ARE THE CLAIMS ABOUT JESUS TRUE?
Chapter 8
THE EMPTY TOMB
A very strong evidence of Jesus deity is the historical fact of the empty tomb. Many have disputed that He escaped the tomb saying the disciples were confused and went to the wrong tomb. Others claimed they lied. Others presented the "swoon theory" that claims He didn't die but simply fainted and later revived and walked away.
The Roman guards claimed the disciples stole his body. As for the report that the disciples stole Jesus body while the Roman guards slept – it has several large holes; the first is that Roman guards did not sleep on duty unless they wanted to be executed. Another is how disciples lacking courage to be present for Jesus trial and crucifixion found courage to steal His body just hours later.
As for the idea that he was not dead when he was taken from the cross - it is ludicrous. First we know that a Roman soldier plunged a spear into his side and pericardial fluid and blood were released from the wound. Additionally the Roman soldiers would never have allowed a person's body to be removed until they were absolutely certain they were dead. Such an offense could have resulted in their own death.
Finally, if the report of the guards sleeping while Jesus body was stolen were true the Jewish leaders would have demanded that the guards be punished and the guards would certainly have been executed and the disciples arrested and tried - but they weren’t. Although many have been inclined to question and even strongly dispute the evidence for the empty tomb of Jesus, the evidence is really quite strong and has survived both the contemporary and historical tests of skeptics over the ages.
For more detail on this issue see the Contemporary Test under Historical Evidence above.
PROPHECIES FULFILLED BY JESUS:*
One of the greatest proofs that Jesus was who He claimed to be is the number of Messianic prophecies fulfilled by his birth, life, death and resurrection. A few of these prophecies are listed below:
Virgin Birth:
Prophecy:
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Isa. 7:14; NKJV (italics mine).
Fulfillment:
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Matt 1:18-19; NKJV. (italics mine).
Born in Bethlehem:
Prophecy:
"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting. " Mic. 5:2; NKJV (italics mine).
Fulfillment:
Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. Luke 2:4-6; NKJV.(italics mine).
Tribe of Judah and Line of David:
Prophecy: ' Behold, the days are coming,' says the LORD, 'that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah:
15 'In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David A Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. 16 In those days Judah will be saved, And Jerusalem will dwell safely. And this is the name by which he will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.' Jer. 33:14-16; NKJV (italics mine).
Fulfillment:
Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." Luke 1:29-33; NKJV (italics mine).
A Messenger Announced His Coming:
Prophecy:
3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
"Prepare the way of the LORD; Isa 40:3; NKJV (italics mine).
Fulfillment:
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 As it is written in the Prophets:
"Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You."
3 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
'Prepare the way of the LORD;
Make His paths straight.'"
Fulfillment:
4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Mark 1:5; NKJV. (italics mine).
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29-30; NKJV (italics mine).
Triumphal Entry Riding a Donkey:
Prophecy:
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey. Zech. 9:9; NKJV (italics mine).
Fulfillment:
The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:
"Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' The King of Israel!" 14 Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:
15 "Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey's colt." 16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. John 12:12-16; NKJV (italics mine).
A Man of Sorrows and Grief,
Despised, Beaten, Whipped:
Betrayed by His Disciple for Thirty Pieces of Silver:
Prophecy:
Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted,
Who ate my bread,
Has lifted up his heel against me. Ps 41:9; NKJV. (Emphasis mine).
12 I told them, "If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it." So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.
13 And the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter"-the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD to the potter. Zech 11:12-13, NIV (italics mine).
Fulfillment:
Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, 15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him. Matt 26:14-16; KJV (italics mine).
So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, "It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money." 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me." Matt 27:5-10, NIV (italics mine).
He Was Silent Before His Accusers:
Prophecy:
He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth. 1Isa 53:7; NKJV (italics mine).
Fulfillment:
And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? 14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marveled greatly. Matt 27:12-14; KJV (italics mine).
They Crucified and Pierced Him and Rolled Dice for His Garment:
Prophecy:
"And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Zech 12:10; NKJV (italics mine).
For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet;
17 I can count all My bones.
They look and stare at Me.
18 They divide My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots. Ps 22:16-18; NKJV (italics mine).
Fulfillment:
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. 24 They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says:
"They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots." John 19:23-24; NKJV (italics mine).
