This document discusses evidence for the reliability of the Bible. It addresses four main questions: Are the Scriptures reliable in their translation, transmission, testimony, and totality? Regarding translation, the document examines different types of translations and their reliability. For transmission, it analyzes manuscript evidence for the New and Old Testaments. When considering testimony, the document evaluates several historical criteria that point to the gospels' authenticity. It ultimately concludes that the resurrection accounts are historically plausible and alternative explanations are less satisfactory.
1. The document discusses whether Jesus was a magician by examining the evidence for his supernatural deeds and implications.
2. It presents historical criteria like multiple independent attestation and contextual coherence to argue the gospels provide authentic accounts of Jesus' miracles.
3. The document also notes the gospels include unnecessary details and unresolved difficulties that point to eyewitness testimony rather than being fabricated later.
1) Jesus was fully God and fully human, living a perfect human life as the God-man so he could understand human experiences and serve as a model for living through spiritual disciplines like prayer, fasting, and scripture study.
2) By living within human limitations like physical needs, emotions, learning, and temptation, Jesus demonstrates that humans can live empowered through the Holy Spirit rather than their own abilities.
3) Jesus performed supernatural works through the anointing of the Holy Spirit, including healings, words of knowledge, miracles and preaching. His example proves that with the Holy Spirit, limited humans can do God's works.
This document discusses the Christian doctrine of the Trinity - that God exists as three persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) in one being. It provides arguments for the existence of God and the divinity of Jesus from historical, cosmological, teleological, moral, and existential perspectives. It examines the biblical basis for the Trinity in both the Old and New Testaments. It addresses common objections to the Trinity and concludes that an eternal, loving God must necessarily be a Trinity to fulfill the nature of love between persons.
Jesus Christ is God incarnate who came to communicate God's message to humanity. He is the Word of God made flesh, fully God and fully man. He came willingly to save sinners by dying on the cross to satisfy the demands of the law that humans could not. In Jesus, God's glory was revealed through the perfect balance of grace and truth in His nature and teachings.
The document discusses several "gospels" outside the canonical four gospels of the New Testament. It provides context for why the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were selected for inclusion in the biblical canon while others like the Gospel of Thomas and Gospel of Peter were rejected. Key reasons given include issues with authorship, contradicting core Christian teachings, being written later than the eyewitness accounts, and promoting Gnostic beliefs.
This document discusses the biblical basis for the doctrine of the Trinity. It provides evidence from both the Old and New Testaments for the plurality of persons within the Godhead, including references that point to God existing as three distinct persons - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. While the word "Trinity" is not found in the Bible, the document argues the concept is supported by clear biblical texts that describe the involvement of all three persons in key events like Jesus' baptism and the apostolic benediction.
This document provides an overview of a presentation on the topic of Christology, or the study of the person and nature of Jesus Christ. It outlines several objectives of the study, including examining prophecies about Jesus' life, his dual divine and human natures, the doctrine of kenotic Christology, the magnitude of his temptations, and the necessity of his human nature. It then discusses predictions about Jesus that were fulfilled from the Old Testament. Finally, it explores biblical evidence that Jesus was fully God and fully man.
The document discusses various false representations of Jesus Christ found in occult practices such as spiritism, theosophy, and satanism. It outlines how these counterfeit Christs portray Jesus as not divine, just a human who attained enlightenment and became one of many ascended masters, denying his unique role as God incarnate and savior. The biblical response is that only God truly knows the future and stands above human wisdom. Jesus is unique from other religious figures as the one through whom God formed the world and redeems mankind.
1. The document discusses whether Jesus was a magician by examining the evidence for his supernatural deeds and implications.
2. It presents historical criteria like multiple independent attestation and contextual coherence to argue the gospels provide authentic accounts of Jesus' miracles.
3. The document also notes the gospels include unnecessary details and unresolved difficulties that point to eyewitness testimony rather than being fabricated later.
1) Jesus was fully God and fully human, living a perfect human life as the God-man so he could understand human experiences and serve as a model for living through spiritual disciplines like prayer, fasting, and scripture study.
2) By living within human limitations like physical needs, emotions, learning, and temptation, Jesus demonstrates that humans can live empowered through the Holy Spirit rather than their own abilities.
3) Jesus performed supernatural works through the anointing of the Holy Spirit, including healings, words of knowledge, miracles and preaching. His example proves that with the Holy Spirit, limited humans can do God's works.
This document discusses the Christian doctrine of the Trinity - that God exists as three persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) in one being. It provides arguments for the existence of God and the divinity of Jesus from historical, cosmological, teleological, moral, and existential perspectives. It examines the biblical basis for the Trinity in both the Old and New Testaments. It addresses common objections to the Trinity and concludes that an eternal, loving God must necessarily be a Trinity to fulfill the nature of love between persons.
Jesus Christ is God incarnate who came to communicate God's message to humanity. He is the Word of God made flesh, fully God and fully man. He came willingly to save sinners by dying on the cross to satisfy the demands of the law that humans could not. In Jesus, God's glory was revealed through the perfect balance of grace and truth in His nature and teachings.
The document discusses several "gospels" outside the canonical four gospels of the New Testament. It provides context for why the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were selected for inclusion in the biblical canon while others like the Gospel of Thomas and Gospel of Peter were rejected. Key reasons given include issues with authorship, contradicting core Christian teachings, being written later than the eyewitness accounts, and promoting Gnostic beliefs.
