Who is Jesus?

 

Jesus Healing Ministries

 
Location Map
Year  One
Officials' dying   son
 
Year  Two
2) Madman in the synagogue
3) Peter's  mother-in-law's fever
4) Jesus continues healing
5) The  leper
6) Paralysed man
7) Invalid at the Pool  of Bethesda
8) Man with the  shrivelled hand
9) Jesus continues  healing many
10) Roman  centurion's servant
11) The widow of Nain's  dead son
12) Dumb (and blind) man
13) Madman and the  Gadarene pigs
14) Woman with the haemorrhage;
14) raising of Jairus' daughter
15) Two blind men and the  dumb man

Year Three
16) Jesus heals  the sick at Gennesaret
17)  Daughter of Syrophoenician woman
18) Deaf  and dumb man in Decapolis
19) Blind  man of Bethsaida
20)  Epileptic boy
1) Ten lepers
22) The man bornblind

Last Months
23)  Crippled woman
24) Man with dropsy
25) Lazarus  raised from the dead
26) Blind  man (or men) near Jericho
 
Last Week in  Jerusalem

27) Ear of  the High PriestÕs servant

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What were the seven last saying of Jesus?

1. "Father, forgive them, for they do not know waht they do" (luke 23:34)

2. "You will be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43)

3. "Woman, behold your son!" (John 19:26-27)

4. "Eli, Eli, Lama Sabathani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (Mathew 27:46)

5. "I thirst" (John 19:28)

6. "It is finished" (John 19:30)

7. "Father, into Your hand I commit My spirit" (Luke 23:46)

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About Jesus Christ

Who is Jesus Christ?

Unlike the question “Does God exist?” the question of whether Jesus Christ existed is asked by relatively few people. Most accept that Jesus was truly a man who lived in Israel 2,000 years ago. The debate begins with the discussion of Jesus’ full identity. Almost every major religion teaches that Jesus was a prophet or a good teacher or a godly man. But the Bible tells us that Jesus was infinitely more than a prophet, a good teacher, or a godly man.

  1. S. Lewisin his book Mere Christianitywrites the following: “I am trying here to prevent anyone from saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him [Jesus Christ]: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with a man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon; or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that option open to us. He did not intend to” (Macmillan, 1952, p. 55–56).

    So, who did Jesus claim to be? Who does the Bible say He is? First, He is God in the flesh. Jesus said in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” At first glance, this might not seem to be a claim to be God. However, look at the Jews’ reaction to His statement. They tried to stone Him “for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33). The Jews understood Jesus’ statement as a claim to be God. In the following verses, Jesus never corrects the Jews or attempts to clarify His statement. He never says, “I did not claim to be God.” When Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), He truly was claiming equality with God.

    In John 8:58 Jesus claims pre-existence, an attribute of God: “‘Very truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’” In response to this statement, the Jews again took up stones to stone Jesus (John 8:59). In claiming pre-existence, Jesus applied a name for God to Himself—I AM (see Exodus 3:14). The Jews rejected Jesus’ identity as God Incarnate, but they understood exactly what He was saying.

    Other biblical clues that Jesus is God in the flesh include John 1:1, which says, “The Word was God,” coupled with John 1:14, which says, “The Word became flesh.” Thomas the disciple declared to Jesus, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28), Jesus does not correct him. The apostle Paul describes Jesus as “our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). The apostle Peter says the same, calling Jesus “our God and Savior” (2 Peter 1:1).

    God the Father bears witness of Jesus’ identity as well: “But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.’” (Hebrews 1:8; cf. Psalm 45:6). Old Testament prophecies such as Isaiah 9:6 announce the deity of Christ: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (emphasis added).

    Why is the question of Jesus’ identity so important? Why does it matter whether Jesus is God? Several reasons:
  • As C. S. Lewis pointed out, if Jesus is not God, then Jesus is the worst of liars and untrustworthy in every way.

    • If Jesus is not God, then the apostles would likewise have been liars.

    • Jesus had to be God because the Messiah was promised to be the “Holy One” (Isaiah 49:7). Since no one on earth is righteous before God (Psalm 53:1; 143:2), God Himself had to enter the world as a human.

    • If Jesus is not God, His death would have been insufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). Only God Himself could provide an infinite, eternally valuable sacrifice (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

    • God is the onlySavior (Hosea 13:4; cf. 1 Timothy 2:3). If Jesus is to be the Savior, then He must be God.

Jesus had to be both God and man. As God, Jesus could satisfy God’s wrath. As a man, Jesus had the capability of dying. As the God-man, Jesus is the perfect Mediator between heaven and earth (1 Timothy 2:5). Salvation is available only through faith in Jesus Christ. As He proclaimed, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Is Jesus God?

Some who deny that Jesus is God make the claim that Jesus never said that He is God. It is correct that the Bible never records Jesus saying the precise words, “I am God.” This does not mean, however, that Jesus never claimed to be God.

Is Jesus God? — Jesus claimed to be God.

Take for example the words of Jesus in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” We need only to look at the Jews’ reaction to His statement to know He was claiming to be God. They tried to stone Him for this very reason: “You, a mere man, claim to be God” (John 10:33, emphasis added). The Jews understood exactly what Jesus was claiming—deity. When Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one,” He was saying that He and the Father are of one nature and essence. John 8:58 is another example. Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth … before Abraham was born, I am!” This is a reference back to Exodus 3:14 when God revealed Himself as the “I AM.” The Jews who heard this statement responded by taking up stones to kill Him for blasphemy, as the Mosaic Law commanded (Leviticus 24:16).

Is Jesus God? — His followers declared Him to be God.

John reiterates the concept of Jesus’ deity: “The Word [Jesus] was God” and “the Word became flesh” (John 1:1, 14). These verses clearly indicate that Jesus is God in the flesh. Acts 20:28 tells us, “Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood.” Who bought the church with His own blood? Jesus Christ. And this same verse declares that God purchased His church with His own blood. Therefore, Jesus is God.

Thomas the disciple declared concerning Jesus, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Jesus does not correct him. Titus 2:13 encourages us to wait for the coming of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ (see also 2 Peter 1:1). In Hebrews 1:8, the Father declares of Jesus, “But about the Son He says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.’” The Father refers to Jesus as God, indicating that Jesus is indeed God.

In Revelation, an angel instructed the apostle John to only worship God (Revelation 19:10). Several times in Scripture Jesus receives worship (Matthew 2:11; 14:33; 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38). He never rebukes people for worshiping Him. If Jesus were not God, He would have told people to not worship Him, just as the angel in Revelation did. Beyond these, there are many other passages of Scripture that argue for Jesus being God.

Is Jesus God? — The reason Jesus must be God.

The most important reason that Jesus must be God is that, if He is not God, His death would not have been sufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). A created being, which Jesus would be if He were not God, could not pay the infinite penalty required for sin against an infinite God. Only God could pay such an infinite penalty. Only God could take on the sins of the world (2 Corinthians 5:21), die, and be resurrected, proving His victory over sin and death.

Is Jesus God? Yes. Jesus declared Himself to be God. His followers believed Him to be God. The provision of salvation only works if Jesus is God. Jesus is God incarnate, the eternal Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8; 22:13), and God our Savior (2 Peter 1:1).

Is the resurretion of Jesus Christ true?

Scripture presents conclusive evidence that Jesus Christ was in fact resurrected from the dead. Christ’s resurrection is recorded in Matthew 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-20; Luke 24:1-53; and John 20:1–21:25. The resurrected Christ also appeared in the Book of Acts (Acts 1:1-11). From these passages you can gain several “proofs” of Christ’s resurrection. First is the dramatic change in the disciples. They went from a group of men frightened and in hiding to strong, courageous witnesses sharing the gospel throughout the world. What else could explain this dramatic change other than the risen Christ appearing to them?


Second is the life of the apostle Paul. What changed him from being a persecutor of the church into an apostle for the church? It was when the risen Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-6). A third convincing proof is the empty tomb. If Christ were not raised, then where is His body? The disciples and others saw the tomb where He was buried. When they returned, His body was not there. Angels declared that He had been raised from the dead as He had promised (Matthew 28:5-7). Fourth, additional evidence of His resurrection is the many people He appeared to (Matthew 28:5, 9, 16-17; Mark 16:9; Luke 24:13-35; John 20:19, 24, 26-29, 21:1-14; Acts 1:6-8; 1 Corinthians 15:5-7).

Another proof of the resurrection of Jesus is the great amount of weight the apostles gave to Jesus’ resurrection. A key passage on Christ’s resurrection is 1 Corinthians 15. In this chapter, the apostle Paul explains why it is crucial to understand and believe in Christ’s resurrection. The resurrection is important for the following reasons: 1) If Christ was not raised from the dead, believers will not be either (1 Corinthians 15:12-15). 2) If Christ was not raised from the dead, His sacrifice for sin was not sufficient (1 Corinthians 15:16-19). Jesus’ resurrection proved that His death was accepted by God as the atonement for our sins. If He had simply died and stayed dead, that would indicate His sacrifice was not sufficient. As a result, believers would not be forgiven for their sins, and they would remain dead after they die (1 Corinthians 15:16-19). There would be no such thing as eternal life (John 3:16). “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20 NAS).

Finally, Scripture is clear that all those who believe in Jesus Christ will be raised to eternal life just as He was (1 Corinthians 15:20-23). First Corinthians 15 goes on to describe how Christ’s resurrection proves His victory over sin and provides us the power to live victoriously over sin (1 Corinthians 15:24-34). It describes the glorious nature of the resurrection body we will receive (1 Corinthians 15:35-49). It proclaims that, as a result of Christ’s resurrection, all who believe in Him have ultimate victory over death (1 Corinthians 15:50-58).

What a glorious truth the resurrection of Christ is! “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). According to the Bible, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is most definitely true. The Bible records Christ’s resurrection, records that over 500 people witnessed the resurrected Christ, and proceeds to build crucial Christian doctrine on the historical fact of Jesus’ resurrection.

Is the deity of Christ Biblecal?

In addition to Jesus’ specific claims about Himself, His disciples also acknowledged the deity of Christ. They claimed that Jesus had the right to forgive sins—something only God can do—as it is God who is offended by sin (Acts 5:31; Colossians 3:13; Psalm 130:4; Jeremiah 31:34). In close connection with this last claim, Jesus is also said to be the one who will “judge the living and the dead” (2 Timothy 4:1). Thomas cried out to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Paul calls Jesus “great God and Savior” (Titus 2:13) and points out that prior to His incarnation Jesus existed in the “form of God” (Philippians 2:5-8). God the Father says regarding Jesus: “Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever” (Hebrews 1:8). John states that “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word [Jesus] was God” (John 1:1). Examples of Scriptures that teach the deity of Christ are many (see Revelation 1:17, 2:8, 22:13; 1 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Peter 2:6-8; Psalm 18:2, 95:1; 1 Peter 5:4; Hebrews 13:20), but even one of these is enough to show that Christ was considered to be God by His followers.

Jesus is also given titles that are unique to YHWH (the formal name of God) in the Old Testament. The Old Testament title “redeemer” (Psalm 130:7; Hosea 13:14) is used of Jesus in the New Testament (Titus 2:13; Revelation 5:9). Jesus is called Immanuel—“God with us”—in Matthew 1. In Zechariah 12:10, it is YHWH who says, “They will look on me, the one they have pierced.” But the New Testament applies this to Jesus’ crucifixion (John 19:37; Revelation 1:7). If it is YHWH who is pierced and looked upon, and Jesus was the one pierced and looked upon, then Jesus is YHWH. Paul interprets Isaiah 45:22-23 as applying to Jesus in Philippians 2:10-11. Further, Jesus’ name is used alongside God’s in prayer “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2). This would be blasphemy if Christ were not deity. The name of Jesus appears with God’s in Jesus’ commanded to baptize “in the name [singular] of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19; see also 2 Corinthians 13:14).

Actions that can be accomplished only by God are credited to Jesus. Jesus not only raised the dead (John 5:21, 11:38-44) and forgave sins (Acts 5:31, 13:38), He created and sustains the universe (John 1:2; Colossians 1:16-17). This becomes even clearer when one considers YHWH said He was alone during creation (Isaiah 44:24). Further, Christ possesses attributes that only deity can have: eternality (John 8:58), omnipresence (Matthew 18:20, 28:20), omniscience (Matthew 16:21), and omnipotence (John 11:38-44).

Now, it is one thing to claim to be God or to fool someone into believing it is true, and something else entirely to prove it to be so. Christ offered many miracles as proof of His claim to deity. Just a few of Jesus’ miracles include turning water to wine (John 2:7), walking on water (Matthew 14:25), multiplying physical objects (John 6:11), healing the blind (John 9:7), the lame (Mark 2:3), and the sick (Matthew 9:35; Mark 1:40-42), and even raising people from the dead (John 11:43-44; Luke 7:11-15; Mark 5:35). Moreover, Christ Himself rose from the dead. Far from the so-called dying and rising gods of pagan mythology, nothing like the resurrection is seriously claimed by other religions, and no other claim has as much extra-scriptural confirmation.

There are at least twelve historical facts about Jesus that even non-Christian critical scholars will admit:

1. Jesus died by crucifixion.
2. He was buried.
3. His death caused the disciples to despair and lose hope.
4. Jesus’ tomb was discovered (or was claimed to be discovered) to be empty a few days later.
5. The disciples believed they experienced appearances of the risen Jesus.
6. After this, the disciples were transformed from doubters into bold believers.
7. This message was the center of preaching in the early Church.
8. This message was preached in Jerusalem.
9. As a result of this preaching, the Church was born and it grew.
10. Resurrection day, Sunday, replaced the Sabbath (Saturday) as the primary day of worship.
11. James, a skeptic, was converted when he also saw the resurrected Jesus.
12. Paul, an enemy of Christianity, was converted by an experience which he believed to be an appearance of the risen Jesus.

Even if someone were to object to this specific list, only a few are needed to prove the resurrection and establish the gospel: Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and appearances (1 Corinthians 15:1-5). While there may be some theories to explain one or two of the above facts, only the resurrection explains and accounts for them all. Critics admit that the disciples claimed they saw the risen Jesus. Neither lies nor hallucinations can transform people the way the resurrection did. First, what would they have had to gain? Christianity was not popular and it certainly did not make them any money. Second, liars do not make good martyrs. There is no better explanation than the resurrection for the disciples’ willingness to die horrible deaths for their faith. Yes, many people die for lies that they think are true, but people do not die for what they know is untrue.

