1. The Canon of Scripture Essay
Most Christians do not think about the canon of scripture or know what it is or means in theology.
Most take for granted the Bible they have and never question how it came into being. Today, we
have 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books of the New Testament. There was a time,
however, that we did not have a canon. Bruce defines canon as books of the Bible that were
recognized to be considered scripture (p. 17). The importance of the canon and how it was
developed was intriguing to professor and author F.F. Bruce. He dedicated his book The Canon of
Scripture to explore and explain the formulation of the canon we have today. Bruce taught in
universities, including the University of Manchester, where he began to lecture students on the ...
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The third section dissects the formation of the New Testament with more historical context and
views of other writings defined as Gnostic writing. Bruce explains the spoken words of the apostles
carried as much authority as their written words and gives an in depth explanation how the Gospels
and Pauline writings were viewed by the Church Fathers. The rest of the section demonstrates the
Church Fathers and their views of what was to be considered scripture and the councils that affirmed
the inspired scripture. Bruce concludes by explaining the criteria used for writings to be considered
canon. He goes into more depth on the inspiration of the scriptures – an integral part of how the
canon came together. The close of the book is appended by two lectures that explore the "secret"
gospel of Mark and the Primary Sense and Plenary Sense of scripture. Bruce offers a solid
explanation of the formation of the canon chronologically starting with the Hebrew scriptures (p.
21) until the 4th century where church councils started to present the first spoken finished canon (p.
97). Bruce shows the importance of the Old Testament scriptures, but writes most about the New
Testament. He not only shows how the New Testament came to be a canon but offers a deep analysis
of non–canonical scripture called the Apocrypha (pp. 48, 90–93). Bruce offers impressive
observation into the Gnostic writers as it regards the
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2.
3. Essay about Jesus in the Quran and the Bible
Jesus in the Quran and the Bible
The three most influential books in human history, the holy books of the three main Abrahamic
religions, share a common though checkered history. With a string of familiar figures and incidents,
each book builds upon its predecessor, sometimes retaining the exact nature of the story and
sometimes giving it a new version. Each book seems to have been influenced by its specific purpose
and the circumstances of the time it was revealed, with the stories meeting the demands of the day. I
believe that the Quranic treatment of Jesus was to establish a firm monotheistic belief. Jesus, the
central character of the New Testament, makes a prominent appearance in the Quran. His purpose in
the New Testament ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Another characteristic that the Jesus of the Quran shares with the Jesus of the Bible is his sinlessness
and holiness. The Quran uses the word zakiyya to describe the child that would be born to Mary,
which literally translates to most holy or faultless, and is used only for Jesus out of all the prophets
(19.19). Similarly the Bible conceives of every man with faults, other than Jesus as stated clearly,
"You know that he was revealed to take away sins and in him there is no sin"(1 John 3.5). "Nay,
Allah raised him up / Unto Himself; and Allah / Is Exalted in Power, Wise", says the Quran (4.158)
of the ascension of Jesus to heaven. The Bible says something similar, "When he had said this, as
they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight" (Acts 1.9). The Quran
calls Jesus as al–Masih (4.171) which literally can be translated to Messiah, a very Biblical concept.
This is stated in the Bible as, "But he rebuked 3 them, and would not allow them to speak, because
they knew that he was the Messiah" (Luke 4:41). In spite of all these instances of the similar
treatments of Jesus, there is no doubt that the Quranic view of Jesus is never the same as the Biblical
view. The Quran is in complete contrast of the view of Jesus as "Son of God" (Luke 1.29). It says
that Jesus was just an ordinary messenger of God, as were the prophets before him. This is clarified
by saying, "Christ the son of Mary
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4.
5. The Apologetics of Christianity Essay
The Apologetics of Christianity
Jesus, a name known by billions throughout the world. To each, this name means something
different; savior, friend, philosopher, prophet, teacher, fraud, fake, liar. Some even believe that He is
just an imaginary character from the minds of those who wrote about Him. The Westminster
Dictionary of Theology describes apologetics as, "Defense, by argument, of Christian belief against
external criticism or against other worldly views" (Apologetics 31–32). Though there are still many
mysteries that surround the ongoing debate about Christianity, evidence can now prove some of
what Christians took by faith before. Now, more than ever, there is information to prove the
existence of this man that walked ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Old Testament books are written in many different literary styles such as historical, prophetic,
or biographical. Between the Old and New Testaments there were four hundred years during which
time books were not written. As the New Testament begins, it starts with four books commonly
known as the Gospels. These gospels are a biography of the life and works of Jesus Christ himself.
The remainder of the Bible contains mostly letters to various people and churches throughout Asia
Minor, Greece, and Italy. These are letters of encouragement to the early churches of the world and
many Christians who may have been imprisoned or in captivity in several countries. Still one
question that plagues the minds of several modern day Christians is, how did the modern day Bible
come to be? The Old Testament had been decided upon long ago. Elders in the Jewish church met
and decided 39 different books in all. These books had been written over the span of several
centuries and became what is today known as the Old Testament. The New Testament was
somewhat similar. During the time shortly after Jesus, there was controversy over the books that
were truly from God and those that were not. The early church hierarchy settled this dispute during
the second, third and fourth centuries. During this time, councils, consisting of church elders, met
periodically to determine which books had true divine inspiration and which were frauds. In the
mid–fourth century, the New
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6.
7. The Gospel Of The Christian Worldview
Any person's worldview acts as a determinant factor from which people are able to come up with the
truth as well as understand the purpose of the life. Worldview is just like lenses with different
glasses where everyone puts it on, nevertheless, what people tent to observe through them differs
from one another. This is how people view the world. All the beliefs as well as the decisions made
are interpreted depending on the glasses one puts on. This is to say that each person has a
worldview. Christianity is one of the worldviews which states that an individual has to commit
himself to Jesus Christ. This essay will discuss some of the Gospel essentials in the Christian
worldview.
God
Understanding the nature of God by human being is much ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Firstly, humans are created from the image of God. Secondly, human nature is much sinful due to
the actions done by Adam and Eve. Through the Bible, we find that Adam and Eve wanted to be
powerful. Instead of respecting God as well as getting wisdom from Him, they ate from the evil tree
which was forbidden. God has an intention to humanity; the intention of knowing only the goodness
of life and not the bad and that is why when he placed Adam and in the garden of Eden, He warned
them not to take any fruit from the forbidden and if they do, they will die, however, because Adam
and Eve seized God 's order and command and evil started. Humanity comprises of the multiple
purpose. People are given a unique priority according to God's creation in the way that they are the
only creatures which can communicate with Him. It means that the purpose of people is to enter into
a relationship with God through prayers and worshiping Him. Human were delegated the duties of
caring God 's creation that included plants and animals. All people have a certain uniqueness that is
God gifted. In other words, God is corrected to make any changes in terms of destiny to people
because of the unconditional love He has to people. Luke 12:7 put it that the very hairs of human's
head are all numbered and that no one has to be afraid as you are more than birds like sparrows. Sin
is taken to be the root of individuality's issue. Sins such as committing murder, theft or even
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8.
