JESUS OF NAZARETH IN THE TEACHINGS OF PAUL

Some critics argue that Paul was a pagan thinker whose views were molded and shaped by Greek philosophies and mystery religions. They say that Paul, not Jesus, created the Christian religion as we know it. According to them, Paul believed in a mystical, heavenly Christ rather than an earthly, historical Jesus.

Some skeptics say that Paul says nothing at all about the historical Jesus. Others say that Paul did not believe that Jesus was ever a human being.

In this article, we will see that these claims are absurd. The Bible itself is the best defense against such nonsense. What did Paul have to say about Jesus?

Paul and the Historical Jesus

While it is true that Paul emphasized the spiritual aspects of Christ in his letters, it is also true that Paul recognized Jesus’ humanity. To Paul, Jesus was more than a mystical, mythological, heavenly person. He was a flesh-and-blood human being.

Here are some examples of Paul’s statements about Jesus:

God, “promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature, was a descendent of David” (Romans 1:2-3). Paul claimed that Jesus was a human descendant of David.

Paul says that Abraham’s seed was “one person, who is the Christ” (Galatians 3:16). According to Paul, Jesus was a fleshly descendent of Abraham.

“But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law” (Galatians 4:4). Paul said that Jesus was a human being, born of a woman.

In Ephesians 2:14-16, Paul said that Jesus united Jews and Gentiles by “abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations”. Paul said that Jesus’ body was made of flesh.

To the Colossians, Paul wrote, “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight” (Colossians 1:21-22).

Without a doubt, Paul believed that Jesus was a real human being. He said that Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper on the night of his betrayal (1 Corinthians 11:23-29). The last supper and the betrayal by Judas are historical events.

Paul also said that Jesus made the good confession “while testifying before Pontius Pilate” (1 Timothy 6:13). Jesus’ trial before Pilate is an historical event.

In summary, Paul wrote that the historical Jesus was born of a woman and was a descendent of Abraham and David. The historical Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, was betrayed by Judas, and testified before Pilate. His fleshly, physical body died on the cross.

To say that “Paul says nothing at all about the historical Jesus” reflects either ignorance of the scriptures or deliberate deception.

Paul and Apostolic Tradition

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul made three claims: (1) He had received the gospel “by revelation from Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:12). (2) God had set him apart from birth, called him, and revealed his Son to him so that he might preach Christ among the Gentiles (Galatians 1:16). (3) After spending three years in Arabia and Damascus, he had returned to Jerusalem “to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days” (Galatians 1:18).

One can only imagine the conversations Peter and Paul had during those fifteen days. No doubt, Paul told Peter about his encounter with Jesus on the Road to Damascus, his baptism, his commission, his time with God in Arabia, and his preaching experiences in Damascus. And Peter must have told Paul about Pentecost, the growth of the church in Jerusalem, the apostles’ teachings, and hymns that were sung in church assemblies.

Paul began writing his letters in the early 50's, perhaps a decade before the gospels were penned. In some of his letters, Paul incorporated hymns and confessions of faith that were used in the church.

These songs and confessions can be detected by their poetic style. Some of the most important teachings of the early church were contained in hymns preserved only in Paul’s letters. Examples are found in Ephesians 5:14; Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-20; and 1 Timothy 3:16. The hymn in Philippians affirms that Jesus Christ was “in very nature God”. The hymn in Colossians portrays Christ as “the image of the invisible God” and declares that God reconciles all things to himself by “making peace through his blood, shed on the cross”.

These hymns are not myths that developed late in the first century. They were sung by the earliest Christians. The first Christians regarded Jesus as a divine being worthy of worship.

Jesus in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8

The most significant confession of faith cited by Paul is found in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8. Here Paul uses a technical term that indicates he is passing along an oral tradition that had come to him in fixed form.

Paul writes, “For what I received (in fixed form), I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter [Cephas], and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all, he appeared to me also”.

