Why We Can Trust the Truth of the Bible Part 1
We Have What Was Written
And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah, and others, one of the prophets.” Luke 9:27-28
When Jesus asked the disciples what people were saying about Him, the basic response was that He was perceived as a prophet. That means that the crowds of Jesus’ day were experiencing Him as someone who spoke and taught with an authority that comes from God.
What if that question was asked today?
I think that we would hear different answers. One way that crowds today see Jesus is as
a myth made up by the Church. The Bible is a well-intentioned, but mythical account. In fact, many people object, we can’t really even know if what we now have is what was written back then.
But is that true?
Many who object to the truth of the Bible are unaware that we have evidence from outside the Bible for Jesus’ existence. The ancient Roman historians Tacitus and Suetonius, both writing around 100AD, include references to the existence of a man named Jesus who lived in first century Palestine. The Jewish historian, Josephus, tells us that Jesus was known for mighty works and miracles, that Pilate had Him crucified, and that His followers continued after His crucifixion.
So even without the Bible, we can know the basics of Jesus’ life, which are completely in line with the accounts that we have in the New Testament gospels themselves.
But, some would ask, how do we know we have what was actually originally written? Didn’t the Church add things to the account over time?
This brings us into the realm of what is known as textual criticism. A basic premise of textual criticism is that the more copies you have of a document, and the shorter the span of time between our earliest copies and when it was written, the more trustworthy they are.
No serious scholar would dispute the authenticity of works by authors like Tacitus. Tacitus wrote around 100AD, and the earliest copy we have is from about 1100AD, a span of 1000 years when things could have been changed. Further, we have only twenty copies of his work. But, again, no serious scholar would dispute the authenticity of his work.
But when it comes to the New Testament, people get nervous about its authenticity. The books of the New Testament were written between 40-100AD, and we have partial manuscripts from as early as 130AD and full manuscripts from around 350AD, leaving at most about 300 years for changes to appear. Not only is the time span between writing and copies short, but the number of copies we have is overwhelming. We have over five thousand Greek manuscripts, ten thousand Latin manuscripts, and over fifteen thousand citations from extrabiblical writers in the first 300 years of the Church’s existence. No other ancient document comes close to the short time span and overwhelming documentation!
In other words, we have every reason to believe that what we have is what was written!
So why is it that no serious scholar would dispute the authenticity of Tacitus, but call the New Testament gospels into question?
Maybe it is because the Jesus we meet in the Bible isn’t always comfortable to deal with! He makes claims for Himself that make claims over us. He doesn’t just point people to a nice way to live, but has the boldness to claim to be the unique giver of eternal life to those who follow Him!
But just because it isn’t comfortable, we can’t then just dismiss the Bible as a made up document. Like it or not, we have every reason to believe that the Bible we read is just what the authors wrote.
And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah, and others, one of the prophets.” Luke 9:27-28
When Jesus asked the disciples what people were saying about Him, the basic response was that He was perceived as a prophet. That means that the crowds of Jesus’ day were experiencing Him as someone who spoke and taught with an authority that comes from God.
What if that question was asked today?
I think that we would hear different answers. One way that crowds today see Jesus is as
a myth made up by the Church. The Bible is a well-intentioned, but mythical account. In fact, many people object, we can’t really even know if what we now have is what was written back then.
But is that true?
Many who object to the truth of the Bible are unaware that we have evidence from outside the Bible for Jesus’ existence. The ancient Roman historians Tacitus and Suetonius, both writing around 100AD, include references to the existence of a man named Jesus who lived in first century Palestine. The Jewish historian, Josephus, tells us that Jesus was known for mighty works and miracles, that Pilate had Him crucified, and that His followers continued after His crucifixion.
So even without the Bible, we can know the basics of Jesus’ life, which are completely in line with the accounts that we have in the New Testament gospels themselves.
But, some would ask, how do we know we have what was actually originally written? Didn’t the Church add things to the account over time?
This brings us into the realm of what is known as textual criticism. A basic premise of textual criticism is that the more copies you have of a document, and the shorter the span of time between our earliest copies and when it was written, the more trustworthy they are.
No serious scholar would dispute the authenticity of works by authors like Tacitus. Tacitus wrote around 100AD, and the earliest copy we have is from about 1100AD, a span of 1000 years when things could have been changed. Further, we have only twenty copies of his work. But, again, no serious scholar would dispute the authenticity of his work.
But when it comes to the New Testament, people get nervous about its authenticity. The books of the New Testament were written between 40-100AD, and we have partial manuscripts from as early as 130AD and full manuscripts from around 350AD, leaving at most about 300 years for changes to appear. Not only is the time span between writing and copies short, but the number of copies we have is overwhelming. We have over five thousand Greek manuscripts, ten thousand Latin manuscripts, and over fifteen thousand citations from extrabiblical writers in the first 300 years of the Church’s existence. No other ancient document comes close to the short time span and overwhelming documentation!
In other words, we have every reason to believe that what we have is what was written!
So why is it that no serious scholar would dispute the authenticity of Tacitus, but call the New Testament gospels into question?
Maybe it is because the Jesus we meet in the Bible isn’t always comfortable to deal with! He makes claims for Himself that make claims over us. He doesn’t just point people to a nice way to live, but has the boldness to claim to be the unique giver of eternal life to those who follow Him!
But just because it isn’t comfortable, we can’t then just dismiss the Bible as a made up document. Like it or not, we have every reason to believe that the Bible we read is just what the authors wrote.
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54 Comments
This is a very interesting article. I would love to hear more. What did he really teach and believe? How was his form of "Christianity" different from what we have today?
George Henderson,
That's what is so great about the Bible, Jesus' own words are in it. What He really taught and believed is there for you to examine for yourself. It's an incredibly interesting thing that the Bible is actually so simple a child can understand it, yet at the same time it is so deep the highest degreed individuals have been debating different text for as long as it has existed.
