...the autobiographies of Jesus be trust?”. Lee thought the gospels were just religious propaganda, made through imagination. But, Craig Blomberg, a specialist on it, had convincing information with good evidence supporting that they are reliable. The gospel writers wanted to preserve their experience and were honest. Some of the facts in the gospel included accurate historical facts of that time period. Although there are many forms of New Testament manuscripts, they are very similar to the old, original writings. Bruce Metzger, a world-class scholar, stated that the modern new testaments are 99.5 % free of textual discrepancies. Lee also asked himself, “Is there Credible evidence for Jesus outside his biographies?”. We have better evidence of Jesus than any other religion. There are sources outside the Bible that account for Jesus’ miracles, followers, crucifixion, and teachings. Also, there are no archaeological findings that disprove any Biblical reference. In fact, archaeology discoveries show that Luke, a writer of one of the gospels, was a careful historian. If he was so careful with his writings, why would we assume that he would create inaccurate reports of something so important? As historians look at the documents that relate back to the time of Jesus, there is strong evidence that support that Jesus of History is the same as Jesus of faith. Many people have wondered if Jesus was crazy, but psychologist Gary Collins overrules this conspiracy. Jesus showed no signs of craziness...
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...one God. Many Americans understand that Jews and Christians worship the same God; however, they may be unaware that Muslims also worship that very same God. The Quran discusses Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus, and other biblical figures; the Islamic scripture itself makes it abundantly clear that the God of Muhammad, and the God of Jesus, and the God of Israel are of the same God. Since the Muslim God is also the Judeo-Christian God, Allah is in fact identical with and not different from the Hebrew God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Indeed, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are together regarded as “Abrahamic” religions, insofar as all three of them share common roots, which are traditionally traced back to the ancient Hebrew patriarch Abraham. (As founded by Muhammad in the 7th century AD, Islam was born in Arabia, and both Jews and Arabs are likewise classed as “Semitic” peoples; each group is traditionally regarded as descended from Shem, a son of Noah.) Jews and Muslims both reject specifically Christian beliefs about Jesus. Christianity is likewise an Abrahamic monotheism, believing in the same single supreme God as its two Semitic cousins. However, the Christian faith also maintains certain uniquely characteristic religious claims about Jesus Christ, and this gives rise...
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...versus parallel to Matthew | | | |328 verses peculiar to Matthew | |534 verses peculiar to Luke | There are suggestions due the similarities and differences that (1) Mark was the original writer and was copied by Matthew and Luke (2) Matthew was original writer copied by Luke, and Mark made a shorter version. The material where obtained from the following suggested sources: (1) Oral tradition – the good news spread by word of mouth before it was written down (2) An earlier gospel (3) Unique sources available to Matthew alone and Luke alone and (4) A common Source ( the Q sources), being the sayings of Jesus (Talbot ,2013: 69). 2. The Gospel of Matthew Author • Matthew, a Jew was a Tax Collector for the Romans who left his job when Jesus called him and became one of the twelve apostles. (Matt 9:9-13) Audience • Matthew writes to the Jewish Christians...
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...things we do. Most importantly, they do not believe in the one thing that saves us, the Son of God-- Jesus Christ. Early in the 4th century, there was a pastor named Arius. He was a pastor in Alexandria, Egypt. He believed that there was only one true God. God could not share his deity with someone else. Only he could be immortal. He believed that Jesus is a good teacher, a wise rabbi, a beautiful example, and a martyr for a noble cause. However, he was not God. (Arianism Today) He couldn’t believe that some people believed in the Trinity. He knew there was only one true God, so why is everyone worshipping 3? He started teaching that Jesus was not true God, but a created being. Of course people listened to him. It was completely logical. Even though it may be logical, we are told in the bible that Jesus is in fact, God. John 10:30 says, “I and the Father are one”. His bishop tried to dissuade him, but Arius was not easily silenced. There was a time that Arianism was actively favored. There were even influential church positions held by Arians. (EWTN) Once the belief that Jesus was not God started becoming popular, the Christian leaders saw that they needed to do something about it. In 325, they held the Council of Nicea. They felt that they had to put Arianism to rest. People from all over came to this council. It was a very big deal that someone was questioning the deity of Jesus. At...