In conclusion, Christ claimed He was YHWH, that He was deity (not just “a god” but the one true God); His followers (Jews who would have been terrified of idolatry) believed Him and referred to Him as God. Christ proved His claims to deity through miracles, including the world-altering resurrection. No other hypothesis can explain these facts. Yes, the deity of Christ is biblical.

What does it mean that Jesus is the Son of God?

Jesus is not God’s Son in the sense of a human father and a son. God did not get married and have a son. God did not mate with Mary and, together with her, produce a son. Jesus is God’s Son in the sense that He is God made manifest in human form (John 1:1, 14). Jesus is God’s Son in that He was conceived in Mary by the Holy Spirit. Luke 1:35 declares, “The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.’”

During His trial before the Jewish leaders, the High Priest demanded of Jesus, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God” (Matthew 26:63). “‘Yes, it is as you say,’ Jesus replied. ‘But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven’” (Matthew 26:64). The Jewish leaders responded by accusing Jesus of blasphemy (Matthew 26:65-66). Later, before Pontius Pilate, “The Jews insisted, ‘We have a law, and according to that law He must die, because He claimed to be the Son of God’” (John 19:7). Why would His claiming to be the Son of God be considered blasphemy and be worthy of a death sentence? The Jewish leaders understood exactly what Jesus meant by the phrase “Son of God.” To be the Son of God is to be of the same nature as God. The Son of God is “of God.” The claim to be of the same nature as God—to in fact be God—was blasphemy to the Jewish leaders; therefore, they demanded Jesus’ death, in keeping with Leviticus 24:15. Hebrews 1:3 expresses this very clearly, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being.”

Another example can be found in John 17:12 where Judas is described as the “son of perdition.” John 6:71 tells us that Judas was the son of Simon. What does John 17:12 mean by describing Judas as the “son of perdition”? The word perdition means “destruction, ruin, waste.” Judas was not the literal son of “ruin, destruction, and waste,” but those things were the identity of Judas' life. Judas was a manifestation of perdition. In this same way, Jesus is the Son of God. The Son of God is God. Jesus is God made manifest (John 1:1, 14).

On what day was Jesus crucified?

The Bible explicitly states, in all four Gospels, that Jesus was crucified on preparation day (Matthew 27:62; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:14,31). He rose again on the first day of the week (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:1; John 20:1). Determining the day of the week for the crucifixion would seem to be straightforward, but it’s not. Several factors must be considered: the Jewish mode of reckoning a day, the start of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and three calendars: Jewish, Julian, and Gregorian.

Three possibilities emerge: Jesus was crucified on what we would call a Friday, on a Thursday, or on a Wednesday. Here is a brief look at each viewpoint:

Jesus was crucified on a Friday

Early Friday: Jesus eats the Passover.
Late Friday: Jesus is crucified and buried.
Early and late Saturday (the Sabbath): Jesus is in the tomb.
Early Sunday: Jesus rises from the dead, and the women find the empty tomb.

The traditional view is that Jesus was crucified on a Friday. According to this timeline, Jesus was killed in AD 30, and the day of preparation was Passover, Friday, Nisan 14. That was the time to eat the Passover meal and to prepare dwellings for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which began the next day, Saturday, Nisan 15. The fact that Jesus was killed on Passover accords well with 1 Corinthians 5:7, which calls Christ “our Passover lamb.”

Mark 15:42 says that Jesus was crucified on “the day before the Sabbath”; proponents of the Friday view consider the “Sabbath” here to be the weekly observance held on Saturday. Immediately after Jesus was taken down from the cross, the women present followed the body of Jesus to the tomb to see where it was laid. This happened “late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation, as the Sabbath was about to begin” (Luke 23:54, NLT). On the day after the crucifixion (Saturday, Nisan 15), the chief priests and the Pharisees met with Pilate, who agrees to have the tomb sealed and guarded (Matthew 27:62).

The Friday view has Jesus in the tomb for three days by reckoning part of a day as a full day: Jesus was buried late in the day Friday (Day 1) and was entombed Saturday (Day 2) and the first part of Sunday (Day 3). Another argument for Friday points to verses such as Matthew 16:21 and Luke 9:22, which say that Jesus would rise “on the third day.” Sunday is the third day from Friday.

According to the Friday view, the “three days and three nights” prophecy of Matthew 12:40 was fulfilled in that both Jesus and Jonah were “confined” in difficult situations where they could not move about freely for three periods of darkness (night) and three periods of light (day). The three nights of confinement for Jesus were His arrest on Thursday night and His time in the tomb Friday night and Saturday night (or, as reckoned in the Jewish method—in which a day begins at sunset—early Friday, early Saturday, and early Sunday). The three days for Jesus were all day Friday, all day Saturday, and part of Sunday.

Jesus was crucified on a Thursday

Late Thursday: Jesus is crucified and buried.
Late Thursday through early Sunday: Jesus is in the tomb.
Early Sunday: Jesus rises from the dead, and the women find the empty tomb.

One point to be made in favor of the Thursday view is that Jesus’ prophecy of the sign of Jonah specifically includes three nights as well as three days (Matthew 12:40). If the crucifixion occurred on Thursday afternoon, the three days and three nights are all accounted for.

As for Luke’s statement that Jesus was taken down from the cross because “the sabbath was about to begin” (Luke 23:54), the Thursday view points out that there were actually two Sabbaths that week, the first Sabbath starting at sundown Thursday, followed by the regular Sabbath starting at sundown Friday. In fact, John’s account says that “the next day was to be a special Sabbath” (John 19:31); Passover was considered a special Sabbath (see Leviticus 16:29–31; 23:7, 24–32, 39).

Further, Matthew 28:1 says that the resurrection occurred “after the Sabbaths” (Berean Literal Bible)—the plural sabbaths being in the original, confirming there were multiple Sabbaths between the crucifixion and the resurrection. So, the “Passover” Sabbath was followed immediately by the “weekly” Sabbath, making the first opportunity to prepare the body for burial on Sunday at first light—and the women came to the tomb to do just that.

Thursday advocates also point to several passages that indicate the number of days between the crucifixion and the resurrection. For example, in John 2:19, Jesus says, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” Three days from Thursday is Sunday. In addition, when Jesus appears to the two men on the road to Emmaus on resurrection Sunday, they state that “it is the third day since all this took place” (Luke 24:21). A natural reading of this sentence would place the crucifixion on Thursday.

Advocates for a Thursday crucifixion consider the “Preparation Day” to be the day before the Passover, the High Sabbath (John 19:14). Preparation day was the day that the Passover lamb was killed prior to the Passover meal that evening—which, according to Jewish reckoning, was the beginning of the next day (Mark 14:12). It is clear from the Old Testament instructions on the Passover (Exodus 12:6; Leviticus 23:5) that the lamb was to be slaughtered late in the day on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan—which was Thursday afternoon in AD 32. Thursday advocates point out that at the same time Israel was slaughtering their Passover lambs on Nisan 14, Jesus, the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29) was dying on a cross. Thus was fulfilled the prophetic symbolism of the Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7).

Based on this timeline, Thursday proponents also argue that the Last Supper, eaten on Wednesday evening, was not the Passover meal. The main course at Passover was a lamb, and there is no lamb mentioned at the Last Supper. Only bread and wine are mentioned.

Jesus was crucified on a Wednesday

Late Wednesday: Jesus is crucified and buried.
Early Thursday (Passover) through Late Saturday (Sabbath): Jesus is in the tomb.
Friday (between the two Sabbaths): the women buy and prepare the spices.
Early Sunday: Jesus rises from the dead, and the women find the empty tomb.

Those who argue for a Wednesday crucifixion agree with the Thursday view that there were two Sabbaths that week, but they separate them by a day. The first Sabbath, in this view, was the Passover Sabbath starting Wednesday evening following the crucifixion (Mark 15:42; Luke 23:52–54). Then came a non-Sabbath day (Friday) and then the weekly Sabbath starting Friday evening. The women purchased spices after the Sabbath, according to Mark 16:1—meaning the Passover Sabbath. Luke 23:56 says that, after the women saw where Jesus was buried, “they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.” The Wednesday argument states that the women could not purchase the spices after the Sabbath and prepare those spices before the Sabbath unless there were two Sabbaths that week, separated by a day.

Supporters of the Wednesday viewpoint see theirs as the only explanation that does not violate the biblical account of the women and the spices and holds to a literal understanding of Matthew 12:40. The “three days and three nights” of Matthew 12:40 are reckoned as follows: early Thursday (Day 1), late Thursday (Night 1), early Friday (Day 2), late Friday (Night 2), early Saturday (Day 3), and late Saturday (Night 3).

A difficulty with the Wednesday view is that the disciples who walked with Jesus on the road to Emmaus did so on “the same day” of His resurrection (Luke 24:13). The disciples, who do not recognize Jesus, tell Him of Jesus’ crucifixion (verse 20) and say that “today is the third day since these things happened” (verse 21). Wednesday to Sunday is four days. A possible explanation is that they may have started their count on Wednesday evening at Christ’s burial, which begins the Jewish Thursday, and Thursday to Sunday could be counted as three days.

Conclusion

While the day of the crucifixion is debated, the day of the resurrection is absolutely clear: Scripture says that Jesus rose on the first day of the week. What’s more important than knowing the day of the week of Jesus’ death is believing that He did die and that He rose from the dead. Equally important is why He died—to take the punishment that all sinners deserve. Jesus is truly the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Putting your trust in Him results in eternal life (John 3:16, 36)! This is true whether He was crucified on a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday.

What does it mean that Jesus is the Lamb of God?

When Jesus is called the Lamb of God in John 1:29 and John 1:36, it is referring to Him as the perfect and ultimate sacrifice for sin. In order to understand who Christ was and what He did, we must begin with the Old Testament, which contains prophecies concerning the coming of Christ as a “guilt offering” (Isaiah 53:10). In fact, the whole sacrificial system established by God in the Old Testament set the stage for the coming of Jesus Christ, who is the perfect sacrifice God would provide as atonement for the sins of His people (Romans 8:3; Hebrews 10).

The sacrifice of lambs played a very important role in the Jewish religious life and sacrificial system. When John the Baptist referred to Jesus as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), the Jews who heard him might have immediately thought of any one of several important sacrifices. With the time of the Passover feast being very near, the first thought might be the sacrifice of the Passover lamb. The Passover feast was one of the main Jewish holidays and a celebration in remembrance of God’s deliverance of the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. In fact, the slaying of the Passover lamb and the applying of the blood to doorposts of the houses (Exodus 12:11-13) is a beautiful picture of Christ’s atoning work on the cross. Those for whom He died are covered by His blood, protecting us from the angel of (spiritual) death.

Another important sacrifice involving lambs was the daily sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem. Every morning and evening, a lamb was sacrificed in the temple for the sins of the people (Exodus 29:38-42). These daily sacrifices, like all others, were simply to point people towards the perfect sacrifice of Christ on the cross. In fact, the time of Jesus’ death on the cross corresponds to the time the evening sacrifice was being made in the temple. The Jews at that time would have also been familiar with the Old Testament prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah, who foretold the coming of One who would be brought “like a lamb led to the slaughter” (Jeremiah 11:19; Isaiah 53:7) and whose sufferings and sacrifice would provide redemption for Israel. Of course, that person was none other than Jesus Christ, “the Lamb of God.”

While the idea of a sacrificial system might seem strange to us today, the concept of payment or restitution is still one we can easily understand. We know that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and that our sin separates us from God. We also know the Bible teaches we are all sinners and none of us is righteous before God (Romans 3:23). Because of our sin, we are separated from God, and we stand guilty before Him. Therefore, the only hope we can have is if He provides a way for us to be reconciled to Himself, and that is what He did in sending His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross. Christ died to make atonement for sin and to pay the penalty of the sins of all who believe in Him.

It is through His death on the cross as God’s perfect sacrifice for sin and His resurrection three days later that we can now have eternal life if we believe in Him. The fact that God Himself has provided the offering that atones for our sin is part of the glorious good news of the gospel that is so clearly declared in 1 Peter 1:18-21: “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.”

เบเปˆเบฝเบงเบเบฑเบšเบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเบ„เบฃเบดเบ”

เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเบ„เบฃเบดเบ”เปเบกเปˆเบ™เปƒเบœ?

เบ„เบทเบเบฑเบšเบ„เปเบฒเบ–เบฒเบกเบ—เบตเปˆเบงเปˆเบฒ "เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเบกเบตเบขเบนเปˆเบšเป?" เบ„เปเบฒ เบ–เบฒเบก เบ‚เบญเบ‡ เบžเบฃเบฐ เป€เบข เบŠเบน เบ„เบฃเบดเบ” เบ—เบตเปˆ เบกเบต เบขเบนเปˆ เปเบกเปˆเบ™ เบ–เบฒเบก เป‚เบ”เบ เบ›เบฐ เบŠเบฒ เบŠเบปเบ™ เบ‚เป‰เบญเบ™ เบ‚เป‰เบฒเบ‡ เบซเบ™เป‰เบญเบ. เบชเปˆเบงเบ™เบซเบผเบฒเบเบเบญเบกเบฎเบฑเบšเบงเปˆเบฒเบžเบฐเป€เบเบŠเบนเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบœเบนเป‰เบŠเบฒเบเปเบ—เป‰เป†เบ—เบตเปˆเบญเบฒเป„เบชเบขเบนเปˆเปƒเบ™เบญเบดเบ”เบชเบฐเบฅเบฒเปเบญเบ™เป€เบกเบทเปˆเบญ 2,000 เบ›เบตเบเปˆเบญเบ™. เบเบฒเบ™เป‚เบ•เป‰เบงเบฒเบ—เบตเป€เบฅเบตเปˆเบกเบ•เบปเป‰เบ™เบ”เป‰เบงเบเบเบฒเบ™เบชเบปเบ™เบ—เบฐเบ™เบฒเบเปˆเบฝเบงเบเบฑเบšเบ•เบปเบงเบ•เบปเบ™เบญเบฑเบ™เป€เบ•เบฑเบกเบ—เบตเปˆเบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฐเป€เบเบŠเบน. เป€เบเบทเบญเบšโ€‹เบ—เบธเบโ€‹เบชเบฒเบชเบฐเปœเบฒโ€‹เปƒเบซเบเปˆโ€‹เบชเบญเบ™โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบเบŠเบนโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เบžเบฐเบเบฒเบเบญเบ™ เบซเบผเบทโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ„เบนโ€‹เบชเบญเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบ”เบตโ€‹เบซเบผเบทโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ„เบปเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบ™เบฑเบšเบ–เบทโ€‹เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ. เปเบ•เปˆโ€‹เบ„เบณเบžเบตโ€‹เป„เบšเป€เบšเบดเบ™โ€‹เบšเบญเบโ€‹เป€เบฎเบปเบฒโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบเบŠเบนโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบซเบผเบฒเบโ€‹เบเบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เบžเบฐเบเบฒเบเบญเบ™ เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ„เบนโ€‹เบชเบญเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบ”เบต เบซเบผเบทโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบ™เบฑเบšเบ–เบทโ€‹เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ.