And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take.25 Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him. 26 And the inscription of His accusation was written above: 27 With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. 28 So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And He was numbered with the transgressors." Mark 15:24-28; NKJV (italics mine).
His Body Was Placed in a Rich Man's Tomb:
Prophecy:
And they made His grave with the wicked —
But with the rich at His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was any deceit in His mouth. Isa 53:9; NKJV (italics mine).
Fulfillment:
Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. 45 So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid. Mark 15:42-47; NKJV (italics mine).
Death and The Grave Couldn't Hold Him:
Prophecy:
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
11 You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Ps 16:9-11; NKJV (italics mine).
Fulfillment:
Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.'" Luke 24:7; NKJV (italics mine).
These are just a few of the prophecies fulfilled by Jesus. There are many more concerning Jesus not to mention all of the other fulfilled prophecies relating other matters. To cover all of the prophecies that have already been fulfilled would be a major work in itself. The odds of one person fulfilling all of the prophecies related above is astronomical. Jesus fulfilled all of these and many, many more!
Some like to claim that Jesus, being aware of these prophecies simply arranged to give the appearance of fulfilling them by doing the things the prophecies mentioned like riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. But how would He arrange to be born into the tribe of David, in the town Bethlehem and have His parents flee into Egypt while the male children under the age of two were slaughtered at the order of Herod?
How would He as a small child arrange to have His parents settle in Nazareth upon their return to Israel? Assuming He were willing and able to set things up to assure that He would be put to death how would He arrange to be crucified when the common form of execution for Jews was stoning? The real trick, however, would have been appearing to over five hundred people after rising from the grave. Even Houdini couldn’t pull that one off!
Though some like to say that these so-called fulfilled prophecies are only verified by scripture that is not entirely true. First it must be remembered that many of these things were reported at a time when there were many people alive who could have refuted them if they were false. Secondly, some are reported by historians.
An Intriguing Question
Approximately fifteen hundred years before the birth of Jesus, Moses recorded the following prophecy in the book of Genesis:
The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,
until he comes to whom it belongs
and the obedience of the nations is his. Gen 49:10, NIV (italics mine).
There were twelve tribes in ancient Israel from which the Messiah could have been born, yet He was born from the tribe of Judah as Moses had predicted fifteen hundred years earlier. Since there were twelve tribes the odds were 12 to 1 against Moses guessing correctly the tribe of Christ's birth. In addition, there were over two thousand villages and towns in the densely populated areas allotted to the tribe of Judah during the first century of this era.
Being ultra conservative Mr. Jeffrey uses odds of 1 chance in 2,400 for this prophecy being fulfilled. The Law of Probability would actually be 12 x 2,000 = 24,000 or one chance in twenty four thousand that Moses could guess the correct tribe and town of Jesus birth. And that doesn't even take into account that fifteen hundred years earlier Moses had been prevented by God from entering the Promised Land - SO - how did he know there would even be a town called Bethlehem in a province of Judah?
There are far too many fulfilled prophecies for even a significant portion of them to be recounted here. But those covered here are sufficient, I would hope, to persuade any reasonable person, if not to fully accept the truth of the scriptures, to at least be motivated to examine the matter more fully. I do not believe any reasonable and honest person can spend much time examining fulfilled prophecy without discovering the truth of God's existence.
God has provided all of scripture and especially the prophecies in the Holy Bible because He cares about our future. Jesus went to His death on the cross because He cares very deeply about where you and I will spend eternity. He wants us to be with Him but only if we love Him and want to be with Him. Jesus wants intimacy not just casual acquaintances. See: I Never Knew You below.
WHAT CAN I DO?
OUR FREEDOM TO CHOOSE
Our Lord is both gracious and patient. His love for us demanded that we be given freedom, even though it meant that we could misuse and abuse that freedom - and we do. Because God is Holy and sin cannot, therefore, be in His presence. Our sin created a rift in our relationship with God. His love required that He provide a way for us to be redeemed - if we are willing. The Lord was compelled by His own love to give us the opportunity for life. To do this, the debt of sin had to be paid. That debt was death.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23 NKJV (italics mine).
It was a debt that He alone could pay, because if we die for our own sins we are eternally condemned. He gave His own life in the flesh to redeem us. One minister, Allistair Begg, said that,
"Jesus was so committed to bringing about our redemption it is as if He were saying 'you will only go to Hell over my dead body!'"
