Some of these scholars are some of the stupidest people on the entire planet...
I particularly love this line...
"He notes that in the Gospels, Jesus makes numerous predictions of his suffering and New Testament scholars say such predictions must have been written in by later followers because there was no such idea present in his day."
Really there was no such idea... wow... someone needs to READ ISAIAH 53 !!! which was written about 600 years before Jesus' birth...
Isaiah 53
1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Remember the Words of Jesus...
Matthew 24
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
Most of the Bible scholars I have seen wouldnt know Jesus if he walked uo to them and hit them on the head with a Bible.
Now as far as this " Simon " thing goes...
Ive got a list of about 324 specific prophecies that JESUS fulfilled... Here is a short list...
So much is predicted about Jesus Christ in the Old Testament that we can only give here a brief summary. We know that the Bible is the Word of God because it predicts so many details of Jesus Christ's life. Consider the following predictions:
1. Born of a virgin. Isaiah 7:14; Genesis 3:15.
2. Tribe of Judah. Genesis 49:10.
3. House of David. Jeremiah 23:5.
4. Born at Bethlehem. Micah 5:2.
5. Visited by wise men with gifts. Isaiah 60:3, 6, 9.
6. Would be in Egypt for a time. Hosea 11:1.
7. Infants killed at His birthplace. Jeremiah 31:5.
8. Preceded by a messenger (John the Baptist) Isaiah 40:3.
9. Ministry to begin in Galilee. Isaiah 9:1.
10. Perform miracles. Isaiah 35:5, 6.
11. Teach parables. Psalm 78:2.
12. Heal many. Isaiah 53:4, Matthew 8:16, 17.
13. His miracles not believed. Isaiah 53:1.
14. Enter Jerusalem on a donkey. Zechariah 9:9.
15. Betrayed by a friend for 30 pieces of silver. Zechariah 11:12.
16. Money thrown on the Temple floor. Psalm 35:11.
17. Money then used to buy a potter's field. Zechariah 11:13.
18. Forsaken by His disciples. Zechariah 13:7.
19. False witnesses accuse Him. Psalm 35:11.
20. Silent before His accusers. Isaiah 53:7.
21. Be scourged and spat on. Isaiah 50:6.
22. Crucified between two thieves. Isaiah 53:12.
23. Hands and feet pierced. Psalm 22:16.
24. His side pierced. Zechariah 12:10.
25. Given vinegar to drink. Psalm 69:21.
26. Garments gambled for. Psalm 22:18.
27. No bones broken. Psalm 34:20.
28. His forsaken cry. Psalm 22:1.
29. Darkness over the land from noon. Amos 8:9.
30. Buried in a rich man's tomb. Isaiah 53:9.
31. Raised from the dead. Psalm 16:10.
32. Ascend to heaven. Psalm 24:7-10.
33. Gentiles believe on him. Isaiah 60:3.
34. Messiah comes, is killed, then Jerusalem and the Temple are destroyed (fulfilled in 70AD). Daniel 9:26.
35. Jews to lose power to pass the death sentence 23 years before the trial of Christ. Genesis 49:10. This was confirmed by Josephus describing the Romans taking this power away from the Jews in 11AD.
36. Messiah would offer Himself as Prince to Israel 173,880 days after 5th March 444BC. Daniel 9:26, 27; Luke 19:41-44.
Genesis 49:10
The Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah
Deuteronomy 18:15-18
God promised another prophet like Moses
Isaiah 11:1-10
Nations would seek the counsel of Jesse's descendant
Isaiah 40:3
The Messiah would be preceded by a messenger
Isaiah 42:1-9
Jesus' life was foreshadowed by the prophet Isaiah
Isaiah 49:6
God's salvation would reach the ends of the earth
Jeremiah 23:3-6
The Messiah will appear after the Jews return to Israel
Daniel 9:24-26
Daniel predicted when an anointed one would be rejected
Micah 5:2
The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem
Zechariah 9:9
The Messiah would enter Jerusalem while riding on a donkey
Zechariah 11:12-13
Zechariah foreshadowed the betrayal of Jesus for 30 pieces of silver
“Jesus said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.’” Luke 24:44 (NIV)
The Old Testament verses are the prophecy; the New Testament verses proclaim the fulfillment. Check them all out for yourself!
Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21-23)
A descendant of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; 22:18; Matthew 1:1; Galatians 3:16)
Of the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10; Luke 3:23, 33; Hebrews 7:14)
Of the house of David (2 Samuel 7:12-16; Matthew 1:1)
Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:4-7)
Of the house of David (2 Samuel 7:12-16; Matthew 1:1)
Taken to Egypt (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:14-15)
Herod´s killing of the infants (Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:16-18)
Anointed by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2; Matthew 3:16-17)
Heralded by the messenger of the Lord (John the Baptist) (Isaiah 40:3; al. 3:1; Matthew 3:1-3)
Would perform miracles (Isaiah 35:5-6; Matthew 9:35)
Would preach good news (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:14-21)
Would minister in Galilee (Isaiah 9:1; Matthew 4:12-16)
Would cleanse the Temple (Malachi 3:1; Matthew 21:12-13)
Would enter Jerusalem as a king on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:4-9)
Would be rejected by Jews (Psalm 118:22; I Peter 2:7)
Die a humiliating death (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53) involving:
- rejection (Isaiah 53:3; John 1:10-11; 7:5,48)
- betrayal by a friend (Psalm 41:9; Luke 22:3-4; John 13:18)
- sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 26:14-15)
- silence before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 27:12-14)
- being mocked (Psalm 22: 7-8; Matthew 27:31)
- beaten (Isaiah 52:14; Matthew 27:26)
- spit upon (Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 27:30)
- piercing His hands and feet (Psalm 22:16; Matthew 27:31)
- being crucified with thieves (Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 27:38)
- praying for His persecutors (Isaiah 53:12; Luke 23:34)
- piercing His side (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34)
- given gall and vinegar to drink (Psalm 69:21, Matthew 27:34, Luke 23:36)
- no broken bones (Psalm 34:20; John 19:32-36)
- buried in a rich man´s tomb (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60)
- casting lots for His garments (Psalm 22:18; John 19:23-24)
Would rise from the dead!! (Psalm 16:10; Mark 16:6; Acts 2:31)
Ascend into Heaven (Psalm 68:18; Acts 1:9)
Would sit down at the right hand of God (Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 1:3)
Sooooooooooooooo um.... where Simon at
?
True Christians arent shaken by a rock.. the KNOW the ROCK !!!!!!
Here Endeth the Lesson.
?