 

  1. S. Lewis เปƒเบ™เบซเบ™เบฑเบ‡เบชเบทเบ‚เบญเบ‡เบฅเบฒเบง Mere Christianity เบ‚เบฝเบ™เบงเปˆเบฒ: "เบ‚เป‰เบญเบเบžเบฐเบเบฒเบเบฒเบกเบขเบนเปˆเบ—เบตเปˆเบ™เบตเป‰เป€เบžเบทเปˆเบญเบ›เป‰เบญเบ‡เบเบฑเบ™เบšเปเปˆเปƒเบซเป‰เบœเบนเป‰เปƒเบ”เป€เบงเบปเป‰เบฒเป€เบฅเบทเปˆเบญเบ‡เป‚เบ‡เปˆเบˆเป‰เบฒเบ—เบตเปˆเบ„เบปเบ™เบกเบฑเบเป€เบงเบปเป‰เบฒเบเปˆเบฝเบงเบเบฑเบšเบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡ [เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเบ„เบฃเบดเบ”]: 'เบ‚เป‰เบญเบเบžเป‰เบญเบกเบ—เบตเปˆเบˆเบฐเบเบญเบกเบฎเบฑเบšเบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบœเบนเป‰เบชเบญเบ™เบชเบดเบ™เบ—เปเบฒเบ—เบตเปˆเบเบดเปˆเบ‡เปƒเบซเบเปˆ, เปเบ•เปˆ. เบ‚เป‰เบญเบเบšเปเปˆเบเบญเบกเบฎเบฑเบšเบเบฒเบ™เบญเป‰เบฒเบ‡เบงเปˆเบฒเบฅเบฒเบงเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ.' เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เบŠเบฒเบโ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฝเบ‡โ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เบŠเบฒเบโ€‹เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เป€เบงเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เปเบšเบšโ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบเบŠเบนโ€‹เป€เบงเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบˆเบฐโ€‹เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ„เบนโ€‹เบชเบญเบ™โ€‹เบชเบดเบ™เบฅเบฐเบ—เบณโ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบเบดเปˆเบ‡เปƒเบซเบเปˆ. เบฅเบฒเบงเบญเบฒเบ”เบˆเบฐเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบ„เบปเบ™เบ‚เบตเป‰เบ•เบปเบงเบฐ - เปƒเบ™เบฅเบฐเบ”เบฑเบšเบ—เบตเปˆเบกเบตเบœเบนเป‰เบŠเบฒเบเบ—เบตเปˆเป€เบงเบปเป‰เบฒเบงเปˆเบฒเบฅเบฒเบงเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เป„เบ‚เปˆเบ•เบปเป‰เบก - เบซเบผเบทเบ–เป‰เบฒเบšเปเปˆเบ”เบฑเปˆเบ‡เบ™เบฑเป‰เบ™เบฅเบฒเบงเบˆเบฐเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบกเบฒเบ™เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบ™เบฐเบฅเบปเบ. เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเบ•เป‰เบญเบ‡เป€เบฅเบทเบญเบเบ‚เบญเบ‡เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ. เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เบŠเบฒเบโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เบ™เบตเป‰โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™, เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™, เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบšเบธเบ”โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ, เบซเบฅเบทโ€‹เบญเบตเบโ€‹เบขเปˆเบฒเบ‡โ€‹เปœเบถเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เปเบกเปˆเบ™โ€‹เบ„เบปเบ™โ€‹เบšเป‰เบฒ เบซเบฅเบท เบšเบฒเบ‡โ€‹เบชเบดเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบฎเป‰เบฒเบโ€‹เปเบฎเบ‡เบเบงเปˆเบฒ. เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบชเบฒเบกเบฒเบ”โ€‹เบ›เบดเบ”โ€‹เบฅเบฒเบงโ€‹เป„เบงเป‰โ€‹เบชเบณเบฅเบฑเบšโ€‹เบ„เบปเบ™โ€‹เป‚เบ‡เปˆ, เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบชเบฒเบกเบฒเบ”โ€‹เบ–เบปเปˆเบกโ€‹เบ™เปเป‰เบฒเบฅเบฒเบโ€‹เปƒเบชเปˆโ€‹เบฅเบฒเบงโ€‹เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เบ‚เป‰เบฒโ€‹เบฅเบฒเบงโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบœเบตเบกเบฒเบ™เบฎเป‰เบฒเบ; เบซเบผเบทโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบชเบฒเบกเบฒเบ”โ€‹เบฅเบปเป‰เบกโ€‹เบฅเบปเบ‡โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบ•เบตเบ™โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบฅเบฒเบงโ€‹เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เป€เบญเบตเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบฅเบฒเบงโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ. เปเบ•เปˆโ€‹เบ‚เปโ€‹เปƒเบซเป‰โ€‹เบžเบงเบโ€‹เป€เบฎเบปเบฒโ€‹เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เป€เบงเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เป€เบ–เบดเบ‡โ€‹เบ„เบงเบฒเบกโ€‹เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เบชเบธโ€‹เบžเบฒเบšโ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เบญเบธโ€‹เบ›เบฐโ€‹เบ–เปเบฒโ€‹เบเปˆเบฝเบงโ€‹เบเบฑเบšโ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ„เบนโ€‹เบชเบญเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบเบดเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เปƒเบซเบเปˆโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡. เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เบšเปเปˆเป„เบ”เป‰เบ›เปˆเบญเบเปƒเบซเป‰เบ—เบฒเบ‡เป€เบฅเบทเบญเบเบ™เบฑเป‰เบ™เป€เบ›เบตเบ”เปƒเบซเป‰เบžเบงเบเป€เบฎเบปเบฒ. เบฅเบฒเบงโ€‹เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบ•เบฑเป‰เบ‡โ€‹เปƒเบˆ” (Macmillan, 1952, เปœเป‰เบฒ 55–56).

 

เบ”เบฑเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบ™เบฑเป‰เบ™ เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบญเป‰เบฒเบ‡โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบเบŠเบนโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เปƒเบœ? เบ„เบณเบžเบตโ€‹เป„เบšเป€เบšเบดเบ™โ€‹เบšเบญเบโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เปเบกเปˆเบ™โ€‹เปƒเบœ? เบ—เปเบฒเบญเบดเบ”, เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเปƒเบ™เป€เบ™เบทเป‰เบญเบซเบ™เบฑเบ‡. เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเป„เบ”เป‰เบเปˆเบฒเบงเปƒเบ™เป‚เบขเบฎเบฑเบ™ 10:30, “เป€เบฎเบปเบฒเปเบฅเบฐเบžเบฃเบฐเบšเบดเบ”เบฒเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบญเบฑเบ™เปœเบถเปˆเบ‡เบญเบฑเบ™เบ”เบฝเบงเบเบฑเบ™.” เบขเบนเปˆ glance เบ—เปเบฒเบญเบดเบ”, เบ™เบตเป‰เบญเบฒเบ”เบˆเบฐเบšเปเปˆเป€เบšเบดเปˆเบ‡เบ„เบทเบงเปˆเบฒเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบเบฒเบ™เบญเป‰เบฒเบ‡เบงเปˆเบฒเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ. เบขเปˆเบฒเบ‡เปƒเบ”เบเปเบ•เบฒเบก, เป€เบšเบดเปˆเบ‡เบ›เบฐเบ•เบดเบเบดเบฅเบดเบเบฒเบ‚เบญเบ‡เบŠเบฒเบงเบขเบดเบงเบ•เปเปˆเบ„เปเบฒเบ–เบฐเปเบซเบผเบ‡เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡. เบžเบงเบโ€‹เป€เบ‚เบปเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เบเบฒโ€‹เบเบฒเบกโ€‹เปเบเบงเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบเป‰เบญเบ™โ€‹เบซเบตเบ™โ€‹เปƒเบชเปˆโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡ “เป€เบžเบฒเบฐโ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เปเบดเปˆเบ™โ€‹เบ›เบฐโ€‹เปเบฒเบ”, เป€เบžเบฒเบฐโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบ—เปˆเบฒเบ™โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฝเบ‡โ€‹เบ„เบปเบ™, เบญเป‰เบฒเบ‡โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ” (เป‚เบขโ€‹เบฎเบฑเบ™ 10:33). เบŠเบฒเบงโ€‹เบขเบดเบงโ€‹เป€เบ‚เบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เปƒเบˆโ€‹เบ„เบณโ€‹เป€เบงเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบเบŠเบนโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบญเป‰เบฒเบ‡โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ. เปƒเบ™โ€‹เบ‚เปเป‰โ€‹เบ•เปเปˆโ€‹เป„เบ›โ€‹เบ™เบตเป‰, เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เป€เบ„เบตเบโ€‹เปเบเป‰โ€‹เป„เบ‚โ€‹เบŠเบฒเบงโ€‹เบขเบดเบงโ€‹เบซเบผเบทโ€‹เบ„เบงเบฒเบกโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เบเบฒโ€‹เบเบฒเบกโ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบˆเบฐโ€‹เป€เบฎเบฑเบ”โ€‹เปƒเบซเป‰โ€‹เบ„เบงเบฒเบกโ€‹เบเบฐโ€‹เบˆเปˆเบฒเบ‡โ€‹เปเบˆเป‰เบ‡โ€‹เบ„เปเบฒโ€‹เป€เบงเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡. เบฅเบฒเบงเบšเปเปˆเป€เบ„เบตเบเป€เบงเบปเป‰เบฒเบงเปˆเบฒ, "เบ‚เป‰เบญเบเบšเปเปˆเป„เบ”เป‰เบญเป‰เบฒเบ‡เบงเปˆเบฒเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ." เป€เบกเบทเปˆเบญโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบเบŠเบนโ€‹เบเปˆเบฒเบงโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒ, “เป€เบฎเบปเบฒโ€‹เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เบšเบดเบ”เบฒโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบญเบฑเบ™โ€‹เปœเบถเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบญเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ”เบฝเบงโ€‹เบเบฑเบ™” (เป‚เบขเบฎเบฑเบ™ 10:30), เบžเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เบญเป‰เบฒเบ‡โ€‹เบ„เบงเบฒเบกโ€‹เบชเบฐเป€เปเบตโ€‹เบžเบฒเบšโ€‹เบเบฑเบšโ€‹เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เปเบ—เป‰เป†.

 

เปƒเบ™เป‚เบขเบฎเบฑเบ™ 8:58 เบžเบฐเป€เบเบŠเบนเบญเป‰เบฒเบ‡เป€เบ–เบดเบ‡เบเบฒเบ™เบกเบตเบขเบนเปˆเบเปˆเบญเบ™, เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบ„เบธเบ™เบฅเบฑเบเบชเบฐเบ™เบฐเบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเบงเปˆเบฒ: “'เป€เบฎเบปเบฒเบšเบญเบเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเบ•เบฒเบกเบ„เบงเบฒเบกเบˆเบดเบ‡เบงเปˆเบฒ,' เบžเบฐเป€เบเบŠเบนเบ•เบญเบšเบงเปˆเบฒ, 'เบเปˆเบญเบ™เบญเบฑเบšเบฃเบฒเบฎเบฒเบกเป€เบเบตเบ”, เป€เบฎเบปเบฒเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™!'” เป€เบžเบทเปˆเบญเบ•เบญเบšเบ„เปเบฒเบเปˆเบฒเบงเบ™เบตเป‰, เบŠเบฒเบงเบขเบดเบงเป„เบ”เป‰เบเบปเบเบ‚เบถเป‰เบ™เบกเบฒเบญเบตเบเป€เบ—เบทเปˆเบญเบซเบ™เบถเปˆเบ‡. เบซเบตเบ™โ€‹เบเป‰เบญเบ™โ€‹เบซเบตเบ™โ€‹เปƒเบชเปˆโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบน (เป‚เบขโ€‹เบฎเบฑเบ™ 8:59). เปƒเบ™โ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบญเป‰เบฒเบ‡โ€‹เป€เบญเบปเบฒโ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบกเบตโ€‹เบขเบนเปˆโ€‹เบเปˆเบญเบ™, เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เปƒเบŠเป‰โ€‹เบŠเบทเปˆโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบเบฑเบšโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เป€เบญเบ‡—เบ‚เป‰เบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ (เป€เบšเบดเปˆเบ‡ Exodus 3:14). เบŠเบฒเบงโ€‹เบขเบดเบงโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบ›เบฐเบ•เบดโ€‹เป€เบชเบ”โ€‹เบ•เบปเบงโ€‹เบ•เบปเบ™โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขเบŠเบนโ€‹เปƒเบ™โ€‹เบ–เบฒเบ™เบฐโ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ, โ€‹เปเบ•เปˆโ€‹เป€เบ‚เบปเบฒโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เป€เบ‚เบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เปƒเบˆโ€‹เบขเปˆเบฒเบ‡โ€‹เปเบ—เป‰โ€‹เบˆเบดเบ‡โ€‹เปƒเบ™โ€‹เบชเบดเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เบเปˆเบฒเบง.

