Apologetics The Bible

Why do you trust the Bible? What are some objections you have heard concerning the Bible?

The Bible TYPES OF DEFENSES WE GIVE Evidentialism Presuppositionalism

The Bible EVIDENTIALISM Also know as total rationalism The belief that you can prove the Bible is the Word of God by historical and logical arguments.

The Bible EVIDENTIALISM Notable People who came to Christ by evidence: Josh McDowell (Evidence that demands a verdict) Lee Stroebel (a Case for Christ)

The Bible PRESUPPOSITIONALISM Divine authority is accepted unconditionally and wholeheartedly by supernaturally-endowed fatih. If we try to reason with people, we are putting reason over God

The Bible PRESUPPOSITIONALISM This system rejects all attempts to independently verify the Christian truth-claims because sinful, rational man has no legitimate standard by which to test God and His revelation.

The Bible SEMI-RATIONALISM OR SEMI- BIBLICISM Recognize that we have presuppositions, but seek to verify whether or not those presuppositions are valid through evidence.

Arguments for The Bible “I get a good feeling when I read it” Mormons have that. They call it a “burning in their bosom”

Arguments for The Bible It changed my life Self help books can change your life.

Arguments for The Bible Both of these arguments are subjective! It changed my life I get a good feeling when I read it

Arguments for The Bible Self-Attestation The Bibles says that it is the inspired word of God 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Arguments for The Bible Self-Attestation Problems Using this in an arguments or defense leads to a logical fallacy Circular Reasoning or “Begging the Question” “The Bible is true, because the Bible says that it is true.”

Stronger Arguments for The Bible Uniqueness 66 Different documents Different Genres More than 40 Different authors Written on different continents Different lanquages Written over a 1500 year period

Stronger Arguments for The Bible Uniqueness Most critiqued collection of documents –EVER Still Best Seller –Holy vocabulary Most importantly: it tells a unified, internally consistent account!

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Early Testimony Eyewitness Testimony Embarrassing Testimony Excruciating Testimony Extra-Biblical Testimony

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Early Testimony 5700 handwritten Greek manuscripts of the New Testament Earliest Parts of John: AD Dead Sea Scrolls: AD Parts of Mark, Acts, Romans, 1 Tim., 2 Peter, and James

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Early Testimony 5700 handwritten Greek manuscripts of the New Testament Earliest Parts of John: AD Dead Sea Scrolls: AD Parts of Mark, Acts, Romans, 1 Tim., 2 Peter, and James

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Early Testimony 5700 handwritten Greek manuscripts of the New Testament Earliest Parts of John: AD Dead Sea Scrolls: AD Parts of Mark, Acts, Romans, 1 Tim., 2 Peter, and James

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Eyewitness Testimony Acts 2:32 2 Peter 1:16 Luke 1:1,2

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Eyewitness Testimony Why should we believe them as eyewitnesses? They correctly cite locations, dialects, authorities and officials, current events Why are these important?

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Eyewitness Testimony A writer who thus relates his story to the wider context of world history is courting trouble if he is not careful; he affords his critical readers so many opportunities for testing his accuracy. Luke takes this risk, and stands the test admirably – F.F. Bruce

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Embarrassing Testimony The principle of embarrassment: Any detail embarrassing to the author are probably true. Why?

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Embarrassing Testimony They are dim-witted – numerous times they fail to understand what Jesus is saying. They are uncaring – they fall asleep on Jesus twice when he asks them to pray.

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Embarrassing Testimony They are rebuked – Peter is called “Satan” by Jesus. They are cowards They are doubters

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Embarrassing Testimony about Jesus He is considered “out of his mind” by his mother and brothers Is not believed by his own brothers Is called a “drunkard”

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Embarrassing Testimony about Jesus Has his feet wiped with the hair of a prostitute (an event that had the potential to be perceived as a sexual advance) Is crucified by the Jews and Romans, despite the fact that anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Embarrassing Testimony about Jesus Buried by a member of the group that sentenced Jesus to death First appeared to women

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Excruciating Testimony NT Believers abandoned long-held sacred beliefs, adopt new ones, and don’t deny their testimony under threat of death!

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The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Embarrassing Testimony about Jesus He is considered “out of his mind” by his mother and brothers Is not believed by his own brothers Is called a “drunkard”

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Excruciating Testimony Most of the Gospel writers and apostles were martyred and/or tortured for their faith! Many will die for something they believe is the truth, but no one dies for something they know is a lie!

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Extra-Biblical Testimony Flavius Josephus (ca. 37 – ca. 100) Greatest Jewish historian of his time “Antiquities of the Jews” which he finished ca. AD 93 Mentions Jesus multiple times

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Extra-Biblical Testimony “At this time [the time of Pilate] there was a wise man who was called Jesus. His conduct was good and (he) was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the Jews and the other nations became his disciples...

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Extra-Biblical Testimony...Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. But those who had become his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion, and that he was alive; accordingly he was perhaps the...

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Extra-Biblical Testimony Messiah, concerning whom the prophets have recounted wonders”

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Extra-Biblical Testimony 10 known non-Christian writers mention Jesus within 150 years of his life. 9 sources mention Tiberius Caesar If you include Christian sources, there are 43!

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Extra-Biblical Testimony What we know Jesus lived during time of Tiberius Caesar Lived a virtuous life Was a wonder worker Had a brother named James

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Extra-Biblical Testimony What we know Was acclaimed to be the Messiah Crucified under Pontius Pilate on the eve of the Jewish Passover Darkness and an earthquake occurred when he died.

The Five E’s Evidence the NT is True Extra-Biblical Testimony What we know His disciples believed he rose from the dead His disciples were willing to die for their belief His disciples denied the Roman gods and worshiped Jesus as God