ο αιρων την αμαρτιαν του κοσμου 8ουκ ην εκεινος το φως αλλ ινα μαρτυρηση περι του φωτος

Transcript

1 1εν αρχη ην ο λογος και ο λογος ην προς τον θεον και θεος ην ο λογος 26απεκριθη αυτοις ο ιωαννης λεγων εγω βαπτιζω εν υδατι μεσος υμων 2ουτος ην εν αρχη προς τον θεον στηκει ον υμεις ουκ οιδατε 3παντα κύριος δι αυτου εγενετο Ἰησοῦς και χωρις αυτου Χριστὸς εγενετο ουδε εν ο γεγονεν εἰς 27οπισω κύριος μου ερχομενος Ἰησοῦς ου ουκ ειμι [εγω] Χριστὸς αξιος ινα λυσω αυτου εἰς τον 4εν αυτω ζωη ην και η ζωη ην το φως των ανθρωπων ιμαντα του υποδηματος 5και το φως εν τη σκοτια φαινει και η σκοτια αυτο ου κατελαβεν 28ταυτα εν βηθανια εγενετο περαν του ιορδανου οπου ην ο ιωαννης 6εγενετο ανθρωπος απεσταλμενος παρα θεου ονομα by Dr. αυτω Bill Bright ιωαννης βαπτιζων Jesus & the Intellectual 7ουτος ηλθεν εις μαρτυριαν ινα μαρτυρηση περι του φωτος ινα παντες 29τη mini-magazine επαυριον βλεπει τον ιησουν ερχομενον προς αυτον και λεγει ιδε ο πιστευσωσιν δι αυτου αμνος Published του θεου by ο αιρων την αμαρτιαν του κοσμου 8ουκ ην εκεινος το φως αλλ ινα μαρτυρηση περι του φωτος 30ουτος Campus εστιν Crusade υπερ for Christ ου εγω ειπον οπισω μου ερχεται ανηρ ος εμπροσθεν 9ην The το φως Most το Outstanding αληθινον ο φωτιζει Personality παντα ανθρωπον of All-Time 375 Highway 74 South, Suite A ερχομενον εις τον μου γεγονεν Peachtree City, οτι GA πρωτος μου ην κοσμον 31καγω 2007 Bright ουκ Media ηδειν Foundation αυτον and αλλ Campus ινα φανερωθη τω ισραηλ δια τουτο ηλθον 10εν τω κοσμω ην και ο κοσμος δι αυτου I would εγενετο have και to ο say κοσμος Jesus αυτον of ουκ εγω εν Crusade υδατι for βαπτιζων Christ Inc. Formerly , in your opinion, Nazareth. Campus Crusade for Christ Inc. εγνωwho is the most outstanding τα ιδια personality ηλθεν και of all οι time? ιδιοι αυτον ου People παρελαβον of every religion, if they know περιστεραν All rights reserved. εξ ουρανου This material και or parts εμεινεν thereof επ αυτον 32και Four εμαρτυρησεν Spiritual Laws, ιωαννης λεγων οτι τεθεαμαι το πνευμα καταβαινον ως 11εις 12οσοι δε ελαβον αυτον εδωκεν αυτοις the εξουσιαν facts, acknowledge τεκνα θεου that Jesus may not be reproduced in any form without written I have posed this question to people γενεσθαι τοις 33καγω permission ουκ of Campus ηδειν Crusade αυτον for αλλ Christ Inc. ο πεμψας με βαπτιζειν εν υδατι εκεινος μοι Christ is the unique personality of all πιστευουσιν of many religions, εις το ονομα even atheists αυτουand ειπεν Unless εφ ον otherwise αν ιδης indicated, το all πνευμα Scripture references καταβαινον και μενον επ αυτον ουτος εστιν ο time. He is the One who has changed are taken from the New International Version, 13οι Communists ουκ εξ αιματων around the ουδε world. εκ The θεληματος the σαρκος whole course ουδε of history. εκ θεληματος History βαπτιζων 1973, εν 1978, πνευματι 1984 by the International αγιω Bible Society. ανδρος answer αλλ from εκ θεου all knowledgeable εγεννηθησαν people is Published by Zondervan Bible Publishers, is HIS STORY. Remove Jesus of 34καγω εωρακα και μεμαρτυρηκα οτι ουτος εστιν ο υιος Now του θεου twenty always the same: Jesus of Nazareth. Grand Rapids, Michigan. 14και ο λογος σαρξ εγενετο και εσκηνωσεν Nazareth εν from ημιν history, και εθεασαμεθα and it would be 35τη Scripture επαυριον quotations παλιν designated ειστηκει NASB are from ιωαννης the και εκ Nineteen των μαθητων wide αυτου centuries δυο την δοξαν I recall αυτου the response δοξαν of ως a young μονογενους radical a παρα completely πατρος different πληρης story. New American Standard Bible, 1960, 1962, 1963, χαριτος και 36και εμβλεψας τω ιησου περιπατουντι λεγει have ιδε ο come αμνος and του gone θεουand 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman αληθειας attending the University of California, Consider today s date on your 37και Foundation. ηκουσαν