 

เบ‚เปเป‰เบ„เบถเบ”เปƒเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเบ„เปเบฒเบžเบตเบญเบทเปˆเบ™เป†เบ—เบตเปˆเบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเปƒเบ™เป€เบ™เบทเป‰เบญเบซเบ™เบฑเบ‡เบ›เบฐเบเบญเบšเบกเบต John 1: 1, เบ—เบตเปˆเป€เบงเบปเป‰เบฒเบงเปˆเบฒ, "เบžเบฃเบฐเบ„เปเบฒเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ," เบšเบงเบเปƒเบชเปˆเบเบฑเบš John 1: 14, เบ—เบตเปˆเป€เบงเบปเป‰เบฒเบงเปˆเบฒ, "เบžเบฃเบฐเบ„เปเบฒเป„เบ”เป‰เบเบฒเบเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เป€เบ™เบทเป‰เบญเบซเบ™เบฑเบ‡." Thomas เบชเบฒเบงเบปเบโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบ›เบฐเบเบฒเบ”โ€‹เบ•เปเปˆโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒ, “เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบ‚เป‰เบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบ‚เป‰เบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ” (John 20:28), เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เปเบเป‰โ€‹เป„เบ‚โ€‹เป€เบ‚เบปเบฒ. เบญเบฑเบโ€‹เบ„เบฐโ€‹เบชเบฒโ€‹เบงเบปเบโ€‹เป‚เบ›โ€‹เป‚เบฅโ€‹เบžเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบฅเบฐโ€‹เบ™เบฒโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™ “เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เบเบดเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เปƒเบซเบเปˆ เปเบฅเบฐ เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เบŠเปˆเบงเบโ€‹เปƒเบซเป‰โ€‹เบฅเบญเบ”โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบงเบโ€‹เป€เบฎเบปเบฒ, เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เบ„เบฃเบดเบ”” (เบ•เบตเป‚เบ• 2:13). เบญเบฑเบโ€‹เบ„เบฐโ€‹เบชเบฒโ€‹เบงเบปเบโ€‹เป€เบ›โ€‹เป‚เบ•โ€‹เบเปโ€‹เป€เบงเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบ„เบทโ€‹เบเบฑเบ™ เป‚เบ”เบโ€‹เป€เบญเบตเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒ “เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เบŠเปˆเบงเบโ€‹เปƒเบซเป‰โ€‹เบฅเบญเบ”” (2 เป€เบ›เป‚เบ• 1:1).

 

เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบšเบดโ€‹เบ”เบฒโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เป€เบ–เบดเบ‡โ€‹เบ•เบปเบงโ€‹เบ•เบปเบ™โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เป€เบŠเบฑเปˆเบ™โ€‹เบ”เบฝเบงโ€‹เบเบฑเบ™: “เปเบ•เปˆโ€‹เบเปˆเบฝเบงโ€‹เบเบฑเบšโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบšเบธเบ”โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เบเปˆเบฒเบงโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒ, เป‚เบญเป‰ เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบšเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบฅเบฑเบ‡โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เบˆเบฐโ€‹เบ„เบปเบ‡โ€‹เบขเบนเปˆโ€‹เบ•เบฐโ€‹เบซเบฅเบญเบ”โ€‹เบเบฒเบ™; เบ„เบ—เบฒโ€‹เปเบซเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบ„เบงเบฒเบกโ€‹เบเบธเบ”โ€‹เบ•เบดโ€‹เบ—เบณโ€‹เบˆเบฐโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ„เป‰เบญเบโ€‹เปเบซเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบญเบฒเบ™เบฒเบˆเบฑเบโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ.” (เป€เบซเบšเป€เบฅเบต 1:8; เบ„เบณเป€เบžเบ‡ 45:6). เบ„เปเบฒเบžเบฐเบเบฒเบเบญเบ™เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบ„เปเบฒเบžเบตเป€เบ”เบตเบกเป€เบŠเบฑเปˆเบ™: เป€เบญเบŠเบฒเบขเบฒ 9: 6 เบ›เบฐเบเบฒเบ”เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบ„เบฃเบดเบ”: "เบชเปเบฒเบฅเบฑเบšเบžเบงเบเป€เบฎเบปเบฒ, เป€เบ”เบฑเบเบ™เป‰เบญเบเป€เบเบตเบ”เบกเบฒ, เบฅเบนเบเบŠเบฒเบเป„เบ”เป‰เบ–เบทเบเบกเบญเบšเปƒเบซเป‰เบžเบงเบเป€เบฎเบปเบฒ, เปเบฅเบฐเบฅเบฑเบ”เบ–เบฐเบšเบฒเบ™เบˆเบฐเบขเบนเปˆเป€เบ—เบดเบ‡เบšเปˆเบฒเบ‚เบญเบ‡เบฅเบฒเบง. เปเบฅเบฐเบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เบˆเบฐเบ–เบทเบเป€เบญเบตเป‰เบ™เบงเปˆเบฒเบ—เบตเปˆเบ›เบถเบเบชเบฒเบ—เบตเปˆเบ›เบฐเป€เบชเบตเบ”, เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเบœเบนเป‰เบเบดเปˆเบ‡เปƒเบซเบเปˆ, เบžเบฃเบฐเบšเบดเบ”เบฒเบ™เบดเบฅเบฑเบ™เบ”เบญเบ™, เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเบŠเบฒเบเปเบซเปˆเบ‡เบชเบฑเบ™เบ•เบดเบžเบฒเบš” (เป€เบ™เบฑเป‰เบ™เบซเบ™เบฑเบเปƒเบชเปˆเบ•เบทเปˆเบก).

 

เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบซเบเบฑเบ‡เบ„เบณเบ–เบฒเบกเบเปˆเบฝเบงเบเบฑเบšเบ•เบปเบงเบ•เบปเบ™เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฐเป€เบเบŠเบนเบˆเบถเปˆเบ‡เบชเบณเบ„เบฑเบ™เบซเบผเบฒเบ? เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบซเบเบฑเบ‡โ€‹เบˆเบถเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบชเบณเบ„เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบเบŠเบนโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ? เป€เบซเบ”เบœเบปเบ™เบซเบผเบฒเบเบขเปˆเบฒเบ‡:

 

  • เบ”เบฑเปˆเบ‡เบ—เบตเปˆ C. S. Lewis เบŠเบตเป‰เบญเบญเบ, เบ–เป‰เบฒเบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเบšเปเปˆเปเบกเปˆเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ, เบซเบผเบฑเบ‡เบˆเบฒเบเบ™เบฑเป‰เบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเปเบกเปˆเบ™เบœเบนเป‰เบ—เบตเปˆเบ‚เบตเป‰เบ•เบปเบงเบฐเบ—เบตเปˆเบฎเป‰เบฒเบเปเบฎเบ‡เบ—เบตเปˆเบชเบธเบ”เปเบฅเบฐเบšเปเปˆเบซเบ™เป‰เบฒเป€เบŠเบทเปˆเบญเบ–เบทเปƒเบ™เบ—เบธเบเบ—เบฒเบ‡.

 

  • เบ–เป‰เบฒเบžเบฐเป€เบเบŠเบนเบšเปเปˆเปเบกเปˆเบ™เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ เบญเบฑเบเบ„เบฐเบชเบฒเบงเบปเบเบเปเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบ„เบปเบ™เบ‚เบตเป‰เบ•เบปเบงเบฐเบ„เบทเบเบฑเบ™.

 

  • เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เบ•เป‰เบญเบ‡โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ เป€เบžเบฒเบฐโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบกโ€‹เบŠเบตโ€‹เบญเบฒโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบ–เบทเบโ€‹เบชเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบเบฒโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบˆเบฐโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™ “เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เบšเปโ€‹เบฅเบดโ€‹เบชเบธเบ”” (เป€เบญโ€‹เบŠเบฒโ€‹เบขเบฒ 49:7). เป€เบ™เบทเปˆเบญเบ‡โ€‹เบˆเบฒเบโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เบกเบตโ€‹เปƒเบœโ€‹เบขเบนเปˆโ€‹เปƒเบ™โ€‹เป‚เบฅเบโ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบŠเบญเบšเบ—เบณโ€‹เบ•เปเปˆโ€‹เปœเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ (เบ„เบณเป€เบžเบ‡ 53:1; 143:2), เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เป€เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบˆเบถเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบ•เป‰เบญเบ‡โ€‹เป€เบ‚เบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบกเบฒโ€‹เปƒเบ™โ€‹เป‚เบฅเบโ€‹เปƒเบ™โ€‹เบ–เบฒเบ™เบฐโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบกเบฐเบ™เบธเบ”.

 

  • เบ–เป‰เบฒเบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเบšเปเปˆเปเบกเปˆเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ, เบเบฒเบ™เบชเบดเป‰เบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเบŠเบปเบ™เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เบˆเบฐเบšเปเปˆเบžเบฝเบ‡เบžเปเบ—เบตเปˆเบˆเบฐเบˆเปˆเบฒเบเบ„เปˆเบฒเบฅเบปเบ‡เป‚เบ—เบ”เบšเบฒเบšเบ‚เบญเบ‡เป‚เบฅเบเบ—เบฑเบ‡เบซเบกเบปเบ” (1 John 2: 2). เบกเบตโ€‹เปเบ•เปˆโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เบ”เบฝเบงโ€‹เป€เบ—เบปเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบ™เบฑเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบชเบฒโ€‹เบกเบฒเบ”โ€‹เบชเบฐโ€‹เบซเบ™เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เป€เบชเบโ€‹เบชเบฐโ€‹เบฅเบฐโ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบกเบตโ€‹เบ„เปˆเบฒโ€‹เบญเบฑเบ™โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ™เบดเบ”โ€‹เบ™เบดโ€‹เบฅเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ”เบญเบ™ (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

 

  • เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเบœเบนเป‰เบŠเปˆเบญเบเปƒเบซเป‰เบฅเบญเบ”เบญเบปเบ‡เบ”เบฝเบง (เป‚เบฎเป€เบŠเบญเบฒ 13:4; 1 เบ•เบตเป‚เบกเป€เบ• 2:3). เบ–เป‰เบฒโ€‹เบซเบฒเบโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เบˆเบฐโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เบŠเปˆเบงเบโ€‹เปƒเบซเป‰โ€‹เบฅเบญเบ”, เบซเบผเบฑเบ‡โ€‹เบˆเบฒเบโ€‹เบ™เบฑเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เบˆเบฐโ€‹เบ•เป‰เบญเบ‡โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ.

เบžเบฐเป€เบเบŠเบนเบ•เป‰เบญเบ‡เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบ—เบฑเบ‡เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเปเบฅเบฐเบกเบฐเบ™เบธเบ”. เปƒเบ™โ€‹เบ–เบฒโ€‹เบ™เบฐโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ, เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เบชเบฒโ€‹เบกเบฒเบ”โ€‹เบ•เบญเบšโ€‹เบชเบฐโ€‹เบซเบ™เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบžเบดโ€‹เป‚เบฅเบ”โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ. เปƒเบ™เบ–เบฒเบ™เบฐเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบœเบนเป‰เบŠเบฒเบ, เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเบกเบตเบ„เบงเบฒเบกเบชเบฒเบกเบฒเบ”เบ—เบตเปˆเบˆเบฐเป€เบชเบเบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”. เปƒเบ™โ€‹เบ–เบฒโ€‹เบ™เบฐโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ, เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เป„เบเปˆโ€‹เป€เบเปˆเบโ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบ”เบตโ€‹เป€เบฅเบตเบ”โ€‹เบฅเบฐโ€‹เบซเบงเปˆเบฒเบ‡โ€‹เบชเบฐโ€‹เบซเบงเบฑเบ™โ€‹เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เปเบœเปˆเบ™โ€‹เบ”เบดเบ™โ€‹เป‚เบฅเบ (1 เบ•เบตโ€‹เป‚เบก 2:5). เบ„เบงเบฒเบกเบฅเบญเบ”เบกเบตเปƒเบซเป‰เบžเบฝเบ‡เปเบ•เปˆเบœเปˆเบฒเบ™เบชเบฑเบ”เบ—เบฒเปƒเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเบ„เบฃเบดเบ”. เบ”เบฑเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบ›เบฐโ€‹เบเบฒเบ”โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒ, “เป€เบฎเบปเบฒโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบฒเบ‡โ€‹เบ™เบฑเป‰เบ™ เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ„เบงเบฒเบกโ€‹เบˆเบดเบ‡ เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบŠเบตโ€‹เบงเบดเบ”. เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เบกเบตโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เปƒเบ”โ€‹เบกเบฒโ€‹เบซเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบšเบดโ€‹เบ”เบฒโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เป€เบงเบฑเป‰เบ™โ€‹เป€เบชเบโ€‹เปเบ•เปˆโ€‹เบœเปˆเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบฒเบ‡โ€‹เป€เบฎเบปเบฒ” (เป‚เบขเบฎเบฑเบ™ 14:6).

เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเปเบ—เป‰เบšเป?

เบšเบฒเบ‡โ€‹เบ„เบปเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบ›เบฐเบ•เบดโ€‹เป€เบชเบ”โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบเบŠเบนโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบญเป‰เบฒเบ‡โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบเบŠเบนโ€‹เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เป€เบ„เบตเบโ€‹เป€เบงเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ. เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบ–เบทเบเบ•เป‰เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบ„เบณเบžเบตโ€‹เป„เบšเป€เบšเบดเบ™โ€‹เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เป€เบ„เบตเบโ€‹เบšเบฑเบ™เบ—เบถเบโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบเบŠเบนโ€‹เป€เบงเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบ–เป‰เบญเบเบ„เบณโ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบŠเบฑเบ”เป€เบˆเบ™โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒ “เป€เบฎเบปเบฒโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ.” เปเบ™เบงเปƒเบ”เบเปเบ•เบฒเบก เบ™เบตเป‰เบšเปเปˆเป„เบ”เป‰เปเบฒเบเบ„เบงเบฒเบกเบงเปˆเบฒเบžเบฐเป€เบเบŠเบนเบšเปเปˆเป€เบ„เบตเบเบญเป‰เบฒเบ‡เบงเปˆเบฒเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ.
เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเบšเป? — เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบเบŠเบนโ€‹เบญเป‰เบฒเบ‡โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ.

