Die Bron van ons hoop – Dag 5

Jerusalem was vol opwinding oor die wonderlike nuus dat Jesus uit die dood opgestaan het. Indien dit waar was, was dit logies om te hoop dat die dood nie finaal is nie. Die impak hiervan het ver en wyd gestrek.

Die aantal gelowiges het met rasse skrede toegeneem. Beide Jode en nie-Jode het die Heilige Gees ontvang en is in die Naam van Jesus Christus gedoop (Handelinge 10:47-48). In Antiogië is gelowiges vir die eerste keer Christene genoem (Handelinge 11:26).

Flavius Josefus, ʼn Fariseër en bekende Romeinse geskiedskrywer, is in 37 n.C. gebore. Hy sê die volgende oor die Christene: “Now there was about this time, Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was (the) Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared alive to them again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day” (The Antiquities of the Jews: Flavius Josephus).

“The tribe of Christians” waarna Flavius Josefus verwys, neem steeds toe. Die Christendom is die grootste godsdiens ter wêreld. Volgens Todd M Johnson en Peter F Crossing, in ʼn artikel “Independent Christianity and Slum Dwellers”, was daar in 2013 byna 2,4 miljard Christene wêreldwyd wat sowat een derde van die wêreldbevolking uitmaak.