Thesis 3: The Reliability of the Text Critical Method: of the small portion of variations that are significant, our text-critical methodology can determine, with a reasonable degree of certainty, which is the original text
In part 1 of this article series, it was demonstrated that the vast majority of textual variations are insignificant and irrelevant to determining the original text of the New Testament. However, that leaves a small portion of textual variants that can be deemed "significant." The definition of this term has two aspects: (1) "significant" textual variants are simply those that are not included in the "insignificant" category discussed above; and (2) "significant" variants are those that in some sense affect the meaning of the passage (though the effect can range from fairly minimal to more substantial).
Even though the quantity of these significant variants is quite small in comparison to insignificant variants, some of them can still make an impact on our understanding of New Testament passages (as we shall see below). Thus one might conclude that these sorts of changes present a real challenge to the textual integrity of the New Testament. However, such a conclusion would be built upon an assumption that we have no way to determine which of these significant variants were original and which were not. Put differently, significant variants would be a problem if we could assume that every one of them was as equally viable as every other. The problem with such an assumption, however, is that it stands in direct contradiction to the entire history of textual criticism—indeed, to the very existence of the field itself—which has consistently maintained that not all textual variants are equally viable and that our methodology can determine (with a reasonable degree of certainty) which is the original text.44 If that is the case, then these few "significant" textual variants do not materially affect the integrity of the New Testament because, put simply, we can usually spot them when they occur.
Examples of Significant Variants
It may be helpful for us to review some examples of significant variants, though we can only scratch the surface of the issue here. For instance, in Mark 1:14 we are told that Jesus came preaching the "gospel of God." However, some fifth-century (and later) manuscripts—such as Codex Alexandrinus (A) and Codex Bezae (D)—read the "gospel of the kingdom of God." The cause for this slight change is obvious: the phrase "kingdom of God" is quite common throughout Mark (and the other Synoptic Gospels) and the scribe was likely harmonizing 1:14 with these other passages (a very common cause of scribal variations). Is there a difference in meaning between "gospel of God" and "gospel of the kingdom of God"? Perhaps. But the difference is hardly a cause for concern. And even if the difference were substantial, it matters little because the textual evidence is clear that Mark originally wrote "gospel of God."45 Mark 1:14 is a very typical example of a "significant" variant.
However, there are other "significant" variants that have a more substantial impact on the meaning of a text. Two examples will suffice. One of the most commonly mentioned variants is found in 1 John 5:7-8 and is known as the Comma Johanneum.46 The italicized portion of the following verses is found in only a handful of manuscripts: "For there are three that testify: in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. And there are three that testify on earth: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree." Out of hundreds of Greek manuscripts, only eight contain this variant reading—and four of those have the variants added by the scribe into the margin—and the earliest of these is tenth century.47 Moreover, the variant is attested by none of the Greek fathers and is absent from almost all our early versions. In the end, despite the fact that this variant found its way into the Textus Receptus (and thereby the King James translation), the text-critical evidence is decidedly against it being original to John's epistle. What, then, do we make of this variant? No one can doubt that it is "significant" in that it affects the theological understanding of this verse. However, it simply has no claim to originality and therefore does not impact our ability to recover the original text of the New Testament.48 Nor is our understanding of the Trinity in the slightest dependent on this verse—indeed, the orthodox conception of the Trinity can be derived from many other New Testament verses and was well in place for centuries before this variation would have been widely known.
fredag 24 september 2010
torsdag 23 september 2010
What the Old Testament Prophesied About the Messiah
He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. (Psalm 118:22)
He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth. (Isaiah 25:8)
EXCERPTED FROM www.whoisjesus-really.com:
The Old Testament was completed hundreds of years before Jesus was born. A large number of prophecies were made in astonishing detail by many people throughout these books. In fact, fulfilled prophecy is one of the distinguishing marks of the Bible, authenticating its claim to be the inspired Word of God.
For example, the Old Testament indicated Jesus would be betrayed by someone he trusted. "Even my close friend whom I trusted, he who has shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me" (Psalm 41:9). The New Testament, which records Jesus' life and resurrection, reveals that one of the 12 people Jesus chose to be part of his inner circle betrayed him: "Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them" (Mark 14:10).
