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The Thinking Man's Bible: The New Age of Reason |
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Chapter 12 |
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As a prophet, how did Jesus compare to the flawed prophets we encountered above? Unfortunately, he had a worse track record than any of them. Jesus, himself, said that claims to divine prophecy could be tested. Did his own prophecies pass this test? "When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously, you need not be afraid of him." Deut 18:22 12.1 Jesus said he’d return before that generation ("some standing here") died out, but he didn’t. "Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." Mt 16:28 "And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power." Mk 9:1 "This generation shall not pass, till all be done." Mk 13:30 "This generation shall not pass, till all be fulfilled." Lk 21:32 A common rationalization is to use the comparison of a day to a thousand years for the Lord, but Jesus referred to the lifetime of the men in his presence at that time. Years and days were not mentioned. "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." 2Pet 3:8 12.2 Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail. "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." Lk 22:31,32 Jesus then said Peter’s faith would fail. "And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me." Lk 22:34 12.3 Jesus said he would be denied three times before the cock crowed. "…Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice." Mt 26:34 "…I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me." Lk 22:34 "The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice." Jn 13:38 Either Jesus was wrong about the cock crowing or the authors couldn’t get their story straight. This passage doesn’t read right. "…And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest [first denial]. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew [first crow]. And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. And he denied it again [second denial]. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest [third denial]. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew [second crow]. But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak [fourth denial?]. And the second [third?] time the cock crew. Mk 14:66-72 12.4 Jesus said he’ll be buried for three days and three nights, but he was crucified and buried on Friday and rose by dawn on Sunday. This was about a day and a half, less than 48 hours, only two nights, and certainly less than three days and three nights. "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Mt 12:40 "…and after three days rise again." Mk 8:31 Jesus is crucified on Preparation Day the day before the Sabbath (Saturday). Mt 27:62, Mk 15:4, Lk 23:54, & Jn 19:43 Jesus is resurrected about dawn the day after the Sabbath. Mt 28:1, Mk 16:1-2, Lk 24:1, & Jn 20:1 12.5 Jesus told the thief that he’d be with him in paradise on the same day as the crucifixion, but two days later he hadn’t yet ascended. "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." Lk 23:43 "…on the first day of the week…" "Touch me not, for I have not yet ascended to the Father." Jn 20:1,17 12.6 Jesus prophesied that he would raise himself, but God raised him. "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days…the temple…was his body." Jn 2:19-21 "But God raised him from the dead…" Acts 13:30 "Whom God has raised up…" Acts 2:24 12.7 Jesus prophesied that there would be no signs, but there were many. "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it." Mk 8:12 "[This wicked generation] asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. Lk 11:29 "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign. But none will be given it except the sign of…Jonah." Mt 12:39 "…the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen." Mk 16:20 "And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven." Lk 21:11 "Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples…" Jn 20:30 "And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:" Acts 2:19 "…Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs…" Acts 2:22 "…the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it." Mk 16:20 "The apostles performed many miraculous signs…" Acts 5:12 "…Stephen…did wonders and miraculous signs…" Acts 6:8 "[Simon was]…astonished by the great signs and miracles…" Acts 8:13 12.8 With 1500 denominations, the Christian church is far more splintered than Jesus prophesied. "And they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." Jn 10:16 12.9 Jesus prophesied contradictory cases: all men would ascend, but only a few would be chosen. "I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." Jn 12:32 "So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen." Mt 20:16 12.10 Jesus promised rewards to the disciples, but they weren’t paid except, maybe, for the persecution part. "I tell you that anyone who leaves home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or land for me and for the gospel, will receive much more in this present age. He will receive a hundred times more houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and lands, and persecutions…" Mk 10:29-30 12.11 The High Priest correctly called Jesus’ hand, but he did not live to see the vision Jesus prophesied. "‘But I tell all of you: from this time on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right side of the Almighty and coming on the clouds of heaven.’ At this the High Priest tore his clothes and said, ‘Blasphemy!’" Mt 26:64-65 12.12 Jesus prophesied that he would be beheaded. "Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them…he spoke…of John the Baptist." Mt 17:12-13 "…John [the Baptist was] beheaded in prison." Mt 14:10 12.13 Jesus prophesied that he would not lose any followers. "My sheep hear my voice, and…neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." Jn 10:27-28 "Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none." Jn 18:9 "Those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition." Jn 17:12
But he did lose them, one permanently. "All the disciples forsook him and fled…" Mt 26:56 "…one of you shall betray me…And after the sop Satan entered into [Judas]. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly." Jn 13:21 12.14 Jesus prophesied that John the Baptist, as Elijah, would restore all things; but he didn’t. "Elijah shall come first, and restore all things." Mt 17:11-13 12.15 Jesus prophesied that others would do greater miracles than he, but no one seems to have done so. "…He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do." Jn 14:12 12.16 Jesus said he would do anything asked in his name, but many prayers still go unanswered. "If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." Jn 14:13-14 12.17 Jesus prophesied a quick return, but 2000 years (so far) doesn’t seem very quick. "Behold, I come quickly." Rev 3:11 12.18 Jesus said he would uphold every single aspect of the old Jewish Law, but he altered or ignored many. "…I am not come to destroy [the Law, or the prophets], but to fulfill…Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled." Mt 5:17-18 Jesus violated aspects of the old law: Dietary laws. Mt 15:11 & Mk 7:15 12.19 Since the Christian-dominated era in Europe was the "Dark Ages" both in name and effect, this prophecy didn’t match history. "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." Jn 8:12 |
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