เป€เบญเบปเบฒเบ•เบปเบงเบขเปˆเบฒเบ‡เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบ„เปเบฒเป€เบงเบปเป‰เบฒเบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเปƒเบ™เป‚เบขเบฎเบฑเบ™ 10:30, "เป€เบฎเบปเบฒเปเบฅเบฐเบžเบฃเบฐเบšเบดเบ”เบฒเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบญเบฑเบ™เบ”เบฝเบงเบเบฑเบ™." เบžเบงเบเป€เบฎเบปเบฒเบ•เป‰เบญเบ‡เบเบฒเบ™เบžเบฝเบ‡เปเบ•เปˆเป€เบšเบดเปˆเบ‡เบ›เบฐเบ•เบดเบเบดเบฅเบดเบเบฒเบ‚เบญเบ‡เบŠเบฒเบงเบขเบดเบงเบ•เปเปˆเบ„เปเบฒเบ–เบฐเปเบซเบผเบ‡เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เป€เบžเบทเปˆเบญเบฎเบนเป‰เบงเปˆเบฒเบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เป„เบ”เป‰เบญเป‰เบฒเบ‡เบงเปˆเบฒเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ. เบžเบงเบโ€‹เป€เบ‚เบปเบฒโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เบเบฒโ€‹เบเบฒเบกโ€‹เปเบเบงเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบเป‰เบญเบ™โ€‹เบซเบตเบ™โ€‹เปƒเบชเปˆโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เบ”เป‰เบงเบโ€‹เป€เบซเบ”โ€‹เบœเบปเบ™โ€‹เบ”เบฑเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบ™เบตเป‰: “เบ—เปˆเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฝเบ‡โ€‹เปเบ•เปˆโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เปƒเบ”โ€‹เบเปโ€‹เบญเป‰เบฒเบ‡โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ” (เป‚เบขเบฎเบฑเบ™ 10:33, เป€เบ™เบฑเป‰เบ™โ€‹เปœเบฑเบโ€‹เบ•เบทเปˆเบก). เบŠเบฒเบงโ€‹เบขเบดเบงโ€‹เป€เบ‚เบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เปƒเบˆโ€‹เบขเปˆเบฒเบ‡โ€‹เปเบ—เป‰โ€‹เบˆเบดเบ‡โ€‹เปƒเบ™โ€‹เบชเบดเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบเบŠเบนโ€‹เบญเป‰เบฒเบ‡โ€‹เปเบกเปˆเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ. เป€เบกเบทเปˆเบญโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบเบŠเบนโ€‹เบ›เบฐเบเบฒเบ”โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒ, “เป€เบฎเบปเบฒโ€‹เบเบฑเบšโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เบšเบดเบ”เบฒโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบญเบฑเบ™โ€‹เปœเบถเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบญเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ”เบฝเบง” เบžเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เบเปˆเบฒเบงโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เบšเบดเบ”เบฒโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบญเบฑเบ™โ€‹เปœเบถเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบญเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ”เบฝเบงโ€‹เบเบฑเบ™โ€‹เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เบชเบณเบ„เบฑเบ™. เป‚เบขเบฎเบฑเบ™ 8:58 เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบ•เบปเบงเบขเปˆเบฒเบ‡เบญเบทเปˆเบ™. เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบ›เบฐโ€‹เบเบฒเบ”โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒ, “เบ‚เป‰เบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบšเบญเบโ€‹เบ—เปˆเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบ„เบงเบฒเบกโ€‹เบˆเบดเบ‡ … เบเปˆเบญเบ™โ€‹เบญเบฑเบšโ€‹เบฃเบฒโ€‹เบฎเบฒเบกโ€‹เป€เบเบตเบ”, เบ‚เป‰เบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ!” เบ™เบตเป‰เปเบกเปˆเบ™เบเบฒเบ™เบญเป‰เบฒเบ‡เบญเบดเบ‡เบเบฑเบšเบ„เบทเบ™เป„เบ›เบšเปˆเบญเบ™ Exodus 3: 14 เปƒเบ™เป€เบงเบฅเบฒเบ—เบตเปˆเบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเป€เบ›เบตเบ”เป€เบœเบตเบเบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เป€เบญเบ‡เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™ "เบ‚เป‰เบฒเบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ." เบŠเบฒเบงโ€‹เบขเบดเบงโ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบเบดเบ™โ€‹เบ–เป‰เบญเบโ€‹เบ„เบณโ€‹เบ™เบตเป‰โ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบ•เบญเบšโ€‹เป‚เบ•เป‰โ€‹เป‚เบ”เบโ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เป€เบญเบปเบฒโ€‹เบเป‰เบญเบ™โ€‹เบซเบตเบ™โ€‹เบ‚เป‰เบฒโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เบ”เป‰เบงเบโ€‹เบ„เบณโ€‹เปเบดเปˆเบ™โ€‹เบ›เบฐโ€‹เปเบฒเบ”โ€‹เบ•เบฒเบกโ€‹เบเบปเบ”โ€‹เปเบฒเบโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เป‚เบกโ€‹เป€เบŠ (เบžเบงเบโ€‹เป€เบฅเบงเบต 24:16).

เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเบšเป? — เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เบ•เบดเบ”โ€‹เบ•เบฒเบกโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เบ›เบฐเบเบฒเบ”โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ.

เป‚เบขเบฎเบฑเบ™โ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบเปˆเบฒเบงโ€‹เบขเป‰เบณโ€‹เป€เบ–เบดเบ‡โ€‹เบ„เบงเบฒเบกโ€‹เบ„เบดเบ”โ€‹เบเปˆเบฝเบงโ€‹เบเบฑเบšโ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขเบŠเบนโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒ: “เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบ„เบณ [เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขเบŠเบน] เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ” เปเบฅเบฐ “เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบ„เบณโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบเบฒเบโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เป€เบ™เบทเป‰เบญโ€‹เปœเบฑเบ‡” (เป‚เบขโ€‹เบฎเบฑเบ™ 1:1, 14). เบ‚เปเป‰เบžเบฃเบฐเบ„เปเบฒเบžเบตเป€เบซเบผเบปเปˆเบฒเบ™เบตเป‰เบŠเบตเป‰เปƒเบซเป‰เป€เบซเบฑเบ™เบขเปˆเบฒเบ‡เบŠเบฑเบ”เป€เบˆเบ™เบงเปˆเบฒเบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเปƒเบ™เป€เบ™เบทเป‰เบญเบซเบ™เบฑเบ‡. เบเบดเบ”เบˆเบฐเบเบฒเบ™ 20:28 เบšเบญเบโ€‹เบžเบงเบเป€เบฎเบปเบฒโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒ, “เบˆเบปเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เบฅเป‰เบฝเบ‡โ€‹เปเบเบฐโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบ„เบฃเบดเบชเบ•เบฐเบˆเบฑเบโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ เบŠเบถเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบŠเบทเป‰โ€‹เบ”เป‰เบงเบโ€‹เป€เบฅเบทเบญเบ”โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เป€เบญเบ‡.” เปƒเบœเบŠเบทเป‰เบ„เบฃเบดเบชเบ•เบฐเบˆเบฑเบเบ”เป‰เบงเบเป€เบฅเบทเบญเบ”เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เป€เบญเบ‡? เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเบ„เบฃเบดเบ”. เปเบฅเบฐเบ‚เปเป‰เบ”เบฝเบงเบเบฑเบ™เบ™เบตเป‰เบ›เบฐเบเบฒเบ”เบงเปˆเบฒเบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเป„เบ”เป‰เบŠเบทเป‰เบ„เบฃเบดเบชเบ•เบฐเบˆเบฑเบเบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เบ”เป‰เบงเบเป€เบฅเบทเบญเบ”เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เป€เบญเบ‡. เป€เบžเบฒเบฐเบชเบฐเบ™เบฑเป‰เบ™, เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ.

Thomas เบชเบฒเบงเบปเบโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบ›เบฐเบเบฒเบ”โ€‹เบเปˆเบฝเบงโ€‹เบเบฑเบšโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบน, “เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบ‚เป‰เบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบ‚เป‰เบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ” (John 20:28). เบžเบฐเป€เบเบŠเบนเบšเปเปˆเป„เบ”เป‰เปเบเป‰เป„เบ‚เบฅเบฒเบง. เบ•เบดเป‚เบ• 2:13 เบŠเบธเบเบเบนเป‰โ€‹เป€เบฎเบปเบฒโ€‹เปƒเบซเป‰โ€‹เบฅเปเบ–เป‰เบฒโ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบชเบฐเป€เบ”เบฑเบ”โ€‹เบกเบฒโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ เปเบฅเบฐ เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เบŠเปˆเบญเบโ€‹เปƒเบซเป‰โ€‹เบฅเบญเบ”, เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขเบŠเบนโ€‹เบ„เบฃเบดเบ” (เป€เบšเบดเปˆเบ‡ 2 เป€เบ›เป‚เบ• 1:1 เบ™เบณโ€‹เบญเบตเบ). เปƒเบ™เป€เบฎเบฑเบšเป€เบฃเบต 1:8, เบžเบฃเบฐเบšเบดเบ”เบฒเบ›เบฐเบเบฒเบ”เบเปˆเบฝเบงเบเบฑเบšเบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเบงเปˆเบฒ, "เปเบ•เปˆเบเปˆเบฝเบงเบเบฑเบšเบžเบฃเบฐเบšเบธเบ”เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เบŠเบปเบ‡เบเปˆเบฒเบงเบงเปˆเบฒ, 'เป‚เบญเป‰เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ, เบžเบฃเบฐเบ—เบตเปˆเบ™เบฑเปˆเบ‡เบ‚เบญเบ‡เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเบˆเบฐเบขเบนเปˆเบ•เบฐเบซเบผเบญเบ”เป„เบ›เปเบฅเบฐเบ•เบฐเบซเบผเบญเบ”เป„เบ›, เปเบฅเบฐเบ„เบงเบฒเบกเบŠเบญเบšเบ—เปเบฒเบˆเบฐเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบ„แ€™แ€ผแ€แ€บเบ‚เบญเบ‡เบญเบฒเบ™เบฒเบˆเบฑเบเบ‚เบญเบ‡เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ.'" เบžเบฃเบฐเบšเบดเบ”เบฒเบซเบกเบฒเบเป€เบ–เบดเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบน. เปƒเบ™โ€‹เบ–เบฒโ€‹เบ™เบฐโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ, เบชเบฐโ€‹เปเบ”เบ‡โ€‹เปƒเบซเป‰โ€‹เป€เบซเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เปเบ—เป‰โ€‹เบˆเบดเบ‡.

เปƒเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเบ™เบดเบกเบดเบ”, เบ—เบนเบ”เบชเบฐเบซเบงเบฑเบ™เบญเบปเบ‡เบซเบ™เบถเปˆเบ‡เป„เบ”เป‰เปเบ™เบฐเบ™เปเบฒเบญเบฑเบเบ„เบฐเบชเบฒเบงเบปเบเป‚เบขเบฎเบฑเบ™เปƒเบซเป‰เบ™เบฐเบกเบฑเบ”เบชเบฐเบเบฒเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเป€เบ—เบปเปˆเบฒเบ™เบฑเป‰เบ™ (เบžเบฃเบฐเบ™เบดเบกเบดเบ” 19:10). เบซเบผเบฒเบเบ„เบฑเป‰เบ‡เปƒเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเบ„เปเบฒเบžเบตเบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเป„เบ”เป‰เบฎเบฑเบšเบเบฒเบ™เบ™เบฐเบกเบฑเบ”เบชเบฐเบเบฒเบ™ (เบกเบฑเบ”เบ—เบฒเบ 2:11; 14:33; 28:9, 17; เบฅเบนเบเบฒ 24:52; เป‚เบขเบฎเบฑเบ™ 9:38). เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เบšเปเปˆเป€เบ„เบตเบเบซเป‰เบฒเบกเบ›เบฐเบŠเบฒเบŠเบปเบ™เบชเปเบฒเบฅเบฑเบšเบเบฒเบ™เบ™เบฐเบกเบฑเบ”เบชเบฐเบเบฒเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡. เบ–เป‰เบฒโ€‹เบซเบฒเบโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เปเบกเปˆเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ, เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เบˆเบฐโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบšเบญเบโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เบ„เบปเบ™โ€‹เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เปƒเบซเป‰โ€‹เบ™เบฐโ€‹เบกเบฑเบ”โ€‹เบชเบฐโ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡, เบ„เบทโ€‹เบเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบเบฑเบšโ€‹เบ—เบนเบ”โ€‹เบชเบฐเบซเบงเบฑเบ™โ€‹เปƒเบ™โ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เป€เบ›เบตเบ”โ€‹เป€เบœเบตเบโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เป€เบฎเบฑเบ”. เบ™เบญเบ เป€เปœเบทเบญ เป„เบ›เบˆเบฒเบเบ™เบตเป‰, เบกเบตเบ‚เปเป‰เบžเบฃเบฐ เบ„เบณ เบžเบตเบญเบทเปˆเบ™เป†เบ—เบตเปˆเป‚เบ•เป‰เบ–เบฝเบ‡เบงเปˆเบฒเบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ.

เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเบšเป? — เป€เบซเบ”เบœเบปเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบเบŠเบนโ€‹เบ•เป‰เบญเบ‡โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ.

