Theos-Talk Archives (October 1995 Message tl00199)

( Part 3 : 10/7 message from Marc_Welsher@bubbs.biola.edu)

Now, lets examine the above definition in light of Scrpture:

(1) "What was from the beginning, what WE HAVE HEARD, WHAT WE
HAVE SEEN with our eyes, WHAT WE BEHELD AND OUR HANDS HANDLED,
concerning the Word of LIfe - and the life was manifested, and
WE HAVE SEEN AND BEAR WITNESS and proclaim to you the eternal
life which was with the Father AND WAS MANIFESTED TO US - WHAT
WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD we proclaim to you also..." (1 John
1:1-3)

(2) "Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account
of the things accomplished among us, JUST AS THOSE WHO FROM
THE BEGINNING WERE EYEWITNESSES and servants of the Word have
handed them down to us, it seemed fitting for me as well,
HAVING INVESTIGATED EVERYTHING CAREFULLY FROM THE BEGINNING,
to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent
Theophilus." (Luke 1:1-3) As a commentary on this passage
it might be interesting to note what The Cambridge Ancient
History has to say about Luke: "He is naturally concerned to
state a good case for the religion he professes -- and that
not merely because he believed it to be true (and there was
no inducement in those days to profess Christianity UNLESS ONE
WAS PASSIONATELY CONVINCED OF ITS TRUTH)..."

(3) "After that he appeared to more than five hundred
brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some
have fallen asleep; then he appeared to James, then to all
the apostles; and last of all, as it were to one untimely
born, he appeared also to me." 1 Cor. 15:6-8.

It would be interesting to observe that he mentions there were
many of those 500 who saw him still alive at the time of the
writing of this letter. Wouldn't it stand to reason that
someone could have called Paul on this at any time and called
his bluff? It stands to reason that there was a major
opportunity to disprove this very fundamental ideal of the
Christian faith. Take this away and the whole religion falls
before it even gets off the ground. Yet it never happened.
Why?

(4) "Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed IN THE
PRESENCE OF THE DISCIPLES, which are not written in this book;
but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is
the Christ, the Son of God..." John 20:30, 31.

Threre are three other verses to consider: Acts 10:39-42; I
Peter 5:1 and Acts 1:9. John Montgomery observes that "...the
inability to distinguish Jesus' claim for Himself from the New
Testament writers' claim for Him should cause no dismay, since
(1) the situation exactly parallels that for all hstorical
prsonages wo have notthemselveschosen to rite (e.g, Alexande
the Grea, Augustu Caesar, Chrlemagne), We would hrdly
claimthat in thse cases e can acieve no adquate historical
portraits. Also, (2)the New Tetament
wrters...RECRD EYEWITESS TESTIMONY concerning Jesus, AND CAN
THREFORE BE RUSTED TO CONVEY anaccurate historical picture
ofhim." The apostls were eyeitnesses o his resurected life:
Luke 24:48; Acts 1:8; :32; 3:15;4:33; 5:32 10:39; 1:41;
13:31;1 Cor.
154-9, 15; 1Jno. 1:2;Acts 22:15 23:11; 2616.

In he near fuure I'll g deeper ino firsthan knowledg,
historical
prejudices, blind faith and intellectual excuses. Then we'll
get into why I trust the Bible. I hope you'll allow me the
luxury of developing my argument at my own pace. I've got a
lot to cover and so little time to do it in. However, flame
me once and I'll quit. I'll grant you the respect as one
intelligent person to another. I would hope you will grant
me the courtesy of responding in kind.

Sincerely,

Marc