Bible Breakdown
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth - 2Ti 2:15
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." - 2Ti 2:15 (KJV)
How To Understand The Bible
By Robert F. Harkrider ©1989
THE MOSAIC PERIOD
Lesson 2
The second dispensation of Bible history is commonly called the "Mosaic Period." An understanding of this period is important for it is the history of the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham-that through Abraham's seed God would bless all families of the earth (Gen. 12:1-3). We are informed how God developed and dealt with the family out of which the Savior of the world was born.
I. SIGNIFICANT FACTS OF THE MOSAIC DISPENSATION:
A. Name-This period is named after Moses, for it was through him God delivered the law to the Jews.
B. Duration
1. This age begins with the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai and lasts until the death of Christ, a span of about 1500 years.
2. The Bible record of this period may be read from Exodus 20 through Acts 1.
C. Background
1. Abraham had been promised a great nation and land (Gen. 12:1-2). Jacob, Abraham's grandson, whose name was changed to Israel, fathered twelve sons, known as the twelve Patriarchs. The descendants of these sons became known as the twelve tribes of Israel.
2. The twelve tribes of Israel formed the nation of Israel. Through Joseph, the great-grandson of Abraham, the Israelites spent 215 years in Egypt (Read Gen. 12-50). When God was ready to lead this nation to the promised land, He chose Moses to be His spokesman (Read Ex. 1-20). This occurred 430 years from the time of the original promise to Abraham (Gal. 3:16-17).
D. Importance
1. Many interesting and profitable stories are contained in this period. Valuable lessons can be gleaned from the lives of Moses, Joshua, Samson, Samuel, Saul, David, Solomon, Elijah, Elisha, and many others (Rom. 15:4; Heb. 11:32).
2. As we survey this period, however, keep in mind the underlying thread which ties it to the rest of the Bible-God is preparing the world for Christ.
3. We can best analyze the significance of this period in relationship to Christ by studying about the law of Moses.
II. THE LAW OF MOSES-ITS PURPOSE AND DURATION
A. The Law Was Given To The Jews-Not For All Nations.
1. The Ten Commandments were given on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 20:1-17).
2. These commandments, written on tables of stone, were important; however, we must remember that the Law of Moses included many other laws pertaining to their worship and government. The complete total of all commandments which were delivered through Moses, both religious and civil, are referred to as "the law of Moses" (Acts 13:38-39). The Law of Moses is the same as the Law of the Lord (2 Chron. 34:14; Luke 2:22-24).
3. This law was not given to all people or for all ages, but was given to the Jews only at Mt. Sinai (Horeb) Ex. 31:17-18; Nehemiah 9:13-14.
a. Not given to fathers, Deut. 5:1-3, 12, 15.
b. Not dealt so with any nation, Psalms 147:19-20.
c. One law for Israel and the stranger, Ex. 12:43-49.
B. The Law Was To Serve As A Schoolmaster, Gal. 3:19-29.
1. Worship revealed by this law consisted of animal sacrifices and observance of various days, weeks, months, and years.
2. Its sacrifices were as a shadow of the sacrifice of Christ, Heb. 9:19-28; 10:1.
3. Through its commandments man was made conscious of sin and his need for a Savior, Gal. 3:19; Rom. 3:20; Rom. 7:7,13.
C. The Law Did Not Provide Remission of Sins, Acts 13:38-39.
1. Every year sacrifices had to be made again because sins were remembered, Heb. 10:14.
2. For this reason, the law was called "weak and unprofitable." Heb. 7:18-19.
D. The Law Came To An End With The Death Of Christ.
1. A new covenant was necessary which would provide remission of sins, Heb. 8:6-8, 13.
2. The New Testament became of force at His death, Heb. 9:15-17.
3. The law was nailed to the cross, Col. 2:14-17.
4. Both Gentile and Jew now have hope in Christ, Eph. 2:11-17; Col. 3:11-12.
5. The Ten Commandments (written on tables of stone) were also done away when Christ died, 2 Cor. 3:7-14.
6. Actually the New Testament contains every one of the ten commandments with the exception of "Remember the Sabbath Day." Christians worship on the first day of the week (the Lord's Day), Acts 20:7; Rev. 1:10.
E. To Serve the Law Makes the Cross of None Effect. 1. If righteousness is by the law, Christ is dead in vain, Gal. 2:21.
2. Those who justify their religion by the law are fallen from grace, Gal. 5:2-4.
3. We do not search the Old Testament to learn how to become Christians nor to learn how to worship God as Christians.
a. We do believe and study the Old Testament, for it teaches the nature of God, the sureness of His word, and of His exceeding love for us, Rom. 15:4.
b. The example of Israel serves as an admonition to Christians, 1 Cor. 10:6-12.
III. CHRONOLOGICAL EVENTS OF THE MOSAIC DISPENSATION.
A. Forty Years In Wilderness Because Of Unbelief, Numbers 13;14; Deut. 1.
1. Israel murmured and complained; lacked faith, Heb. 3:12-19.
2. Joshua led the Israelites after the death of Moses, Deut. 1:35-39.
B. Conquest of Canaan
1. Under the leadership of Joshua the Israelites gained the land promised to Abraham, Gen. 12:1.
2. Received all the land God had promised them, Josh. 21:43-45; 23:14; 1 Kings 4:21.
C. Period of the Judges
1. Fifteen judges ruled over a span of 450 years, Acts 13:20.
2. The most familiar names are Deborah, Gideon, Samson, and Samuel, Heb. 11:32.
D. The United Kingdom
1. Saul, David, and Solomon reigned forty years each.
2. Israel reached its greatest strength during this period, 1 Kings 10:1-7.
E. The Divided Kingdom
1. Upon the death of Solomon Israel became a divided nation. The ten Northern tribes led by Jeroboam and the two Southern tribes led by Rehoboam were separated.
2. The Northern Kingdom (Israel) was taken captive by Assyrians in 721 B.C.
3. The Southern Kingdom (Judah) was overthrown by Babylonians in 606 B.C.
F. The Age of the Prophets (The fall of the nation and prophecies of Christ).
1. During the decline of the nation, the captivity, and the return to Jerusalem God spoke through the prophets.
2. Their mission was to try to save the nation from its idolatry and wickedness; failing in this, they announced the nation's destruction. However, they foretold that a remnant would be spared.
3. Out of this remnant would come the Promised Seed of Abraham (Christ), who would bring all nations to God.
G. Return From Captivity
1. The first remnant of Israelites was led back to Jerusalem under the guidance of Zerubbabel who started them rebuilding the temple in 536 B.C.
2. The second remnant was led by Ezra, who helped to reorganize and re-establish the nation, in 457 B.C.
3. The third remnant was led by Nehemiah who directed the rebuilding of the wall about the city of Jerusalem in 444 B.C.
Monday, May 30, 2005
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Bible Breakdown - 1
Bible Breakdown
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth - 2Ti 2:15
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." - 2Ti 2:15 (KJV)
Before moving into specific textual portions of the New Testament and some lessons concerning Jesus there are some basic principles I would like to present on how to understand the Bible. When we open any Bible we see it divided into Old Testament and New Testament, then Book, Chapter and Verse. However, there is a timeline that is not outlined, and not all the Books follow this timeline. For example, the Book of Job is purported to be the oldest writing, but is located in the middle of the Old Testament. The Books of Ester, Ezra and Nehamiah are out of chronological order. The Four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, although written after the resurrection of Christ, the content takes place under the Old Testament when to old Mosaic Law was still in effect. Our first lesson is going to be very general and I will be using copyrighted material that is in outline format. With all this in mind, let us begin.
