Simon Brown.

Proverbs 8:34-36 Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts. For whoever finds me finds life, and will obtain favor from Yahweh. But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death.” Psalm 84: 11 For Yahweh God is a sun and a shield. Yahweh will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly. 12 Yahweh of Armies, blessed is the man who trusts in you. 1 John 5:5 Now who is the one overcoming the world, except the one believing that Jesus is the Son of God?

Wednesday, 4 February 2015

DID Tacitus provide a non-Christian confirmation of the crucifixion of Jesus?

A copy of the second Medicean manuscript of Annals, Book 15, chapter 44, the page with the reference to Christians http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMII.png

By Tacitus (text copied by a monk in the 11th century). Photographic facsimile by Henricus Rostagno, 1902. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Hello friends. I do hope and pray love and blessings on you.

I would like to share with you an interesting comment I received only today from an atheist saying: Simon Brown Let's not move the goal posts. I'll be happy to discuss any other issues, after you answer what I asked: why would Tacitus, a meticulous historian, not mention hundreds of zombies walking around after Jesus' death, including Jesus himself?

Well this person encouraged me to do some research on the man Tacitus, as I am not familiar with him.

After some hours I discovered there were lots of articles about him. As always many believers believe the writings to be genuine while some are not so convinced.

I found it interesting how this atheist wanted to prove me wrong, but instead proved himself wrong.

How?

Well last week I reported to you about some Bible discovery hoaxes. But this week from my research I personally believe this Tacitus (text copied by a monk in the 11th century) to be genuine. However you decide. I look forward to hearing what you believe.

Tacitus on Christ

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Fire of Rome, by Karl von Piloty, 1861. According to Tacitus, Nero targeted Christians as those responsible for the fire.

The Roman historian and senator Tacitus referred to Christ, his execution by Pontius Pilate and the existence of early Christians in Rome in his final work, Annals (written ca. AD 116), book 15, chapter 44.^[1]

The context of the passage is the six-day Great Fire of Rome that burned much of the city in AD 64 during the reign of Roman Emperor Nero.^[2] The passage is one of the earliest non-Christian references to the origins of Christianity, the execution of Christ described in the Canonical gospels, and the presence and persecution of Christians in 1st-centuryRome.^[3]^[4]

Scholars generally consider Tacitus's reference to the execution of Jesus by Pontius Pilate to be both authentic, and of historical value as an independent Roman source.^[5]^[6]^[7] Eddy and Boyd state that it is now "firmly established" that Tacitus provides a non-Christian confirmation of the crucifixion of Jesus.^[8] However, there have been suggestions that the 'Christ, the author of this name, was executed by the procurator Pontius Pilate in the reign of Tiberius' line is a Christian interpolation.^[9]^[10]

Historian Ronald Mellor has stated that the Annals is "Tacitus's crowning achievement" which represents the "pinnacle of Roman historical writing".^[11] Scholars view it as establishing three separate facts about Rome around AD 60: (i) that there were a sizable number of Christians in Rome at the time, (ii) that it was possible to distinguish between Christians and Jews in Rome, and (iii) that at the time pagans made a connection between Christianity in Rome and its origin in Roman Judea.^[12]^[13] These facts however are so narrowly established (see Other Roman Sources below) that they are subject to much scrutiny, like reports of Pilate's rank or the spelling of key words or Tacitus' actual sources.

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The passage and its context[edit]

A copy of the second Medicean manuscript of Annals,Book 15, chapter 44, the page with the reference to Christians

The Annals passage (15.44), which has been subjected to much scholarly analysis, follows a description of the six-day Great Fire of Rome that burned much of Rome in July 64 AD.^[3]

The key part of the passage reads as follows (translation from Latin by A. J. Church and W. J. Brodribb, 1876):

"Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures 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 one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judæa, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind".

(In Latin:[2] ergo abolendo rumori Nero subdidit reos et quaesitissimis poenis adfecit, quos per flagitia invisos vulgus Chrestianos appellabat. auctor nominis eius Christus Tibero imperitante per procuratorem Pontium Pilatum supplicio adfectus erat; repressaque in praesens exitiablilis superstitio rursum erumpebat, non modo per Iudaeam, originem eius mali, sed per urbem etiam, quo cuncta undique atrocia aut pudenda confluunt celebranturque. igitur primum correpti qui fatebantur, deinde indicio eorum multitudo ingens haud proinde in crimine incendii quam odio humani generis convicti sunt.)

Tacitus then describes the torture of Christians. The exact cause of the fire remains uncertain, but much of the population of Rome suspected that Emperor Nero had started the fire himself.^[3] To divert attention from himself, Nero accused the Christians of starting the fire and persecuted them, making this the first confrontation between Christians and the authorities in Rome.^[3] Tacitus never accused Nero of playing the lyre while Rome burned - that statement came from Cassius Dio, who died in the 3rd century.^[2] But Tacitus did suggest that Nero used the Christians as scapegoats.^[14]

No original manuscripts of the Annals exist and the surviving copies of Tacitus' works derive from two principal manuscripts, known as the Medicean manuscripts, written in Latin, which are held in the Laurentian Library in Florence, Italy.^[15] It is the second Medicean manuscript, 11th century and from the Benedictine abbey at Monte Cassino, which is the oldest surviving copy of the passage describing Christians.^[16] Scholars generally agree that these copies were written at Monte Cassino and the end of the document refers toAbbas Raynaldus cu... who was most probably one of the two abbots of that name at the abbey during that period.^[16]

Specific references[edit]

Christians and Chrestians[edit]

Detail of the 11th century copy of Annals, the gap between the 'i' and 's' is highlighted in the word 'Christianos'.

The passage states:

"... called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin ..."

In 1902 Georg Andresen commented on the appearance of the first 'i' and subsequent gap in the earliest extant, 11th century, copy of the Annals in Florence, suggesting that the text had been altered, and an 'e' had originally been in the text, rather than this 'i'.^[17] "With ultra-violet examination of the MS the alteration was conclusively shown. It is impossible today to say who altered the letter e into an i. In Suetonius’ Nero 16.2, "christiani", however, seems to be the original reading".^[18] Since the alteration became known it has given rise to debates among scholars as to whether Tacitus deliberately used the term "Chrestians", or if a scribe made an error during the Middle Ages.^[19]^[20] It has been stated that both the terms Christians and Chrestians had at times been used by the general population in Rome to refer to early Christians.^[21] Robert Van Voorst states that many sources indicate that the term Chrestians was also used among the early followers of Jesus by the second century.^[20]^[22] The term Christians appears only three times in the New Testament, the first usage (Acts 11:26) giving the origin of the term.^[20] In all three cases the uncorrected Codex Sinaiticus in Greek readsChrestianoi.^[20]^[22] In Phrygia a number of funerary stone inscriptions use the term Chrestians, with one stone inscription using both terms together, reading: "Chrestians for Christians".^[22]

Adolf von Harnack argued that Chrestians was the original wording, and that Tacitus deliberately used Christus immediately after it to show his own superior knowledge compared to the population at large.^[20] Robert Renehan has stated that it was natural for a Roman to mix the two words that sounded the same, that Chrestianos was the original word in the Annals and not an error by a scribe.^[23]^[24] Van Voorst has stated that it was unlikely for Tacitus himself to refer to Christians as Chrestianos i.e. "useful ones" given that he also referred to them as "hated for their shameful acts".^[19] Paul Eddy sees no major impact on the authenticity of the passage or its meaning regardless of the use of either term by Tacitus.^[25]

