Author: Surts

You better run all day and run all night. (Roger Waters)

Thinking about the musings from DAY 42: Rest…Relax…Reflect… 

I would submit to you that the geography of the Arabian Peninsula, and more specifically Mecca, was instrumental in the development of the 8th major belief system of mankind, Islam.  It is also important to note that the locations of Mecca and the Arabian Peninsula are not so far off geographically from where both Judaism and Christianity both started, the Middle East.  With almost 2 billion current followers of Islam today, one cannot underestimate the influence this belief system has had over the last 1400 plus years.

Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was a merchant by trade, representing his family the Quraysh tribe, in and around the Arabian Peninsula.  It is interesting to note that Muhammad was not in charge of the wealth of his family, but instead Khadija was.

His wife. 

One of the big take-aways that students must be aware of from the 8,000 BCE – 600 CE time period what a patriarchal system is and how it operates.  The patriarchal system was socially, politically, economically culturally centered around males.  So the idea that his wife Khadija, a female, was in charge of the Quraysh caravan was quite progressive for the time and place, pre-7th century Arabia.  

It might also help to explain that since he was not in charge of everything regarding the family wealth, that from time to time he would go to the series of caves located on the outskirts of Mecca when he was around the age of 40. 

In the deep, dark quiet of these caves, and one in particular the cave of Hira, mediation came easily for Muhammad, and ultimately he was visited by Gabriel.

Who was Gabriel?  If you are Jewish or Christian you will recognize him as an angel, a messenger of God.  

Consider from the Old Testament, Daniel 9:21 (KJV):

²¹ Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.

And from the New Testament, Luke 1:26-33(KJV):

²⁶ And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, ²⁷ To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. ²⁹ And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. ³⁰ And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. ³¹ And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. ³² He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: ³³ And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Like Jews and Christians traveling throughout the region, this would help to explain why Muslims would have been familiar with the angel Gabriel as well. 

From the very first revelation, where the angel Gabriel proclaimed that Muhammad was the ‘Messenger of God’ and for the next twenty years, Muslims believe that Muhammad continued to receive revelations.  At first he would recite these revelations to Khadija, and then to a growing community of believers in Mecca. 

Over these next twenty years, these divine revelations convinced Muhammad that he was the last of the prophets of the monotheistic belief systems, Judaism and Christianity:

1) Abraham, the Father of Many Nations, the patriarch of Judaism, Christianity and Islam;

2) Moses, who historians credit with writing the Torah, the first five books of the Jewish bible;

3) Isaiah, who told the Jews that their continued, growing distance from God would have dire consequences if they did not repent and come back to him;

4) Jeremiah, an ignored prophet of the Jews, most likely due to the fact of his ‘doom and gloom’ revelations which ultimately came true;

5) Ezekiel, another ‘doom and gloomer’ in his own right, who preached to the Jews living in Babylonian Empire, considered the regional, superpower land at the time of their exile;

6) Daniel, also in exile in Babylon, whose interpretations of the ‘writings on the wall’ regarding the restoration of Jerusalem, enabled him to gain favor with the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar;

7) Malachi, the author of the last book in the New Testament, before the 400 year ‘silence’ between God and the Jews;

8) John the Baptist, responsible for preaching the coming of Jesus of Nazareth and;

9) Jesus of Nazareth.

For almost 2 billion followers of Islam, they would place Muhammad as last of the great prophets at number 10.

With this heavy responsibility thrust upon him, Muhammad began the process of convincing others that the one, true god, Allah, was telling Gabriel to tell him, to come back to the one, true god.

For those who believed what Muhammad was preaching, they became known as Muslims, or those who submitted to the will of Allah.

For those who were unsure about the preaching of Muhammad, he tried to convince them that their gods and goddesses were false.

Needless to say, two things happened as a result of Muhammad’s actions:

1) His ideas became quite controversial with the general population and rejected him in Mecca and;

2) Due to Muhammad’s rejection of these other gods and goddesses, his own family rejected him, in large part due to the potential, financial implications of moving Mecca from a polytheistic to a monotheistic belief system.

In other words, they were concerned that the pilgrims that would frequent the Kaaba in Mecca because of its history and influence as a polytheistic, pilgrimage center, would dry up and hurt their bottom line financially.

Follow the money….

So, what would you do if you believed in something so strongly, yet rejected by pretty much everyone around you, including your family, and you are not only no longer welcome in your own family’s house, but you are also unwelcome in your own city?

You would most likely do what Muhammad did.

You run.   

Do not feel discouraged if are still trying to understand the facts and history surrounding Islam. Do not feel discouraged if you are still trying to figure out if Muhammad and his revelations do in fact justify him as the last great prophet of the Jews, Christians and Muslims.  Instead, embrace the idea that this knowledge that you are accumulating is making you come to a more logical, rational, well-thought out decision once you have all the facts in front of you.

⁴⁷For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. (Acts 13:47 KJV)

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 43: Ready. Set. Go!.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

Rest and be thankful. (William Wordsworth)

Thinking about the musings from Day 41: Location…Location…Location.…

I would submit to you that it is important to take some rest. 

Just like the sixth week winding down at school, week 6 is winding down here.  I end with the quote: “I will give you Sunday’s off, it’s a God thing….”

