28/05/12

The Historical and Deity Jesus

Luke 24:24 - And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.


Among all mankind there is no person who has influenced mankind like one person by the name Jesus. Even those who are not His followers acknowledge Him on one way or another in their life.

The Gregorian calendar which is followed throughout the world is divided on the life of Jesus. The words used to denote dates BC and AD are connected to Jesus Christ. Among all religious or spiritual figureheads none have made an impact on mankind like Jesus did.

Among all religions worldwide the top 2 are Christianity and Islam, and their human figureheads being Jesus Christ and Mohammed. Jesus was such an impact that even the second acknowledged the first, even though the first directly warned about not following the second or anyone else.

No one can deny Jesus as being a perfect person, many tried to defame His character with lies but over time all of them got exposed one after the other.

The one factor of Him that sets Him apart from all others is His death and resurrection. No person or religious figurehead who has claimed to be a Man of God or God man has been able to achieve victory over death like Jesus did. This factor was one factor that shook all those who lived during the times of Jesus so much so that in the first 10 years after His death we have many people from various parts of the world who wrote on this event. Even though some tried to distort the truth but yet they acknowledged the fact that on the third day after Jesus died His body was missing from the tomb in which it was kept. Roman historical records confirm the fear of the Jews and Romans that the disciples of Jesus would take His body after His death and create a conspiracy thus the tomb was sealed with a large stone and not only that, guards were posted outside it.

As per the traditions of the Egyptians followed by the Jews in certain parts of Israel on the third day they would come back to the tomb and perform the final rites to the body and it was when they went to do this that they found that the tomb was empty (they would place coins on the eyes of the body which was a Egyptian pagan practice).

This factor has shaken each and every person even though they are not followers of Jesus. Mohammed knowing this factor would write him off denied Jesus' crucifixion in the Quran saying Jesus was neither crucified nor resurrected but was taken up by 'Allah' (Surah 4:157-158). About someone else being a substitute (namely Judas Iscariot) was later conceptualised not by Mohammed but many, many years later when people mostly Muslims started seriously taking up the fact of the death and resurrection of Jesus. What is funny in the Quran one place out of fear Mohammed denies Jesus' died and resurrected but at the same time in many places acknowledges Jesus would die and be resurrected by 'Allah' (Surah 19:15, 33). In one place Mohammed quotes (according to him) the words of the just born infant Jesus stating His death and resurrection. Mohammed states Jesus as Prophet (Man of God) then later makes him a liar by denying the words of the Prophet Jesus; the same way he does stating Jesus as Christ, Word of God or Messiah.

Lately a few years back a person named Sathya Sai Baba who claimed he was god incarnated and Jesus in the flesh; when he died all his followers waited for many days to see if he resurrected like Jesus did. The town where he operated from was always full of foreigners but after his death when this man failed to resurrect this town has become like a ghost town with no foreigners visiting it.

No prophet or godman or religious figurehead has been able to put their words to action of being someone exceptional to be followed like Jesus did with the one factor of His victory over His death by His resurrection. And the Word of God states the Power behind this task was the Holy Spirit. This message was given to me yesterday being Pentecost but I was very disappointed in the way the Church here in Mumbai did not take the most important feast for Christians seriously and so I was not in a frame of mind to send it.

Jesus was God who humbled Himself and came as man. Without the Power of the Holy Spirit working in His life even He would not have succeeded to be the cornerstone for all mankind to be born without blemish and remain without blemish. It was this fact that He was without sin (which is also acknowledged in the Quran) that caused Hell (He went there since our sins were on Him) not to hold Him back and thus resurrect.

Jesus by His life as man showed us the necessity of the Holy Spirit in our lives so let us also make the Spirit of God as the most important part of our lives, without Him we too will not be Christians like Jesus could not be Christ without Him.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, we thank You for Jesus who became a worthy sacrifice to make us worthy to receive your Spirit. Lord, You have said it is only by the working of your Spirit in us that will allow us to be truly saved, not just saved from going to hell but will enable us to enter Heaven. Holy Spirit we need You more today than ever. Unite us as one body in our Lord with one mind and one understanding, work in us as You did with Jesus and make us a success like You did with Him. We know we too will rise like He did only by your Power...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 10:8-10
8 All that ever came (is in Aorist tense which is past, present and future at the same time) before (word also means ever) me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Luke 1:35 - And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God.

Acts 1:8-9
8 But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Philippians 3:8-11
8 Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ,
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith:
10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death;
11 if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead.

(Since a sister insisted on me quoting from the Quran to prove my comments on Islam, since many Muslim friends are reading my messages thus I am quoting scriptures from the Quran - I may not do this every time since it would make my already long messages longer and most scriptures in the Quran contradict themselves so we need to quote not just one like in the Bible)

Surah 4:157-158
157 That they said in boast, "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of Allah"; — ut they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no certain knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not: —
158 Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise; —

Surah 3: 55 Behold! Allah said: "O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee of the falsehoods of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee superior to those who reject faith, to the Day of Resurrection: Then shall ye all return unto me, and I will judge between you of the matters wherein ye dispute."

Surah 19:15 - So Peace on him the day he was born, the day that he dies, and the day that he will be raised up to life again! (the word again was added in the later translation and was not there in the original Arabic - Pickthall translations)

Surah 19:27-33
27 At length she brought the babe to her people, carrying him in her arms. They said: "O Mary! Truly an amazing thing hast thou brought!"
28 "O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!"
29 But she pointed to the babe. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?"
30 He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet";
31 "And He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live";
32 "He hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable";
33 "So Peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life again!"

Surah 43:61-63
61 And Jesus shall be a Sign for the coming of the Hour of Judgment: Therefore have no doubt about the Hour, but follow ye Me: This is a Straight Way. 62 Let not the Evil One hinder you: For he is to you an enemy avowed.
63 When Jesus came with Clear Signs, he said: "Now have I come to you with Wisdom, and in order to make clear to you some of the points on which ye dispute: Therefore fear Allah and obey me.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)