Please provide me competent and substantial, clear and convincing evidence that God and/or the Holy Spirit selected, ordained, commissioned and inspired even one single errant human by name to write one word in one gospel. "Luke" (if it was indeed Luke who wrote the Third Gospel) even said he decided to write so that he could provide an orderly account of things which he had a perfect understanding of. Now this means to me he considers that other gospels were not in any way, shape or form the inspired, inerrant and infallible word of God for if they were then not another word needed to added or substituted to make it better. Thanks for educating me.
competent and substantial, clear and convincing evidence that God and/or the Holy Spirit selected, ordained, commissioned and inspired even one single errant human by name to write one word in one gospel.
Mathew 24:35 “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Jesus Christ called it 2000 years ago, and he called it right.
The fact that folks here are so blindly stating the New Testament and Jesus Christ, is all fact, existed, and is a literal historical account is laughable. I can LITERALLY PROVE in five minutes, as can any educated person, that this is definitely NOT a work of non-fiction. The only people to write about Jesus' supposed existence and especially any miracles did not write about such for many hundreds of years AFTER the supposed times these acts and events occurred. In fact, NOT ONE SINGLE HISTORIAN wrote about any of this fiction during the times it was supposedly happening and isn't it strange the ones who DID only did so hundreds of years later who were members of the church? Doesn't this seem suspicious to anyone here? No! Of course not! Because any other perspective could possibly mean that your entire belief system you've been brainwashed to believe since birth may not be true! In fact, the entire story of the virgin birth, Bethlehem, the story of the crucifixion, and resurrection after three days is ALL based on astrology, sun worship, and much older religions pre-dating Christianity by thousands upon thousands of years from Pagans to early Mediterranean religions! On December 22nd the sun reaches it's lowest perceivable point, only time it appears to stop moving entirely and behind it is the southern Crux constellation which translates to the southern cross or just the cross, it appears to remain on the cross, crucified, and three days later on December 25th it rises one degree signifying the sun resurrected after three days or signifying birth. While the date 25th is NOT in the scriptures it WAS and IS pushed by the church for good reason. They knew where it came from, the stories of the New Testament, 12 disciples (12 constellations), the crucifixion three days Dead and resurrection or birth, it's not rocket science. Same as Noah's flood story was taken from The Epic of Gilgamesh Flood Story found written (the oldest story btw known to western civilization, not the Bible guys), and Guess what? On those cuneiform "flood tablets" is the IDENTICAL story of Noah's flood down to the cubits of the ark. The only difference is the authors who constructed the Holy Bible changed the names is all. I hate to break it to you guys also, but if you believe that book is fact you're truly mistaken. One day to God is a thousand years to man as it states, yes? In this logic then, the entire universe, all galaxies, including our own, and all our own galaxies suns, all the stars, earth like planets and this earth as well as ALL life on it, including all plant life, ocean life, and humans ALL was created, formed, and evolved (oh wait, you don't believe in proven evolution, but even still...) you MUST believe it's all only six thousand years old adding on the rest of the biblical timeline after the sixth day, so seven days be seven thousand years and tack on another, what, 4,000 years (that part is an estimate...I'd have to look it up to be specific but close enough, you got the idea), so do you really believe all this is only that old? Cause the Earth, our earth, that is, is at the earliest estimates 4.5 billion years old! And the Earth is but an infant in terms of age in comparison to the rest of the universe!! Hell, there are civilizations we're discovering older than the Bible claims the entire universe to be! It's so ridiculous to believe it's non-fiction! Tell me, how did God name the day and night and separate the day from the night when he hadn't yet created the light producing objects yet until Genesis 1:4? Tell me, why does the order in which God created change from Chapter one to Chapter Two of Genesis? First he created man and woman from man then animals the other chapter he creates animals before he created man then woman from man! I mean there's so many scientific facts that disproves the Bible than one would ever fathom by the end of the first chapter of the first book of the Bible! It contradicts itself numerous times in the first two chapters that it's impossible to take literally, much less within the Book of Genesis' ending! And the atrocious murderous sick acts committed by this supposed omnipotent and omniscient deity is enough to make anyone fry a human in the electric chair a trillion times over if it was a human who committed these acts yet it's okay because it's God? If you beat your slave and the slave doesn't die, no sin is committed (God's word). If a man raped a young girl it is NOT a sin if he pays so many sheckles of silver to the father or he marries his victim, then the rapist can rape every single night, sin free! That's God's orders. How about commandments? You all follow the well taught ten but did you know there was MANY commandments by God, one being God commanded a disobedient child be stoned to death!! Look it up! How about his orders, such as go unto Malek and Kill every man, woman, child, and infant, ox and sheep!? How about having forty some teens mauled to death viciously by a bear for laughing at a bald prophet? Killing to thousands of Jews for asking why they was starving!? Killing 20-some thousand for complaining about God killing so many people! Killing Oden for spilling his seed, NOT sleeping with his brother's wife, NO, killed em for pulling out! Is this righteous to you? Jesus said FOLLOW ALL OF GOD'S COMMANDMENTS by the way, so don't play that New Testament changed everything card cause it only changed crap like not having to slit an innocent goat's throat for your sins to be forgiven, which begs the question why would an all powerful deity have to have ANY of this crap be a factor, PERIOD? Answer: An all powerful, all knowing deity wouldn't! He or she or it could make anything so, no eternal damnation needed, no horrendous acts of infanticides, genocides, slavery, HELL, none of it would be necessary. Obviously once you break past the shackles which bound you to what you've been brainwashed to believe, it's easy to see how silly and unrealistic it all is. Also science, history, geography, astronomy, and biology all prove the Bible to be a work of sick fiction