More than 300 Messianic prophecies like this were made in the Old Testament and then fulfilled through Jesus' life, death and resurrection. The chances of one person fulfilling a mere eight of these prophecies are one-in-100,000,000,000,000,000. For one person to fulfill 48 of these prophecies, the number becomes staggering – one chance in 10-to-the-157th power. Add to that the 250 other prophecies, and it becomes impossible for any other person except Jesus to ever fit that particular sequence of time and events.
A FEW EXAMPLES
Messiah to be born of a virgin: Prophesied – Isaiah 7:14; Fulfilled – Matthew 1:18-25
Messiah to be accursed and crucified: Prophesied – Deuteronomy 21:22-23, Psalm 22, Psalm 69:21; Fulfilled – Matthew 27:34-50; John 19:28-30, Galatians 3:13
Messiah to be raised from the dead: Prophesied – Psalm 16:10; Fulfilled – Acts 13:35-37
The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. (Psalm 118:22)
He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth. (Isaiah 25:8)
EXCERPTED FROM www.whoisjesus-really.com:
The Old Testament was completed hundreds of years before Jesus was born. A large number of prophecies were made in astonishing detail by many people throughout these books. In fact, fulfilled prophecy is one of the distinguishing marks of the Bible, authenticating its claim to be the inspired Word of God.
For example, the Old Testament indicated Jesus would be betrayed by someone he trusted. "Even my close friend whom I trusted, he who has shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me" (Psalm 41:9). The New Testament, which records Jesus' life and resurrection, reveals that one of the 12 people Jesus chose to be part of his inner circle betrayed him: "Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them" (Mark 14:10).
More than 300 Messianic prophecies like this were made in the Old Testament and then fulfilled through Jesus' life, death and resurrection. The chances of one person fulfilling a mere eight of these prophecies are one-in-100,000,000,000,000,000. For one person to fulfill 48 of these prophecies, the number becomes staggering – one chance in 10-to-the-157th power. Add to that the 250 other prophecies, and it becomes impossible for any other person except Jesus to ever fit that particular sequence of time and events.
A FEW EXAMPLES
Messiah to be born of a virgin: Prophesied – Isaiah 7:14; Fulfilled – Matthew 1:18-25
Messiah to be accursed and crucified: Prophesied – Deuteronomy 21:22-23, Psalm 22, Psalm 69:21; Fulfilled – Matthew 27:34-50; John 19:28-30, Galatians 3:13
Messiah to be raised from the dead: Prophesied – Psalm 16:10; Fulfilled – Acts 13:35-37
Return of the King
Christ, the Anointed Son, sits on a throne. His rule stretches to the corners of creation. Every trickle of authority in heaven and on earth is now under his rule. No one--no pharaoh, no king, no president--is outside his reign. The Sovereign authority of the Son encompasses all people—from every racial origin, from all the continents of the globe. All have been created to serve and worship and glorify Him, and to enjoy the rich blessings of an eternal kingdom.
The Anointed has cast his rope of authority over all men.
But man rages against God, thrusting knives at the ropes of authority—as if the chords were an ambush, like a net contracted around a trapped animal, hanging helplessly in the air for its hunter.
Man forms alliances to build strength against the Anointed.
The Lord in heaven laughs at man’s rage.
No less a rebel is the man who ignores God. He refuses to pursue God. The fool says in his heart that God is nothing, a phantom, an impotent and imagined delusion. God is to him an unnecessary distraction from the banquet of selfish desires (Ps. 10:4, 14:1-3, Rom. 3:11). The fool has become His enemy by intentional ignorance.
The Lord in heaven laughs at man’s delusions.
The kings of the world conspire together to murder the Anointed Son. False accusations, slander, violence, spit, lashes, nails–all reveal the hatred. Cold death descends with the darkness. But Christ’s murder breaks a pathway down into the ground that opens upward to enthroned exaltation. The throne is a reward for His death.
The Lord in heaven laughs at man’s wisdom.
The kings of the earth rage against the gospel, persecute believers, threaten violence, destroy families, kill, disband churches, imprison leaders, refuse the distribution of bibles, silence preachers.
The Lord laughs. The church grows. Convictions strengthen. The gospel spreads (Acts 4:19-31).
