What confounds the skeptic in the Old Testament comes to a mind-boggling climax in the New Testament. What the Old Testament could express about the holiness of God only in words, the New Testament Jesus portrays in person. As the writer of HEBREWS stated, GOD, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son,... Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person,.. The New Testament pictures Jesus as actually personifying in human form the unique righteousness and gracious and redemptive love portrayed in word by the Old Testament. The validity of this presentation of Jesus, therefore, becomes the supreme test for the validity of the Bible. The entire collection of sixty-six books hinges upon the validity of the New Testament Jesus in prophecy and in history. If the portrayal of Jesus stands, the Bible stands; if the portrayal of Jesus crumbles, the validity of the Bible crumbles.

No other character in human history compares with the New Testament portrayal of Jesus. He differs in birth, life, works, death, resurrection, and ascension. While his humanity is visible, the portrayal of his deity is inescapable. How was this portrait produced? What was the source? Who - individual or group - who could author such perfection?

The sincere and virtually universal recognition of the New Testament portrayal of Jesus as a person of unique virtue has blazed a record of growing glory through the centuries. W. E. Channing expressed what millions have thought of Jesus when he wrote, "No other fame can be compared with that of Jesus. He has a place in the human heart that no one who has ever lived has in any measure rivaled."

Only after many years did I remember what I was told about Lew Wallace, the author of BEN HUR. According to the story that was told to me. Wallace was associated with a group of agnostics who were interested in disproving the Bible. Because he was a renowned author Wallace accepted the suggestion that he write a novel that would ridicule the whole Jesus story. In order to write the novel, Wallace was compelled to study the New Testament. As he studied, he became convinced of the authenticity and truth of the presentation of Jesus. He accepted Jesus as his Savior and Lord and wrote the greatest novel in defense of the New Testament story that has ever been written: Ben Hur.

Dr. Cho, the pastor of the largest church in the history of Christianity, shared with me this personal experience.

"At the end of the Korean War, I was a 17 year old lad with Buddhist faith of a Buddhist family. I was sitting in the street in a weakened and hopeless condition for I was dying with tuberculosis. Someone came by and handed me a New Testament. I knew nothing about the Christian faith but I started to read the New Testament. As I read I became convinced that Jesus was who and what the New Testament claimed, both able to heal and to save. For the next forty years I have proved that the New Testament picture of Jesus is true."

The New Testament Jesus stands as the central personality in the Christian faith. Though Catholics may venerate Mary and crown Peter with sainthood, they worship only Jesus. Though Paul deserves honor as the church's greatest Christian missionary-statesman, that Apostle crowns Jesus as Lord and Savior. Persons, doctrines, and institutions in Christendom acknowledge that Jesus stands preeminent.

Moreover, the New Testament Jesus, whether historical or fictional, has exerted unique influence for two thousand years. Two statements by extremely opposite characters illuminate the amazing mystery in the facts of Jesus' brief life. Considering the continuing power of Jesus in human history, Napoleon declared, "Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and I myself have founded empires; but upon what do these creations of our genius depend? Upon force. Jesus alone founded His empire upon love; and to this very day millions would die for Him."

In striking contrast the godly Fenelon summarized the humble circumstances and contemporary rejection of Jesus: "Jesus Christ was born in a stable; He was obliged to fly into Egypt; thirty years of His life were spent in a workshop; He suffered hunger, thirst, and weariness; He was poor, despised, and miserable; He taught the doctrines of heaven, and no one would listen. The great and the wise persecuted and took Him, subjected Him to frightful torments, treated Him as a slave, and put Him to death between two malefactors, having preferred to give liberty to a robber, rather than to suffer Him to escape. Such was the life which our Lord chose;..."

Honesty must admit that both of these amazing evaluations are equally factual. History provides no comparison to the New Testament portrait of Jesus. An unknown author has given a graphic summary of Jesus' place in the mind of mankind: "Christ was placed midmost in the world's history; and in that central position He towers like some vast mountain to heaven - the farther slope stretching backward toward the creation, the hither slop toward the consummation of all things. The ages before look to Him with prophetic gaze; the ages since behold Him by historic faith; by both He is seen in common as the brightness of the Father's glory, and the unspeakable gift of God to the race."

The four Gospels are unique in all literature, sacred or secular, in the portrayal of Jesus who is recognized as the most perfect character in history. No other writing in fact or fiction provides a worthy comparison with his perfection.

Fair judgment requires that this astonishing production shall receive a reasonable explanation. Who could have produced such perfection? Who had the ability to do what no other person or persons have accomplished in the passing centuries?

Common sense will not accept the explanation that four men who produced no other comparable writing could have collaborated to create a fiction of such perfection. If the Jesus portrait were fiction but presented as fact, such authors would present the problem of writers with perfect moral concepts combined with blasphemy against God and deliberate deceit toward humanity. Such a combination is psychologically impossible.

Common sense will accept the explanation that four men who produced no comparable writing gave the Gospels to the world as a true historical record of their actual memories of Jesus as they were assisted by the Spirit of God. This is what Jesus promised! This is what took place!

Common sense will accept no alternative!

Common sense will accept only the reasonable explanation that the Gospel picture of Jesus is what it claims to be: the Word of God.

 Go to Chapter Ten-->