Quoted
from the "ISLAM REVEALED"
THE
CRUCIFIXION: FACT OR FICTION
THE
RECORD OF CHRIST’S OWN PREDICTIONS
Unless
it can be proven that Jesus did not make the following unique claims, we
must, in all honesty, accept and believe them to be authentic.
Matthew
16:21-23
From
that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem,
and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and
be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took Him
aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this
shall not happen to You!" But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind
Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the
things of God, but the things of men."
Jesus
repeatedly foretold His redemptive work on the cross, yet the disciples
did not comprehend it completely.
Mark
8:31
And
He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and
be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed,
and after three days rise again.
Luke
9:22
The
Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief
priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.
The declaration
of Peter that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, is followed by this
humbling and overwhelming statement that Jesus would be killed and would
rise the third day.
John
3:14-16
"And
as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son
of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but
have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting
life."
Here
is one of the most glorious statements in the entire Bible. In the
first part, we are reminded of what Moses did to save his people in the
wilderness. The salvation form the biting serpents was by faith in
looking up to the brass serpent. This was symbolic of Jesus, who
knew no sin, but who became sin for us, nailing sin and Satan’s power to
the cross.
The
unfathomable love of God is demonstrated by Christ’s unconditional love
for all sinners who believe, repent, and trust Him as the one who paid
for our sins. The entire Christian faith can be summarized in this
one verse, John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting
life."
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