Category Archives: Bible Study

Eisegesis Unplugged – Mark 13:5-13

Posted by Dan C. on

Exegesis and eisegesis are two conflicting approaches in Bible study. Exegesis is the exposition or explanation of a text based on a careful, objective analysis. The word exegesis literally means “to lead out of.” That means that the interpreter is led to his conclusions by following the text.

The opposite approach to Scripture is eisegesis, which is the interpretation of a passage based on a subjective, non-analytical reading. The word eisegesis literally means “to lead into,” which means the interpreter injects his own ideas into the text, making it mean whatever he wants.

Obviously, only exegesis does justice to the text. Eisegesis is a mishandling of the text and often leads to a misinterpretation. Exegesis is concerned with discovering the true meaning of the text, respecting its grammar, syntax, and setting. Eisegesis is concerned only with making a point, even at the expense of the meaning of words.

The Passage

“But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake..But the one who endures to the end will be saved (Mark 13:5-13 ESV)

These words of Jesus, as well as other similar warning passages in scripture are used to assert that a genuine believer in Jesus Christ, one who has faced his sin, repented and turned to Christ for salvation, can wake up in Hell because he failed to endure to the end, persevere, overcome, et al.. In fact, the above passage was presented to me at a Christian blog venue recently as ironclad proof of same.

It makes no difference that there is no text to support the claim that a believer can be lost for all eternity, the fact that the warning is present is enough to make dogmatic assertion. If a believer could never wake up in Hell, there is no need for the warning. But do these passages really teach a believer could face eternity in Hell? Let’s take a closer look.

What’s the context of the highlighted passage?

In a word, tribulation! We could also further describe the tribulation as happening in the ‘end times’. The exact time of the tribulation spoken of is not important, but the fact of tribulation is very significant. It is tribulation that is being ‘endured’ and tribulation from which those who endure will be saved. We are not told if the ‘saving’ is only from the temporal, or if it also applies to eternal salvation. We can be sure however, no matter what the hidden details might be, that the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Although the obvious conclusion is that those who fail to endure will not be saved, all we are specifically told is that ‘the one who does endure will be saved. Therefore the conclusion that a genuine believer could wake up in Hell must read into the text (eisegesis). It’s a simple matter of words on a page – textual analysis. Even if a true believer could ultimately perish, it is not in this text, nor is it in the other warning passages often used to prove true believers in Christ might still perish. That leaves us with the question:

IS it possible for a person who trusts in Christ for salvation to be lost for any reason?

For the answer we don’t need to trot out a long list of passages that point to the assurance of our salvation, although we certainly could. We only need a few other words of Jesus – the same Jesus who issued the previous warning:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:27-28 ESV)

The warning and the promise were spoken by the same Jesus. What do we do with that? We go to one of the most basic principles of interpreting the Bible. It two passages seem contradictory use that which is clear to interpret that which is less clear, or that could have alternate meanings. How does that apply here?

Well, there is no rocket science. The words spoken by Jesus that tell us that His sheep will never perish are abundantly clear. ‘Never’ means NEVER. ‘Perish’ has two possible meanings – perish physically or eternally. Since the death rate is still 100%, it can only mean eternally (face judgment, perish, wake up in Hell). Therefore, every other passage that might point to a believer ending up in Hell has a different meaning or purpose in scripture.

What DO the warning passages mean?

Thanks to technology it’s a simple exercise to do an Internet search and obtain various answers to our question. A good summary is provided by American theologian Loraine Boettner (1901-1990):

The primary purpose of these passages, however, is to induce men to co-operate willingly with God for the accomplishment of His purposes. They are inducements which produce constant humility, watchfulness, and diligence. In the same way a parent, in order to get the willing co-operation of a child, may tell it to stay out of the way of an approaching automobile, when all the time the parent has no intention of ever letting the child get into a position where it would be injured. When God plies a soul with fears of falling it is by no means a proof that God in His secret purpose intends to permit him to fall. These fears may be the very means which God has designed to keep him from falling.

Secondly, God’s exhortations to duty are perfectly consistent with His purpose to give sufficient grace for the performance of these duties. In one place we are commanded to love the Lord our God with all our heart; in another, God says, “I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes.” Now either these must be consistent with each other, or the Holy Spirit must contradict Himself. Plainly it is not the latter.

Thirdly, these warnings are, even for believers, incitements to greater faith and prayer.