9. 1.The Major Literary Forms (Genres) Contained In The New
1. The major literary forms (genres) contained in the New Testament.
Literary forms and style consist of different kinds of writing determined by their literary style,
context, voice, and purpose (how the author wants to reader to be affected)––ex: psalms, historical
books, letters, gospels, and the stories Jesus told to the people. These form of writing consist of
different types of books, which involves apocalyptic (uses dramatic symbols to give hope to those in
a crisis), advice, genealogies, and prayers. The gospel stems from a Greek word meaning "good
news" that describes the scriptures delivered by the ministry the early Christians concerning the life,
death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1–8). Also, the genres are ... Show more content on
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However, this book was written before the destruction of the Jewish temple because in Matt. 24–25
he predicted the temple destruction. Matthew was the son of Alphaeus he was a Jew who had
became a tax collector for the Roman Government. The citizens disliked tax collectors during this
timeframe, so this could be seen as a motivator to follow Christ since others within the community
did not care for him. (Located in Matt. 9:9–13) One may feel this is why Matthew answered Jesus
call so quickly and to commit to his discipleship. Many other tax collectors join the banquet that
Matthew was hosting for Jesus to preach publically to the sinners. However, Matthew's purpose for
listing his works first was to illustrate Jesus fulfillment of the prophecies of the Messiah the coming
of the King!
3. The evidence of diversity in the early Christian community some people believed that the
churches begin with Adam or Abraham. Various spectators feel that the Christian community begins
with the ministry of John the Baptist. They base their rationale on the fact that their evidence can be
traced back to the baptism, therefore validating their logical reasoning. While others believe the
churches begin with the ministry of Jesus Christ due to him calling his Apostle together. The word
church originated from the term to call out. So these individuals justify their claim by saying it is the
acceptance of a group, which
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10.
11. Inspiration Theory Essay : The Bible Of Today
Inspiration Theory Essay
The Bible of today has been catching the attention of many believers and even non believers all
around the world and is leading them to ask the question how did this book come to be? People want
to know who wrote these books? Were they really God inspired? Where did we obtain these
writings? How was it decided what went into the bible? Who decided? It is no longer a book people
just read, it is a book people want to discover. The Bible mentions that all scripture is "God–
breathed" and that the people who wrote these scriptures were inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16
NIV). Inspired in Latin means to breathe into or breathe on and so these men who were writing were
being inspired by God and were being led by the Holy Spirit to write down exactly what God
wanted them to communicate (Focus on the Family). Many people raise the question of who wrote
these books? How do we know that these words are really from God and not just men? Well many
of the books of the bible either mention the author or the author will state that he indeed was the one
who wrote these books. For example in 1 Corinthians 1: 1–3 Paul opens up his letter to the church of
Corinth stating that he was the one writing to them. Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by
the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in
Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the
name of our Lord
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12.
13. The Biblical Canon Of The Bible
The Biblical Canon For as long as records have been maintained, the Bible remains the bestselling
book worldwide, year after year (Jeynes, 2012). One might be curious about the reasons it is
popular, or more importantly, how did it come about. Called the canon of Scriptures, or a 'list', it is
the compilation of biblical books regarded by Christians as "uniquely authoritative" (Klein,
Blomberg, & Hubbard, Jr., 1993, p. 103). It includes 66 books encompassing thousands of years of
history, written in multiple genres, and authored by many individuals. Inclusion into the canon
required the necessity of scripture to meet specific criteria. Careful study dictated what became
standard for believers (Klein, Blomberg, & Hubbard, Jr., 1993). A person's understanding of the
canonization of the Bible will affect how they will view the validity and authoritativeness of God's
Word.
Old Testament In order to be declared acceptable to be included within the canon there are specific
criteria that are considered for the Old Testament. One of the first questions asked by the curious
reader is, "Who authored the Old Testament?" The easy and most appropriate answer to that
important question is God. That is to say that the Bible is divinely inspired and is an important, the
most important, criterion for acceptance into the canon (Detweiler, 1985).ne can look to 2 Timothy
3:16 for confirmation, "all of scripture is God–breathed' (NIV). Evidence is found in scripture itself.
For instance
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14.
15. I Am: the Light of the World Essay
I AM:
THE LIGHT
OF THE WORLD
A Paper
Presented to Professor Cara L. Murphy
Liberty University School of Religion
Lynchburg, VA
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for
The Gospel of John
BIBL 323 –B03–LUO
by
Matthew E. Murraine
July 3, 2011
INTRODUCTION
The concept of light has boggled the minds of men for thousands of years. We have tried to bend it,
twist it, tube it, generate it, and once more are continually trying to travel as fast as it does. Light,
fascinatingly enough travels at approximately 186,000 miles per second; that is roughly 670 million
miles per hour! Yet, when we look up at God's creation in the middle of the night, we do not think of
the physics or nuclear mechanics that makes them work. We ... Show more content on
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It should not be any wonder then why Jesus stated these words eight times in the gospel of John.
Seven times, He would associate them with some sort of imagery and one last time with that of
Yahweh in Exodus.
In John 1:3–4, the beloved disciple points us toward four basic facts about Jesus Christ. First, is that
He is the very creator of the universe. "3All things were made by him, and without him was not any
thing made that was made" (John 1:3 KJV). Second the creation of man is the pinnacle of His
creation. "4In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4 KJV). Lastly, John discloses
that it is only through Jesus Christ that man can gain eternal life, and only through Him is there light
in the world.
Sadly, man was too blinded by self–gain and legalism to understand that God was in their very
presence. The Pharisees by this point have formed a society, (mostly in Jerusalem) that has focused
on false redemption as taught only by Satan. Paul Louis Metzger in his reflection about this
16. blindness states that the Jews, "refuse to deal with who he truly is and who they truly are–living
under the illusion that they are free through false forms of redemption." They fail to see that Jesus of
Nazareth is actually Jesus the Christ, Savior of the world and in so doing they begin a vengeful plot
to slaughter Jesus like the lambs of the Passover. They would begin a three–year quest filled with
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17.
18. Esther And Judith Essay
Scripture or Not: Esther and Judith
Esther, an early secular novel, never mentions God but is Scripture (included in the canon). A Jewish
historical novel that portrays Judith, who saves her people through honoring vows, praying and
creative action; has been rejected/accepted in Judaism and Christianity so that it is Scripture/not
Scripture depending on the applied canon (list of authoritative/sacred works). For Protestants' it is
not (Countryman; Coogan 8). Disparity in treatment of these works is attributable to the evolution of
the Hebrew/Old Testament canon. In fact, only the Torah has generally been accepted since Old
Testament times.
The Hebrew Bible included, along with the Torah, the closed sets of Neviim (prophets) and Ketuvim
(writings) together called the Tanakh (Coogan 3–4). These, including Esther, were upheld as canon
at Jamnia (AD 90) by agreement with three criteria: written prior to 399 BCE, in Hebrew (with
allowances made for Aramaic), and widely used (Schwab, Sharon; Coogan 5–6). Esther was set in
the Persian period and possibly written as early as the fifth century BCE (Crawford 855). It provided
etiology and the megillot used for a celebration not prescribed by the Torah; and was included for
this reason (Coogan 518, 6). Judith may have originally been ... Show more content on
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It contained all the intertestamental Greek deuterocanonical books including Judith (Marlowe). The
Latin Vulgate, a translation by St Jerome, a Biblical scholar, under Pope Damasus I, reduced the
Greek books in the canon, but retained Judith (Gonzalez 237; Marlowe). This translation eventually
was affirmed as the Roman Catholic canon in 1546 at the Council of Trent as Catholicism responded
to the Protestant Reformation (Coogan 7). Clearly, Judith was indeed part of the christian canon at
one
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19.