เป€เบซเบ”เบœเบปเบ™เบชเปเบฒเบ„เบฑเบ™เบ—เบตเปˆเบชเบธเบ”เบ—เบตเปˆเบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเบ•เป‰เบญเบ‡เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเปเบกเปˆเบ™เบงเปˆเบฒ, เบ–เป‰เบฒเบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เบšเปเปˆเปเบกเปˆเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ, เบ„เบงเบฒเบกเบ•เบฒเบเบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เบˆเบฐเบšเปเปˆเบžเบฝเบ‡เบžเปเบ—เบตเปˆเบˆเบฐเบˆเปˆเบฒเบเบ„เปˆเบฒเบฅเบปเบ‡เป‚เบ—เบ”เบšเบฒเบšเบ‚เบญเบ‡เป‚เบฅเบ (1 John 2: 2). เบชเบดเปˆเบ‡เบ—เบตเปˆเบ–เบทเบเบชเป‰เบฒเบ‡เบ‚เบทเป‰เบ™, เป€เบŠเบดเปˆเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเบˆเบฐเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบ–เป‰เบฒเบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เบšเปเปˆเปเบกเปˆเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ, เบšเปเปˆเบชเบฒเบกเบฒเบ”เบˆเปˆเบฒเบเบ„เปˆเบฒเบฅเบปเบ‡เป‚เบ—เบ”เบ—เบตเปˆเบšเปเปˆเบกเบตเบ‚เบญเบšเป€เบ‚เบ”เบ—เบตเปˆเบ•เป‰เบญเบ‡เบเบฒเบ™เบชเปเบฒเบฅเบฑเบšเบšเบฒเบšเบ•เปเปˆเบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเบ—เบตเปˆเบšเปเปˆเบกเบตเบ‚เบญเบšเป€เบ‚เบ”. เบกเบตเบžเบฝเบ‡เปเบ•เปˆเบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเป€เบ—เบปเปˆเบฒเบ™เบฑเป‰เบ™เบ—เบตเปˆเบชเบฒเบกเบฒเบ”เบˆเปˆเบฒเบเบ„เปˆเบฒเบฅเบปเบ‡เป‚เบ—เบ”เบ—เบตเปˆเบšเปเปˆเบกเบตเบ‚เบญเบšเป€เบ‚เบ”. เบกเบตโ€‹เปเบ•เปˆโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เป€เบ—เบปเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบ™เบฑเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบˆเบฐโ€‹เบฎเบฑเบšโ€‹เป€เบญเบปเบฒโ€‹เบšเบฒเบšโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เป‚เบฅเบ (2 เป‚เบเบฅเบดเบ™เป‚เบ— 5:21), เบ•เบฒเบ, เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบ„เบทเบ™โ€‹เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”, เบžเบดเบชเบนเบ”โ€‹เปƒเบซเป‰โ€‹เป€เบซเบฑเบ™โ€‹เป€เบ–เบดเบ‡โ€‹เป„เบŠเบŠเบฐเบ™เบฐโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เป€เปœเบทเบญโ€‹เบšเบฒเบš เปเบฅเบฐ เบ„เบงเบฒเบกโ€‹เบ•เบฒเบ.

เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒเบšเป? เปเบกเปˆเบ™เปเบฅเป‰เบง. เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเบŠเบปเบ‡เบ›เบฐเบเบฒเบ”เบงเปˆเบฒเบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เป€เบญเบ‡เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ. เบœเบนเป‰เบ•เบดเบ”เบ•เบฒเบกเบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เป€เบŠเบทเปˆเบญเบงเปˆเบฒเบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ. เบเบฒเบ™เบชเบฐเบซเบ™เบญเบ‡เบ„เบงเบฒเบกเบฅเบญเบ”เป€เบฎเบฑเบ”เบงเบฝเบเบžเบฝเบ‡เปเบ•เปˆเบ–เป‰เบฒเบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ. เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ incarnate, เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบญเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบŸเบฒโ€‹เบ™เบดโ€‹เบฅเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ”เบญเบ™โ€‹เปเบฅเบฐ Omega (เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบ™เบดโ€‹เบกเบดเบ” 1:8; 22:13), เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เบŠเปˆเบงเบโ€‹เปƒเบซเป‰โ€‹เบฅเบญเบ”โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบงเบโ€‹เป€เบฎเบปเบฒ (2 เป€เบ›โ€‹เป‚เบ• 1:1).

เบเบฒเบ™เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™เบ„เบทเบ™เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเบ„เบฃเบดเบ”เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบ„เบงเบฒเบกเบˆเบดเบ‡เบšเป?

เบžเบฃเบฐเบ„เปเบฒเบžเบตเบชเบฐเป€เบซเบ™เบตเบซเบผเบฑเบเบ–เบฒเบ™เบ—เบตเปˆเปเบ™เปˆเบ™เบญเบ™เบงเปˆเบฒเบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเบ„เบฃเบดเบ”เป„เบ”เป‰เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™เบ„เบทเบ™เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”เบˆเบฒเบเบ„เบงเบฒเบกเบ•เบฒเบ. เบเบฒเบ™เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™เบ„เบทเบ™เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบ„เบฃเบดเบ”เป„เบ”เป‰เบ–เบทเบเบšเบฑเบ™เบ—เบถเบเป„เบงเป‰เปƒเบ™เบกเบฑเบ”เบ—เบฒเบ 28:1-20; เบกเบฒเบฅเบฐเป‚เบ 16:1-20; เบฅเบนเบเบฒ 24:1-53; เปเบฅเบฐ เป‚เบขเบฎเบฑเบ™ 20:1–21:25. เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบ„เบฃเบดเบ”โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบ„เบทเบ™โ€‹เบกเบฒโ€‹เบˆเบฒเบโ€‹เบ•เบฒเบโ€‹เบเบฑเบ‡โ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบ›เบฐเบเบปเบ”โ€‹เบขเบนเปˆโ€‹เปƒเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบ„เบณโ€‹เบžเบตโ€‹เบเบดเบ”เบˆเบฐเบเบฒเบ™ (เบเบดเบ”เบˆเบฐเบเบฒเบ™ 1:1-11). เบˆเบฒเบโ€‹เบ‚เปเป‰โ€‹เบ„เบงเบฒเบกโ€‹เป€เบซเบผเบปเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบ™เบตเป‰ เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบชเบฒเบกเบฒเบ”โ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบฎเบฑเบš “เบซเบผเบฑเบโ€‹เบ–เบฒเบ™” เบซเบผเบฒเบโ€‹เบขเปˆเบฒเบ‡โ€‹เบเปˆเบฝเบงโ€‹เบเบฑเบšโ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบ„เบทเบ™โ€‹เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เบ„เบฅเบดเบ”. เบซเบ™เป‰เบฒเบ—เปเบฒเบญเบดเบ”เปเบกเปˆเบ™เบเบฒเบ™เบ›เปˆเบฝเบ™เปเบ›เบ‡เบขเปˆเบฒเบ‡เบซเบผเบงเบ‡เบซเบผเบฒเบเปƒเบ™เบžเบงเบเบชเบฒเบงเบปเบ. เป€เบ‚เบปเบฒโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เป„เบ›โ€‹เบˆเบฒเบโ€‹เบเบธเปˆเบกโ€‹เบŠเบฒเบโ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบขเป‰เบฒเบ™โ€‹เบเบปเบง เปเบฅเบฐ เบฅเบตเป‰โ€‹เบ•เบปเบงโ€‹เป„เบ›โ€‹เบซเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฐเบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เป€เบ‚เบฑเป‰เบกโ€‹เปเบ‚เบ‡, เบกเบตโ€‹เบ„เบงเบฒเบกโ€‹เบเป‰เบฒเบซเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เปเบšเปˆเบ‡เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐเบเบดเบ”โ€‹เบ•เบดโ€‹เบ„เบธเบ™โ€‹เป„เบ›โ€‹เบ—เบปเปˆเบงโ€‹เป‚เบฅเบ. เบกเบตเบญเบฑเบ™เปƒเบ”เบญเบตเบเปเบ”เปˆเบ—เบตเปˆเบชเบฒเบกเบฒเบ”เบญเบฐเบ—เบดเบšเบฒเบเป€เบ–เบดเบ‡เบเบฒเบ™เบ›เปˆเบฝเบ™เปเบ›เบ‡เบญเบฑเบ™เบเบดเปˆเบ‡เปƒเบซเบเปˆเบ™เบตเป‰เบ™เบญเบเบˆเบฒเบเบžเบฃเบฐเบ„เบฃเบดเบ”เบ—เบตเปˆเบŠเบปเบ‡เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™เบ„เบทเบ™เบกเบฒเบˆเบฒเบเบ•เบฒเบเบ›เบฐเบเบปเบ”เบ•เบปเบงเปเบเปˆเป€เบ‚เบปเบฒเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ?

เบญเบฑเบ™เบ—เบตเบชเบญเบ‡เปเบกเปˆเบ™เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบญเบฑเบเบ„เบฐเบชเบฒเบงเบปเบเป‚เบ›เป‚เบฅ. เปเบกเปˆเบ™เบซเบเบฑเบ‡เบ—เบตเปˆเบ›เปˆเบฝเบ™เบฅเบฒเบงเบˆเบฒเบเบเบฒเบ™เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบœเบนเป‰เบ‚เบปเปˆเบกเป€เบซเบฑเบ‡เบ„เบฃเบดเบชเบ•เบฐเบˆเบฑเบเบกเบฒเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบญเบฑเบเบ„เบฐเบชเบฒเบงเบปเบเบ‚เบญเบ‡เบ„เบฃเบดเบชเบ•เบฐเบˆเบฑเบ? เบกเบฑเบ™โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เป€เบงโ€‹เบฅเบฒโ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบ„เบฃเบดเบ”โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบ„เบทเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบŠเบปเบ™โ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบกเบฒโ€‹เบ›เบฐโ€‹เบเบปเบ”โ€‹เบ•เปเปˆโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เปƒเบ™โ€‹เป€เบชเบฑเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบ—เบฒเบ‡โ€‹เป„เบ› Damascus (เบเบดเบ” 9:1-6). เบซเบผเบฑเบเบ–เบฒเบ™เบ—เบตเปˆเบซเบ™เป‰เบฒเป€เบŠเบทเปˆเบญเบ–เบทเบ—เบตเบชเบฒเบกเปเบกเปˆเบ™ tomb เป€เบ›เบปเปˆเบฒ. เบ–เป‰เบฒโ€‹เบซเบฒเบโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบ„เบฃเบดเบ”โ€‹เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบ„เบทเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบŠเบปเบ™, เปเบฅเป‰เบงโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบเบฒเบโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เบขเบนเปˆโ€‹เปƒเบช? เบžเบงเบโ€‹เบชเบฒเบงเบปเบโ€‹เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เบ„เบปเบ™โ€‹เบญเบทเปˆเบ™เป†โ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เป€เบซเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบญเบธเบšโ€‹เป‚เบกเบ‡โ€‹เบเบฑเบ‡โ€‹เบชเบปเบšโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡. เป€เบกเบทเปˆเบญโ€‹เป€เบ‚เบปเบฒโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบเบฑเบšโ€‹เบ„เบทเบ™โ€‹เบกเบฒ, เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบชเบปเบšโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เบขเบนเปˆโ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบ™เบฑเป‰เบ™. เป€เบ—เบงเบฐเบ”เบฒโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบ›เบฐเบเบฒเบ”โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ„เบทเบ™โ€‹เบกเบฒโ€‹เบˆเบฒเบโ€‹เบ•เบฒเบโ€‹เบ•เบฒเบกโ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบชเบฑเบ™เบเบฒโ€‹เป„เบงเป‰ (เบกเบฑเบ”เบ—เบฒเบ 28:5-7). เบญเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบตโ€‹เบชเบตเปˆ, เบซเบฅเบฑเบโ€‹เบ–เบฒเบ™โ€‹เป€เบžเบตเปˆเบกโ€‹เป€เบ•เบตเบกโ€‹เบเปˆเบฝเบงโ€‹เบเบฑเบšโ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบ„เบทเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบŠเบปเบ™โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เปเบกเปˆเบ™โ€‹เบซเบฅเบฒเบโ€‹เบ„เบปเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบ›เบฐเบเบปเบ”โ€‹เปƒเบซเป‰โ€‹เป€เบซเบฑเบ™ (เบกเบฑเบ”เบ—เบฒเบ 28:5, 9, 16-17; เบกเบฒเบฃเบฐเป‚เบ 16:9; เบฅเบทเบเบฒ 24:13-35; เป‚เบขเบฎเบฑเบ™ 20:19, 24, 26-29, 21. : 1-14; 1 เป‚เบเบฅเบดเบ™เป‚เบ— 15:5-7;