How To Understand The Bible
By Robert F. Harkrider ©1989
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE BIBLE
Lesson 1
With this lesson you are beginning a study of the greatest book ever to be delivered into human hands. The Bible is the book of books. It has done more to change the course of human events than any other book ever printed. To engage in a successful Bible study one must understand a little about its make-up. All of the Bible is the word of God, but not all of it is in the form of commandments for us to obey today (e.g., "make thee an ark." Gen. 6:14). Therefore to properly understand, we must "rightly divide the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). We can do this best if we first have an overall view of the Bible story.
I. GENERAL MAKE-UP OF THE BIBLE
A. Its Name Indicates Its Pre-eminence.
1. The word Bible comes from the Greek word "Biblios" which means "a book."
2. Because of its importance God's Word is called "The Book of All Books."
B. The Bible Is Composed of Two Major Divisions.
1. Though the whole composition is called "The Book" the Bible is made up of 66 individual books which are divided into two major sections.
2. The Old Testament contains 39 books originally written in Hebrew by about 32 men over a period dating from about 1500 B.C. to 400 B.C. This part of the Bible tells of man's earliest existence and of God's first covenants with man.
3. The New Testament contains 27 books originally written in Greek by 8 men over a period dating from about 52 A.D. to 97 A.D. This is the record of God's covenant for man today. It is called "new" for the first covenant was set aside when this was given (Heb. 7:18; Heb. 8:13).
C. The Bible Is Inspired of God.
1. About 40 men wrote the Bible as God's Spirit directed them, 2 Peter 1:21.
2. They used the words given by the Holy Spirit, 1 Cor. 2:10-13; 1 Thes. 2:13.
3. Therefore the Bible is inspired (God-breathed), 2 Tim. 3:16-17;
Eph. 3:3 -5.
4. The unity of the Bible is one proof of its inspiration. These forty men lived over a span of 1600 years and had no possible way to confer with one another. They came from various backgrounds and social levels; they even wrote in different languages. Yet the Bible is without contradiction! Had the Bible been the work of 40 minds it would surely be filled with conflicting human opinions. Its unity proves that the Bible is from one mind-the mind of God!
II. THE HISTORICAL PERIODS OF THE BIBLE
A. Three Dispensations of Time
1. Some Bible students believe the patriarchal form of God's revelation continued among the Gentile nations until the cross of Christ. They reason that the Israelite nation was called aside by God for a special purpose (the coming of Christ) and that the law of Moses was a special law given only to them. This view certainly does not conflict with the Bible statement of how God spoke in "times past" and "in these last days" (Heb. 1:1-2).
2. However, for the sake of clarity and because the Bible really does not give us a detailed picture of the Gentile nations after the development of Israel, we shall follow the basic chronological development of three distinct periods of Bible history.
B. The Basic Descriptions of These Three Periods
1. The Patriarchal (Father-rule) began at Creation and lasted until the giving of the law on Mt. Sinai. Its history is recorded in Gen. 1 to Exo. 20.
2. The Mosaic or Jewish (National) began at Mt. Sinai and lasted until the crucifixion of Christ. Its history is found from Exodus 20 to Acts 2. This law was to last for a definite time (Gal. 3:19-29). It was nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14-18). It was done away (2 Cor. 3). We no longer are bound by it.
3. The Christian (International) began at Jerusalem on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ and will last until the end of time. Its record is found from Acts 2 through Revelation. We live under this. Heb. 1:1-2; 10:8-10.
THE PATRIARCHAL PERIOD
The first dispensation of Bible history is commonly called the "Patriarchal Period." An understanding of this age is important, for it tells of man's earliest relationship with God and answers many questions basic to understanding the rest of the Bible.
I. SIGNIFICANT FACTS OF THE PATRIARCHAL PERIOD
A. Name
1. The word "patriarch" means "father, leader, chief, ruler"; therefore this period is literally called the age of "Father-Rule."
2. God revealed His will directly to the heads of the families who in turn taught their children (Heb. 1:1-2). There is no evidence of any written law during this age.
B. Man's Relationship to God
1. As God spoke to the fathers by dreams, angels, or visions, they would instruct their children, thus this is sometimes called an age of family religion (Gen. 18:19).
2. Worship consisted of animal sacrifices offered upon altars (Gen. 8:20; 12:7-8).
C. Duration
1. We will relieve the Bible of many pressures if we will keep in mind that it was written for religious ends rather than scientific or chronological purposes. We are not given an exact date for creation nor can we be certain that every generation from Adam is specifically mentioned. On the basis of what is revealed this period lasted at least 2500 years, perhaps longer.
2. This period begins with Creation, recorded in Gen. 1, and continues until the giving of the Ten Commandments recorded in Exodus 20.
D. Importance of the Patriarchal Period
The Bible record of the Patriarchal Period does not go into detail about every event or person, but what is told answers some important questions which give us a deeper understanding of the rest of the Bible. Let us consider some:
II. QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY THE SIGNIFICANT EVENTS OF THE PATRIARCHAL PERIOD:
A. How Did All Things Begin? (The Creation)
1. All things started with a miracle of God, Genesis 1:1-2:3.
2. The atheist must start somewhere-all things came from nothing? FANTASTIC! WHO CAN BELIEVE IT?
B. What Makes Man Superior To Animals? (The Creation of Man In God's Image)
1. Man created in God's image-spirit, intelligence, dominion, Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7-8.
2. Institution of marriage-woman, an help suitable for man, Gen. 2:18-24.
C. Why Do We Need God, Salvation, or the Bible? (The Fall of Man)
1. Man's first relationship with God was ideal. God placed man in the Garden of Eden and provided every necessary thing, Gen. 2:8-17.
2. Man is in God's image, thus God did not force Adam to serve Him. The devil tempted; man fell by his own choice; his return will be by choice, Gen. 3:1-13; Rom. 6:16-18.
D. Will God Really Destroy That Which He Has Created? (The Flood)
1. Man's wickedness increased; God purposed to destroy the world, Gen. 6:5-7.
2. Through the righteousness of Noah eight souls were spared, Gen. 6:8-10:32.
3. God has promised to destroy the world again, 2 Pet. 3:1-14.
E. How Did Man Become Separated Into Different Nations? (The Division of Man)
1. The Tower of Babel-confusing of tongues, Gen. 11:1-9.
2. The descendants of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, Gen. 10, 11.
F. Who Are The Jews, and Why Were They God's Chosen People? (The Call of Abraham)
1. The Land promise (Canaan, Palestine), Gen. 12:1.
2. The Nation promise (Israel, Hebrews, Jews), Gen. 12:2.
3. The Spiritual promise (Christ), Gen. 12:3, "bless all families ..." Gal. 3:26-29.
We will continue in our next lesson by looking at the Mosaic and Christian dispensations.