20. History of the Bible Essay
Brittany Stewart
Instructor Pursell
English 132
9 December 2009
The History of the Canonization of the Bible The process by which the English Bible, as it is known
to the English culture today, was compiled is an extraordinary thing to see. The Bible consists of two
parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The process by which both Testaments were
written and then canonized into one book transpired over a period of many years. Once the
canonization of the Bible officially came to an end, it was translated into English. Since then, many
versions of the modern Bible have been made. Since the individual books of the Bible became
scattered as they were written, people set forth to preserve God's Word by compiling them into one
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He therefore separates the Apocrypha from the main part of the Bible, putting it in an appendix. In
AD 1546, the Council of Trent convenes and settles once and for all that the Old Testament consists
of all forty–six books ("Development of the Difficult Canon"). The New Testament was canonized
over a period of approximately four hundred years (Stotesberg). From AD 50–125, the books which
in the end constitute the New Testament were written. Simultaneously, other books, which did not
end up being included in the final canon, were produced. These books are the Epistle of Barnabas,
the Didache, I Clement, the seven letters of Ignatius of Antioch, etc. ("Development of the Difficult
Canon"). As more and more books were written, Christians realized that it was imperative that they
gather and consolidate this material before it became lost. Sometime before AD 100, ten of Paul's
letters were gathered and combined into their own canon. The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
John) were combined to form another canon soon after the canonization of Paul's letters. The
Gospels and Paul's letters became the main body of a new group of Scriptures that would soon
become the New Testament. Soon Acts, I Peter, I John, and Revelation were inserted into this body
of Scripture. Following this, the rest of the books were added to the New Testament (Barker).
In AD 140, Marcion, a heretical teacher who discarded the Old Testament as Scripture, took parts of
Luke and also ten
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21.
22. Magna Carta Research Paper
The bible is a series of sacred texts and scriptures that derive from Jews and Christians who consider
it to be an item of heavenly inspiration and evidential recording of the bond between God and
individuals roaming the earth. Several diverse writers did their role in the completion of the Bible. It
is considered to be an official text that is different depending on the society or tradition involved.
The Christian version of the old testament intersects with the Greek Septuagint and Hebrew version
of the bible. The Hebrew Bible is regarded in Judaism by the title of the Tanakh. While, the New
Testament is regarded as a series of scripture created by Early Christians and there is a belief that it
is typically by Jewish disciples of Christ. These age old Christian Greek literatures involve letters,
gospels, and end times predictions. Amid these Christian values, there is ... Show more content on
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This contract would put him and England's upcoming royals within a rule of commandment. Though
it was not successful at its first launch, the text was released again and modified in 1216, 1217 and
1225, eventually being the basis for the English structure of mutual law. Later groups of Englishmen
would rejoice the Magna Carta as a representation of liberty from tyranny. The Founding Fathers of
the United States of America also presented the Magna Carta as a historical model for declaring
their freedom from English rule. John, who was the youngest son of Henry II had not been the only
king to contribute enterprises to his people in the method of a contract, but he was the first to create
it underneath the danger of civil war. After winning the throne in 1100, Henry I had distributed a
Coronation Charter where he assured people he would limit taxation and removal of church profits,
amid other misuses of control. He would continue to disregard these principles, and the barons
required the authority to administer
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23.
24. King Solomon Research Paper
The Wisdom of Solomon The apocrypha are known as a collection of books that were included in
the original 1611 King James bible (Apocrypha 1). Moreover, they were removed from the bible
recently about one hundred years ago (Apocrypha 1). Coincidently, apocrypha is a word defined to
mean hidden (Apocrypha 1). These selection of books were not only included in the old testament of
the bible, but the new testament as well (Apocrypha 1). There has been a wide amount of debate on
whether or not these books should have been removed from the original bible (Apocrypha 1). Some
claim these scriptures should not have been place in the bible because of lack of proof of validity
within the apocrypha (Apocrypha 1). In contradiction, some claim the apocrypha ... Show more
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.). Although the scriptures were originally written in Greek there have
been a plentiful discoveries of the scriptures translated to various languages (Glicksman 33). Some
of these other languages are Armenian, Arabic, Ethiopic, Coptic, Syriac, and most prominent Old
Latin (Glicksman 33). There has not been much debate about who had wrote The Wisdom of
Solomon in the writings it makes evident assertion that it was written by King Solomon himself
(Ehrman 235). However, it was later discovered that The Wisdom of Solomon was in fact not
written by the famous ruler of the United Monarchy (Ehrman 235). In actuality it was produced by
an unknown Jew living outside of Israel many centuries after the death of King Solomon (Ehrman
235). According to Lyons, the author most likely wrote The Wisdom of Solomon in Alexandria,
Egypt. Pin pointing the exact date of the writings has been a challenge for many scholars, but has
been said to have probably been written in the late first century BC (Lyons,
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25.
26. Call to Ministry
What is a "call to the ministry" ? by Ken Temple Regional Representative Southeast USA Frontiers
(770) 277–6399 ( office ) kentemple@juno.com What is a "call to ministry" ? Is it more subjective
or objective? It is just for preachers and pastors and missionaries, or is it also for the Christian
businessman and plumber, the housewife and mother? Is it only one's vocation, or does it also refer
to salvation and relationship with Christ ? Os Guinness, in his book, The Call, writes: "Calling is the
truth that God calls us to Himself so decisively that everything we are, everything we do, and
everything we have is invested with a special devotion, dynamism, and direction lived out as a
response to His summons and service".[1] Calling ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
God wants more Christians to stay in the business world, the arts, entertainment, politics,
journalism, etc. and bring their Christian convictions and world–view to bear on how they conduct
their business, write songs or films, or paint pictures. One of the reasons for the recent decline of
Christian impact on our culture is because too many Christians have left the fields of science, math,
film, art, journalism, and especially politics, and hence there was a vacuum left that the humanist,
skeptic, atheist, and agnostic filled. So, now when in recent years Christians have tried to boldly
make an impact on culture in these various fields, especially politics, we are finding the whole
world–view of our culture has changed and the world–view of absolutes, right and wrong, the Ten
Commandments, prayer, belief in God, convictions about abortion and homosexuality as sin are
scoffed at, laughed at, labeled as intolerant, and even pushed out by media blitz or ignoring the facts
or not giving Christians opportunity to voice their opinion. When considering a "call" to ministry, let
me encourage you to not dichotomize too sharply between the secular and sacred. God wants to use
all kinds of vocations to both "disciple the nations" ( Matt. 28:19 ) and be salt and light in the
culture ( Matthew 5:13–16) and "have dominion and manage the earth" (Genesis 1:26–28) Inner
Calling and External Confirmation: Subjective and Objective Criterion Is a call to
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27.
28. Essay on The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The book I read is called The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. The Alchemist is about a boy from Spain,
whose name is Santiago and is a shepherd. The book tells how he gets around countries, and how he
deals with his problems and how he solves them. It shows how he follows his dreams, and who
helps him along the way.