Fourthly, they are designed to show man his duty rather than his ability, and his weakness rather than his strength.

Fifthly, they convince men of their want of holiness and of their dependence upon God.

Sixthly, they serve as restraints on unbelievers, and leave them without excuse.

Dear friends, please know that this short article is in no way an expression of a humanly constructed doctrinal system (I get that a lot). If it can be termed ‘doctrinal’, it is simply Jesus’ doctrine, nothing more, nothing less. Jesus said:

“..the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

AND

“I give them (my sheep) eternal life, and they will never perish”

The only thing I an take from those simple declarations is that His sheep WILL endure to the end.

My friends, be blessed as you walk with Christ today and everyday!

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Eisegesis Unplugged – Joshua 24:15

Posted by Dan C. on

Eisegesis is the process of misinterpreting a text in such a way that it introduces one’s own ideas, reading into the text. Eisegesis isn’t always a bad, because one’s own ideas might be a reasonable interpretation, or logical and otherwise biblically sound inference.

The Passage

“. . . choose this day whom you will serve. . .”– Joshua 24:15

Faced with all of the ‘things’ in our lives we can give greater importance to than humbly serving God, Joshua’s command to the Israelites certainly has relevance for us today! The list of ‘things’ is rather long and includes everything from great salaries and careers, to sports and entertainment, to cars, boats and other expensive ‘toys’. Even our most valued relationships can appear on that list.

We ask those to whom we share the gospel to choose between serving God and man with that passage in mind. ‘Choose this day whom you will serve’ is often used to prove inherent ;free will;, since we assume that the command itself necessitates the natural ability to choose between wholeheartedly serving God and all the other things we ‘serve’. After all, wasn’t that what Joshua was telling the Israelites to do, choose between the one true God and other false gods?

What’s the rest of the story?

Joshua 24 begins with his summoning the tribes of Israel to Shechem, along with the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel, to present themselves before God (v.1). When they had all gathered together, Joshua presents a ‘Thus saith the Lord” history lesson in which God speaks to the people in the first person, reminding them of all he had done for them, from calling and blessing Abraham to crossing the Jordan and inheriting the land (vv.2-13).

Joshua then speaks directly to the people and says:

“Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.” (v.14)

Joshua did in fact challenge the gathered Israelites to serve the Lord, telling them to put away the false gods of their fathers. Then notice our passage in its natural context:

“And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (v.15)

Since throughout their wanderings, the Israelites are on record as having frequently returning to the false gods of their fathers, Joshua tells them to choose between a previous set of false gods and the gods of the peoples with whom they now dwelt,

The people responded:

“Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods, for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. And the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.” (vv.16-18)

Then we have in vv. 19-23 an interesting conclusion:

“But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.” (vv.19-20)

Joshua, in what sounds like a chiding manner, tells them ‘You can’t do it!’, pointing out their inability and insufficiency of themselves to perform service acceptable to God.

And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the LORD.” (v. 21)

Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him.” (v.22)

And they (the people) said, “We are witnesses.” (v.23)

Joshua told them, in effect, ‘I think that’s gonna come back to bite ya, for sure’, yet they still promised.

If we have read the rest of the Old Testament, we know that the Israelites indeed failed to keep their promise, in spite of warnings from prophets, deliverance from enemies by judges and kings, and even in spite of hard bondage. In fact there was a period of several hundred years when there was no prophet in the land. God ceased speaking to his chosen people and left them to their own desires.

What’s the point?

If we use Joshua’s ‘choose this day whom you will serve’ command as a reminder to check for idols we have not abused the text. However, if we use Joshua’s command as proof of man’s natural ability to choose Christ, are we being faithful to the original context? And speaking of the original context, it is in that context, ‘the rest of the story’ as Paul Harvey would say that we find the bigger lesson.

The short episode in Joshua, chapter 24, near the end of Josha’s life, after deliverance from bondage in Egypt, desert wanderings, entering the promised land, miracles and fierce battles is part of a grand pageant that begins in Genesis and ends in Revelation! It’s the story of the creation, fall and redemption of the people of God – a people created for the glory of His Name who by way of the first Adam fell into such darkness and depravity that they became the objects of the creator’s wrath.

The Apostle Paul provides an excellent summary:

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience–among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you have been saved– and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:1-8)

So here’s the point. While we certainly ought to take to heart lessons from scripture that apply to us today, we need to pay attention to ‘the rest of the story’!

