THE HISTORY OF JESUS CHRIST1. What is the meaning of the name "Jesus"? The name "Jesus" is the name by which the Saviour is preferably known in the Gospels. "Christ" is used as a proper name in the Epistles, but in the Gospels, except in rare instances, such as Matt. 1:1; Mark 1:1; Luke 11:11; John 1:17, there is found not the familiar "Christ" but "The Christ." The later combination of the two names, "Jesus Christ: is found only in John (John 17:3) and after the resurrection (Acts 2:38, 3:6). "Jesus" is the Greek form of the Hebrew name" Jehoshua," or in its abbreviated form "Joshua." Its variants are found in "Jeshua" and "Hoshea." "Jesus" means Deliverer and the divine selection of the name is indicated in Matt. 1:21-"He shall save his people from their sins." 2. In what language did Christ speak? The common language of Palestine at that time was Aramaic, a Syro-Chaldaic dialect. After the Babylonian captivity it supplanted the original Hebrew, although the latter continued in use for ecclesiastical documents. It is reasonable to believe that Christ used the Aramaic, as the people would not have understood him had he spoken any other language. Matthew is commonly believed to have been written in Aramaic and the other three in Greek. The commercial and literary language of the day was Greek. Neither Luke nor John was an uneducated man. Both would be likely to know Greek. Mark, too, as a young Jew of some standing, would probably know the language. History of Jesus Christ continued: 3. What were some of the characteristics of Jesus that made him so worthy of following? He was altogether lovely, Song of Solomon 5:16; holy, righteous, good, faithful, true, just, guileless and sinless, spotless, innocent, harmless (Luke 1:35; Acts 4:27; Is. 53:11; Matt. 19: 16; Is. 11:5; John 1:14; John 7:18; Zec. 9:9; John 5:30; Is. 53:9; I Pet. 2:22; John 8:46; I Pet. 1:19; Matt. 27:4). He was forgiving, Luke 23:34; merciful, Heb. 2:17, and loving, John 13:1, 15:13; compassionate and benevolent, Is. 40:11; Luke 19:41; Matt. 4:23, 24; Acts 10:38. He was meek, lowly in heart; patient, humble and long suffering, Matt. 11:29, 27:14; I Tim. 1:16; Luke 22:27. Though zealous, he was resigned, resisted temptation and was obedient to God the Father, even as he had been subject to his parents in his youth (Luke 2:49, 22:42; John 4:34, 15:10; Luke 2:57). 4. Why is Jesus sometimes called the Son of Man and sometimes the Son of God? It is held that Jesus, in applying to himself the title Son of Man, intended to emphasize his humanity and his representative character. The Jews were looking for a Messiah who wouldraise Israel to the head of the nations; Jesus wished to impress the disciples with the fact that he was representative of the whole human race and not of the Jews only. Then, too, to have spoken openly of himself as the Son of God would have been at once to exasperate the Jews and bring upon himself a charge of blasphemy, as in the end it did (see John 10:36). The title, Son of Man, was not open to that danger, as it was expressive of lowliness, humility and identification with humanity. In using it, however, Jesus did not withdraw his claim to be the Son of God. When the High Priest put him on his oath (see Matt. 26:63-65) he acknowledged that he was the Son of God. More questions and answers about the history of Jesus Christ below! Have you ever wondered about...
...the one who wept, yet dries our tears. The one who grew weary, yet is our rest? Everything you wanted to know about the one who was put to death, yet raises the dead!Click below for more questions and answers about 86. What are some famous Jesus quotes about him by famous men, not known as active Christians? Napoleon Bonaparte expressed the following view of Jesus: "I know men, and I tell you Jesus Christ was not a man. Superficial minds see a resemblance ...
85. How much wine did Jesus make at the wedding feast in Cana?
The only source of information is the Gospel narrative. The Evangelist estimated the capacity of each of the six waterpots at "two or three firkins." 84. When Jesus was in the temple why did he drive the money-changers out? When Jesus drove the money-changers out of the Temple he gave the reason in Matt. 21:13, Mark 11:17. They had profaned and defiled it with their merchandise.... 83. In what sense is Christ "royal"? When Christ said "Follow me," and when he told his disciples that the test of their affection for him was that they keep his commandments, he took a position ... 82. Of what kind of plant was Jesus' crown of thorns made? The crown of thorns which was placed upon the brow of Christ is believed to have been either of the thorny species known as the coppares spinosae, or ...
81. When Jesus was on the cross what were the names of the two thieves who were crucified with him?
The names, as preserved by legend and tradition, vary according to different writers, and there is no absolutely authentic record on the subject.
80. Why was Jesus, though having no property and not engaged in any trade, required to pay taxes!
In Matt. 17:24 we read that the tax collector came to Peter saying: "Doth not your master pay tribute?