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth - 2Ti 2:15
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." - 2Ti 2:15 (KJV)
Before moving into specific textual portions of the New Testament and some lessons concerning Jesus there are some basic principles I would like to present on how to understand the Bible. When we open any Bible we see it divided into Old Testament and New Testament, then Book, Chapter and Verse. However, there is a timeline that is not outlined, and not all the Books follow this timeline. For example, the Book of Job is purported to be the oldest writing, but is located in the middle of the Old Testament. The Books of Ester, Ezra and Nehamiah are out of chronological order. The Four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, although written after the resurrection of Christ, the content takes place under the Old Testament when to old Mosaic Law was still in effect. Our first lesson is going to be very general and I will be using copyrighted material that is in outline format. With all this in mind, let us begin.
How To Understand The Bible
By Robert F. Harkrider ©1989
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE BIBLE
Lesson 1
With this lesson you are beginning a study of the greatest book ever to be delivered into human hands. The Bible is the book of books. It has done more to change the course of human events than any other book ever printed. To engage in a successful Bible study one must understand a little about its make-up. All of the Bible is the word of God, but not all of it is in the form of commandments for us to obey today (e.g., "make thee an ark." Gen. 6:14). Therefore to properly understand, we must "rightly divide the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). We can do this best if we first have an overall view of the Bible story.
I. GENERAL MAKE-UP OF THE BIBLE
A. Its Name Indicates Its Pre-eminence.
1. The word Bible comes from the Greek word "Biblios" which means "a book."
2. Because of its importance God's Word is called "The Book of All Books."
B. The Bible Is Composed of Two Major Divisions.
1. Though the whole composition is called "The Book" the Bible is made up of 66 individual books which are divided into two major sections.
2. The Old Testament contains 39 books originally written in Hebrew by about 32 men over a period dating from about 1500 B.C. to 400 B.C. This part of the Bible tells of man's earliest existence and of God's first covenants with man.
3. The New Testament contains 27 books originally written in Greek by 8 men over a period dating from about 52 A.D. to 97 A.D. This is the record of God's covenant for man today. It is called "new" for the first covenant was set aside when this was given (Heb. 7:18; Heb. 8:13).
C. The Bible Is Inspired of God.
1. About 40 men wrote the Bible as God's Spirit directed them, 2 Peter 1:21.
2. They used the words given by the Holy Spirit, 1 Cor. 2:10-13; 1 Thes. 2:13.
3. Therefore the Bible is inspired (God-breathed), 2 Tim. 3:16-17;
Eph. 3:3 -5.
4. The unity of the Bible is one proof of its inspiration. These forty men lived over a span of 1600 years and had no possible way to confer with one another. They came from various backgrounds and social levels; they even wrote in different languages. Yet the Bible is without contradiction! Had the Bible been the work of 40 minds it would surely be filled with conflicting human opinions. Its unity proves that the Bible is from one mind-the mind of God!
II. THE HISTORICAL PERIODS OF THE BIBLE
A. Three Dispensations of Time
1. Some Bible students believe the patriarchal form of God's revelation continued among the Gentile nations until the cross of Christ. They reason that the Israelite nation was called aside by God for a special purpose (the coming of Christ) and that the law of Moses was a special law given only to them. This view certainly does not conflict with the Bible statement of how God spoke in "times past" and "in these last days" (Heb. 1:1-2).
2. However, for the sake of clarity and because the Bible really does not give us a detailed picture of the Gentile nations after the development of Israel, we shall follow the basic chronological development of three distinct periods of Bible history.
B. The Basic Descriptions of These Three Periods
1. The Patriarchal (Father-rule) began at Creation and lasted until the giving of the law on Mt. Sinai. Its history is recorded in Gen. 1 to Exo. 20.
2. The Mosaic or Jewish (National) began at Mt. Sinai and lasted until the crucifixion of Christ. Its history is found from Exodus 20 to Acts 2. This law was to last for a definite time (Gal. 3:19-29). It was nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14-18). It was done away (2 Cor. 3). We no longer are bound by it.
3. The Christian (International) began at Jerusalem on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ and will last until the end of time. Its record is found from Acts 2 through Revelation. We live under this. Heb. 1:1-2; 10:8-10.
THE PATRIARCHAL PERIOD
The first dispensation of Bible history is commonly called the "Patriarchal Period." An understanding of this age is important, for it tells of man's earliest relationship with God and answers many questions basic to understanding the rest of the Bible.
I. SIGNIFICANT FACTS OF THE PATRIARCHAL PERIOD
A. Name
1. The word "patriarch" means "father, leader, chief, ruler"; therefore this period is literally called the age of "Father-Rule."
2. God revealed His will directly to the heads of the families who in turn taught their children (Heb. 1:1-2). There is no evidence of any written law during this age.
B. Man's Relationship to God
1. As God spoke to the fathers by dreams, angels, or visions, they would instruct their children, thus this is sometimes called an age of family religion (Gen. 18:19).
2. Worship consisted of animal sacrifices offered upon altars (Gen. 8:20; 12:7-8).
C. Duration
1. We will relieve the Bible of many pressures if we will keep in mind that it was written for religious ends rather than scientific or chronological purposes. We are not given an exact date for creation nor can we be certain that every generation from Adam is specifically mentioned. On the basis of what is revealed this period lasted at least 2500 years, perhaps longer.
2. This period begins with Creation, recorded in Gen. 1, and continues until the giving of the Ten Commandments recorded in Exodus 20.
D. Importance of the Patriarchal Period
The Bible record of the Patriarchal Period does not go into detail about every event or person, but what is told answers some important questions which give us a deeper understanding of the rest of the Bible. Let us consider some:
II. QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY THE SIGNIFICANT EVENTS OF THE PATRIARCHAL PERIOD:
A. How Did All Things Begin? (The Creation)
1. All things started with a miracle of God, Genesis 1:1-2:3.
2. The atheist must start somewhere-all things came from nothing? FANTASTIC! WHO CAN BELIEVE IT?
B. What Makes Man Superior To Animals? (The Creation of Man In God's Image)
1. Man created in God's image-spirit, intelligence, dominion, Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7-8.
2. Institution of marriage-woman, an help suitable for man, Gen. 2:18-24.
C. Why Do We Need God, Salvation, or the Bible? (The Fall of Man)
1. Man's first relationship with God was ideal. God placed man in the Garden of Eden and provided every necessary thing, Gen. 2:8-17.
2. Man is in God's image, thus God did not force Adam to serve Him. The devil tempted; man fell by his own choice; his return will be by choice, Gen. 3:1-13; Rom. 6:16-18.
D. Will God Really Destroy That Which He Has Created? (The Flood)
1. Man's wickedness increased; God purposed to destroy the world, Gen. 6:5-7.
2. Through the righteousness of Noah eight souls were spared, Gen. 6:8-10:32.
3. God has promised to destroy the world again, 2 Pet. 3:1-14.
E. How Did Man Become Separated Into Different Nations? (The Division of Man)
1. The Tower of Babel-confusing of tongues, Gen. 11:1-9.
2. The descendants of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, Gen. 10, 11.
F. Who Are The Jews, and Why Were They God's Chosen People? (The Call of Abraham)
1. The Land promise (Canaan, Palestine), Gen. 12:1.
2. The Nation promise (Israel, Hebrews, Jews), Gen. 12:2.
3. The Spiritual promise (Christ), Gen. 12:3, "bless all families ..." Gal. 3:26-29.
We will continue in our next lesson by looking at the Mosaic and Christian dispensations.
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Apologetics - VIII
"CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS"
The New Testament: Truth Or Lie?