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‘Eisegesis’ Unplugged – Revelation 3:20

Posted by Dan C. on

Revelation 3:20

Might as well begin with an “oldie but a goodie’, and possibly a ‘greatest hit’ and future member of the Eisegesis Hall of Fame (EHF). It used to be one of my favorites!

The passage:

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.“ (NIV)

This single passage might just be the inaugural member of the EHF! It has been used in gospel presentations for years, most often after the “Romans Road” is travelled. If you are unfamiliar with it, The Romans Road to Salvation consists of 6 6-10 passages from the Book of Romans that accurately present the problem we all face (sin) and God’s solution to the problem. Once the prospective convert knows the problem and God’s solution, all that is left is how to appropriate the solution. Rev 3:20 is the perfect verse! The explanation goes like this:

clip_image002‘Jesus is standing forlornly at the door of your heart, wanting to come in and dine with you, but you must open the door! There is but one door latch and it’s on the inside, where you live, and Jesus can’t enter no matter how desperately He wants to!

I even heard a local pastor, whose sermon was about Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the Jerusalem wall and city gates, tell the congregation of several hundred that there was one gate that God could not open, the door to the human heart. I also cannot dispute that there have been many genuine decisions for Christ after hearing about the ‘one-way door’.  But we still ask the question:

“Is that what the passage really means? Lets take a look.

Revelation Chapter 3 is a continuation of Chapters 1 & 2, in which the Apostle John, in a vision on the Lords day, was commanded to record what he saw and write letters to seven churches of what he saw about each of them. Our passage is from one of those letters to a Christian church:

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and he with me. (vv 14-20, NIV)

The text immediately preceding ‘The Greatest Invitation for Salvation Ever Written’ clearly depicts Christ standing at the door of a church that appears to have shut Him out. Jesus plea is that if even one member of that church would open the door, He would enter and dine with him.

The picture we paint in our ‘invitation’ is not the picture painted in the context of the passage of scripture from which it was extracted. I have no idea who first changed the meaning of this passage or when it happened. But I do know that the picture of Jesus standing at a one-way door and asking to be let in supports the idea that after all God has done to make salvation possible through the death of His Son, human decision is the ‘determining’ factor in anyone’s actual salvation.

I won’t jump into ‘that’ particular debate here. Nor will I begin a discussion about ‘evangelical ethics’. I’ll just say that there was a time when I thought it was a really great invitation, and if the passage really meant what we would like it to mean in our zeal to see souls saved, I would still be using it! At some point though, the fact that the a passage of scripture was often ‘quoted’ and given meaning not in the original text. That bothered me.

Will it bother you who read this, or will it seem like this is an ‘how many angels can dance on the head of a pin” moment? I don’t know. Am I saying that it should bother you? Nope. But it should say ‘something’. What exactly it does say  is between you and God.

"For whom he did foreknow. . ."

Posted by Dan C. on

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate . . . Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. ” – Rom 8:29a. 30 (KJV)

For whom he did foreknow (v.29a) – The word used here προέγνω  proegnō has been the subject of almost endless disputes in regard to its meaning in this place. The literal meaning of the word cannot be a matter of dispute. It denotes properly to “know beforehand;” to be acquainted with future events. But whether it means here simply to know that certain persons would become Christians; or to ordain, and constitute them to be Christians, and to be saved, has been a subject of almost endless discussion. Without entering at large into an investigation of the word, perhaps the following remarks may throw light on it.

(1) it does not here have reference to all the human family; for all are not, and have not, been conformed to the image of his Son. It has reference therefore only to those who would become Christians, and be saved.

(2) it implies “certain knowledge.” It was certainly foreseen, in some way, that they would believe, and be saved. There is nothing, therefore, in regard to them that is contingent, or subject to doubt in the divine Mind, since it was certainly foreknown.

(3) the event which was thus foreknown must have been, for some cause, certain and fixed; since an uncertain event could not be possibly foreknown. To talk of a foreknowing a contingent event, that is, of foreknowing an event as certain which may or may not exist, is an absurdity.

