Basics of Christianity - II

Continuation of Basics of Christianity

The Holy Bible:

This time I am going to detail on New Testament of the Holy Bible.

As you all know, the holy bible is a religious book on Christianity guiding us and teaching us the religion. In the collection of 66 books written by more than 40 authors over a span of 15 countries, God has incorporated all truths, we should know about ourselves.

Bible is divided into two parts:

(I) Old Testament is a preparatory phase where teachers teach ABCD and prepare us for to receive seeds of the New Testament.
(II) New Testament

I will explain this in details as follows.

Introduction of Important Characters in Bible:

(1) Jesus of Nazareth: The central figure
(2) Paul of Tarsus: the Great missionary who directs spread of Christianity after Jesus dies
(3) Peter: First of Jesus's disciples - one of the leaders of the church of Jerusalem
(4) John the Baptist: The forerunner of Jesus, spreading the word of Jesus's imminent arrival
(5) Mary Magdalene: Close friend of Jesus who first discovered that dead body of Jesus was missing from the grave and witnessed resurrected Jesus
(6) Pontius Pilate: Roman emperor in Jerusalem to determine execution of Jesus
(7) Barnabas: Travelling companion of Paul - a missionary spreading up gospel amongst Gentiles
(8) Judas Iscariot: One of the 12 apostles Judas betrays Jesus to the authorities in exchange of 30 silver coins. Later, commits suicide, out of remorse
(9) Stephen: A leader of the Hellenists - a faction of Jewish Christians
(10) Timothy: Missionary and travelling companion of Paul
(11) Mary, Mother of Jesus: Faithful & courageous lady becomes impregnated by The Holy Spirit
(12) Joseph: Mary's Husband
(13) Luke: Travelling companion of Paul and author of Gospel
(14) Caiaphas: High Priest who presides over Jesus's trial and decides crucify
(15) Herod the Great: King who order to kill all children below 2 years age. To evade this, Joseph carries Jesus to Egypt

Miracles:

261 : Jesus heals the man sick of Palsy
267 : Jesus cures the leper
268 : Jesus raises the dead son of the widow of Naim
273 : Cure of the man who had been infirm for 38 years
279 : Christ, stills the tempest
280 : Jesus heals the daughter of Jairus at the point of death
286 : At least, 5000 people could be given loaf and fishes out of five loaves and two fishes
288 : Christ walks on water to save Peter
311 : Gives sight to blind born
317 : Ten lepers get cleaned and cured
323 : Raising Lazarus from the dead to life

Parables:

336 : Parable of ten virgins
306 : Parable of prodigal son
309 : Parable of dives
314 : Parable of rich man
316 : Parable of barren true

Events in Bible:

338 : Last judgment
339 : Last Supper
342 : Treason of Judas
348 : Jesus is seized
354 : Jesus is scourged, crowned with thorns and condemned to death
358 : Crucified at Mount Calvary
362 : Jesus laid in the sepulcher
364 : On the third day, resurrection early in the morning there was a great earthquake and Jesus rises from the dead
371 : Jesus bestows on Peter supreme pastorship
372 : Ascension of Jesus Christ
373 : Acts of apostles

Bible: New Testament - Teachings

(1) Eight Beatitudes: Mathew 5: 1 to 12 the Sermon on the Mount.
- Blessed are the poor in spirit for there is the kingdom of heaven.
- Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land.
- Blessed are that they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.
- Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after juice, for they shall be filled.
- Blessed are the merciful, for they shall attain mercy.
- Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see GOD.
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of GOD.
- Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Blessed are you because your reward is very great in heaven. (262)

(2) When thou dost almost dead, sound hot a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrite does in the synagogues and in the streets that they may be honoured by men.
Take heed you do not your good works before men in order to be seen by them, otherwise, you shall have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

(3) Confidence in GOD:
Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where rust and moth consume, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither rust nor moth consumes.

(4) Where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also. Therefore, I say to you, be not anxious for your life, what you shall eat, nor for the body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than the food? And body more than the raiment?

Behold the fowls of the air for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. And for raiment, why are you solicitous? Consider the lilies of the field. How they grow, they labour neither do they spin.

Be not solicitous, therefore saying: What shall we eat or what shall we drink or where shall we be clothed? For, after all these things do the heathens seek. For your father knows that you have need of all these things. Seek ye, therefore first the kingdom of God and His justice and all these things shall be added unto you.

(5) Judge not, that you may not be judged. For with what judgment you have judged, you shall be judged and with what measure you have measured, it shall be measured to you again.

All things, therefore, whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also do to them for this is the law and prophets. (266)

(6) Jesus said:

The blind see,
The lame walk,
The lepers cured,
The dead rise again,
To the poor, the gospel is preached and blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in me. (276)

(7)

ASK AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN.
SEEK AND YOU WILL GIVEN FIND,
KNOCK AND DOOR WILL OPEN FOR YOU. (297)

(8) He that stoppeth his ear against the cry of poor, shall also cry himself and shall not be heard. (299)

(9) What must I do to possess eternal life? Thou shall love the Lord, thy God, with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul, and with all thy mind and thy neighbour as thyself. (302)

(10) Ten Commandments:
Thou shall not kill,
Thou shall not commit adultery,
Thou shall not steal
Thou shall not bear false witness
Honour thy father and thy mother
Thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself. (320)

(11) Seven Words of Jesus on the cross before death.

1. He saved other, himself, he cannot save.
2. FATHER, FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO.

N.B. Figure at the end of paragraph describes page number of book bible history (1989)

(1) Book: BIBLE HISTORY by Ignatius Schuster D.D. of St. Paul Publications Bandra, Mumbai 400 050. gifted to me by Mr P. A. Patel Jalnagar, Bilimora.
(2) Thankful to Rev. Dr Cecil Chauhan CNI Church, Bilimora.