The rank of Pilate[edit]

The Pilate Stone, now at the Israel Museum

Pilate's rank while he was governor of Iudaea province appeared in a Latin inscription on the Pilate Stone which called him a prefect, while this Tacitean passage calls him a procurator. Josephus refers to Pilate with the generic Greek term ἡγεμών, hēgemōn, or governor. Tacitus records that Claudius was the ruler who gave procurators governing power.^[26]^[27] After Herod Agrippa's death in AD 44, when Judea reverted to direct Roman rule, Claudius gave procurators control over Judea.^[3]^[28]^[29]^[30]

Various theories have been put forward to explain why Tacitus should use the term "procurator" when the archaeological evidence indicates that Pilate was a prefect. Jerry Vardaman theorizes that Pilate's title was changed during his stay in Judea and that the Pilate Stone dates from the early years of his administration.^[31] Baruch Lifshitz postulates that the inscription would originally have mentioned the title of "procurator" along with "prefect".^[32] L.A. Yelnitsky argues that the use of "procurator" in Annals 15.44.3 is a Christian interpolation.^[33] S.G.F. Brandon suggests that there is no real difference between the two ranks.^[34] John Dominic Crossan states that Tacitus "retrojected" the title procurator which was in use at the time of Claudius back onto Pilate who was called prefect in his own time.^[35] Bruce Chilton and Craig Evans as well as Van Voorst state that Tacitus apparently used the title procurator because it was more common at the time of his writing and that this variation in the use of the title should not be taken as evidence to doubt the correctness of the information Tacitus provides.^[36]^[37]Warren Carter states that, as the term "prefect" has a military connotation, while "procurator" is civilian, the use of either term may be appropriate for governors who have a range of military, administrative and fiscal responsibilities.^[38]

Louis Feldman says that Philo (who died AD 50) and Josephus also use the term procurator for Pilate.^[39] It should be noted that, as both Philo and Josephus wrote in Greek, neither of them actually used the term "procurator", but the Greek word ἐπίτροπος (epitropos), which is regularly translated as "procurator". Philo also uses this Greek term for the governors of Egypt (a prefect), of Asia (a proconsul) and Syria (a legate).^[40] Werner Eck, in his list of terms for governors of Judea found in the works of Josephus, shows that, while in the early work, The Jewish War, Josephus uses epitropos less consistently, the first governor to be referred to by the term in Antiquities of the Jews was Cuspius Fadus, (who was in office AD 44-46).^[41] Feldman notes that Philo, Josephus and Tacitus may have anachronistically confused the timing of the titles - prefect later changing to procurator.^[39] Feldman also notes that the use of the titles may not have been rigid, for Josephus refers to Cuspius Fadus both as "prefect" and "procurator".^[39]

Authenticity and historical value[edit]

The title page of 1598 edition of the works of Tacitus, kept in Empoli, Italy.

Most modern scholars consider the passage to be authentic.^[42]^[43] William L. Portier has stated that the consistency in the references by Tacitus, Josephus and the letters to Emperor Trajan by Pliny the Younger reaffirm the validity of all three accounts.^[43] Scholars generally consider Tacitus's reference to be of historical value as an independent Roman source about early Christianity that is in unison with other historical records.^[5]^[6]^[7]^[43]

Tacitus was a patriotic Roman senator.^[44]^[45] His writings shows no sympathy towards Christians, or knowledge of who their leader was.^[5]^[46]His characterization of "Christian abominations" may have been based on the rumors in Rome that during the Eucharist rituals Christians ate the body and drank the blood of their God, interpreting the ritual as cannibalism by Christians.^[46]^[47] Andreas Köstenberger states that the tone of the passage towards Christians is far too negative to have been authored by a Christian scribe.^[48] Van Voorst also states that the passage is unlikely to be a Christian forgery because of the pejorative language used to describe Christianity.^[42]

Tacitus was about 7 years old at the time of the Great Fire of Rome, and like other Romans as he grew up he would have most likely heard about the fire that destroyed most of the city, and Nero's accusations against Christians.^[14] When he wrote his account, Tacitus was the governor of the province of Asia, and as a member of the inner circle in Rome he would have known of the official position with respect to the fire and the Christians.^[14]

In 1885 P. Hochart had proposed that the passage was a pious fraud,^[49] but the editor of the 1907 Oxford edition dismissed his suggestion and treated the passage as genuine.^[50] Scholars such as Bruce Chilton, Craig Evans, Paul R. Eddy and Gregory A. Boyd agree with John Meier's statement that "Despite some feeble attempts to show that this text is a Christian interpolation in Tacitus, the passage is obviously genuine.”^[36]^[51] However in 2014 an article by Richard Carrier detailing the reasons to suspect the "Their founder, one Christ, had been put to death by the procurator, Pontius Pilate in the reign of Tiberius" part in the passage is a Christian interpolation was published in Vigiliae Christianae^[52] some of which are highlighted in Carrier's On the Historicity of Jesus where he also presents reasons that even if it is totally genuine there are reasons to suspect Tacitus is merely repeating a story told by the Christians themselves.^[53] Suggestions that the whole of Annals may have been a forgery have also been generally rejected by scholars.^[54]

John P. Meier states that there is no historical or archaeological evidence to support the argument that a scribe may have introduced the passage into the text.^[55]

Portrait of Tacitus, based on an antique bust.

Van Voorst states that "of all Roman writers, Tacitus gives us the most precise information about Christ".^[42] John Dominic Crossan considers the passage important in establishing that Jesus existed and was crucified, and states: "That he was crucified is as sure as anything historical can ever be, since both Josephus and Tacitus... agree with the Christian accounts on at least that basic fact."^[56] Eddy and Boyd state that it is now "firmly established" that Tacitus provides a non-Christian confirmation of the crucifixion of Jesus.^[8] Biblical scholar Bart D. Ehrman wrote: "Tacitus's report confirms what we know from other sources, that Jesus was executed by order of the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, sometime during Tiberius's reign."^[57]

James D. G. Dunn considers the passage as useful in establishing facts about early Christians, e.g. that there was a sizable number of Christians in Rome around AD 60.^[12] Dunn states that Tacitus seems to be under the impression that Christians were some form of Judaism, although distinguished from them.^[12] Raymond E. Brown and John P. Meier state that in addition to establishing that there was a large body of Christians in Rome, the Tacitus passage provides two other important pieces of historical information, namely that by around AD 60 it was possible to distinguish between Christians and Jews in Rome and that even pagans made a connection between Christianity in Rome and its origin in Judea.^[13]

Although the majority of scholars consider it to be genuine, a few scholars question the authenticity of the passage given that Tacitus was born 25 years after Jesus' death.^[42]

Some scholars have debated the historical value of the passage given that Tacitus does not reveal the source of his information.^[58] Gerd Theissen and Annette Merz argue that Tacitus at times had drawn on earlier historical works now lost to us, and he may have used official sources from a Roman archive in this case; however, if Tacitus had been copying from an official source, some scholars would expect him to have labeled Pilate correctly as a prefect rather than a procurator.^[59]Theissen and Merz state that Tacitus gives us a description of widespread prejudices about Christianity and a few precise details about "Christus" and Christianity, the source of which remains unclear.^[60] However, Paul R. Eddy has stated that given his position as a senator Tacitus was also likely to have had access to official Roman documents of the time and did not need other sources.^[25]