Santiago leaves his family to become a shepherd, before leaving his dad gives him money he has
saved up, Santiago buys sheep with the money. As a shepherd Santiago travels around Spain. As he
travels he is in search of food and water for his sheep. During his journeys he gave his sheep names
and really connects with them. When he ran out of money, Santiago sold wool from his sheep for ...
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The woman told him that his dream was, that he
would find treasure in the Egyptian pyramids. After leaving her booth thinking she was crazy, he sat
on a bench and started to read a book he got in town. Suddenly an old man sat by him and tells him
that he knows where to find the treasure he is looking for, and that he will tell him in exchange of
one tenth of his sheep.
The boy agreed, and discovers that the man knew about the treasure the dream reader was talking
about, and knew a lot about the boy and where he is from. After conversing with him for some time,
he finds out that he is king, and that he helps people with their personal legends.
After teaching the boy a lot about the journey he will go through, the king gave him omens to
follow. Santiago sells his sheep, and travels to a town on his way to Egypt. He finds a man that
could take him past the desert to Egypt. So the boy gives him the money that he got for the sheep.
When the man shows Santiago the town for a little Santiago loses him in a crowd of hundreds
shopping in the markets, and loses all his money. The boy learns not to trust anyone, and is told that
there are many thieves in that town.
Santiago needed money and food, so he asked a man who owned a crystal shop, if he could clean all
his crystal pieces for some food and money. The man liked the Santiago's work, so gave him some
food, and told him he could work for him if he wanted to. Santiago took the job, and ended up
working
31. Understanding the Concept of God Essay
Understanding the Concept of God As mere humans, we tend to forget things said as time goes by.
Our own ability to keep promises that we make can weaken over time. This is not so with the God
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This phrase, "the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" embodies the
concept of God as a covenant maker, and a covenant keeper. It is not an oversimplification to assert
that all of the information in the Old Testament is really about God ... Show more content on
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This promise is stated in more detail in Gen 15:18, "To your descendants I have given this land,
from the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates..." 2 Kings 4:21 shows that this
land promise was fulfilled in the days of King Solomon, "Now Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms
from the River to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt; they brought tribute and
served Solomon all the days of his life." In a very general sense Part Two of the Bible could be seen
as Joshua to Malachi. This section shows how God deals with the Hebrew nation in the Promised
Land. To be sure, there were two separate occasions when Israel would be carried away from the
Promised Land according to God's decree (Assyria in 721 and Babylon in 606). But in the end, as
seen in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, God restored a remnant of the captive Israelites back to the
Promised Land. Of course God's promise in Gen 12:2,3 that speaks of God blessing Abram, as well
as blessing those who blessed Abram and cursing those who cursed him, was fulfilled in the first and
second Parts of the Old Testament. Part Three of the Bible is the New Testament. This is the
fulfillment of God's promise to Abram that "And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."
(Gen 12:3) In the Old Testament the focus of God's blessings was upon the nation of Israel (though
all peoples
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32.
33. Revelation Is The Act And The Result Of God
Definition of Revelation (in Bibliology)
Revelation is the act and the result of God by which HE communicates to man the truth concerning
Himself in relation to His creatures, and conveys to man the knowledge of His will. It includes
general revelation and special revelation.
God has given His revelation progressively concerning Himself and His will in a variety of forms
and media (Heb.1:1). The special revelation is recorded in the Old and New Testaments.
The Sources of General Revelation
1) Nature–creation and providence (Ps. 8:3–4, 19:1–4; Acts 14:17)
2) Conscience within man (Rom. 2:15)
3) Man created bearing the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26; Rom. 1:19; Ps. 139:14)
4) Human reasoning ability and the existence of human authority (Rom. 13:2)
5) General religious experience
The significance of General Revelation for those without Special Revelation
1) It explains why man is religious and builds a bridge to share the gospel.
2) It renders him without excuse when facing the judgment (Rom. 1:20).
3) It brings him to consciousness of sin and his need of Christ and thus brings him toward Christ.
The Relationship between the Living Word and the Written Word
1) Both of the Living Word and the Written Word are necessary for our salvation and sanctification.
The Special Revelation is to lead us to Christ (Luke 24:25–27; John 5:39–40). We (after AD. 2
Century) can only know Christ through the Scriptures (John 20:31). It is impossible to truly study
the Scriptures without
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34.
35. The Major Literary Forms Of The New Testament
1. The major literary forms (genres) contained in the New Testament. Literary forms and style
consist of different kinds of writing determined by their literary style, context, voice, and purpose
(how the author wants to reader to be affected)––ex: psalms, historical books, letters, gospels, and
the stories Jesus said to the people. These forms of writing consist of different types of books, which
involves apocalyptic (uses dramatic symbols to give hope to those in a crisis), advice, genealogies,
and prayers. The gospel stems from a Greek word meaning "good news" that describes the
scriptures delivered by the ministry the early Christians concerning the life, death, and resurrection
of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1–8). Also, the genres are ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
However, this book was written before the destruction of the Jewish temple because in Matt. 24–25
he predicted the temple destruction. Matthew was the son of Alphaeus he was a Jew who had
become a tax collector for the Roman Government. The citizens disliked tax collectors during this
time frame, so this could be seen as a motivator to follow Christ since others within the community
did not care for him. (Located in Matt. 9:9–13) One may feel this is why Matthew answered Jesus
call so quickly and to commit to his discipleship. Many other tax collectors join the banquet that
Matthew was hosting for Jesus to preach publicly to the sinners. However, Matthew's purpose in
listing his works first was in illustrate Jesus fulfillment of the prophecies of the Messiah the coming
of the King!
3. The evidence of diversity in the early Christian community, some people believed that the
churches begin with Adam or Abraham. Various spectators feel that the Christian community begins
with the ministry of John the Baptist. They base their rationale on the fact that their evidence can be
traced back to the baptism, therefore validating their logical reasoning. While others believe the
churches begin with the ministry of Jesus Christ due to him calling his Apostle together. The word
church originated from the term to call out. So these individuals justify their claim by saying it is the
acceptance of a group, which started on
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36.
37. I And II Maccabees
However in none of the history that is related is there similar allusion to the Messiah as he is alluded
to in scripture. The book then switches again in theme and talks about Enoch seeing a vision in
which the secrets of heaven are revealed and Enoch is shown the secret parts of the sun and moon.
Then the book becomes even more astronomical in that it theories of the sun, moon, stars, winds,
etc. in an attempt to outdo the pagan concept of the heavenly bodies and interpret them according to
the signs of the zodiac. A brief description of Noah and his birth is given and then the book is
concluded by exhorting that the righteous will triumph. "Although the book has its fantastic and
even repellent side, and suggests the magical atmosphere of ... Show more content on
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The majority of apocalyptic literature was written between second century B. C. and first century
A.D. Apocalyptic literature is a specific genre and can be defined within a compositional
understanding which includes apocalyptic works referring to historical Jewish events or describing
other worldly journeys, prophesying about the end of the world, and the judgment of God. As has
been shown while apocalyptic literature may not be considered canonical scripture by Protestants it
is very fascinating to study and
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38.
39. Gospel Of Thomas Similarities
Similarities and difference between The Gospel of Thomas and other among the Biblical Gospel.
