Notes on Jesus
From Flavius Josephus,
Flavius Josephus became a Pharisee at 19. He at one time was commander of the Jewish forces in Galilee. Captured by the Romans he was attached to their headquarters where he served as an historian. He lived from 37AD to 100AD.
Josephus wrote,
“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ, and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first, did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians so named from him are not extinct at this day.”
Flavius Josephus
Here is proof of Jesus outside the Bible. Josephus even hints that he was the Christ, the Messiah. Attributing to him “ten thousand...wonderful things”
Now I know that there are many people out there who deny Jesus even existed and don’t believe the account of Josephus. That doesn’t bother me. The fact is people can believe anything they want about Jesus. It doesn’t mean they are right.
Julian the Apostate, Roman emperor from 361AD to 363AD one of the fiercest foes of Christianity in his a work against Christianity wrote,
“Jesus…has now been celebrated about three hundred years having done nothing in his lifetime worthy of fame, unless anyone thinks it is a very great work to heal lame and blind people and exorcise demoniacs in the villages of Bethsaida and Bethany.”
At the end of his life however Julian wrote,
“Thou has conquered, O Galilean!”
I believe firmly that Jesus is the Son of God the Saviour of mankind. That He is the way to heaven. I am convinced because I have read the Bible with a critical eye, looking for truth about Jesus.
I have read reports outside the Bible about Jesus. These are reports, at times from opponents of Christianity. These reports that have strengthened by belief.
I like what Napoleon wrote about Jesus he said,
"You speak of Caesar, of Alexander, of their conquests and of the enthusiasm which they enkindled in the hearts of their soldiers; but can you conceive of a dead man making conquests, with an army faithful and entirely devoted to his memory? My armies have forgotten me even while living, as the Carthaginian army forgot Hannibal. Such is our power.”
“I know men and I tell you, Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour, millions would die for him.”
“I search in vain history to find similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel. Neither history nor humanity, nor ages, nor nature, offer me anything with which I am able to compare it or to explain it. Here everything is extraordinary.”
Napoleon Bonaparte,
C. S. Lewis made an important comment about Christianity when he said,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
C. S. Lewis
The gospel of John records this interaction between Martha the sister of Lazarus and Jesus,
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes Lord” she told Him, “I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world,
John 11:25,26.
This is the question every person confronted with the life of Jesus must make.
Thus the question to you the reader is do you believe Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, the Saviour of mankind.
Please think about it.
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