Michael Martin notes that the authenticity of this passage of the Annals has also been disputed on the grounds that Tacitus would not have used the word “messiah” in an authentic Roman document.^[61]

Weaver notes that Tacitus spoke of the persecution of Christians, but no other Christian author wrote of this persecution for a hundred years.^[62]

Hotema notes that this passage was not quoted by any Church father up to the 15th century, although the passage would have been very useful to them in their work; ^[63] and that the passage refers to the Christians in Rome being a multitude, while at that time the Christian congregation in Rome would actually have been very small.^[64]

Scholars have also debated the issue of hearsay in the reference by Tacitus. Charles Guignebert argued that "So long as there is that possibility [that Tacitus is merely echoing what Christians themselves were saying], the passage remains quite worthless".^[65] R. T. France states that the Tacitus passage is at best just Tacitus repeating what he had heard through Christians.^[66] However, Paul R. Eddy has stated that as Rome's preeminent historian, Tacitus was generally known for checking his sources and was not in the habit of reporting gossip.^[25] Tacitus was a member of the Quindecimviri sacris faciundis, a council of priests whose duty it was to supervise foreign religious cults in Rome, which as Van Voorst points out, makes it reasonable to suppose that he would have acquired knowledge of Christian origins through his work with that body.^[67]

Other Roman sources[edit]

Tacitus is one of three key Roman authors who may refer to early Christians, the other two being Pliny the Younger and Suetonius.^[68]^[69] These authors refer to events which took place during the reign of various Roman emperors, Suetonius writing about an expulsion from Rome during the reign of Claudius (41 to 54), and also punishments by Nero(who reigned from 54 to 68), Pliny's letters are to Trajan about the trials he was holding for Christians around 111 AD.^[68] But the temporal order for the documents begins with Pliny writing around 111 AD, then Tacitus around 115/116 AD and then Suetonius writing in the Lives of the Twelve Caesars around 122 AD.^[68]^[70] Thus 47 to 58 years after the 64 AD fire and Nero's alleged persecution.

References[edit]

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P.E. Easterling, E. J. Kenney (general editors), The Cambridge History of Latin Literature, page 892 (Cambridge University Press, 1982, reprinted 1996). ISBN 0-521-21043-7
^ Jump up to:^a ^b Stephen Dando-Collins 2010 The Great Fire of Rome ISBN 978-0-306-81890-5pages 1-4
^ Jump up to:^a ^b ^c ^d ^e A political history of early Christianity by Allen Brent 2009 ISBN 0-567-03175-6pages 32-34
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Robert Van Voorst, Jesus Outside the New Testament: An Introduction to the Ancient Evidence, Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2000. p 39- 53
^ Jump up to:^a ^b ^c Jesus and His Contemporaries: Comparative Studies by Craig A. Evans 2001 ISBN 0-391-04118-5 page 42
^ Jump up to:^a ^b Mercer dictionary of the Bible by Watson E. Mills, Roger Aubrey Bullard 2001 ISBN 0-86554-373-9 page 343
^ Jump up to:^a ^b Pontius Pilate in History and Interpretation by Helen K. Bond 2004 ISBN 0-521-61620-4 page xi
^ Jump up to:^a ^b Eddy, Paul; Boyd, Gregory (2007). The Jesus Legend: A Case for the Historical Reliability of the Synoptic Jesus Tradition Baker Academic, ISBN 0-8010-3114-1 page 127
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Carrier, Richard (2014) "The Prospect of a Christian Interpolation in Tacitus, Annals 15.44" Vigiliae Christianae, Volume 68, Issue 3, pages 264 – 283 (an earlier and more detailed version appears in Carrier's Hitler Homer Bible Christ)
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Carrier, Richard (2014) On the Historicity of Jesus Sheffield Phoenix Press ISBN 978-1-909697-49-2 pg 344
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Tacitus' Annals by Ronald Mellor 2010 ISBN 0-19-515192-5 Oxford page 23
^ Jump up to:^a ^b ^c Beginning from Jerusalem by James D. G. Dunn 2008 ISBN 0-8028-3932-0 pages 56-57
^ Jump up to:^a ^b Antioch and Rome: New Testament cradles of Catholic Christianity by Raymond Edward Brown, John P. Meier 1983 ISBN 0-8091-2532-3 page 99
^ Jump up to:^a ^b ^c Jesus & the Rise of Early Christianity: A History of New Testament Times by Paul Barnett 2002 ISBN 0-8308-2699-8 page 30
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Cornelii Taciti Annalium, Libri V, VI, XI, XII: With Introduction and Notes by Henry Furneaux, H. Pitman 2010 ISBN 1-108-01239-6 page iv
^ Jump up to:^a ^b Newton, Francis, The Scriptorium and Library at Monte Cassino, 1058–1105, ISBN 0-521-58395-0 Cambridge University Press, 1999. "The Date of the Medicean Tacitus (Flor. Laur. 68.2)", p. 96-97. [1]
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^ Jump up to:^a ^b Van Voorst, Robert E (2000). Jesus Outside the New Testament: An Introduction to the Ancient Evidence Eerdmans Publishing ISBN 0-8028-4368-9 pages 44-48
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Christians at Rome in the First Two Centuries by Peter Lampe 2006 ISBN 0-8264-8102-7 page 12
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"Pontius Pilate in history and legend" in History Today 18 (1968), pp. 523—530
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Pontius Pilate: Portraits of a Roman Governor by Warren Carter (Sep 1, 2003) ISBN 0814651135 page 44
^ Jump up to:^a ^b ^c Louis Feldman "Flavius Josephus Revisited" in Aufstieg Und Niedergang Der Roemischen Welt, Part 2 edited by Hildegard Temporini and Wolfgang Haase 1984 ISBN 311009522X page 818
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Matthew and Empire: Initial Explorations by Warren Carter (T&T Clark: October 10, 2001) ISBN 978-1563383427 p.215.
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Werner Eck, "Die Benennung von römischen Amtsträgern und politisch-militärisch-administrativenFunktionen bei Flavius Iosephus: Probleme der korrekten IdentifizierungAuthor" in Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 166 (2008), p.222.
^ Jump up to:^a ^b ^c ^d Robert E. Van Voorst, Jesus Outside the New Testament: An Introduction to the Ancient Evidence, Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2000. p 39- 53
^ Jump up to:^a ^b ^c Tradition and Incarnation: Foundations of Christian Theology by William L. Portier 1993 ISBN 0-8091-3467-5 page 263
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Josephus, the Bible, and history by Louis H. Feldman 1997 ISBN 90-04-08931-4 page 381
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Jesus as a figure in history: how modern historians view the man from Galilee by Mark Allan Powell 1998 ISBN 0-664-25703-8 page 33
^ Jump up to:^a ^b Ancient Rome by William E. Dunstan 2010 ISBN 0-7425-6833-4 page 293
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The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament by Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum 2009 ISBN 978-0-8054-4365-3 pages 109-110
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Henry Furneaux, ed., Cornelii Taciti Annalium ab excessu divi augusti libri. The annals of Tacitus with introduction and notes, 2nd ed., vol. ii, books xi-xvi. Clarendon, 1907. Appendix II, p.418
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The Jesus Legend: a case for the Historical Reliability of the Synoptic Jesus Tradition by Paul R. Eddy, Gregory A. Boyd 2007 ISBN 0-8010-3114-1 page 181
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Carrier, Richard (2014) "The Prospect of a Christian Interpolation in Tacitus, Annals 15.44" Vigiliae Christianae, Volume 68, Issue 3, pages 264 – 283 (an earlier and more detailed version appears in Carrier's Hitler Homer Bible Christ)
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Carrier, Richard (2014) On the Historicity of Jesus Sheffield Phoenix Press ISBN 978-1-909697-49-2 pg 343-346
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Crossan, John Dominic (1995). Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography. HarperOne. ISBN 0-06-061662-8 page 145
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The Case Against Christianity, By Michael Martin, pg 50-51, athttp://books.google.co.za/books?id=wWkC4dTmK0AC&pg=PA52&dq=historicity+of+jesus&hl=en&sa=X&ei=o-_8U5-yEtTH7AbBpoCoAg&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=tacitus&f=false
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The Historical Jesus in the Twentieth Century: 1900-1950, By Walter P. Weaver, pg 53, pg 57, at http://books.google.co.za/books?id=1CZbuFBdAMUC&pg=PA45&dq=historicity+of+jesus&hl=en&sa=X&ei=o-_8U5-yEtTH7AbBpoCoAg&ved=0CEoQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=tacitus&f=false
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Secret of Regeneration, By Hilton Hotema, pg 100, at http://books.google.co.za/books?id=jCaopp3R5B0C&pg=PA100&dq=interpolations+in+tacitus&hl=en&sa=X&ei=CRf-U9-VGZCe7AbxrIDQCA&ved=0CCAQ6AEwATge#v=onepage&q=interpolations%20in%20tacitus&f=false
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Secret of Regeneration, By Hilton Hotema, pg 100, at http://books.google.co.za/books?id=jCaopp3R5B0C&pg=PA100&dq=interpolations+in+tacitus&hl=en&sa=X&ei=CRf-U9-VGZCe7AbxrIDQCA&ved=0CCAQ6AEwATge#v=onepage&q=interpolations%20in%20tacitus&f=false
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Jesus, University Books, New York, 1956, p.13
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France, RT (1986). Evidence for Jesus (Jesus Library). Trafalgar Square Publishing. pp. 19–20. ISBN 0-340-38172-8.
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Van Voorst, Robert E. (2011). Handbook for the Study of the Historical Jesus. Brill Academic Pub. p. 2159. ISBN 978-9004163720.
^ Jump up to:^a ^b ^c Stephen Benko "Pagan Criticism of Christianity" in Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt edited by Hildegard Temporin et al ISBN 3110080168 page
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Robert E. Van Voorst Jesus Outside the New Testament: An Introduction to the Ancient Evidence Eerdmans Publishing, 2000. ISBN 0-8028-4368-9 page 69-70
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Christianity and the Roman Empire: background texts by Ralph Martin Novak 2001 ISBN 1-56338-347-0 pages 13 and 20