The more I think about it, I don’t really know if it is really just a ‘God thing’.  I mean, don’t animals, insects, birds, plants, the rest of Mother Nature and even Atheists, believe in the importance of rest?  Whether they think it’s a ‘God thing’ or not, rest is necessary for all of us on this Earth, to restore, and to rejuvenate, our hearts, minds, bodies and souls.  I think, most importantly, because Monday’s can be brutal, on a good Monday….

Bottom line no matter where you stand on the issue of God…get some rest.

Spend some time if you want to do some reviewing, reflecting, and/or meditating, on the week that has just ended.  To be mindful perhaps of the from last week:

Day 36: Jesus…The Outside, Independent Corroboration. – Flavius Josephus, Tacitus and Pliny the Younger bring evidence that Jesus of Nazareth did indeed exist over 2,000 years ago. Perhaps the most intriguing of these 3 comes from Pliny the Younger as his ‘solemn oath’ statement;

Day 37: The Solemn Oath. – In 3 years of ministry, Jesus of Nazareth brought up 20 ideas for his followers to commit to. From these 20, a ‘top 5’ was created to eventually focus on;

Day 38: Jesus The Radical – Unpacking The Top Five. – After digging deeper with 5 of the ideas from Jesus of Nazareth, one can conclude that to be a follower of these ideas was surely not the norm. These ideas, whether followed back then or for one following them today, are definitely…radical.

Day 39: The Trilemma. – If one is a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, then one must be able to answer the following trilemma: is Jesus a Liar, a Lunatic, or Lord?  Eventually, this question must be met head on and a logical conclusion must bring us some closure;

Day 40: Are We Done Yet? – With the 7 major belief systems from 8,000 BCE – 600 CE already covered, a final major belief system must be brought up for discussion.  The 8th major belief system, Islam; 

Day 41: Location…Location…Location. – The three most important words in the real estate industry are applicable to Islam: The location of its birth; the Arabian Peninsula; and more specifically, the city of Mecca.

Are you ready to get some rest?

Do not feel discouraged if you don’t know how to rest. Do not feel discouraged if you power down your mind and body that wishes to forge ahead, so many things to do, so little time.  Instead, embrace the idea that rest is rejuvenating.  Embrace the idea that rest restores and recharges.  10-15 minutes.  Do nothing regarding the upcoming workweek…for 10-15 minutes.  Then, 7 days later, extend your rest time out 5 minutes.  Deep breathing exercises.  Simple yoga poses.  Watching cute little puppies on your social media feed.  All unrelated to work and your job(s).  Something, some things, to clear your mind.     

⁸ I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8 KJV)

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 42: Rest…Relax…Reflect.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

It’s the old read estate mantra: location, location, location. (Tim Carter)

Thinking about the musings from DAY 40: Are We Done Yet?… 

I would submit to you that after covering the 7 major belief systems from 8,000 BCE – 600 CE, perhaps you have already come to a conclusion regarding which of these 7 makes the most sense to you and your circumstances. However, there is just one potential issue if you have already selected one of those 7 belief systems.

Islam.

As our second unit of study commences around the 4th week of the school year, (Post-Classical, 600 CE – 1450 CE), one of the first topics that I cover first in this unit is Islam.

In the early 7th century CE, on the Arabian Peninsula, a man named Muhammad founded Islam.  A current map of the percentage of those who follow Islam by country is below:

Prior to Islam, the Arabian Peninsula contained two main trade towns, Mecca and Medina, (known as Yathrib prior to Islam).  The location of these cities were vital in connecting people, goods and services throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia.  An ancient trade map is below:

Due to their location on the Arabian Peninsula, both Mecca and Medina, (Yathrib), were ideally located for camel caravans to pass through, on their way to untold riches in the lands beyond. 

Mecca however, had a slight advantage over Medina, (Yathrib).

In the first century BCE in his book, the Bibliotheca Historica, Diodorus Siculus states:

“A very sacred temple has been established there which is highly revered by all the Arabs.” 

Located in Mecca, that ‘very sacred temple’, known as the Kaaba, was a black, granite structure, measuring approximately 40 feet tall, by 36 feet wide and 40 feet in length. Here is a picture to give you an idea of what the Kaaba looks like:

This ‘very sacred temple’ that was ‘highly revered by all the Arabs’ was probably due to the fact that originally, it contained shrines to over 360 gods, goddesses and spirits.

So in theory, prior to the advent of Islam, you as a worshipper of polytheism/animism, (Day 18: The Basics Of Polytheism/Animism. and Day 19: The Validity Of Polytheism/Animism.), could visit the Kaaba and visit/worship/pray, to a different god/goddess, almost every day…

For an entire year.

This makes sense because after all, there were humans on the Arabian Peninsula before the advent of Islam.  Polytheism dominated the region.

On the outside of this polytheistic temple, on one of its cornerstones lies the ‘Black Stone’, which according to Islamic legend, was the remaining portion of the Kaaba’s original structure that was built there by a father and son team.  Their names were Ibrahim and Ismail. 

Perhaps you may recognize these two names if I change the spelling:

Abraham and Ishmael.

If you are unsure as to who these two individuals are, please consider the following from the Holy Bible and the Book of Genesis:

1 Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. ² And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. ³ And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. ⁴ And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. (Genesis 16:1-4 KJV) and,

¹¹ And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction. ¹² And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. ¹³ And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? ¹⁴ Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. ¹⁵ And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. ¹⁶ And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram. (Genesis 6:11-16 KJV).