The Gospel of Thomas, like many other early Christian's works are belong to the apocryphal
scriptures and are collections of traditional sayings or stories of Jesus or his apostles. This "logion"
or saying is attributed to Didymos, the twin, Juda Thomas. In the study and analysis of the Gospel of
Thomas, let us do the history of the book to better be in the spirit of time and space of the story first.
Then the identity of Thomas according to the Bible and the history books will help in this analysis.
Similarities and differences of this document and other materials of the same approach (apocrypha)
on one hand, and the other writing so–called Biblical ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Jesus said, "If your leaders say to you, Look, the (Father's) kingdom is in the sky, then the birds of
the sky will precede you. If they say to you, It is in the sea, then the fish will precede you. Rather,
the (Father's) kingdom is within you and it is outside you. When you know yourselves, then you will
be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know
yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty". Luke 17: 21, we don't say: "here it is
here or here it is there, because the Kingdom of God is inside of you". (Greek: entos estin umon)
Here begins the confrontation with new knowledge. Get dependent on a knowledge of others is not
the right path! The path is that of self–knowledge. It is however not to know "who am I?" in the
sense of what is my personality, how I distinguishes me from others? The question is rather: who am
I, human being on this earth, what is my task, what is my purpose? What is the meaning of the
biological Marvel called
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40.
41. Apocrypha And Pseudepigrapha For Old Testament Study?
What is the value of the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha for Old Testament study? Why are they
largely ignored in Protestant scholarship and preaching?
Let's start out by giving the definition of the words (Apocrypha) The word means hidden. It is used
in a general sense to describe a list of books written by Jews between 300 and 100 B.C. More
specifically, it is used of the seven additional books accepted by the Catholic church as being
inspired.
(Pseudepigrapha) The term pseudepigrapha comes from the Greek pseudo, meaning "false," and
epigraphein, meaning "to inscribe," thus, "to write falsely or under a pen name. The Apostle Paul
had to deal with false writings or Pseudepigrapha even in his time. In 2 Thessalonians 2:2 we find
him concerned about a "letter seeming to be from us." In other places, Paul would note, "I, Paul,
write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is
the way I write" 2 Thessalonians 3:17. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Although many English translations printed a small disclaimer that the Apocrypha was not on par
with the Old and New Testaments, it was nonetheless between the same covers with sacred
Scripture. The 1599 edition of the Geneva Bible was the first English Bible printed without the
Apocrypha. At that time Christians believed that it possesses spiritual value.
The value of Apocrypha is, Exegetical as it sheds light on some of the history of the second temple
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42.
43. Christianity And The New Testament
Christianity is a religion that is based on the life experiences and teachings of Jesus Christ in the
New Testament. Christianity is the largest religion on Earth, with over two billion followers which
are called Christians. Jesus is believed to be the Son of God and the Savior of Humanity who is
coming as Christ in the flesh which is prophesized in the Old Testament.
Christian's profession of faith is that Jesus suffered for everyone, died and was buried in the tomb,
and was resurrected from the dead on the third day. All of this was accomplished by Jesus because it
was the only way to grant eternal life and cleanse the people, who believe and have faith in Him,
free from their sins. Jesus' body then ascends into Heaven and lives with God the Father. Jesus will
return to Earth to judge the people and grant everlasting life to those who have faith in Him. This is
referred to as "The Gospel", which is the ministry of Jesus Christ, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ,
and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The "Gospel" also refers to some of the books of the Bible in
the New Testament. These are accounts of Jesus' life and His teachings. The best known accounts of
Jesus found in the Bible are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Christianity started in the mid–1st century and began as a Second Temple Judaic sect. Christianity
originated in Judea and started to quickly spread to other continents and countries. Europe, Asia
Minor, Egypt, Ethiopia, Syria, Mesopotamia, and India had become
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44.
45. The Gospel of John
An Introduction to the Gospel of John The Gospel of John is believed to be the last of the four
Gospels in the New Testament to be written. While the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are
similar in their common view, the book of John is distinct. In contrast, none of the parables are
recorded in John, and only seven of the miracles are featured. Instead, John delivers the meaning of
Jesus by giving the readers a deeper insight and a deeper understanding of Him. He establishes that
Jesus Christ is the Jewish Messiah that was prophesized in the Old Testament, who was sent to earth
by God in human flesh, gives his life on the cross, and then returns to the Father – all with the view
that we may believe in him and receive eternal life. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Water to wine: the ritual of law is replaced by the reality of grace (2:1–11); 2. Healing the
nobleman's son: the gospel brings spiritual restoration (4:46–54); 3. Healing the paralytic: weakness
is replaced by strength (5:1–16); 4. Feeding the multitude: Christ satisfies spiritual hunger (6:1–13);
5. Walking on water: the Lord transforms fear to faith (6:16–21); 6. Sight to the man born blind:
Jesus overcomes darkness and brings in light (9:1–7); 7. Raising of Lazarus: the gospel brings
people from death to life (11:1–44)" (Wilkinson & Boa, 1983, p. 339).
Major Theme The main theme of the Gospel of John is straightforward: The way to the Kingdom of
God is not by doing good works; it is by being born of God. The key to being born again is
"believing". This means to believe with the whole person, not just mentally. According to Gaebelein
(1981), the word "believe" is used ninety–eight times in the Gospel of John, which is more than any
other key word in the Gospel. John makes it clear that men are born "of God" and they can be born
in no other way. This new birth is a miracle in itself and is a gift of God, only obtainable through
belief. Key verses in the Gospel that signify this theme are: * "He came to his own, and his own
people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his
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46.
47. Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the last profound book in the New Testament. It conveys the significant
purpose of Christianity by describing God's plan for the world and his final judgment of the people
by reinforcing the importance of faith and the concept of Christianity as a whole. Accordingly, this
book is the written record–not of wild dreams–but the dramatic God–sent visions given to one of
God's servants, John the Apostle. This book was written by John in 95 or 96 A.D. at the reign of the
Roman Emperor, Domitian, and is the revelation of Jesus Christ illustrating the events that occur
before and during the second coming of Christ. By using complex symbolism and apocalyptic
metaphor, the meaning of Revelation is defined: what is, what ... Show more content on
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In Latin "Revelatio" means unveiling and in Greek "apokalypsis" means the removing of a veil. The
purpose of this book is the revelation of Jesus Christ and the final judgment of the word of God.
"The coming of sin into the world, the establishment of the economy of redemption, has necessitated
the making known of truths not made known by general revelation. Therefore, God has given the
special revelation brought to us in the Holy Scriptures. "The scriptures reiterate the truths
proclaimed in nature, in history, and in man himself; and, in addition thereto, declare the salvation
which God has provided for mankind in Jesus Christ" (Campbell).
In retrospect, revelation unveils God's future plan for the earth and is written to be understood.
Clearly the book of Revelation is the ultimate battle between good and evil. It is the time when all
sin will be judged, demons will be cast away, and Christ will reign over the earth.
This is the word of God showing us his plan for the retribution of his son Jesus Christ. By sending
these words to John in a vision God is warning the people of the world to repent for their sins and
that the time is drawing near. "John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and
peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven spirits which
are before his throne;" (New American Standard Bible, Rev.1:4).
The content of Revelation is very complex apocalyptic literature
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48.