The Lord laughs because the Anointed is returning. Soon Christ will end the mutiny. He will step down from his throne with an iron scepter in his fist to shatter his enemies like glassware (Rev. 2:27). He will step back into this world to tread his enemies with the sole of His feet, thrusting down on his enemies the winepress of his wrath, crimson blood soaking the bottom of his white robe (Isa. 63:3).
This is the Jesus we never knew—or the Jesus many would like to forget. But this is the real Jesus, the anointed King who will return to fulfill thousands of years of expectations and anticipations of God’s people. He will fix every injustice, dry every tear, and remove the handcuffs of evil from his people and his world.
But before the Son returns with His scepter in his fist, He stretches out mercy in his hand. The Anointed bids sinners to come, to kiss the ring of His Lordship, to find refuge from the wrath.
The King’s heart throbs with love towards sinners. The Anointed takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather hopes that sinners turn and live.
Captured in Psalm 2 are life-shaping realities:
The only refuge from the wrath of the King is to find refuge in the King.
The day of wrath upon His enemies is also the day of deliverance for His people.
His return is meaningless for none.
Perhaps you kick violently against God’s authority, thrusting knives at the bonds of His authority. Perhaps you plug your ears, unwilling to pursue Him. Perhaps you find your heart somewhere in the middle. It matters little. The King’s return is imminent.
Kiss His hand. Bow under His rightful authority. Humbly and joyfully take up His yoke. And find in Him a place of refuge where sinners are given forgiveness in His blood, safety, justice, salvation, spiritual riches and eternal joy. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
The Anointed has cast his rope of authority over all men.
But man rages against God, thrusting knives at the ropes of authority—as if the chords were an ambush, like a net contracted around a trapped animal, hanging helplessly in the air for its hunter.
Man forms alliances to build strength against the Anointed.
The Lord in heaven laughs at man’s rage.
No less a rebel is the man who ignores God. He refuses to pursue God. The fool says in his heart that God is nothing, a phantom, an impotent and imagined delusion. God is to him an unnecessary distraction from the banquet of selfish desires (Ps. 10:4, 14:1-3, Rom. 3:11). The fool has become His enemy by intentional ignorance.
The Lord in heaven laughs at man’s delusions.
The kings of the world conspire together to murder the Anointed Son. False accusations, slander, violence, spit, lashes, nails–all reveal the hatred. Cold death descends with the darkness. But Christ’s murder breaks a pathway down into the ground that opens upward to enthroned exaltation. The throne is a reward for His death.
The Lord in heaven laughs at man’s wisdom.
The kings of the earth rage against the gospel, persecute believers, threaten violence, destroy families, kill, disband churches, imprison leaders, refuse the distribution of bibles, silence preachers.
The Lord laughs. The church grows. Convictions strengthen. The gospel spreads (Acts 4:19-31).
The Lord laughs because the Anointed is returning. Soon Christ will end the mutiny. He will step down from his throne with an iron scepter in his fist to shatter his enemies like glassware (Rev. 2:27). He will step back into this world to tread his enemies with the sole of His feet, thrusting down on his enemies the winepress of his wrath, crimson blood soaking the bottom of his white robe (Isa. 63:3).
This is the Jesus we never knew—or the Jesus many would like to forget. But this is the real Jesus, the anointed King who will return to fulfill thousands of years of expectations and anticipations of God’s people. He will fix every injustice, dry every tear, and remove the handcuffs of evil from his people and his world.
But before the Son returns with His scepter in his fist, He stretches out mercy in his hand. The Anointed bids sinners to come, to kiss the ring of His Lordship, to find refuge from the wrath.
The King’s heart throbs with love towards sinners. The Anointed takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather hopes that sinners turn and live.
Captured in Psalm 2 are life-shaping realities:
The only refuge from the wrath of the King is to find refuge in the King.
The day of wrath upon His enemies is also the day of deliverance for His people.
His return is meaningless for none.
Perhaps you kick violently against God’s authority, thrusting knives at the bonds of His authority. Perhaps you plug your ears, unwilling to pursue Him. Perhaps you find your heart somewhere in the middle. It matters little. The King’s return is imminent.