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...“The Holy Spirit is the third person of the God Head. The Holy Spirit is also, the way men receive power and help which bring us into fellowship with God”. John 15:26, tells us that when the comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which comes from the Father, he shall testify of me. Jesus implies, that he has many things to tell them but they cannot bear them until the comforter (Helper)... Comes which will guide you into all truth, he will speak and show you things. The comforter will glorify Jesus and the Father. Jesus was letting the disciples know that the Holy Spirit has his personal characteristics’, which are a mind, a will and emotions. John. 16:12-16. Acts 1:2-9. The disciples saw Jesus for 40 days after the resurrection…. Jesus ate with the disciples : According to Longnecker, This was known as the Breading of Bread which is the passion of Christ. Acts 2:42-47. Acts 1:14, 24 6:1-10 10:4-9. Referring to, Christ as the Church, while giving them special instruction to wait in Jerusalem until they receive promised from the Father. . The Holy Spirit was imparted into the believers before Jesus ascended. Acts. 1:4-5. The Promise: was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. Matt.10:20. Bruce, explains ,“The Holy Spirit , promised by the risen Savior, comes to the disciples on the day of Pentecost.. Seven weeks after The Easter Festival.” Acts 2:1-5: the First Fruit Festival (Wheat Harvest). Exdo. 23:16-34,22. The Spirit enabled...
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...well-dressed gentlemen accost you, handing you some literature explaining what they believe. You glance over it and are drawn to this sentence: "Jesus was a man and as such could not also be God." Seeing the puzzled look on your face, one of the men asks you what you think of this claim. For two gentlemen to come and show me such a paper with their thoughts on it is in a way sad. The men do not have the proper knowledge of the Lord that they need. I believe that it is my goal to express my relationship and knowledge in which they can absorb into their knowledge. The biblical basis for Jesus’ humanity is indicated in his suffering on the cross. Jesus went through the pain and horrible suffering to die for our sins. He is a man because he walked among other men and grew everyday as a man. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. (Romans 5:8). The biblical basis for Jesus’ deity, meaning a God, refers to his direct connection to the Father who sent him so save humanity. He is what man should be and is the ideal example of how man should live. He is our Lord and Savior because of what he was sent to do and because he opened our eyes to sin and how we should live life through the Father. Jesus can both God and Man at the same time because he has the characteristics of both. Jesus is both a God and a Man, but is presented as one individual known as the Hypostatic Union. As a man he feels pain and suffering and grows and matures...
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...& Introduction The whole world is guilty before the sovereign God. A few characteristics of God are that He is perfect, fair, and wholly equipped to judge our lives accordingly. In Paul’s third letter to the Jews and gentiles in Rome, Paul emphasizes that we are all sinners and not worthy to be in or near the presence of God; however, through the sanctifying work of redemption through Christ Jesus’ death and resurrection this is now possible for anyone who believes in Him through faith. Paul expresses in his letter how Christians should live their life out through faith; although this is not an exhaustive list, it does place heavy emphasis on love. Natural World Paul’s biblical worldview, especially in this epistle gives the reader valuable insight into the natural world around us. Paul mentions in Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (New International Version, 1989). The world is without excuse because God has revealed Himself to everyone through creation. This is evident in what we still see today in the natural world. Sinner and Christian are without excuse in the acknowledgement of God’s existence and attributes. Paul’s letter to the Romans provides the reader valuable insight into his biblical worldview and how it aligns to the nature of a sinful world. Paul notes...