Suffering insults and accusations, beaten until His bones were laid bare and His features were unrecognizable, then hung upon a wooden cross to suffer an agonizing death of muscle cramps, joint separation and slow suffocation; Jesus gave all He had to give. He did all of this voluntarily because even while we reveled in sin, He loved us more than our finite minds can comprehend. Considering all that He suffered to give us the free gift of eternal life, peace, and joy, what should we expect if we reject His good gift?
The following inscription appears on a cathedral in Lubeck Germany;
Thus saith Christ our Lord to us:
Ye call Me "Master" and obey me not;
Ye call Me "Light" and see Me not;
Ye call Me "Way" and walk Me not;
Ye call Me "Life" and choose Me not;
Ye call Me "Wise" and follow Me not;
Ye call Me "Fair" and love Me not;
Ye call Me "Rich" and ask Me not;
Ye call Me "Eternal" and seek Me not;
Ye call Me "Noble" and serve Me not;
Ye call Me "Gracious" and trust Me not;
Ye call Me "Might" and honor Me not;
Ye call Me "Just" and fear Me not;
If I condemn you, blame Me not.
The words of this inscription are worthy of our serious consideration. Each of us will face the Lord as our judge soon enough. If we do not currently have a relationship with Him -- now would be a good time to establish one. All it takes is a sincere desire to change our life sufficient to motivate us to ask Jesus to help us change. If we are already His disciples -- we need to ask ourselves what kind of disciples we really are.
JESUS CARES ABOUT YOU!
Jesus cared so much for you that He died on a Roman cross in your place.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23; NIV (italics mine).
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. John 3:16-18; NIV (italics mine).
You and I have committed sins, that is, we have not obeyed the will of God. Whether the sins were great or small the penalty had to be paid because the law was broken. If we die in our sin we face eternal separation from God. Jesus, who never sinned, and who held the power of life, was the only one who could pay the debt and rise from the grave. And, as awful as the price was, Jesus paid it because He loves you that much.
He wants a close personal relationship with you.
I Never Knew You
These words spoken to the lost by Jesus are worthy of deeper examination. Jesus is the Son of God and the second person in the trinity so He clearly knows every being in the universe. Therefore, the statement I never knew you could not mean that He does not know who they are in the traditional sense. An examination of the New Testament Greek word ginosko translated as knew should shed some light on His real meaning.
NT:1097 ginw/skw
ginosko (ghin-oce'-ko); a prolonged form of a primary verb; to "know" (absolutely) in a great variety of applications and with many implications (as follow, with others not thus clearly expressed): (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Following are some examples of the use of forms of the word knew in scripture.
Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord.” Gen. 4:1; The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982. (italics mine).
And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son—Enoch. Gen. 4:17; The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982. (italics mine).
So Judah acknowledged them and said, “She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he never knew her again. Gen 38:26; The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.(italics mine).
But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11 in all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, 12 and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel. Deut. 34:10; The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982. (italics mine).
Then Hiram sent his servants with the fleet, seamen who knew the sea, to work with the servants of Solomon. 1 Ki 9:27; The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982. (italics mine).
We can see here that in each of the instances above the term knew is used to indicate, not merely acquaintance or general knowledge, but rather an intimate thorough knowledge. It is clear that Jesus is saying that these to whom He says I never knew you have not developed an intimate relationship with Him.
2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matt 18:2-4; NIV. (italics mine).
For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Heb. 2:10; NKJV. (italics mine).
7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons Heb. 12:7-8; NKJV. (italics mine).
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Rom. 8:16-17; NKJV. (italics mine).
The desire of God is to adopt us into His family as sons and daughters, but only if we are willing. He deliberately gave us freedom of choice because He wants our love - not our mindless submission. Our Freedom to Choose is a gift of God's love. He loves us too much to withhold freedom even though that freedom brings risk. The Lord has given us the freedom to choose whether or not we will have a close relationship with Him. It’s my decision and yours. We can choose freely whether we will accept the Lord’s offer and have a rewarding relationship with Him or reject it and face His wrath, eternal separation from Him and all the consequences that entails.
-if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Rom 10:9-13; NIV. (italics mine).
Text copyright © 2013 Vernon E. Gillispie
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