This document discusses the biblical basis for the doctrine of the Trinity. It provides evidence from both the Old and New Testaments for the plurality of persons within the Godhead, including references that point to God existing as three distinct persons - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. While the word "Trinity" is not found in the Bible, the document argues the concept is supported by clear biblical texts that describe the involvement of all three persons in key events like Jesus' baptism and the apostolic benediction.
This document provides an overview of a presentation on the topic of Christology, or the study of the person and nature of Jesus Christ. It outlines several objectives of the study, including examining prophecies about Jesus' life, his dual divine and human natures, the doctrine of kenotic Christology, the magnitude of his temptations, and the necessity of his human nature. It then discusses predictions about Jesus that were fulfilled from the Old Testament. Finally, it explores biblical evidence that Jesus was fully God and fully man.
The document discusses various false representations of Jesus Christ found in occult practices such as spiritism, theosophy, and satanism. It outlines how these counterfeit Christs portray Jesus as not divine, just a human who attained enlightenment and became one of many ascended masters, denying his unique role as God incarnate and savior. The biblical response is that only God truly knows the future and stands above human wisdom. Jesus is unique from other religious figures as the one through whom God formed the world and redeems mankind.
The document examines evidence for who Jesus Christ claimed to be based on testimony from various sources. It discusses what people in Jesus' time said about him, including that he taught with authority and some believed him to be the Messiah. It also examines what Jesus himself claimed, including that he could forgive sins, was the Son of God and eternal. The document argues that either Jesus' claims were true, making him the Son of God, or he was a liar based on the eyewitness testimony and fulfilled prophecies about the Messiah.
The document discusses perspectives on gender roles and the status of women in Christianity and other religions and cultures throughout history. It provides numerous biblical examples of women in leadership roles and being treated with dignity and equality. It also notes how Christianity elevated the status of women compared to practices in Greek, Roman and other cultures which were highly patriarchal and often demeaning to women.
In this lesson we examine the Bible and what it says about itself. I show why I choose to believe in the Bible and how my faith is not a blind faith but based on evidence. Both audio and slides can be found together at www.cmcoc.org
Sermon by: Brian Birdow
This document discusses Peter Kreeft and Ronald Tacelli's chapter on the divinity of Christ from their book "The Pocket Handbook of Christian Apologetics". It examines Jesus' claims to be the Son of God and divine, arguments for his divinity like his trustworthiness, and reasons people may deny his divinity like finding the claims hard to accept. It also references passages where Jesus calls himself the Son of God and claims to forgive sins, save from death, and return to judge all people.
Paul writes to the Thessalonians to provide practical advice for living out their faith. He encourages them to avoid sexual immorality and to control their bodies, as this is God's will. Paul explains that Christians should not behave like pagans in their sexual practices but should pursue holiness. He urges believers to work with their hands and live quietly so as not to be a disruption to others.
This document contains summaries of passages from Luke and Acts that describe Jesus appearing to his disciples after his resurrection and instructing them to remain in Jerusalem to receive the Holy Spirit. It discusses how Luke wrote his gospel account and book of Acts based on eyewitness testimony in order to provide an orderly record of the life of Jesus and the early church for Theophilus.
1) Critical events in Paul's life such as his vision of the risen Christ, his brush with death in Ephesus, and encounters with false apostles and Jewish Christians over the law, influenced the development of his theology.
2) Paul drew on both his Jewish and Hellenistic backgrounds, using the Septuagint and Greek terms while defending Jewish doctrines like resurrection.
3) His revelation of Jesus radically changed Paul from a persecutor of Christians to an apostle, calling him to preach Christ to Gentiles and defend his authority despite a later conversion.
This document discusses the divine nature and authority of the Bible. It argues that the Bible is holy, as God is holy. It is set apart from all other writings as the Word of God. The document also asserts that the Bible is inerrant, as God cannot err, and the Bible was authored by God through human writers. It addresses objections to inerrancy by distinguishing between the human and divine aspects of Scripture. In conclusion, the internal evidence strongly supports that the Bible is of divine origin and bears the fingerprints of God.
The document discusses the person and work of the Holy Spirit according to scripture. It describes the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Trinity, who is eternal, omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. The Holy Spirit works in believers to empower them, enable righteousness and fruit of the spirit, and give gifts to serve God and witness to others. Speaking in tongues is mentioned as a potential gift from being filled with the Holy Spirit.
This document provides an overview of biblical inspiration and revelation. It discusses key passages that address these topics, such as 2 Peter 1:20-21 and 2 Timothy 3:16. The Bible testifies to itself as the word of God. While written through human authors, the Holy Spirit ensured the final text is infallible and without error. The mode of inspiration is mysterious but resulted in an authoritative text that is the final rule for faith and practice.
This document contains the summary of an online Bible study discussion on the topic of entering God's rest as discussed in Hebrews 3-4. The discussion explores the concept of faith versus unbelief and how faith in God's word allows one to enter His rest. Key points include:
1) Hebrews 3 contrasts those who believe and enter God's rest with those who did not believe because of an evil heart of unbelief.
2) Belief and faith in God's promises are the key to entering His rest, while unbelief prevents acceptance of God's invitation and assurance.
3) Hebrews 4 emphasizes the solemn warning to not fail to enter God's rest and contrasts those who believe and enter rest with those
The document discusses the nature of the Holy Spirit based on passages from the Bible. It argues that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, not just a force or power, based on several points:
1) Jesus described the Holy Spirit as another comforter like himself, implying the Spirit is a person of the same kind.