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...Documentary hypothesis. This is ONLY for those who MISSED Friday. The names of God. Lord: Adonai (Hebrew) LORD: Yahweh or Jehovah or I am who I am. God: Elohim (Hebrew). God Almighty: El Shaddai. Most ancient Jews thought that Moses wrote the Torah/Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy). Moses is traditionally thought to have lived in the 1200sBC. The names of God appear to differ systematically in the Torah. J source: used Yahweh/Jehovah. E source: used Elohim/God. P source: written by priestly writers. D source: The book of Deuteronomy is a separate composition. ------------------------------------------------- Genesis 27.46: Esau’s wives drove his mother CRAZY!!!!!! Welcome back! The New Testament presents Jesus as… The New Moses (but who is Moses?????????????) Exodus 1-20 The Ten Commandments: Exodus 20/Deuteronomy Genesis 1: 10 COMMANDMENTS! The covenant/allianza. I am the LORD your God who brought you out of slavery. 1. You shall have no other gods before me. 2. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain. 3. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 4. Honor your father and your mother that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God is giving you. 5. You shall not murder. 6. You shall not commit adultery. 7. You shall not steal. 8. You shall not bear false witness. 9. You shall not covet (lust after) your neighbor’s wife. ------------------------------------------------- ...
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...John Paul II in his writing on Pastores Dabo Vobis (PDV) in the late 20th century about priestly formation in our present-day points out that: “Indeed, the priest, by virtue of the consecration which he receives in the sacrament of orders, is sent forth by the Father through the mediatorship of Jesus Christ, to whom he is configured in a special way as head and shepherd of his people, in order to live and work by the power of the Holy Spirit in service of the Church and for the salvation of the world” This affirmation shows a genuine and deep understanding of the specific ontological link which draws the priesthood to Christ the good shepherd and the great high priest. Such statement shows that, the Church is certain in her teaching that Christ the ‘Good Shepherd’ is a true ideal model for the priest. But, to what extent can we express this certainty of the good shepherd as a paradigm or as a model par excellence in the priestly formation? One must not forget that, the essential characteristic of Jesus Christ as the good Shepherd is precisely being there for others. That in turn expresses his whole life in tendering and nurturing his sheep (the well-being and the growth of his disciples). Specifically, his life was above all a complete service, a true dedication and a genuine relationship with his sheep. It is important to comment on the ontological bond between a priest and Christ the good shepherd by reflecting on his identity as a royal priesthood and his Christological...
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...Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION Background of the Study As we all know Christ Himself is the creator who made everything in heaven and earth. Jesus might have selected anyone in the world to follow Him. Yet again, He called common men: fishermen, businessmen, plain folks but the very first we notice about Jesus in that He was “one of us”. He loved children and they returned His affections. When some of Jesus’ followers tried to restrain the youngsters from clustering around Him, our Lord said “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14 NIV) Every one of us knows Jesus Christ but did you know that Christ is the model of Today’s Youth? Without any doubt He is the unique personality of all time a man who changed the course of history so dramatically that almost nothing is untouched by his influence. In almost every country in this world, the front page of every single newspaper acknowledges Him. That’s because every date is marked from His birth more than two thousand years ago. The life Jesus led, the miracles He performed the words He spoke, His death on the cross, His resurrection, His ascent into heaven these all point to the fact that He was not merely a man but more that a man. Yet the very power of His name was destined to overthrow the most widespread. So we know that Christ’s sacrifice all the things to save our life. That’s great had done God to all of us that serve as model in each of us...
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...The Nature and Significance of the New Testament Marshall Suddarth Indiana Wesleyan University New Testament by Definition. As defined the New Testament is “the second part of the Christian Bible comprising the canonical Gospels and Epistles and also the book of Acts and book of Revelation” (Merrium-Webster.com, 2015); however, the meaning goes much deeper than that. It is the testimonial recollection of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ; a guide to salvation and eternal life. The New Testament is the canonization of several manuscripts written over a fairly large period of time after the death of Christ. A process of study, group debate, and political influences brought the New Testament to the twenty-seven books we see today. While some debate still exist as to the authorship of the individual books, most believe that God directed the early founders of Christianity to form the text as a basis for others to find the truth of God and Christ. Canonization. Early founders of the church consisted of multicultural backgrounds, each with its own set of political influences, cultures, and belief structures. The word of Christ was very important as a common theme; however, the authority and authorship of the individual works was just as important (Schenck, 2010). Early founders of the book we currently see as the Bible wanted the scripture to be a true recollection of the original testimony of Christ’s life, and the purpose for which he died and was resurrected. To do...