Reading your notations and r e a l l y appreciated your comments about religion, god, bible. I am a 77 year old clergy (methodist) and have believed all this STUFF for years and years until I started to think outside the Bible Box in which Xianity is trapped. Problem is I an now absolutely more daring than devout. I see god as not religious, not interested in dogma, rules, formulas, etc. of the church. God didn't found it, Jesus was an exceptionally wise human, not god as paul suggests. There are no miracles, no virg. birth, no hell, no angels etc. Only problem is I still conduct services and leading my "flock" to become moren - dare I say it - LIKE ME -- I feel I am more akin to Lewis and Clark hacking through debris to discover the extent of the new continent. Good ol' church folk -- They are merely content to be more cloistered and comfortable. But I will tell you --- I am more excited about my effort at DISCOVERY, though I won't find what I am after, than an ongoing pouring over the texts of scripture... No holds barred exploration is great and has given me a renewal of my pastoral life in trying to ascertain the mystery of creation. M. Shambora (Penna)
Jesus didn't teach a form of Christianity or Christianity at all. Jesus was a lifelong devout, temple worshiping, synagogue teaching Jewish "Rabbi" of his day. He viewed the Jewish religious establishment as seriously corrupted and strayed from the word of his Father God Almighty. From the available scriptures it seems that Jesus saw mankind as estranged from God and in need of redemption and reconciliation and himself as begotten by his Father God to accomplish that redemption. He also was angry with the priestly and leader class for their betrayal of both God and His law and the dependent people, for their own personal power, status and wealth. But to your question, Jesus wasn't about Christianity but about providing through himself a means of salvation, reconciliation, redemption and a way for living together in a caring, loving manner while on this earth, for humanity. Christianity arose after Jesus, among his followers and eventually evolved into an overly complex industry. But it is the structure we have for the administration of his wonderful message and mission. There are many wonderful words in the scriptures that have been handed down to us, all very much worth our study, but the most wonderful and edifying, I think are those that Jesus spoke, and that Matthew recorded for us in his Gospel. Just my little offering for whatever it may be worth.
In my humble opinion, Jesus didn't teach Christianity. Christianity as such was constructed by his followers years after his death. Jesus himself was a devout and very astute Jewish religious teacher who was very disturbed with the practices of the religious leaders of his day and convinced of his mission from his Father to usher in the Kingdom of God, the exact meaning and timing of which is still debated. I for one am certain of the truth of Christ, but as confused about many aspects of Christianity as many are, by the machinations of human politics masquerading as the faith and way of Jesus Christ.
Another amazing thing about the Bible is that God proves it true over and over again. One of the problems is that people do not actually apply it to their life. For instance the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace and that he gives us a piece that passes all understanding. I have found this to be absolutely true even though I am a stroke victim and just lost a son last month. When my son went home to be with the Lord at the age of 23, I felt like I had a hole in my heart. So I prayed and told the Lord just that. In minutes I didn't feel like I had a hole in my heart any longer there was a heaviness but the feeling of a whole being there was no longer there.
But in order to get this piece that passes all understanding we have to put Philippians 4:8 in Proverbs 3 5 and 6 into action. Those two verses also will help prevent people from having a lot of mental issues that are very prevalent today. Such as anxiety attacks. Which is something else I've had in my life back in 1986 but God's word and prayer he'll be completely of those anxiety attacks. God is not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind. I had spent 10 days a night straight without sleep all the while praying and reading God's word and verse by verse God showed me what my problem was where it was coming from and then how to get rid of it. The final coming from Proverbs 3:5 and 6 putting my total trust in God and not myself. God's word is very powerful it brings not only healing but it leads us to salvation. Once we accept what it says that being that we were born sinners and that we were in need of a savior. Then it tells us God showed his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. God gave himself for us shedding His Holy blood so that our sins could be forgiven. Did he give us eternal life and he also gives us a much better life while we are on this Earth.
Please edit your "piece" and use the correct spelling for "peace" that Jesus gives us all.
Why does it bother you so much that "piece" was used instead of "peace". This is not a college term paper. As long as, I can tell what the writer meant, it does not bother me at all. It takes away from what he wrote when a person criticises what someone writes. I know it bothers you a lot and you can't help it but please stop ruining what is written by criticism. You bother me more than the author.
Seems a reasonable suggestion. Do not know why it bothers Mark and others so much. Perhaps it did not bother Byron either to have this error pointed out to him.
And from all of THAT wisdom in Mr. Lisenbee's comment, all you could come up with was that short and abrupt remark on grammar usage? Really? You know, it occurs to me that people like you who don't seem to want to do more than pick people and things apart are both inside and outside the church. If you are half as hard in real life as you seem to be based on your response to this comment, good grief, you must be lonely.
Amen! Love your comment! Gods is so good. Thank you for sharing with us!
Matt. 23:34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you PROPHETS, and wise men, and SCRIBES: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city
Luke 11:49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them PROPHETS and APOSTLES and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
The letters from SCRIBES were intended to be READ and CIRCULATED. The Last Will and Testament was for HEIRS and no one should tamper with the Last Will of their mother to cheat the HEIRS.
Re-read the "piece" carefully. I find that as it is written, Jesus presented us with a piece of knowledge that would bring us peace.
Josephus is one of your sources for existence of Jesus? He's was considered a traitor by his peers and historians now say that as a historian, Josephus shares the faults of most ancient writers: his analyses are superficial, his chronology faulty, his facts exaggerated, his speeches contrived.
It doesn't matter whether he was an ethical person (a traitor) or whether he exaggerated his facts, because we're not looking to him for his testimony about Jesus, the point is only that he mentioned Jesus. Jesus was a significant enough person that Josephus heard about him, and whether he got his facts straight or not, Josephus mentioned him. It's just one more record from the time period acknowledging Jesus' existence.
To add to my previous comment about Josephus. A lengthier passage about Jesus, known as the “Testimonium Flavianum,” which describes a man “who did surprising deeds” and was condemned to be crucified by Pilate. Mykytiuk agrees with most scholars that Christian scribes modified portions of the passage. Poor choice in picking Josephus as a reliable source.
