Clubhouse Magazine

When Jesus walked the earth, people asked, “Who is He?” People still ask this question today. During the past 2,000 years, people have called Jesus a crazy man, a liar, a great teacher and the Son of God. What is the truth? Consider the clues and discover for yourself this extraordinary man's identity.

The unusual happenings surrounding Jesus' birth included an angel visiting a teenage girl, a band of heavenly beings proclaiming His birth to shepherds, a dazzling star hovering above Bethlehem, rich foreigners traveling to see the baby and a king trying to murder Him. Even as an infant, Jesus stirred up both love and hatred.

During the first 30 years of His life, Jesus lived quietly, working as a craftsman in Nazareth, a small town in Israel. Then everything changed.

He turned the Jewish community upside down as He traveled around the country teaching large crowds, healing the sick, hanging out with sinners and challenging religious leaders. He calmed storms, caused nets to overflow with fish, raised people from the dead and fed thousands from a single lunch. Jesus' best friend, John, wrote that Jesus did so many incredible things that if they were written down “the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written” (John 21:25).

The most accurate reports of Jesus' life come from his closest friends. Matthew, John Mark (who wrote down Peter's stories), Luke and John wrote eyewitness accounts of Jesus' life. These accounts, called the Gospels, are the first four books of the New Testament. Experts consider them trustworthy records of Jesus' life. One expert counted 39 other ancient histories that also confirm the Gospel story. The best known are: Flavius Josephus, a Jewish expert working for Rome; Tacitus, a Roman historian; and Pliny the Younger, a Roman lawyer and historian.

The Bible records that Jesus died by crucifixion, an agonizing form of death used widely by the Romans. The biblical account is consistent with historical details of this kind of death. Jesus was whipped and forced to carry a heavy wooden crossbeam. He was stripped naked, and iron spikes were nailed through His wrists and feet. The cross was dropped into the hole with a thud. Thirsty and suffocating, Jesus died. Family and friends placed His body in a stone tomb.

Three days after His death, Jesus' body disappeared. There are several theories about what happened:

Truth: No one could survive being crucified. The Romans were execution experts and used crucifixion because it worked 100 percent of the time. They made sure Jesus was dead by piercing His lung and heart with a spear.

Truth: Most of the disciples were so scared they were hiding out. After Jesus was buried, the tomb was sealed with a giant boulder. Armed Roman soldiers stood guard. No one could get in or out. Jesus' body disappeared and was never found.

Theory No. 3: Jesus' resurrection was just a made-up story or hallucination.

Truth: Jesus rose from the dead! He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, then to Peter, John, his brothers and finally to over 500 people at one time. They all recognized Him. Jesus spoke, walked, was touched, ate and even cooked breakfast.

Hundreds of years before the time of Jesus, Old Testament prophets correctly predicted over 300 details of His life, death and resurrection. What are the odds that just eight of these prophecies would be fulfilled? One scientist explained it like this: Collect enough silver dollars to cover the state of Texas two feet deep and secretly mark one of them. Stir the whole bunch. Now blindfold a friend and issue this challenge: “You can travel as far as you want, but on your first try you must pick up the marked silver dollar.” What are the chances that your friend would choose the right one? One in 1 quadrillion! (That's 1 followed by 17 zeros.) There's just no way that someone could “accidentally” fulfill all those prophecies.

Jesus came to live among us 2,000 years ago. His amazing birth was only a hint of the miracles and wonders to come. Jesus' life was recorded in detailed historical accounts. He was executed for claiming to be God but rose from the dead three days later. His birth, life, death and resurrection were foretold hundreds of years before He came. The clues point to Jesus being who He claimed to be-the Son of God. But what you believe about Jesus, and how it affects your life, is up to you.

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”

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