Lecture 16

Introduction to Biblical Interpretation Lecture 16 Shepherds College Scott Jacobsen, Instructor 28 January 2025 18 31 οι ϊουδαιο̣ι̣ ημε[ιν ουκ εξεστιν αποκτειναι ουδενα 32ϊνα ο λο̣[γος του ι̅ η̅ υ̅ πληρωθη ον ει πεν σημαινω[ν ποιω θανατω ημελλεν απο θνησκειν 33ισ[ηλθεν ουν παλιν εις το πραιτω ριον ο π[ειλατος και εφωνησεν τον ι̅ η̅ ν̅ και ειπ[εν αυτω συ ει ο βασιλευς των ϊου δ]αιω[ν Section Two: The Bible Question: Why should I believe the Bible? It’s just another ancient “holy book.” Testing a document’s validity • Internal evidence : what the document claims for itself • Bibliographic evidence: from the original documents to the copies we possess today • External evidence: how the document aligns with facts, dates, persons from its own contemporary world Testing a document’s validity: Internal evidence •Old Testament: “Thus saith the Lord” •New Testament: Jesus words were considered God’s words Two Key Questions to Ask •How many manuscript copies do we have? •How close are the copies to the original? Testing a document’s validity: Bibliographical evidence •The New Testament •Over 5600 Greek manuscripts extant •Over 10,000 manuscripts of the Latin Vulgate. •Over 9200 other translations Number of New Testament Manuscripts 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 Plato 7 Gallic Wars 10 Aristotle 49 New Testament 24,970 Dating of New Testament Manuscripts Work Written Plato 447 BC Gallic Wars 44 BC Tacitus 100 AD Aristotle 384 BC Illiad 900 BC New Testament 90 AD Copy Time Span 900 AD 1200 years 900 AD 1000 years 1100 AD 1000 years 1100 AD 1400 years 400 BC 500 years 125 AD 30 years Testing a document’s validity: External evidence Historical records Archaeology The Anvil? God’s Word. Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith’s door And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime: Then looking in, I saw upon the floor Old hammers, worn with beating years of time. “How many anvils have you had,” said I, “To wear and batter all these hammers so?” “Just one,” said he, and then, with twinkling eye, “The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.” And so, thought I, the anvil of God’s word, For ages skeptic blows have beat upon; Yet though the noise of falling blows was heard, The anvil is unharmed … the hammer’s gone. The Skeptics’ “Facts” • The church has perpetrated an enormous coverup, and everything the average Christian thinks he knows about Jesus is false. Jesus’ divinity was the result of a vote of bishops The early church stole Jesus’ true message and substituted its own teachings about His divinity Jesus was only ‘a mortal prophet . . . A great and powerful man, but a man nonetheless. A mortal. • The church has written history to present a onesided account of the faith • There is no supernatural. In more contemporary thought the supernatural may exist, but it is purely subjective. • Feelings • Private truth • Truth apart from Fact • The Bible is a product of man, not of God • The New Testament is a false testimony • The Bible was compiled and edited by men with a political agenda • Constantine commissioned and financed a new Bible, the false one we now have • More than eighty gospels were considered for the New Testament, but all but four were rejected and destroyed • The Nag Hammadi library contains some of these gospels that refute Matthew, Mark, Luke and John • The Nag Hammadi scrolls are the earliest Christian records • The “true” Jesus can be found in these “secret gospels The Scholarship Behind the “Facts” • Anti-Supernatural Bias • Liberal—much the same as “The Jesus Seminar” • Presuppositions: • Jesus not divine • Scriptures a purely human product • All paths lead to God, if He/She/It/They even exist(s). Assertions Made by the Liberal Scholars • The gospels were recorded well after the lifetime of the eyewitnesses and have been embellished over time • The church created a picture of Christ that would portray him as the divine Son of God. • The idea that Christ is divine was not taught till the Council of Nicea in the 4th Century AD Assertions Made by the Liberal Scholars • Of the “80” gospels available, the church chose only four of the gospels and even these four present a distorted portrait of Christ as the Divine Son of God. • The gospels were not transmitted accurately through the years so what we have is not accurate to the original texts. • Contradictions in the text confirm the inaccuracy of the gospels. Answer to Liberal Scholarship: There is Good Reason for Differences in the Gospel Records • Differences do not equate to errors. • The reason for the variations is that each author is writing for a different audience and from a unique perspective. • We would expect these differences between four independent accounts. • If they were identical, we would suspect the writers of collaboration with one another. • The four gospels actually give us a fuller and richer picture of Jesus More Answers: Date of the Gospels • Jesus’ ministry was from AD 27-30. • Noted New Testament scholar F.F. Bruce gives strong evidence that the New Testament was completed by AD 100. (F.F. Bruce 14) • Most writings of the New Testament works were completed 20-40 years before this. Date of the Gospels •The gospels are dated traditionally as follows by early and conservative Scholars: •Mark: AD 60 • Matthew and Luke: AD 70 •John: AD 90-100 The Source of the