2) The Bible attributes personal characteristics to the Holy Spirit like having a will, making intercessions, speaking, and being grieved.
3) Seeing the Holy Spirit as a person rather than a power emphasizes our relationship with Him and allows Him to transform us more fully according to God's plans.
The document provides an overview and summary of Paul's letter to the Philippians, with a focus on the theme of joy. It discusses how joy is a gift from God and is experienced through believing in God's son, being filled with the Holy Spirit, and obeying God's word. It also notes how joy can be deepened through trials. The summary then briefly introduces Paul and Timothy as bond servants of Christ who viewed themselves as slaves of the Lord.
Brian Colon and Dr. John Oakes taught a six hour class on the reliability of the Bible on Saturday Sept. 14, 2013 at the Orange County Church of Christ, Irvine, CA. The class covered the manuscript and other evidence for the reliability of both the Old and the New Testaments. The power point on the Reliability of the Old Testament for the class is here:
Dr. John Oakes and Mark Wilkinson taught a class on how to understand and interpret the Bible. This was a 7 hour class. The suggester book for this class is "How to Study the Bible For All It’s Worth by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stewart.
Heaven, Hell, Universalism and Rob Bell - Part 3Robin Schumacher
This document provides a summary and analysis of Rob Bell's book "Love Wins" and the theological debate it sparked regarding universalism. It examines several biblical passages commonly cited in support of universalism and provides counterpoints arguing they do not support the idea that all people will ultimately be saved. The document questions whether Bell's portrayal of God as potentially unable to achieve His purposes is consistent with Scripture. Overall, it aims to analyze Bell's theology in light of biblical teachings on salvation, judgment, and the sovereignty of God.
This document discusses how Christians have lost connection with God's appointed feast days and cycle of blessings outlined in the Old Testament. It argues that Satan has stolen this understanding by persuading Christians that the Old Testament is inferior or irrelevant. However, the New Testament valued the Old Testament and early Christians based their teachings and practices on it for decades before the New Testament was written. Reconnecting with the Old Testament feasts and cycle can help restore blessings intended by God.
The document discusses the inspiration and authority of Scripture. It begins by defining inspiration as Scripture's inherent, God-given nature and authority as its right to govern beliefs and life. It then examines what Paul, Peter, and Jesus taught about Scripture's inspiration. Paul told Timothy that all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for doctrine, reproof, correction, and training. Peter directed believers to the prophetic word in Scripture, noting its divine origin from God through men. Jesus rebuked the Sadducees' ignorance of Scripture, saying God's words to Moses should have been heard as if from God directly.
The document examines evidence for who Jesus Christ claimed to be based on testimony from various sources. It discusses what people in Jesus' time said about him, including that he taught with authority and some believed him to be the Messiah. It also examines what Jesus himself claimed, including that he could forgive sins, was the Son of God and eternal. The document argues that either Jesus' claims were true, making him the Son of God, or he was a liar based on the eyewitness testimony and fulfilled prophecies about the Messiah.
The document discusses perspectives on gender roles and the status of women in Christianity and other religions and cultures throughout history. It provides numerous biblical examples of women in leadership roles and being treated with dignity and equality. It also notes how Christianity elevated the status of women compared to practices in Greek, Roman and other cultures which were highly patriarchal and often demeaning to women.
In this lesson we examine the Bible and what it says about itself. I show why I choose to believe in the Bible and how my faith is not a blind faith but based on evidence. Both audio and slides can be found together at www.cmcoc.org
Sermon by: Brian Birdow
This document discusses Peter Kreeft and Ronald Tacelli's chapter on the divinity of Christ from their book "The Pocket Handbook of Christian Apologetics". It examines Jesus' claims to be the Son of God and divine, arguments for his divinity like his trustworthiness, and reasons people may deny his divinity like finding the claims hard to accept. It also references passages where Jesus calls himself the Son of God and claims to forgive sins, save from death, and return to judge all people.
Paul writes to the Thessalonians to provide practical advice for living out their faith. He encourages them to avoid sexual immorality and to control their bodies, as this is God's will. Paul explains that Christians should not behave like pagans in their sexual practices but should pursue holiness. He urges believers to work with their hands and live quietly so as not to be a disruption to others.
This document contains summaries of passages from Luke and Acts that describe Jesus appearing to his disciples after his resurrection and instructing them to remain in Jerusalem to receive the Holy Spirit. It discusses how Luke wrote his gospel account and book of Acts based on eyewitness testimony in order to provide an orderly record of the life of Jesus and the early church for Theophilus.
1) Critical events in Paul's life such as his vision of the risen Christ, his brush with death in Ephesus, and encounters with false apostles and Jewish Christians over the law, influenced the development of his theology.
2) Paul drew on both his Jewish and Hellenistic backgrounds, using the Septuagint and Greek terms while defending Jewish doctrines like resurrection.
3) His revelation of Jesus radically changed Paul from a persecutor of Christians to an apostle, calling him to preach Christ to Gentiles and defend his authority despite a later conversion.
This document discusses the divine nature and authority of the Bible. It argues that the Bible is holy, as God is holy. It is set apart from all other writings as the Word of God. The document also asserts that the Bible is inerrant, as God cannot err, and the Bible was authored by God through human writers. It addresses objections to inerrancy by distinguishing between the human and divine aspects of Scripture. In conclusion, the internal evidence strongly supports that the Bible is of divine origin and bears the fingerprints of God.
