Jesus Christ’s Effect on the Minds of the Greatest Intellects

Ernest Renan, great French, Oriental linguist scholar who tried to tear the Bible to pieces.

Later, he called Christ:

“A man of colossal dimensions.”

“The incomparable man, to whom the universal conscience has decreed the title of Son of God and that with justice, since He caused religion to take a step in advance incomparably greater than any other in the past and probably any yet to come.”

From Life of Jesus:

“Whatever may be the surprises of the future, Jesus will never be surpassed.”

“The greatest among the sons of men.”

“His suffering will melt the noblest hearts and bring forth tears from innumerable eyes.”

Shakespeare, scientists have ascertained that he had the largest vocabulary of any human being who ever wrote.  Vocabulary is one of the surest measures of I.Q.

“I commend my soul into the hands of God, my creator, hoping and assuredly believing through the merits of Jesus Christ my Savior to be made partaker of life everlasting.”

Tolstoi, the greatest genius of Russian letters

“For thirty five years of my life I was, in the proper acceptation of the word, nihilist, a man who believed in nothing. Five years ago my faith came to me. I believed in the doctrine of Jesus Christ and my whole life underwent a sudden transformation. Life and death ceased to be evil. Instead of despair, I tasted joy and happiness that death could not take away.”

Alfred Tennyson, British poet, 1809-1892

“And so the word had breath, and wrought with human hands the creed of creeds in loveliness of perfect deeds, more strong than all poetic thought.”

Philip Schaff, Swiss-born U.S. biblical scholar, 1858

“This Jesus of Nazareth without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander, Caesar, Mohammed and Napoleon; without science and learning he shed more light on matters human and Divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of schools, he spoke much words of life as were never spoken before or since the produced effects which lie beyond the reach of orator or poet; without writing a single line, he set more pens in motion, furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions…than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times.”

Lord Byron, great genius of letters (yet one of the most immoral men)

“If ever man was God or God man, Jesus Christ was both.”

John Greenleaf Whittier, American poet, 1807-1892

“The ground of hope for myself and for mankind is in that divine fullness of love which was manifested in the life, teachings and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.”

Richter

“Jesus Christ was the holiest of the mighty and mighty among the holy; who lifted with pierced hands empires off their hinges and turned the streams of centuries out of its channel and still governs the ages.”

General Lew Wallace, an atheist, military general and literary genius

He and Robert Ingersoll agreed together they would write a book that would forever destroy the myth of Christianity. Mr. Wallace studied for two years in the leading libraries of Europe and America for information to destroy Christianity. While writing the second chapter of his book, he suddenly found himself on his knees, crying out, “My Lord and my God.” The evidence was overwhelmingly conclusive. Later, Wallace wrote “Ben Hur” – one of the greatest Christian novels.

“After six years given to the impartial investigation of Christianity as to its truth or falsity, I have come to the deliberate conclusion that Jesus Christ was the Messiah of the Jews, the Savior of the world and my own personal Redeemer.”

Arnold Toynbee, British historian and educator, 1889-1975

“As we stand and gaze with out eyes fixed upon the farther shore, a simple figure rises from the flood and straightway fills the whole horizon of history, there is the savior.”

Goethe, German writer and scientist, 1749-1832

Called Jesus:

“The divine man”

“The holy one:

“The human mind, no matter how far it may advance in every other department, will never transcend the height and moral culture of Christianity as it shines and glows in the gospels.”

Jean Jacques Rousseau, one of the greatest intellects of France and a great opponent of Christianity

“Shall we suppose that the evangelical history is a mere fiction? Indeed it bears no marks of fiction; on the contrary, the history of Socrates, which no one presumes to doubt, is not so well attested to as that of Jesus Christ.”

Charles Dickens, British writer, 1812-1870

“I commit my soul to the mercy of God, through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I now most solemnly impress upon you the truth and beauty of the Christian religion as it came from Christ Himself, and the impossibility of going far wrong if you humbly but heartily respect it.”

Bancroft, great American historian

“I find the name of Jesus Christ written at the top of every page of modern history.”

Diderot, French philosopher and writer, 1713-1784

“The unsurpassed.”

Pecant

“The holy one before God.”

Martineau

“The Divine flower of humanity.”

Theodore Parker, American cleric and social reformer known for his abolitionist activities, 1810-1860

“The youth with God in His heart.”

Francis Cobb

“The regenerator of humanity.”

Robert Owen, Welsh-born British manufacturer and social reformer, 1771-1858

“The irreproachable.”

A Yale Professor

“The only intellectually stimulating movement on college campuses in the 80’s  is Christianity.”

Michael Faraday, one of the greatest experimental philosophers; Doctorate from Oxford University, holding 97 unsought for distinctions who discovered Electricity

“I bow before him who is Lord of all.”

“An unexamined life is not worth living.”

Heraclitus,  c540-c480 B.C.

“Much learning does not teach understanding.”

Aristophanes, 450-385 B.C.  Plutus, c388 B.C.

“Even if you persuade me, you won’t persuade me.”

Plato,  428-348 B.C.

“Everything that deceives may be said 'to enchant.' ”

Demosthenes, c384-322 B.C.

Third Olynthiac, Sec. 19:

“Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true.”

“We believe whatever we want to believe.”

Julius Caesar, 100-44 B.C.

“Men willingly believe what they wish.”

Hegel, German philosopher, 1770-1831

“History teaches us that man learns nothing from history.”

Louis Kronenberger, U.S. critic, editor, author, 1904-1980

“The trouble with our age is that it is all signposts and no destination.”

Aldous Huxley, British writer, 1894-1963

“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”

Tim LaHaye, Contemporary speaker and author

“Skepticism is not innate; it has to be taught.”