Jefferson's Bible Is a Page Short
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VOLUME 15 NUMBER 4 www.housetohouse.comwww housetoho A publication of the... Churches of Christ Founder: Christ – Mt. 16:18 Jeff erson’s Place: Jerusalem – Isa. 2:1-3, Acts 2:5 Time: A.D. 33 – Dan. 2:44, Acts 2 Head: Christ – Eph. 1:22 Organization: Christ as head – Eph. 5:23 Elders oversee local church – Bible Heb. 13:17, Titus 1:5 Deacons as servants – Is a Acts 6:1-6, 1 Tim. 3:8-13 Members compose body – Col. 1:2 Name (group): Church of God – Eph. 3:15 Body of Christ – Eph. 1:22-23 Page Short Churches of Christ – Rm. 16:16 Bride of Christ – Rm. 7:4 by Allen Webster Name (individuals): Disciples – John 15:8 Saints – Rm. 1:7 Brethren – Lk. 8:21 I picked up a copy of the Jeff erson ranging talents, and boundless energy. Children of God – Gal. 4:26 Bible while visiting Poplar Forest, But Jeff erson had his fl aws, and recent Christian – Acts11:25-26 Jeff erson’s Palladian retreat in Bedford history has been less fl attering to Creed: Jesus/Bible – Acts 8:37 County, Virginia. him than the previous two centuries. Rule of Faith & Practice: I have a keen interest in Jeff erson, Suffi ce it to say that he was a man—a Word of God – 2 Tim. 3:16-17 and have read more about him than remarkable man in many ways, but he Worship: Jn. 4:24 still walked on clay feet. We see the clay Sing – Eph. 5:19 any other modern fi gure. I’ve stood in Pray – Acts 2:42; 1 Th es. 5:17 the Jeff erson Memorial in Washington, prints most clearly when we pick up Th e Teach – Acts 5:42 D.C., and read his famous words Jeff erson Bible: Th e Life and Morals of Communion – 1 Cor. 1:23-26 carved in stone. I walked his footsteps Jesus of Nazareth, which he completed in Contribute – 1 Cor. 16:1-2 in Natural Bridge, Virginia. I’ve been 1819. Th e dust cover of Jeff erson’s Bible Mission: Save Souls – 1 Tim. 4:16 to the University of Virginia, which he says, Warning: Be Faithful – 2 John 9 designed and founded in his old age. Working in the White House in Jeff erson was a remarkable man for his 1804, Jeff erson set out to edit the If you have questions or comments please contact day—in many ways, he was far ahead Gospels in order to uncover the us via email at: [email protected] of his time. I always come away from essence of true religion in the simple Monticello impressed with his curiosity, story of the Life of Jesus. Jeff erson Th is fi le provided by: www.housetohouse.com inventiveness, attention to detail, wide- was convinced that the authentic >> message of Jesus could be found Several saw Him more than once, some only by extracting from the Gospels alone, and some in large groups. One Jesus’ message of absolute love and was in the morning; another in the service, rather than the miracle of the evening. In some cases Jesus ate with Annunciation, Virgin Birth, or even them; one time He cooked a meal; the Resurrection. another, He did a miracle like one He Jeff erson’s Bible gives us, according had done in His early ministry—the to the back cover, “a preaching Jesus of large draft of fi sh (John 21; Luke 5). distinctly human dimensions, without Th e reactions to seeing the resurrected miracles or resurrection.”1 We are not Christ were also diverse. Some surprised, then, to fi nd that the last worshipped; perhaps others wept for sentence in the Gospel According to joy. Yet all were transformed by the Jeff erson reads: “Th ere they laid Jesus. What did encounter. And rolled a great stone to the door of THE WITNESSES WERE UNIFORM the sepulcher, and departed.”2 You see, Jeff erson miss? IN IDENTIFYING THE LORD. Jeff erson’s Bible is a page short—it ends Each told similar stories about his or in Matthew 27 instead of Matthew 28, out in 1 Corinthians 15:3–6. If every her experience. How could they be sure on Friday aft ernoon instead of Sunday that the person they were seeing was not morning. person the Bible identifi es as being an eyewitness to Jesus’ resurrection were an imposter? Jesus kept the scars from What did Jeff erson miss? What His crucifi xion, which no one else could evidence do we have of the resurrection? called to the witness stand for cross- examination, it would take 129 hours imitate (Luke 24:39–40). Presumably Th ere is much, but let’s focus on