In other words, Abraham, who is the common patriarch, (father), of the Jews, Christians, and Muslims, had a son, Ishmael, and the both of them, according to Islam, laid the foundations for the Kaaba in the Arabian Peninsula.

These claims regarding who built the Kaaba, seem to be backed up in the Islamic holy book, the Quran, 3:96, 22:26 and 2:127:

“Indeed, the first House [of worship] established for mankind was that at Makkah (Mecca) – blessed and a guidance for the worlds.” (Quran, 3:96)

“And [mention, O Muhammad], when We designated for Abraham the site of the House, [saying], “Do not associate anything with Me and purify My House for those who perform Tawaf and those who stand [in prayer] and those who bow and prostrate.” (Quran 22:26)

“And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ishmael, [saying], “Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed You are the Hearing, the Knowing.” (Quran 2:127).

Below is a map according to Islamic belief as to the travels of Abraham and his older son Ishmael:

Why should any of this matter regarding the Kaaba, allegedly built by Abraham and Ishmael, in the city of Mecca? 

Why is any of this important?

Because, according to Jews and Christians, Mecca and the Kaaba and the journeys of Abraham, are not mentioned in the Old or New Testaments. 

In fact, Mecca and the Kaaba are not in the Holy Bible at all.

So basically, about 2.5 billion people, Jews and Christians, do not acknowledge the fact that Abraham built the Kaaba in Mecca. 

About 1.8 billion people, Muslims, do. 

Location. Location. Location.

The story of Islam continues after some rest….

Do not feel discouraged if you all of your questions are not immediately answered regarding, now, 8 belief systems. Do not feel discouraged if you are still trying to figure out how Islam fits into the other 7 discussed in earlier readings.  Instead, embrace the idea that another 1 billion people, Muslims, believe in knowing that Someone Upstairs Runs The Show.  

²¹ Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:21 KJV)

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 41: Location…Location…Location.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

Everything I do is for the pleasure of Allah. (Cat Stevens)

Thinking about the musings from Day 39: The Trilemma…

I would submit to you that after covering 7 of the major belief systems from the dawn of humanity, the facts, whether coming from either a philosophical or religious angle, continue to speak for themselves:

Someone Upstairs Runs The Show. 

However, what still needs to be addressed is the trilemma regarding Christianity.  What still needs to be answered is whether Jesus of Nazareth was a Liar, a Lunatic, or Lord.  

In over 16 years of teaching Advanced Placement World History in a public high school, I have never directly been asked a question regarding the trilemma. In fact, I don’t think that I ever will….

I would submit to you that the reason why I have never had to address that question directly is simple.  It is most likely because of how I wrap up the 7 Belief Systems and transition towards the next unit of content:

“As the Christianity section of the 7 Belief Systems has now come to a conclusion, what is not up for debate is that Jesus of Nazareth was a human that lived…and taught…and died…in the Middle East, just over 2,0000 years ago.  Now, for some of you, whether you believe that Jesus rose from the dead, in fulfillment of the scriptures, rising to sit at the right hand side of the Father in heaven, is really not important for the AP World History Exam.  At the end of the day, we are not trying to earn a doctoral thesis on comparative religions, but we are trying to be successful on the AP World History Exam in May.  What matters most is that you have a basic understanding of the 7 Belief Systems that mankind was introduced to during the Foundations and Classical units of the course, from roughly 8,000 BCE to 600 CE.  And after covering Polytheism/Animism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Judaism, and Christianity over the last couple of days, I would submit to you that I have given you more than enough. You now have access to plenty of nouns and proper nouns, to easily compare and contrast facts regarding these 7 Belief Systems for you to earn a decent score on that exam….”

And leave it at that. 

So as far as the classroom setting is concerned, if a student were to ask me about the trilemma, that would be something that I would discuss with them during tutoring hours.

But as far as class is concerned, we must move forward.

After all, time waits for no one….

After wrapping up Christianity, the 7th Belief System that I address during the 8,000 BCE – 600 CE time period in our course, it is time to move onto the next unit of the class, the Post-Classical unit. The Post-Classical unit used to cover the time period of 600-1450 CE. This was before College Board redesigned the Advanced Placement World History course in the fall of 2019.

We have now entered the 4th week of the course.

After introducing the Post-Classical unit with some general themes that separate this unit from the others, it is time to then begin focusing on specific content. 

I begin with Islam.

A question that I pose to my students is simple:

“What religion does not chronologically fit into either the Foundations Unit of 8,000 BCE – 600 CE or the Classical Unit of 600 BCE – 600 CE?”

The answer is Islam, which began afterwards, in the 600’s.

The next question I ask the students is this:

“Why then do I make several references to Islam during the first two units of the course?”

This answer is two-fold:

1) Today, there are currently over 1.8 billion followers of Islam and;

2) Islam dominates the news cycle and current events around the world.

As far as current events are concerned, it matters not what news source you depend on to find out what is going on in the world.  More often than not, a story regarding Islam tends to make it to the main page of your favorite news source. 

So what is it about Islam that helps to explain why it has over 1.7 billion followers currently around the world and finds its way into the daily headlines around the news websites of the world? 

That will be covered next time.