เบซเบผเบฑเบเบ–เบฒเบ™เบญเบตเบเบขเปˆเบฒเบ‡เบซเบ™เบถเปˆเบ‡เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบเบฒเบ™เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™เบ„เบทเบ™เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฐเป€เบเบŠเบนเปเบกเปˆเบ™เบ™เปเป‰เบฒเบซเบ™เบฑเบเบˆเปเบฒเบ™เบงเบ™เบซเบผเบงเบ‡เบซเบผเบฒเบเบ—เบตเปˆเบญเบฑเบเบ„เบฐเบชเบฒเบงเบปเบเป„เบ”เป‰เบกเบญเบšเปƒเบซเป‰เบžเบฐเป€เบเบŠเบนเบŸเบทเป‰เบ™เบ„เบทเบ™เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”. เบ‚เปเป‰เบ„เบงเบฒเบกเบ—เบตเปˆเบชเบณเบ„เบฑเบ™เบเปˆเบฝเบงเบเบฑเบšเบเบฒเบ™เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™เบ„เบทเบ™เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบ„เบฃเบดเบ”เปเบกเปˆเบ™ 1 เป‚เบเบฅเบดเบ™เป‚เบ— 15. เปƒเบ™เบšเบปเบ”เบ™เบตเป‰, เบญเบฑเบเบ„เบฐเบชเบฒเบงเบปเบเป‚เบ›เป‚เบฅเป„เบ”เป‰เบญเบฐเบ—เบดเบšเบฒเบเบงเปˆเบฒเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบซเบเบฑเบ‡เบกเบฑเบ™เบˆเบถเปˆเบ‡เบชเปเบฒเบ„เบฑเบ™เบ—เบตเปˆเบˆเบฐเป€เบ‚เบปเป‰เบฒเปƒเบˆเปเบฅเบฐเป€เบŠเบทเปˆเบญเปƒเบ™เบเบฒเบ™เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™เบ„เบทเบ™เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบ„เบฃเบดเบ”. เบเบฒเบ™เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™เบ„เบทเบ™เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”เปเบกเปˆเบ™เบชเปเบฒเบ„เบฑเบ™เบชเปเบฒเบฅเบฑเบšเป€เบซเบ”เบœเบปเบ™เบ•เปเปˆเป„เบ›เบ™เบตเป‰: 1) เบ–เป‰เบฒเบžเบฃเบฐเบ„เบฃเบดเบ”เบšเปเปˆเป„เบ”เป‰เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบ„เบทเบ™เบกเบฒเบˆเบฒเบเบ•เบฒเบ, เบœเบนเป‰เป€เบŠเบทเปˆเบญเบ–เบทเบˆเบฐเบšเปเปˆเป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบ„เบทเบเบฑเบ™ (1 เป‚เบเบฅเบดเบ™เป‚เบ— 15: 12-15). 2) เบ–เป‰เบฒโ€‹เบซเบฒเบโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบ„เบฃเบดเบ”โ€‹เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบ„เบทเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบŠเบปเบ™, เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เป€เบชเบโ€‹เบชเบฐโ€‹เบฅเบฐโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เบชเปเบฒโ€‹เบฅเบฑเบšโ€‹เบšเบฒเบšโ€‹เปเบกเปˆเบ™โ€‹เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เบžเบฝเบ‡โ€‹เบžเป (1 Corinthians 15:16-19). เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบ„เบทเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบŠเบปเบ™โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบžเบดโ€‹เบชเบนเบ”โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบ„เบงเบฒเบกโ€‹เบ•เบฒเบโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡โ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบฎเบฑเบšโ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบเบญเบกโ€‹เบฎเบฑเบšโ€‹เบˆเบฒเบโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบŠเบปเบ”โ€‹เปƒเบŠเป‰โ€‹เปเบ—เบ™โ€‹เบšเบฒเบšโ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เป€เบฎเบปเบฒ. เบ–เป‰เบฒเบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เป„เบ”เป‰เบชเบดเป‰เบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเบŠเบปเบ™เบขเปˆเบฒเบ‡เบ‡เปˆเบฒเบเบ”เบฒเบ เปเบฅเบฐเบเบฑเบ‡เบ•เบฒเบเบขเบนเปˆ, เบ™เบฑเป‰เบ™เบˆเบฐเบŠเบตเป‰เบšเบญเบเบงเปˆเบฒเบเบฒเบ™เป€เบชเบเบชเบฐเบฅเบฐเบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เบšเปเปˆเบžเบฝเบ‡เบžเป. เบ”เบฑเปˆเบ‡เบ™เบฑเป‰เบ™, เบœเบนเป‰เป€เบŠเบทเปˆเบญเบ–เบทเบˆเบฐเบšเปเปˆเป„เบ”เป‰เบฎเบฑเบšเบเบฒเบ™เปƒเบซเป‰เบญเบฐเป„เบžเบชเปเบฒเบฅเบฑเบšเบšเบฒเบšเบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบงเบเป€เบ‚เบปเบฒ, เปเบฅเบฐเบžเบงเบเป€เบ‚เบปเบฒเบ„เบปเบ‡เบˆเบฐเบ•เบฒเบเบซเบผเบฑเบ‡เบˆเบฒเบเบ•เบฒเบ (1 เป‚เบเบฅเบดเบ™เป‚เบ— 15: 16-19). เบกเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบˆเบฐโ€‹เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เบกเบตโ€‹เบŠเบตโ€‹เบงเบดเบ”โ€‹เบ™เบดโ€‹เบฅเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ”เบญเบ™ (เป‚เบขโ€‹เบฎเบฑเบ™ 3:16). “เปเบ•เปˆโ€‹เบšเบฑเบ”โ€‹เบ™เบตเป‰โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบ„เบฃเบดเบ”โ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบ–เบทเบโ€‹เบ›เบธเบโ€‹เปƒเบซเป‰โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ„เบทเบ™โ€‹เบกเบฒโ€‹เบˆเบฒเบโ€‹เบ•เบฒเบ, เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบœเบปเบ™โ€‹เบญเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบณโ€‹เบญเบดเบ”โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบ„เบปเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบ™เบญเบ™โ€‹เบซเบฅเบฑเบš” (1 เป‚เบเบฅเบดเบ™เป‚เบ— 15:20).

เปƒเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบชเบธเบ”, เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบ„เบณโ€‹เบžเบตโ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบˆเบฐโ€‹เปเบˆเป‰เบ‡โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบ—เบธเบโ€‹เบ„เบปเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เป€เบŠเบทเปˆเบญโ€‹เปƒเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เป€เบขโ€‹เบŠเบนโ€‹เบ„เบฃเบดเบ”โ€‹เบˆเบฐโ€‹เบ–เบทเบโ€‹เบ›เบธเบโ€‹เปƒเบซเป‰โ€‹เบกเบตโ€‹เบŠเบตโ€‹เบงเบดเบ”โ€‹เบ™เบดโ€‹เบฅเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบ”เบญเบ™โ€‹เบ„เบทโ€‹เบเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบเบฑเบšโ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบญเบปเบ‡ (1 เป‚เบเบฅเบดเบ™เป‚เบ— 15:20-23). 1 เป‚เบเบฅเบดเบ™เป‚เบ— 15 เบชเบทเบšเบ•เปเปˆเบžเบฑเบ™เบฅเบฐเบ™เบฒเป€เบ–เบดเบ‡เบงเบดเบ—เบตเบ—เบตเปˆเบเบฒเบ™เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™เบ„เบทเบ™เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบ„เบฃเบดเบ”เบžเบดเบชเบนเบ”เป€เบ–เบดเบ‡เป„เบŠเบŠเบฐเบ™เบฐเบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เป€เปœเบทเบญเบšเบฒเบš เปเบฅเบฐเปƒเบซเป‰เป€เบฎเบปเบฒเบกเบตเบญเบณเบ™เบฒเบ”เบ—เบตเปˆเบˆเบฐเบ”เบณเป€เบ™เบตเบ™เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”เบขเปˆเบฒเบ‡เบกเบตเป„เบŠเบŠเบฐเบ™เบฐเป€เปœเบทเบญเบšเบฒเบš (1 เป‚เบเบฅเบดเบ™เป‚เบ— 15:24-34). เบกเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบฅเบฐโ€‹เบ™เบฒโ€‹เป€เบ–เบดเบ‡โ€‹เบฅเบฑเบโ€‹เบชเบฐโ€‹เบ™เบฐโ€‹เบญเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบฎเบธเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เป‚เบฅเบ”โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบฎเปˆเบฒเบ‡โ€‹เบเบฒเบโ€‹เปเบซเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบ„เบทเบ™โ€‹เบŠเบตโ€‹เบงเบดเบ”โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เป€เบฎเบปเบฒโ€‹เบˆเบฐโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบฎเบฑเบš (1 เป‚เบเบฅเบดเบ™เป‚เบ— 15:35-49). เบกเบฑเบ™เบ›เบฐเบเบฒเบ”เบงเปˆเบฒ, เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบœเบปเบ™เบกเบฒเบˆเบฒเบเบเบฒเบ™เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™เบ„เบทเบ™เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบ„เบฃเบดเบ”, เบ—เบธเบเบ„เบปเบ™เบ—เบตเปˆเป€เบŠเบทเปˆเบญเปƒเบ™เบžเบฃเบฐเบญเบปเบ‡เป„เบ”เป‰เบฎเบฑเบšเป„เบŠเบŠเบฐเบ™เบฐเบชเบนเบ‡เบชเบธเบ”เปƒเบ™เบ„เบงเบฒเบกเบ•เบฒเบ (1 เป‚เบเบฅเบดเบ™เป‚เบ— 15: 50-58).

เบเบฒเบ™เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™เบ„เบทเบ™เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเบ„เบฃเบดเบ”เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™เบ„เบงเบฒเบกเบˆเบดเบ‡เบญเบฑเบ™เบชเบฐเบซเบ‡เปˆเบฒเบ‡เบฒเบกเปเบ—เป‰เป†! “เบชเบฐโ€‹เบ™เบฑเป‰เบ™, เบญเป‰เบฒเบโ€‹เบ™เป‰เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบฎเบฑเบโ€‹เปเบžเบ‡, เบˆเบปเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบขเบทเบ™โ€‹เบขเบฑเบ™. เปƒเบซเป‰เบšเปเปˆเบกเบตเบซเบเบฑเบ‡เบเป‰เบฒเบเป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒ. เบˆเบปเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบกเบญเบšโ€‹เบ•เบปเบงโ€‹เปƒเบซเป‰โ€‹เป€เบ•เบฑเบกโ€‹เบชเปˆเบงเบ™โ€‹เปƒเบ™โ€‹เบงเบฝเบโ€‹เบ‡เบฒเบ™โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบชเบฐเป€เปเบต, เป€เบžเบฒเบฐโ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบฎเบนเป‰โ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบงเบฝเบโ€‹เบ‡เบฒเบ™โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เปƒเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฃเบฐโ€‹เบœเบนเป‰โ€‹เป€เบ›เบฑเบ™โ€‹เป€เบˆเบปเป‰เบฒโ€‹เบšเปเปˆโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เป€เบชเบโ€‹เบ„เปˆเบฒ.” (1 เป‚เบเบฅเบดเบ™เป‚เบ— 15:58). เบญเบตเบ‡เบ•เบฒเบกเบ„เปเบฒเบžเบตเป„เบšเป€เบšเบดเบ™, เบเบฒเบ™เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™เบ„เบทเบ™เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”เบ‚เบญเบ‡เบžเบฃเบฐเป€เบขเบŠเบนเบ„เบฃเบดเบ”เปเบกเปˆเบ™เบ„เบงเบฒเบกเบˆเบดเบ‡เบ—เบตเปˆเบชเบธเบ”. เบ„เบณเบžเบตโ€‹เป„เบšเป€เบšเบดเบ™โ€‹เบšเบฑเบ™เบ—เบถเบโ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบ„เบทเบ™โ€‹เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เบ„เบฅเบดเบ”, เบšเบฑเบ™เบ—เบถเบโ€‹เบงเปˆเบฒโ€‹เบซเบผเบฒเบโ€‹เบเบงเปˆเบฒ 500 เบ„เบปเบ™โ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เป€เบซเบฑเบ™โ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เบ„เบฅเบดเบ”โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบ„เบทเบ™โ€‹เบกเบฒโ€‹เบˆเบฒเบโ€‹เบ•เบฒเบ, เปเบฅเบฐโ€‹เป„เบ”เป‰โ€‹เบชเป‰เบฒเบ‡โ€‹เบ„เบณโ€‹เบชเบญเบ™โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบ„เบฅเบดเบ”เบชเบฐเบ•เบฝเบ™โ€‹เบ—เบตเปˆโ€‹เบชเบณเบ„เบฑเบ™โ€‹เบเปˆเบฝเบงโ€‹เบเบฑเบšโ€‹เบ„เบงเบฒเบกโ€‹เบˆเบดเบ‡โ€‹เบ—เบฒเบ‡โ€‹เบ›เบฐเบซเบงเบฑเบ”เบชเบฒเบ”โ€‹เปเบซเปˆเบ‡โ€‹เบเบฒเบ™โ€‹เบŸเบทเป‰เบ™โ€‹เบ„เบทเบ™โ€‹เบŠเบตเบงเบดเบ”โ€‹เบ‚เบญเบ‡โ€‹เบžเบฐโ€‹เป€เบเบŠเบน.

Where Was Jesus Born?

By Bobby Harrington 

Where was Jesus born? Let’s journey back over 2,000 years to explore the place where Jesus the Messiah was born.

Jesus’ birth is literally the basis of the modern calendar that is used all over the world.[1] Currently, we are about to enter the year 2024. In many places the date is still abbreviated as A.D. based upon the Latin expression Anno Domini, which means “the year of our Lord” or now, more commonly as C.E. (an abbreviation for “Common Era”). Everything before the birth of Jesus is considered B.C. (“Before Christ”) or, often now, B.C.E. (“Before the Common Era”).

The calendar our world uses tells us that it has been roughly 2,024 years since his birth. But where was Jesus born?

Historically, Christians have believed that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Not everyone is convinced, however. Some skeptics doubt or disbelieve that he was born there or that he even existed as a historical person. Mormons believe he was born in Jerusalem, for the Book of Mormon states that “he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers” (Alma 7:10).

Yet there is good evidence that Jesus was a real person and that he was born in Bethlehem. Let’s review ten historical truths which provide support for the belief that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Bethlehem was an ancient town, still in existence, about five miles outside Jerusalem and located just inside the Palestinian West Bank.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bethlehem_Location.png)

In what follows, I will be drawing from the Bible, the work of historians/archaeologists, and my own personal explorations of the site in modern Bethlehem, which I have visited twelve times.[2]

“Bethlehem was an ancient town, still in existence, about five miles outside Jerusalem and located just inside the Palestinian West Bank.”

  1. The Old Testament points us to the general area of Bethlehem.

The concept of the coming Messiah, described in the Old Testament, was based upon God’s promises to King David, who was himself from Bethlehem (see below). There are many prophecies given about the birth of the Messiah throughout the Old Testament. One of the earliest was given in Genesis 49 by Jacob, the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. Jacob prophesied about the future birth of a Messiah (the scepter noted a king). He is the one that would receive the obedience of the nations.

“The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.” (Genesis 49:10)[3]

When the tribes of Israel conquered the land of the Canaanites (many years after Jacob’s prophecy), the tribe of Judah was given the land around Bethlehem. Anyone born in Bethlehem would have been from the tribe of Judah. At the bottom of the following map of ancient Israel, you can see the area given Judah. Note Bethlehem at the top of Judah’s region, just south of Jerusalem.

(https://www.israel-a-history-of.com/12-tribes-of-israel.html)

David, son of Jesse, the second king of Israel, was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). He was from Bethlehem. God sent the prophet Samuel to select and anoint him at Bethlehem.

The event is described in 1 Samuel 16:1 when God told Samuel, “I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” 1 Samuel 17: 12 explains, “Now David was the son of an Ephraimite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah” (see also 1 Samuel 20:6).

“God sent the prophet Samuel to select and anoint him at Bethlehem.”

God was so pleased with David as a king, early in his reign, that God made a commitment to him that one of his descendants would be the Messiah. The promise to David is described in 2 Samuel 7:12-13:

“When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” 

Over four hundred years later, God described the Messiah in the book of Ezekiel. He referred to the Messiah as being “David” in Ezekiel 37:24-25.

“My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived. They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever.”

With this background in mind, it is easy to anticipate that the Messiah, as a descendant of King David, who was from Bethlehem, would also be from Bethlehem.

  1. The book of Micah explicitly prophesied (around 700 B.C.) that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

The prophet Micah is explicit about the location for the birth of the Messiah. In the period before 700 B.C., there was great turmoil in Israel. The Northern tribes were defeated and the survivors taken off to Assyrian captivity in 721 B.C. The Southern tribes and Jerusalem felt threatened, and many wondered about God’s promises to their forefathers. Would the Messiah still come?