Up to this point I have tried to demonstrate the following FACTS. That Jesus actually lived and is a real historical person. That the New Testament has good reasons to be considered as a RELIABLE HISTORICAL DOCUMENT. It was circulated soon after the events took place. Archaeology confirms the New Testament record in every area that can be checked. The bibliographical test gives us every reason to believe that what we have today is what was written by the original authors.
But what are we to do with the testimony of the New Testament concerning the miracles of Jesus, and the report of His resurrection from the dead? Archaeology cannot confirm or deny the truthfulness of such things. Each of us must decide whether the New Testament at this point is telling the TRUTH, or that a LIE was carefully orchestrated by the eight writers of the New Testament!
But are these the only alternatives? That the New Testament is either telling the truth or is a carefully orchestrated lie? YES! To understand why, consider let us consider why there are only two alternatives.
The writers of the New Testament leave us no other alternative! As Paul explained in his letter to the Corinthians, either Jesus rose from the dead, or he and other "eyewitnesses" are in fact "false witnesses" - 1 Co 15:14-15 "And if Christ wasn't raised to life, our message is worthless, and so is your faith. If the dead won't be raised to life, we have told lies about God by saying that he raised Christ to life, when he really did not." Peter, also, states that either the events (like the transfiguration) occurred as described by the "eyewitnesses", or they are "cunningly devised fables"! - 2 Pe 1:16-18 "When we told you about the power and the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, we were not telling clever stories that someone had made up. But with our own eyes we saw his true greatness. God, our great and wonderful Father, truly honored him by saying, "This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with him." We were there with Jesus on the holy mountain and heard this voice speak from heaven."
We cannot say they might have been sincerely deceived! Especially in reference to the resurrection of Jesus. They claim they ate and drank with Him afterwards - Ac 10:39-41 "We all saw what Jesus did both in Israel and in the city of Jerusalem. Jesus was put to death on a cross. But three days later, God raised him to life and let him be seen. Not everyone saw him. He was seen only by us, who ate and drank with him after he was raised from death. We were the ones God chose to tell others about him" They claim they saw and touched Him - 1 Jn 1:1-4 "The Word that gives life was from the beginning, and this is the one our message is about. Our ears have heard, our own eyes have seen, and our hands touched this Word. The one who gives life appeared! We saw it happen, and we are witnesses to what we have seen. Now we are telling you about this eternal life that was with the Father and appeared to us. We are telling you what we have seen and heard, so that you may share in this life with us. And we share in it with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing to tell you these things, because this makes us truly happy." They leave us NO ROOM for saying they were but MISTAKEN or DECEIVED! Some skeptics have tried to offer this as an alternative, that perhaps in their grief and loss over the crucifixion of Jesus they "hallucinated" or saw grief-inspired "visions" of Jesus. But "hallucinations" and "visions" are highly individualistic experiences. One person might see the hallucination or vision, but several or many people don't see the same vision at the same time! As outlined in the gospels and also 1 Co 15:3-8 "I told you the most important part of the message exactly as it was told to me. That part is: Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures say. He was buried, and three days later he was raised to life, as the Scriptures say. Christ appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After this, he appeared to more than five hundred other followers. Most of them are still alive, but some have died. He also appeared to James, and then to all of the apostles. Finally, he appeared to me, even though I am like someone who was born at the wrong time.", the resurrection appearances of Jesus were often witnessed by many at the same time (over 500 on one occasion! So they leave us no choice; either the New Testament is a "Book Of Truth," or it is a "Book of Lies."
Which is more logical, more rational, to believe? To help us decide, consider the implications if the New Testament is not true. First, consider the implication that the New Testament is a carefully orchestrated lie! We have seen the great accuracy they used in describing events, places, and people (as confirmed by archaeology) - Lk 2:1-5. If the record of miracles and the resurrection is false, then they very carefully intertwined fact and fiction! -- IS IT REASONABLE TO BELIEVE THAT?
The next implication would be that the authors suffered extreme hardship for what they knew was a lie! Many people will lie if they can get something out of it (such as money or power). But what did the apostles get out of it? - cf. 1 Co 4:9-13 "It seems to me that God has put us apostles in the worst possible place. We are like prisoners on their way to death. Angels and the people of this world just laugh at us. Because of Christ we are thought of as fools, but Christ has made you wise. We are weak and hated, but you are powerful and respected. Even today we go hungry and thirsty and don't have anything to wear except rags. We are mistreated and don't have a place to live. We work hard with our own hands, and when people abuse us, we wish them well. When we suffer, we are patient. When someone curses us, we answer with kind words. Until now we are thought of as nothing more than the trash and garbage of this world." What did Paul get for holding to his testimony? - cf. 2 Co 11:24-29 "Five times the Jews gave me thirty-nine lashes with a whip. Three times the Romans beat me with a big stick, and once my enemies stoned me. I have been shipwrecked three times, and I even had to spend a night and a day in the sea. During my many travels, I have been in danger from rivers, robbers, my own people, and foreigners. My life has been in danger in cities, in deserts, at sea, and with people who only pretended to be the Lord's followers. I have worked and struggled and spent many sleepless nights. I have gone hungry and thirsty and often had nothing to eat. I have been cold from not having enough clothes to keep me warm. Besides everything else, each day I am burdened down, worrying about all the churches. When others are weak, I am weak too. When others are tricked into sin, I get angry." How do we know they really suffered this hardship? The fact that the letters of the New Testament were even saved! For example, consider the letters 1 & 2 Corinthians. These letters are filled with rebuke of the Corinthians. The Corinthians would have every reason not to save these letters which exposed their faults. The Corinthians had first hand knowledge as to whether the apostles and Paul really suffered the hardship spoken of in their letters. If they knew the accounts of such hardship to be false, they would have quickly destroyed these letters written by a liar who embarrasingly wrote about their problems! So especially the author of half the books of the New Testament (Paul) suffered extreme hardship for a lie, if the New Testament is not true -- IS IT LOGICAL TO BELIEVE THAT?
The authors who were martyred knew they were dying for a lie! History and tradition record that, JAMES was stoned to death, PAUL was beheaded and PETER was crucified. If the New Testament is a lie, they went to their deaths KNOWING they were dying for a lie! -- IS IT RATIONAL TO BELIEVE THAT?
In suffering and dying for a lie, they went against everything Jesus and they themselves taught, if indeed the New Testament is not true! "But let your 'yes' be 'yes', and your 'no' be 'no'." - JESUS (Mt 5:37) "Therefore, putting away lying, each one speak truth with his neighbor..." - PAUL (Ep 4:25) "Therefore, laying aside all malice, all guile, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking" - PETER (1 Pe 2:1) -- DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO BELIEVE THAT?
In fact, the book with the world’s highest standard and loftiest goals was composed by liars, frauds, and deceivers if indeed the New Testament is a lie! What book presents a higher standard of love and morality than the New Testament? For example, Jesus' "Sermon On The Mount" (Mt 5-7) and Paul's "Discourse On Love" (1 Co 13) -- CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?
This is what you MUST believe if you do not believe the New Testament when it speaks of the miracles and resurrection of Jesus Christ, that it is a carefully orchestrated lie! The authors suffered extreme hardship for what they KNEW was a lie! Those authors who were martyred KNEW they were dying for a lie! In suffering and dying for a lie, they went against everything Jesus and they themselves taught! And somehow, these liars, frauds, and deceivers came up with a book containing the world's highest standard morality and loftiest goals!
