Chapter 6: Is The Bible Reliable?
Chapter 6: Are The Bible Records Reliable?
2. Why do you think our culture is so quick to believe the false “facts” given to them (by professors, scientists, intellectuals, media, etc.) that the Bible isn’t a reliable document? Our culture is quick to believe the false “facts” given to them that the Bible is not a reliable document since it is assumes those in positions of influences have been intellectually honest in their research and are not ruled by their presuppositions or prejudices.
4. Describe how the Bibliographical Test (p. 70), the Internal Evidence Test (p. 77) and the External Evidence Test (p. 84) differ. Why is it unreasonable for the New Testament to be a collect of myths and legends? What was the approximate period of time between the …show more content…
New Testament events and the existing copies of the New Testament (See p. 65-66)? The Bibliographical Test shows how reliable the manuscripts copies we have are (70). The Internal Evidence Test helps determine the credibility of the original writings (77). The External Evidence Test shows where other historical materials confirms or denies the testimony of the documents (84). It is unreasonable for the New Testament to be a collection of myths and legends as the “New Testament accounts of Christ were being circulated within the lifetimes of his contemporaries. The people who lives overlapped His could confirm or deny the accuracy of those accounts” (80). The approximate period of time between the New Testament events and the existing copies of the New Testament AD 50-75.
5. Why is it important that the New Testament accounts of Jesus were recorded by men who had been either eyewitnesses of events or who related others’ eyewitness accounts (Luke 1:1-4)? It was important that the New Testament accounts of Jesus were recorded by men who had been either eyewitnesses of events or who repeated others’ eyewitness accounts because these people could confirm or deny the accuracy of the accounts.
Chapter 7: Who Would Die For A Lie?
1. How do we account for the radical change in the lives of the disciples from cowards in hiding to bold proclaimers of Christ within a few weeks? We can account for the radical change in the lives of the disciples from cowards in hiding to bold proclaimers of Christ within a few weeks since they were convinced He was alive as they saw Him and talked with Him.
4. Did the disciples have to be convinced that Jesus was who He said He was? What helped most in conning them (1 Corinthians 15:4-7)? How was Paul convinced himself (1 Corinthians 15:8)? According to 1 Corinthians 15:4-7, the disciples had to be convinced that Jesus was who He said He was. The resurrection of Jesus Christ helped most in convincing the disciples. According to 1 Corinthians 15:8, Paul was convinced that Jesus was who He said He was when Jesus Christ appeared to him at the time of his conversion on the road to Damascus.
5. Why do you suppose no historian, no eyewitness, no antagonist has recorded having seen the body of Christ after his death? No historian, eyewitness, or antagonist has recorded having seen the body of Christians after his death because they were no “physical” body to be
found.
Chapter 8: What Good Is A Dead Messiah?
1. What was the national attitude in Israel about the Messiah during the time of Christ? Would the attitude of the disciples before the death of Christ been different from the people around them (Mark 10:35-38)? During the time of Christ, the Jews were yearning for a political Messiah who would free them from Roman rule and would establish his own reign of peace/justice in its place. The attitudes of the disciples before the death of Christ would not have been different from the people around them as they held the same beliefs as the people around them. Unable to accept Jesus’ predictions o being crucified, Jesus’ own disciples found it impossible to believe that Jesus was the Messiah (107-108).
2. Jesus warned His disciples that he would suffer many things and die (Mark 10:32-35). Based on their response after His crucifixion, do you think they were prepared for His death? Based on their response after His crucifixion, the disciples were not prepared for His death. Their vision that Jesus Christ was the Messiah was crushed. They cowered in fear, scattering and hiding themselves from the public. They were clearly cowards trying to preserve their own lives.
3. Can you describe the vision the disciple had for the Messiah while Jesus walked with them in the flesh? Was their vision too big or too small? Explain. The vision the disciples had for the Messiah while Jesus walked with them in the flesh was too small since they had a vision for the redemption of their nation from Rome. However, God’s vision was to redeem mankind from the penalty of their sin.
Chapter 9: Did You Hear What Happened To Saul?
2. Is there someone you know who you think, like Paul, would never place his/her faith in Christ? Why not? There is someone I know who I think, like Paul, would never place her faith in Jesus Christ. She does not want God to “interfere” with what she considers a “good time.” She does not believe that she will face God’s eternal judgment when she died. She thinks that she is basically “good” and that God will overlook her faults and give her credit for her good deeds she has done in her life. She has not repented of her sins or believed in Jesus to save her from her sins.