49. Exegesis of Mark 10:17-31 Essay
Lexington Bennett
Haile 11:00 T/TH
Exegesis Paper
Exegetical Analysis of Mark 10:17–31
17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, 'Good
Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?' 18Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No
one is good but God alone. 19You know the commandments: "You shall not murder; You shall not
commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour
your father and mother." ' 20He said to him, 'Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.' 21Jesus,
looking at him, loved him and said, 'You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money
to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, ... Show more content on
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The Book of Mark is one of the four gospels in the New Testament and one of the three synoptic
gospels, and it is described as a historical narrative (Mueller 66). Thematically, the story of the Rich
Young Ruler is consistent with the common theme in this book: the lack of understanding about
Jesus and Jesus' teachings (Mueller 69). More specifically, this passage discusses wealth, but in the
way of sacrificing all types of wealth to achieve the ultimate goal of entering into the Kingdom of
God or gaining eternal life. Though today's audience might not be as well prepared to receive the
same message as Mark intended, in today's time, the story of the "Rich Young Ruler" can be used to
imply that achieving eternal life is not about the act of giving up worldly riches but rather the act of
sacrifice for God.
The genre of this specific pericope is best described as a narrative (Mann 398). This narrative is seen
not only here in Mark but also in Luke 18:18–30 and Matthew 19:16–30. Thus, though the Markan
story is written by Mark, it does not stand alone. The Book
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50.
51. Bibliology: New Testament and God Essay
Dissertation: Biblical aspect of Bibliology Bibliology, as most Christians know, is the study of the
Bible, which is God's word. The word "Bible" comes from the Greek word biblion, which means
book. The original writings were prepared on papyrus, which was a plant that was cut into strips and
dried. The word "Scriptures" comes from the Greek word graphe, which means writings. The idea of
"Scripture" saying something is presented to us in the Bible, and is equivalent to God speaking. The
Bible was written over a one thousand and five hundred year period, written by more than forty
authors, written on three continents (Asia, Africa, Europe), and written in three languages (Hebrew,
Aramaic, Greek). The Bible is an inspired source of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It just was not canonical. As it is clear to us as God worshiping believers that the Bible is
unfathomably true and flawless, to those with their own belief system it may be hard to grasp.
While many other religions claim to have their own bibles, which are mostly just altered version of
the Christian Bible, we know that there is only one true Bible that is God breathed and correct.
While many other religions claim that they believe in a form Jesus or a god, such as Mormons,
Jehovah Witnesses, Catholics, etc., we know that the one and only true religion is Christianity. Why
is it that what we believe is the only correct belief system? Well we know that from the above–
mentioned tests of canonicity, but where exactly did all of God's inspiration for scripture come
from? There are a plethora of theories surrounding this question. Much scripture is inspired by
nature and God's part in communicating with man. God inspired the writers to write what he spoke
to them and put in their life, He gave men concepts through inspiration and allowed them to write
their own words. It is hard to dispute the evidence that God is real and the Bible is true. As a wise
man once told me, it takes more faith to not believe in God than it does to believe in Him.
The Bible claims that it is the inspired Word of God and also demonstrates that it is the Word of
God. Jesus says, "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come
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52.
53. The Development Process Of The New Testament Canon
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
CANON SUBMITTED TO DR. NICKENS IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE COURSE CHHI 301_D01 BY DANIEL
BAILEY LAFOLLETTE, TN NOVEMBER 2012 ABSTRACT Perhaps the greatest achievement to
come from early church history is the establishment of a universal New Testament Canon. While we
may not put much thought into it today, which books should be included or excluded from the New
Testament was once the center of much controversy. It took the church many years to settle upon the
current collection of books as being the proper Canon, making it more of a process than an event.
Ironically enough, the need for a universal Canon was only realized after many disputes over the
version suggest by the Christian heretic Marcion. Marcion's collection of books were revised by
Athanasius and later endorsed by the church through councils. Once the New Testament Canon was
established, all other suggested books became part of a collection known as the Apocrypha and their
use dismissed by the church. THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
CANON During the early history of the church, there was no such thing as a New Testament
"canon." The selection of books that were to be included or excluded from the texts used by the
church was the responsibility of each individual church body, and thus varied greatly from location
to location. Because there was no canon – (books considered
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54.
55. Paul's Theology in the Letter to the Romans
Major Themes There are five major themes in the body of Paul's letter to the Romans. 1: The
pervasive need for justification/salvation (Rom. 1:18–3:20). 2: Justification/salvation through faith
(Rom. 3:21–4:25). 3: The new life of grace in Christ (Rom. 5:1–8–39). 4: The role of Israel in God's
salvific plan (Rom. 9:1–11:36). 5: Ethical exhortation (Rom. 12:1–15:33). (130). Many scholars
believe that Pauline theology is at the heart of the New Testament witness and Christian faith. It
represents the oldest detailed statement of a coherent Christian theology available to us. (Ludwig et
al. p.127). As "apostle of the nations" ...he understood that all people are called by God to a very
great glory" (The Pontifical Biblical ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He contends that the person who truly believes responds to the grace of God which leads to
righteousness and not to sin. Simply stated, it makes no sense if one who claims to be a Christian
still continues to live in the old sinful ways believing that the grace of God will suffice for such
sinful behavior. "The way grace works is that it takes away the sin of the believer and nullifies the
power of sin in the believer so that sin no longer rules the mind and heart of the believer. The
Christian is sure of salvation but he has to develop in moral stature." (Laymon 779). We have not
only been delivered from the power of death and sin we also have been enabled to live differently
than we lived in the past. There will still be temptation and the pull to sin. Sin remains a potent
enemy but through the Spirit we receive the power to triumph over our former nature. Though saved
by Christ's atoning sacrifice, we still struggle constantly with sin being sinful creatures. But the
Holy Spirit is the one bearing witness that we are sons and daughters of God and leads us into
righteousness. The Holy Spirit delivers us from the power and bondage of sin. Believers are to keep
in mind always that in Christ they live a new life having died to their old ways. "...Dead to sin
knowing this, that our old man is
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56.
57. Sermon On The Mount
Sermon on the Mount The Sermon on the Mount was God's first utterance to the general public, who
had been reared by a corrupted Judaism. Moreover, it has been interpreted to possibly to be the first
discourse to Jesus' disciples. In His design, He not only wanted to teach Christians ethics, but
attempted to point out the errors of Pharisaism while bringing to life the consciences about God's
legalistic listeners. In Matthew 5:20, God says, "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the
scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." These themes follow through to
the end of the chapter. God expounded the spiritual side of the law to awaken His audience so they
could see they needed His own perfect righteousness. Their blinders resulted in ignorance of the
spiritual side of the law that was the source of Phrisaism, the leaders conveyed they would fulfil the
law with the outward letter. God wanted to set His people back on track with this information on
how they should act ethically. Matthew 5:48 says "you therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly
father is perfect." What is this perfection God wants Christians to achieve? The perfection is meant
to hold the subject Christ is on, love to men, and not to be alluded to any, or anything else; Luke
6:36 says, "Be merciful, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
With this mindset, they came up with ways to justify getting around some of God's word that they
did not like. Examples are Matthew 15: 1–9 and Mark 15: 1–9. They also compared their own selves
to people with sin greater than their own instead of to Gods perfect law. One's own righteousness
has to be the end result of God's grace and pardon as one admits and confesses their sin and gives
oneself to God. Without all this one cannot be saved because this is required of them to be let into
heaven. The finale conclusion is believers have to follow the law of God and not bypass any laws as
did the Pharisees for their own
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58.