I am convinced that those who do not believe the New Testament are those who have never read the New Testament carefully. They are not aware of the evidence which supports it as a historical document. They have not considered the logical implications of simply regarding it as a mixture of fact and fiction! But to those who will read it, I believe that they will find that it has "the ring of truth" to it. They will also find that it will produce the faith necessary to believe in Jesus (cf. Ro 10:17), and through such faith
find eternal life (cf. Jn 20:30-31)!
There is a saying: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." What I have tried to do is remove any obstacles that might hinder anyone from drinking of "the water of life" (i.e., the New Testament) But no one can present enough evidence to FORCE someone to read and/or believe the New Testament if they are determined not to! Have you read the New Testament? Even more important, have you OBEYED the New Testament?
The evidences supporting the Christian faith are numerous and this study has only skimmed the surface. For a more in depth study on this subject, I recommend beginning with the following books:
EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT, Vol. I (Josh McDowell, Here's Life
Publishers, San Bernadino, California, 1986, 388 pages)
THE NEW TESTAMENT DOCUMENTS: Are They Reliable? (F. F. Bruce,
Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1975, 120 pages)
Compiled from and used by permission
The Executable Outlines Series, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2000
Used by permission (JMN)
The New Testament: Truth Or Lie?
Up to this point I have tried to demonstrate the following FACTS. That Jesus actually lived and is a real historical person. That the New Testament has good reasons to be considered as a RELIABLE HISTORICAL DOCUMENT. It was circulated soon after the events took place. Archaeology confirms the New Testament record in every area that can be checked. The bibliographical test gives us every reason to believe that what we have today is what was written by the original authors.
But what are we to do with the testimony of the New Testament concerning the miracles of Jesus, and the report of His resurrection from the dead? Archaeology cannot confirm or deny the truthfulness of such things. Each of us must decide whether the New Testament at this point is telling the TRUTH, or that a LIE was carefully orchestrated by the eight writers of the New Testament!
But are these the only alternatives? That the New Testament is either telling the truth or is a carefully orchestrated lie? YES! To understand why, consider let us consider why there are only two alternatives.
The writers of the New Testament leave us no other alternative! As Paul explained in his letter to the Corinthians, either Jesus rose from the dead, or he and other "eyewitnesses" are in fact "false witnesses" - 1 Co 15:14-15 "And if Christ wasn't raised to life, our message is worthless, and so is your faith. If the dead won't be raised to life, we have told lies about God by saying that he raised Christ to life, when he really did not." Peter, also, states that either the events (like the transfiguration) occurred as described by the "eyewitnesses", or they are "cunningly devised fables"! - 2 Pe 1:16-18 "When we told you about the power and the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, we were not telling clever stories that someone had made up. But with our own eyes we saw his true greatness. God, our great and wonderful Father, truly honored him by saying, "This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with him." We were there with Jesus on the holy mountain and heard this voice speak from heaven."
We cannot say they might have been sincerely deceived! Especially in reference to the resurrection of Jesus. They claim they ate and drank with Him afterwards - Ac 10:39-41 "We all saw what Jesus did both in Israel and in the city of Jerusalem. Jesus was put to death on a cross. But three days later, God raised him to life and let him be seen. Not everyone saw him. He was seen only by us, who ate and drank with him after he was raised from death. We were the ones God chose to tell others about him" They claim they saw and touched Him - 1 Jn 1:1-4 "The Word that gives life was from the beginning, and this is the one our message is about. Our ears have heard, our own eyes have seen, and our hands touched this Word. The one who gives life appeared! We saw it happen, and we are witnesses to what we have seen. Now we are telling you about this eternal life that was with the Father and appeared to us. We are telling you what we have seen and heard, so that you may share in this life with us. And we share in it with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing to tell you these things, because this makes us truly happy." They leave us NO ROOM for saying they were but MISTAKEN or DECEIVED! Some skeptics have tried to offer this as an alternative, that perhaps in their grief and loss over the crucifixion of Jesus they "hallucinated" or saw grief-inspired "visions" of Jesus. But "hallucinations" and "visions" are highly individualistic experiences. One person might see the hallucination or vision, but several or many people don't see the same vision at the same time! As outlined in the gospels and also 1 Co 15:3-8 "I told you the most important part of the message exactly as it was told to me. That part is: Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures say. He was buried, and three days later he was raised to life, as the Scriptures say. Christ appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After this, he appeared to more than five hundred other followers. Most of them are still alive, but some have died. He also appeared to James, and then to all of the apostles. Finally, he appeared to me, even though I am like someone who was born at the wrong time.", the resurrection appearances of Jesus were often witnessed by many at the same time (over 500 on one occasion! So they leave us no choice; either the New Testament is a "Book Of Truth," or it is a "Book of Lies."
Which is more logical, more rational, to believe? To help us decide, consider the implications if the New Testament is not true. First, consider the implication that the New Testament is a carefully orchestrated lie! We have seen the great accuracy they used in describing events, places, and people (as confirmed by archaeology) - Lk 2:1-5. If the record of miracles and the resurrection is false, then they very carefully intertwined fact and fiction! -- IS IT REASONABLE TO BELIEVE THAT?
The next implication would be that the authors suffered extreme hardship for what they knew was a lie! Many people will lie if they can get something out of it (such as money or power). But what did the apostles get out of it? - cf. 1 Co 4:9-13 "It seems to me that God has put us apostles in the worst possible place. We are like prisoners on their way to death. Angels and the people of this world just laugh at us. Because of Christ we are thought of as fools, but Christ has made you wise. We are weak and hated, but you are powerful and respected. Even today we go hungry and thirsty and don't have anything to wear except rags. We are mistreated and don't have a place to live. We work hard with our own hands, and when people abuse us, we wish them well. When we suffer, we are patient. When someone curses us, we answer with kind words. Until now we are thought of as nothing more than the trash and garbage of this world." What did Paul get for holding to his testimony? - cf. 2 Co 11:24-29 "Five times the Jews gave me thirty-nine lashes with a whip. Three times the Romans beat me with a big stick, and once my enemies stoned me. I have been shipwrecked three times, and I even had to spend a night and a day in the sea. During my many travels, I have been in danger from rivers, robbers, my own people, and foreigners. My life has been in danger in cities, in deserts, at sea, and with people who only pretended to be the Lord's followers. I have worked and struggled and spent many sleepless nights. I have gone hungry and thirsty and often had nothing to eat. I have been cold from not having enough clothes to keep me warm. Besides everything else, each day I am burdened down, worrying about all the churches. When others are weak, I am weak too. When others are tricked into sin, I get angry." How do we know they really suffered this hardship? The fact that the letters of the New Testament were even saved! For example, consider the letters 1 & 2 Corinthians. These letters are filled with rebuke of the Corinthians. The Corinthians would have every reason not to save these letters which exposed their faults. The Corinthians had first hand knowledge as to whether the apostles and Paul really suffered the hardship spoken of in their letters. If they knew the accounts of such hardship to be false, they would have quickly destroyed these letters written by a liar who embarrasingly wrote about their problems! So especially the author of half the books of the New Testament (Paul) suffered extreme hardship for a lie, if the New Testament is not true -- IS IT LOGICAL TO BELIEVE THAT?