How Did Jesus COME DOWN From Heaven, If He Was Not In Heaven?

John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not that I should do My will, but the will of the One having sent Me. Most of Christianity are very confused and deceived into believing in a PRE-EXISTING Christ, who they say was WITH GOD before He was Begotten and BORN in the woman's womb, all because of what Jesus said by saying: HE CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, as we read in scriptures like John 16:25, John 8:23, John 3:13, John 3:31, John 6:38, John 8:23. So in this short article, if you don't mind, can I, little old me, an ordinary man off the street, help out by sharing with you what I now know Jesus meant when He said in verses like John 8:23 And He was saying to them, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

Questions for Trinitarians!

Please give us ONE verse where Jesus is called the ONE TRUE GOD? Please give us ONE verse where GOD is said to be THREE PERSONS? 1. HOW MANY GODS are on the throne of GOD, as you also believe Jesus is GOD? 2. Where is the HOLY Spirit on the throne of GOD? 3. As Jesus has a GOD, how is Jesus that SAME GOD? 4 Where did GOD say He was the SON? 5. Where did Jesus say He is GOD? 6. Where did GOD or Jesus say we MUST BELIEVE Jesus is GOD to be saved? “For God so loved the world, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16. 7. WHERE did GOD say He gave Himself to be crucified, if GOD is Jesus? 8. WHERE did GOD SAY the HOLY Spirit is a separate person? 9. WHERE is the HOLY Spirit in John 1:1? 10. WHERE is the HOLY Spirit on GODS THRONE, does He go on HOLIDAY? Is there ONE GOD, or THREE GODS, on the THRONE of GOD? 11. As there are NOT such teachings, WHY then do you believe what is NOT taught in the whole Bible? 12. As Jesus always taught ONE BIBLICAL SIMPLE FACT, that we MUST believe He is THE SON of His ONE TRUE GOD, how then do you think you will BE SAVED, for NOT believing in the REQUIREMENT of Salvation?

There are NO such teaching saying we MUST BELIEVE Jesus is GOD or A TRINITY!

Jesus said: Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand! Matthew 11:15. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the SON of God? 1 John 5:5. There are NO such teaching saying we MUST BELIEVE Jesus is GOD or A TRINITY, but as St john has said: but he that believeth that *JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD?* 1 John 5:5. Notice we MUST believe Jesus is *THE SON OF GOD* 1 John 5:5. And yet MOST have been DECEIVED into believing the CATHOLIC doctrine that Jesus the Son of His GOD, is instead the SAME GOD He was BORN from, which makes GOD and His SON into LIARS, who have always declared they are a LITERAL Father and SON, and that GOD amazingly GAVE and SENT His SON, who BOTH have never taught, GOD GAVE HIMSELF, as a sacrifice for the sins of the world, but that GOD gave His BEGOTTEN SON Jesus, NOT to condemn us, but save us by GODS own Son PAYING THE PRICE FOR OUR SINS. And as Jesus has said: ETERNAL LIFE is believing His Father GOD, is the only ONE TRUE GOD, alone. John 17:3. *Which is the FIRST commandment one MUST believe, that GOD IS one person, NOT THREE CALLED THE CATHOLIC PAGAN TRINITY, Mark 12:29.* It was shown to you so that you might know that Yahweh is God. There is no one else besides him. Deuteronomy 4:35. This ONE single scripture of Deuteronomy 4:35, PROVES the TRINITY is false, because the TRINITY teaches there are THREE Gods SIDE by SIDE, and not ONE GOD.

My 12 Commandments.

Learn to be a better person, tuning and turning your weaknesses and failures to strengths and triumph's. Don't be angry with anyone, instead show love and patience that comes from our heavenly Father.

Don't let your heart rule your head, but the word and wisdom of GOD instead.

Don't let PRIDE rule your life, but be Humbled instead.

Don't let sex lead you astray, or it will destroy you in every way.

Don't let Money be your GOD, or it will separate you from GOD.

Let GOD rule your life, and strive to be perfect like the Christ.

In the good times and the bad times, Love GOD above all things, with all your being, and you will be a child of GOD.

Trust and follow GOD'S only begotten Son with all your heart, mind and soul, and He will be your perfect brother, King, and advocate.

