What Did Jesus Say?: Truth and Grace That Fill Our Spiritual Void

By Ralph E. Williams

This book presents in chronological order everything Jesus said on earth as reported in the Bible. It combines relevant portions from all four Gospels (and a bit of Acts), integrating them into one coherent, chronological flow. This is a unique approach that will excite and inspire readers with the Truth and Grace inherent in the totality of all

• Language: English
• Publisher: River Birch Press
• Release date: Dec 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9781951561604

Ralph E. Williams

Ralph Williams is a Ph.D. in physics, now retired, who spent his career in the semiconductor industry. More relevant, he has been a committed Christian since childhood and has nursed the concept of this book for over a decade. He believes this book's approach is unique, focusing on the total words of Jesus, and will inspire others as it has him. Ralph and his wife live in a suburb of Dallas, TX.

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Preface

The Old Testament of the Bible tells the story of God’s creation of the universe and His interaction with humanity during the period before Jesus appeared on earth. Both Old and New Testaments contain a considerable number of prophecies, hundreds of which have already been fulfilled exactly. None have been shown false. Some are still pending.

There are around 332 prophecies in the Old Testament about the Messiah (the anticipated savior of the Jews). Jesus was the fulfillment of those prophecies. Here are a very few examples to illustrate the point:

Virgin birth: Isaiah 7:14

Triumphal entry: Zechariah 9:9

30 pieces of silver: Zechariah 11:12,13

Casting lots for His clothes: Psalm 22:18

The following is a summary of major events around and after the birth of Jesus, but before any of His words were documented in the New Testament.

The angel Gabriel appears to Mary, a virgin betrothed to Joseph, in their town of Nazareth in Galilee. He tells her she will conceive a son through the power of the Holy Spirit and that she will name him Jesus.

Joseph and Mary travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem (about 90 miles or at least a three-day trip) to be registered in the census declared by Caesar Augustus. It is here that Jesus is born.

An angel of the Lord appears to shepherds, announcing, "I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David [Bethlehem] a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:8-12).

These shepherds visit Jesus in Bethlehem and relate what the Lord revealed to them.

After about 40 days, Mary and Joseph travel to Jerusalem (only five miles from Bethlehem) to present Jesus at the temple and make a sacrifice per Jewish custom. There they met a man named Simeon to whom the Holy Spirit had revealed that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Simeon holds Jesus, praises God, and proclaims he has now seen the Christ (Luke 2:27-32).

Wise men from the East come to worship Jesus, following a bright star. They come to Jerusalem and inquire about He who has been born King of the Jews. Herod the King doesn’t like the idea of another king and asks his priests and scribes where the Christ was to be born. Quoting the Scripture (Micah 5:2), they answer, Bethlehem. Herod sends the wise men to Bethlehem, telling them to report where they find Him.

The star reappears and goes before them until it stands over the location of Jesus. They fall down and worship Jesus and give Him gifts of gold, frankincense (a costly fragrance), and myrrh (a costly ointment). Divinely warned, the wise men return home without going back to Jerusalem and without reporting to Herod.

An angel appears to Joseph in a dream and orders him to flee to Egypt with Jesus, as Herod will seek to destroy Jesus. The family flees to Egypt.

Herod, angry that he has not found Jesus, resolves to ensure Jesus does not survive. He orders the death of all male children in Bethlehem and all its districts who are two years old or younger. This fails, of course, since Joseph, Mary, and Jesus have already fled to Egypt.

After Herod is dead, an angel again appears to Joseph in a dream and orders him to return to Israel. The family goes to Nazareth and dwells there.

The first words of Jesus recorded in the Gospels are when He was visiting the Temple at age twelve. He next appears in the gospels when He is baptized by John the Baptist, marking the beginning of His adult ministry. This chapter also includes the famous verse, For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. Jesus asserts His divinity to the Samaritan women at the well and many there come to believe in Him.

Jesus at the Temple at age 12

His parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast, and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.

Joseph and his mother didn’t know it, but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day’s journey, and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances.