The authors who were martyred knew they were dying for a lie! History and tradition record that, JAMES was stoned to death, PAUL was beheaded and PETER was crucified. If the New Testament is a lie, they went to their deaths KNOWING they were dying for a lie! -- IS IT RATIONAL TO BELIEVE THAT?
In suffering and dying for a lie, they went against everything Jesus and they themselves taught, if indeed the New Testament is not true! "But let your 'yes' be 'yes', and your 'no' be 'no'." - JESUS (Mt 5:37) "Therefore, putting away lying, each one speak truth with his neighbor..." - PAUL (Ep 4:25) "Therefore, laying aside all malice, all guile, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking" - PETER (1 Pe 2:1) -- DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO BELIEVE THAT?
In fact, the book with the world’s highest standard and loftiest goals was composed by liars, frauds, and deceivers if indeed the New Testament is a lie! What book presents a higher standard of love and morality than the New Testament? For example, Jesus' "Sermon On The Mount" (Mt 5-7) and Paul's "Discourse On Love" (1 Co 13) -- CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?
This is what you MUST believe if you do not believe the New Testament when it speaks of the miracles and resurrection of Jesus Christ, that it is a carefully orchestrated lie! The authors suffered extreme hardship for what they KNEW was a lie! Those authors who were martyred KNEW they were dying for a lie! In suffering and dying for a lie, they went against everything Jesus and they themselves taught! And somehow, these liars, frauds, and deceivers came up with a book containing the world's highest standard morality and loftiest goals!
I am convinced that those who do not believe the New Testament are those who have never read the New Testament carefully. They are not aware of the evidence which supports it as a historical document. They have not considered the logical implications of simply regarding it as a mixture of fact and fiction! But to those who will read it, I believe that they will find that it has "the ring of truth" to it. They will also find that it will produce the faith necessary to believe in Jesus (cf. Ro 10:17), and through such faith
find eternal life (cf. Jn 20:30-31)!
There is a saying: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." What I have tried to do is remove any obstacles that might hinder anyone from drinking of "the water of life" (i.e., the New Testament) But no one can present enough evidence to FORCE someone to read and/or believe the New Testament if they are determined not to! Have you read the New Testament? Even more important, have you OBEYED the New Testament?
The evidences supporting the Christian faith are numerous and this study has only skimmed the surface. For a more in depth study on this subject, I recommend beginning with the following books:
EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT, Vol. I (Josh McDowell, Here's Life
Publishers, San Bernadino, California, 1986, 388 pages)
THE NEW TESTAMENT DOCUMENTS: Are They Reliable? (F. F. Bruce,
Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1975, 120 pages)
Compiled from and used by permission
The Executable Outlines Series, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2000
Used by permission (JMN)
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Apologetics - VII
"CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS"
Manuscript Attestation For The New Testament
In an effort to demonstrate the reliability of the New testament as a historical document we have considered evidence which confirms that the New Testament was written and being circulated soon after the events took place, by means of, for example, the internal evidence, Papyri fragments and Patristic writings. We noted that archaeology confirms the New Testament record (as we have it today) in those areas which can be checked; e.g., references to people, places and events. But one more question remains in order to establish beyond a reasonable doubt the historical reliability of the New Testament:
"What assurance is there, that what we have today in the form of the New Testament, is that which was penned by its original authors?"
In other words, since we don't have the original "autographs" (the manuscripts penned by the authors), how do we know there hasn't been significant changes or errors made in the process of copying over the years? How do we know there hasn't been collusion(secret cooperation for deceitful purposes) among those who possessed the early copies of the originals? This is where "The Bibliographical Test" in attesting ancient manuscripts can be applied to help answer such questions!
The answer this "test" gives to the historical reliability of the New Testament is an amazing one! But first, it may help to briefly explain what the "Bibliographical Test" is. This test is applied to all ancient historical documents such as:
Julius Caesar's "Gallic War"
"Histories" of Tacitus
"Annals" of Tacitus
The New Testament
In an effort to establish the likelihood that what copies we have are faithful representatives of the originals and have come to us free of changes, errors, or collusion there are questions raised in this test. "How many copies of the document in question are available?" In order to compare them with one another the more, the better.
"Where were the copies found?" If they all came from one place, collusion is possible
but if they are from places far removed by time and location, collusion is unlikely.
"What length of time passed between the original and the earliest copies?" If the earliest copies we have were written hundreds of years after the original, a lot of changes could have been made and we would not know it. But a short interval of time would increase our assurance in the reliability of the copies. "What variances exist between the copies?" If the copies of a document are filled with significant differences, then it would not be possible to know what the original author wrote! But if the variances are few and minor, then the process of copying over the years has been faithful to the original!
What answers do we find when these questions are applied to the New Testament? And how does the New Testament compare with other historical documents of antiquity? By asking the same questions as follows we see the results.
"How many copies of the document in question are available?"
Over 4,000 Greek manuscripts; 13,000 copies of portions of the New Testament in Greek! Compare this with other ancient historical writings:
Caesar's "Gallic Wars" - only 10 Greek manuscripts
"Annals" of Tacitus - 2
Livy - 20; Plato - 7; Sophocles - 100
"Where were the copies found?"
Various places: Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Italy. Such varied locations would make COLLUSION very difficult.
"What length of time passed between the original and the earliest copies?"
We saw in the previous lesson that several Papyri fragments have been dated to within 50-100 years. We have several nearly complete New Testament Greek Manuscripts which were copied within 300-400 years, for example:
Codex Sinaiticus, found near Mt. Sinai.
Codex Alexandrinus, found near Alexandria in Egypt.
Codex Vaticanus, located at the Vatican in Rome.
But compare this with manuscrits of various classical histories:
"Histories of Thucydides" - earliest copy is 1300 years removed from the original.
"Histories of Herodotus" - earliest copy is 1350 years removed from the original.
Caesar's "Gallic War" - 950 years.
Roman History of Livy - 350 years. (and the earliest copy is only a fragment)
"Histories" of Tacitus - 750 years.
"Annals" of Tacitus - 950 years. (and there are only two manuscripts)
"What variances exist between the copies of the New Testament?"
It is true that there are some variations between the many thousands of manuscripts available. But the vast majority are very minor (spelling, differences in phraseology, etc.; modern translations often note the differences in footnotes) Only 1/2 of one percent is in question (compared to 5 percent for the Illiad) Even then, it can be stated: "No fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith rests on a disputed reading...It cannot be too strongly asserted that in substance the text of the Bible is certain: especially is this the case with the New Testament."
Sir Frederick Kenyon (authority in the field of New Testament textual criticism)
In regards to the "Biblographical Test" in attesting the manuscript evidence for the New Testament the New Testament not only passes with flying colors, but it does better than ANY other historical document come down to us from antiquity!
"The evidence for our New Testament writings is ever so much greater than the evidence for many writings of classical authors, the authenticity of which no one dreams of questioning. And if the New Testament were a collection of secular writings, their authenticity would generally be as beyond all doubt." -- F. F. Bruce
Josh McDowell makes some interesting comments:
"After trying to shatter the historicity and validity of the Scripture, I came to the conclusion that they are historically trustworthy. If one discards the Bible as being unreliable, then he must discard almost all literature of antiquity."