Kiss His hand. Bow under His rightful authority. Humbly and joyfully take up His yoke. And find in Him a place of refuge where sinners are given forgiveness in His blood, safety, justice, salvation, spiritual riches and eternal joy. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
The Witness of Matthew...Continued from page 1
If we were to look, however, for one single theme that seems to be the most central and most important theme of the entire gospel of Matthew, it would be the theme of the coming of the kingdom. We see in the first instance that the term gospel refers to the gospel of the kingdom — the good news of the announcement of the breakthrough of the kingdom of God. In Matthew’s case, he uses the phrase “kingdom of heaven” rather than the terminology “kingdom of God.” He does this not because he has a different view of the meaning or content of the kingdom of God; rather, out of sensitivity to his Jewish readers, he makes common use of what is called periphrasis, a certain type of circumlocution to avoid mentioning the sacred name of God. So for Matthew, the doctrine of the kingdom of heaven is the same kingdom that the other writers speak of as the kingdom of God.Matthew talks about the breakthrough of the kingdom and the arrival of Jesus in His incarnation. He announces the coming of the kingdom at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, and at the end of the book Matthew speaks about the final consummation of the coming of that kingdom in the Olivet Discourse. So from the first page of Matthew to the last page, we see the unifying theme of the coming of the kingdom of God in the appearance of the king Himself, who is the Messiah of Israel and the fulfillment of the kingdom given to Judah.The gospel of Matthew is rich in detailed information about the teaching of Jesus and particularly in His parables, which are not always included in the other gospels. Again, the central focus of the parables of Jesus is the kingdom, where He introduces parables by saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto this…” or “the kingdom of heaven is like unto that….” If we are to understand the significance of the appearance of Jesus in the fullness of time to inaugurate the kingdom and the whole meaning of redemptive history, we see that focus come into clear view in the Gospel According to Saint Matthew.
The Witness of Matthew
In the history of biblical studies, we have seen in the last two centuries the rise of so-called “higher criticism.” So much of higher criticism is fueled by skepticism with respect to the reliability of the biblical texts. Since orthodox Christians stand opposed to many of the arguments of higher critics, they sometimes overlook valuable insights that can be gained through critical analysis of the text. Some of these analyses can be very helpful to our endeavor of seeking an accurate understanding of the Bible. One element of critical scholarship that can do this is that dimension known as source criticism. As the title suggests, this type of criticism attempts to reconstruct the way in which the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) came to be written.The general assumption among source critics is that Mark was the first written gospel. This is seen by an analysis of Matthew and Luke — both Matthew and Luke have material in their gospels that is common to the gospel of Mark. At the same time, there is common material found in Luke and in Matthew that is not found in Mark. The scholars then try to account for this common information found in these two gospels that is absent from Mark’s gospel. The working hypothesis is that Matthew and Luke, in addition to having Mark as a source for their information, had a second independent source that Mark did not use. This second independent source is called simply the “Q-source.”
That letter Q is used since it is the first letter of the German word quelle, which is simply the word for source. That is to say, the Q-source is a source that is unknown to us but known to the gospel writers Matthew and Luke. Much of this analysis is speculative and hypothetical. Scholars differ as to whether the alleged Q-source was a written source shared by Matthew and Luke, or simply an oral tradition they both had access to. Wherever we land in our conclusions about the method by which the gospel writers compiled their texts, the very analysis that we have seen gives us one clear benefit. By isolating material that is found in Matthew and only in Matthew, or isolating material that is found in Luke and only in Luke, or isolating material found in Mark and only in Mark, we get clues as to the audience to which the author was directing his information and also his major themes in the particular gospel. For example, in looking at the gospel of Matthew, we find more citations and allusions to Old Testament Scriptures than in any of the other gospels. This fact alone lends credence to the idea that Matthew was directing his gospel primarily to a Jewish audience to show how Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah, fulfilled Old Testament prophecy.We also see in Matthew’s gospel a strong condemnation of the Jewish clergy of that period of history who were responsible for seeing to the destruction of Jesus. The scribes and the Pharisees are particularly singled out, as Matthew records for us the judgment of woes spoken against the scribes and the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. On a somewhat related matter, we also find in Matthew more information concerning Jesus’ teaching on hell than we find anywhere else in the four gospels.