When they didn’t find him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for him. It happened after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

When they saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I were anxiously looking for you.

He said to them, Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?

They didn’t understand the saying which he spoke to them.

He went down with them, and came to Nazareth. He was subject to them, and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. But John would have hindered him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?

But Jesus, answering, said to him, Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he allowed him.

Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Jesus tempted by the devil

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward. The tempter came and said to him, If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.

But he answered, It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’

Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

‘He will give his angels charge concerning you.’ and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, So that you don’t dash your foot against a stone.’"

Jesus said to him, Again, it is written, ‘You shall not test the Lord, your God.’

Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory. He said to him, I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me.

Then Jesus said to him, Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’

Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him.

John the Baptist proclaims Jesus

On the next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Jesus meets future disciples Andrew and Simon Peter

Source: Jn. 1:35-42

Again, on the next day, John [the Baptist] was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, Behold, the Lamb of God! The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, What are you looking for?

They said to him, Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), where are you staying?

He said to them, Come, and see.

They came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about the tenth hour [4pm]. One of the two who heard John, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, We have found the Messiah! (which is, being interpreted, Christ). He brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him, and said, You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas (which is by interpretation, Peter).

Jesus calls disciples Philip and Nathanael

Source: Jn. 1:43-51

On the next day, he was determined to go forth into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, Follow me.

Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

Nathanael said to him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?

Philip said to him, Come and see.

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said about him, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!

Nathanael said to him, How do you know me?

Jesus answered him, Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.

Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel!

Jesus answered him, Because I told you, ‘I saw you underneath the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these! He said to him, Most assuredly, I tell you, hereafter you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.

First miracle of Jesus reported in the Gospels—water into wine

The third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. Jesus also was invited, with his disciples, to the marriage. When the wine ran out, Jesus’ Mother said to him, They have no wine.

Jesus said to her, Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.

His mother said to the servants, Whatever he says to you, do it. Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews’ manner of purifying, containing two or three metretes [20 to 30 gallons] apiece.

Jesus said to them, Fill the water pots with water. They filled them up to the brim. He said to them, Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast. They took it.

When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom, and said to him, Everyone serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. You have kept the good wine until now! This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

First cleansing of the temple

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and the changers of money sitting. He made a whip of cords, and threw all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew their tables.

To those who sold the doves, he said, Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!

His disciples remembered that it was written, Zeal for your house will eat me up.

The Jews therefore answered him, What sign do you show to us, seeing that you do these things?

Jesus answered them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

The Jews therefore said, Forty-six years was this temple in building, and will you raise it up in three days?

But he spoke of the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this, and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

Teaches Nicodemus about second birth

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.

Jesus answered him, Most assuredly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

Jesus answered, Most assuredly I tell you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he can’t enter into the kingdom of God! That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.

Nicodemus answered him, How can these things be?

Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things? Most assuredly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness. If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only born Son of God.

This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, for fear that his works would be reproved. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done with God.

Jesus meets Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well

He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee. He needed to pass through Samaria. So he came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son, Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being tired from his journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour [noon]. A woman of Samaria came to draw water.

Jesus said to her, Give me a drink. For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

The Samaritan woman therefore said to him, How is it that you, being a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman? (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

Jesus answered her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.

The woman said to him, Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. From where then have you that living water? Are you greater than our father, Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself, as did his sons, and his cattle?

Jesus answered her, Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.

The woman said to him, Sir, give me this water, so that I don’t get thirsty, neither come all the way here to draw.

Jesus said to her, Go, call your husband, and come here.

The woman answered, I have no husband.

Jesus said to her, You said well, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands; and he whom you now have is not your husband. This you have said truly.

The woman said to him, Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.

Jesus said to her, Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, will you worship the Father. You worship that which you don’t know. We worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshippers. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

The woman said to him, I know that Messiah comes, (he who is called Christ). When he has come, he will declare to us all things.

Jesus said to her, I who speak to you am he.

At this, his disciples came. They marveled that he was speaking with a woman; yet no one said, What are you looking for? or, Why do you speak with her?

So the woman left her water pot, and went away into the city, and said to