(4) in what way such an event became certain is not determined by the use of this word. But it must have been somehow in connection with a divine appointment or arrangement, since in no other way can it be conceived to be certain. While the word used here, therefore, does not of necessity mean to decree, yet its use supposes that there was a purpose or plan; and the phrase is an explanation of what the apostle had just said, that it was “according to the purpose of God” that they were called. This passage does not affirm why, or how, or, “on what grounds” God foreknew that some of the human family would be saved. It simply affirms the fact; and the mode in which those who will believe were designated, must be determined from other sources. This passage simply teaches that he knew them; that his eye was fixed on them; that he regarded them as to be conformed to his Son; and that, thus knowing them, he designated them to eternal life. The Syriac renders it in accordance with this interpretation: “And from the beginning he knew them, and sealed them with the image of his Son,” etc. As, however, none would believe but by the influences of his Spirit, it follows that they were not foreknown on account of any faith which they would themselves exercise, or any goodworks which they would themselves perform, but according to the purpose or plan of God himself.

(v30) Moreover … – In this verse, in order to show to Christians the true consolation to be derived from the fact that they are predestinated, the apostle states the connection between that predestination and their certain salvation. The one implied the other.

Whom he did predestinate – All whom he did predestinate.

Them he also called – Called by his Spirit to become Christians. He called, not merely by an external invitation, but in such a way as that they in fact were justified. This cannot refer simply to an external call of the gospel, since those who are here said to be called are said also to be justified and glorified. The meaning is, that there is a certain connection between the predestination and the call, which will be manifested in due time. The connection is so certain that the one infallibly secures the other.

He justified – Not that he justified them from eternity, for this was not true; and if it were, it would also follow that he glorified them from eternity, which would be an absurdity. It means that there is a regular sequence of events – the predestination precedes and secures the calling; and the calling precedes and secures the justification. The one is connected in the purpose of God with the other; and the one, in fact, does not take place without the other. The purpose was in eternity. The calling and justifying in time.

Them he also glorified – This refers probably to heaven. It means that there is a connection between justification and glory. The one does not exist without the other in its own proper time; as the calling does not subsist without the act of justification. This proves, therefore, the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. There is a connection infallible and ever existing between the predestination and the final salvation. They who are subjects of the one are partakers of the other. That this is the sense is clear,

(1)    Because it is the natural and obvious meaning of the passage.

(2)    because this only would meet the design of the argument of the apostle. For how would it be a source of consolation to say to them that whom God foreknew he predestinated, and whom he predestinated he called, and whom he called he justified, and whom he justified “might fall away and be lost forever?”

********

Albert Barnes‘ Notes on the Bible

The Great Cloud of Witnesses – Who are they?

Posted by Dan C. on

Heb 12:1  “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,.”

John Gill’s Commentary:

with so great a cloud of witnesses; or “martyrs”, as the Old Testament saints, the instances of whose faith and patience are produced in the preceding chapter: these, some of them, were martyrs in the sense in which that word is commonly used; they suffered in the cause, and for the sake of true religion; and they all bore a noble testimony of God, and for him; and they received a testimony from him; and will be hereafter witnesses for, or against us, to whom they are examples of the above graces: and these may be compared to a “cloud”, for the comfortable and reviving doctrines which they dropped; and for their refreshing examples in the heat of persecution; and for their guidance and direction in the ways of God; and more especially for their number, being like a thick cloud, and so many, that they compass about on every side, and are instructive every way. Hence the following things are inferred and urged,

Vincent’s Word Studies:

Witnesses (μαρτύρων) does not mean spectators, but those who have born witness to the truth, as those enumerated in ch. 11. Yet the idea of spectators is implied, and is really the principal idea. The writer’s picture is that of an arena in which the Christians whom he addresses are contending in a race, while the vast host of the heroes of faith who, after having born witness to the truth, have entered into their heavenly rests watches the contest from the encircling tiers of the arena, compassing and overhanging it like a cloud, filled with lively interest and sympathy, and lending heavenly aid. How striking the contrast of this conception with that of Kaulbach’s familiar “Battle of the Huns,” in which the slain warriors are depicted rising from the field and renewing the fight in the upper air with aggravated fury.

