James E. Talmage - Jesus the Christ

James E. Talmage

A Study of the Messiah and His Mission According to Holy Scriptures Both Ancient and Modern

e-artnow, 2020

Contact: info@e-artnow.org

EAN: 4064066399962

Preface. PREFACE. Table of Contents The scope of the subject presented in this work is expressed on the title page. It will be readily seen that the author has departed from the course usually followed by writers on the Life of Jesus Christ, which course, as a rule, begins with the birth of Mary's Babe and ends with the ascension of the slain and risen Lord from Olivet. The treatment embodied in these pages, in addition to the narrative of the Lord's life in the flesh comprizes the antemortal existence and activities of the world's Redeemer, the revelations and personal manifestations of the glorified and exalted Son of God during the apostolic period of old and in modern times, the assured nearness of the Lord's second advent, and predicted events beyond—all so far as the Holy Scriptures make plain. It is particularly congruous and appropriate that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—the only Church that affirms authority based on specific revelation and commission to use the Lord's Holy Name as a distinctive designation—should set forth her doctrines concerning the Messiah and His mission. The author of this volume entered upon his welcome service under request and appointment from the presiding authorities of the Church; and the completed work has been read to and is approved by the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve. It presents, however, the writer's personal belief and profoundest conviction as to the truth of what he has written. The book is published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A characteristic feature of the work is the guidance afforded by modern scriptures and the explication of the Holy Writ of olden times in the light of present day revelation, which, as a powerful and well directed beam, illumines many dark passages of ancient construction. The spirit of the sacredness inherent in the subject has been a constant companion of the writer throughout his pleasing labor, and he reverently invokes the same as a minister to the readers of the volume. JAMES E. TALMAGE. Salt Lake City, Utah, September, 1915.

Chapter 1. Introduction.

Chapter 2. Preexistence and Foreordination of the Christ.

Chapter 3. The Need of a Redeemer.

Chapter 4. The Antemortal Godship of Christ.

Chapter 5. Earthly Advent of the Christ Predicted.

Chapter 6. The Meridian of Time.

Chapter 7. Gabriel's Annunciation of John and of Jesus.

Chapter 8. The Babe of Bethlehem.

Chapter 9. The Boy of Nazareth.

Chapter 10. In The Wilderness of Judea.

Chapter 11. From Judea to Galilee.

Chapter 12. Early Incidents in Our Lord's Public Ministry.

Chapter 13. Honored by Strangers, Rejected by His Own.

Chapter 14. Continuation of Our Lord's Ministry in Galilee.

Chapter 15. Lord of the Sabbath.

Chapter 16. The Chosen Twelve.

Chapter 17. The Sermon on the Mount.

Chapter 18. As One Having Authority.

Chapter 19. "He Spake Many Things unto Them in Parables."

Chapter 20. "Peace, Be Still."

Chapter 21. The Apostolic Mission, and Events Related Thereto.

Chapter 22. A Period of Darkening Opposition.

Chapter 23. The Transfiguration.

Chapter 24. From Sunshine to Shadow.

Chapter 25. Jesus Again in Jerusalem.

Chapter 26. Our Lord's Ministry in Perea and Judea.

Chapter 27. Continuation of the Perean and Judean Ministry.

Chapter 28. The Last Winter.

Chapter 29. On to Jerusalem.

Chapter 30. Jesus Returns to the Temple Daily.

Chapter 31. The Close of Our Lord's Public Ministry.

Chapter 32. Further Instruction to the Apostles.

Chapter 33. The Last Supper and the Betrayal.

Chapter 34. The Trial and Condemnation.

Chapter 35. Death and Burial.

Chapter 36. In the Realm of Disembodied Spirits.

Chapter 37. The Resurrection and the Ascension.

Chapter 38. The Apostolic Ministry.

Chapter 39. Ministry of the Resurrected Christ on the Western Hemisphere.

Chapter 40. The Long Night of Apostasy.

Chapter 41. Personal Manifestations of God the Eternal Father and of His Son Jesus Christ in Modern Times.

Chapter 42. Jesus the Christ to Return.

Table of Contents

The scope of the subject presented in this work is expressed on the title page. It will be readily seen that the author has departed from the course usually followed by writers on the Life of Jesus Christ, which course, as a rule, begins with the birth of Mary's Babe and ends with the ascension of the slain and risen Lord from Olivet. The treatment embodied in these pages, in addition to the narrative of the Lord's life in the flesh comprizes the antemortal existence and activities of the world's Redeemer, the revelations and personal manifestations of the glorified and exalted Son of God during the apostolic period of old and in modern times, the assured nearness of the Lord's second advent, and predicted events beyond—all so far as the Holy Scriptures make plain.

It is particularly congruous and appropriate that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—the only Church that affirms authority based on specific revelation and commission to use the Lord's Holy Name as a distinctive designation—should set forth her doctrines concerning the Messiah and His mission.

The author of this volume entered upon his welcome service under request and appointment from the presiding authorities of the Church; and the completed work has been read to and is approved by the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve. It presents, however, the writer's personal belief and profoundest conviction as to the truth of what he has written. The book is published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

A characteristic feature of the work is the guidance afforded by modern scriptures and the explication of the Holy Writ of olden times in the light of present day revelation, which, as a powerful and well directed beam, illumines many dark passages of ancient construction.

The spirit of the sacredness inherent in the subject has been a constant companion of the writer throughout his pleasing labor, and he reverently invokes the same as a minister to the readers of the volume.

JAMES E. TALMAGE.

Salt Lake City, Utah,

September, 1915.

Table of Contents

It is a matter of history that, at or near the beginning of what has since come to be known as the Christian era, the Man Jesus, surnamed the Christ, was born in Bethlehem of Judea. 1The principal data as to His birth, life, and death are so well attested as to be reasonably indisputable; they are facts of record, and are accepted as essentially authentic by the civilized world at large. True, there are diversities of deduction based on alleged discrepancies in the records of the past as to circumstantial details; but such differences are of strictly minor importance, for none of them nor all taken together cast a shadow of rational doubt upon the historicity of the earthly existence of the Man known in literature as Jesus of Nazareth.

As to who and what He was there are dissensions of grave moment dividing the opinions of men; and this divergence of conception and belief is most pronounced upon those matters to which the greatest importance attaches. The solemn testimonies of millions dead and of millions living unite in proclaiming Him as divine, the Son of the Living God, the Redeemer and Savior of the human race, the Eternal Judge of the souls of men, the Chosen and Anointed of the Father—in short, the Christ. Others there are who deny His Godhood while extolling the transcendent qualities of His unparalleled and unapproachable Manhood.