Paul wrote, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory” (1 Tim. 3:16).
We begin our study by defining the phrase “without controversy”. What does it mean? It means there is no, nor can there be any doubt. In this context it means no one should have had any doubt that Jesus was the Christ. Why is this “without controversy”? First, because there where 10’s of 1,000’s of witnesses that saw Jesus alive, i.e., he was (5,000 John 6:1-14), (4,000 Matthew 15:32-39), (Great Multitude Luke 6:17-19), (Witnesses 1 Corinthians 15:3-8). Then there are the Old Testament prophecies Jesus fulfilled concerning the Messiah—it couldn’t be clearer. Jesus said, “17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one [a]jot or one [b]tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:17-18).
Jesus Really Did Just That: “44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. 46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, [a]and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:44-48). It is “without controversy” because, “There are three hundred and thirty-two distinct prophesies in the Old Testament which have been fulfilled in Christ.” [Joseph P. Free, Archaeology and Bible History, 284].
Secondly also, “without controversy” because even historians like Titus Flavius Josephus who was a first-century Jewish historian, military general, and ambassador for Rome. Josephus was a highly educated aristocrat, born into a wealthy family with strong ties to the Jewish priesthood. Of Jesus he recorded “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 received 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 to them alive 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. ”
What is amazing? That so many today still refuse to believe the plain and substantiated truth that Jesus was proven historically, biblically to be the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God. That is without controversy mind-boggling.