苏格拉底教了四十年，柏拉图五十年，亚里斯多德四十年，耶稣只教了三年；然而这三年的教诲对人类的影响却无限的超越了苏格拉底、柏拉图与亚里斯多德三位大师一百卅年教导的总合。耶稣没有画过画，然而拉斐尔、米开兰基罗、达文西从祂那里获得灵感。耶稣没写过诗，但是但丁，米尔顿以及许多世界上最伟大的诗人受祂启迪。耶稣没有创作音乐，然而海顿、韩德尔、贝多芬、巴哈、孟德尔松在交向乐和神剧中以歌颂耶稣达到了颠峰。因此人类文明中任何灿烂的成就与这个谦卑的拿撒勒木匠比起来都将黯然失色。耶稣带给人类独一的恩典就是拯救人的灵魂。哲学做不到，艺术、文学、音乐也做不到，只有耶稣基督能断开罪的锁炼，只有祂能赐能力给软弱的心灵，使人出死入生。世人对祂遥遥的仰慕，有些人尊祂为典范，想模仿祂的样式，可惜只有少数人打开心门，接受祂为自己的救主。
即使耶稣基督在伯利恒再诞生一千次，如果祂不活在你的心里，你仍然毫无盼望。
Example or Saviour?
Socrates taught for forty years, Plato for fifty, Aristotle for forty, and Jesus for only three; yet those three years infinitely transcend in influence the combined one hundred and thirty years of teaching of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, three of the greatest men of all antiquity. Jesus painted no pictures; yet the paintings of Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci received their inspiration from Him. Jesus wrote no poetry; but Dante, Milton, and scores of the world’s greatest poets were inspired by Him. Jesus composed no music; still Haydn, Handel,Beethoven, Bach, and Mendelssohn reached their highest perfection of melody in the hymns, symphonies, and oratorios written in His praise. Thus every sphere of human greatness has been incomparably enriched by the humble carpenter of Nazareth. But His unique contribution to the race of men is the salvation of the soul. Philosophy could not accomplish that – nor art – nor literature – nor music. Only Jesus Christ can break the power of sin; only He can speak “power into the strengthless soul, and life into the dead.” The world admires Christ afar off. Some adopt Him as their example and try to pattern their lives after His. A few open the door of their hearts and invite Him in to be their Saviour.
Though Christ a thousand times in Bethlehem be born, If He’s not born in thee, thy soul is still forlorn.
—Bible In New York
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