Concerning his public ministry, these sources record Jesus’ baptism by John (Ignatius) and his choosing of apostles (Barnabas, Justin). There are also reports of miracles performed by Jesus (Quadratus, Barnabas, Justin). Here it is carefully pointed out that these miracles consisted of people being both healed and raised from the dead, concerning which it is asserted that some of the eyewitnesses to these events were still alive (Quadratus). It is also claimed that Pilate filed a report with the officials at Rome which corroborated these details (Justin). Additionally, we are told that Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy, thereby validating his claims (Justin). The Teachings of Jesus
These sources also record some of Jesus’ important teachings. It is related that he preached and taught Israel, a people whom he loved (Barnabas). He exhorted the Jews to repent, yet they did not do so even after he rose from the dead, an event which Jesus had predicted ahead of time (Justin).
Jesus’ major teaching was the nature of the gospel, which he received from God and later imparted to his apostles (Clement, Barnabas). It is asserted that the apostles were fully assured of the truthfulness of the message and that they, in turn, preached the Kingdom of God in various towns and countries. Where this message went, it was accompanied by the organizing of churches, complete with the choosing of leaders such as bishops and deacons (Clement). The Death of Jesus
These early Christian writers were careful to point to the facticity of Jesus’ death by crucifixion (Ignatius, Barnabas, Justin). They sought to link it firmly to history, such as with the assertion that this event occurred during the governorship of Pontius Pilate and the reign of Herod (Ignatius).
