Fair Questions From Skeptics - Week 1

Welcome! Church Online is a community of people all over the experiencing God and connecting with one another like never before in history. Introduce yourself in the chat and let us know where you're from! Get Connected Check us out on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram Find a Small Group www.southpoint4u.com/groups Find out more at www.southpoint4u.com Notes: All of us are betting our lives on something No one should bet their life on “blind faith” “Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.” - John 14:11 Whatever we bet our life on needs more than emotion; it should have strong evidence Why should I trust the Bible? Myths: ● NT was written centuries later ● Bible is corrupted - many versions ● Has contradictions For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. - 1st Corinthians 15:3-8 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. - 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 PAUL THE APOSTLE -Martyred in 64/65 AD -Corinthians written in 55 AD -Jesus crucified in 33 AD --- That’s 22 years, not centuries, later! --- Myths: ● NT was written centuries later ● Bible is corrupted - many versions ● Has contradictions Bible written in: Hebrew – Aramaic – Greek The Great Isaiah Scroll, a Dead Sea Scroll dating back to around 125 BC, is remarkably similar to the Masoretic Text, the standard Hebrew Bible, with only a few minor textual variations, confirming the accuracy of the transmission of the Book of Isaiah over a millennium. Myths: ● NT was written centuries later ● Bible is corrupted - many versions ● Has contradictions The two criminals also said cruel things to Jesus. - Matthew 27:44 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him… But the other criminal rebuked him. - Luke 23:38-40 Using an unequal standard creates an unfair picture Literary Evidence Manuscript Evidence Archeological Evidence LITERARY EVIDENCE 66 different books 40+ Authors (varied backgrounds) Written on 3 different continents Written in 3 different languages Over a 1,500-year time span It’s a coherent message & has thematic unity NON-CHRISTIAN HISTORICAL SOURCES: Tacitus Suetonius Josephus Pliny the Younger Lucian Talmud -Jesus lived during the time of Tiberius Caesar. -He lived a virtuous life. -He was thought to be a wonder-worker. -He had a brother named James. -He was acclaimed to be the Messiah. -He was crucified under Pontius Pilate. -An eclipse and earthquake occurred when He died. -He was crucified on the eve of the Passover. -His disciples believed He rose from the dead. -His disciples were willing to die for their beliefs. MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE 1,000 years – 10 copies – GAELIC WARS 750 years – 7 copies – NATURAL HISTORY 500 years – 500 copies – ILIAD 50 years – 24,000 copies – NEW TESTAMENT ARCHEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE Luke: 32 countries, 54 cities, 9 islands, 0 mistakes ---------- Politarchs – city officials No reference in existing Greek literature 1st century archway with inscription “In the time of Politarchs” ----------- Lysanias the Tetrarch of Abilene (no mention) 2 Greek inscriptions from Abila dated 14-29 A.D. “Freedman of Lysanias, the Tetrarch” “It may be stated categorically that no archeological discovery has ever controverted a single biblical reference.” - Archeologist Dr. Nelson Glueck (Time Magazine Person of the Year) Believing the Bible does not require any blind faith. It has mountains of evidence that points to its trustworthiness. “A person who rejects Christ may choose to say that I do not accept it, he may not choose to say there’s not enough evidence.” - Simon Greenleaf