The document discusses the person and work of the Holy Spirit according to scripture. It describes the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Trinity, who is eternal, omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. The Holy Spirit works in believers to empower them, enable righteousness and fruit of the spirit, and give gifts to serve God and witness to others. Speaking in tongues is mentioned as a potential gift from being filled with the Holy Spirit.
This document provides an overview of biblical inspiration and revelation. It discusses key passages that address these topics, such as 2 Peter 1:20-21 and 2 Timothy 3:16. The Bible testifies to itself as the word of God. While written through human authors, the Holy Spirit ensured the final text is infallible and without error. The mode of inspiration is mysterious but resulted in an authoritative text that is the final rule for faith and practice.
This document contains the summary of an online Bible study discussion on the topic of entering God's rest as discussed in Hebrews 3-4. The discussion explores the concept of faith versus unbelief and how faith in God's word allows one to enter His rest. Key points include:
1) Hebrews 3 contrasts those who believe and enter God's rest with those who did not believe because of an evil heart of unbelief.
2) Belief and faith in God's promises are the key to entering His rest, while unbelief prevents acceptance of God's invitation and assurance.
3) Hebrews 4 emphasizes the solemn warning to not fail to enter God's rest and contrasts those who believe and enter rest with those
The document discusses the nature of the Holy Spirit based on passages from the Bible. It argues that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, not just a force or power, based on several points:
1) Jesus described the Holy Spirit as another comforter like himself, implying the Spirit is a person of the same kind.
2) The Bible attributes personal characteristics to the Holy Spirit like having a will, making intercessions, speaking, and being grieved.
3) Seeing the Holy Spirit as a person rather than a power emphasizes our relationship with Him and allows Him to transform us more fully according to God's plans.
The document provides an overview and summary of Paul's letter to the Philippians, with a focus on the theme of joy. It discusses how joy is a gift from God and is experienced through believing in God's son, being filled with the Holy Spirit, and obeying God's word. It also notes how joy can be deepened through trials. The summary then briefly introduces Paul and Timothy as bond servants of Christ who viewed themselves as slaves of the Lord.
Brian Colon and Dr. John Oakes taught a six hour class on the reliability of the Bible on Saturday Sept. 14, 2013 at the Orange County Church of Christ, Irvine, CA. The class covered the manuscript and other evidence for the reliability of both the Old and the New Testaments. The power point on the Reliability of the Old Testament for the class is here:
Dr. John Oakes and Mark Wilkinson taught a class on how to understand and interpret the Bible. This was a 7 hour class. The suggester book for this class is "How to Study the Bible For All It’s Worth by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stewart.
Heaven, Hell, Universalism and Rob Bell - Part 3Robin Schumacher
This document provides a summary and analysis of Rob Bell's book "Love Wins" and the theological debate it sparked regarding universalism. It examines several biblical passages commonly cited in support of universalism and provides counterpoints arguing they do not support the idea that all people will ultimately be saved. The document questions whether Bell's portrayal of God as potentially unable to achieve His purposes is consistent with Scripture. Overall, it aims to analyze Bell's theology in light of biblical teachings on salvation, judgment, and the sovereignty of God.
This document discusses how Christians have lost connection with God's appointed feast days and cycle of blessings outlined in the Old Testament. It argues that Satan has stolen this understanding by persuading Christians that the Old Testament is inferior or irrelevant. However, the New Testament valued the Old Testament and early Christians based their teachings and practices on it for decades before the New Testament was written. Reconnecting with the Old Testament feasts and cycle can help restore blessings intended by God.
The document discusses the inspiration and authority of Scripture. It begins by defining inspiration as Scripture's inherent, God-given nature and authority as its right to govern beliefs and life. It then examines what Paul, Peter, and Jesus taught about Scripture's inspiration. Paul told Timothy that all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for doctrine, reproof, correction, and training. Peter directed believers to the prophetic word in Scripture, noting its divine origin from God through men. Jesus rebuked the Sadducees' ignorance of Scripture, saying God's words to Moses should have been heard as if from God directly.
The document discusses the importance of scripture according to 2 Timothy 3:14-17 and 4:1-5. It provides context on Paul writing the letter to Timothy, and explains that all scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training. The document then gives tips for studying the Bible, such as interpreting it literally and in historical context. It also notes corresponding truths between 2 Timothy 3:16 and John 3:16 regarding God's word.
This document provides an overview and analysis of 2 Timothy 3:14-17 and 4:1-5. It discusses the importance of Scripture according to these passages. The document examines how Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training. It also provides tips for studying the Bible, emphasizing interpreting Scripture literally and in its proper historical context. The document notes corresponding truths between 2 Timothy 3:16 and John 3:16 about the dual gifts of Scripture and salvation through Jesus Christ.
The document discusses principles of studying the Bible. It notes that the Bible was written over 1500 years by over 40 authors from various backgrounds, yet maintains a unified message. It was written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek on 3 continents. The Bible is divided into the Old and New Testaments. It is the authoritative word of God as it is inspired, infallible, and inerrant. Proper interpretation involves understanding what the author intended rather than individual reader interpretation.
Our Personal Commitment to Jesus demands that we desire to know Him more and more clearly and accurately. Such a relationship of intimacy should be cultivated and pressed onto through enlightenment of the eyes of our understanding. Our passion and zeal for knowing Him should be guided through light in order not to fall in the trap of false intimacy but know Him accurately the way He wants to be known.