οι δυο μαθηται αυτου λαλουντος today και He ηκολουθησαν is the centerpiece of the human race τω Berkeley. The campus was the Scripture quotations designated TLB are from The 15ιωαννης μαρτυρει περι αυτου και κεκραγεν calendar. It λεγων gives witness ουτος to ην the ο fact ειπων ο ιησου fountainhead of the turbulent student Living Bible, 1971 by Tyndale House Publishers, οπισω μου ερχομενος εμπροσθεν μου γεγονεν that Jesus οτι of πρωτος Nazareth μου lived ην on the 38στραφεις Wheaton, Illinois. δε ο ιησους και θεασαμενος αυτους and the ακολουθουντας leader of the revolution during the 1960s. For an λεγει earth. B.C. means Before Christ, and Scripture quotations designated NKJ are from the New 16οτι entire εκ week, του πληρωματος six hundred of our αυτου Campus ημεις παντες ελαβομεν και χαριν αντι αυτοις τι ζητειτε οι δε ειπαν αυτω ραββι ο λεγεται column μεθερμηνευομενον of progress. I King James version, 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas A.D., anno Domini, is the Latin phrase χαριτος Crusade staff and students personally Nelson Inc., Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. διδασκαλε που μενεις am far within the mark translated in the year of our Lord. 17οτι shared ο νομος the claims δια of μωυσεως Christ in small Scripture quotations designated Amplified are from εδοθη η χαρις και η αληθεια δια ιησου χριστου 39λεγει αυτοις ερχεσθε και οψεσθε ηλθαν ουν when και I ειδαν say that που μενει all The Amplified Bible, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The και παρ and large meetings with approximately No other person has influenced the Zondervan Corporation. εγενετο αυτω εμειναν την ημεραν εκεινην ωρα ην ως the δεκατη armies that ever 23,000 students. Thousands expressed world for good more than Jesus Christ. marched and all the 18θεον their desire ουδεις to εωρακεν receive and πωποτε follow Jesus μονογενης Wherever θεος His ο true ων message εις τον has κολπον gone, του 40ην ανδρεας ο αδελφος σιμωνος πετρου εις εκ των δυο των ακουσαντων navies that ever were πατρος as their εκεινος Savior εξηγησατο and Lord. great changes have taken place in the παρα contents ιωαννου και ακολουθησαντων αυτω built, and all of the 19και Early αυτη in the εστιν week η I μαρτυρια interviewed του the ιωαννου lives of οτε men απεστειλαν and nations. One προς writer αυτον οι 41ευρισκει four ουτος examining πρωτον the evidence τον αδελφον τον ιδιον σιμωνα και λεγει αυτω parliaments that ever ιουδαιοι acknowledged εξ ιεροσολυμων leader of the ιερεις revolution. και λευιτας described ινα ερωτησωσιν Christ s influence αυτον in this συ way: τις ει ευρηκαμεν τον Jesus man, μεσσιαν myth ο or εστιν God; μεθερμηνευομενον χριστος intellectual integrity; six proofs, have sat, and all the 20και She ωμολογησεν had been born into και a ουκ non-christian ηρνησατο και During ωμολογησεν His ministry, οτι Jesus εγω made ουκ many ειμι ο 42ηγαγεν αυτον accepting προς the truth τον ιησουν εμβλεψας kings αυτω ο that ιησους ever ειπεν reigned συ ει χριστος religion and was a dedicated atheist and claims about Himself. He said, for σιμων ο υιος ten ιωαννου Jesus pardons συ κληθηση sin κηφας ο ερμηνευεται put together πετρος have not 21και committed ηρωτησαν Communist, αυτον demanding τι ουν [συ] the ηλιας example, ει και that λεγει He was ουκ equal ειμι with ο προφητης God 43τη επαυριον from religion ηθελησεν to Christ εξελθειν εις την γαλιλαιαν affected και the ευρισκει life of φιλιππον violent over-throw of our government. the Father, eternal, and the only way to ει συ και απεκριθη ου και λεγει αυτω ο ιησους ακολουθει μοι heaven. twelve Jesus gives purpose to life man upon this earth 22ειπαν I asked ουν her, αυτω Who τις is ει the ινα greatest αποκρισιν δωμεν τοις πεμψασιν ημας τι λεγεις 44ην δε ο φιλιππος discover the απο God-shaped βηθσαιδα