Gospels Mark Q? Matthew and Luke John The Early Date of the Gospels Internal Evidence • The gospels prophesy the destruction of the Temple (occurred in AD 70) but never mention its fulfillment. • Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21. • Acts • Luke never mentions the death of Paul and Peter • Paul’s Epistles date AD 48-64. Date of the Gospels External Evidence • Over 5000 Greek Manuscripts • Chester Beatty Papyri contains most of the NT writings is dated AD 250. • The Bodmer Papyri contains most of John and dates AD 200. Date of the Gospels External Evidence • Rylands Papyri that was found in Egypt, containing a fragment of John and dates AD 130. • Dead Sea Scrolls contains no Christian documents. Testimony of the Church Fathers • Papias AD 70-163 includes all four gospels • Shepherd of Hermas (2nd Century) • Polycarp AD 69-155 • 3 John, James, Hebrews, Jude • Justin Martyr AD 100-165 • 2 Peter, 1,2,3 John, James, Hebrews, Jude Testimony of the Church Fathers • Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch writes a letter before his martyrdom in Rome in AD 108 quoting Gospels and other NT letters. • Irenaeus AD 130-200 • Philemon, James, 2 Peter, and 3 John • Clement of Alexandria AD 150-215 • 2 Timothy, and 2 John, 2 Peter and James • Origen AD 185-254 Church Fathers •Church fathers of early second century are familiar with the Apostles writings and quote them as inspired scripture. Date of the Gospels Internal Evidence Mark Matthew and Luke 70 AD Fall of Temple Importance of Early Dating • Early dating shows eye witnesses were alive when gospels were circulating to attest to their accuracy. • The Apostles often appeal to the witness of the hostile crowd pointing to their knowledge of the facts as well (Acts 2:22, 26:26). • Also, the time is too short for legends to develop. Historians agree it takes about two generations for legendary accounts to establish themselves. • Unlikely that a “Q” document exists Archaeology and the Gospels • Luke is found to be a very accurate historian • Luke names 32 countries, 54 cities, and 9 islands without error • Luke’s accuracy is seen in the accuracy of titles used for government officials, proconsul, tetrarch, etc… although some are strange are found to be accurate • In Luke's announcement of Jesus' public ministry (Luke 3:1), he mentions, "Lysanius tetrarch of Abilene." • In Acts 28:7, Luke gives Plubius, the chief man on the island of Malta, the title, "first man of the island." Deity of Christ in the Gospels • Matthew 1:23, 28:18-20 • Mark 2:5-7 and Isaiah 43:25 • Luke 5:21, 22:70 • John 1:1, 5:23, 17:5, 20:28 Deity of Christ in Paul’s Epistles • Philippians 2 • Colossians 1:15, 2:9 • Titus 2:13 Deity of Christ in the General Epistles • Hebrews 1:8 • Jude 25 • Revelation 1:17-18 and Isaiah 41:4 Testimony of the Church Fathers • Justin Martyr (100-165 AD): "...the Father of the universe has a Son; who being the logos and First-begotten is also God" (First Apology 63:15). • Irenaeus (130-200 AD): (referencing Jesus) "...in order that to Christ Jesus, our Lord, and God, and Savior, and King, according to the will of the invisible Father, . . ." (Against Heresies I, x, 1) Testimony of the Church Fathers • Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD): "Both as God and as man, the Lord renders us every kind of help and service. As God He forgives sin, as man He educates us to avoid sin completely" (Christ the Educator, chapter 3.1). In addition, "Our educator, O children, resembles His Father, God, whose son He is. He is without sin, without blame, without passion of soul, God immaculate in form of man accomplishing His Father's will" (Christ the Educator Chapter 2:4). Testimony of the Church Fathers • Hippolytus (170-236 AD): "And the blessed John in the testimony of his gospel, gives us an account of this economy and acknowledges this word as God, when he says, 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.' If then the Word was with God and was also God, what follows? Would one say that he speaks of two Gods? I shall not indeed speak of two Gods, but of one; of two persons however, and of a third economy, the grace of the Holy Ghost" (Against the Heresy of One Noetus. 14). Testimony of the Church Fathers • Tertullian (150-225 AD): "...the only God has also a Son, his Word who has proceeded from himself, by whom all things were made and without whom nothing has been made: that this was sent by the Father into the virgin and was born of her both man and God. Son of Man, Son of God, ..." (Against Praxeas, 2). Conclusion of the Church Fathers • All the church fathers before Nicea acknowledged the deity of Christ • The church fathers often defended the deity of Christ against the heresies that denied it • Nicea formalized what the Church already believed and was defending. Archaeology and the Gospels • “A man whose accuracy can be demonstrated in matters where we are able to test it is likely to be accurate even where the means for testing him are not available. Accuracy is a habit of mind, and we know from happy experience that some people are habitually accurate just as others can be depended upon to be inaccurate. Luke’s record entitles him to be regarded as a writer of habitual accuracy.” F.F. Bruce • “Luke is a historian of first rank;…In short, this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians.” Sir William