The document discusses the authority, characteristics, and necessity of Scripture. Some key points:
1. The Bible claims authority as the Word of God, and its words have power to change lives. Disbelieving or disobeying Scripture is equivalent to disobeying God.
2. All words in the original manuscripts of Scripture are completely true without error. God cannot lie, so His words in the Bible are the ultimate standard of truth.
3. While the Bible is sufficient on its own, teachers and scholars can help with interpretation, defending the Bible from attacks, and applying it to new situations. However, their works should always point back to Jesus and Scripture.
Apologetics Academy Talk for First Trinity, Part 2Kaitlyn Nowak
Kaitlyn Nowak gave a talk summarizing her studies in apologetics at the International Academy of Apologetics, Evangelism, and Human Rights. She outlined using a historical approach to defend Christianity, arguing that: 1) The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are reliable primary sources due to their proximity to Jesus and superior manuscript transmission. 2) Jesus claimed to be God in the gospels. 3) The gospels provide detailed accounts of Jesus' death and resurrection that match historical evidence. 4) Jesus' resurrection proves his deity by demonstrating power over death, which is the fundamental human issue.
2 Corinthians 1, Comfort; Prosperity Affliction; Because You Prayed; OSAS, He...Valley Bible Fellowship
2 Corinthians Chapter 1, Paul’s Most Personal Epistle; The Comfort Book; The Church of God; Who Is “the God of all comfort”?; Prosperity And Affliction; Because You Prayed; OSAS, He Is Able; Once Saved Always Saved
The document discusses the authority of prophets and prophetic messages. It explores how prophets like Moses and Jeremiah initially resisted their calling, and how Ellen White also struggled. It examines how Jesus has all authority and how prophets receive authority from Him. The document also discusses how prophetic messages from figures like Ellen White have been both accepted and rejected, and how Adventists view the relationship between the Bible and Ellen White's writings.
The document discusses the legitimacy and reliability of the Bible. It notes that while many doubt the Bible, there are good reasons to trust that God revealed himself through it. These reasons include:
- The Bible has more manuscript evidence supporting it than any other ancient document. Our copies accurately represent the originals.
- Archaeology has confirmed countless passages in the Bible. Many scientific principles were described in the Bible before being discovered by science.
- The remarkable preservation of the Bible, its historical accuracy, scientific foreknowledge, prophetic fulfillment, and life-transforming power point to it being God's word, not just man's ideas. Therefore, where we can observe or verify the Bible, we can reasonably trust what we
A Great read by the late Dr. Walter Martin. An agnostic, converted, to Christianity, who became known as the Bible Answer Man. You can Also Download at http://anaheimsigns.com
The document discusses arguments against taking the Bible literally or trusting it historically, culturally, or absolutely. It addresses claims that the gospels were written too late, that what was written was to support the church's power, and that archaeology discredits the Bible. It also discusses interpreting the Bible through principles like context and genre. Finally, it argues that the Bible provides timeless truth, freedom, the ability to see ourselves, God's power in people, and the power to save us from ourselves.
This document provides guidance on how to study the Bible through simple principles and rules of interpretation. It encourages taking notes, asking questions, visualizing the text, reflecting on what is read, and researching unclear parts. Key rules of interpretation discussed are:
- Comparing scripture with scripture to bring clarity without contradiction
- Obscure passages being interpreted in light of plain ones
- Considering the original terminology and meaning at the time rather than present-day definitions
- Understanding words in their context and with awareness of the historical background
The overall message is that properly interpreting Scripture requires humility, loyalty to the original meaning, and applying basic hermeneutical principles to arrive at an accurate understanding.
The document discusses the field of Christian apologetics, which involves defending Christianity through rational argument. It provides an overview of why apologetics is important as Christianity faces challenges from modern culture. It also addresses common questions and claims raised in books like The Da Vinci Code, providing counterarguments to assertions that Jesus was not divine, the Bible is untrue, or that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene.
1. Studying church history helps Christians understand how God has guided the church over the centuries according to his plan of redemption.
2. It demonstrates that Christianity is grounded in real historical events and people, not just theological ideas. Knowing the history provides perspective on issues the church has faced regarding culture, doctrine, and more.
3. Church history is not infallible due to limited sources and human interpretation, but it helps Christians realize how dependent they are on those who preserved core doctrines through challenges over time.
Lesson 1 revelation seminars a bible prophecy adventureNick Pellicciotta
This document provides an overview of "Revelation Seminars: Lesson #1", which discusses the benefits of studying the biblical book of Revelation. It claims that Revelation explains past events and reveals the future, and that studying it will allow one to see world events before they happen. It lists 10 promised blessings for those who study Revelation, such as understanding world history, recognizing the conflict between Christ and Satan, and coming face to face with Jesus. The document emphasizes obeying what is written in Revelation and notes that spiritual discernment is needed to understand it properly.
Basic overview of introductory apologetics: (1) Can we prove God's existence? (2) Is the Bible reliable? (3) Was Jesus God or a good guy? [additional references found in "notes" section of each slide]
How to Build a Module in Odoo 17 Using the Scaffold MethodCeline George
Odoo provides an option for creating a module by using a single line command. By using this command the user can make a whole structure of a module. It is very easy for a beginner to make a module. There is no need to make each file manually. This slide will show how to create a module using the scaffold method.
it describes the bony anatomy including the femoral head , acetabulum, labrum . also discusses the capsule , ligaments . muscle that act on the hip joint and the range of motion are outlined. factors affecting hip joint stability and weight transmission through the joint are summarized.