The first part of the confession of faith (verses 3-5) is written in a poetic style that was easy to memorize. The original text refers to Peter as “Cephas” (Peter’s Aramaic name) and uses several primitive phrases such as “the Twelve”, “he was raised”, and “the third day”. These phrases indicate a very early date.

When and where did Paul receive this statement of faith? And from whom? Assuming that Jesus was crucified around A.D. 30, he appeared to Paul (Saul of Tarsus) about A.D. 32. Three days later, Paul was baptized in Damascus by Ananias and was introduced to the church (Acts 9:19-20). He could have learned the confession of faith in Damascus. About A.D. 35, Paul spent time with Peter and James in Jerusalem (Galatians 1:18-24). Somewhere along the way, he heard about this confession of faith that was being used in the early church. It is likely that Paul received it within three to five years after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

As we examine the evidence, it becomes clear that there was a man named Jesus who lived, died, was buried, and rose again on the third day. Parts of the New Testament can be traced to a very early date leaving insufficient time for myth to develop.

Paul and Pagan Idolatry

Modern critics claim that Paul was basically a Greek thinker, schooled in Greek philosophy and mystery religions in Tarsus.

It is true that Paul was highly-cultured and well-educated. He could quote pagan poets and hold his own in discussions with Greek philosophers. However, he did not accept Greek religious practices. In Athens, he was deeply distressed by the idolatry he saw (Acts 17:16). He disputed with the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers in the market place and on Mars Hill.

Rather than preaching Greek theology, Paul proclaimed that the God who created heaven and earth“does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands as if he needed anything” (Acts 17:24-29).

Then, without apology, Paul called on the philosophers to repent. He warned them that God had appointed Jesus to judge the world. God had proved this by raising Jesus from the dead (Acts 17:30-31).

Even though Paul quoted the Cretan poet Epimenides and the Cilician poet Aratus, he expressed disdain for pagan idolatry. He drew on the Old Testament creation story (Genesis 1:1-25) to make his point. Instead of affirming Greek culture, Paul condemned it.

Paul and the Old Testament

Paul’s letters reveal a theology rooted in the Old Testament, not in Greek philosophy and religion. In one of his speeches, Paul said, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia but brought up in this city [Jerusalem]. Under Gamaliel, I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers” (Acts 22:3). Paul had studied the Old Testament.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul revealed that he had been circumcised on the eighth day and that he was a member “of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee” (Philippians 3:5). Paul’s world view did not come from Greece. It came from the Old Testament.

Paul and Monotheism

Now, let us see how Jesus fits into Paul’s theology.

1. Paul believed in one God. He said, “We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords,’) yet for us, there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live” (1 Corinthians 8:4-6a). Twice, Paul echoes the monotheism of the shemma (Deuteronomy 6:4). The idea that Paul was a pagan thinker is folly.

Then, in the next breath, Paul said, “there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live” (1 Corinthians 8:6b). Paul saw no contradiction between the lordship of Christ and the oneness of God.

2. In Philippians 2:6-8, Paul speaks of Jesus, “who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross!” In other words, Jesus gave up his divine prerogatives and became a human being. As a man, he humbled himself and willingly sacrificed his life that we might live.

There were numerous gods in Greek mythology. These “gods” sometimes killed human beings, but not one of them ever laid down his life for humans. Not a single one died so that humans could live forever. Jesus was not a mythical god.

Finally, Paul said, “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”. (Philippians 2:9-11).

These words in Paul’s letter to the Philippians were borrowed from Isaiah 45:22-23 where Isaiah affirms monotheism. God says, “for I am God, and there is no other”. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Paul identifies Jesus with the one true God.

Then, Paul identifies Jesus with the suffering Servant in Isaiah 52:13-15; 53:1-12 who was pierced for our transgressions, who took our punishment, who bore our sins, and who now makes intercession for transgressors.

