Church History – The First Century Part 2

Please note that the following is taken from a book published in 1840 which was written from a Presbyterian perspective. Therefore some of this might be outdated but nevertheless I hope this is of some benefit to Christians.

Excerpted from Chapter 1 of James Wharey Church History (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board Of Publication, 1840).

2. Life and Death of Christ

In the fullness of time, when God in his providence had thus prepared the world for it, Christ made his appearance. His birth was indeed miraculous, and attended with extraordinary circumstances; but his condition, according to ancient prophecies, was mean and contemptible. “He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.”

Until he entered upon his public ministry, at about the age of thirty, he seems to have resided with his parents in poverty and obscurity, and to have excited little or no public attention. He was preceded by John the Baptist, whose ministry seems to have formed a connecting link between the Jewish and Christian dispensations. It participated with both, but belonged properly to neither. By him Christ was baptized in Jordan, and thus was consecrated to his priestly office; and at the same time, he received the unction of the Holy Ghost, who descended upon him “in bodily form, like a dove.” His commission and authority as a divine teacher, were announced by a miraculous voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

During his public ministry, which lasted about three years, he manifested the most entire devotion to the glory of God and the good of man He lived the most blameless and holy life, taught the most pure and heavenly doctrines, and confirmed his divine character by a succession of the most extraordinary miracles. But the Jews, who expected a temporal deliverer in their Messiah, were offended in him and by their influence with Pilate the Roman governor, procured his crucifixion. "He was numbered with the transgressors; for the transgression of my people was he stricken." But on the third day, according to his own prediction, he rose again from the dead; and after meeting with his disciples, and conversing with them on various occasions, for the space of forty days, he ascended up to heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

(To be continued)