Very well done article. Thank you for brevity and clarity.
Do you have something on Penal Substitution? verses Christus Victor or the Moral ---- view? not sure of the complete title of the second one
Umm. . . In what we know as the 'old testament', the Torah, God himself states I will never give my glory to another, beside, below or above me. He must have stated this so many times and yet this 'Jesus' comes along and states he is to be given the same Glory as God the 'father.' Somebody coat tailed the God of Israel to make this their own version and who could this be? Is it not obvious that this is the work of Satan? But you must do your own work to allow the real God to make this known to you.
When He said (I will not give my glory to another), He was talking about not giving His glory to false gods. Jesus was never a false God. From the beginning God the Father was the designer of everything that was created, Jesus was the builder of the Father's design. In John 1 verses 1-5 of the New Testament it says; 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
Amen brother William! 🙏
Impossible, because the letter "J" did not come into existence until about five hundred years ago. No one has ever been named Jesus in Israel.
Jesus is actual a mis-transliteration of Joshua.
The letters involved have to do with Hebrew and Greek alphabets not getting along with each other, and the Hebrew having this thing where vowels didn't even exist.
So, yeah... it should be Joshua, but there's already an old testament prophet named Joshua... so no Christian wants to change the name.
I recall hearing a modern-day rabi refer to Joshua-bin-Joseph ... i.e. Joshua son of Joseph... and that person was a bit of a rabble-rouser, as I recall :)
From: Hebrew "Yeshua" to Greek "Eesuss" to Latin Jesus to English Jesus. IMHO, In any language, he knows his name.
Thank you for this and I agree there are relatively good reasons to accept the Bible as accounts of events from the opinions of the people at that time, yet, there are still many questions. Which Bible, eastern, western, Vulgate & it's descendants translated by people who did not understand the original language properly, then political forces and other religions/traditions changing the words causing confusion? Then there are the changes of meanings of words that modern versions are starting to catch up on. Why is the Bible mentioning and quoting from other books that are not in the Bible? Why do we have stories such as the woman caught in adultery that are not in the oldest manuscripts, why do we see changes in the older manuscripts were the scribes seem to be arguing? The differences in LXX and masoretic,, texts? What do you think is the best interpretation for what we call the Bible for Modern English speakers? Sincere thanks.
Yes, exactly. Even Bibles from the 1800s are different than now with verses being added now to certain political faction ideals. People are practicing Bible worship instead of acknowledging that HUMANS, especially leaders, can be corrupt and HAVE changed the Bible to suit their needs.
I agree completely with your argument for the trustworthiness of the New Testament and the Gospels…..for instance, St. Matthew’s recounting of Jesus’ words to the Pharisees reaffirming that, from the very beginning, God intended to be marriage between one man and one woman.
Whether original documents exist or not, and whether there is one document or 10,000 documents, it makes no difference. Neither does it matter if Tacitus, Josephus, Pliny, Paul, Peter, or whoever wrote whatever. The only thing that matters is if what was written is true. A person writes you a check. The check states that you can go to the bank and cash it for a certain amount. The only thing that makes that check worth more than the ink and paper is it composed of is whether or not the money it says is available is actually in the bank. The check is only a "claim," nothing more, nothing less. When you call for that claim to be answered, then what it says is either proven or disproven. It is either there or it is not there. There is no, "Well, it is actually there you just can't see it, hear it, or touch it, but it's there alright because I believe it's there. When a person prays they either converse with God or they just talk to themselves. When a person asks God to heal someone in Jesus name, believing He will do it, then that person is either healed or not. So all the discussion about original documents and who confirmed what about something someone else supposedly wrote or said in really a moot point. The only thing that matters about any of it is whether or not what it is says is actually true or not and that is a question everyone has to answer for themselves.
I like your comment, but thought I'd add that money only works because people believe in it. It has no value outside of that belief.
Wow JR Holmes. It would appear what you said could pertain to ANY historically documented manifest. I find that a major fallacy for supporting your point.
It's simple: Tacitus, in his writings, didn't claim "in God's name" unreasonable and slanderous things about God and man like the wrath of God, the fear of God, Hell, Satan, demons, blood atonement, original sin, that his writing were God's word, a divine organization, slavery, oppression of women, and blind obedience to evil government. Did I miss anything?
Christ preached one message from the moment he returned from the wilderness to the moment he died. When he resurrected and returned to spend 40 days with the disciples he preached the same message. Christ preached the Kingdom of Heaven. Also known as the Kingdom of God. He did not preach religion, nor did he preach Christianity, he preached the kingdom and he said from this moment forward preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Go read for yourself, focus on the concepts and do not remove his words from context. He that have ears let him hear and he that has eyes let him see. The word gospel means good news. The four books of the Gospel is literally full of good news, but that is not what Christ preached. He never preached himself, he taught his students and disciples about himself but to the world he preached the Gospel of the kingdom of God. He brought the Kingdom of God to earth. The Kingdom is a country. He brought that back to us. There is so much more to this than you can wrap your head around. Every word spoken out of the mouth of God is true. If you read all his words an ask for revelation, his spirit will reveal it to you. Gods original intent on making man was for us to walk as Christ did. Adam failed in the garden and was removed from the kingdom. Every word in the Bible never contradicts. Literally from beginning to end. Don’t think of the garden of Eden as a physical place but rather a. Environment. Being in the presence of God. I can’t reveal it all, you must let the spirit of God reveal it to you. Mathew 23 is how Christ feels about religious people. The kingdom destroys religion, it tears down tradition. The word Christian is what pagans used to call people who believed in Christ. If Christ called us sons an daughter why cal yourself anything but what God called us.