3. The third and final reason for believing that Paul’s view of Jesus was rooted in the Old Testament ( and not in Greek philosophy ) is seen in Second Corinthians 4:6. Paul writes, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ”. Here, Paul refers back to Genesis 1:3 where God created light. As God’s glory was seen in the light he created in the beginning, so now, we see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Summary

Again and again, Paul draws his understanding of Jesus from the Old Testament and from the Spirit of God, not from Greek religion. To Paul, Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament promises, and Christianity is a continuation of God’s plan of salvation revealed in the Hebrew scriptures.

Inspired by the Spirit, Paul sees no contradiction between the divinity of Jesus and the Old Testament doctrine of monotheism.

JESUS OF NAZARETH - FACT OR FICTION?

Perhaps you are among the skeptics who question whether the Jesus of the Bible ever lived. In a sense, that is wise, because you want to be sure something is true before you believe it. Many thinking skeptics have changed their minds when they examined the evidence. Let us journey with these skeptics to see what caused them to change their thinking.

Is it possible that an informed, intelligent person living in this scientific age can honestly believe in the Biblical Jesus? Is the Jesus of the New Testament fact, or fiction?

It may come as a relief to some and as a surprise to others, that there is compelling evidence that the New Testament account of Jesus is historically trustworthy. You don’t have to sacrifice your intelligence in order to believe in the New Testament Jesus.

In this article, we will consider some of the reasons why the descriptions of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are historically accurate.

Evidence of Authorship and Dates

Many skeptics do not believe that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote the gospels that bear their names. They claim that the gospels were written by unknown authors between A.D. 70 and 100, and that the gospels contain numerous myths about Jesus.

However, there is strong evidence that the Biblical portrayal of Jesus is true. The earliest church leaders, whose writings have come down to us, consistently believed that Matthew, Mark, and Luke wrote the gospels ascribed to them. Not one of the church leaders attributed these gospels to anyone else.

Is it reasonable to believe that an anonymous author, trying to gain respectability for his writings, would write under the name of Matthew, a hated tax collector, or Mark, a turncoat who forsook Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey, or Luke, a gentile? The authors of the Gnostic gospels that appeared in the second and third centuries always named their false gospels after highly respected people.

Internal Evidence in Luke and Acts

Luke was a careful historian. He claimed he had “investigated everything from the beginning” and had written down “an orderly account” of the life and teachings of Christ (Luke 1:1-4). No doubt, he had interviewed numerous eye-witnesses while doing his research. Luke’s gospel is based on eye-witness testimony.

Archaeologists have verified the accuracy of Luke’s historical references in the book of Acts. Luke is regarded as one of the greatest historians in the first century.

Since scholars have demonstrated that Luke was accurate in areas that can be tested in Acts, it is reasonable to believe that he was accurate in areas that cannot be tested in his gospel. Luke was a scientist, a medical doctor, and a trustworthy historian. There is good reason to believe that he was telling us the truth about Jesus.

The “we” and “us” statements in Acts 16, 20, 21, 27, and 28 indicate that Luke (Paul’s physician and traveling companion) was the author of the New Testament book of Acts. Luke devotes the last ten chapters of this book to events leading up to Paul’s trial before Caesar. But the book ends abruptly without a word about the outcome of the trial. The only plausible explanation for this sudden, unfinished ending is that Luke completed the book while Paul was still under house arrest in Rome, awaiting trial. If that is true, the book of Acts must be dated prior to A.D. 62. Since Luke wrote his gospel before he wrote Acts (Acts 1:1), the Gospel of Luke must be dated even earlier, within thirty years of the death of Christ. That means there was not enough time for myths to develop.

Evidence in the Writings of Irenaeus

Irenaeus, a second century church leader in Gaul (now France), wrote that “Matthew produced his gospel, writing among the Hebrews in their own dialect, while Peter and Paul proclaimed the gospel and founded the church in Rome”. Peter and Paul were still preaching in Rome when Matthew wrote his gospel.