79. During the death of Jesus Christ where was his spirit the three days his body lay in the tomb?
There is little in the Scriptures to throw light on the question "Where was the spirit of Jesus during the three days his body lay in the tomb?" 78. Was Simon or Cyrene a white man or a black man? He is believed to have been a native of North Africa, and hence black as was Philip's convert, the Ethiopian eunuch, and Apollos, the great preacher of ...
77. Where were the stable and manger in which Christ was born located?
The account of the humble birthplace of the Saviour in Luke 2:7 is all we know about the immediate surroundings of our Saviour's birthplace. 76. What was the name of the soldier who smote our Lord with his spear? It has been preserved to us by tradition as Longinus, a Roman. The tradition still further adds that the spear was brought by Joseph of Arimathea to King ... 75. While on earth did Jesus at any time suffer from sickness? That Christ was wearied we know from the inspired record of his life. There is no such record of his being sick at any time. In Matt. 8:17, Revised Version,... 74. Did the child Jesus attend school as an ordinary boy? Of the first thirty years of his life little is recorded beyond the incident of his visit to Jerusalem with Joseph and Mary, when he was twelve years ...
73. What was the origin of the custom of releasing a prisoner at the Feast as mentioned in Matthew 27:15?
There is no mention of the practice in secular history, but it is easy to see how it may have arisen. 72. Was there any real virtue In the waters of the Pool of Siloam, or was it a superstition? In the account in John's Gospel, fifth chapter, it is made clear that there was a popular belief that the pool possessed certain healing qualities at ...
71. Were the Old Testament prophecies respecting Christ fulfilled!
Yes, as will be seen by comparing the following passages: 70. Were there any miracles of Jesus during his childhood! The Evangelists pass over the boyhood of Jesus with the simple remark that his obedience, intelligence and piety won the affections of all who knew him ...
69. Why was no contemporaneous record made of the public ministry of Jesus?
Doubtless the thought has occurred to many that it is somewhat remarkable that no contemporaneous record was made of the public ministry of Jesus. 68. Why is so much stress laid on the Lord's Supper and so little on foot-washing? Because people have come to hold the spirit in more reverence than the letter. In Christ's time foot washing was a common act of hospitality performed ... 67. What became of Lazarus and the son of the widow of Nain after they were resurrected? There is no authentic record. According to an old tradition, mentioned in Epiphanius, Lazarus, who was thirty years old when he was restored to life, lived ... 66. Was there a Roman census of Judea during the birth of Jesus Christ? The passage in Luke 2:1-3, which was formerly so frequently quoted by a certain class of Bible critics as a "blunder" on the part of the Gospel historian,... 65. What would be the present value of the thirty pieces of sliver for which Judas betrayed the Saviour? The thirty shekels of silver, it is estimated, would equal about $20 of our money, a shekel being worth about 62 cents. Thirty shekels equaled 120 denarii,... 64. At what meal did Jesus institute the Lord's Supper? There has been much discussion concerning the meal at which the Lord's Supper was instituted, as to whether it was the Paschal supper, according to the ... 63. Who was Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus, our Lord? There are many traditions concerning Joseph, the foster-father of the Saviour. One that is generally accepted by early Christian writers is that he was ... 62. Did God ever speak to Jesus as he did to Moses, Abraham, Jacob and others? At the baptism the Father said to Jesus: "Thou art my beloved Son. In thee I am well pleased" (Luke 3:22; Mark 1:11). The utterances at the Transfiguration ...
61. Concerning Jesus Mary Joseph is it possible to harmonize the two genealogies of Christ given respectively by Matthew and Luke?
Many efforts have been made to do so and several hypotheses have been suggested which are reasonable.
60. Is there pardon possible for Jesus' executioners?
Jesus' words, "Father, forgive them; they know not what they do," were spoken as his executioners were completing their dread task. 59. Was Jesus on earth and in heaven at the same time? The passage in John 3:13 is to be taken in connection with the immediately preceding verse. Jesus had told his hearers of earthly things and they believed ... 58. What was the purpose of Christ's forty days fasting? It was immediately after his baptism by John that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. He had just received the outward acknowledgment of his ... 57. Did Jesus gain by experience? In becoming man Christ voluntarily subjected himself to certain human limitations. He was made in all things like unto his brethren and yet without sin.... 56. Of the Jesus disciples who was regarded by the Lord as his foremost? John was called the "disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23, 21:7 and 21:20). The Saviour commended Mary to the keeping of John, while he hung on the cross ... 55. Is there any way of reconciling an apparent discrepancy at the crucifixion, Matthew and Mark speak of both thieves reviling Christ, while Luke speaks of one thief reproving the other for doing it? Augustine and others who have dealt with the subject (for the difficulty was considered centuries ago) contend that the penitent thief did not revile ... 54. Were the Jews, or were the Romans, responsible for Jesus death? At that particular time the Jews were not allowed to inflict the death penalty. Afterward, as in the case of Stephen, they did inflict it, and they carried ... 53. How was Jesus' childhood spent? All we know of the childhood of Jesus is what the Scripture relates. There are, however, various traditional writings on the subject, more or less apocryphal,...