Do not feel discouraged if you are still not settled after reading and reviewing humanities first 7 major belief systems. Do not feel discouraged if you are still undecided as to which of these 7, if any, make any sense to you, now, or from an eternal perspective.  Instead, embrace the idea that after reading and reviewing humanities first 7 major belief systems, that you at least have a basic idea and comfort in knowing that Someone Upstairs Runs The Show.  

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 KJV)

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 40: Are We Done Yet?.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

At the heart of Christian faith is the story of Jesus death and resurrection. (John Ortberg)

Thinking about the musings from Day 38: Jesus The Radical – Unpacking The Top Five…

I would submit to you that to be a follower of Jesus of Nazareth is to follow a radical lifestyle. And even though I listed 20 items that Jesus of Nazareth brought forward during his 3 years of ministry, (Day 37: The Solemn Oath), and from there went into greater detail with 5 of those 20, (Day 38: Jesus The Radical – Unpacking The Top Five), there is still something that needs to be addressed regarding the life of Jesus of Nazareth.

His death.

It is not his death per se, that separates Jesus of Nazareth from all of humanity, but more specifically, what happens 3 days after his death.

I would submit to you that the two most important dates regarding Jesus of Nazareth would be his birth and his death. I suppose that we both could gather information, set up a nice little stage and in the traditional, Lincoln-Douglass, back and forth debate style, discuss the merits of which day is more important for those who are followers of Jesus of Nazareth, the date of his birth or the date of his death.

In Day 33: The Basics Of Christianity, I would submit to you that Jesus of Nazareth was either a great man, a great teacher, and/or a great prophet. In Day 36: Jesus…The Outside, Independent Corroboration, I provided evidence from 3 well respected men in the Middle East region who came to similar conclusions regarding Jesus of Nazareth.

Although it goes without saying regarding the birth, both from the New Testament evidence combined with the outside, independent corroboration, there is little doubt that the birth of Jesus of Nazareth has greatly impacted humanity, both two thousand years ago, all the way up to today. 

In other words, there is no disputing the historical fact that Jesus of Nazareth was a real human that walked planet Earth some 2,000 years ago.

Now, it is one thing to acknowledge that Jesus of Nazareth, who was born in a town called Bethlehem, over 2,000 years ago. It is another thing to acknowledge and then follow, his radical teachings that he presented during his 3 years of ministry.

In the end, we are still missing the most important component of the birth, life, and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth.

His death…and his resurrection, or coming back to life, after his death.

1 Corinthians 15:12-14 (KJV):

¹² Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: ¹⁴ And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

And there you have it.

In the end, nothing else matters. This is what matters: to be a follower of Jesus of Nazareth is to accept the fact that he rose from the dead.

Radical indeed….

So, the obvious question that needs to be asked is this:

Was Jesus of Nazareth resurrected or not? 

Sounds like quite a dilemma doesn’t it?

Well, it’s not.  

It’s actually a trilemma.

What exactly is a trilemma?  

Two people have already answered that question.  John Duncan and C.S. Lewis.

John Duncan was a Scottish, Christian preacher that lived from 1796 to 1870.  Near the end of his life, he created the term ‘trilemma’, to help Christians better understand the profound impact the Jesus of Nazareth left humanity.

I would submit to you that this profound impact from over 2,000 years ago leaves a follower of Jesus of Nazareth in an interesting predicament.  This predicament, or trilemma as Duncan formulated, can be narrowed down into 3 parts:

1) Jesus of Nazareth was a deceiver of mankind and knowingly committed fraud through his teachings;

2) Jesus of Nazareth himself was deceived or perhaps insane or;

3) Jesus of Nazareth was exactly who he said he was, and combined with the scriptures, was God in the flesh.

This is quite a different conclusion than viewing him as either: a great man, a great teacher, and/or a great prophet.

There really is no getting around this.

As C. S. Lewis so eloquently summarized the trilemma brought forth by John Duncan:

“Jesus was either a Liar, a Lunatic, or Lord.”

Imagine the looks you would receive from passers-by on the road if that was the bumper sticker you had on your automobile….

Jesus of Nazareth.  A liar?  A lunatic?  Or Lord?

I believe that we can solve this trilemma after solving the most significant event in the history relating to Jesus of Nazareth:

His resurrection.

I believe that the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth is binary in nature.

It either happened, or it didn’t:

1) If the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth did happen, then he is in fact the Son of God, or Lord. 

2) If the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth did not happen, then he is human and nothing more.

So what is the answer?

How do we address the trilemma?

First, there is one more belief system, with well over 1 billion followers, that must be addressed before addressing the trilemma.

That will be covered next time.

Do not feel discouraged if you are having a difficult time believing in the resurrection of Jesus. Do not feel discouraged if you are still confused if Jesus is a Liar, a Lunatic, or Lord.  Instead, embrace the idea that to question and to research and to come to a logical conclusion is part of the journey.  

¹³ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13 KJV)

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 39: The Trilemma.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

Jesus, the heart of the Christian faith, is the wildest, most radical guy you’d ever come across. (Bear Grylls)

Thinking about the musings from Day 37: The Solemn Oath…

I would submit to you that after researching, writing, and reading Day 37: The Solemn Oath, there is a strong case to be made that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed a radical. Whether you read one, some, or all, of the 20 ideas I presented regarding the ideas that Jesus of Nazareth espoused during his ministry, a radical is the only conclusion that seems to make sense.