I believe that I have put together the best argument which refutes/defeats the supernatural claims of evangelical Christianity. I would appreciate your input:
https://lutherwasnotbornagaincom.wordpress.com/2022/12/20/best-argument-against-evangelical-christianity/
From your link: "point out to him that most educated people in our culture respect and trust majority expert opinion on all issues and consider it foolish for non-experts to set themselves up as the final authority on an issue about which the majority of experts holds an opposing view."
You asked for some feedback, so here it is. What you say is true, but what you say does not work on extremely intelligent people such as myself. The problem for me is that trusting the majority expert opinion means trusting people who are less intelligent than myself. I often find the mistakes the so-called experts missed when I do my own research. For example, anyone who claims that the Gospels are not historically reliable doesn't realize the magnitude of creative fiction genius that they are assigning to the Gospel writers. That claim would be a collection of peasants in Galilee managed to create a character in Jesus that none of the literary giants like Homer, Shakespeare, Milton and Dante ever came close to achieving. In other words, gary, you believe in miracles too, just a different kind of miracle, one only slightly less impressive than raising the dead.
Actually, you're completely cracking me up claiming that the Bible is inerrant! So, by your logic, it must have been the inerrent word of "God," because, again, your argument is that the authors shouldn't have had the knowledge to write such an amazing piece of literature? LMFAO!!! Are you shitting me! That's your argument?? Do you really believe that any book in the new or old testament is remotely comparable to works of Shakespeare? That...is... hilarious 😂
Modern day translation are altering words and changing the meaning. I believe this is to avoid errors that people had been preaching for hundred of years or to avoid confrontation.
One such example is in Genesis 9. Older versions definitely stated Noah awoke from his drunken stupor and knew what his youngest son had done to him. According to Hebrew customs some grandsons who were born in the grandparents house were considered not as grandsons but as sons by the grandfather. As in the case of Jacob he took Joseph 2 sons as his sons in place of Joseph who he thought was dead. In Noah case the Bible repeatedly mentioned Canaan before 600years old Noah drunken incident. Noah cursed Canaan not Ham. Yet modern versions not state Noah knew what his younger son had done..
People are taking God's Word and twisting it to avoid confrontation. Man is once again corrupting the truth of God as man has done since the beginning of creation. There are several places in the modern translations where authors are twisting God's truth to suit themselves. A day of reckoning awaits such folks who takes the truth of God's Word and turn it into a lie.
The beginning of creation??? The old testament (timeline and actual first well known production of the text of the original Hebrew scriptures) are relatively new in the span of human civilization and religion in general. Islam and Christianity both are ONLY the prevalent religions because your "churches" massacred and murdered those monotheistic religions to being the most widely known and accepted...after all, they murdered most whether they converted or not, and stole stories from much, much, much older religions along the way. Monotheistic religions came long after polytheistic religions. Wake up, your faith is responsible for more horrendous murders, atrocities, torture, and genocides than ANYTHING ELSE IN HISTORY!! That's the truth of it ALL! Slavery!!
There are mistakes made in translating the Bible. Hebrew and Aramaic have no J. Those two languages have different alphabets. Some of our English letters do not exist in their language. For instance. Here is a mistake. We pray (The Lord's Prayer )to God and ask to not sin. Why does then does it say, "Lead us not into temptation". God would never do that. I believe it should say, "Let us not be lead into temptation". The Bible was hand copied before the invention of the printing press. Mistakes could be made. I know this because I made a mistake when I put a poem I wrote in the computer. I took a break and when I returned the piece on the computer made no sense. I had missed two lines. We humans are not perfect and the people translating, writing, and copying the Bible were imperfect humans. Also while hand copying if a person had an agenda, could change or write their verse. There are many contradictions in the Bible.
Matthew 5:38-39 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. Exodus 21:24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
Deuteronomy 19:21 Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Romans 12:17-19 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
Exodus 21:23-25 But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
Leviticus 24 Fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him.
Matthew 5:38-42 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you
Proverbs 20:22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.Luke 6:29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic.
So which one is correct? Also Leviticus 18:22 only mentions men. So is it okay for women to be homosexual?
I am a strong Believer but the Bible needs to be taken with a grain of salt.
Some of the chapters promote ideas that you and I do not approve of.
Bringing in 100 foreskins so that there could be a marriage. There is polygamy also and with Samson and Delilah a bit of S&M.
God gave us a brain and expects us to use it. THINK! Do not let any religion, political party nor any one else including me, Brainwash you.
THINK!!
We keep reading about the so-called "Messiah secret" or the "secret of the Messiah" but no one seems to realize that the real secret of the Messiah is this: that the whole idea of a Jewish Messiah is that he is just a mythical figure and has no more basis in fact and reality than does a jolly fat man sporting a white beard and dressed in a red cap, red suit and knee-high black rubber boots could ever become a real, true, one and only Santa. So, no matter how honest, sincere and deeply held was Jesus' belief that he was this Messiah figure such belief did not then transform him into being what was and forever would be a fictional personage. Such a belief in such an idea is merely wishful thinking and a pipe dream. One reason I am convinced that I am correct is based on Matthew 24:34 and parallel eschatology prophecies of Jesus which failed to come to pass. Not only was Jesus not the Messiah, no Jew has ever been or can ever be the Messiah any more than a Jolly fat man will ever transform himself into a real, true Santa. One can turn a lemon into a lemonade but no person can ever turn a human into a real Messiah if this Messiah figure is only a mythical, fictional personage to start with. My theory is corroborated by the evidence that there have been many claimants to the Messiahship but all have fizzled out. However, had Jesus' prophecies come to pass in both the time and manner he prophesied then I would be wrong. Those living today should be glad that Jesus' prophecy failed to come to fruition for had Jesus come on the clouds of heaven during that first century of our current era then he would have turned the sheep into angels and the goats into toast. Now, inasmuch as angels do not procreate there would never have been a me or thee alive today after the end of that age and generation Jesus called a evil, sinful and adulterous one.