52. What text of Scripture may be presented as the most definite and powerful assertion of the Diety of Christ?
In John 10:30 Christ says: "I and my Father are one." This is his own unqualified assertion of his oneness with the Father. 51. In what sense can the Jesus family tree be regarded as descended from David? You will notice that there is a divergence in the lists of his ancestors, as given by Matthew and Luke. Matthew gives Joseph's father as Jacob (Matt. 1:...
50. What evidence is there outside of the Bible of the existence of Jesus Christ?
A number of the most eminent historians, both Jewish and Roman, mention Jesus in their writings. 49. Was baby Jesus an ordinary baby, or did he know all things? It is difficult if not impossible to comprehend the union of the divine and the human in Christ's nature. He could not have been an ordinary babe, as the ... 48. Why do artists represent Jesus and his disciples in a sitting posture at the institution of the Lord's Supper when all sacred writers say it was customary in those days to recline at the table? Artistic conceptions have certainly varied greatly in the treatment of this subject. Some painters have apparently discarded Oriental forms and customs,... 47. What did Jesus look like, is there any authentic portrait of Christ in existence? Perhaps the oldest and supposedly the most authentic is a cameo, said to have been cut in the reign of Tiberius, but it may not now be in existence. The ... 46. Was the ascension of Jesus in human form? The visible resurrection was essential as a demonstration of his victory over death. The facts of the ascension are so well authenticated in numerous ... 45. Why did Jesus after his resurrection say, "Touch me not"? The crown of his life-work was not yet complete. He had to ascend to the Father into the REAL Holy of holies in heaven to offer his blood, once and for ... 44. Why did the soldiers cast lots for Christ's garment? When the soldiers cast lot for the Saviour's garment (John 19:24) they had no design to fulfill a prediction of the Old Testament. They had probably never ... 43. Did Jesus die of a broken heart? That is the opinion of many who have written on the subject, physicians included. It is certain that the crucifixion did not kill him, as that was a death ...
42. How long was Jesus in the grave?
In Matthew 12:40 he said that he would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The passage has long perplexed Biblical students. 41. In what body did Jesus appear after the resurrection? The language of Luke 24:39 is clear and explicit. The resurrection body proved that Jesus was "the Son of God with power" in taking to himself the same ... 40. Where did Christ get the garments which he wore when he appeared to Mary on resurrection morn? The question has often been asked, but never satisfactorily answered. We must conclude, in the absence of any Scriptural statement about the garments, that ... 39. How many appearances are recorded after Jesus resurrection? Twelve. (1). Mark 16:9-11; John 20:11-l8; (2). Matt. 28:8-10; Mark 16:8; Luke 24:9-11; (3). Luke 24:34; (4). Mark 16:12, 13; Luke 24:13-35; [(5)... 38. Could Christ actually have come down from the cross? Christ had done many miracles, as when he healed the blind, stilled the storm and raised the dead. His remark to Peter (Matt. 26:53) that his Father would ...
37. With Jesus before Pilate could Pilate have done other than condemn Jesus to death?
Yes, as Pilate told Jesus (John 19:10), he had power to release him. His difficulty lay in his own bad record. 36. What became of Pontius Pilate after he judged Jesus? There are various legends and traditions concerning Pilate's further history. The Acta Pilati, an apocryphal work still extant, contains some of these....
35. Who were the more guilty of Christ's death, the Jews or the Romans?
Both were guilty, although the onus of the malevolent persecution of Christ rests with the Jews. 34. Jesus carrying the cross was he happy or sorrowful? We cannot suppose so, although some have held that, because he was doing the Father's will, therefore he must have been happy even in the midst of suffering.... 33. At what hour was Jesus crucified? Mark says (15:25) it was about the third hour, or, as we should say, nine o'clock. Again, the sixth hour is referred to by three of the evangelists (Matt....
32. How many hours was Jesus on the cross?
It is uncertain how long Jesus lived after he was nailed to the cross. At the longest it could not have been more than six hours. 31. Why was the inscription "The King of the Jews" used on the cross? From the fact that the evangelists give us three different forms for the inscription over the cross it has been argued that they were not accurate in their ...