59. The Bible Is True Essay
First: to suggest that the Bible is true is to advocate that what it means is true; moreover, what it
means is fashioned by the genres in which the Bible is spoken, the outlooks and its disposition it
takes regarding history and the techniques by which cultural contexts were shaped and the meanings
of the words that it uses. Second: to offer that the Bible is true is to say that we can faith in its
content; we believe it to be guide to our faith. We would have to embrace the notion that there are
specific assertions about Gods faithfulness and how we should live our lives and reciprocate. These
contentions may appear somewhat intricate, but recognizing its intricacies is a way not of evading
commitment to the Bible 's truth however of fully addressing to the complex ways in which the
Bible is true. Let's contemplate the rapport between truth and meaning: the truth of a testimonial or a
book hinges on what it means. Countless biblical scholars have worked for eons to scrutinize and
appraise the text of the Old Testament, the Apocrypha, and the New Testament. The revelation of the
Dead Sea confirmed that the Jewish and Christian researchers who for hundreds of years duplicated,
transcribed and passed along the documents that we call the Bible did so devotedly with care and
intention. It remains true that we almost definitely do not have any documents or fragments of a
manuscript that is the original writing of the document in question. However, it is equally true that
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60.
61. The Syncretity Of Christianity : The Four Gospels Of The...
Not long after the Day of Pentecost believers had to defend their faith from false teachers seeking to
dilute, or subdue the power in the Gospel of Jesus. To combat heresy, orthodoxy had to be defined
both by creed, and by the approval of writings recognized as God's inspired Word. The Canon we
study today remains the same powerful Scripture that has been transforming lives for thousands of
years. Alternate doctrines and beliefs of the person of Christ and proper worship sprang up within
the time of the first apostles. It was for this reason the first writings to the Churches and then the
four Gospels of the New Testament were written to believers (Shelly, & Hatchett, 2013, p.51–53).
Paul wrote the letter to the church at Colossae addressing syncretism within the church. Paul urged
the Colossians to trust in the supremacy of Christ, and to do away with ideas added to the truth of
the Gospel (Alexander & Alexander, 2009, p.723; Cairns, 1996, p.97). John's Gospel expresses both
Christ as fully human, and declares Christ is also fully God. Written in the late first century, John's
gospel is written to those who already knew the facts of Jesus life, but concepts are dealt with
concerning both the Jewish and Hellenistic worldviews (Alexander & Alexander, 2009, p.621–22).
Wither rebuking the forced circumcision of Christians, or declaring the Deity and incarnation of
Christ, many of the writings of the New Testament were written in part to dispel wrong beliefs and
practices
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62.
63. Essay on Christianity and Stoicism
Stoicism emerged in Hellenistic Greece as a new way of reasoning. A way of fulfilling one's
spiritual duty. It quickly became one of the most important Post Classical Greek philosophies. For
the purpose of my analysis, I have focused on the period 100 BC to 100 CE. During that time
period, Stoicism became extremely influential in the Roman Empire. It was no longer just a Greek
school; it became a semi–official Philosophy for the Roman elite. Throughout this time period,
Christianity also began to emerge. Through influential missionaries, like Saint Paul (10–67 CE),
Christianity began to spread and gain recognition, despite the fact that the Roman Empire was
predominately pagan during the first century. Ironically, many early Christian ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
As evidence, he compares 1 Cor. 7:29, a text from the Bible written by Saint Paul to the Stoic text,
Ad Marc. x. 11. Pfleiderer does not quote the Bible, he only cites it. For the purpose of this paper
and to make the argument presented clearer, I am going to quote the Bible. Cor. 7:29 states, "I mean,
brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short." Ad Marc. x. 11 states, "Make haste to
enjoy the love of your children and to let them enjoy your love and to drain every drop of joy, for
you have need of haste; death is at hand!" (43). Due to the vague similarities of concepts in the
Christian and Stoic writings, especially the idea of life being short, Pfleiderer reasons that Paul was
influenced by Stoicism. Pfleiderer also argues that both Stoics and Christians write about "the
source of evil" (44). He cites Seneca, Ep. I 4; "Why do we deceive ourselves? Evil is not without us,
it has its seat within us, in our inward part" (43). He compares this Seneca quote to one from the
Bible, specifically Rom. 7:14. "For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into
bondage to sin." Using these two quotes to argue that sin and evil are synonymous, Pfleiderer claims
to have found yet another "remarkable parallel" between Stoic and Christian text.
Charles N. Smiley also claims that Stoicism was "the mould in which Roman Christianity was cast"
(647). Like Pfleiderer, Smiley makes equally vague assumptions
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64.
65. Paul Second Temple Judaism Summary
This Book, Reading Romans in context: Paul Second Temple Judaism, was written By Dr. Ben C.
Blackwell and coeditors, are John F. Goodrich and Jason Maston. A team of Pauline scholars,
examines the letters of Paul by studying the historical events and theological studies in the ancient
times... However, Dr. Ben Blackwell, who was Doctrinal student of Durham University, Theological
Studies, and historian. Dr. Blackwell holds an MBA, BA, and BA. However, his co–editor John
Goodrich and Jason Maston, all had something in common, they, wanting to study deeper depths
and higher height of Paul's letters and ancient Judaism. In Romans, the chapters are paired with the
Jewish texts, which introduces and explores the theology of the comparative text. ... Show more
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The editor did meet, and stated the implied purposed, He allowed through Pauline letters and the
parallel comparison of the Jewish cultural to show seminaries, by what the ancient scriptures said
along with what Paul letters revealed in the New Testament concerning obedience, faith and
righteousness. The Son of God and so on, to explain our purpose on the earth as children of God. I
have used a lot of commentaries in my studies and as I have seen and research they are mostly
saying the same information, only the authors change but God's word stay the same. Good book to
used, especially when you need a cross reference to help explain or to get a point across about
Judaism and early studies of Christianity. The objective has been met well, easy to follow. This book
does benefit the field for the particular study. Reading Romans in context: Paul second temple
Judaism's, helps to enlighten the student's understanding of the book of Romans, by comparing the
letters of Paul and the ancient Jewish texts, Paul used the lost books to explain that nothing is hidden
that God want reveal, the Old Testament is what gives light through the New Testament, because it
was already prophesied what would
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66.
67. Four Hundred Years Of Silence, The Intertestamental Period
Abstract
The Four Hundred Years of Silence, the Intertestamental Period, is examined to explore the era
when there was no word from God through the arrival of Jesus in the new testament, as well as the
Israelites' response to God's silence and historical events during that time period, and the
implications for early Christianity. Israel went into captivity as a result of their practice of
disobedience to God but when they returned they continued to struggle with being obedient; their
hearts were far from God. In response, during a period of 400 hundred years there was no revelatory
word from God for the people. The ongoing practice and spirit of disobedience impacted the genesis
of Christianity where the concepts of salvation through Jesus' ... Show more content on
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Also during this time, the Jewish people reportedly were mistreating their wives, marrying non–
Jews, not tithing, and the Levities began neglecting the temple and not instructing the people of the
ways of the Lord. Eventually Jerusalem was again captured by another foreign nation, who was
ruled by Antiochus of Epiphanes Syria and in about 204 B.C. Epiphanes desecrated the "Holy of
Holies", the inner most court of the temple. This defiling act resulted in a revolt led by Judas
Maccabeus, of the Levitical Order and is known as the Maccabean Rebellion. During the rebellion
The Jews were able to recapture Jerusalem in 165 B.C. and attempted to restore the temple but the
fighting continued between the Jews and the Syrians until the Romans gained control of Jerusalem.