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...orthodox for truth, logic, and reason. Deism is the worldview that I will summarize, discuss the flaws within this worldview and propose a plan of sharing the Gospel with a member of Deism. SUMMARY OF DEISM Deism is the worldview that suggests there is a God, however, He is not interested nor invested in the world. It negates all the miracles and healings discussed in the Bible. If God is not concerned about those in the world, He could not have performed the miracles or healings. Deism states God is not concerned about mankind. Therefore, mankind is not held accountable to Him. “Deism attacks and undermines an inerrant Bible.” It supports the teachings of Jesus Christ. However, it views him more as a “philosopher or reason and uprightness” than the savior of the world. It does not believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, died and was resurrected. “Lord Herbert of Cherbury (1583-1684), a major deist, believed religion was common to the human race...
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...close-knit, Blake conveys the tone of childlike wonder and the singsong voice of innocent boys and girls. The soft vowel sounds and repetition of the “l” sound may also convey the soft bleating of a lamb. One of Blake’s most strongly religious poems, “The Lamb” takes the pastoral life of the lamb and fuses it with the Biblical symbolism of Jesus Christ as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” By using poetic rhetorical questions, the speaker, who is probably childlike rather than actually a child, creates a sort of lyric catechism in which the existence of both a young boy and a tender lamb stand as proof of a loving, compassionate Creator. The lamb stands in relation to the boy as the boy stands in relation to his elders; each must learn the truth of his existence by questioning the origin of his life and inferring a Creator who possesses the same characteristics of gentleness, innocence, and loving kindness as both the lamb and the child. Then the direct revelation of the Scripture comes into play. The Creator, here identified specifically as Jesus Christ by his title of “Lamb of God,” displays these characteristics in his design of the natural...
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...------------------------------------------------- What We Teach * Preface * The Holy Scriptures * God * Man * Salvation * The Church * Angels * Last Things (Eschatology) * What It Means to Be a Christian ------------------------------------------------- PREFACE Recognizing that the Bible is the very Word of the Living God to man, and understanding the priority of knowing and obeying its truths, Grace to You is committed to teaching Scripture with diligence and authority. Thus, the central ministry of Grace to You is the continuous imparting of biblical truth to the people of God that they may become equipped to do the work of the ministry. This statement presents our convictions regarding the theological truths of the Bible, built on years of study and teaching. They are the primary doctrines of the Christian faith, and they reflect the heart of the teaching of Grace to You. John MacArthur ------------------------------------------------- The Holy Scriptures We teach that the Bible is God's written revelation to man, and thus the sixty six books of the Bible given to us by the Holy Spirit constitute the plenary (inspired equally in all parts) Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:7-14; 2 Peter 1:20-21). We teach that the Word of God is an objective, propositional revelation (1 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 2:13), verbally inspired in every word (2 Timothy 3:16), absolutely inerrant in the original documents, infallible, and God-breathed. We teach the literal...
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...For centuries, people from diverse religions and cultures have searched for substantial data in order to better understand the true nature and identity of Jesus. Some contend that he was a prophet; others worship him as a god, while many others assert that he was merely a wise teacher with no link to the divine. In the second part of Graham Stanton’s book, The Gospels and Jesus, Jesus’ intentions, teachings, and downfall are examined and assessed with notable order and clarity, all in an attempt to resolve the fundamental question of Part II: who was Jesus of Nazareth? Stanton launches Part II with a chapter entitled “What do we know about Jesus of Nazareth?” Here, the debate as to whether or not Jesus existed is considered by exploring archaeological evidence from outside the gospels in an effort to establish what is known about Jesus. He cites various non-Christian, Jewish, and Christian sources after opening the chapter with a theory by G.A. Wells which argues that it was not until 100 CE that Jesus was worshipped as a “Savior” figure. Wells maintains that before 150 CE, there is no independent non-Christian support for the existence of Jesus and that the authors of the four New Testament gospels invented their traditions about the life of Jesus. As Stanton argues, this does not entirely make sense, since it is difficult to find signs of the convictions, emphases, and conflicts of the Christians of that period in the canonical gospels. Stanton continues to refer to...
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