"One problem I constantly face is the desire on the part of many to apply one standard or test to secular literature and other to the Bible. One needs to apply the same test, whether the literature under investigation is secular or religious."
"Having done this, I believe one can hold the Scriptures in his hand and say, 'The Bible is trustworthy, and historically reliable.'"
Why then would anyone question the New Testament record concerning Jesus? It is because reference is made to miracles, such as the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. In our next study, we shall consider whether it is reasonable to believe that the New Testament is a LIE when it speaks of such things...
The Executable Outlines Series, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2000
Used by Permission (JMN)
Manuscript Attestation For The New Testament
In an effort to demonstrate the reliability of the New testament as a historical document we have considered evidence which confirms that the New Testament was written and being circulated soon after the events took place, by means of, for example, the internal evidence, Papyri fragments and Patristic writings. We noted that archaeology confirms the New Testament record (as we have it today) in those areas which can be checked; e.g., references to people, places and events. But one more question remains in order to establish beyond a reasonable doubt the historical reliability of the New Testament:
"What assurance is there, that what we have today in the form of the New Testament, is that which was penned by its original authors?"
In other words, since we don't have the original "autographs" (the manuscripts penned by the authors), how do we know there hasn't been significant changes or errors made in the process of copying over the years? How do we know there hasn't been collusion(secret cooperation for deceitful purposes) among those who possessed the early copies of the originals? This is where "The Bibliographical Test" in attesting ancient manuscripts can be applied to help answer such questions!
The answer this "test" gives to the historical reliability of the New Testament is an amazing one! But first, it may help to briefly explain what the "Bibliographical Test" is. This test is applied to all ancient historical documents such as:
Julius Caesar's "Gallic War"
"Histories" of Tacitus
"Annals" of Tacitus
The New Testament
In an effort to establish the likelihood that what copies we have are faithful representatives of the originals and have come to us free of changes, errors, or collusion there are questions raised in this test. "How many copies of the document in question are available?" In order to compare them with one another the more, the better.
"Where were the copies found?" If they all came from one place, collusion is possible
but if they are from places far removed by time and location, collusion is unlikely.
"What length of time passed between the original and the earliest copies?" If the earliest copies we have were written hundreds of years after the original, a lot of changes could have been made and we would not know it. But a short interval of time would increase our assurance in the reliability of the copies. "What variances exist between the copies?" If the copies of a document are filled with significant differences, then it would not be possible to know what the original author wrote! But if the variances are few and minor, then the process of copying over the years has been faithful to the original!
What answers do we find when these questions are applied to the New Testament? And how does the New Testament compare with other historical documents of antiquity? By asking the same questions as follows we see the results.
"How many copies of the document in question are available?"
Over 4,000 Greek manuscripts; 13,000 copies of portions of the New Testament in Greek! Compare this with other ancient historical writings:
Caesar's "Gallic Wars" - only 10 Greek manuscripts
"Annals" of Tacitus - 2
Livy - 20; Plato - 7; Sophocles - 100
"Where were the copies found?"
Various places: Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Italy. Such varied locations would make COLLUSION very difficult.
"What length of time passed between the original and the earliest copies?"
We saw in the previous lesson that several Papyri fragments have been dated to within 50-100 years. We have several nearly complete New Testament Greek Manuscripts which were copied within 300-400 years, for example:
Codex Sinaiticus, found near Mt. Sinai.
Codex Alexandrinus, found near Alexandria in Egypt.
Codex Vaticanus, located at the Vatican in Rome.
But compare this with manuscrits of various classical histories:
"Histories of Thucydides" - earliest copy is 1300 years removed from the original.
"Histories of Herodotus" - earliest copy is 1350 years removed from the original.
Caesar's "Gallic War" - 950 years.
Roman History of Livy - 350 years. (and the earliest copy is only a fragment)
"Histories" of Tacitus - 750 years.
"Annals" of Tacitus - 950 years. (and there are only two manuscripts)
"What variances exist between the copies of the New Testament?"
It is true that there are some variations between the many thousands of manuscripts available. But the vast majority are very minor (spelling, differences in phraseology, etc.; modern translations often note the differences in footnotes) Only 1/2 of one percent is in question (compared to 5 percent for the Illiad) Even then, it can be stated: "No fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith rests on a disputed reading...It cannot be too strongly asserted that in substance the text of the Bible is certain: especially is this the case with the New Testament."
Sir Frederick Kenyon (authority in the field of New Testament textual criticism)
In regards to the "Biblographical Test" in attesting the manuscript evidence for the New Testament the New Testament not only passes with flying colors, but it does better than ANY other historical document come down to us from antiquity!
"The evidence for our New Testament writings is ever so much greater than the evidence for many writings of classical authors, the authenticity of which no one dreams of questioning. And if the New Testament were a collection of secular writings, their authenticity would generally be as beyond all doubt." -- F. F. Bruce
Josh McDowell makes some interesting comments:
"After trying to shatter the historicity and validity of the Scripture, I came to the conclusion that they are historically trustworthy. If one discards the Bible as being unreliable, then he must discard almost all literature of antiquity."
"One problem I constantly face is the desire on the part of many to apply one standard or test to secular literature and other to the Bible. One needs to apply the same test, whether the literature under investigation is secular or religious."
"Having done this, I believe one can hold the Scriptures in his hand and say, 'The Bible is trustworthy, and historically reliable.'"
Why then would anyone question the New Testament record concerning Jesus? It is because reference is made to miracles, such as the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. In our next study, we shall consider whether it is reasonable to believe that the New Testament is a LIE when it speaks of such things...
The Executable Outlines Series, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2000
Used by Permission (JMN)
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Apologetics - VI
"CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS"
Archaeological Support For The New Testament
In examining the question of the New Testament's reliability as a HISTORICAL DOCUMENT, we saw in the previous study that the New Testament passes the "ACID TEST". That is, it was written in the same generation in which the events took place. It was circulated among the very people about whom these documents spoke while they were still alive to confirm or deny it.
So it was written early...WERE THE AUTHORS ACCURATE in their depiction of the events which took place? This is where the science of ARCHAEOLOGY can be very helpful in determining the historical reliability of the New Testament: If the archaeologists prove that the New Testament is filled with errors concerning people, places, and events, then the New Testament could not be trusted as an accurate record of the life of Jesus and the early church! Not too long ago, some discounted the Biblical record because it frequently referred to things not mentioned by any source outside the Bible. But discoveries by archaeologists in recent years have vindicated the New Testament and silenced the skeptics!
In this study we shall consider just a few examples of how archaeology has confirmed the New Testament as a reliable document.
A census decreed from Caesar Augustus was to be taken when Quirinius was governor at the time of Jesus’ birth according Luke in writing the Gospel of Luke. Lk 2:1-3 "Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrolment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to enrol themselves, every one to his own city."
It was once argued that Luke was in error. In other words, that there was no such census. Also, that Quirinius was not governor of Syria at that time and that people did not have to return to their ancestral home. But archaeological discoveries have proven otherwise. We now know that the Romans had a regular enrollment of taxpayers and held censuses every 14 years (begun by Augustus Caesar). An inscription found in Antioch tells of Quirinius being governor of Syria around 7 B.C. (evidently he was governor twice!) A papyrus found in Egypt says concerning the conducting of a census: "Because of the approaching census it is necessary that all those residing for any cause away from their home should at once prepare to return to their own governments in order that they may complete the family registration of the enrollment..."