vacuum εκ της πολεως as powerfully ανδρεου και as πετρου has περι σεαυτου person who has ever lived? Who Almost everyone who knows anything 45ευρισκει fourteen φιλιππος Jesus gives τον peace ναθαναηλ και λεγει that αυτω one ον εγραψεν solitary μωυσης in all of history has done the life, about Jesus would admit that He had a 23εφη most εγω good φωνη for βοωντος mankind? εν τη ερημω ευθυνατε την οδον κυριου καθως εν τω νομω και from οι tragedy προφηται to triumph ευρηκαμεν ιησουν Jesus υιον του of Nazareth. ιωσηφ τον απο profound influence on the world. But ειπεν ησαιας ο προφητης was He more than just a teacher and ναζαρετfifteen Jesus gives power for living 24και There απεσταλμενοι was a long, awkward ησαν εκ silence new life through the new birth, των φαρισαιων leader? Let us examine the evidence 46και ειπεν αυτω ναθαναηλ εκ ναζαρετ δυναται τι αγαθον ειναι λεγει and finally a reluctant reply, I guess the secret is surrendur 25και ηρωτησαν αυτον και ειπαν αυτω surrounding τι ουν βαπτιζεις His claims. ει συ ουκ ει ο αυτω ο φιλιππος ερχου και ιδε twenty four spiritual laws χριστος ουδε ηλιας ουδε ο προφητης 47ειδεν ιησους τον ναθαναηλ ερχομενον προς αυτον και λεγει περι αυτου One writer s description of Christ s influence down through the ages

2 ιδε αληθως ισραηλιτης εν ω δολος ουκ εστιν 48λεγει αυτω ναθαναηλ ποθεν με γινωσκεις απεκριθη ιησους και ειπεν αυτω κύριος προ του σε φιλιππον Ἰησοῦς φωνησαι οντα υπο Χριστὸς την συκην ειδον σε εἰς 49απεκριθη αυτω ναθαναηλ ραββι συ ει ο υιος του θεου συ βασιλευς ει του ισραηλ of Jesus Christ. Before his death, Dr. 50απεκριθη Examining ιησους the Evidence και ειπεν αυτω οτι Joad ειπον became σοι a οτι zealous ειδον follower σε υποκατω of the της συκης πιστευεις μειζω τουτων cynics and οψη Savior. I have in my library his last book 51και Many λεγει αυτω αμην skeptics αμην λεγω deny υμιν entitled, οψεσθε My τον Return ουρανον to Faith. ανεωγοτα και τους αγγελους the claims of του Christ. θεου I have αναβαινοντας met people και Hundreds καταβαινοντας of such stories επι can τον be υιον told. του who are militantly antagonistic toward ανθρωπου 1και τη ημερα τη τριτη γαμος Lew εγενετο Wallace, εν for κανα example, της was γαλιλαιας a very και Him, though I must say that they are ην η μητηρ του ιησου εκει famous general and literary genius. He in the great minority. Some of them 2εκληθη δε και ο ιησους και οι μαθηται and αυτου his dear εις friend τον Robert γαμον Ingersoll, the say that He is just a myth or that He famous skeptic, agreed to write a book 3και is a υστερησαντος great man and nothing οινου more. λεγει They η μητηρ του ιησου προς αυτον οινον ουκ that would forever destroy the myth εχουσιν ridicule the Bible and make fun of those of Christianity. who worship Jesus Christ as the Son of 4και λεγει αυτη ο ιησους τι εμοι και σοι γυναι ουπω ηκει η ωρα μου God. For two years, Mr. Wallace studied 5λεγει η μητηρ αυτου τοις διακονοις ο τι αν λεγη υμιν ποιησατε in the leading libraries of Europe and 6ησαν One δε such εκει skeptic λιθιναι was υδριαι Dr. Cyril εξ κατα τον America, καθαρισμον seeking information των ιουδαιων which E.M. Joad, head of the philosophy κειμεναι χωρουσαι ανα μετρητας δυο η would τρειςenable him to write a book department of the University of 7λεγει αυτοις ο ιησους γεμισατε τας υδριας which would υδατος destroy και the εγεμισαν myth of London. Dr. Joad believed that Jesus αυτας εως ανω Christianity. While writing the second was only a man, that God was a part chapter of his book, he suddenly 8και of the λεγει universe αυτοις and αντλησατε that, should the νυν και φερετε τω αρχιτρικλινω οι δε found himself on his knees, crying ηνεγκαν universe be destroyed, God would be out, My Lord, and my God. He had destroyed. He believed that there is no 9ως δε εγευσατο ο αρχιτρικλινος το υδωρ found οινον the evidence γεγενημενον for the deity και of ουκ such thing as sin, that man was destined ηδει ποθεν εστιν οι δε διακονοι ηδεισαν Christ οι ηντληκοτες overwhelmingly το υδωρ conclusive. for a utopia; that, given a little time, φωνει τον νυμφιον ο αρχιτρικλινος He could no longer deny that Jesus man could achieve heaven on earth. Christ was the Son of God. The One 10και λεγει αυτω πας ανθρωπος πρωτον τον καλον οινον τιθησιν και οταν In 1949, in the magazine section of he had determined to expose as a fraud μεθυσθωσιν the Los Angeles τον ελασσω Times, I συ was τετηρηκας drawn to τον had captured καλον οινον him, and εως he αρτι became a 11ταυτην a picture εποιησεν on the cover αρχην of that των venerable σημειων Christian. ο ιησους Later, εν Lew κανα Wallace της γαλιλαιας wrote Ben και εφανερωσεν old scholar. την δοξαν αυτου και επιστευσαν Hur, probably εις αυτον the greatest οι μαθηται novel that αυτου 12μετα With τουτο it was κατεβη a statement εις concerning καφαρναουμ has αυτος ever been και written η μητηρ concerning αυτου και the οι time of Christ. αδελφοι the dramatic και οι μαθηται change that αυτου had taken και εκει εμειναν ου πολλας ημερας 13και place εγγυς in his ην life. το πασχα των ιουδαιων Another και ανεβη skeptic εις was ιεροσολυμα C.S. Lewis, ο ιησους 14και Dr. ευρεν Joad described εν τω ιερω how he τους had πωλουντας professor been βοας at και Oxford προβατα University. και For περιστερας years he was an agnostic who denied και τους antagonistic κερματιστας toward Christianity καθημενους the deity of Christ. 15και for many ποιησας years. φραγελλιον Two world wars εκ σχοινιων After παντας a long process of εξεβαλεν and the εκ imminence του ιερου of τα another τε προβατα had και searching τους βοας for answers, και demonstrated conclusively to him των κολλυβιστων εξεχεεν τα κερματα και he received τας τραπεζας Christ as his that man was essentially wicked. Now ανετρεψεν Savior and Lord. Later he he had come to believe that sin was a wrote many outstanding 16και reality τοις and τας that περιστερας the only explanation πωλουσιν for ειπεν αρατε ταυτα books advocating belief εντευθεν sin was μη found ποιειτε in the τον Word οικον of God, του and πατρος in Christ μου οικον as Savior. εμποριου the only solution was found in the cross 17εμνησθησαν οι μαθηται αυτου οτι γεγραμμενον εστιν ο κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς εἰς κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς εἰς In Mere Christianity, Lewis states: A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said wouldn t be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic on the level with a man who says he s a poached egg or else he would be the devil of hell; you must take your choice. Either this was, and is, the Son of God, or else a mad man or something worse. You can shut Him up for a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But don t come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great moral teacher. He hasn t left that alternative open to us. Jesus Man, Myth or God? Perhaps you have wondered, Is Christianity really established upon historical facts? Dr. Clifford Herbert Moore, former professor at Harvard University writes: Christianity knew its Savior and Redeemer, not as some god whose history was contained in a mythical faith, with rude, primitive and even offensive elements. The Christian s faith is founded on positive, historical and acceptable facts. A long list could be made of such outstanding scholars who devoutly followed Christ. Dr. William Lyon Phelps, for forty years professor at Yale University and one of the most distinguished educators in the history of our country, expressed his confidence in the historical evidence concerning the death of the Lord Jesus Christ and frequently