CHRISTMAS ??

Originally published 2015

CHRISTMAS ?

The Bible does not contain the word "Christmas". (That is also true for some of the traditional "seasonal" representations, including the dating.) So, why this post? I examine New Testament (NT) statements that actually do relate to Jesus coming into our world the first time.

The Augustus Connection (Edn 2)

Original edition published 2016

The Augustus (AVGVSTVS) Connection

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. (Luke 2:1, NRSV).

This line about events relating to the Lucan account of the birth of Jesus refers to the “princeps” of Rome, Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian. He was born 23 September 63 BC (BCE) as Gaius Octavianus, otherwise known as Octavian (and, from January, 27 BC, as Augustus). Jesus’ birth, on any reckoning, came long after the Senate had granted the honour (Augustus) to Octavian.

The Prayer(s) Jesus Gave (edited 4)

The prayer, or prayers, Jesus gave his friends. They could pray the one, or use the other as a model for prayer. Then they knew how to do it!

The source: 

Jesus Investigated, Questioned, Interrogated

 Jesus investigated, questioned, interrogated

Opposition to Jesus developed and expanded until the final deadly stage. Quite early on the Pharisees and others began making inquiries about him. The findings must have been alarming. However, before that growing and aggressive concern over Jesus, there was another disturbing question for the established leaders. (Spoiler alert: this is a comprehensive, lengthy, post!)

Jesus & that Jew from Tarsus

(Edited. Originally published as part of "Jesus & the Jews", but revised here)

The man from Tarsus may well have walked (?) that road

Apart from Jesus himself, the most prominent person we know about in the spreading of the message of Jesus was Paul. (He was originally introduced as the Jew, “Saul of Tarsus”). He presents as formerly furiously antagonistic, miraculously changed into a representative of Jesus. (Below I am thinking about Paul’s “CV” - I do not plan to make this exhaustive.)

Saul first enters the Acts record here, as a participant in the Jerusalem death of Stephen, a Jesus’ follower:

Jesus Died & "The Jews" (Revised)

Jesus: Killed/died - the roles

Early in the document we call “the Acts of the Apostles” Peter addressed a crowd gathered in Jerusalem. This was about 50 days after Jesus’ death on the Roman cross. The specific day is called “Pentecost”, though, as usual, the calendar year (33 or 30?) is a matter of conjecture. Here is a part of the record: “Fellow Israelites,[a] listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth,[b] a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know— this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up, having released him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power (Acts 2:22-24, NRSVUE).

Here I am focussing on the statement that these Jews in Jerusalem had apparently had Jesus handed over to them and had killed him (by other hands) - and fulfilled God’s plan. Now that may not be as simple as it sounds! How had Jesus been handed over, and to whom, and by whom?

Jesus: the Reprieve that Wasn't

The sentence became final. What happens if you look at the four accounts of the moment, and compare them?

Do they tell the same story, even without being identical?

In this post I am examining the four accounts of the critical moment when Jesus became a “dead man walking”.