heathen philosophers, courtiers, lawyers, as well as the common people.  They did not wait until years afterward to begin to give their testimony concerning his resurrection, but did so immediately after the great event took place.  They were so bold in declaring it that had there been a possibility of refuting their testimony we may be sure that the Pharisees would have attempted it.  They did not give this testimony for the purpose of gaining fame, glory, or riches.  But, on the contrary, they knew that they would bring upon themselves the indignation of the Pharisees and rulers and would expose themselves to suffering and death.

[274]At Pentecost, only fifty days after the resurrection of the Lord, the apostle Peter stood forth before the multitude and proclaimed to the men of Judea and all that dwelt in Jerusalem concerning the resurrection of the Lord.  In his eloquence he exclaimed:  “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ”. (Acts 2:36) So persuasive and convincing was the Apostle’s argument that the Jews who had participated in having the Lord put to death “were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Some of them suffered death and martyrdom because they preached Christ and his resurrection. (Acts 7:59) The apostles and early Christians received much persecution because they testified boldly that Jesus was raised from the dead.  They would not have done this had they been trying to carry out some fraudulent imposition.  Their motive in preaching these doctrines was to be witnesses for the Lord concerning the fulfillment of his great plan for the redemption and deliverance of mankind.

CHRIST THE LORD DIVINE

[275]Jesus was put to death in the flesh and was resurrected a divine being. (1 Peter 3:18) God had promised to grant unto him the divine nature, giving him the power and authority to have inherent life.  Only divine beings have life within themselves and need nothing to sustain life.  Jesus said:  “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself”. (John 5:26) When on earth he was a man.  When he arose from the dead he was the express image of Jehovah God.  “Who being the brightness of his [Jehovah’s] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”  (Hebrews 1:3,4) He was begotten to the divine nature at the time of his baptism in the Jordan.  He was born on the divine plane to the divine nature at his resurrection.  When he arose from the dead he was both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36) Lord means one who owns; one who has power