Since Peter and Paul were martyred by Nero between A.D. 64 and 68, the gospel of Matthew must have been written prior to A.D. 68. In his gospel, Matthew recorded the things he had seen and heard as a follower of Jesus. His gospel, therefore, consists of eyewitness testimony.

Irenaeus continued, “Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, also transmitted to us . . . what Peter had preached” (Adv. Haer. 3.1.38-41). Mark shared with us what Peter had preached about Jesus. Peter had reported what he had seen and heard while following Jesus. The gospel of Mark, therefore, contains Peter’s eye-witness testimony about Jesus Christ.

Evidence of Accuracy in Oral Transmission

One reason skeptics reject the Jesus of the New Testament is that the gospels are based on oral tradition. But oral tradition was trustworthy in Jesus’ time–for several reasons:

1. Oral traditions were memorized and passed down from generation to generation. Jewish rabbis memorized the Hebrew scriptures. Jewish boys between the ages of five and thirteen studied only one subject in synagogue school. They memorized scripture. Memorization was the primary method of learning in the first century. It is still the primary method of learning in many parts of the world today.

2. More than 80% of Jesus’ teachings were poetic in nature and were easily memorized.

3. In the first century, it was not necessary to quote a person verbatim as long as the content of the message was accurate. In fact, quotation marks did not exist in the Greco-Roman world.

Skeptics point to the “contradictions” between the gospels as proof that they are not historically reliable. However, these variations do not discredit the gospels. In fact, historians point to the variations within the gospels as evidence of their authenticity. Absolute conformity would indicate collusion.

1. The apostles provided stabilizing leadership in the church between A.D. 30 and 60, the period during which most of the New Testament was written. Since the apostles were eye-witnesses of the life and teachings of Jesus, they would have corrected any erroneous myths that developed. Moreover, the apostles were led by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 10:20; Luke 12:12; John 14:26; 16:13,15; Acts 4:8).

2. Some of Jesus’ teachings in the gospels are very difficult to understand and follow. Many of the ethical teachings in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) are so difficult that the church has not been able to live up to them. They are not teachings that the church would have invented. They come from a higher source.

Evidence from the Gospel of John

Skeptics believe that the Gospel of John was written by an anonymous author near the turn of the second century. They point to John’s exalted view of Christ as evidence that myths had developed by the time the fourth gospel was written.

It is true that John portrayed Jesus as the incarnation of the divine Word (John 1:1-14). It is also true that John, alone, recorded the seven “I Am” sayings of Jesus. Jesus said to the Jews, “Before Abraham was born, I am” (John 8:58), thus assuming God’s name and declaring his own divine nature (Exodus 3:14). When Jesus appeared to Thomas following his resurrection, Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).

Are such statements myths that developed late in the first century? In the next article, we will examine evidence that John’s high view of Jesus represented the views of the earliest Christians.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke also portray Jesus as a divine being. Jesus calls himself “the Son of Man”, identifying with the man in Daniel 7:13-14 who comes to God, receives authority, glory, and power, and is worshiped by people of every nation and language.

The Jesus of the first three gospels forgives sins (Mark 2:5), accepts worship (Matthew 14:33), and refers to himself as bridegroom, the Lord of harvest, the rock, the shepherd, and other analogies used in the Old Testament with reference to God.

It is interesting to note that the Gospel of John supplies more historical and geographical references than Matthew, Mark, and Luke do. It is from the Gospel of John that we learn about the three-year ministry of Jesus and about the Jewish feasts that he attended.

More evidence from the Gospel of John

Irenaeus (early second century) acknowledged John as the author of the fourth gospel. No church leader after Irenaeus questioned John’s authorship.

The writer of the fourth gospel was a Jew who quoted from the Hebrew text (John 12:40; 13:18; 19:37), and who was acquainted with the Jewish feasts (John 2:12; 13; 23; 5:1; 7:2; 10:22; 11:55).