During this time God gave Micah a specific prophecy that in the future, the Messiah, like his ancient forefather David, would be born in Bethlehem.

“‘But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.’ Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son . . .” (Micah 5:2-3)

This passage is so explicit and clear that in the time of Jesus, Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah was regularly assumed by the leading priests and scholars (see Matthew 2:1-5).

Where was Jesus born? “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

  1. Two of the Gospels explicitly state that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

There are four Gospels in the New Testament. These are books that tell the life story of Jesus, from his early days through his death, resurrection, and ascension back to heaven at the end of his life on earth. They are biographies about Jesus (and more). Two of the Gospels are clear on where Jesus was born, as they are the two Gospels which narrate Jesus’ birth.

  • Matthew 2:1 states it succinctly: “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod . . .”

  • Luke 2:4 includes Bethlehem as part of describing how Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, traveled to Bethlehem because of his lineage: “So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.”

The Gospel of John also mentions Bethlehem in connection with Jesus’ birth. John 7:42 describes a question by someone perplexed that Jesus grew up in Galilee, up North, many miles from Bethlehem: “Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” As the Gospels of Matthew and Luke narrate, Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the South (Joseph’s ancestral home) because of a census but was raised in a small town called Nazareth in the North (in Joseph’s actual town).

Where was Jesus born? “Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?”

  1. Luke teaches that shepherd came to Bethlehem from fields nearby.

Although Bethlehem sits on the edge of a desert, there were good fields in the area outside the town for sheep to graze. Luke 2 describes how an angel came to shepherds in their fields at night to tell them about the birth of Jesus which had taken place “in the town of David” (2:11). Then a great company of angels appeared, saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:15 then states what happened next:

“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’”

The picture below is one of the key place’s shepherds watched sheep outside ancient Bethlehem. This site was marked from ancient times as the “Shepherd’s Field” and is now the home of a Greek Orthodox church. This field contains a tower that was used by shepherds as early as two thousand years before the time of Jesus’ birth.

Also nearby is a Roman Catholic area, under Franciscan custody, that also could have been the field where the angels appeared to the shepherds.

No one knows if one of these fields was the exact location described in the Bible, but one of them could have been. What is clear is that they are from the general area in which the angels appeared. These locations help us to visualize what it was like near Bethlehem when Jesus was born. They corroborate the general geographic and historical background to what Scripture teaches.

“These locations help us to visualize what it was like near Bethlehem when Jesus was born.”

  1. The Magi followed a star to Bethlehem.

The Magi were considered wise men and would have consulted books of wisdom in the ancient world. By the first century, many Magi had thriving and complex astronomical systems through which they examined and interpreted the sky.[4] The Gospel of Matthew describes the Magi as men who came from somewhere in the East to honor the newborn king.[5]

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’” (Matthew 2:1-2)

The Magi were then sent to Bethlehem from Jerusalem.

Many attempts have been made to identify the star based upon astronomy going back through time. However, it may not be possible to find an exact astronomical event or alignment because ancient Magi likely used various types of calculations like geography and weather which are not reflected in the modern science of astronomy.

Where was Jesus born? “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?'”

When looking to Bethlehem from the Shepherd’s Field or on the way to Bethlehem from other areas, it is easy to have your attention drawn up to the sky because you typically look up to the town from the bottom of the hills that lead up to it (especially as you get closer). When they looked up to Bethlehem, could the Magi have witnessed a constellation that signified a specific location? Could they have looked up and seen a comet move through the sky (comets were called stars in the first century)? We do not know exactly what happened, but the Gospel of Matthew tells us that something happened in the stars.

  1. King Herod looked for Jesus in Bethlehem—and slaughtered male children there.

The Magi first traveled to see King Herod in Jerusalem (Matthew 2:3). Herod then called together “all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law [and] asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied, ‘for this is what the prophet has written,’” according to Micah 5:2-3.

But Herod was duplicitous, according to Matthew 2:7-8:

“He contacted the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.’”

Herod was evil and a notoriously paranoid ruler. When the Magi failed to return and report the child’s whereabouts, Herod then tried to kill the baby Jesus by killing all the male boys in Bethlehem, ages two and under (Matthew 2:16).

“He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.'”

The description of Herod from Matthew fits the man who is well-known to us not only by written historical records (extra-biblical), but also from the buildings he left behind. A great builder, Herod designed many palaces, and the remnants of some of the palaces are still in existence. For example, just outside of Bethlehem is his palace called Herodium. The following picture shows the location; it was a mini mountain that he turned into a palace.

(Herod’s Herodium Palace today)

Herod stands out as a ruler in history so prideful, self-centered, and easily threatened that he missed the birth of Jesus the Messiah, the most important ruler ever born in history.

  1. The earliest writers after the New Testament tell us that Jesus was placed in a manger in a cave in Bethlehem.

The Old Testament and Gospels point clearly to Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah. Then, in early church history, various Christian writers tell us about the place in Bethlehem where he was born.

Luke 2:7 describes that Mary wrapped Jesus in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. The Greek word translated “guest room” in versions of the English Bible is kataluma. This word could mean a guest room or an extra space which was used as a guest room.

Archaeologists tell us that Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth was a small village. It is very unlikely that there was a commercial inn of any kind. Instead, Joseph probably turned up at the home of his family or his extended family, but because the home was crowded and there was no private place for Mary to give birth, they camped out in the stable.

Where was Jesus born? “Joseph probably turned up at the home of his family or his extended family, but because the home was crowded and there was no private place for Mary to give birth, they camped out in the stable.”

Luke 2:7 tells us that Mary “wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger.” Mangers kept food for the animals, and most managers were made of stone in the first century.

(https://biblicalisraeltours.com/2014/12/the-manger/)

In addition to being made of stone, mangers were also often kept in caves turned into stables for animals. That is right; most Israelites in small towns in the first century kept their animals in caves. Archaeologist Jim Flemming describes it this way: “The Gospels do not mention the word ‘stable.’ They simply say the baby was laid in a manger. Almost all mangers were in caves.”[6]

The early Christian writer and defender of the faith Justin Martyr (100–165 A.D.) writes that when Joseph could not find room at the inn, “He moved into a certain cave near the village, and while they were there Mary brought forth the Christ and placed him in a manger.”[7] There is good reason to believe this information to be accurate and to come from a specific tradition in the area of Bethlehem, as Justin was born about 40 miles to the north of Bethlehem (near modern Nablus), and he would likely know that early tradition.

(https://dwightlongenecker.com/the-cave-of-our-re-birth/)

The tradition of Jesus’ birth in a cave was also known independently to the anonymous second-century A.D. author of the Protoevangelium of James. According to this noncanonical gospel, Joseph and a pregnant Mary were traveling to Bethlehem when Mary cried, “‘Take me down from the donkey, for the child within me presses me, to come forth.’ Joseph asked, ‘Where shall I take you and hide your shame? For the place is a desert.’ Joseph guided Mary into a nearby cave, where she gave birth. Later, a brilliant star directed the Magi to the cave.” [8]

Where was Jesus born? “The tradition of Jesus’ birth in a cave was also known independently to the anonymous second-century A.D. author of the Protoevangelium of James.”

  1. The early residences of Bethlehem marked the spot.

Jesus’ birth in a cave in Bethlehem is the earliest tradition, and it is likely that the earliest inhabitants of Bethlehem marked the location. The cave became the focus of pilgrimages of early Christians, as confirmed by the early church father Origen (A.D. 185–254). He reports that “there is shown at Bethlehem the cave where he [Jesus] was born.” [9] The cave, it appears, attracted regular visitors, including the church father Origen himself sometime between A.D. 231 and 246.

It is hard to imagine that people simply invented the cave tradition, particularly because, as there is reason to suspect, the cave was not always accessible to Christians in the days of Justin and Origen. It is very interesting to find that the church father Jerome (A.D. 342–420), who lived in Bethlehem from A.D. 386 until his death, describes how the cave had been converted into a shrine dedicated to the pagan god Adonis:

“From Hadrian’s time [A.D. 135] until the reign of Constantine, for about 180 years…Bethlehem, now ours, and the earth’s, most sacred spot…was overshadowed by a grove of Thammuz, which is Adonis, and in the cave where the infant Messiah once cried, the paramour of Venus was bewailed.” [10]

A similar thing happened in Jerusalem over the areas where Jesus was crucified and buried. It appears that the Romans, in their attempts to stop Christians from worshipping at the place of Christ’s birth and death, erected places of pagan worship.

“The cave became the focus of pilgrimages of early Christians, as confirmed by the early church father Origen.”

Local Christians in both Bethlehem and Jerusalem were not permitted to worship regularly at these locations because the Romans had converted the special areas of Jesus’ birth and death into pagan shrines. Yet, as we will see below, by trying to undermine Christian history, the Roman authorities helped preserve the original sites.

The Christians in the area did not simply select another site. The birth cave was noted and held in special regard. They were bound to a specific cave.[11] The evidence suggests that they preserved the local memory of the exact location for almost 200 years.

  1. The oldest continually used church building in history is in Bethlehem marking the spot.

Many of the major sites from the life of Jesus were made into church buildings when Christianity was first legalized (in the early 300s). Constantine, the Roman emperor at the time, became a Christian and made Christianity legal. Helena was Constantine’s mother and an important person to note as we retrace the steps of Jesus. She helped her son embrace Christianity and then used her power to ensure that this new faith spread. When her son made Christianity legal, she traveled to the land of ancient Israel.

There, with the support of Roman Empire officials, Helena helped organize the construction of three church buildings at locations from the life of Jesus that had been identified and revered by the earliest Christians: the locations of his birth, his crucifixion, and his resurrection. These actions are wonderful gifts to us because the church buildings became permanent markers, ensuring that people through the centuries would know the precise locations of these events from Jesus’ life.

The church building called The Church of the Nativity was originally commissioned after Helena’s visit to Jerusalem and Bethlehem in A.D. 325-326, over the cave at the site that was traditionally considered to be the birthplace of Jesus. That original basilica was likely built between A.D. 330 and 333 and was dedicated on May 31, 339.[12]

Where was Jesus born? “The church building called The Church of the Nativity was originally commissioned after Helena’s visit to Jerusalem and Bethlehem in A.D. 325-326, over the cave at the site that was traditionally considered to be the birthplace of Jesus.”

The building has been continually used since the 300s to this day. You can see the outside of the building in a picture that I took below.

Inside the church building, you will find places where the original floors from the 300s are still visible, as in the picture that I took below.

 

  1. The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem was built over a specific cave.

The Church of the Nativity, built in Bethlehem in the 300s, was built over a specific cave. This was also the location where Hadrian, the Roman Emperor, likely built a pagan temple to stop Christians from making pilgrimages to this location to worship. The pagan temple was removed, and it became a place where Christians once again gathered to worship. In his attempt to stop Christians from worshipping at the spot, Hadrian provided future Christians with direction to the historical spot.

Let’s be clear that Scripture does not teach us to honor this archaeological location. And the history for the location of the cave is not failsafe. Yet the historical evidence is strong. You can travel to Bethlehem, as I have done on twelve different occasions, and enter a church building that marks the likely place of Jesus’ birth.

“In his attempt to stop Christians from worshipping at the spot, Hadrian provided future Christians with direction to the historical spot.”

Once inside the church building, visitors travel to the far end of the building where they find an entrance to the ancient cave. Visitors and worshippers must bend down to enter the cave. The picture I took below shows you the steps down into the cave.

You can follow the steps down into the cave and you’ll see a stone marker inside the cave. The stone marker has a star within it that marks the traditional spot where the manger may have been placed. No one knows for sure.

At Christmastime, when we remember the birth of Jesus, we can know that he was born in a historic town we can still visit Bethlehem. We know it because of the Old Testament promises, especially Micah 5:2-3 which tell us that the Messiah will be born there. The New Testament is also explicit that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and it describes shepherds and wise men coming to worship him there. The earliest Christians after the New Testament noted that he was born in a cave in Bethlehem, and that cave, from the earliest days, was marked. By the early 300s, The Church of the Nativity was built over the cave, which is still intact to this day.

“At Christmastime, when we remember the birth of Jesus, we can know that he was born in a historic town we can still visit Bethlehem.”

Thus, Christmas provides a needed reminder that our faith is not in a God who remains distant and aloof, but in a God who entered human history, becoming one of us in order to restore us to himself.

Christian History

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It is a common saying at Christmastime that Jesus Christ was “born in a manger.” Of course, it wasn’t possible for Him to actually be born in the manger, but that’s where Mary laid Him after His birth (Luke 2:7). Although we are not sure of the exact location of where Jesus was born, we do know that it was near Bethlehem and that there was a manger, or feeding trough, there.


God promised the Savior’s virgin birth immediately after mankind’s first sin in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15). Hundreds of years later, the prophet Micah foretold the birth of Christ in the small town of Bethlehem: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2). This prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus’ earthly parents, Mary and Joseph, were called to Bethlehem for a census of the entire Roman territory (Luke 2:1–5). While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Jesus to be born (Luke 2:6).

Because of the crowds that had come to Bethlehem, there was no room at the inn for Mary and Joseph (Luke 2:7). While tradition says that the inn was a sort of hotel, we don’t know that for sure. In fact, the Greek word translated “inn” (kataluma) could be translated “guest room.” This fact has led some to believe that Jesus may not have been born in a stable or barn, but in a house with a lower floor serving as a nighttime shelter for the families’ animals. If that were the case, it wouldn’t be surprising to find a manger located in that area of the house. When Luke states that there was no room in the kataluma, he could mean there was no room on the upper level, which would have been full of other people sleeping.

In any case, Jesus was born at night, in some sort of keeping place for animals. After Jesus was delivered, Mary His mother wrapped Him in cloths and laid Him in a manger (Luke 2:7). Later that same night, shepherds from nearby fields found Him just as the angels told them they would (Luke 2:10–12).

So, why was the Savior and King born in a place where animals were kept? And why was He then laid in the animals’ food trough? Surely, God’s Son deserved a high-profile birth in the most elegant of surroundings. But, instead, God’s own Son made His appearance on earth in the lowliest of circumstances. This humble birth conveys an amazing message to creation: the transcendent God condescended to come to us. Instead of coming to earth as a pampered, privileged ruler, Jesus was born in meekness, as one of us. He is approachable, accessible, available—no palace gates bar the way to Him; no ring of guards prevents our approach. The King of kings came humbly, and His first bed was a manger.