Barnes:

Seeing we also are encompassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses – The apostle represents those to whom he had referred in the previous chapter, as looking on to witness the efforts which Christians make, and the manner in which they live. There is allusion here, doubtless, to the ancient games. A great multitude of spectators usually occupied the circular seats in the amphitheater, from which they could easily behold the combatants; see the notes on 1Co_9:24-27. In like manner, the apostle represents Christians as encompassed with the multitude of worthies to whom he had referred in the previous chapter. It cannot be fairly inferred from this that he means to say that all those ancient worthies were actually looking at the conduct of Christians, and saw their conflicts. It is a figurative representation, such as is common, and means that we ought to act as if they were in sight, and cheered us on. How far the spirits of the just who are departed from this world are permitted to behold what is done on earth – if at all – is not revealed in the Scriptures. The phrase, “a cloud of witnesses,” means many witnesses, or a number so great that they seem to be a cloud. The comparison of a multitude of persons to a cloud is common in the classic writers; see Homer II. 4:274, 23:133; Statius 1:340, and other instances adduced in Wetstein, in loc.; compare notes on 1Th_4:17.

Jamieson, Fausset and Brown:

The image is from a “race,” an image common even in Palestine from the time of the Greco-Macedonian empire, which introduced such Greek usages as national games. The “witnesses” answer to the spectators pressing round to see the competitors in their contest for the prize (Phi_3:14). Those “witnessed of” (Greek, Heb_11:5, Heb_11:39) become in their turn “witnesses” in a twofold way: (1) attesting by their own case the faithfulness of God to His people [Alford] (Heb_6:12), some of them martyrs in the modern sense; (2) witnessing our struggle of faith; however, this second sense of “witnesses,” though agreeing with the image here if it is to be pressed, is not positively, unequivocally, and directly sustained by Scripture.

The “witnesses” in “the great cloud” are specifically those Paul specifically referred to in Chapter 11. Since the implications of “great cloud” can allude to a great number, some commentators tell us that the “witnesses” include all of those who have died in the faith and, in the sense of a sports stadium, “watch” us running our race, and “cheer” us on.

There is absolutely no scriptural support for the thought that we are to pray to dead “saints”, or that we must go through/with them to the throne of grace. Neither are the “prayers of the saints” mentioned in Rev 5 and 8 prayers of dead believers. rather they refer to prayers of living saints here on earth, mo matter what the time in history.

Proof of the Resurrection – The Empty Tomb

Posted by Dan C. on

In addition to the motives of followers of Christ and secular corrborating evidence for the crucifixion and resurrection, we have a third proof, indeed the most compelling and irrefutable – the empty tomb! As in the last two posts, we present only a small amount of the available historical data to support the proof presented.

Justyn Martyr, 165 AD, cites a letter circulated by Jews in Jerusalem that were antagonistic to Jesus.

“A godless and lawless heresy had sprung from one Jesus, a Galilean deceiver, whom we crucified, but his disciples stole him by night from the tomb, where he was laid when unfastened from the cross, and now deceive men by asserting that he has risen from the dead and ascended to heaven.” (Justin Martyr, Dialogue With Trypho, Chapter 108 –Apologetic Press)

Here we have a record of Jewish unbelievers, unwittingly affirming what was written in Matthew 28:13 (Chief priests to the soldiers): “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’”

Toledoth Yeshua, a derogatory account of the life of Jesus, written around 600 A.D, records:

“Diligent search was made and he (Jesus) was not found in the grave where he had been buried. A gardener had taken him from the grave and had brought him into his garden and buried him in the sand over which the waters flowed into the garden. (Apologetic Press.org)”

Jesus enemies didn’t even refute the resurrection empty tomb!

Additional food for thought:

1. If the disciples stole the body, and grave robbing was a crime under roman law, why no arrests?

2. If, on resurrection morning, the women went to wrong tomb, why didn’t the Jews produce the body?

4. If a gardner stole body, why did the Jews initially claim that disciples stole the body?

5. If Jesus didn’t really die, what about the blood and water pouring from the spear wound? 

Peter preaches in Jerusalem during Pentecost

If the above questions don’t arouse your curiosity, consider Peter’s sermon (Acts 2) in the streets of Jerusalem to a large crowd of what had to be nearly all Jews:

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know– this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. (vv 22-24)

Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (29-36)

The response of the crowd accused of sending Christ to his death:

“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” (v 37)

A final question:

If the death and bodily resurrection of Christ was not true, why would even a single person in the listening crowd be cut to the heart and cry “…what shall we do?”

___________

It is our hope that in reading these last few posts, you have been encouraged to conduct your own research into proofs for the resurrection of our Savior, both for personal edification and to become better equipped to defend your faith in the ‘marketplace’.

God Bless!

Proof of the Resurrection – Corroborating Evidence

Posted by Dan C. on

Sounds like a TV crime show, doesn’t it?