Executive Directors Chat Leveraging AI for Diversity, Equity, and InclusionTechSoup
Let’s explore the intersection of technology and equity in the final session of our DEI series. Discover how AI tools, like ChatGPT, can be used to support and enhance your nonprofit's DEI initiatives. Participants will gain insights into practical AI applications and get tips for leveraging technology to advance their DEI goals.
Strategies for Effective Upskilling is a presentation by Chinwendu Peace in a Your Skill Boost Masterclass organisation by the Excellence Foundation for South Sudan on 08th and 09th June 2024 from 1 PM to 3 PM on each day.
The simplified electron and muon model, Oscillating Spacetime: The Foundation...RitikBhardwaj56
Discover the Simplified Electron and Muon Model: A New Wave-Based Approach to Understanding Particles delves into a groundbreaking theory that presents electrons and muons as rotating soliton waves within oscillating spacetime. Geared towards students, researchers, and science buffs, this book breaks down complex ideas into simple explanations. It covers topics such as electron waves, temporal dynamics, and the implications of this model on particle physics. With clear illustrations and easy-to-follow explanations, readers will gain a new outlook on the universe's fundamental nature.
How to Add Chatter in the odoo 17 ERP ModuleCeline George
In Odoo, the chatter is like a chat tool that helps you work together on records. You can leave notes and track things, making it easier to talk with your team and partners. Inside chatter, all communication history, activity, and changes will be displayed.
This slide is special for master students (MIBS & MIFB) in UUM. Also useful for readers who are interested in the topic of contemporary Islamic banking.
Walmart Business+ and Spark Good for Nonprofits.pdfTechSoup
"Learn about all the ways Walmart supports nonprofit organizations.
You will hear from Liz Willett, the Head of Nonprofits, and hear about what Walmart is doing to help nonprofits, including Walmart Business and Spark Good. Walmart Business+ is a new offer for nonprofits that offers discounts and also streamlines nonprofits order and expense tracking, saving time and money.
The webinar may also give some examples on how nonprofits can best leverage Walmart Business+.
The event will cover the following::
Walmart Business + (https://business.walmart.com/plus) is a new shopping experience for nonprofits, schools, and local business customers that connects an exclusive online shopping experience to stores. Benefits include free delivery and shipping, a 'Spend Analytics” feature, special discounts, deals and tax-exempt shopping.
Special TechSoup offer for a free 180 days membership, and up to $150 in discounts on eligible orders.
Spark Good (walmart.com/sparkgood) is a charitable platform that enables nonprofits to receive donations directly from customers and associates.
Answers about how you can do more with Walmart!"
বাংলাদেশের অর্থনৈতিক সমীক্ষা ২০২৪ [Bangladesh Economic Review 2024 Bangla.pdf] কম্পিউটার , ট্যাব ও স্মার্ট ফোন ভার্সন সহ সম্পূর্ণ বাংলা ই-বুক বা pdf বই " সুচিপত্র ...বুকমার্ক মেনু 🔖 ও হাইপার লিংক মেনু 📝👆 যুক্ত ..
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This presentation was provided by Steph Pollock of The American Psychological Association’s Journals Program, and Damita Snow, of The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), for the initial session of NISO's 2024 Training Series "DEIA in the Scholarly Landscape." Session One: 'Setting Expectations: a DEIA Primer,' was held June 6, 2024.
4. KNOWING our faith is true
Our conviction that the gospel is true is based primarily on the assurance of the
Spirit – not the arguments of reason. “My preaching was not with persuasive
words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit” 1 Corinthians 2:4
• The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
Romans 8:16
• Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our
hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:5
• When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.
John 16:13-14
• I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able…2 Timothy 1:12
5. SHOWING others our faith is true
Nevertheless, we still have to show others reasons for what we believe.
• Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to
give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with
gentleness and respect… 1 Peter 3:15
• Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant
them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth…
2 Timothy 2:25
6. Some background
• A human being is body, soul and spirit (1 Thess. 5:23)
• ‘Soul’ and ‘spirit’ are often confused in Christian theology, but
biblically the ‘spirit’ is the part which is made to commune with God,
whereas the soul is our mind/emotions/will.
• Since the fall, each human is ‘by nature’ spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1-3)
and so ‘must be born again’ (John 3:7)
• This new birth happens through the gospel (Rom. 1:16), as the word
of God pierces ‘the thoughts and intentions of the heart’ (Heb. 4:12).
• Piercing through the soul to the spirit is made more difficult by
intellectual ‘strongholds’ which must be dismantled (2 Cor. 10:5).
7. We destroy arguments
and every lofty opinion
raised against the knowledge of God
and take every thought captive
to obey Christ…
2 Corinthians 10:5
8. So--How do we know show the Bible is true?
• Helps to break this down into four questions:
• 1. The linguistic question: Are the Scriptures reliable in their TRANSLATION?
• 2. The textual question: Are the Scriptures reliable in their TRANSMISSION?
• 3. The historical question: Are the Scriptures reliable in their TESTIMONY?
• 4. The theological question: Are the Scriptures reliable in their TOTALITY?
9. The theological question:
Are the Scriptures reliable in their
TOTALITY?
