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For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (NASB) John 3:16  hen God walked on this earth as
a man, those who observed Him were astonished. They had never seen a man performing the miracles that He did
or teaching the things that He taught. People would touch His clothes and be healed. He was amazing and powerful.
The religious leaders of His day rejected Him, but vast numbers of people accepted Him. People would chase
after Him and gather in His home. He could not escape. In both the gospels of Mark and Luke we read that the
people were impressed with Him.And He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and He was teaching them on the Sabbath; and they were amazed at His teaching, for His message was with authority. (NASB) Luke 4:31-32 Even secular writers were impressed. One major comment comes from a Jewish historian. His name was Flavius
Josephus (AD 37-97). He was born into a priestly Jewish family. He was a Pharisee and a historian for the Roman
empire. He wrote several famous works: Antiquities of the Jews and the Wars of the Jews. Here is a major comment
from him,
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 surprising feats - a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst 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 to this day. (Antiquities of the Jews 18.3.3) Another major comment comes from multiple authors who quote from documents that Pontius Pilate (1 BC - circa
AD 37) had written. Pontius Pilate was the fifth Roman procurator of Judea (AD 26 - 36 ), under Emperor Tiberius,
who lived during the time of Jesus. He sentenced Jesus to death by crucifixion. The quote below refers to the
Acts of Pontius Pilate, a document he wrote which is now missing. Its existence is strongly supported by three
ancient authors: Epiphanius (Heresies 50.1), Justin Martyr (First Apology) and Tertullian (Apology).
“At His coming the lame will leap as a deer, and the stammering tongue will clearly speak: the blind will see, and the lepers will be healed; and the dead will rise, and walk.” And that He did those things, you can learn from the Acts of Pontius Pilate. First Apology 48. |
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