Be a good Samaritan, by loving your neighbour, and helping when you can, and make GOD smile.

Give to the poor people, and GOD will give to you.

Keep and obey GOD and His Sons Commandments and teachings, for this is the duty of man.

Simon Brown.

The FALSE Christian Teachings of Luke 23:43 Going To Heaven!

Jeremiah 23:5,6 – Our Righteousness

Jeremiah 23:5 – Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” Jeremiah 23:6 – In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called: Yahweh our righteousness. World English Bible translation. Many quote the above scripture to support the claim that Jesus is Yahweh. The claim is that Jesus is being called “Yahweh (Jehovah) in Jeremiah 23:6, thus Jesus must be Yahweh. We have shown elsewhere that Jesus is the Son of the unipersonal God, he wassent by Yahweh, he spoke for Yahweh, etc. See: Jesus is Not Yahweh But let us examine Jeremiah 23:5,6: FULL ARTICLE HERE https://tanah44.wixsite.com/biblijaimi/jeremiah-236--our-righteousness

Correcting False Teachers:

And He said to them, "Having gone into all the world, proclaim the gospel to all the creation. Mark 16:15.

Let's strive to be as gentle as doves and self-controlled, and as 1 Peter 3:8 tells us to have sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind, when declaring the truth, but when the truth is so often rejected, I believe there are times when we need to be aggressive to expose wickedness and seriousness, when there are countless false teachings in most churches today which is no joke.

This is interesting to read what Paul and Trinitarians like Pulpit Commentary say about exposing wickedness:

And do not have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even expose them. Ephesians 5:11.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 11. - And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. The point of this exhortation is in the adjective "unfruitful." The works of darkness are unfruitful; they produce no goodness, give rise to no satisfaction, to no moral results that are "a joy forever;" or, if fruit they have, it is shame, remorse, despair. Contrast this with the renovating, satisfying, joy-producing, fruits of righteousness. But rather even reprove them. Do not be content with a passive attitude towards them, BUT TAKE THE AGGRESSIVE AND EXPOSE THEIR WICKEDNESS, whether in public or in the domestic circle. A testimony has to be lifted up against ways that are so shameful and that bring down the wrath of God.

Paul continues to say:

But those sinning, REBUKE before all, so that the rest might have FEAR as well. 1 Timothy 5:20.

holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to REFUTE those who contradict. Titus 1:9.

Correcting False Teachers:

10 For there are also many insubordinate, empty talkers, and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 whom it is necessary to silence, who overthrow whole households, teaching things that they ought not for the sake of base gain. 12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”a

13 This testimony is true, for which cause rebuke them severely, so that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not giving heed to Jewish myths and the commandments of men turning away from the truth.

15 To the pure all things are pure; but to those being defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Instead, both their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but in their works they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and unfit for any good work.

Matthew 7: Berean Literal Bible

15 Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So every good tree bears good fruits, but the rotten tree bears bad fruits. 18 A good tree is not able to bear bad fruits, nor a bad tree to bear good fruits. 19 Every tree not bearing good fruit is cut down and is thrown into fire. 20 Then surely by their fruits you will recognize them.

21 Not everyone saying to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of My Father in the heavens. 22 Many will say to Me in that the day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare unto them, ‘I never knew you; depart you from Me, those working lawlessness.’

Below in 2 Peter 2: we find a perfect teaching exposing most of Christianity as being deceived, and most as being false teachers, who wrongly believe, say, and teach Jesus is GOD, which DENIES Jesus as the SON of His One True GOD, John 10:36, John 17:3, DENYING also GOD gave His SON, NOT HIMSELF John 3:16, DENYING also the Father and the SON Luke 9:35, and Yahweh GOD as GOD alone Isaiah 45:18, Isaiah 45:22, Job 23:13, 2 Kings 19:15. Isaiah 44:24, Nehemiah 9:6. Mark 12:29, Deuteronomy 6:4.

Berean Literal Bible Deliverance from False Prophets. 2 Peter 2:

1 But there were also false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you also, who will stealthily introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master having bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2And many will follow after their sensuality, through whom the way of the truth will be maligned. 3 And through covetousness they will exploit you with fabricated words, for whom the judgment of long ago is not idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

What Emma and I Simon Brown believe?

We believe the MAIN Catholic doctrine of the Trinity is FALSE. GOD, is a single being which is strongly declared in the Bible. I am YAHWEH, and there is no other; THERE IS NO GOD BUT ME. Isaiah 45:5 HCSB. GOD ALMIGHTY makes this clear He is ONE GOD and NOT THREE called The Trinity. We know longer believe in the Trinity. We believe the Trinity is false. There is only ONE TRUE GOD said Jesus, who is His father. And this is eternal life, that they know YOU, THE ONLY TRUE GOD, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 17:3. I Simon Brown discovered the Trinity was false in January of 2016. My Wife confessed the same in January of 2017. We now both believe the Trinity is the greatest Christian deception in history. We believe GOD is ONE being as Jesus taught in Mark 12:29. and not THREE called the Trinity. We believe Jesus is truly the begotten SON. You can read my research on this blog and make up your own mind.

Over 100 Questions, If you believe Jesus Is GOD?

Would you PLEASE Help with some Simple Questions? If Jesus were GOD, WHY didn’t Jesus simply say to the Jews (I am GOD) in John 10:36, instead of saying: ‘I am the Son of God’? As Jesus has a GOD, how is Jesus that SAME GOD John 20:17? WHERE did GOD say He was the SON? WHERE did the SON say He was GOD? WHERE is it written ANYWHERE in the Bible saying the HOLY Spirit is a separate person? Is Jesus GOD or the Lamb of GOD? TRUE of FALSE as MOST teach we MUST believe Jesus is GOD to be saved?

The History of The Doctrine of the Trinity The True Scriptural Picture:

Jesus is the Son of God; not God the Son

The title of this commentary is: FOREKNOWLEDGE AND PREDESTINATION DOES NOT MEAN PREEXISTENCE.

Dear friends, I Simon Brown have added this very useful info I received last year to share with you here on my blog, from Don Smith. Don Smith. I would like to offer some of the Biblical evidence I have gathered that refutes preexistence. In this post below I don't deal with all the verses that seem to imply a preexistence for Jesus. I can do that in separate commentary on each scripture. I’m sure you will recognize that Anthony Buzzard and John Schoenheit have influenced me, as has Dustin Smith and Dale Tuggy, Too many other people to list off the top of my head.

FULL ARTICLE HERE:

The Challenge Facing Trinitarianism Today.

Anthony F. Buzzard, M.A. (Oxon.), M.A.Th. Contemporary Trinitarianism faces a formidable battery of arguments which have undermined some of its cherished biblical “proofs.” Unknown to most churchgoers there is a corpus of non-Trinitarian (in fact, if not in name) rather than anti-Trinitarian literature which in various ways abandons some of the main props of Trinitarianism. Anti-Trinitarianism has long presented its case by showing that various orthodox Trinitarians have explained key Trinitarian verses in a unitarian way.

THE MOST SHOCKING BIBLE PROPHECY MATTHEW 7-23!