Without being able to translate ancient text yourself you are putting faith in mortal men to translate 100% accurately and not to take any artistic liberties. Religions share the same characteristics as something without such good intentions. Passionate excuses for why there is no solid proof for such an outrageous claim only serves as more proof to the contrary. And there will just never be any real, tangible solid proof. It doesn't take a scholar to figure that out
"When did Tertullian coined the word Trinity?
The first recorded use of this Latin word was by Tertullian in about 200 AD, to refer to Father, Son and Holy Spirit, or, in general, to any set of three things. ( Theophile of Antioch - 115-181 - introduced the word Trinity in his Book 2, chapter 15 on the creation of the 4th day)."
I do NOT believe in a "trinity" of ANY kind. Why? Because Jesus is devine as THE SON OF GOD WHO GOD THE FATHER SACRIFICED FOR OUR SINS, GOD IS THE KING OF HIS KINGDOM, AND JESUS HIS ONLY TRUE BORN SON ARE EACH DEVINE, BECAUSE JESUS IS GOD THE KING'S SON AND THE CROWN PRINCE WHO SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD HIS FATHER. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD THE FATHER AND THE KING OF HIS HOLY KINGDOM. JESUS IS HOLY THEREFORE HIS SPIRIT IS HOLY, BUT THERE ARE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY WHOSE SPIRIT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT. THERE ARE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE GOD THE FATHER AND KING. UNLIKE US WHO WERE ADOPTED SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, JESUS IS THE ONLY DEVINE, ACTUAL, TRUE, AND ONE AND ONLY SON OF GOD, NOT AN ADOPTED SON OF GOD WHO SAVED US BY HIS HUMAN BLOOD WHILE HERE ON EARTH, AND SINCE GOD WILL NEVER DIE, JESUS WAS FROM THE BEGINNING OF GOD'S TIME, IS, AND WILL REMAIN THE CROWN PRINCE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD HIS FATHER FOR ALL ETERNITY.
READ ROMANS, CHAPTER 8. ALSO, ROMANS 8:1,2 ARE DEMONICALLY INCORRECT IN THE KJV BIBLE. IT IS AN UNHOLY AND FALSE TEACHING. READ ROMANS 8:1,2 IN THE NIV, BECAUSE WE ARE SAVED FROM ETERNAL DAMNATION SOLELY BY GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT AND GOD THE KING'S SACRIFICE OF HIS ONLY SON JESUS WHO WAS NOT ADOPTED, BUT GOD'S BELOVED SON AND CROWN PRINCE WHOM HE ADORES ABOVE ANYONE ELSE IN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE, AND WHOM GOD THE FATHER WILL CHERISH ABOVE ALL FOR ALL OF ETERNITY.
I resonate with the comment from Paul McCrary.
When do we get Part 2 of "Why We Can Trust the Truth of the Bible?" The comments above indicate that there is not much agreement about what Bible truth is.
The Bible says it is God-inspired and inerrant. Many of the comments are not coming from those who believe neither of those things are true.
The red letters in the new testament announce revolutionary commandments not given significant space in the old testament.
Indeed, Jesus' new commandments 1) TO LOVE GOD, and 2) TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR are for the most part exactly opposite to old testament teaching. After listening to many hours of sermons where preachers twist their reasoning into demagogue pretzels, Sunday school lessons and Bible studies that avoid mention of anything controversial, I have concluded if I can ever learn to follow Jesus' commandments I can count that success.
And fellow bloggers, if I believe Jesus' is God and if I do my best to follow his commandments my life will be what he wants, that is my truth. I just don't need to worry too much the rest of the Bible instructions including those of Paul. That requires me to be content with the inconsistency of believing only a part of the Bible.
Good discussion, when do we get Part 2 of "Why We Can Trust the Truth of the Bible?"
The Truth of the Bible and Jesus ( including God the Father & the Holy Spirit) is to open oneself up and allowing the indwelling Presence to abide with us and to live accordingly allowing it to unfold in our lives. The “proof” is in the living, try it and see and be blessed!🙏🏻
Thank you, David, for your encouraging and truth-filled words!
After the beyond-redemption idolatry at Mount Sinai, Moses wrote or compiled a warning to the Hebrews who were conditionally sentenced to return to Babylon. In time the Synagogue was observed weekly for reading and understanding whatever Moses delivered to them. Moses prophesied "another prophet like me whom you WILL hear." In Genesis 49:
The Ekklesia was a School of Christ including the Prophets and Apostle. Christianity is haded because Shiloh means that Jesus gave REST from about anything you paid for today.
Is. 59:15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.
Is. 59:16 And he saw that there was NO MAN, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
Is. 59:17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
Is . 59:20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.
Is. 59:21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My SPIRIT that is upon thee, and my WORDS which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and FOR EVER
The Sabbath meaning REST quarantined the godly Jews to their isolated settlements where, with 10 families, the official Synagogue was held. The MIQRA or Holy Convocation was held on the FIRST and EIGHTH days of yearly festivals
The NEW COVENANT which disabled the OLD COVENANT "added because of transgressions" and is a Declaration of Liberty and individual indepenance
James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
The teachings we have today are still many truths. Ask God yourself. Learn to understand what was actually said and those who said it. Genesis 24:3 God of Heaven(Jesus Christ) and God of Earth(Satan). They are both throughout the book from beginning to End.