Think about it. After about 3 years after the Ministry of Jesus of Nazareth began, it ended. His ministry ended with the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth because of what he stood for and for what he believed in, as documented in several books of the New Testament. (In the interest of time and length, I selected 3 of 16 verses that can be found at this website:

https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Crucifixion,-Of-Christ

Matthew 27:26 (KJV):

²⁶ Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

Luke 23:23 (KJV):

²³ And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.

John 19:18 (KJV):

¹⁸ Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

The idea that someone would be nailed to a cross for their teachings and what they believe in seems a bit…radical, doesn’t it?

Think about it. Is there anything in your life that you believe…that ultimately someone else would consider that belief…worthy of crucifying…

You?

Would you still believe it…teach it…fight for it…knowing that you could ultimately die for that belief?

Jesus of Nazareth did.

I want to go back and unpack the 5 ideas that I mentioned in Day 37: The Solemn Oath, that Jesus of Nazareth taught us, to give us a better perspective as to just how unique and counter to human nature these ideas really were.

Then and now.

1) Turn the other cheek. 

Matthew 5:38-42 (KJV):

³⁸ Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: ³⁹ But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰ And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. ⁴¹ And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. ⁴² Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

So Jesus of Nazareth is telling us that it would be in our best interest that when someone smacks us, literally, physically, figuratively, etc., that we are to just let it happen, to just let them, ‘smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.’

Seriously?  Someone hauls off on us and we are just to let it happen? And as an added bonus, they get to take a second swipe at us?

Is that your first instinct when someone comes at you and hits you?

To turn the other cheek? 

Sounds radical.

2) God or money, you must make the choice.

Matthew 6:24 (KJV):

²⁴ No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Mammon? What the heck is mammon? 

Dictionary.com defines it as “riches or material wealth.”  In fact, there is a second definition that involves Mammon, with an initial, capital letter, “a personification of riches as an evil spirit or deity.”

Doesn’t money make the world go round?

Don’t we need money to buy groceries? To fill up the gas in our vehicle? To pay for our children’s education?

To pay the tax man during tax season?

Have you saved enough money to retire?

Seriously? 

How can we not stop thinking about mammon…how can we stop thinking about money?

This is radical.

3) There is a place of ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth’.

Matthew 13:41-43 (KJV):

⁴¹ The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. ⁴² They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.

So Jesus of Nazareth is telling us that for “all who do evil”, they are going to a “blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth?” 

I mean, my dentist tells me that he can tell by my biting pattern that I grind my teeth at night, but gnashing my teeth?

Seriously? I have enough to worry about my biting pattern, not only in this lifetime, but for eternity?

Is this blazing furnace a reference to hell?

Very radical. 

4) Jesus is the only way to God.

John 14:6 (KJV):

⁶ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

So, Jesus of Nazareth is telling us that, “No one comes to the Father except through me?”   

Seriously? 

That is pretty bold of him to make that declaration, isn’t it?  I mean, doesn’t his declaration run counter to the ‘Coexist’ bumper sticker that was discussed on Day 19: The Validity Of Polytheism/Animism?

What if Jesus of Nazareth is wrong?

Isn’t this the most radical teaching of all?

5) The world hated Jesus, so expect the world to hate Christians.

John 15:18-20 (KJV):

¹⁸ If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

Seriously?  Does that sound like something to look forward to?  Follow the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth and you are pretty much guaranteed a lifetime of people potentially…hating you?

Just because of what you believe in?

I have enough people who have issues with me, like students…and parents…and family members…and friends.

And that is before I talk religion, (or politics for that matter), with them.  

Why would I want to follow the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, already knowing ahead of time the potential consequences regarding my students, their parents, my family and my friends?

Radical indeed.

Do not feel discouraged if you are having a difficult time understanding the significance of being a follower of Jesus. Do not feel discouraged if you are hesitant with all of the pressure and expectations of being a follower of Jesus.  Instead, embrace the idea that maybe with all of these expectations comes a greater return on your investment.  Both now, and into the future.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6 KJV   

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 38: Jesus The Radical – Unpacking The Top Five.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

   

For so sworn good or evil an oath may not be broken and it shall pursue oathkeeper and oathbreaker to the world’s end. (J.R.R. Tolkien)

Thinking about the musings from Day 36: Jesus…The Outside, Independent Corroboration…

I would submit to you that the evidence presented in the writings found in the Torah, Old Testament, Flavius Josephus, Tacitus and Pliny the Younger, prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Jesus of Nazareth did in fact exist.  With that being said, I believe now the focus needs to shift to the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth….

Or, as Pliny the Younger reference to the followers of Jesus of Nazareth as:

“bound themselves by a solemn oath…”

So what is this ‘solemn oath’ that the followers of Jesus of Nazareth were so committed to?

Below are 20 ideas that Jesus of Nazareth brought forward during his 3 years of ministry. I located these 20 ideas from the following two websites:

https://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/christianity/2011/10-radical-sayings-of-jesus.aspx

https://churchpop.com/2014/08/20/the-14-most-challenging-radical-do-we-really-have-to-teachings-of-jesus/

I have placed a summary of these 20 ideas from these websites below. I have also listed them in order of where they can be quickly located in the Gospels in the New Testament. The first begins in Matthew 5 and the last one is in John 15:

1) Rejoice when you are persecuted on account of Jesus. Matthew 5:10-11.

2) Turn the other cheek.  Matthew 5:38-42.

3) Love your enemies.  Matthew 5:43-47.

