Grant R. Jeffrey - Jesus: The Great Debate

J ESUS: T HE G REAT D EBATE
P UBLISHED BY W ATER B ROOK P RESS
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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the King James Version.

eISBN: 978-0-307-50930-7

Copyright 1999 by Dr. Grant R. Jeffrey

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

W ATER B ROOK and its deer design logo are registered trademarks of WaterBrook Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

Jesus: The Great Debate was originally published by Frontier Research Publications in 1999.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Jeffrey, Dr. Grant R.
Jesus: The Great Debate
1. Apologetics 2. Eschatology 3. Witnessing
1. Title

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Comments on Grant Jeffreys
14 best-selling books

Grant Jeffrey has written an extraordinary new book, The Signature of God, that provides astonishing proof that the Bible was inspired by God. Grant is recognized as the leading researcher in Bible Prophecy today.

Hal Lindsey, Hal Lindsey Ministries

The Prophecy Study Bible is a phenomenal publishing effort by one of Americas premier prophecy experts. Comprehensive, understandable, and powerful. A great work!

Dr. Ed. Hindsen, Editor Jesus Study Bible

The Prophecy Study Bible is the most comprehensive, contemporary, and in-depth study of the most relevant prophecies in the Bible A must addition to every serious student of the Word of God.

Dr. Chuck Missler Koinonia House Ministries

Prince of Darkness was written by acclaimed Bible Prophecy teacher Grant R. Jeffrey. This unequaled masterpiece is the result of 30 years of intense research. It will stir you and inspire you as few books have. It is extremely well written extraordinarily researched and fascinatingly presented this is the best book I have ever read on this subject.

Dr. Jack Van Impe, Jack Van Impe Ministries

Armageddon Appointment With Destiny has been our hottest single religious title. We took it on with tremendous enthusiasm because there was something very exciting about the way Grant wrote, and it was something that we thought might go beyond the traditional religious audience.

Lou Arnonica, Vice President, Bantam Books, New York Times, October 22, 1990

We are excited about Grant Jeffreys new book. Now the book with the latest information on prophetic fulfillment, the book of the nineties, is Armageddon: Appointment With Destiny. It will show that God is in control and, most importantly, it will also prove to be a powerful witnessing tool to those who need Christ.

David Mainse: Host, 100 Huntley Street

Jesus: The Great Debate is the most comprehensive examination of the historical, archeological, and scientific evidence about Jesus of Nazareth. This book reflects thrirty-five years of research involving thousands of books, articles, and Bible commentaries. However, the inspired Word of God is the major source and continual guide to my studies.

The Gospels and their claims about Jesus Christ are subject to a relentless attack in our generation in the universities, the seminaries, and the media. Yet everything we believe as Christians, our hope for salvation and heaven itself depends upon the total truthfulness and trustworthiness of the sacred Scriptural account about Jesus of Nazareth. I believe it is time for Christians to stand up and launch a vigorous defence of the inspiration of the Bible and boldly proclaim that our faith in Jesus Christ and His resurrection is grounded upon a strong foundation of historical fact. Jesus: The Great Debate is a small contribution to that defence of Christianity that all believers are called upon to perform. This book continues the theme established in my books The Signature of God and The Handwriting of God that the evidence in the Gospels together with a wealth of historical, archealogical, and scientific evidence should convince any inquiring mind that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah, the true Son of God.

My parents, Lyle and Florence Jeffrey, have inspired in me a profound love for Jesus Christ and the Holy Word. Over the years they have been a continual encouragement in my research and writing.

A special thanks to my editorial assistant, Adrienne Jeffrey Tigchelaar, who has provided valuable research and editorial services throughout this project.

I dedicate Jesus: The Great Debate to my lovely wife, Kaye, who is my constant inspiration, my faithful partner in ministry and the Vice President of Frontier Research Publications, Inc. As we travel the world to conduct research and minister in various nations, she continually encourages me in my efforts to share this research.

I trust that the information revealed in the following pages will encourage you to personally study the Gospels and come to know Jesus of Nazareth in a deeper way.

Dr. Grant R. Jeffrey
Toronto, Ontario
August 1999

The last decade of this millennium has featured a veritable explosion of books that explore the quest for the historical Jesus. The widespread interest in Jesus has produced a powerful debate between agnostic historians and liberal theologians, and conservative Christian scholars. One of the greatest subjects of dispute is the question of what historical evidence qualifies as acceptable proof of the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Many liberal and agnostic scholars reject most of the evidence found in the four Gospels and the rest of the New Testament. They also declare that, apart from the New Testament, there is almost nothing that qualifies as acceptable historical evidence about Jesus. However, conservative Christian historians accept the four Gospels, the epistles of Paul, and the contributions of Jewish and pagan historical sources as reliable evidence about His life. In addition, the contributions from the field of archeology and science reveal much about Jesus and those who interacted with Him during His short life.

Without question, Jesus is the most controversial person in human history. The life of Jesus of Nazareth began in the controversy of His virgin birth and ended thirty-three years later with the remarkable claim that He actually rose from the dead on the third day following His death on the cross. Jesus began His ministry with the miracle of turning water into wine at a wedding feast in Cana. Later, Jesus created more controversy with His divine healings, including the miracle of opening the eyes of a blind boy. The ancient prophet Isaiah had foretold that one of the unique signs of the coming Messiah would be that he would open the eyes of the blind (Isaiah 42:7). Until that point in history no one had ever healed someone born blind. To the religious leaders of Israel this miracle was tantamount to Jesus claiming He was the true Messiah. His miraculous healings of so many people afflicted with disease confounded the religious leaders of the day. His fulfillment of the dozens of messianic prophecies, His death on the cross, and His astonishing resurrection from the dead polarized Jewish society. While thousands acknowledged Him as the Son of God, many others violently rejected His claims to be the true Messiah and equal with God.