it wouldn't be that hard for the writers of the bible to develop Jesus story to match the prophecies, so how can that be a reason to believe Jesus. If you say that that there was witnesses who witnessed Jesus fulfilling the prophecies, where is your proof that these witnesses existed?
I'm Christian by the way just wondering how you would answer these questions.
2007-06-18 14:54:17 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Esther it wouldn't be difficult for a bunch of guys to get together and make up a whole myth for there own personal gain.
2007-06-18 15:06:27 · update #1
Those answers are gained through grace by faith at conversion, any Christian knows that.
2007-06-18 14:57:21 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Ask yourself this: What did the writers gain, exactly? Eleven of the twelve disciples died horrible deaths. John, son of Zebedee, is the only one thought to have died of natural causes, but even he was exiled, imprisoned, beaten, and even at one point was boiled alive!
Besides, when you read the Gospels, you'll find that they're written as though they actually happened, not as though the writers were just making it up.
Furthermore, I'm pretty sure that before the disciples even began to follow Jesus that they made sure that His birth fulfilled all the prophecies regarding the Messiah. Meaning, they probably spoke to Jesus's mother and her husband.
Also, there are two books in the Bible which are thought to have been written by Jesus's brothers: James and Jude. Neither of them believed in Jesus until He was resurrected. I think they would know if the stories surrounding Jesus's birth were true or not.
The witnesses did exist, and they did write books about it. Look into when each book of the New Testament was written, and who they were written by.
2007-06-20 01:18:29 · answer #2 · answered by The_Cricket: Thinking Pink! 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Certainly there were some places where the passage in the Jewish Scriptures probably created the story - not just the obvious example of the stories about Jesus being born in Bethlehem (in spite of his being universally known as Jesus OF NAZARETH), but also the use of the depiction of the righteous man in the Wisdom of Solomon in the account of the crucifixion in Matthew's Gospel, to fill in details the author lacked.
In general, I am inclined to think that the authors of the Gospels generally knew that these passages, in their original contexts, were not predictions of Jesus. If you read the passages from Hosea and Jeremiah quoted in Matthew 2, for example, it is clear that both refer to Israel in their original context. Of course, some have argued that Matthew was trying to pull a fast one, but I doubt the author would have believed for a moment anyone would fall for it. I think it is therefore more likely that he knew that "fulfillment" had to do with typology, and the problem is that modern readers do not look up the original contexts of these verses, and thus assume that they are predictions, which (in most cases, at least) they are not.
2007-06-18 15:10:49 · answer #3 · answered by jamesfrankmcgrath 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
His disciples would not have risked their lives for a bunch of lies. That is simply not human nature.
One thing and one thing only can explain it: These men had encountered the real, solid, bodily-resurrected Jesus Christ. Not a hallucination. Not mass hypnosis. Not looking in the wrong tomb or any other silly excuse. The flesh and blood risen Christ was seen and touched by more than 500 people. (1 Corinthians 15,6). That's why the resurrection story could not be silenced.
Peace and blessings!
2007-06-18 15:14:44 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
When the new testament was being written, there were thousands of witnesses of Jesus' life, if the New testament authors would have been spreading lies about Jesus' miracles (e.g. resurrection), the witnesses could have easily refuted the apostles and thus ended the Christian movement. But, Christiantiy didn't end, because there were numerous people who witnessed the LORD's resureection and hundreds of other miracles! God bless.
2007-06-18 14:59:46 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I know exactly where you're coming from. Yet, the most important thing to note is that there is accounts of Jesus, and the great things Jesus did outside of the bible. For example, the Muslim guide, the Koran, makes mention of Jesus NUMEROUS amounts of times and the wonderful miracles He preformed. yet Muslims don't believe He is the Son of God, nor that He is God. Yet it's the accounts of the eye witnesses around at the time. The point is, Jesus, and His miracles are note elsewhere outside of the bible.
2007-06-18 14:59:31 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
His disciples died for the cause.
put yourself in His disciples' shoes.
imagine YOU followed this guy called Jesus, for a few years. from Him preaching, to Him being caught, to HIM being crucified, to His death ultimately.
and after your Leader died, the roman soldiers and the pharisees began a witch hunt for christians, killing, jailing and persecuting those who profess that Jesus is the Messiah.
so if you were there at that time, and you did not see Jesus being tortured, Jesus clothes being torn for casting lots, Jesus being pierced in His side, Jesus healing people, Jesus teaching about God's WORD, and ultimately, Jesus' resurrection, when the authorities question you, what would you say? would you still say, "YES I SAW ALL THAT JESUS DID, and that He is the Messiah!", when actually you did not see those things at all? would you risk being jailed and killed for A LIE that did not even happen?
those disciples were willing to die....for the TRUTH. they believe what they saw. they knew the Scriptural fulfillment and they were ready to die for Jesus.
most of his closest disciples who followed him and witnessed His fulfillments were killed. if they did not witness the scriptural fulfillment, will they be will to die for a lie?
2007-06-18 15:03:45 · answer #7 · answered by sylll 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Would you make up a story about a friend of yours if the cost of doing that meant you got killed? Most of the disciples were killed. Peter was afraid to admit he even knew Jesus. After he saw Jesus alive again, Peter ended up dying for his belief in Jesus.
2007-06-18 15:00:56 · answer #8 · answered by Glen 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Even Jesus's enemies knew Jesus fulfilled the old testament.
2007-06-18 14:59:58 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Simple faith in Jesus. People want to complicate something that is simple enough for a child to understand.
I am the way the truth and the life no man comes to the Father except by me... Simple faith
2007-06-18 15:05:03 · answer #10 · answered by SuBee 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Those witnesses were the authors of the New Testament.
Pastor Art
2007-06-18 14:59:33 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