shared his personal faith in Christ as Savior and Lord. It is true that there are men among them some of the world s most honored scholars who do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God, our Savior. But I am appalled when I talk to many of these men about Christ, for I discover that almost always they are ignorant of the basic truths of the gospel. If you would read any of the writings of Robert Ingersoll, Thomas Paine, or other wellknown skeptics, you would be amazed to discover that these men are taking issue with something that they do not fully understand. They have erected straw men, labeled them Christianity, and then have proceeded to destroy their own creations. Intellectual Integrity As a young lad, I often attended church and was even baptized when I was 12 years of age. But I know now that I was not a Christian, because I did not really understand what Christianity was all about. To me, church was a place for social activities. Though it was very likely my fault, the sermons did not communicate to me. As soon as I was old enough to exercise my individual rights, I began to question and doubt the validity of Christianity and the claims of the Bible. I became an agnostic. Through my high school and college years, as a college professor and later as a businessman, I continued in my spiritual illiteracy. I doubted the Bible which I never took the time to read and questioned the authenticity of the Christian faith, which I never bothered to investigate. As an ambitious young businessman in Hollywood, I met a group of people who spoke of Jesus Christ as their dearest Friend, Savior and Lord. They

3 ζηλος του οικου σου καταφαγεται με επουρανια πιστευσετε 18απεκριθησαν ουν οι ιουδαιοι και ειπαν αυτω τι σημειον δεικνυεις ημιν 13και ουδεις αναβεβηκεν εις τον ουρανον ει μη ο εκ του ουρανου καταβας οτι ταυτα κύριος ποιεις Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς εἰς ο υιος κύριος του ανθρωπου Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς εἰς 19απεκριθη ιησους και ειπεν αυτοις λυσατε τον ναον τουτον και [εν] 14και καθως μωυσης υψωσεν τον οφιν εν τη ερημω ουτως υψωθηναι δει τρισιν ημεραις εγερω αυτον τον υιον του ανθρωπου 20ειπαν told me ουν that οι He ιουδαιοι had been raised τεσσερακοντα from και εξ ετεσιν οικοδομηθη ο ναος 15ινα of the πας Christian ο πιστευων faith. εν αυτω εχη ζωην friends αιωνιον had tried to steal His body, the ουτος the και dead συ and εν was τρισιν alive ημεραις and that I εγερεις could αυτον 16ουτως γαρ ηγαπησεν ο θεος τον κοσμον stone and ωστε the τον soldiers υιον would τον likewise Any argument for the validity of μονογενη 21εκεινος know Him δε personally. ελεγεν περι I had του never ναου heard του σωματος αυτου εδωκεν ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον μη have αποληται prevented αλλ them. εχη Jesus ζωην enemies Christianity stands or falls on the αιωνιον anyone talk this way before. As a matter would never have taken the body since 22οτε ουν ηγερθη εκ νεκρων εμνησθησαν οι μαθηται αυτου οτι τουτο 17ου proof γαρ of απεστειλεν the resurrection ο θεος of Jesus τον of υιον εις τον κοσμον ινα κρινη τον κοσμον of intellectual integrity, however, I its absence from the tomb would ελεγεν και επιστευσαν τη γραφη και τω λογω ον ειπεν ο ιησους αλλ ινα Nazareth. σωθη It ο is κοσμος for this reason δι αυτου that His was forced to investigate the claims of only serve to encourage belief in His resurrection has been ridiculed and 23ως Christ δε ην and εν Christianity. τοις ιεροσολυμοις εν τω πασχα εν τη εορτη πολλοι 18ο πιστευων εις αυτον ου κρινεται ο resurrection. μη πιστευων ηδη κεκριται οτι μη contested through the centuries by all επιστευσαν εις το ονομα αυτου θεωρουντες αυτου τα σημεια α εποιει πεπιστευκεν εις το ονομα του μονογενους υιου του θεου I soon concluded