(addressing the final question first so you know where I’m going)
10. 3 Shortcuts:
(1 False, 1 Temporary, 1 Most Helpful)
• Within the Scriptures, we find the claim that “All Scripture in inspired by
God…” (2 Timothy 3.16), and since God “never lies” (Titus 1:2), it seems
simple to conclude that all Scripture must be entirely reliable. But unless
we have other grounds on which to accept the claim that Scripture is
inspired, we are in danger of basing our trust in Scripture on nothing more
than a circular argument.
• Alternatively, we could simply choose to trust the testimony of the church,
remembering that the Scriptures call us not to unquestioning silent
submission, but rather to sincerely questioning curiosity and thoughtful
engagement—as was modelled by Jesus (Luke 2:46).
• Thirdly, we might base our confidence in Scripture on the internal
testimony of the Holy Spirit. This will have more or less weight depending
on our personal experience of God’s power.
11. • But if we have been persuaded on historical grounds that Jesus of
Nazareth truly was risen from the dead, and if we agree with his
followers that He was thus “declared to be the Son of God”(Rom. 1:4),
then it is logical to accept and align ourselves with the historical
conviction of Jesus – which, as with devout Jews of his day, was
clearly that “The Scriptures cannot be broken” (John 10:35).
13. TRANSLATION
• The Scriptures were originally written in Greek (New Testament), Hebrew
(TaNaKh/‘Old Testament’), and Aramaic (most of Daniel). Since most of us don’t
speak these languages, most of us read the Bible in translation.
• The reason translations of the Bible differ is that there are 3 types of translation:
‘Word-for-word’ Literal Eg. Authorised/King James Version
‘Thought-for-thought’ ‘Dynamic’ Eg. New International Version
‘Idea-for-idea (?!)’ Paraphrase Eg. The Message
• Discuss: What translation do you use? _______
What type of translation is it? __________
• Tip: For Doctrine—use a word-for-word translation.
For Devotion—use whatever is most helpful.
15. TRANSMISSION
Can we know what was originally written?
• Since the original Scriptural manuscripts no longer exist, there are
three issues we must consider:
i. the length of time between the original manuscript and
the earliest we have preserved;
ii. the number of available manuscripts;
iii. the variation between the manuscripts.
16. New Testament
• For the New Testament, we have more than four thousand Greek
manuscripts (many viewable online), with some dating from perhaps only a
few decades after the original (cf. Young Kyu Kim’s argument that the
collection of the Pauline epistles should be dated before AD80).
• The earliest complete copy is the ‘Codex Sinaiticus’ (owned by the British
Library, and viewable online) which dates from the mid-4th
century—within three centuries of the original writings.
• As for variation, textual scholarship demonstrates that “substantial
variation [ie. not just trivial differences in word order or spelling]…can
hardly form more than a thousandth part of the entire text”.
• To appreciate just how well-attested the New Testament text is, it is
worth comparing other ancient manuscripts.
17.
18. Old Testament
• For the Hebrew Scriptures (‘Old Testament’), we don’t have a
complete Hebrew version until the Leningrad Codex of the Masoretic
Text in AD1008.
• But it has been shown to be very reliable by comparing it with the
more recently discovered (20th Century) Dead Sea Scrolls from 200
BC.
• And it can also be checked against the early Greek translations
(‘Septuagint’—a substantial version of which is included in the Codex
Sinaiticus).
20. TESTIMONY
• In answering this question, scholars use various historical criteria:
• Contextual Coherence & Distinctive Dissimilarity
• Unnecessary Detail & Unresolved Difficulties
• Apostolic Embarrassment & Apostolic Suffering
• Extrabiblical Confirmation & Multiple Attestation
• Let me explain these. (I will do this with reference to the gospels,
particularly focussing on the resurrection.)
22. Contextual Coherence:
‘Does it make sense in context?’
Eg. ‘Is the sort of activity we see described in the gospels
comprehensible in the context of first-century Palestine?’
Eg. ‘Are the references to other historical figures/events corroborated:
Pontius Pilate Mk. 15, Caesar Augustus Luke 2:1 etc.
Eg. ‘In the context of first-century Judaism, was it possible that Jesus
was considered divine?’
Eg. ‘In the context of reality, are miracles even possible?’
(cf. Bultmann’s Electric Non-sequitur)
23. Distinctive Dissimilarity
• Remember that the context of the authors of the gospels is a little
different from that of Jesus himself.
• ‘Dissimilarity’ from the writer’s context can point to authentic
testimony from the original context:
• Words have to be translated – eg. John 4:25
• Customs have to be explained – eg. Mark 7:3
25. Unnecessary Detail & Unresolved Difficulties
• These both point to the authentic transmission of eyewitness
testimony without manipulation by a later gospel writer for
theological purposes.
• Unnecessary Detail:
• Eg. “153 fish” John 21:11;
“supposing him to be the gardener” John 20:14;
“He acted as if he were going further” Luke 24:28
• Unresolved Difficulties:
• Eg. ‘How many angels at the tomb?’; ‘Could Mary touch his feet or not?’; ‘Had
the sun risen?’; ‘He’s not a spirit but can walk through walls?’
• Often considered a problem for popular evangelical apologetics—but more
persuasive for the serious historian!
27. Criteria of Embarrassment & Suffering
• Criteria of Embarrassment: if early Christians were making this up,
they wouldn’t fabricate details that would reflect badly on them.
