Here are some little known facts from the Bible about the most famous person in the history of the world. (If you've never read the New Testament, your really an uninformed person!)
1. Jesus was happier than the people around Him. He was not a roaming Eeyore, crying and depressed about the state of mankind.
But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the OIL OF GLADNESS beyond your companions.” (Hebrews 1:8,9)
2. Jesus lived in a house (at least for a while). Some translations add “Levi” to the text due to the belief it must have been Levi’s house. But the original text doesn’t contain the word “Levi.” And since Levi had just left everything to follow Jesus, it is doubtful the house was his.
13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. 15 And as he reclined at table in HIS HOUSE, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. (Mark 2:13-15)
3. Jesus had money. Judas was His treasurer. Broke people don’t have treasurers.
For some thought, because Judas had the MONEY BOX, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. (John 13:29)
4. Jesus got angry when religious people wanted to maintain their traditions instead of doing something cool that would display God’s power. This is actually the ONLY time the Bible says specifically that Jesus got angry although he was probably angry when he drove the money changers out of the temple.
4 Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. 5 And when He had looked around at them with ANGER, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him. (Mark 3:4-6)
5. Jesus never did anything for the poor. He never clothed anyone, housed anyone or opened a food bank. The closest thing He ever did for the poor was to feed the 5000 people who came to hear Him speak but forgot their lunch. He was not a Middle Eastern social worker. Jesus preached to the poor but did not give to the poor. Judas criticized Jesus for NOT giving money to the poor. (See Matthew 11:5, Luke 4:18, 7:22)
4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and GIVEN TO THE POOR?” (John 12:4,5)
6. Jesus wore nice clothes. His robe was worth so much money that soldiers gambled for it at His crucifixion.
They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.” Therefore the soldiers did these things. (John 19:24)
7. Jesus did not come primarily to be our example. He came to die for us. Jesus lived on earth for 33 years. His ministry lasted only 3 years. Twenty-five percent of the Gospels cover one week of Jesus’ life, the week He was crucified and rose again. That is the focus of the Gospels.
For the Son of Man has come to SAVE that which was lost. (Matthew 18:11)
8. Jesus’ first miracle was not very spiritual. He helped keep a party going. He provided refreshments at a wedding party. He helped His mother by turning water into wine and thereby keeping the party going. (John 2:1-12)
9. Jesus lived under the Old Testament, not the New Testament. The New Testament did not begin until after Jesus died.
16 For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the DEATH of the testator.17 For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. (Hebrews 9:16,17)
10. Jesus is coming back again to stand on The Mount of Olives and split it in half. The prophesies about His first coming were literal, so it stands to reason the prophesies about His second coming are also literal.
And in that day His FEET WILL STAND on the Mount of Olives,
Which faces Jerusalem on the east.
And the Mount of Olives shall be SPLIT IN TWO,
From east to west,
Making a very large valley;
Half of the mountain shall move toward the north
And half of it toward the south. (Zechariah 14:4)
11. Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good, but to make dead people alive. There is a difference.
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have LIFE, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)
even when we were dead in trespasses, made us ALIVE together with Christ, (Ephesians 2:5)
Also see Romans 6:11; Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13.
Well, maybe you did already know this but most people don’t. I think it’s important that we depict Jesus accurately as possible based on scripture.
A few more for the fun of it...
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Tov Rose In the first century, when a boy reached his early teens, he became a man. Women married at around age 13. Ever wonder the age of the 12 disciples Jesus chose? According to renowned scholar Craig Keener, the twelve disciples were most likely in their late teens.
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Tov Rose Just before His death, Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus with a very potent perfume. When His body was taken down from the cross, Nicodemus put 100 pounds of myrrh and aloes on His body (the amount that was used for kings). Thus when Jesus rose again from the dead, He was fragrant. Paul makes mention of the fragrance of the resurrected Christ in 2 Corinthians. The Psalms also allude to it prophetically. The fragrance of resurrection has spiritual implications
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Tov Rose Since we live in the 21st century, we easily miss the use of humor that Jesus regularly employed. Suffice it to say that He was a master at irony and wit. Many of his sayings indicate this.
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Tov Rose First-century Jews believed that the Messiah (which is translated “Christ”) was to rule the entire world and save them from their enemies. First-century Gentiles knew that Caesar was Lord (or Emperor) of world. He was also regarded as the Savior of the people who brought peace to the empire. Whenever a new Emperor took the throne, the Emperor’s emissaries heralded the news of the new Caesar. The word they used for this news was “gospel.” When the early Christians preached to the Jews, they announced the “gospel” that Jesus was the Messiah – meaning, He was the Ruler and Savior of the world. When the early Christians preached to the Gentiles, they proclaimed the “gospel” that Jesus was the new Lord of the world who was also the Savior who would bring peace. So saying that Jesus is Christ and Lord in the first century were high-octane political statements that resulted in riots and persecution to those who claimed such.