As important as it is to know Jesus, its equally important to know "how you know Jesus." Meaning, do you know Jesus after the flesh. His earthly ministry to the Jews (the circumcision,) or do you know Jesus according to the revelation of the mystery given to Apostle Paul in his unannounced, unprophesied, return to earth? That may sound strange to many, but apostle Paul said (Romans 15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:) Meaning, Jesus came to minister to the Jews, (the circumcision) and confirm all the Old Testament promises God made to the fathers. So, why is that important? Because Jesus' ministry was not to the Gentiles. As we see his response to the woman from Canaan (Gentile woman) (Matthew 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.) Lost sheep of the house of Israel is Jews only. So when did the Gentiles get brought in? Through our Apostle Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. (Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:) So, why is all this important to know? Because in the four Gospels Jesus' whole life and ministry was according to the Law. Everything that Jesus said and done was according to the Law. (Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,) Jesus' earthly ministry was to Israel under the Law where everything was about the flesh. (Romans 9:5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.) Ok, so what about the Gentiles? Paul, our apostle (Rom 11:13) tells us we don't know Jesus after the flesh! Paul said we did know Jesus after the flesh, but from this point on, we no him no more! (2 Corinthians 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.) If Paul tells us we don't know Jesus after the flesh, then that means we don't know Jesus according to his earthly ministry to Israel, the Jews, the circumcision, who were all under the Law. So, how do we know Jesus? I'm glad you asked. Smile, we know Jesus according to the revelation of the mystery. Where Jesus from returned from heaven after his resurrection and gave Saul (Paul) a gospel. Paul called it "my gospel" because he never received it from man. (Galatians 1:11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.) The revelation of Jesus Christ was when Jesus from heaven, the ascended, glorified Jesus (not Jesus in the flesh) visited Paul and gave him a gospel that had previously been hid in God. Paul tells us thats how we are established now, By Paul's gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery. (Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,) So, what does this all mean? it means Jesus' earthly ministry was all about the Jews under the Law. Where Jesus said he was a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.) Mark tells us the same thing (Mark 10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.) It is only through apostle Paul and the revelation of the mystery, (Paul's gospel) do we find out we Gentiles are not under the Law (Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.) It is also only through apostle Paul that we find out that Jesus is a ransom for all men, and that information was to be preached in due time. Meaning, not right away. Paul even said that was why he was ordained a preacher and apostle to show that Jesus Christ was a ransom for all men. Lets start with Paul's exhortation to Timothy so we get the entire context of Paul;s claim (1 Timothy 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.) See that, Paul said Jesus was a ransom for "all men" but it was to be testified in "due time." Paul goes on to say "whereunto," meaning, for this purpose, I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) Paul was telling Timothy and us that he's the one (the apostle to the Gentiles) that is reveling the mystery of the cross. What is that mystery? That Jesus was a ransom for all men, outside of Israel, and outside the Law. Israel fell (Romans 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.) Paul's message is salvation has come to the Gentiles. Something that was to be preached in "due time." Jesus told the woman of Canaan (Gentile woman) he had only come for the lost sheep of Israel (Matt 15:24) Why, because Gentiles were considered to be dogs. Jesus even called the woman from Canaan a dog. ( Matthew 15:26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.) The children's bread is Israel's blessings and miracles, the earthly kingdom that God had swore an oath to give to Israel. The Gentiles were not part of Jesus' earthly ministry. Ok, so why did Jesus tell the apostles (Matt 28:19 baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:) Because the Jews were to bring in the Gentiles (under the Law) (Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.) Isaiah prophesied that the light (Jesus Christ) has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon thee (Israel) and the Gentiles shall come to thy light! That was what had been prophesied, and thats what was playing out when Jesus came to Israel. Convert Israel first, then the Gentiles will come to the light. Remember, Peter addressed Jews only at Pentecost and told them the Promise was to them, which it was (Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.) Even many years later, the gospel of the kingdom (the earthly Kingdom) was only being preached to Jews only as it was being notated around (Acts 11:19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.) So, bottom line, and point being, when the Jews fell at the stoning of Stephen. The final rejection of God. Israel rejected God the father (1 Samuel 8:7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.) Israel rejected God the Son (John 19:15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar) and lastly God the holy Spirit as Stephen was full of the Holy ghost preaching to the Sanhedrin (Acts 6:15 And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.) Stephen so full of the Holy ghost his face
Sorry, I accidentally hit the submit button before I finished my post. LOL, matter of fact, I never even got to proof-read my text, spell check, etc, (before I sent it.) Hopefully, someone can see what I'm trying to say. It's a lot, I know, but it is scripture. Today, Christendom is following the traditions of Men and not the word of God. Anyway, to continue, Israel fell at the stoning of Stephen, the final rejection of God and like I stated previously, Stephen was so full of the Holy ghost his face shined like an angel. (Acts 6:15) Stephen goes on to say in (Acts 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.) So, Israel has now rejected God completely. God the father, God the Son, and God the holy ghost. We also have another key end point for Israel at the stoning of Stephen and that's the fact that its the end of Israel's one year of extended mercy. One year after the cross. Which we read about in the parable of the barren fig tree in (Luke 13:6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.) This is a type/picture/etc of Christ coming three years during his earthly ministry and finding no fruit. The father said cut it down. Jesus asked the father to forgive them for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34) In the parable in (Luke 13) Jesus asks the father to let it alone this year also till I dig about it and dung it and if it bear no fruit then cut it down. While God could have punished Israel for their unbelief and for crucifying His Son. Jesus however pleaded with the father, on the cross (Luke 23:34) and in the parable of (Luke 13). Bottom line, Israel has one year to repent and believe that Jesus was and is the Messiah. That particular preaching started with Peter addressing Israel at Pentecost. Peter said, "ye men of Israel." speaking to the Jews. This is Jesus digging about Israel and dunging it. This is Jesus sending his apostles to preach repentance, that he truly was the Messiah and you Israel killed him. Thats exactly what Peter said in (Acts 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:) The thing most of Christendom misses is the fact that this is not the beginning of the Church, but the offer to Israel to repent for killing their Messiah. Israel's reply was (Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?) Peter later tells Israel (Acts 3) if they will repent God will send Jesus Christ back and Israel's sins will be blotted out at the presence of the Lord (2nd Coming) (Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. 20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.)