30. Was the pain of the Jesus crucifixion physical or mental?
Pain is a difficult thing to measure. The sorrow of Jesus will always be one of the awe-inspiring, baffling events of the world story. 29. Who was the "certain young man" of Mark 14:51? There has been much speculation as to who this young man was. It has been suggested by some commentators, perhaps rightly, that inasmuch as he is mentioned ... 28. How did the sleeping disciples know the words of Jesus praying in the garden? One of the functions of the Holy Spirit was to bring all things to the remembrance or knowledge of the Apostles. Though the Evangelists record most fully ... 27. What was the value of the thirty pieces of silver that Judas received? The pieces of silver were probably shekels. The value of the whole sum in our modern reckoning was about eighteen dollars. Zechariah had predicted the ... 26. Was Judas at the institution with Jesus last supper? It is doubtful whether Judas was present at the institution of the Lord's Supper. He was present at the foot-washing and at the early part of the feast,... 25. What prayer did our Saviour offer at the last supper? The words Jesus employed are not recorded, but the blessing pronounced may have been that which was customarily asked by the head of the household at ...
24. Were there two different anointments by two different Marys, Mary of Bethany and Mary Magdalene?
There have been many conflicting interpretations of the Scripture narrative concerning Mary of Bethany and the woman spoken of in Luke 7:37. 23. In what kind of a body did Moses appear at the transfiguration of Jesus? Probably the spiritual body, to which Paul refers (I Cor. 15:44). It is difficult for us to conceive of such a body because we are so accustomed to recognize ... 22. What became of the nine lepers who did not return after being cleansed? The inference to be drawn from the Gospel narrative (Luke 17:11-19) is that the nine, being healed merely in body, were so elated and overjoyed with their ... 21. Did Satan own the kingdoms which he offered in the temptation? No; Satan did not own them. But it is still true that they were in his hands to offer to Christ; he had usurped them. At Creation, Man was placed in the ... 20. Could Jesus sin? The Christian Church has always held that Christ was absolutely free from sin. This is in accordance with the explicit teachings of Scripture, which states ...
19. Was Jesus really tempted as we are?
Unquestionably he submitted to all the liabilities of the human condition; we are told expressly that he "was in all things as we are."
18. Did Christ sing any hymns?
While there is no record of such a thing, in Scripture, or anywhere else, it does not seem improbable. See the passage in Matt. 26:30 and Mark 14:26. 17. What was the first Jesus teaching? Luke tells us (Luke 3:23) that Jesus was about thirty years of age when he began his ministry. During his sojourn in Galilee (chap. 4, v. 14) he had already ... 16. Did Christ make wine at the Cana feast or was it grape juice? The fact that the ruler of the feast pronounced the miraculous wine "the best," showed that it was really wine, but we are not justified in concluding ... 15. Why was there a Jesus baptism? The Saviour evidently ranked baptism as one of the acts inseparable from his Messianic calling (see John 1:31). By being publicly baptized he entered into ... 14. As God, how could Jesus be weary, hungry and thirsty? In his divinity, no; but in his humanity he could be all of these. Scripture tells us that in his human aspect he was "in all things as we are." What ... 13. Why is Christ described as a high priest after the order of Melchizedek? The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews, whether Paul or some other person, was showing the superiority of Christianity to Judaism. It too had its priest ... 12. How old was Jesus when he began to understand the nature of his mission? Although one cannot trace with any degree of precision the various stages of development of the consciousness of his mission, it is evident from the Gospel ... 11. How could Jesus, being already perfect, increase in wisdom? The statement in Luke 2:52 is explicit and there is no reason for doubting it. Jesus was subject to human conditions and limitations so far as the divine ... 10. Did the parents of our Lord take him after his birth to Jerusalem or to Egypt? According to some, the accounts in Matthew and in Luke do not agree. But there is really no discrepancy. After the birth of Jesus, the parents remained ... 9. Is there a rational explanation of the Star of Bethlehem? There was a remarkable conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn about that time, which must have been a very brilliant spectacle, and which would be very impressive ... 8. Who were the brothers of Jesus? The brethren of Jesus are named in the New Testament as James, Joses, Simon and Judas. In Matt. 12:46; Matt. 13:55; John 2:12, and Acts 1:14 they are generally ... 7. Is there a real conflict in the genealogy of Jesus Christ? The purpose of publishing the Saviour's genealogy was to show that he had descended from David. If the genealogy of Mary had been given, it would have ... 6. When was Jesus born? In the year 1 or in 5 B.C.? As we are told in the Gospels that Herod was living and slaughtered the children after Jesus was born (see Matt. 2:16), and as it is claimed by chronologists ... 5. Does the doctrine of Jesus' divinity depend on the miraculous conception? Even if the doctrine of the miraculous conception were abandoned, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to account for the facts of Christ's life, by ... Return from History of Jesus Christ to howtotouchgod.com
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