehem and see this word which has taken place, which the Lord made known to us. They went making haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. And seeing, they made known concerning the word which was spoken to them about this little child. And all hearing wondered concerning the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these words laying them up in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all things which they heard and saw, as it was spoken to them. And when the eight days of circumcising Him were fulfilled, and His name was called Jesus, having been called by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. And when the days of their purification were fulfilled, according to the law of Moses, they carried him up into Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord, as it was written in the law of the Lord; That every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;
And in the fifteenth year in the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother, tetrarch of Ituria and the Trachonitis country, and Lusanius tetrarch of Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas
And in the fifteenth year in the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother, tetrarch of Ituria and the Trachonitis country, and Lusanius tetrarch of Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas
And Jesus was beginning to be about thirty years old, being as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli,
And He came into Nazareth, where He was brought up: and according to the custom to Him, He came into the synagogue on the Sabbath-day, and stood up to read. And the Book of Isaiah the prophet was given to Him; and having opened the book, He found the place where it was written, read more. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor: hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim deliverance to the captives, and sight to the blind, and to set at liberty them that are bruised, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. And having closed the book, and giving it back to the officer, He sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on Him. And He began to say to them; This day has this Scripture been fulfilled in your ears. And they all continued to witness to Him, and wonder at the words of grace proceeding out from His mouth: and say, Is not this the son of Joseph? And He said to them, You truly speak to me this parable, Physician, heal thyself: so many things as we heard having been done in Capernaum, do also here in thy own country. And He said, Truly I say unto you, that no prophet is acceptable in his own country. And in truth I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah. When the heaven was shut up three years and six months, how the famine was great over all the land; and Elijah was sent to none of them, except to a widow woman in Sarepta of Sidon. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha; and none of them were cleansed except Naaman the Syrian. And all in the synagogue, hearing these things, were filled with wrath. And rising up, they cast Him out of the city, and were leading Him to the brink of the mountain on which their city was built, to hurl Him down; and He having passed through the midst of them went away.
And it came to pass while the days of His taking up were being fulfilled, and He turned His face to go to Jerusalem,
After these things the Lord chose seventy others also, and sent them out two by two before His face, into every place and city, where He was about to come. And He said to them, The harvest is indeed great, but the laborers are few: therefore pray you the Lord of the harvest, that He may send forth laborers into His harvest. read more. Go: behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves. Take neither purse, nor valise, nor sandals: salute no one by the way. Into whatsoever house you may enter, first say, Peace be unto this house. And if the son of peace may be there, your peace shall rest upon it: but if not, it shall return unto you. Abide in the same house, eating and drinking those things which are with them: for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. Into whatsoever city you may enter and they may receive you, eat those things which are placed by you: and heal the sick who are in it, and say to them, The kingdom of God has come nigh unto you. And into whatsoever city you may enter, and they may not receive you, having come out into the streets of the same, say, Even the dust from your city, that cleaveth to our feet, do we wipe off against you: but know this, that the kingdom of God is at hand. For I say unto you, that it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works which were wrought in you had been in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting down in sackcloth and ashes. Moreover it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. And thou, Capernaum, art thou not exalted up to heaven? thou shalt be cast down to Hades. He that heareth you heareth me; 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 demons are subordinated to us in thy name. And He said to them, I saw Satan having fallen as the lightning from heaven. Behold I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. Moreover do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in the heavens.
Where are the nine? And they were not found returning to give thanks to God, except this one foreigner. And He said to him, having arisen, go: thy faith hath saved thee.
I say unto you, He went down to his house justified rather than the other: because every one exalting himself shall be abased; and the one humbling himself shall be exalted.
And when He drew near, seeing the city He wept over it, saying, If thou indeed hadst known, truly in this thy day, the things appertaining to thy peace! but now they are hidden from thy eyes. read more. Because the days will come upon thee, and thine enemies will cast a fortification about thee, and surround thee, and press in on thee from all directions, and will slay thee, and thy children in thee; and will leave in thee not a stone upon a stone; because thou hast not known the time of thy visitation.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The Word was made flesh, and tented among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten with the Father), full of grace and truth.
Then the Jews said, Forty and six years was this temple being built, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
And He having seen hath testified, and his testimony is true: and he knows that he speaks the truth, that you also may believe.
This is the disciple witnessing concerning these things, and having written the same: and we know that his testimony is true.
concerning his Son, having been born of the seed of David according to the flesh;
(but if indeed she may depart, let her remain unmarried, or let her be reconciled unto her husband); and that the husband shall not send away the wife.
For I received this from the Lord, which I have also delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the night in which he was betrayed, took bread,
For we have not a high priest who is not able to be touched with our infirmities; but one having been tempted as to all things like unto us, apart from sin.
Who in the days of his flesh, having with strong crying and tears offered up both prayers and supplications unto him who is able to save him from death, and having been heard on account of his piety,
For having received from God the Father the honor and glory of such a voice having been borne to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
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.)
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said to Him, Art thou He who is coming, or must we expect another?
he first finds his own brother Simon, and says to him, We have found Messiah, which is being interpreted, Christ.
After him Judas the Galilean arose, in the days of the enrollment, and led the people after him; he also perished, and all, so many as confided in him, were scattered abroad.
And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on the one coming after him, that is 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,
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the people sitting in darkness saw a great light, and to those sitting in the valley and shadow of death, light sprang up.