Ramsey Archaeology and the Gospels • Gospel of John • Pool of Bethesda discovered in north east quarter of the Old Town Jerusalem • In 9:7 John mentions another long disputed site, the Pool of Siloam. However, this pool was also discovered in 1897, upholding the accuracy of John. Jewish Sources • The Talmud (Completed 300 AD) confirms a historical Jesus and attributes Jesus miracles to sorcery and magic • Affirm his death by Roman crucifixion and the healing ministry of five apostles named Jewish Sources • Josephus confirms the following facts: • Characters mentioned in the gospels, the Herods, emperors Augustus, Tiberius, Claudius and Nero • High Priestly families of Caiaphas, Ananias, and Annas. • Events in the gospels are corroborated in Josephus • Gamiliel’s mention Judas the Galilean’s uprising in Acts 5:37 is mentioned in the Antiquities (18:1) • Acts 11:28 mentions a famine in the days of Claudius, mentioned in (Antiquities 17) • The sudden death of Agrippa in Acts 12 is recorded in Antiquities 19, agreeing with Luke’s outline. • John the Baptist and his death (Antiquities 18) • Death account of James the Brother of Jesus in Acts (Antiquities 18) Roman Sources • Thallus wrote a work of history of Greece from the Trojan War to his present day in 52 AD • In his third book of his histories states that darkness covered the earth during the crucifixion of Jesus. Roman Sources • “Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name has its origin,suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of the procurators, Pontius Pilate, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judea, the first source of evil, but even in Rome.” • Tacitus, a 1st Century Roman historian Roman Sources • “They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang an anthem to Christ as God, and bound themselves by a solemn oath not to commit any wicked deed, but to abstain from all fraud, theft and adultery, never to break their word, or deny a trust when called upon to honor it; after which it was their custom to separate, and then meet again to partake of food, but ordinary and innocent kind.” (Pliny the Younger, From a letter to Emperor Trajan, A.D. 112) Oral Tradition • It is often argued that the Gospels were embellished because stories and sayings were passed down orally. We therefore should doubt their accuracy. • BUT The evidence shows that in oral cultures where memory has been trained for generations, oral memory can accurately preserve and pass on large amounts of information. Oral Tradition • Jewish culture stressed memorizations of the law. • Deuteronomy 6:4-9 • It is a well known fact that the rabbis had the OT and much of the oral law committed to memory. • The Jews placed a high value on memorizing whatever writing reflected inspired scripture and the wisdom of God. • In a culture where this was practiced, their memorization skills were far advanced from ours today. New Testament scholar Darrell Bock states that the Jewish culture was “a culture of memory.” Oral Tradition • Rainer Reisner presents six key reasons why oral tradition accurately preserved Jesus’ teachings. • Jesus used the OT prophets’ practice of proclaiming the word of God • Jesus would reinforce among his followers the need to preserve his words accurately. Oral Tradition • Jesus trained his disciples to teach his lessons even while he was on earth. • Jewish boys educated at least till twelve, so disciples knew how to read and write. • Finally, as was done by Jewish and Greek teachers who gathered disciples, they trained them to carry on the master’s teachings. Oral Tradition • The teachings of Jesus and his illustrations are easy to memorize. • We also know that the church preserved the teachings of Christ in the forms of hymns which were easy to memorize. • Paul’s summary of the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15 is a good example of this. • We can have confidence that the oral tradition accurately preserved the teachings and the events of Jesus’ life till they were written down just a few years later. Conclusion • Early dating shows eye witnesses were alive when gospels were circulating to attest to their accuracy. • The historical accuracy of the gospels are confirmed by compelling evidence • Christ was taught to be divine from the very beginning • Also, the time is too short for legends to develop. Historians agree it takes about two generations for legendary accounts to establish themselves. • There is no “Q” document extant today, if one ever existed at all. The Nicene Creed on Jesus’ Divinity and Humanity . . . And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, Begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light. Very God of very God, Begotten, not made, Being of one substance with the Father, By whom all things were made: Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made man; . . . Further Questions & Fatal Flaws If there are secret documents that would forever destroy Christianity as we know it, why have the enemies the church not brought them forth? If the church of the middle ages was so bent on the destruction of the “truth,” why would that church not now be refuted by its enemies, if such sources exist? A Final Question “What can the church, and individual Christians do to counter the answer the false claims. Form More Information • www.probe.org • scott.j@sympatico.ca