That letter Q is used since it is the first letter of the German word quelle, which is simply the word for source. That is to say, the Q-source is a source that is unknown to us but known to the gospel writers Matthew and Luke. Much of this analysis is speculative and hypothetical. Scholars differ as to whether the alleged Q-source was a written source shared by Matthew and Luke, or simply an oral tradition they both had access to. Wherever we land in our conclusions about the method by which the gospel writers compiled their texts, the very analysis that we have seen gives us one clear benefit. By isolating material that is found in Matthew and only in Matthew, or isolating material that is found in Luke and only in Luke, or isolating material found in Mark and only in Mark, we get clues as to the audience to which the author was directing his information and also his major themes in the particular gospel. For example, in looking at the gospel of Matthew, we find more citations and allusions to Old Testament Scriptures than in any of the other gospels. This fact alone lends credence to the idea that Matthew was directing his gospel primarily to a Jewish audience to show how Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah, fulfilled Old Testament prophecy.We also see in Matthew’s gospel a strong condemnation of the Jewish clergy of that period of history who were responsible for seeing to the destruction of Jesus. The scribes and the Pharisees are particularly singled out, as Matthew records for us the judgment of woes spoken against the scribes and the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. On a somewhat related matter, we also find in Matthew more information concerning Jesus’ teaching on hell than we find anywhere else in the four gospels.
The Good News
I've got great news--I just saved a bundle on my car insurance. This pop-cultural punchline might just expose a real problem we have in our Christian sub-culture: we don’t know what the good news is.The confusion, from one perspective, is understandable. God is good. God is gracious. We move from grace to grace, receiving gifts from Him all the time. God is in turn sovereign. He controls all things. When He tells us, therefore, that all things work together for good for those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28), we can learn that it’s all good news. His coming, that’s good news. His dying, that’s good news. His ascending, that’s good news. His sending the Spirit, that’s good news. The Spirit applying all these things to His people, that’s good news. Even the trials we go through here and now, they are good news as well. We are, after all, to count it all joy.That everything is good news, however, does not mean that everything is the good news. The authors of their respective gospels were not merely publishing everything they came upon. While each had their own peculiar focus, each of them together, on the other hand, were seeking to make known the good news. These four men, however, were not the first. Two other men before them labored diligently to make known the good news. One of those two was called the greatest man born of a woman by the Lord (Luke 7:28). The other was the Lord of glory Himself. If we would understand the Gospels, we would be wise to understand that the good news they were reporting was the good news proclaimed not just about Jesus, but by Jesus. The good news is that the kingdom has come. This is the message of Jesus: the kingdom of God is here.On the other hand, the bad news is that the kingdom has come. The life, death, resurrection, ascension and return of Christ is to us who have been called, the very aroma of life. To those who are still outside the kingdom, it is the stench of death. It is the same kingdom either way, but for the seed of the woman (Christians) it is blessing, and for the seed of the serpent it is cursing. That this one kingdom can mean one thing for one group and the opposite for another can help explain how we have come to conflate some terms over time. That is, the difference between seeing the coming of the kingdom as an event of joy or of dread is found in one simple distinction--do we trust in the finished work of Christ alone or not? The seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent began in the same place, as enemies of the kingdom. We are all by nature children of wrath. But it is as we are gifted with repentance and believe that we move from darkness to light, that we are adopted into the very family of God. That’s good news. Better still, the king who has adopted us, He is now king indeed. That’s very good news.Our gospel is a truncated shell of this great reality if the good news is merely that we don’t have to go to hell. It gets only slightly better if it means that our souls go to heaven. The fullness of the gospel is found in the fullness of the kingdom. Jesus is about the business of remaking all things. He is, after all, the first-born of the new creation. He is remaking all the created order that groans under the burden of our sin. He is remaking all the political order, as all kings everywhere learn to kiss the Son, lest He be angry (Ps. 2). He is remaking the church, His bride, removing from us corporately every blot and blemish. And He is remaking every one of us, reshaping us pots into vessels of grace.We are a part of this good news precisely because He came and lived a life of perfect obedience in our place. We are a part of this precisely because He suffered the wrath of the Father that is due to us for our sins. We are a part of this because He has given us each a new heart that responds to His calling with repentance and faith. We bring nothing to the table but our need. Jesus has done it all. We are His workmanship, judged innocent by His death, judged righteous by His life. There is still more good news. We are not merely by the good news of His atonement made citizens of that kingdom we are called to seek. We are not merely judged righteous by His righteousness that we were called to seek. We are by the same Spirit made kings and queens with Him. We are not just subjects but rulers. We are seated even now with Him in the heavenly places. Our calling is to believe these promises. Our calling is to be of good cheer, for He has already overcome the world (John 16:33). We do not wait for His kingdom to come, for it is here. Instead, we strive to make it ever more visible, as we make all things subject to His glorious reign.
