Tag: jesus

The following are early extra-biblical references to Jesus and/or Christians by non-Christian writers (in some cases, Christian writers are quoting non-Christian writers' references to Jesus). Quotes are copied from the accompanying links, unless otherwise noted. Within the text of the article, auth...

Matthew is the only gospel writer who uses the term “Kingdom of Heaven.” This is probably because Matthew wrote for a Jewish audience, for whom heaven is a euphemism for God. It is a way of speaking indirectly, and thus deferentially and respectfully. Matthew informs us that “Kingdom of Heaven” mean...

About a half-century ago, there was a spate of movies in which the heroine spent the whole time dying of a mysterious, but fatal illness. The primary symptom of this disease was swooning at dramatic moments and lounging around on pillows. The sufferer kept her good looks and her valiant attitude to ...

The death of Jesus Christ was an act of obedience to God the Father's plan of salvation.John 10:18 Christ did not bleed to death on the cross, but He dismissed His own spirit. Luke 23:46; Matt. 27:50; John 19:30 His death was substitutionary. 1 Pet. 3:18; Rom. 5:6-8; John 10:11 His death was payment...

But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. He prayed to the LORD, “O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from send...

See Mark 6:1-6 and Matthew 13:54-58 When I was in elementary school, I remember when all the kids in the neighborhood got together and put on a show. We rigged up a curtain of sorts by hanging an old bedspread in a screened porch, and arranged folding chairs for the audience. Then we practiced a sma...

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.—Hebrews 13:8, NIV I have isolated this rather remarkable statement in Hebrews in order to examine its ramifications. ‘Jesus’ is the same thing as ‘Christ.’ Within the New Testament, the word ‘Christ’ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew wor...

Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against thi...

The Romans were a polytheistic people, and they worshipped many gods. However, they were also tolerant of other religions, and they allowed the Jews to practice their own religion. This was important for the development of Christianity, as it allowed Jesus to spread his message without fear of perse...

Lord, I want to be like Jesus,In my heart, in my heart…Lord, I want to be like Jesus,In my heart. Just about every one of us with even a smattering of a church background has sung this song, probably while holding hands in a circle; possibly around a campfire in a summer camp. But in order to be lik...

After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to him, “You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you...

If you love me, you will obey what I command.—John 14:15, NIV How sad it is to be the kid who studied the wrong chapter for the final exam! Has it ever happened to you? When it is over, you make the unsettling discovery that everyone else thought the exam was easy, even though you found it quite dif...