The author of the fourth gospel claimed to have “beheld” (Greek etheasametha) the glory of the One and Only (John 1:14). This verb always implies a physical examination. In other words, the author was an eye-witness of Jesus’ glory. (See also John 19:35; 21:24-25.)

The author uses present tense verbs 161 times. In John 5:2, he says, “there IS (Greek esti) in Jerusalem, near the Sheep Gate, a pool, which in Aramaic IS called Bethesda and which IS surrounded by five colonnades”. The use of the present tense verb “is” suggests that the Gospel of John was written prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 at which time the Pool of Bethesda vanished from history.

For centuries, skeptics denied the existence of such a pool and claimed that the author of the fourth gospel had fabricated the story. But in recent years, archaeologists have excavated the Pool of Bethesda in northeastern Jerusalem. The water level is forty feet below the ground, and the pool is surrounded by five columned walkways just as John reported. This discovery supports the author’s claim that he was an eyewitness of the things he described (John 21:24).

Evidence from Josephus

Flavius Josephus, a Jewish aristocrat, was the earliest non-Christian writer to mention Jesus Christ. In his Jewish Antiquities, Book 20, Chapter 9, Josephus wrote that the Sanhedrin judges “brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called the Christ, whose name was James”.

In his Jewish Antiquities 18:63-64, Josephus wrote that “Jesus, a wise man . . . was a doer of wonders”. “He drew many after him, and Pilate, at the request of the chief Jewish men, condemned him to the cross”.

Evidence from the Jewish Talmud

The Babylonian Talmud was written and edited over a period of several centuries. The section referring to Jesus was written between A.D. 70 and 200. A passage from Sanhedrin 43a reads, “On the eve of Passover, they hanged Yeshu [one version says, Yeshu of Nazareth]. . . . He was going to be stoned, because he practiced sorcery and enticed and led Israel astray. . . . But not having found anything in his favor, they hanged him on the eve of Passover”.

This testimony from hostile Jewish leaders verifies that Jesus was hanged (a Jewish expression for crucified) on the eve of the Passover. They verify that Jesus had performed miracles, which they classified as sorcery. Jewish leaders had plotted to stone Jesus to death, but instead, they had Him crucified. The main points in this passage are in total agreement with the gospels.

Evidence from Pliny the Younger

Pliny the Younger was the Roman governor of Bithynia (now Northwest Turkey) in the early second century. Pliny wrote a letter to Emperor Trajan asking for advice about punishing Christians who “were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god”. This letter is dated about A.D. 112.

Pliny’s letter to Trajan verifies that Jesus was worshiped as a divine being in the early second century.

Evidence from Cornelius Tacitus

Tacitus was the most important Roman historian in the second century. About A.D.115, Tacitus wrote in his Annals 15:44 that “Christus [Christ], from whom the name [Christians] had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberias at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilate”. Similar statements about Jesus Christ are found in the writings of Lucian of Samosata, Mara Bar-Serapion, Suetonius, and Thallus.

Conclusion

Any person who examines the evidence with an open, unbiased mind will conclude that Jesus was a historical figure in the first century who died on a Roman cross during the reign of Tiberias Caesar while Pontius Pilate was the governor of Judea.

The gospel accounts of Jesus are based on the eye-witness testimony of good and honest men who were willing to die for their faith. The Jesus of the Bible New Testament is fact, not fiction.

JESUS OF NAZARETH UNDER ATTACK

For more than twenty centuries, Jesus of Nazareth has been in a firestorm of controversy. He, Himself, was persecuted and killed.

Historically, multiplied thousands of Jesus’ followers have been mocked, ridiculed, robbed, beaten, and killed for their faith. Yet, persecution has not stopped them. The more they have been persecuted, the stronger their faith has become, and the more they have shared their faith with others.