Nonetheless, point being, Israel falls in (Acts 7,) their year has ended, Saul/Paul is on the scene in (Acts 8) that's God transitioning from one ministry to another. Amazing, right in front of us in scripture.. Remember, Stephen seen Jesus standing up, ready to cut down Israel, (Acts 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God) Standing in scripture meant God was about to bring wrath....But what happened instead? Jesus saved Paul on the road to Damascus and gave him a dispensation of grace to give to us. Let that marinate for a minute, instead of sending wrath, and cutting Israel down, God sent a dispensation of Grace to the world (Ephesians 3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:) God had a Mystery plan hid before the foundation of the world that he revealed to Paul. Paul called it "my gospel" Remember, Gentiles were supposed to be brought in through the "rise of Israel", but Israel has now fallen. So, God gives a dispensation of grace to Paul to give to us Gentiles, where we are not under the Law, or part of Israel.
Peter and the eleven had the gospel to the circumcision, while Paul had the gospel to the uncircumcision. We read about that in (Galatians 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;) Apostle Paul was given the gospel that was to be preached in "due time," the gospel in which Christ is a ransom for "all men" outside the Law, and outside of Israel. We are not grafted into Israel. Israel has an earthly kingdom, while the body of Christ is seated in heavenly places. (Ephesians 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:) He will however later gather all things in Christ (Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:) Conclusion: Paul wrote to "fulfill the word of God," he was not a minister with the 12, Paul was a chosen vessel by God to reveal the mystery hid in God before the foundation of the world. (Colossians 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:) Its the traditions of Men that "blenderize/mix" the scriptures, and therefore cause confusion. When God through Paul tells us to "rightly divide" the scriptures. (2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.) We are to rightly divide what was written (Prophecy) from what was hidden/mystery. The twofold purpose of God, one written, one hidden. An earthly kingdom for "fleshly" Israel and a spiritual hope for the Body of Christ. Where apostle Paul tells us we are not in the flesh, but in the spirit. (Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.) So, why was the true meaning of the cross hid?
Because had the devil and his minions truly known what the cross was all about...they wouldn't have crucified our Lord and Saviour (1 Corinthians 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.) Paul was given many mysteries and a gospel that he called "my gospel" yet you very seldom hear any preacher mentioning it, for the most part, the majority of Christendom mixes all of scripture. When we can clearly see who Peter and the others were writing to. James, for instance, he wrote to the twelve tribes of Israel (James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.) Don't think I've heard Paul (our apostle) talk about there being any "tribes" in the Body of Christ. Peter too, Peter wrote to those Jews that were scattered from persecution into foreign lands (1 Peter 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia) Strangers scattered are persecuted Jews that are strangers in other cities...We see it in (Acts 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.) Point being, Peter is also writing to Jews. I hope and pray that some of these things said here will at least make somebody stop and think and consider the scriptures, not what men say! Lastly, I apologize for the poor grammar, run-ons and misspellings. I wrote this in a hurry, I just hope whoever reads it, treats it like the Bereans Paul wrote about in (Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.) That means please have an open mind, and open heart. Set aside any presuppositions and just trust the word of God for what it says. Not what men say, but what saith the word of God...Peace and Grace
The Word of God is clear and concise to those who are willing to embrace the God's knowledge, rather the leaning to their own understanding. The Bible says, "To those who have Spiritual knowledge and understanding, more is be given." But such is hidden from most because of their own misperception.
Jesus, while born in Bethlehem, was a Nazerine, from Galilee. He was raised in the small, poor Jewish town of Nazareth, which was located in the region of Galilee. Which meant that He was of the Jewish faith. While Jesus was a devout, card carrying, practicing Jew, He called His own religious household out because, as the song goes, "There was a leak in the old building." Jesus was the forever eternal repair of said leak. Jesus could not have been a Christian because Christianity, being the term which identifies those who follow His teachings, could not have existed prior to His existence. One could say that Jesus, in repairing the holes of ritual and religiosity in the Jewish faith, as He did for Paul, knocked the Jewish faith off her high horse, thereby perfected the Jewish faith. And like Paul, this finished, refined affiliation then took on a new name: CHRISTianity. "Hosanna in the highest."
Google "Dwindling in Unbelief" if your faith is so strong 💪 and you're so certain of your complete accuracy and all other's ignorances. Spend just, let's say (for biblical kicks and giggles), A MERE SEVEN MINUTES browsing over the website! Seeing KJV scripture with your very own eyes, and oh, so, so much more! Seven MINUTES! Can your faith handle this??? I read every single entry here on this page! Every single word! Why? Because I am not afraid, nor do I fear learning anything new. I grew up being forced to an old fashioned Baptist Church every single time the doors opened. I got "saved" at a Passion piece which I've since learned much about as well. The middle aged to Hitler and other villains and tyrants all love the Passion! However, that's a different story entirely. I am challenging you, dear preachers and sheeple! If a man hath ears let him hear, if a man hath eyes, let HIM SEE!!!! Do you have the balls?
Personally, I do not think it is very important whether the Jesus depicted in the Bible is Historical Truth or Myth. We find truths and inspiration and salvation in works of Fiction. The story in itself that reconciles the perceived contradiction of Justice vs Mercy to me is enough that the Bible is a story written by multiple people telling the story and revealing the character of the One and only True God. A God who is perfect both in his Justice and perfect in his Mercy...this perceived contradiction reconciled only with Christ at the Cross.
I love how atheists comment with such anger and hate with their matter of fact attitudes. It always gives me a chuckle how mad they get when someone says something as innocent as "Thank God"😂 Also the ones that claim there's no proof that God exists or if there was they'd believe. They just can't or more accurately, won't, understand that with proof you wouldn't have faith but with faith you'll get more proof than you could ever dream of wanting. After I started worshipping God properly I learned He answers every prayer and when I started following the path He made for me He would give me blessings or gifts that I know came from Him because they're always perfect and come with a feeling of love you KNOW could have only come from Him. I do feel sad knowing one day they'll find out God is real and they will cry out "I believe in you my Lord! but He will say "I never knew you."