Corroborating evidence is evidence that tends to support a proposition that is already supported by some evidence. For example, W, a witness, testifies that she saw X drive his automobile into a green car. Y, another witness, testifies that when he examined X’s car later that day he noticed green paint on its fender.

There are Secular sources that corroborate the Biblical account of the resurrection :

Tacitus senator and historian of Rome (56-117 AD)

“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 had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome…” (Tacitus, Annals, 15.44).

What do we learn from the above excerpt from Tacitus’ Annals?

1. Christ existed

2. Christ was crucified

3. Christians followed Him

4. During reign of Tiberius

5. Pontius Pilate Existed

6. Resurrection mentioned (mischievous persistent ‘superstition)

Titus Flavius Josephus (Joseph son of Matthias)

“About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was one who wrought surprising feats and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Christ. When Pilate, upon hearing him accused by men of the highest standing among us, had condemned him to be crucified, those who had in the first place come to love him did not give up their affection for him. On the third day he appeared to them restored to life, for the prophets of God had prophesied these and countless other marvelous things about him. And the tribe of Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared.” (Josephus, The Antiquities, 18.63-64).

Phlegon and the Darkness on the day of Christ’s Crucifixion

Phlegon wrote Olympiads which chronicles the Greek games from 776 B.C. to 137 A.D. in 16 books. He also wrote of the darkness and earthquake that occurred on the day Christ was crucified recorded in Matthew 27, Luke 23, and Mark 15.

This phenomenon, evidently, was visible in Rome, Athens, and other Mediterranean cities. According to Tertullian…it was a “cosmic” or “world event.” Phlegon, a Greek author from Caria writing a chronology soon after 137 A.D. reported that in the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad (i.e., 33 A.D.) there was “the greatest eclipse of the sun” and that “it became night in the sixth hour of the day (noon) so that stars even appeared in the heavens. There was a great earthquake in Bithynia, and many things were overturned in Nicaea” (Paul Maier, Pontius Pilate, 101).

That darkness occured is not in question. What exactly it was became a question, solar eclipse being a common and still held belief. Wikipedia actually had an interesting article about the events that includes the statement”

“. . .it was known in medieval times that a solar eclipse could not take place during Passover when there is a full moon, it was considered a miraculous sign rather than a naturally occurring event. The astronomer Johannes de Sacrobosco wrote, in his The Sphere of the World, “the eclipse was not natural, but, rather, miraculous and contrary to nature”.

 

NOTE: The above is only a sample of corroborating evidence from secular sources for the Biblical accounts of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I hope it has aroused your curiosity to find more!

Proof of the Resurrection of Christ – Motive

Posted by Dan C. on

The simple Gospel Message that the Apostle Paul preached:

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” – 1 Cor 15:3-8

The previous post, concerning the motive of Jewish followers of Christ,  asked the question: 

Why would so many Jews follow a crucified man?

Those to whom Christ appeared after his resurrection that are mentioned by Paul was merely the beginning of a ‘religious’ movement that turned the world upside down. History books are full of the accounts of of those who have been martyred simply because they believed in and proclaimed as Savior and Lord the One who died for their sins and was raised up again, according to Scripture. Perhaps more significant to a discussion of motive are not those who were Jesus’ constant followers during His life, but those who did not believe, but having seen Him after His death and resurrection, they came to belief. Two are mentioned in the 1 Corinthians passage; James and Paul himself.

James was one of Jesus’ half-brothers, who did not initially believe in Him as Messiah (John 7:5). Josephus records that the same James, the brother of Jesus, was put to death by Annas and the Sanhedrin during the reign of Nero (62 AD). (Antiquities, book 20, chapter 9) In James’ instance, we have the Biblical record and a bit of reputable historical record that a man who before the resurrection did not believe Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, and came to believe exactly that after seeing the risen Christ, and was martyred for his belief.   

What accounts for the change?

Then we have Saul, who became Paul after his Damascus Road experience. it is important to note that six major things separated the Jews from other segments of society (pagans as well as believers in Christ): the Sabbath, circumcision, sacrifices, dietary laws, Messiah of Glory (non-suffering Messiah), and monotheism

Later, after his conversion and encounter with the risen Christ, Saul became Paul and had these things to say:

Colossians 2:16-17 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a feast day or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.

1st Corinthians 1:23 …but we preach Christ crucified….