3. How were the experiences for the disciples after Christ’s resurrection similar to Paul’s? (See p. 118, also 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:8.) The experiences for the disciples after Christ’s resurrection were similar to Paul’s as they were witnesses to the resurrected Christ. “Paul compared Christ’s appearance to him with Christ’s post resurrection appearances among the apostles. They did not proclaim the gospel out of choice but from necessity” (118). Paul and the twelve disciples understood that Christ was resurrected. They had to tell others what they now knew was true—Jesus Christ had risen and was who He claimed to be—God.
5. Describe how Paul’s life was changed after receiving Christ? (See pp. 118-120.) Paul’s life was changed after receiving Christ as shown in his radical change in character, transformation of his relationship with the followers of Jesus, his message and mission in life were changed (118-120).
Chapter 10: Can You Keep A Good Man Down?
1. How important is the resurrection to the whole concept of Christianity? (See Josh’s response on p. 125, also 1 Corinthians 15:14.) The resurrection to important to the whole concept of Christianity because without the resurrection our faith is in vain. Christians may rejoice with the certainty that they will never be condemned, for Christ died for them and paid of full penalty for their sin. He was raised showing that his death was effusive.
3. Of the alternative theories listed in opposition to the resurrection of Christ, are any of them reasonable? (See pp. 130-136.) Of the alternative theories listed in opposition to the resurrection of Christ, none of them are reasonable to someone who is being intellectually honest as they are so “contrived and illogical” compared to the claims of Christianity (130-136).
4. As you consider the objective evidence for the resurrection and the alternative theories presented, what takes more faith—“Christ rose from the dead,” “someone stole the body,” etc.? Considering the objective evidence for the resurrection and the alternative theories presented, having faith in any alternative theory is blind faith since is not based on evidence.
5. Because of what Christ has accomplished through the resurrection, what ways can it bring about change in your life? (See p. 140.) Because of what Christ has accomplished through the resurrection, it can bring about change in our lives as the power that raised Christ from the dead can gives us forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
2. Why do you think our culture is so quick to believe the false “facts” given to them (by professors, scientists, intellectuals, media, etc.) that the Bible isn’t a reliable document? Our culture is quick to believe the false “facts” given to them that the Bible is not a reliable document since it is assumes those in positions of influences have been intellectually honest in their research and are not ruled by their presuppositions or prejudices.
4. Describe how the Bibliographical Test (p. 70), the Internal Evidence Test (p. 77) and the External Evidence Test (p. 84) differ. Why is it unreasonable for the New Testament to be a collect of myths and legends? What was the approximate period of time between the …show more content…
New Testament events and the existing copies of the New Testament (See p. 65-66)? The Bibliographical Test shows how reliable the manuscripts copies we have are (70). The Internal Evidence Test helps determine the credibility of the original writings (77). The External Evidence Test shows where other historical materials confirms or denies the testimony of the documents (84). It is unreasonable for the New Testament to be a collection of myths and legends as the “New Testament accounts of Christ were being circulated within the lifetimes of his contemporaries. The people who lives overlapped His could confirm or deny the accuracy of those accounts” (80). The approximate period of time between the New Testament events and the existing copies of the New Testament AD 50-75.
5. Why is it important that the New Testament accounts of Jesus were recorded by men who had been either eyewitnesses of events or who related others’ eyewitness accounts (Luke 1:1-4)? It was important that the New Testament accounts of Jesus were recorded by men who had been either eyewitnesses of events or who repeated others’ eyewitness accounts because these people could confirm or deny the accuracy of the accounts.
Chapter 7: Who Would Die For A Lie?
1. How do we account for the radical change in the lives of the disciples from cowards in hiding to bold proclaimers of Christ within a few weeks? We can account for the radical change in the lives of the disciples from cowards in hiding to bold proclaimers of Christ within a few weeks since they were convinced He was alive as they saw Him and talked with Him.
