Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#006633" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="001d6c00ddvuru.jpg"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B>Walmer Baptist Church</B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Arial" >    </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > |     </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Walmer Baptist Church"><U><U><IMG SRC="01a581f0.gif" border=0 width="88" height="31" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></U></A></FONT></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ</div> <div> Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Can the Bible be trusted? Have the Bible texts been corrupted? How do we know Jesus of Nazareth really existed? These are valid questions. The answer can be found through a process called textual criticism.</B></div> <div> <B>Textual Criticism</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>Textual criticism is a series of three tests historians use to discern whether or not an historical document is reliable.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Test 1. The date the documents were written, their origin, and the condition of the manuscripts.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Test 2. The character of the writers.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Test 3. The content of the documents.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The following are all historical documents accepted by historians as irrefutable history.</B></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="715" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 33 WIDTH="156"><div> <B>Work</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> <B>Date Written</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> <B>Earliest Copy</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> <B>Time Span Since First Written</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <B>Number of Copies</B></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="156"><div> Herodutus</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> 488-482 BC</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> AD 900</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> 1,300 years</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="142"><div> 8</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="156"><div> Thucydides</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> 460-400 BC</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> AD 900</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> 1,300 years</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="142"><div> 8</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="156"><div> Tacitus</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> AD 100</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> AD 1100</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> 1,000 years</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="142"><div> 20</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> Caesar's Galic wars</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> 58-50 BC</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> AD 900</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> 950 years</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="142"><div> 9</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> Livy's Roman History</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> 59 BC - AD 17</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> AD 900</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><div> 900 years</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="142"><div> 20</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="156"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="156" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="129" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="129" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="129"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="129" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="142"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="142" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>No serious scholar or historian doubts the authenticity of the above historical accounts despite the large time gap and relatively few manuscripts. Using the same standard, let us lool at the New Testament.</B></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="690" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 33 WIDTH="146"><div> <B>Work</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="124"><div> <B>Date Written</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="124"><div> <B>Earliest Copy</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="124"><div> <B>Time Span Since First Written</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <B>Number of Copies</B></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 75 ><NOBR><div> The New Testament</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="124"><div> AD40-100</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="124"><div> AD 130 Fragments<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> AD 350 Full Manuscripts</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="124"><div> 300 years</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="142"><div> 5,000 + Greek<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> 10,000 Latin<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> 9,300 Others<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Total 24,300</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>Conclusion</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>The evidence of the reliability of the New Testament as an historical account of the life of Jesus of Nazareth and the early Christian Church when compared to other historical documents us unapproachable. In addition both Jewish and Roman historians wrote about Jesus of Nazareth. The Issue is, who is Jesus of Nazareth.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Who is Jesus of Nazareth?</B></div> <div> <B>He was fully human, a man</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>He had a body, got tired and hungry like us all. He experienced learning, working, obeying and the various emotions we all have.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>He said unusual things about Himself</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>That he was God.... John 14:9</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>That He could forgive sins.... Mark 2:5</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>That He would one day judge every human being for the life they have lived....Mathew 25:31-32</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>He asked people to</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Come to me".... Mathew 11:28-29</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Follow me".... Mark 2:5</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>"Receive me as Lord".... Mathew 10:40</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>C.S.Lewis a famous author wrote, "A man who was just a man and said the sort of things that jesus said wouldn't be a great moral teacher, he'd be either a lunatic - on a level with a man who say's he's a poached egg - or else he'd be the devil of hell. You must make your choice, Jesus was who He said He was, or a liar or much more."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>What proof did Jesus offer to back His claims?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>His teaching was practical and even marvelled at today</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>He did many miracles</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>His own character</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>He fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies, many of which He had no human control over such as the </B></div> <div> <B>place of his birth, Bethlehem.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>He conquered death on a cross by being raised to life.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="0547c950.jpg" border=0 width="124" height="149" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Is the Resurrection account of Jesus reliable?</B></div> <div> <B>Surely he just passed out on the cross?</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>No, the Romans were experts in death. They made sure Jesus was dead by thrusting a spear in His side.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Well then His friends must have stolen the body from the tomb.</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>No, the tomb was guarded by Roman soldiers who fled at the appearance of angelic beings who stepped through the door from another dimension.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Romans must have stolen his body and made up the story.</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <B>No, because if they had when the disciples of Jesus claimed He was alive the Romans would have produced His body to prove them wrong.</B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="055efad0.jpg" border=0 width="239" height="173" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Effect of the Resurrection</B></div> <div> <B>550+ people saw Jesus on 11 different occasions over a six week period after His death and resurrection.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Christian Church grew rapidly and the followers of Christ increased.</B></div> <div> <B>People today, experience the same Jesus when their lives are touched by His power.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The Choice is Yours</B></div> <div> <B>The New Testament is a reliable historical document. It teaches us the history of Christ. </B></div> <div> <B>Through it Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, calls you to come to Him, to follow Him, to receive Him as Lord. Jesus of Nazareth is either a madman, thought he was God, but wasn't.</B></div> <div> <B>Or, Jesus of Nazareth is a badman, knew He wasn't God and was out to con people.</B></div> <div> <B>Or, Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, God come to us as a human being, one of us, a man, to teach us how to know Him and follow Him.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The choice is ours to make as human beings. The choice is yours to make.</B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Cross of Christ"><U><B><IMG SRC="018581f0.gif" border=0 width="88" height="31" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Christianity"><U><B><IMG SRC="019581f0.gif" border=0 width="88" height="31" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Walmer Baptist Church"><U><B><IMG SRC="01a581f0.gif" border=0 width="88" height="31" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>