Philippians 3:4b-7 If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

What accounts for the change?

The change from a position of non-belief (James and Paul), and even from being a persecutor of Christians to becoming one (Paul), are effects pf a cause. In this case, the cause is having seen the risen Lord!

Is this proposed proof of the resurrection of Jesus completely irrefutable by those who do not want to believe it? No, but it should give a person cause to at least think about it and ask the question:

WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR THE CHANGE?

How Reliable are Biblical Accounts of Christ’s Resurrection?

Posted by Dan C. on

One of the reasons we can trust the reliability of biblical accounts are supernatural acts of God (miracles) that are not only recorded in Scripture, but that also have historical and archeological evidence. The intent of this blog post is to peak your interest and encourage personal Bible study and research. In addition to increasing personal confidence in the truth of Scripture, such endeavors will serve to equip the believer for conversation/debate with non-believers.

There are two events in the Old Testament that are significant examples; the fall of the walls of Jericho, and the defeat/destruction  of  Sennacherib’s army, which had beseiged Jerusalem. I’ll leave further investigation to those interested in history and archeology, and ask that research be done without any agenda (pro or con). So if you are curious, go for it! You can just perform an online search for “historical/archeological evidence of ___________” for either, and have a lot of information to filter through and research.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is second of three events recorded by Paul as integral to the Gospel message:

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you–unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” – 1 Cor 15:1-8

Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was raised according to the Scriptures, and was seen by many after the resurrection. The first two events were prophesied in previously recorded Scripture, and the third provides evidence that the first two had to be either a hoax or a supernatural miracle.

Three possible proofs for a supernatural act of God are these:

1. Motive: Why would so many Jews follow a crucified man?

2. Corroborating evidence of gospel accounts: If all other historical facts prove to be true, why not the resurrection?

3. The empty tomb: Even the greatest antagonists to the resurrection of Jesus affirm His tomb was empty!

All three possible proofs fall into the arena of human logic. At the same time, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is so critical to our Christian faith, that Paul emphatically declared in 1 Corinthians, Chapter 15, that if the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not true, our faith is in vain!

Does this writer have a personal opinion? Of course, but his ‘opinion’ is not the issue. As open, professing believers in Christ, we eventually are engaged in discussion about the genuineness and reality of our faith, with other believers, as well as non-believers (unless we are ashamed of the gospel).

Such discussions with non-believers are more than just ‘words’ deep, they are engagements in spiritual warfare and opportunities to present logical intellectual arguments to those who ostensibly appeal to logic and rational thinking in order to prove our faith illogical and irrational.

Hopefully the next few posts will encourage greater development of the Christian ‘mind’ and equip readers to defend their faith on the enemy’s terms.

If you are reading this, stay tuned for separate posts addressing the aforementioned proposed proofs of the Resurrection!

Who Saved You?

Posted by Dan C. on

A small group of believers I know here in Blogland engage in discussion about certain portions of scripture and are currently blogging through Paul’s letter to the Galatians, with it’s central theme of Justification by Faith. One of the two Monday contributors made a couple of comments that simply beg for thoughtful consideration. Thanks Dale! I encourage you to read Dale’s blog post.

The thought provoking comments that invite serious thought and discussion are these:

“I am not saved because I accepted Jesus. I am saved because Jesus died for my sins!!! I was saved 2000 years ago!”

We are not saved because we made a decision to accept Jesus. We are saved because Christ died for our sins. The death and resurrection of Christ is the core of the gospel message (1 Cor 15:1-4), and it was Christ’s death 2000 years ago, in our place, that secured the salvation all those would believe in Christ and become the true children of God spoken of in John 1:12-23.

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” – Jesus

So we have the fact that 2,000 years ago Jesus paid the price for our sin, as well as a point in time when a person comes to faith in Christ and is “born of God”. We also have John 3:16 that tells us that those who believe will inherit eternal life.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” –  Jesus

Here we have a picture of both the sovereignty of God in salvation and our responsibility to believe and make a decision out of our human will. We are not “born again” because of our decision, but it is only from the moment one believes (requiring an operation of human will), that we are truly a child of God.

How is it that we are not saved because we accepted Christ by an act of human decision/will, yet we must believe, (a real decision is involved) in order to be born of the Spirit of God and become His children? Assume both halves of the question to be true.

This is an open discussion. If you read this and have a question, even if it’s “What does it matter, as long as we are saved?”