Has Jesus Christ Come Again?
Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda claims to be “the Man Christ Jesus.” In fact, when you go to his ministry’s Web site it loads with the audio of Miranda declaring these words: “To some I came as a thief in the night. To others I came as who I am, the Man Christ Jesus. Jesus Christ is here for the second time!” (The audio has now been removed, but you can see that he still claims to be "Jesus Christ Man.")
Even in our “post-Christian” culture, declarations like this are bound to get media attention. For example, on June 10 the New York Times did a feature story on Miranda and his followers. No less than six printed pages were given to what the article’s author, Johnny Dwyer, called “The Hallelujah People.” Consider this rather disturbing section:
“We don't have any crosses here,” said Yajaira Reyes, a 23-year-old worshiper who lives in the Bronx. “We don't have any images. The only image we have is of him.”
Ms. Reyes pointed to a poster-size photograph of a heavyset man who was wearing a dark suit and a wan smile and giving the sect’s two-fingered salute. He is Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda, the 61-year-old founder of this ministry, and he is known to his followers by the majestic title the Man Christ Jesus.
Not surprisingly, Miranda’s claims to divinity are directly tied to his promises of prosperity to those who follow him: “…Mr. Miranda’s mission is to save people from the misery of their life on Earth. If they tithe—contribute 10 percent of their income—and make additional offerings, then prosperity will follow, Mr. Miranda promises. He can achieve this result, he says, because he is God.” What we have here is yet another presentation of the health, wealth and prosperity “gospel"—same polluted message, but with a dangerous new mouthpiece making claims to deity. (Not insignificantly, the article labels Miranda’s group not a “religious sect,” but a “Christian sect.” Given what Miranda teaches, “The Hallelujah People” have abandoned any semblance of orthodox Christianity. Therefore, the association with Christianity is not only inaccurate, but irresponsible.)
The New York Times is not the only news outlet to feature Miranda and his followers. CNN and Newsweek have weighed in as well. According to Dwyer, the sect is noticeably “publicity-conscious,” wielding an “energetic media operation.” Presumably this is to draw as many followers as possible so the coffers can be as full as possible.
While much could be said about the bankruptcy of health, wealth and prosperity teaching, the aim with this column is to consider Miranda’s claims to deity. Could he, in fact, be the second coming of Christ incarnate?
Before answering this question directly it is important to affirm that the Christian tradition, based on the Bible, clearly teaches the second coming of Jesus Christ. Both the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed, among others, state this explicitly. That said, for at least two reasons there is no doubt that Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda is not the second coming of Christ incarnate.
First, the Bible is clear that when Jesus returns it will be unmistakable. There will be no wondering if a 61-year-old man with a ministry in Miami is in fact the Christ. We will know.
For example, in Matthew 24:24-25 Jesus warns of the appearance of “false Christs” and “false prophets.” He then cautions his disciples against believing “rumors” about His second coming: “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the desert,’ do not go out; or ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it” (24:26). What is the reason Jesus gives for not believing these rumors? “For as lightening that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man … At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory” (24:27, 30).
We are told that Jesus’ return will be as clear as lightening flashing across a midnight Kentucky sky and that no nation will be blind to His powerful and glorious arrival. In fact, a tsunami of mourning will engulf the peoples of the Earth. To be sure, when Jesus returns it will not be an uncertain event.
Second, the Bible is clear that when Jesus returns it is for judgment, not to make people rich with material possessions.
For example, in Matthew 25 Jesus clearly states His purpose when He returns: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left” (31-33). Jesus explains that the sheep represent the righteous who receive eternal life, and the goats represent the unrighteous who receive eternal punishment (34-46). Clearly, eternal judgment is what accompanies Jesus’ second coming, not temporal, earthly riches as Miranda and his followers teach.