In this new video I reveal how the TRUE PROPHETS, Teachers and preachers like Sir Anthony Buzzard are mostly rejected, showing how History has repeated itself, while the FALSE Teachers and preachers are mostly accepted. I Simon Brown then go on to reveal the SHOCKING TRUTH, and demonstrate who were the FIRST FALSE PROPHETS, which is oddly revealed to us by the very FALSE PROPHETS of today, who we were so often warned about by Jesus, John Paul, and Peter, that we were not to be deceived by, and yet we discover a SHOCKING truth, how most of Christianity have followed in the footsteps of the very first FALSE PROPHETS.

Who is Jesus?

Who is Jesus?. He is GOD Almighty’s only BEGOTTEN Son, John 3:16, who became the Word of GOD for His GOD, Rev 19:13, He is the image of the invisible God, Colossians 1:15, And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent, Colossians 1:18, and the High Priest, Advocate, and Mediator, Hebrews 5:10, 6:20, 7:3, and the Messenger, and prophet, Matthew 21:11, Luke 24:19, Acts 3:22-23, Deuteronomy 18:15, He is the Messiah (who is called Christ), John 4:25, He is the bread of life, John 6:48, He is the light of the world. John 8:12, He is the way and the truth and the life, John 14:6, He is the gate, John 10:9, He is the resurrection and the life, John 11:25, For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Ephesians 2:18. We PRAISE Jesus for bringing us to His Father, the only ONE TRUE GOD: And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5:20. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living GOD. Matthew 16:16. And that by believing, you may have life, in his name. John 20:31. Amen. Simon Brown.

THE DANGER OF SIN:

When we WILFULLY sin and let sin in, we let the DEVIL in, and throw GOD in the bin.

By NOT letting sin in we are proving to GOD and His Son we love and respect them.

DON’T let Sex RULE your head, but the word of GOD instead, which proves you love GOD more instead.

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” John 14:21.

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:23.

Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” John 8:51.

Don’t be deceived like most who live by GRACE on STEROIDS, and discover you were a foolish Virgin.

THE SHOCKING TRUTH:

There are many false gods, with many false Christ’s, with many false faiths, with many false prophets, who are mostly accepted, with many false teachings, with most being deceived, with many deceptions, with many BLACK HOLES that lead to HELL, where MOST go the easy way.

There is only one true GOD, and one true CHRIST, and one true FAITH, and few TRUE prophets who are mostly rejected by their correct teachings who are mostly neglected.

There is one NARROW road that leads to heaven that only goes through the one true Christ that gets us to the ALMIGHTY GOD where MANY are called, but FEW are CHOSEN.

And yet all is needed to gain eternal life, is to believe and follow what GOD and His Son only ever taught, that GOD is one person, and that Christ is the only Begotten SON of the ONE TRUE GOD, and that by believing we must take up our cross and follow Christ.

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. John 5:24. but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:31. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 17:3.

Scientific Papers & Articles Compiled by Barrie M. Schwortz of Shroud.com

Read 100's of peer reviewed, scientific, visible and physical evidences of the crucifixion, death, and the ultimate Resurrection of Jesus (Yeshua) meaning Salvation. Researched by the best researchers, experts and scientists in the world, proving the facts of God's love for ALL humans, by sending Jesus who suffered severe pain and punishment by being whipped and nailed to a cross. NOT to condemn us. NO. But to save us.This Gateway Page provides a brief description of each scientific paper or article and some background on its author. It also includes a link to the "Submission Requirements" page of the site, where contributors will find detailed instructions for the preparation and submission of papers and articles.

DISCOVERED: The Tomb of Jesus.

See my VIDEO on the Tomb of Jesus, and my discovery of the GREAT STONE to the Garden Tomb. Matthew 27:57 to 61 tells us. The Burial of Jesus As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. HE ROLLED A BIG STONE IN FRONT OF THE ENTRANCE TO THE TOMB AND WENT AWAY.

Evolution Blown to Pieces. Read for FREE.

Evolutionist teach and believe the age of the Earth must be 4.54 billion years old for natural selection to progress and work for organs to adapt into complex life. However the Evolutionary theory is in complete conflict with all the present day authorities who are in absolute agreement with the Natural History Museum who all believe the Earth is only 4,600 million years old, because of the Geological Column of the Earth's history. This poses a ''severe problem'' for the theory of Evolution. It would simply not be possible for natural selection to adapt from single-celled organisms into highly complex life. The chances of Evolution in such a short time would be like seeing pigs fly. There again we now know fish can fly, which Evolutionist believe and teach jumped out of the water and became complex you and me. The fact is seeing pigs fly would still be a 100 billion times greater possibility than Evolution. Read my book for FREE Evolution Blown to Pieces.

Are you a Christian? Remember our calling?

1, Preach the gospel to every creature Mark 16:15. 2, Publish among all nations Mark 13:10.

3, Witness unto all nations Matthew 24:14. 4, Pulling them out of the fire Jude 1:23. 5, Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men. Matthew 10:32 KJV.

Remember what Jesus taught in his important parables. Like: The Talents (Mt 25:14-30)

Many are the lessons that can be gleaned from this parable of “The Talents”. The main lesson is simple: Be productive where the Lord has given you ability and opportunity! Teaching God's love, grace, forgiveness and mercy? including declaring the terrors of the Lord, and of hell, and of everlasting damnation: to the UNBELIEVERS? THE PARABLE APPLIED. By Mark A. Copeland. 1. Main points of the parable: a. Be faithful in using the opportunities for service which the Lord has given us b. Diligence is rewarded; negligence is punished 2. Other points to be noted (adapted from Hendricksen’s commentary): a. Whatever we have, whether opportunities or abilities, belongs to God; we may possess, but God owns; we are simply stewards - Mt 25:14. READ The Parables of Jesus. By Mark A. Copeland. Or WATCH The Parables of Jesus.

Truth springs from the earth, And righteousness looks down from heaven. Psalm 85:11

EVOLUTION IS THE GREATEST DECEPTION IN THE WORLD.

DID YOU KNOW? The worlds greatest Palaeontologist. Who study the forms of life existing in prehistoric or geologic times, as represented by the fossils of plants, animals, and other organisms. includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments their

palaeoecology. CANNOT find one single ''missing link'' or ancestor to any living creature. Yes just ONE to any insect. Or Animal. Or us humans. This is a fact. There is absolutely NO evidence of (one single ancestor to a single insect. Or Animal. Or us humans, revealing their ancestors showing transition, transformation, adaptation, changeover, which is a process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another called Evolution. EVOLUTION IS THE GREATEST DECEPTION IN THE WORLD.

Only WISE people can look up into the glorious complex heavens, and understand the wonders of this earth, the complex DNA, the building blocks of life, could NOT possibly have come into existence by random chance.

But as we are told, throughout the Bible, all the glorious wonders we see, through our complex human eyes, were created by an intelligent designer. As our complex clocks work, houses, aeroplanes, boats, and cars and the amazing technology of computers, of which NONE came into being were caused by a BIG BANG, which does not create, but DESTROYS everything in its path, so was all the wonders we have today were built by intelligent designers called HUMANS.

This explains why Sir Isaac Newton, Biography Philosopher, Astronomer, Physicist, Scientist, Mathematician (1643–1727) understood the truth and said: The true God is a living, intelligent and powerful Being. Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who set the planets in motion.

God governs all things and knows all that is or can be done.

This most beautiful system of the sun, planets and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.