that, historically, reputable scholar holds. kinds of skeptics. It is for the same Third, the resurrection is the 24αυτος there was δε indeed ιησους one ουκ by the επιστευεν name of αυτον αυτοις δια το αυτον γινωσκειν 19αυτη reason δε that εστιν men η of κρισις faith from οτι all το walks φως 3εληλυθεν only reasonable εις τον explanation κοσμον for και the The more I studied and the more παντας Jesus of Nazareth who had lived on ηγαπησαν of life and οι ανθρωποι disciplines of μαλλον learning το have σκοτος appearances η το φως of ην Jesus γαρ Christ αυτων to His πονηρα τα carefully I analyzed the prophecies and 25και this οτι earth ου almost χρειαν 2,000 ειχεν years ινα ago. τις I μαρτυρηση περι του ανθρωπου αυτος γαρ εργα dedicated their entire lives to proving disciples. After His resurrection, Jesus their fulfillment in the life of Jesus, the εγινωσκεν became τι convinced ην εν τω that ανθρωπω He had lived that Jesus truly was raised from the 20πας γαρ ο φαυλα πρασσων μισει το appeared φως και on ουκ at least ερχεται ten occasions προς το to more obvious it became that there was φως an exemplary life, the most holy life dead. those who had known Him. The Lord only one conclusion I could reach. Jesus ινα μη ελεγχθη τα εργα αυτου of anyone who had ever lived. I was proved that these appearances were not ΚΑΤΑ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΝ 3 was indeed the One about whom the 21ο δε I would ποιων like την to share αληθειαν with you ερχεται several convinced that His teachings and His προς hallucinations το φως ινα by eating φανερωθη in the presence αυτου τα prophets spoke and wrote. He was the irrefutable evidences that have brought 1ην δε influence ανθρωπος were superior εκ των to φαρισαιων those of any νικοδημος ονομα αυτω αρχων των εργα οτι εν θεω εστιν ειργασμενα of the disciples and allowing them to promised Messiah. me to the firm conviction that Jesus was ιουδαιων other person in all of recorded history. 22μετα ταυτα ηλθεν ο ιησους και οι μαθηται touch Him. raised from the dead, thereby proving αυτου εις την ιουδαιαν γην 2ουτος ηλθεν προς αυτον νυκτος και ειπεν My other αυτω problem ραββι concerned οιδαμεν the But there were two problems that οτι απο και εκει Himself διετριβεν to be the μετ Son αυτων of God. και εβαπτιζεν Fourth, the resurrection is the resurrection. How could a human being θεου plagued εληλυθας me and διδασκαλος prevented me ουδεις from γαρ δυναται ταυτα τα σημεια ποιειν α συ 23ην δε και [ο] ιωαννης βαπτιζων εν 4αινων only reasonable εγγυς του explanation σαλειμ for οτι the υδατα who had died be raised from the dead? Six Proofs ποιεις accepting εαν μη Him η ο θεος as the μετ Son of αυτου God. If I πολλα ην εκει και παρεγινοντο και εβαπτιζοντο beginning of the Christian church. No reliable, modern evidence has ever 3απεκριθη could find ιησους satisfactory και answers ειπεν to αυτω these αμην indicated αμην λεγω that anyone σοι εαν has been μη τις raised γεννηθη 24ουπω First, γαρ the resurrection ην βεβλημενος was foretold εις την φυλακην More than ιωαννης half of the first sermon ever questions, I would have no problem ανωθεν ου δυναται ιδειν την βασιλειαν from του θεου the dead. Apparently the people 25εγενετο 1by Jesus Christ. Matthew writes, preached dealt with the resurrection. ουν ζητησις εκ των μαθητων ιωαννου μετα ιουδαιου περι 1 about not only receiving Jesus as my 4λεγει Savior, προς but also αυτον following [ο] νικοδημος Him as my πως of δυναται Jesus time ανθρωπος were superstitious, From that time Jesus Christ began to Obviously, the early church knew γεννηθηναι καθαρισμου gullible and naive. I believed that they show His disciples that He must go that this was the foundation of their γερων Lord. ων μη δυναται εις την κοιλιαν της μητρος αυτου δευτερον εισελθειν 26και ηλθον προς τον