• But details are consistently included which on the surface do reflect badly:
• Eg. Jesus said to be demon-possessed Mark 3:22, John 8:48;
• Eg. Peter’s unfaithful denial Mark 14:66-72
• Criteria of Suffering: you wouldn’t suffer and die for something you
knew to be false.
• But eg. Paul (2 Cor. 11:23-27), Peter (2 Peter 1:14-15), etc.
29. Extrabiblical Confirmation
• ‘Is it corroborated by historical sources that aren’t in the Bible?’
• (First its worth pointing out that ‘the Bible’ isn’t one homogenous
source: the NT includes 27 different books by at least 9 writers)
• Other ancient historians who refer to Christ:
• Josephus
• Tacitus
• Suetonius
• Pliny the Younger
• Rabbinic Talmud
• Mara bar Serapion
30. ‘Let’s pretend we didn’t have any of the New Testament or other Christian writings… Even without them, what
would we be able to conclude from ancient non-Christian sources?’ -- ‘We would still have a considerable
amount of important historical evidence; in fact, it would provide a kind of outline for the life of Jesus… We
would know that:
first, Jesus was a Jewish teacher [cf. Josephus 18.63];
second, many people believed that he performed healings and exorcisms
[cf. Josephus 18.63];
third, some people believed he was the Messiah [cf. Josephus 20.200];
fourth, he was rejected by the Jewish leaders
[cf. Josephus 18.63, Mara bar Serapion, Talmud];
fifth, he was crucified under Pontius Pilate in the reign of Tiberias
[cf. Tacitus; Josephus 18.64];
sixth, despite this shameful death, his followers, who believed that he was still alive,
spread beyond Palestine so that there were multitudes of them in Rome by AD 64
[cf. Tacitus, Suetonius];
and seventh, all kinds of people from the cities and countryside—men and women, slave
and free—worshipped him as God [cf. Pliny].’
Lee Strobel, The Case For Christ, p.87
31. Multiple Attestation
• If an event is independently attested to by multiple different
witnesses, that points to its authenticity.
• This is in fact a biblical principle (Deuteronomy 17:6).
• To properly do this historically requires trying to work out when and
where each gospel was written, and what access the writer had to
whatever other gospels had already been written. This means a lot of
guess-work and speculative conjecture.
• However, just to consider all the various attestations of the
resurrection as they appear in the gospels is an encouraging and
worthwhile task.
32. 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received:
that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he
was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the
Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then
he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of
whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he
appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one
untimely born, he appeared also to me.
33. Biblical Resurrection Accounts
(see handout)
1. Guards run (Matthew 27:62-28:8; Matthew 28:11-15)
2. Women find tomb empty (Mk.16:1-8; Lk.24:1-10; Matt.28:1-8; Jn.20:1)
3. Women tell apostles (Lk. 24:9-11; Matt. 28:8; John 20:2)
4. Peter & John run to tomb, find it empty (Lk. 24:12; John 20:2-10)
5. Mary encounters risen Jesus (Matt. 28:9; Jn. 20:11-18; Mk. 16:9-11)
6. Peter encounters Jesus (1 Cor. 15:4-5; Luke 24:34)
7. Emmaus road encounter (Luke 24:13-25; Mark 16:12-13)
8. Disciples encounter Jesus in locked room (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-23; 1 Cor. 15:5; Mark 16:14-18)
9. Thomas encounters Jesus (John 20:26-29)
10. Disciples encounter Jesus in Galilee (Mark 16:5-7; Mt. 28:16-20; Jn.21:1-24; 1 Corinthians 15:6)
11. Appearance to James (1 Corinthians 15:7)
12. Ascension from Mount of Olives (Luke 24:45-53; Acts 1:4-12)
13. Appearance to Paul (Acts 9:1-9, 22:6-11, 26:12-20; Galatians 1:12-17; 1 Corinthians 15:8-9; Eph. 3:2-4)
34. Alternative Explanations
Having sifted through the evidence, if the event described still seems
implausible, then to complete the historical task it is still necessary to
suggest an alternative that is plausible and preferable.
35. What are the alternatives?
• A. ‘Jesus never existed’
• Then why were so many sources written by eyewitnesses so convinced of
their testimony they were willing to die for it?
• B. ‘Jesus wasn’t crucified’
• Then why invent a death so problematic and scandalous? (Cf. 1 Cor. 1:23)
• C. ‘Jesus was crucified, but the tomb was never empty’
• Then why did the disciples who had seen the body buried risk death?
• And why did their enemies not point out the body? (Cf. Matt. 27:64)
36. Alternatives (cont.)
• D. ‘The tomb was empty, but Jesus wasn’t risen’
• Option 1: ‘He never actually died’
• But he was killed by professional killers!
• And persuaded his followers he was resurrected?
• Option 2: ‘Enemies stole the body’
• But why didn’t they produce it to stop the story spreading?
• Option 3: ‘Disciples stole the body’
• But would they be willing to die for something they knew to be untrue?
• And what about Paul’s & James’ conversions?
• E. ‘Jesus was risen (--I just don’t want to put my faith in him!)’
37. Conclusion
• Looking historically at the authenticity of the resurrection always
encourages me.
• It was seen by many witnesses who were willing to courageously
testify even unto death to what they had seen.
• But it’s interesting to note that all those who saw the risen Jesus
(Mary and the other women, Peter and the other apostles, etc.) had
all responded in some sort of active faith to what they knew and had
heard before they saw Jesus.