This Being governs all things, not as the soul of the world, but as Lord over all; and on account of his dominion he is wont to be called Lord God. Sir Isaac Newton: https://wwwrealdiscoveriesorg-simon.blogspot.com/2015/01/sir-isaac-newton-and-albert-einstein.html

Heritage of Evidence: In the British Museum Paperback.

In today's atheistic climate most people have no idea how much powerful evidence exists for the literal accuracy and authenticity of the biblical record. The British Museum holds a huge number of discoveries that provide direct corroboration and background confirmation for an immense sweep of Bible history. ‘Heritage of Evidence in the British Museum’ by Dr Peter Masters provides a survey of Bible-authenticating exhibits. It has been designed as a guide for visitors, and also to give pleasure and interest to readers unable to tour the galleries. It is also most suitable for people who need to see the accuracy and inspiration of the Bible. Order a copy from here. See more books on Bible evidence at the bottom of this page.

God/Jesus is the source of ALL love, Mercy, Forgiveness and Grace. Jesus was nailed to a cross.

NOT to condemn us. BUT to SAVE us. Why is Jesus second coming taking so long? But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:8 - 9. King James Bible. Do you know Him? He is coming back ''in our life time'' to take ALL the people who accepted His love, Mercy, Forgiveness and Grace. The good news is, for the ones who follow and put their trust in Jesus will live on for ever and will go in a perfect paradise to come, where God will restore the world back to being more than perfect. And: He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:4 As born again believers, we look forward for the time when Jesus will restore the world back to Paradise; and where there will never again be any more suffering or pain, dying or killing. We look forward to seeing the day when, "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them." Isaiah 11:6. Dear friend, WILL YOU BE THERE? Where will your soul end up? Are you saved? Click here to give your life to Jesus. Jesus came to set us free by reversing the curse of the earth and death that came because of Adam's disobedience, when the earth was cursed. Once we accept Jesus, as He was raised from the dead, so are we directly at death and are ''set free'' from the curse, sin and the spiritual prison called (HADES) followed by Hell and death. This is why Jesus was crucified.

NOAH'S ARK – DOUBTS, DISCOVERIES AND DEBATE.

IN THIS ARTICLE What is the truth? How did Noah's Ark survive the greatest storm ever? Why did the Titanic sink in the calmest weather ever? Is Global warming real? Where is Noah's Ark? Does it matter where Noah's Ark rested? Does the existence or non existence of Noah's Ark affect a believers’ faith? How can there be two different sites with Noah's Ark? Why have some Christians condemned Ron Wyatt and his claims? What does Henri Nissen say in his book - Noah's’ Ark Uncovered? Sodom and Gomorrah - has it been found? What are the brimstone and sulphur, balls we found? Is the existence or non- existence of the ark a salvation issue? What does the Bible say about judging others? CHRISTIAN TV. What must we do to be sure we are saved?

Indisputable Evidence of The Bible.

It is an indisputable fact, which is certain and unable to be challenged or denied. The fact that Non-believers prove the Bible. Because Non-believers confirm they do not believe in the Bible. When the Bible confirms most would not believe the Bible. Because Jesus said most would not believe Him or the Bible, or the truth of Him and the Bible. Proving the reliability of the Bible. Non-believers prove the Bible prophecies. Because there are many Bible prophecies throughout the Bible predicting most would not believe or follow the Bible. Non-believers are proving the Bible by fulfilling the Bible prophecies throughout the Bible. Making the Bible prophecies fulfilled. Non-believers are the clearest evidence of the Bible, who clearly demonstrates and establish the truth of the Bible. By Non-believers own unbelief of the Bible, Non-believers demonstrate beyond a doubt the accuracy of the Bible. Who said most would not believe the Bible? Sorry it was not me, but Jesus. Where? Here: O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee. John 17:25.

The Pearl Of Great Price.

I believe there are many many people who are spiritually hungry and are spiritually searching for evidence of God, which I believe was clearly illustrated by Jesus in His parable called The Pearl Of Great Price in Matthew 13:45-46. Although this parable told by Jesus was illustrating the value and preciousness of the kingdom, Jesus also illustrated a merchant, who was "searching" for that "pearl of great price". which I believe was a person who was on a mission to find the truth of God. (Just as people who are looking at Bible Discoveries and The Shroud of Turin) who find the truth of God, if they have open hearts. Who believe there is something out there worth looking for, or they would not be seeking for it. As was the merchant, "searching" for that "pearl of great price". After seeking (Bible Evidence) They discovered The Pearl Of Great Price. Jesus Christ himself (becoming Born Again) and experience the ultimate blessings of the "kingdom of heaven" I pray ALL scoffers and the Doubting Thomas will change their way of thinking and use Bible Evidence to bring the lost to faith and know the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and testify to the majority of the world who are lost and not as blessed as born again believers, who clearly need to see the evidence of Jesus to bring them to faith. Which is precisely why Jesus said in Matthew 7:7 seek, and ye shall find.

(The prophecy still being fulfilled today confirming the accuracy of Jesus teachings)

He (Jesus) answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you (Believers) to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, (The truth regarding God and his Kingdom) but to them (Unbelievers) it is not given. For whosoever hath, (Faith in Jesus ) to him shall be given, (The Holy Spirit teaches believers the truth and mysteries) and he shall have more abundance: (For ever learning the truth) but whosoever hath not, (Unbelievers) from him shall be taken away (Satan takes the truth from Unbelievers) even that he hath. (any truth that is told to unbelievers is removed) Matthew 13:11 - 12. (King James Version) Quick Commentary by Simon Brown.

Why do some of the brightest and the brilliant,

and the most cleverest scientists in the world believe and teach this beautiful and remarkable planet full of life and wonders all started by a mere accident. The Bible gives us the answers here:

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3:19. King James Version (KJV) The majority of the population love sin more than truth. And sin closes the heart, which then deceives the mind, which then hears and listens to the Devil. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14. King James Version (KJV)

DID YOU KNOW?

Virtually all modern scholars of antiquity agree that Jesus existed, and most biblical scholars and historians see the theories of his non-existence as effectively refuted. In antiquity, the existence of Jesus was never denied by those who opposed Christianity. Geoffrey Blainey notes that a few scholars have argued that Jesus did not exist, but writes that Jesus' life was in fact "astonishingly documented" by the standards of the time - more so than any of his contemporaries - with numerous books, stories and memoirs written about him. READ the full article by Wikipedia, The Historicity of Jesus.

(The Pearl of (all) prophecies still being fulfilled today).

Therefore speak I (Jesus) to them in parables: because they (Unbelievers) seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. (The truth) And in them (Unbelievers) is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, (A prophecy that is still being fulfilled, confirming Jesus was who he claimed to be). which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive
(It is not possible for unbelievers to understand the truth, unless they open their hearts.)
For this people's heart is waxed gross, (Closed hearts) and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, (Seek, Believe, Repent to Jesus and be Saved) and I should heal them. (And Jesus will open Unbelievers ears and eyes so they will see and understand the truth) Matthew 13:13 - 16 (King James Version) (Unless Unbelievers Seek, Repent, and believe in Jesus, evidence of Jesus, God or the Bible, to most will mean or prove nothing. Quick Commentary by Simon Brown.

Nothing can make nothing.