What is the secret of such courage and conviction? Why have the enemies of Jesus not been able to stop people from following Him? In this series of articles, we will search for answers to these questions. During our search, we will discover that the predictions the Lord Jesus made about persecution have come true.

Jesus Predicts Persecution

Jesus warned His followers that they would be persecuted.  In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:11-12).

Jesus also said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Jesus knew that persecution was coming.

Jewish Leaders Persecute Jesus

On occasion, the Jewish leaders became so upset with Jesus that they wanted to kill Him (Luke 4:29; John 5:18, etc.). He healed people on the Sabbath and He socialized with outcasts. He turned over their money tables at the temple. He called them “hypocrites” (Matthew 23:15). Jesus fearlessly pointed out the Pharisees’ faults, and they hated Him for that.

Eventually, the Jewish leaders had Jesus crucified. He was stripped naked. Nails were driven through His hands and feet. He was mocked, ridiculed, and humiliated. Yet, He did not call for vengeance. Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

The Apostles Are Persecuted

When the Jewish high court told the apostles to stop talking about Jesus, Peter replied, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead–whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree” (Acts 5:29-30).

When the judges heard this, they were furious and wanted to kill the apostles. But, instead, the judges flogged them and let them go. The apostles “left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name [of Jesus]” (Acts 5:41). What was the secret of their courage?

Stephen Is Killed

A few months later, Stephen was put on trial before the same high court. Instead of defending himself, Stephen accused his accusers. This made the court officials so angry they dragged him out of the city and began throwing stones at him (Acts 7:5758).

As Stephen was dying, he prayed, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60). What was the secret of Stephen’s strength and good will?

Believers Are Scattered by Persecution

The people who killed Stephen laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. On that day, “Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison” (Acts 8:3). The believers in Jerusalem, except the apostles, were scattered throughout the region. “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went” (Acts 8:4). Why did these early Christians keep talking about Jesus even when they were mistreated?

Persecution Under the Romans

In AD 41, Rome appointed Herod Agrippa I as “King of the Jews”. Agrippa wanted to please his Jewish subjects, so he persecuted Christians. He “had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword” (Acts 12:2). Then, he imprisoned Peter intending to kill him too, but an angel of God delivered Peter from prison.

In AD 64, a great fire broke out in Rome and destroyed much of the city. It was rumored that Nero, the emperor, was responsible for the fire. In order to shift the guilt away from himself, Nero accused Christians of setting the fire and started a wave of persecutions against them. A multitude of Christians were arrested, convicted, and tortured. They were nailed to crosses, fed to lions, torn to pieces by dogs, wrapped in skins and set afire at night as human torches in Nero’s gardens.

The apostles Peter and Paul are said to have been martyred in Rome during Nero’s rule. According to tradition, Peter was crucified upside down at his own request.

Similar persecutions were instigated by other Roman emperors. Christians were accused of atheism for refusing to worship the emperor and other Roman gods. About AD 200, Clement of Alexandria wrote, “Many martyrs are daily burned, confined, or beheaded, before our eyes”. About AD 258, Dionysus said, “Men and women, young and old, maidens and matrons, soldiers and civilians, of every age and race, some by scourging and fire, others by sword, have conquered in the strife and won their crowns”.

Eleven of the twelve apostles died as martyrs. Only John, the brother of the apostle James, died a natural death.

Hinduism

There is evidence that the apostle Thomas preached in India. According to tradition, Thomas died on a hill in Chennai when a Hindu cleric thrust a spear through him as he was praying.

Most Hindus consider Jesus a supreme model of moral living. They accept Jesus’ message of love, and they even regard Him as a divine being.

Many Hindu intellectuals feel deep affection for the person and teachings of Jesus. To them, Jesus is an example of one whose soul was totally illuminated. Only Jesus absolutely identified himself with truth and with God. He, alone, could legitimately say, “I am the truth”, and “I and the Father are one”. Yet, Hindus reject the notion that Jesus was the only incarnation of deity, and they do not accept the claim that He is the only path to God. They revere Him and admire Him, but they regard Him as only one among many divine incarnations.