Lk 3:1 "Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene," Who is this Lysanias? The only Lysaniax known to ancient historians was one who was killed in 36 B.C. This caused some to question Luke's reliability. However an inscription was found near Damascus that speaks of "Freedman of Lysanias the tetrarch" and is dated between 14 and 29 A.D.!
Jn 19:13 "When Pilate therefore heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment-seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha." Whoever heard of "The Pavement" (Gabbatha)? For centuries there was no record of the court called "The Pavement" or "Gabbatha". This caused many to say "It's a myth" and, "See, it (the Bible) is not historical". But William F. Albright in "Archaeology of Palestine shows otherwise. This court was the court of the Tower of Antonia. The court was destroyed in 66-70 A.D. during the siege of Jerusalem. It was left buried when the city was rebuilt in the time of Hadrian and was not discovered until recently!
Ac 14:6 "they became aware of it, and fled unto the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the region round about:" Iconium a city of Phyrigia? Archaeologist at first believed Luke’s implication to be wrong. That Lystra and Derbe were in Lycaonia and Iconium was not.They based their belief on the writings of Romans such as Cicero who indicated that Iconium was in Lycaonia. Thus, archaeologists said the book of Acts was unreliable! But in 1910, Sir William Ramsey found a monument which showed that Iconium was indeed a Phrygian city. Later discoveries continued to confirm this!
Ac 17:6 "And when they found them not, they dragged Jason and certain brethren before the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;" Whoever heard of "Politarchs"? "Politarchs" is a Greek word meaning "Rulers of the City". Since the term is not found in the classical literature of the Greeks it was assumed that Luke was wrong to refer to such an office. However some 19 inscriptions have now been found that makes use of this title. Five of these are in reference to Thessalonica!
This is just a sampling of the evidence, for entire books have been written providing further examples. Just how accurate is the New Testament in its historical description?
"It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a Biblical reference." -- NELSON GLUECK (noted Jewish archaeologist)
Of special interest is the testimony of Sir William Ramsay. Concerning his background:
He was trained in the German historical school of the mid-nineteenth century.
He was taught that the book of Acts was a product of the mid-second century A.D.
He was firmly convinced of this and started out his career in archaeology to prove it. However, he was compelled to a complete reversal of his beliefs due to the overwhelming evidence uncovered in his research. His conclusion:
"Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy, he is possessed of the true historic sense...in short, this author should be placed along with the greatest of historians."
What have we established thus far in this series of lessons? That Jesus was a historical figure. That the New Testament was written during the generation in which the events occurred. That its reliability as a historical document continues to be confirmed by the field of archaeology. But another question remains... "How can we be sure that the New Testament we have today is the same as that penned by the original authors?" Our next study will address that question...
The Executable Outlines Series, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2000
Used By Permission
Archaeological Support For The New Testament
In examining the question of the New Testament's reliability as a HISTORICAL DOCUMENT, we saw in the previous study that the New Testament passes the "ACID TEST". That is, it was written in the same generation in which the events took place. It was circulated among the very people about whom these documents spoke while they were still alive to confirm or deny it.
So it was written early...WERE THE AUTHORS ACCURATE in their depiction of the events which took place? This is where the science of ARCHAEOLOGY can be very helpful in determining the historical reliability of the New Testament: If the archaeologists prove that the New Testament is filled with errors concerning people, places, and events, then the New Testament could not be trusted as an accurate record of the life of Jesus and the early church! Not too long ago, some discounted the Biblical record because it frequently referred to things not mentioned by any source outside the Bible. But discoveries by archaeologists in recent years have vindicated the New Testament and silenced the skeptics!
In this study we shall consider just a few examples of how archaeology has confirmed the New Testament as a reliable document.
A census decreed from Caesar Augustus was to be taken when Quirinius was governor at the time of Jesus’ birth according Luke in writing the Gospel of Luke. Lk 2:1-3 "Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrolment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to enrol themselves, every one to his own city."
It was once argued that Luke was in error. In other words, that there was no such census. Also, that Quirinius was not governor of Syria at that time and that people did not have to return to their ancestral home. But archaeological discoveries have proven otherwise. We now know that the Romans had a regular enrollment of taxpayers and held censuses every 14 years (begun by Augustus Caesar). An inscription found in Antioch tells of Quirinius being governor of Syria around 7 B.C. (evidently he was governor twice!) A papyrus found in Egypt says concerning the conducting of a census: "Because of the approaching census it is necessary that all those residing for any cause away from their home should at once prepare to return to their own governments in order that they may complete the family registration of the enrollment..."
Lk 3:1 "Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene," Who is this Lysanias? The only Lysaniax known to ancient historians was one who was killed in 36 B.C. This caused some to question Luke's reliability. However an inscription was found near Damascus that speaks of "Freedman of Lysanias the tetrarch" and is dated between 14 and 29 A.D.!
Jn 19:13 "When Pilate therefore heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment-seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha." Whoever heard of "The Pavement" (Gabbatha)? For centuries there was no record of the court called "The Pavement" or "Gabbatha". This caused many to say "It's a myth" and, "See, it (the Bible) is not historical". But William F. Albright in "Archaeology of Palestine shows otherwise. This court was the court of the Tower of Antonia. The court was destroyed in 66-70 A.D. during the siege of Jerusalem. It was left buried when the city was rebuilt in the time of Hadrian and was not discovered until recently!
Ac 14:6 "they became aware of it, and fled unto the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the region round about:" Iconium a city of Phyrigia? Archaeologist at first believed Luke’s implication to be wrong. That Lystra and Derbe were in Lycaonia and Iconium was not.They based their belief on the writings of Romans such as Cicero who indicated that Iconium was in Lycaonia. Thus, archaeologists said the book of Acts was unreliable! But in 1910, Sir William Ramsey found a monument which showed that Iconium was indeed a Phrygian city. Later discoveries continued to confirm this!
Ac 17:6 "And when they found them not, they dragged Jason and certain brethren before the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;" Whoever heard of "Politarchs"? "Politarchs" is a Greek word meaning "Rulers of the City". Since the term is not found in the classical literature of the Greeks it was assumed that Luke was wrong to refer to such an office. However some 19 inscriptions have now been found that makes use of this title. Five of these are in reference to Thessalonica!
This is just a sampling of the evidence, for entire books have been written providing further examples. Just how accurate is the New Testament in its historical description?
"It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a Biblical reference." -- NELSON GLUECK (noted Jewish archaeologist)
Of special interest is the testimony of Sir William Ramsay. Concerning his background:
He was trained in the German historical school of the mid-nineteenth century.
He was taught that the book of Acts was a product of the mid-second century A.D.
He was firmly convinced of this and started out his career in archaeology to prove it. However, he was compelled to a complete reversal of his beliefs due to the overwhelming evidence uncovered in his research. His conclusion:
"Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy, he is possessed of the true historic sense...in short, this author should be placed along with the greatest of historians."
What have we established thus far in this series of lessons? That Jesus was a historical figure. That the New Testament was written during the generation in which the events occurred. That its reliability as a historical document continues to be confirmed by the field of archaeology. But another question remains... "How can we be sure that the New Testament we have today is the same as that penned by the original authors?" Our next study will address that question...
The Executable Outlines Series, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2000
Used By Permission
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