4. Did the disciples have to be convinced that Jesus was who He said He was? What helped most in conning them (1 Corinthians 15:4-7)? How was Paul convinced himself (1 Corinthians 15:8)? According to 1 Corinthians 15:4-7, the disciples had to be convinced that Jesus was who He said He was. The resurrection of Jesus Christ helped most in convincing the disciples. According to 1 Corinthians 15:8, Paul was convinced that Jesus was who He said He was when Jesus Christ appeared to him at the time of his conversion on the road to Damascus.
5. Why do you suppose no historian, no eyewitness, no antagonist has recorded having seen the body of Christ after his death? No historian, eyewitness, or antagonist has recorded having seen the body of Christians after his death because they were no “physical” body to be
found.
Chapter 8: What Good Is A Dead Messiah?
1. What was the national attitude in Israel about the Messiah during the time of Christ? Would the attitude of the disciples before the death of Christ been different from the people around them (Mark 10:35-38)? During the time of Christ, the Jews were yearning for a political Messiah who would free them from Roman rule and would establish his own reign of peace/justice in its place. The attitudes of the disciples before the death of Christ would not have been different from the people around them as they held the same beliefs as the people around them. Unable to accept Jesus’ predictions o being crucified, Jesus’ own disciples found it impossible to believe that Jesus was the Messiah (107-108).
2. Jesus warned His disciples that he would suffer many things and die (Mark 10:32-35). Based on their response after His crucifixion, do you think they were prepared for His death? Based on their response after His crucifixion, the disciples were not prepared for His death. Their vision that Jesus Christ was the Messiah was crushed. They cowered in fear, scattering and hiding themselves from the public. They were clearly cowards trying to preserve their own lives.
3. Can you describe the vision the disciple had for the Messiah while Jesus walked with them in the flesh? Was their vision too big or too small? Explain. The vision the disciples had for the Messiah while Jesus walked with them in the flesh was too small since they had a vision for the redemption of their nation from Rome. However, God’s vision was to redeem mankind from the penalty of their sin.
Chapter 9: Did You Hear What Happened To Saul?
2. Is there someone you know who you think, like Paul, would never place his/her faith in Christ? Why not? There is someone I know who I think, like Paul, would never place her faith in Jesus Christ. She does not want God to “interfere” with what she considers a “good time.” She does not believe that she will face God’s eternal judgment when she died. She thinks that she is basically “good” and that God will overlook her faults and give her credit for her good deeds she has done in her life. She has not repented of her sins or believed in Jesus to save her from her sins.
3. How were the experiences for the disciples after Christ’s resurrection similar to Paul’s? (See p. 118, also 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:8.) The experiences for the disciples after Christ’s resurrection were similar to Paul’s as they were witnesses to the resurrected Christ. “Paul compared Christ’s appearance to him with Christ’s post resurrection appearances among the apostles. They did not proclaim the gospel out of choice but from necessity” (118). Paul and the twelve disciples understood that Christ was resurrected. They had to tell others what they now knew was true—Jesus Christ had risen and was who He claimed to be—God.
5. Describe how Paul’s life was changed after receiving Christ? (See pp. 118-120.) Paul’s life was changed after receiving Christ as shown in his radical change in character, transformation of his relationship with the followers of Jesus, his message and mission in life were changed (118-120).
Chapter 10: Can You Keep A Good Man Down?
1. How important is the resurrection to the whole concept of Christianity? (See Josh’s response on p. 125, also 1 Corinthians 15:14.) The resurrection to important to the whole concept of Christianity because without the resurrection our faith is in vain. Christians may rejoice with the certainty that they will never be condemned, for Christ died for them and paid of full penalty for their sin. He was raised showing that his death was effusive.
3. Of the alternative theories listed in opposition to the resurrection of Christ, are any of them reasonable? (See pp. 130-136.) Of the alternative theories listed in opposition to the resurrection of Christ, none of them are reasonable to someone who is being intellectually honest as they are so “contrived and illogical” compared to the claims of Christianity (130-136).
4. As you consider the objective evidence for the resurrection and the alternative theories presented, what takes more faith—“Christ rose from the dead,” “someone stole the body,” etc.? Considering the objective evidence for the resurrection and the alternative theories presented, having faith in any alternative theory is blind faith since is not based on evidence.
5. Because of what Christ has accomplished through the resurrection, what ways can it bring about change in your life? (See p. 140.) Because of what Christ has accomplished through the resurrection, it can bring about change in our lives as the power that raised Christ from the dead can gives us forgiveness of sins and eternal life.