It is in this profound sense that Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda “doesn’t look a thing like Jesus.” Therefore, even if he “talks like a gentleman” he is to be rejected for the fraud that he is. Our rejection, however, must include prayer for the repentance of Miranda and his followers. For an undeniable day is coming when the true Son of Man will appear to judge the living and the dead (2 Tim. 4:1).
Even in our “post-Christian” culture, declarations like this are bound to get media attention. For example, on June 10 the New York Times did a feature story on Miranda and his followers. No less than six printed pages were given to what the article’s author, Johnny Dwyer, called “The Hallelujah People.” Consider this rather disturbing section:
“We don't have any crosses here,” said Yajaira Reyes, a 23-year-old worshiper who lives in the Bronx. “We don't have any images. The only image we have is of him.”
Ms. Reyes pointed to a poster-size photograph of a heavyset man who was wearing a dark suit and a wan smile and giving the sect’s two-fingered salute. He is Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda, the 61-year-old founder of this ministry, and he is known to his followers by the majestic title the Man Christ Jesus.
Not surprisingly, Miranda’s claims to divinity are directly tied to his promises of prosperity to those who follow him: “…Mr. Miranda’s mission is to save people from the misery of their life on Earth. If they tithe—contribute 10 percent of their income—and make additional offerings, then prosperity will follow, Mr. Miranda promises. He can achieve this result, he says, because he is God.” What we have here is yet another presentation of the health, wealth and prosperity “gospel"—same polluted message, but with a dangerous new mouthpiece making claims to deity. (Not insignificantly, the article labels Miranda’s group not a “religious sect,” but a “Christian sect.” Given what Miranda teaches, “The Hallelujah People” have abandoned any semblance of orthodox Christianity. Therefore, the association with Christianity is not only inaccurate, but irresponsible.)
The New York Times is not the only news outlet to feature Miranda and his followers. CNN and Newsweek have weighed in as well. According to Dwyer, the sect is noticeably “publicity-conscious,” wielding an “energetic media operation.” Presumably this is to draw as many followers as possible so the coffers can be as full as possible.
While much could be said about the bankruptcy of health, wealth and prosperity teaching, the aim with this column is to consider Miranda’s claims to deity. Could he, in fact, be the second coming of Christ incarnate?
Before answering this question directly it is important to affirm that the Christian tradition, based on the Bible, clearly teaches the second coming of Jesus Christ. Both the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed, among others, state this explicitly. That said, for at least two reasons there is no doubt that Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda is not the second coming of Christ incarnate.
First, the Bible is clear that when Jesus returns it will be unmistakable. There will be no wondering if a 61-year-old man with a ministry in Miami is in fact the Christ. We will know.
For example, in Matthew 24:24-25 Jesus warns of the appearance of “false Christs” and “false prophets.” He then cautions his disciples against believing “rumors” about His second coming: “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the desert,’ do not go out; or ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it” (24:26). What is the reason Jesus gives for not believing these rumors? “For as lightening that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man … At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory” (24:27, 30).
We are told that Jesus’ return will be as clear as lightening flashing across a midnight Kentucky sky and that no nation will be blind to His powerful and glorious arrival. In fact, a tsunami of mourning will engulf the peoples of the Earth. To be sure, when Jesus returns it will not be an uncertain event.
Second, the Bible is clear that when Jesus returns it is for judgment, not to make people rich with material possessions.
For example, in Matthew 25 Jesus clearly states His purpose when He returns: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left” (31-33). Jesus explains that the sheep represent the righteous who receive eternal life, and the goats represent the unrighteous who receive eternal punishment (34-46). Clearly, eternal judgment is what accompanies Jesus’ second coming, not temporal, earthly riches as Miranda and his followers teach.
It is in this profound sense that Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda “doesn’t look a thing like Jesus.” Therefore, even if he “talks like a gentleman” he is to be rejected for the fraud that he is. Our rejection, however, must include prayer for the repentance of Miranda and his followers. For an undeniable day is coming when the true Son of Man will appear to judge the living and the dead (2 Tim. 4:1).
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