Today, India is the most populous democratic nation on earth, and its constitution guarantees freedom of religion. Yet, the rapid growth of Christianity in India in recent years has triggered a sharp rise of persecution by radical Hindu nationalists. Eight Indian states have passed anti-conversion laws designed to keep Hindus from converting to Christianity or Islam.

Incidents of violence against Christians have been reported in many parts of India. Church buildings and Bibles have been burned. Anti-Christian hate literature has been distributed. Christians have been forced to convert to Hinduism. Missionaries and national preachers have been falsely charged, imprisoned, and even killed. Christian schools and colleges have been destroyed, and Christian cemeteries have been desecrated. In 2011, a government official in Orissa estimated that more than 500 Christians had died in his state alone as a result of anti-Christian hostilities launched by fundamentalist Hindus.

Jesus is under attack in many parts of India. But to be fair, it must be said that certain arrogant missionaries in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries coerced the Indian people to convert to Christianity. Even though these missionaries were not true representatives of Jesus, the stories of their abuses are still fresh in the minds of many Indian people today. 

Buddhism 

Buddhists generally have little to say about Jesus. They acknowledge him as a great man. They recognize him as a good, wise, and moral teacher, but they reject the Jesus of the Bible. To them, Jesus was not born of a virgin. He did not perform miracles. He is not the Savior of the world. He is not the Son of God. He is not the light of the world. He was not raised from death. He will not return to earth as a divine judge. And, to them, Jesus' teachings are not the standard of truth. 

According to Gautama Buddha, enlightenment comes from within. It is achieved through concentration and meditation. Gautama wrote, “Rely upon yourself; do not depend on anyone else”. He would say to us, “Do not depend on Jesus”. 

Buddhists do not persecute Christians, but they reject the Biblical view of Jesus and send out missionaries of their own. 

If you are a Buddhist, please take a look at Jesus in the following articles. 

Islam 

In the seventh century, Muslims in the Middle East taught that Jesus was born of a virgin, performed miracles even in childhood, and spoke with divine wisdom as a prophet of God. However, they denied that Jesus ever wanted to be worshiped as a divine being.

According to the Qur’an, Jesus did not die on the cross; He was not buried, and He did not rise from death. Instead, He was caught up into heaven, and someone who looked like Him (perhaps Judas) died on the cross. Most Muslims teach that Jesus will one day return to earth as a man, judge the world, get married, have children, and die a natural death.

Today, some Muslim clerics claim that the true teachings of Jesus were corrupted by the apostle Paul and the church. They believe that the New Testament account of Jesus is false. Even though Muslims have a high regard for Jesus and acknowledge Him as a prophet of God, they consider it blasphemous to call Him the Son of God or to worship Him as a divine being. Under sharia law, it is a capital offense to convert from Islam to Christianity.

In recent years, church buildings have been burned and Christians have been robbed, persecuted, and even killed by radical Muslims in Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Kosovo, Malaysia, Nigeria, Northern Cyprus, Pakistan, The Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. If you are a Muslim, please give Jesus a chance to reveal Himself in the following articles.

Communism

Under Communist rule in China, Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, Vietnam, North Korea, and in other places, Christians have been arrested and imprisoned for owning or distributing Bibles, and for worshiping in their homes without approval by the government.

Lenin taught that religion is “the opiate of the people” and tried to stamp out all religions. Yet, Christianity has survived.

Summary

During the past 2,000 years, followers of Jesus have been persecuted in every generation. Yet, persecution has not stopped the spread of Christianity. Instead, it has spurred its growth.  What gives followers of Jesus the courage to face danger and death with confidence and serenity?

Who is this Jesus who has captured the hearts and changed the lives of so many people through the ages? Come along with us as we search for answers to these questions.