Now that you’ve found good evidence for Jesus to be a real person, your second mission will look to see if he was also more than just a regular man as alleged in the Bible:

Mission 2: Find Out if Jesus Really Possessed the Divine Power Required to Perform Miracles.

1. Eyewitness Testimony

Debriefing

After thinking through the questions, click the Answers tab to see our thoughts.

Why didn’t the religious leaders believe the miracle?

What is Jesus’ bigger point about blindness in John 9:39?

Why didn’t the religious leaders believe the miracle?

They didn’t believe Jesus was actually from God.

What is Jesus’ bigger point about blindness in John 9:39?

Everyone suffers from the true blindness of sin, but those who realize it can repent and come to Jesus for healing. (See 1 John 1:5-9 for even more details.)

11. Prophecy

Old Testament Prophecy Isaiah 35:4-5 (c. 750 B.C.) “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.” Psalm 146:8 (c. 515 B.C.) “The Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.”
Debriefing

After thinking through the questions, click the Answers tab to see our thoughts.

What do both prophecies say that the Messiah will do?

Who specifically does Isaiah prophesy will come?

What do both prophecies say that the Messiah will do?

Miracles, opening the eyes of the blind

Who specifically does Isaiah prophesy will come?

“Your God will come.” The Messiah would be God.

111. Ancient Non-Christian Historical Accounts

Pliny the Younger (2nd Century Roman Governor - Despite finding Christians relatively harmless, he persecuted and executed them for their religious beliefs.) "However, they assured me that the main of their fault, or of their mistake was this: That they were wont, on a stated day, to meet together before it was light, and to sing a hymn to Christ, as to a god, alternately; and to oblige themselves by a sacrament [or oath], not to do anything that was ill: but that they would commit no theft, or pilfering, or adultery; that they would not break their promises, or deny what was deposited with them, when it was required back again; after which it was their custom to depart, and to meet again at a common but innocent meal." (Epistle To Trajan, c. 112AD)
Babylonian Talmud (2nd to 5th Century Jewish Text -The text does not always depict Christianity accurately, but it does provide many unbiased insights.) "And it was taught: On the eve of the Passover Yeshua [the Nazarene] was hanged. For forty days before the execution took place a herald went forth and cried, “He is going forth to be stoned because he has practiced sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy. Anyone who can say anything in his favor, let him come and plead on his behalf." And since nothing was brought forward in his favor, he was hanged on the eve of Passover."(Sanhedrin 43a, c. 70-300 AD)
Debriefing

After thinking through the questions, click the Answers tab to see our thoughts.

Why does the Babylonian Talmud calling Jesus a “sorcerer” actually give us evidence of His miracles?

According to Pliny, who was Jesus to early Christians?

Why does the Babylonian Talmud calling Jesus a “sorcerer” actually give us evidence of His miracles?

It wasn’t denying the works, just how He did them.

According to Pliny, who was Jesus to early Christians?

He says they worshiped him as God.

1V. Archeology

Archeological Support: The Pool of Siloam (Jerusalem, Israel) When a sewer pipe burst in 2004, an Israeli construction crew found much more than a leak. Fortunately, all digging in Jerusalem requires an archeologist to be on site. Instead of a mere problem, they discovered a series of ancient steps that led down into a large pool. That pool, situated on the south side of the temple mount, was what the Bible calls the Pool of Siloam. It was originally constructed by king Hezekiah to provide water to Jerusalem while under siege. It was later used in Jesus’ time as a ritual washing before entering the temple. Its existence gives credence to the BIble’s accuracy when reporting historical people and places.
Debriefing

After thinking through the questions, click the Answers tab to see our thoughts.

How does the Pool of Siloam help to verify the Bible?

How does the Pool of Siloam help to verify the Bible?

It shows the BIble’s accuracy in listing real places.

V. Science & Philosophy

Kalam Cosmological Argument: Whatever begins to exist has a cause. The universe began to exist. Therefore, the universe has a cause. And, this cause has to be: 1. Infinite (Eternal) 2. Transcendent (Timeless) 3. Immaterial (Spirit) 4. Omnipotent (All-Powerful) 5. Personal (Relational), or God. So, miracles are possible!
Debriefing

After thinking through the questions, click the Answers tab to see our thoughts.

How does the Kalam offer reasons to believe in miracles?

How does the Kalam offer reasons to believe in miracles?

If God created the world out of nothing, He can do other miracles too. Hence the claim from John 9:33, “If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

Deductions: Eyewitnesses testified to Jesus’ miraculous power and claimed that it could only be done by someone that is from God. The prophets claimed that the Messiah would be able to do miracles because He would actually be God Himself. While the external sources do not specifically state that Jesus performed miracles, the Talmud does affirm his “magical” acts, and Pliny observed the fact that Jesus’ followers honored him as God. The Pool of Siloam discovery does not directly prove anything about Jesus’ miracles, but it does provide credence to the historicity of the eyewitness account. The miracle of creating the universe out of nothing makes other miracles, like healing a blind person or raising the dead, highly probable, especially if the person doing them happens to be that same creator. Confirmed: It’s reasonable to conclude that Jesus really did perform miracles. As such, on top of being a real, historical man, He also showed Himself to be fully God.