What Happened To That Little Boy?

Introduction

The Bible has a lot to say about Jesus Christ. There were a lot of prophecies given to explain what His life would become. However, very few Christians take the time to investigate the life of Jesus. This lesson is designed to share 8 interesting facts about Jesus that are critical to understanding who He was as a person and who He is as our Savior.

However, I want to begin by considering a few extrabiblical sources. It is extremely easy to speak well about someone you want to believe. Yet, what do those who are not of Christian persuasion have to say about Jesus?

Tacitus wrote,

Nero fastened the guilt ... on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of ... Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome....

Pliny wrote,

They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up; after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to partake of food – but food of an ordinary and innocent kind.

Josephus wrote,

...here lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he ... wrought surprising feats.... He was the Christ. When Pilate ...condemned him to be crucified, those who had . . . come to love him did not give up their affection for him. On the third day he appeared ... restored to life.... And the tribe of Christians ... has ... not disappeared.

The Babylonian Talmud wrote of him,

On the eve of the Passover Yeshu was hanged. For forty days before the execution took place, a herald ... cried, "He is going forth to be stoned because he has practiced sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy.

Lucian wrote,

The Christians ... worship a man to this day – the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account.... [It] was impressed on them by their original lawgiver that they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws.

There’s a wealth of information from sources outside of the Bible confirming His existence and impact. This confirms that Jesus was a historical figure and it gives us reason to consider His humanity along with His divinity.

8 Facts Concerning Jesus’s Existence

**The following definitions come from the Lexham Bible Dictionary with occasional reflections from Craig Keener’s New Testament Background Commentary.

Israelite / Judean- Those who were part of the religious and political nation of Israel. He considered Himself a part of the people of God, the God of Israel.

The name “Israel” first appears in Genesis 32:22-32. It is mentioned of Jacob who became Israel. However, Israel had 12 tribes, which places Jesus within a significant group of people in the broader world.

Nazarene- resident of Nazareth.

Broadly speaking, Nazareth was a very small, obscure, traditional, orthodox town.

Carpenter- refers to a woodworker or builder; one who participates in a range of craftsmen, including stonemasons, artificers, and engravers (see Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3).

Rabbi- a respectful form o-f address meaning “my great one,” “my lord,” or “my master.” (See Matthew 23:8-12).

Prophet- any person directed by the inspiration of God to proclaim His will (John 12:44-50).

High Priest- priest: any person authorized to perform religious rites on behalf of another person; high priest: any of the most eminent priests in the Jewish faith.

Contrast Caiaphas (Matt 26:3, 57; Luke 3:2; John 11:49; 18:13, 14, 24, 28; Acts 4:6), Annas (Luke 3:2; John 18:13, 24; Acts 4:6);=, and Ananias (Acts 23:2; 24:1) with Jesus (Hebrews 4:14-5:10).

Supernatural Being- divine being

Lexham Theological Workbook stated, divine beings are supernatural creatures created by God to serve him and do his bidding; some continue to serve God while others have rebelled.

Jesus is the Son of God who does not rebel.

Religious Group Founder- a person who starts a religious group, whether intentionally or unintentionally (Matthew 16:13-19).

Conclusion

There are several things we might say about Jesus. However, we will conclude by saying He is the Son of God. He is the one from the tribe of God, denoting His eternal existence and relationship with the Father.

1 John 5:20 “20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true one. We are in the true one—that is, in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”

John 1:18 “18 No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side—he has revealed him.”

1 John 5:10-13 “10 The one who believes in the Son of God has this testimony within himself. The one who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 The one who has the Son has life. The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”