4) God or money, you must make the choice. Matthew 6:24.

5) Do not be anxious about your life. Matthew 6:25.

6) Many are travelling on the road to destruction, and only will stay on the road to life. Matthew 7:13-14.

7) Not everyone enters the kingdom. Matthew 7:21-23.

8) Fear God. Matthew 10:28.

9) There is a place of ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth’. Matthew 13:41-43.

10) Become a servant. Matthew 20:26-28.

11) The exalted will be humbled. Matthew 23:12.

12) Serve the poor, or go to hell. Matthew 25:41-46.

13) Gain the world, forfeit life. Mark 8:34-38.

14) Sell your stuff and give to the poor. Mark 10:21

15) The Beatitudes: Luke 6:20-23.

16) Corresponding woes: Luke 6:24-26.

17) Jesus is above everyone else. Luke 14:26.

18) Deny yourself, and take up the cross daily and follow Jesus. Luke 9:23-25.

19) Jesus is the only way to God. John 14.6.

20) The world hated Jesus, so expect the world to hate Christians. John 15:18-20.

Whew! That is definitely a lot to unpack.

Instead of trying to unpack all 20, the interest of time and space, I selected 5…5 of 20 that I believe makes Jesus of Nazareth, and his followers, stand out from all of the other world belief systems:

2) Turn the other cheek. 

Matthew 5:38-42 (KJV):

³⁸ Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: ³⁹ But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰ And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. ⁴¹ And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. ⁴² Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

4) God or money, you must make the choice.

Matthew 6:24 (KJV):

²⁴ No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

9) There is a place of ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth’.

Matthew 13:41-43 (KJV):

⁴¹ The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; ⁴² And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

19) Jesus is the only way to God.

John 14:6 (KJV):

⁶ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

20) The world hated Jesus, so expect the world to hate Christians.

John 15:18-20 (KJV):

¹⁸ If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

So, here is a quick summary from these 5 teachings of Jesus of Nazareth:

2) Turn the other cheek when someone hits you;

4) Deal with the fact that you will not get the TV set of your dreams in your living room;

9) Be prepared to live in a place way, way hotter than Texas in the summertime;

19) Follow him and only him or you are never ever going to get to see or visit, or hang out with, THE Someone Upstairs Who Runs The Show?

20) Understand that everyone you know and everywhere you go will see you and hate you for following him?

After reading and summarizing just 5 of 20, why would anyone wish to “bound themselves by a solemn oath…”?

Doesn’t it seem that to be a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, one must be actually following solemn oaths?

After reading the expectations and summaries of just 5, why would anyone want to be a follower of Jesus of Nazareth when one is expected to follow all 20…?

It all just seems way too…

Radical.

Do not feel discouraged if you are having a difficult time trying to comprehend all 20, or even just 5, of the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. Do not feel discouraged if you are still confused as to why anyone, then or now, would wish to be bound by that solemn oath.  Instead, embrace the idea that this research is necessary to come to a logical conclusion when thinking about the here and now…and eternity.

¹³ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13 KJV)

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 37: The Solemn Oath.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

The gospel of Jesus Christ is more enduring than fame, more precious than riches, more to be desired than happiness. (Joseph B. Wirthlin)

Thinking about the musings from DAY 35: Rest…Relax…Reflect…

I would submit to you that the evidence presented in the writings found in the Torah, Old Testament, and New Testament all seem to acknowledge the fact that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed a real person.

What if, however, you subscribe to the idea that those three books, all of course combining to create what is better known as the Holy Bible, is considered nothing more than: myth, legend, and children’s tales?

In other words, is there outside, independent corroboration that Jesus of Nazareth did in fact exist?

Yes there is.

Actually, yes there are…

There are at least 3 sources…outside, independent corroboration…that validates the birth and existence of Jesus of Nazareth:

1) Flavius Josephus;

2) Tacitus and;

3) Pliny the Younger;

The first, “outside, independent corroboration” comes from Flavius Josephus.  A first century, Jewish historian, (Flavius) Josephus describes Jesus on two occasions:

A) Josephus refers to James as: “the brother of Jesus the so-called Christ.” And;

B) “About this time there 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.”

It is highly unlikely that a Jew would speak in such terms about Jesus of Nazareth as a whole in that passage. 

Why would someone with a Jewish background, be motivated to describe Jesus of Nazareth, in this manner?

What is confirmed by historians is the accuracy and validity of the writings of Joseph himself. The claims of Joseph stating that Jesus of Nazareth was a ‘wise man’ who did ‘wrought surprising feats’, who was in fact crucified under Pilate and those who chose to follow his teachings are still, to this day, referred to ‘(the tribe of) Christians,’ are difficult to ignore or deny.

A second, “outside, independent corroboration” is from Tacitus.  He was a Roman historian around the time that Rome had been destroyed by fire during the reign of Nero, around 64 CE. Tacitus wrote the following:

“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….”

Tacitus notes that the Christians got their name from a guy called ‘Christus’, which is Latin for ‘Christ’. 

‘Suffered the extreme penalty,”, is a reference to crucifixion. 

‘A most mischievous superstition,”, is a reference to Christ rising from the grave.

A third, “outside, independent corroboration” comes from Pliny the Younger.  A Roman governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor, Pliny the Younger wrote several letters to the then Emperor Trajan of the Roman Empire around the year 112 CE.  Pliny the Younger wrote the following regarding Jesus of Nazareth:

“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.”