NEV. Ezra., Apocrypha, Macabees I & II, Adventuring Through the Bible. Stedman, R. C.
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68.
69. The Between Science And Christianity
I remember it well as if it were yesterday, but it over 40 years ago when I walked into Dr. E's. Office
asking for his opinion about something; that I needed help having to do with correctly responding to
the interrelationship between Science and Christianity. I had my own discernment and interpretation
on this topic, but I wanted a practical, realistic way to approach this discussion when asked, even if
it was a couple days later, or during a confirmation class. Though I did not have Dr. E as a professor,
or took one of his courses in geology, I knew that he could help me in a constructive way. Dr. E. was
my mentor and sponsor and he was always receptive to anything that I had to ask whether it was a
simple or complex question of the day. On that day, I wanted to know his understanding of God's
creation of science, its separation from, but more so to its correlation to the theology of Christianity.
At times, I was puzzled by some people's insistence that the two shall never meet. Where I was
coming from the standpoint and still hold true, that Jesus, Son of God is the Great Physician as
recounted in the healings parables and based and John 5:1–9. I also believed and have no problem
seeing that science and medical advances were beneficial and true blessings from God. Another vital
point of understanding that I base this reflection upon is the profound belief that that God works his
power and purpose through the means of science as wisdom and hard work is expressed
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70.
71. Forgiveness In The Second Temple Period
THESIS While also known as the Intertestamental Period, the Second Temple Period demonstrates
that while God was silent in regards of speaking through prophets, He was anything but in His
orchestrating human events for the culmination of the coming Messiah. INTRODUCTION When
Christians open their Bibles there are two Testaments of God–inspired Scripture. These Testaments
document various periods of human history of God's activity in the lives of human beings. Looking
at Scripture from a central theme of salvation, for example, gives a picture from the two Testaments
of how God not only saved people, but how He has ordained human history to focus on one specific
point: the life of Jesus Christ. Why an "Old" Testament and a "New" one? ... Show more content on
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The Second temple Period is where one sees the Jews developing their religious and national
identity as a people in the face of being eliminated through assimilation. Nevertheless, going back to
Adam and Eve and their covering made by the works of their hands, one can clearly see that man
has always tried to hide his sin; this was an unacceptable means to reconcile with God and so God
intervenes. The Second Temple Period was hardly a silent period, but sees God acting throughout
the history of man to the "fullness of time" – the time of Messiah. An insight into the writing and
theology of the Second Temple Period helps give one an idea into the theological holdings of the 1st
century Jew and thus a clearer picture as to why such doctrines as justification, forgiveness, and
salvation were being discussed by the New Testament writers in the context of works and faith. The
picture that one sees throughout Scripture, and more clearly in the New Testament, is that only one
could fulfill the law; only one could provide an acceptable sacrifice for one's sins: Jesus Christ. It is
one's faith in His finished work on the Cross and righteous life that justifies the sinner thereby
attaining salvation and forgiveness through Him –
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72.
73. What Makes The Bible Into Theology?
Introduction
Canonization is the promotion and acceptance of a text as sacred and binding. (Detweiler, 1985).
The particular qualities of biblical literature which become canon are what makes the Bible into
theology (Stordalen, 2007).
The word "canon" is an ancient Semitic word that, in ancient times, had come to be thought of as a
standard or rule for faith and life. The books of the Old and New Testaments have long been
considered canon, or "divine writings" ("Lecture 2," 2015).
Canonization of the Bible was a varied process that occurred over a very long span of time and
involved many different scholars, but it resulted in an enduring book to be studied not only as
literature, but also as God's word ("Lecture 2," 2015). Though the Bible has endured for hundreds of
years, there are were and are disagreements about what canon is and research is ongoing.
Old Testament Beginning with the Old Testament ("OT"), it is evident that there is no one answer to
what is considered canon, as Protestants, Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians have never
agreed on the extent of the OT. Protestants have accepted the current 39 books of the OT as canon
since the Reformation, but our ability to actually know the reasons the Jews accepted the 39 books
of Hebrew Scripture as they are currently arranged is lost in antiquity (Klein, Blomberg, Hubbard,
2004). Biblically, the basic tenet for canon is that it be inspired, "God–breathed" (2 Tim. 3:16).
In What is a Sacred Text,
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74.
75. Analysis Of Poem ' 7 ' Essay
Detailed Analysis
In verse 7, which is the first verse of the pericope, Paul contrasts the seeming advantages he had just
listed which should have been of profit to him with regard to his standing with God when
considered by human standards, yet in light of the new understanding he had received through
Christ, he had determined that they were actually of "loss (Philippians 3:7 NRSV)" to him instead.
Paul goes even further in verse 8, stating that his conception of "loss (Philippians 3:8 NRSV)" was
not limited to just the benefits which should have profited him that he had previ–ously listed in
verses 4–6, but extended to "everything (Philippians 3:8 NRSV)" in his life as well, when he
contrasted them to the superior "value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord (Philippians 3:8 NRSV)"
on whose account Paul had ἐζημιώθην which is in the aorist tense, indicating that it happened in the
past, yet is indefinite regarding "duration, completion, or repetition (Heth)" – and passive voice
indicating that the subject, in this case Paul, "receives the action of the verb (Heth)" – and indicative
mood, expressing certainty and "present(ing) the verbal idea as fact (Heth)" – of ζημιόω "suffered
the loss of all things (Philippians 3:8 NRSV)" – and one may assume that in addition to all of the
things that Paul once thought were the "gains (Philippians 3:7 NRSV)" he had just listed, on Paul's
mind are also all of the things he had lost as a result of his imprisonment – and it seems likely that
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76.
77. The Chicago Statement On Biblical Inerrancy
The major creeds that influenced the writing of this section are the Second London Confession of
1689 and the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy. Both of these documents are short yet
comprehensive statements on the Bible and how it affects Christians. One of the main biblical texts
is 2 Timothy 3:15–17, where Paul espouses the grandeur of the Scriptures. The Bible is inerrant and
dependable, quite literally "breathed out by God" and must be utilized for teaching correct doctrine
and rebuking false teaching. Romans 3:2 is another verse that is foundational, and in it Paul states
that God spoke to the prophets, who in turn communicated this truth to their people. The Bible is
God's promises and commands to live and thrive in the world. ... Show more content on
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They are both foundational because they give clear yet succinct summaries of the Holy Spirit. A
biblical text that explains the Holy Spirit is John 14:26, where Jesus says the Father will send the
Helper. This Helper will give believers power, and Jesus also says in John 16:7 that it is better that
He leave them so the Helper can come. This is the same Spirit that hovered over the face of the
waters in Genesis 1:2, and is the third part of the trinity. This Holy Spirit in the Old Testament came
down upon individuals, such as Saul and David, and now it rests upon anyone who calls upon the
name of the Lord (Romans
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