Nothing can become complex life from nothing. As clock work was made by an intelligent designer known as humans, there has to be an ALMIGHTY INTELLIGENT DESIGNER who created everything from nothing into this world of wonders.

Who is He? The answer is in, 2 Kings 19:15: And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD and said: “O LORD, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are THE God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth.

He is THE ONLY ONE TRUE GOD ALMIGHTY, who created everything through His Son, Jesus, the Christ of Nazareth. Do you know them? If you do, you have discovered a hidden treasure. They will raise you to a new and everlasting life. Amen. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Matthew 24:14. King James Bible. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Matthew 11:15 (KJV) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Romans 10:9 If you would like to know the hidden treasure simply CLICK HERE.

Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. Psalms 146:3.

The heavens including the magnificent universe, the earth, the sea and all complex DNA the building blocks of intelligent Design, which is 100000000000000000000000000000000 billion times more complex than clockwork, declares and proves, confirms and establishes the ‘'TRUTH'' and the evidence that reveals the facts of an intelligent designer as told in the Holy Bible. Is anything too hard for the Lord? Genesis 18:14. Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27. "Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. Jeremiah 32:17. If we would only believe what the bible tells us.

Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. Psalms 146:3. Dear friends let us believe what the bible states, as our FUTURE depends on IT. He who has ears let him hear. Matthew 11:15. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. Psalms 118:8. Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Psalms 40:4 Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he? Isaiah 2:22 This is what the LORD says: "Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the LORD. Jeremiah 17:5 SEEK THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24:14. Click HERE to follow Jesus give your life to GOD and be saved. Amen. By Simon Brown.

IS THE TRINITY TRUE OR FALSE?

Dear friends for months, every day and night I have been doing some serious deep explosive research, including having hundreds of debates with Trinitarian Bible Teachers and Scholars while demanding real explanations on the doctrine of the TRINITY. I ask, how is GOD THREE, when He and his SON only ever taught GOD is ONE? After countless hours of seeking, praying, researching, asking and debating, I have come to the conclusion that there is NO Catholic TRINITY MYSTERY, but a simple Biblical fact that GOD is GOD alone Isaiah 46:9, and Jesus is the literal SON of His ONE TRUE GOD, John 10:36, John 17:3, which is the first and GREATEST commandment to believe GOD The Father is ONE PERSON Deuteronomy 6:4, Mark 12:29 that MOST BREAK daily. The only TRINITY MYSTERY I have discovered, is how so MANY became so deceived. Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16, but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:31.

2 Peter 1:1, Yet AGAIN, Used As Another Trinitarian DECEPTION.

Notice in the Catholic TRINITY diagram?

What we clearly see with the TRINITY faith is how they prove with their own hands how they do not follow true Christianity, which emerged from Judaism, which is a monotheistic religion where GOD always declared He is ONE person and GOD ALONE. But instead follow a FALSE man made religion that teaches the Trinitarian concept of a "tritheism" (three Gods), which is called POLYTHEISM. The concept of the TRINITY (one god as three) was worship by PAGANS from Babylon and Egypt and other PAGANS, which was CONDEMNED, prohibited and forbidden, by THE ONE TRUE GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the GOD of Israel, the ONLY Almighty GOD alone. Tritheism and Polytheism is precisely what we see in the image, and is the belief in or worship of more than one god. And notice what the Catholic TRINITY diagram prove and draw with their own hands? We do not need glasses to see there is a "tritheism" (three Gods) SIDE by SIDE, and yet TRINITARIANS aggressively, and continually DENY what they themselves prove with their own hands and say there is ONE GOD, but display what they believe and teach in the Catholic TRINITY diagram.

How many CONTRADICTIONS in the TRINITY faith?

Read about just some of the many Trinitarian contradictions which prove the Trinity is false: TRINITY CONTRADICTION NO 11. In Genesis 22:2, GOD asked Abraham to sacrifice His begotten Son: He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” GOD was foreshadowing what He Himself would do, by not sacrificing Himself, but undertaking and performing a far greater, heart-breaking act, by the fact GOD would literally sacrifice His own begotten Son Jesus, demonstrating GOD the Father’s divine love and desire to save us: In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 1 John 4:9 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.” Genesis 22:14 Contradicting and contrary to what the TRINITY faith teach, IF, Jesus were already the SAME ONE TRUE GOD, that would mean the SAME ONE TRUE GOD, did not sacrifice His Son, but instead, GOD sacrificed Himself. Learn the SHOCKING TRUTH about the Catholic man made pagan TRINITY here:

‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the SON OF GOD’? John 10:36.

DID JESUS CLAIM TO BE GOD, AS MOST CHRISTIANS BELIEVE? The answer to this issue of salvation is revealed in the following article; here are the biblical facts from the very lips of Jesus, as we see and study John 10:30, to 36, where the Jews ‘WRONGLY’ accused Jesus of BLASPHEMY. If Jesus was claiming to be GOD, it would be BLASPHEMY because GOD ALMIGHTY Himself taught that He was GOD ALONE. Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. And Jesus also taught Himself that His Father was THE ONLY TRUE GOD. John 17:3. The Jews understood this one biblical fact. Read on and you will discover that the Jews were right if Jesus had claimed to be GOD. But then discover that they were wrong because Jesus never actually claimed to be GOD. Therefore, they falsely accused Jesus of BLASPHEMY.

IS JESUS GOD?

I do not understand why Trinitarians can’t be honest, and admit the trinity they follow makes The ONE true GOD into 3 Gods side by side. Trinitarians cannot work out this simple Biblical fact, and remain talking nonsense, and believing in what they call a mystery. What is a mystery is the fact Trinitarians can’t understand their faith is a mystery only because they believe in what is not true. I believe the Trinity GRIEVES GOD’S heart, because it undermines the true FATHER and SON's divine relationship, by taking the glory Jesus did, by sacrificing His own life on the cross because of his divine LOVE for His Father GOD. The Trinity also destroys the divine LOVE the Father has revealed for the world by the fact GOD literally sacrificed His only BEGOTTEN SON and not Himself, which would NOT be the case if GOD and His Son were the same GOD, which undermines the divine act between GOD and His SON for the world.

Articles below on history’s greatest scientists, Sir Isaac Newton.

The history's greatest scientists mainly believed in creation by God. English physicist and mathematician Sir Isaac Newton (described in his own day as a "natural philosopher") who is widely recognised as one of the most influential scientists of all time and as a key figure in the scientific revolution. Although the laws of motion and universal gravitation became Newton's best-known discoveries, he warned against using them to view the Universe as a mere machine, as if akin to a great clock. He said, "Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who set the planets in motion. God governs all things and knows all that is or can be done.

Simon Brown.

Wednesday, 4 February 2015

DID Tacitus provide a non-Christian confirmation of the crucifixion of Jesus?

Tacitus on Christ

Contents

The passage and its context[edit]

Specific references[edit]

Christians and Chrestians[edit]

The rank of Pilate[edit]

Authenticity and historical value[edit]

Other Roman sources[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

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IS JESUS GOD ALMIGHTY? YOU THEN DENY THE FATHER AND THE SON.

MOST PEOPLE KNOW EVIDENCE PROVES THINGS TO BE TRUE.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. John 6:47

Isaiah 44:24:

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live. John 11: 25.

God Promises if you put your trust in Jesus Christ and follow Him, YOU WILL SAVED.