Christians met on certain, scheduled days for worship.  That worship was directed at Christ, confirming their early belief in his divinity.  Hymns sung to Christ, ‘as to a god’, is unique in that Christ had actually lived on earth.

What about this reference from Pliny about the early Christians: “bound themselves by a solemn oath…”. 

What is that all about? 

That is most likely a reference to the early Christians binding themselves to the moral standards put forth by Jesus of Nazareth.

Moral standards?  What moral standards?  Didn’t all belief systems have a set of moral standards? 

Well, yes, they all did, as I have explained in the following posts:

Day 18: The Basics Of Polytheism/Animism;

Day 19: The Validity Of Polytheism/Animism;

Day 20: The Basics Of Hinduism;

Day 22: The Validity Of Hinduism;

Day 23: The Basics Of Buddhism;

Day 24: The Validity Of Buddhism;

Day 25: The Basics Of Confucianism;

Day 26: The Validity Of Confucianism;

Day 27: Daoism…Or Is It Taoism?;

Day 29: The Validity Of Daoism…Or Is It Taoism?;

Day 30: The Basics Of Judaism;

Day 31: The Basics Of Judaism – Part 2 and;

Day 32: The Validity Of Judaism

Ok, so if Polytheism/Animism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Judaism all have some sort of moral standards, than why does Pliny the Youngers’ reference to: “bound themselves by a solemn oath…”, regarding Jesus of Nazareth matter?

That will be covered next time.

Do not feel discouraged if you are having a difficult time understanding the significance of the existence of Jesus of Nazareth. Do not feel discouraged if you are still overwhelmed with the information provided by Flavius Josephus, Tacitus and Pliny the Younger. Instead, embrace the idea that having additional outside, independent corroboration helps to validate what you may already know regarding Jesus of Nazareth.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6 KJV

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 36: Jesus…The Outside, Independent Corroboration.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

Rest when you’re weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work. (Alan Cohen)

Thinking about the musings from Day 34: Jesus Of Nazareth…What Do His Friends Think?…

I would submit to you that it is important to take some rest. 

Just like the fifth week winding down at school, week 5 is winding down here.  I end with the quote: “I will give you Sunday’s off, it’s a God thing….”

The more I think about it, I don’t really know if it is really just a ‘God thing’.  I mean, don’t animals, insects, birds, plants, the rest of Mother Nature and even Atheists, believe in the importance of rest?  Whether they think it’s a ‘God thing’ or not, rest is necessary for all of us on this Earth, to restore, and to rejuvenate, our hearts, minds, bodies and souls.  I think, most importantly, because Monday’s can be brutal, on a good Monday….

Bottom line no matter where you stand on the issue of God…get some rest.

Spend some time if you want to do some reviewing, reflecting, and/or meditating, on the week that has just ended.  To be mindful perhaps of the following from last week:

Day 29: The Validity Of Daoism…Or Is It Taoism? – At the end of the day, the fact remains that Confucianism is very similar to Daoism in several ways, most notably the fact that it to, is a philosophy not a religion.  Like Confucianism, Daoism must also then be called into question, as to how eternity is dealt with.

Day 30: The Basics Of Judaism. – The sixth major belief system covered, Judaism’s origin is in the Middle East, or present-day Israel, beginning about 4,000 years ago with their father Abraham.  Their focus lies with the importance of a monotheistic belief system, (Yahweh), their holy book, the Torah, and the multiple interactions between Abraham and his god, Yahweh;

Day 31: The Basics Of Judaism – Part 2. – Extending the conversation regarding Judaism, part 2 dealt with the importance of a descendant of Abraham, Moses.  Down and out, reduced to slaves in the Egyptian Empire, it is under the leadership of an 80-year-old, stuttering man leads Yahweh’s people out of the land of Egypt and eventually returning back to the land of Palestine.  Before returning to their homeland however, Moses was given the Ten Commandments from the one who referred to himself as: I AM WHO I AM; 

Day 32: The Validity Of Judaism. – The reliability of Judaism lies in its monotheistic system, the idea of a single god who created the entire universe and everything in it, literally.  The issue with Judaism is not only following the Ten Commandments faithfully throughout one’s lifetime, but ultimately 613 commandments;

Day 33: The Basics Of Christianity. – The final belief system that mankind discovered from 8,000 BCE to 600 CE was Christianity.  Can be considered an extension off of Judaism for three main reasons: 1) Their monotheistic views; 2) The geographic location, (Middle East and more specifically, present-day Israel; and 3) It’s founder, Jesus of Nazareth was a Jew;

Day 34: Jesus Of Nazareth…What Do His Friends Think? – This writing puts to rest any and all doubt that Jesus of Nazareth was in fact not a real, historical figure.  He most certainly was.  Not only was he real, his birth and life was not only documented in the New Testament, but also in the Old Testament;

 Are you ready to get some rest?

Do not feel discouraged if you don’t know how to rest. Do not feel discouraged if you power down your mind and body that wishes to forge ahead, so many things to do, so little time.  Instead, embrace the idea that rest is rejuvenating.  Embrace the idea that rest restores and recharges.  10-15 minutes.  Do nothing regarding the upcoming workweek…for 10-15 minutes.  Then, 7 days later, extend your rest time out 5 minutes.  Deep breathing exercises.  Simple yoga poses.  Watching cute little puppies on your social media feed.  All unrelated to work and your job(s).  Something, some things, to clear your mind.     