the He could have had any resurrected witnesses. to hear their testimony, at only fi ft een minutes a person.4 In other words, it body He wanted, and yet He chose Th e most outstanding proof that one identifi able, mainly by scars that Jesus rose from the dead is that at least would take from opening session on Monday until the closing session on could be seen and touched. Doubtless 515 eyewitnesses saw Him on twelve the reason could be summed up in the diff erent occasions over a period of forty Friday at dinnertime, listening around the clock to hear the testimony of those theme of John’s biography: “To the intent days. “He shewed himself alive aft er his ye may believe” (John 11:15). Dr. Luke passion by many infallible proofs, being witnesses. We in the twenty-fi rst century have a decision to make: whose report recorded Jesus’ reference to His body as seen of them forty days, and speaking of “fl esh and bones” (Luke 24:39), which the things pertaining to the kingdom of will we believe—the more than fi ve hundred eyewitnesses, or the skeptical is the only time that phrase is used in God” (Acts 1:3). Jesus had six weeks to the New Testament (usually the body is establish His identity for all time, and He “scholars” seventeen hundred years removed from the events? identifi ed as “the fl esh and blood”—fi ve used the time wisely. times in New Testament). Some see Th e resurrection of Christ is a fact THE WITNESSES WERE DIVERSE. in this a change in Jesus’ resurrection to be proved, like all other facts, by Skeptics, most of whom live centuries body—that it was bloodless—and tie it 3 competent and credible witnesses. removed from the events, would have to His giving His blood for us. Evidently If you hit a hole-in-one playing golf us believe that the appearances can be His body did still have a gaping hole Saturday, how would you prove it to explained by mass hysteria or mass large enough for Th omas to insert his incredulous friends on Sunday? You hallucinations. Yet the facts do not fi t hand (John 20:27). would call over your golfi ng partner this hypothesis. Th e time frame does As a group, these appearances to confi rm that he saw you do it. If not fi t. Th e interactions were spread comprise overwhelming evidence for the that failed, then you would bring in over forty days—not merely a few hours resurrection—evidence that would stand others who were there to confi rm or a couple of days (cf. Luke 24:13–35; up in any court of law in the world.6 your story. Any sensible person will 5 1 Corinthians 15:5–7). Most of these Jesus said, “Blessed are they that have believe a report corroborated by fi ve hundred witnesses were still living not seen, and yet have believed” (John several credible witnesses. Paul uses the twenty-fi ve years later when Paul wrote 20:29). same logic to prove the resurrection 1 Corinthians. Th ere is no record of a No thanks, Mr. Jeff erson, we will keep in 1 Corinthians 15. He appeals to single one who ever changed his mind that page of the Bible. ✤ the witnesses who had attested to the and recanted his testimony. Endnotes: resurrection, and then showed that it Th e number of witnesses and the was not possible that so many witnesses 1 Charles S. Adams, Religious Studies Review. circumstances do not fi t these theories. 2 Jeff erson Bible, page 147. were deceived (1 Corinthians 15:5–7). A large number of people saw Him alive 3 Albert Barnes. Barnes’ Notes. THE WITNESSES ARE SUFFICIENT. in diff erent locations, at diff erent times, 4 Lee Strobel, Th e Case for Easter. 5 Tim LaHaye, Jesus, Who Is He? Th e apostle Paul, when writing a letter and under diff erent circumstances. No 6 LaHaye. to a group of new Christians, laid it all two appearances were exactly alike. 2 House to House ~ Heart to Heart The Price of Children The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and Lift ed Me came up with $160,140 for a middle-income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn’t LOVE even touch college tuition. But $160,140 isn’t so bad if you break it down. It translates into: By the main warehouses in a particular town, the river channel has to be ■ $8,896.666 a year,year, dredged oft en so barges can come in. Th e sand dredged from the river bottom is dumped on the riverbank.