ιωαννην και ειπαν αυτω ραββι ος ην μετα σου were victims of fraudulent claims. to Jerusalem, and suffer many things message. και γεννηθηναι περαν from του the ιορδανου elders and ω chief συ priests μεμαρτυρηκας and ιδε ουτος βαπτιζει και παντες The first problem concerned the Philip Schaff, highly esteemed 5απεκριθη prophetic [ο] statements ιησους made αμην by αμην various λεγω σοι So I εαν pursued μη my τις study. γεννηθη How εξ could υδατος ερχονται scribes, προς and αυτον be killed, and be raised historian, agrees: I believe the claims concerning Jesus up on the third day (Matthew 16:21, και πνευματος Old Testament ου writers δυναται hundreds εισελθειν of εις την βασιλειαν του θεου 27απεκριθη ιωαννης και ειπεν ου δυναται ανθρωπος λαμβανειν ουδεν εαν of Nazareth without committing NKJ). Although His followers did not 6το years γεγεννημενον before the birth εκ of της Jesus. σαρκος They The Christian church rests on the σαρξ intellectual εστιν και suicide? το γεγεννημενον I was willing to εκ του μη η δεδομενον understand what αυτω He was εκ του telling ουρανου them at πνευματος told of His πνευμα coming, εστιν His place of birth, resurrection of its Founder. Without this believe, but not at the risk of losing my 28αυτοι the time, υμεις they μοι remembered μαρτυρειτε His words οτι ειπον [εγω] ουκ ειμι εγω ο χριστος αλλ His life, death and resurrection. Since fact the church could never have been 7μη θαυμασης οτι ειπον σοι δει υμας γεννηθηναι intellectual integrity. ανωθεν οτι απεσταλμενος and recorded them. ειμι Matthew, εμπροσθεν Mark εκεινου and I did not believe in the supernatural, born; it would soon have died a natural 8το I πνευμα couldn t accept οπου the θελει fact πνει that God και την φωνην One of αυτου my first ακουεις discoveries αλλ was ουκ οιδας 29ο Luke εχων each την describe νυμφην the predictions νυμφιος εστιν in ο δε death. φιλος The του miracle νυμφιου of the resurrection ο εστηκως and και their accounts of Christ s life. ποθεν had ερχεται inspired και holy που men υπαγει hundreds ουτως εστιν that πας no other ο γεγεννημενος religion claims εκ that του its ακουων αυτου χαρα χαιρει δια την φωνην the του existence νυμφιου of Christianity αυτη ουν are so η closely χαρα η πνευματος of years before Jesus birth to connected that they must stand or fall founder has been raised from the dead. εμη πεπληρωται Second, the resurrection is the only 9απεκριθη prophesy concerning νικοδημος these και details. together. ειπεν αυτω Christianity πως δυναται is unique ταυτα in this γενεσθαι regard. If 30εκεινον 2 reasonable δει explanation αυξανειν for εμε His δε empty 2 ελαττουσθαι I was skeptical. Surely, these were Jesus of Nazareth actually rose from the tomb. If, as some have claimed, Jesus 10απεκριθη ιησους και ειπεν αυτω συ ει ο διδασκαλος του ισραηλ και 31ο ανωθεν ερχομενος επανω παντων εστιν ο ων εκ της γης εκ της γης interpolations made in the Scriptures dead in His own body on the third day had not been killed, but only weakened ταυτα after ου the γινωσκεις fact of Jesus life here on this as He predicted He would do, could I εστιν and και wounded εκ της γης by crucifixion, λαλει ο εκ the του stone ουρανου ερχομενος 1 Acts επανω 2:14-36 παντων εστιν 11αμην earth, αμην I decided. λεγω I discovered σοι οτι ο after οιδαμεν λαλουμεν really be sure και of this? ο εωρακαμεν If so, I would have 32ο and εωρακεν the soldiers και would ηκουσεν have prevented τουτο μαρτυρει 2 History of the Christian Church, Vol. 1 p και την μαρτυριαν αυτου μαρτυρουμεν careful study και that την this μαρτυριαν was a theory ημων no ου no λαμβανετε trouble believing all the other claims ουδεις His λαμβανει escape from the tomb. If Jesus 12ει τα επιγεια ειπον υμιν και ου πιστευετε πως εαν ειπω υμιν τα 33ο λαβων αυτου την μαρτυριαν εσφραγισεν οτι ο θεος αληθης εστιν