¹² Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed. (Exodus 23:12 KJV)

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 35: Rest…Relax…Reflect.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ came to do three things. He came to have my past forgiven, you get a purpose for living and a home in Heaven. (Rick Warren)

Thinking about the musings from Day 33: The Basics Of Christianity…

I would submit to you that due to the historical impact of Jesus of Nazareth, it is necessary to expand even more upon his birth and life, and of course, the impact of his death.  It is possible however, that you may still perhaps be in doubt as to the validity of the existence of Jesus of Nazareth.  Luckily for us, the evidence is quite conclusive regarding the life of Jesus of Nazareth.

In the year 2010, it was estimated that there were at least 2.2 billion followers of Christianity, or almost a full third of the population at that time on planet Earth.  What makes that number all the more impressive is the fact that the 2.2 billion followers in 2010 are about three times the number of Christians estimated to have been living around the year 1910.

Why the three-fold growth in the number of followers of Christianity in 100 years?

Again, it goes back to the man who started it all, Jesus of Nazareth.  It is important to examine the birth, the life, and the death of Jesus of Nazareth. 

First, the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. 

In Day 33: The Basics Of Christianity, I introduced four bible verses, two from the Gospel of Matthew, and two from the Gospel of Luke. Together, these four bible verses document the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. 

Or do they?

There are some in the world today that deny that Jesus of Nazareth ever existed. Those who deny the existence of Jesus of Nazareth have several claims that they believe help to justify their position, with perhaps the most compelling argument being:

The original New Testament authors are vague on the early life of Jesus of Nazareth.

This claim matters because we need to account for the fact that perhaps Matthew, being a friend of Jesus of Nazareth, and Luke, (along with the other two Gospel writers, Mark and John), were writing for their own benefit. 

Perhaps it could be possible that Matthew, was enhancing some of the facts regarding the birth, life and death of Jesus of Nazareth, to make himself look better, so that he could be seen as a famous writer.  (Remember, they did not have the New York Times bestseller list back then, and writers did not make much, if any, income from their writings.) 

Perhaps it could be possible that Matthew, was writing in such a way regarding Jesus of Nazareth, to financially gain for himself and his own family.

At the end of the day, perhaps Matthew was using the events surrounding Jesus of Nazareth as a means to an ends. 

Maybe the intent of the writings of Matthew was for the best interest of Matthew.

Perhaps you could take out Matthew in the statements above and plug in Luke, Mark and John, and come to the same conclusions.

Maybe. 

Then again, maybe not.

In Day 33: The Basics Of Christianity, I introduced the idea that there was “outside, independent corroboration that records the birth of Jesus of Nazareth in this region”. This is not merely my opinion.  This corroboration is backed up in two different ways:

1) In the Old Testament and;

2) Authors outside of the region, both geographically and religiously.    

First, let’s focus on the “outside, independent corroboration” of the coming of Jesus of Nazareth with evidence from the Old Testament.

Historians agree that the writings of the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament, was authored most likely by Moses during the 13th century BC.  The rest of the Old Testament, Joshua through Malachi, were written over a period of centuries, most likely all the way up until the 3rd century BC, with the completion of the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

One of many themes penned throughout both the Torah and Old Testament was the idea of a savior for the Jewish people who would eventually come and release them from their bondage and wandering.  If you look closely, it is quite possible that the birth of Jesus is foretold in the following 5 Old Testament verses:

From Genesis 49:10 (KJV):

¹⁰ The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

(According to the Patrilineage of Jesus, Abraham begot Isaac, who begot Jacob who begot Judah…then 37 generations after Judah, Jesus was born.);

From Isaiah 9:6 (KJV):

⁶ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

(Jesus has been referred to over the centuries as one, some, or all of these titles.);

From Isaiah 11:1 (KJV):

11 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.

(According to the Patrilineage of Jesus, Jesse, who is 12 generations after Abraham and 28 generations after Jesse, Jesus was born.);

Jeremiah 23:5 (KJV):

⁵ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

(According to the Patrilineage of Jesus, David, who is 13 generations after Abraham and 27 generations after Jesse, Jesus was born.);

From Micah 5:2 (KJV):

² But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

(Jesus, the descendant of Judah, was born in Bethlehem);

I decided to type in the following into a search engine, “How many old testament prophecies of Jesus.”

On just the first page alone, the numbers, from smallest to largest, were the following:

5, 7, 9, 16, 40, 44, 55, 68, 351, and 356. 

So what? 

Regarding the 5 verses that I selected, they are all from the Torah and the Old Testament.  That is not considered “outside, independent corroboration”. 

Agreed. 

So how about we go to this “outside, independent corroboration”, that is actually outside of both the Old and New Testaments?

That is an excellent idea.

That is exactly where we will go after some rest.

Do not feel discouraged if you are having a difficult time understanding the validity of the birth of Jesus. Do not feel discouraged if you are still undecided as to the validity of the birth, of Jesus.  Instead, embrace the idea that after learning a little bit more of the birth of Jesus, perhaps the nudge became a little more apparent.  Is there more to learn?  Absolutely.  Embrace the idea that you cannot, nor should not, ever stop learning.

⁴⁰ Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? (John 11:40 KJV)      

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 33: The Basics Of Christianity.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?