Much of the book of Acts -- about 50% -- is comprised of speeches, discourses and letters. Among them, a total of eight speeches are given by Peter; a total of nine speeches delivered by Paul; there is Stephen's famous address before the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:2-53); a brief address at the Jerusalem Council by James (Acts 15:13-21); the advice given to Paul by James and the … [Read more...]
Christ: Perfect Divine, Perfect Human
In Tertullian's (c. 160 – c. 225 AD) De carne Christi, we read “Was not God really crucified? And, been really crucified, did He not really die? And, having indeed really died, did He not really rise again?” How is this possible? We seldom ponder in depth the splendid and scandalous oxymoron of a born, died and risen God when we proclaim that Jesus died for us. Early Christians … [Read more...]
How to Respond to the Gospel of Jesus' Wife
Did Jesus Have a Wife? So your skeptical friend just heard about something called, "The Gospel of Jesus’ Wife." But unlike the fiction Dan Brown created in the Da Vinci Code, this wasn't in a movie or a novel. She just caught another sensational segment on the evening news talking about how controversial this new find is. And the media is jumping all over it. But this really … [Read more...]
Did Nazareth Exist During The Life Of Jesus?
Did Nazareth exist during the life of Jesus? How can we know? What does the evidence say? These are questions to which Christians have been asked to give an answer on a more and more frequent basis by those who profess themselves to be “skeptics” in our world today. It is curious that the first-century historicity of Jesus should be the subject of such contention, since this … [Read more...]
Christ in the Story of Ruth
In previous blog posts, I have drawn attention to various Old Testament foreshadows and prototypes of Christ. In this article, I want to draw attention to yet another old testament parallel to Christ. This one occurs in the book of Ruth. The story of Ruth begins with a man by the name of Elimelek, along with his wife Naomi and two sons Mahlon and Kilion, going to live in the … [Read more...]
A Snake In The Garden Of Eden?
It’s Not What You Think Oftentimes, I hear mentioned that the serpent in Genesis 3 is merely a talking snake, that, somehow Lucifer spoke though (ventriloquism?), or it was actually him in the form of a slithery snake, something along these lines. After all, some Bible translations do in fact say snake and is mentioned as being more subtle or crafty than any beast of the field. … [Read more...]
A Look at Jewish Messianism: A Crucified Messiah:What An Embarrassment!
The Jewish Messiah When it comes to talking to Jewish people about the possibility of Jesus being the Messiah, there is a wide range of thought. For some Jewish people a personal messiah is irrelevant. For others, it is said that in every generation there is a potential messiah or a time when there will be a Messianic Age. For the disciple of Jesus, His death is a “ransom” … [Read more...]
The Earliest Record of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus- A Look at 1 Corinthians 15:3-7
As historians evaluate the sources available for the resurrection of Jesus, a critical question is the dating of the sources. In relation to early testimony, historian David Hacket Fisher says, “An historian must not merely provide good relevant evidence but the best relevant evidence. And the best relevant evidence, all things being equal, is evidence which is most nearly … [Read more...]
Did Jesus Have A Wife? : A Caution to Media Sensationalism
A year or so ago I contributed to the mass evangelical out-pour concerning the 70 book of Revelation tablets. The BBC had jumped the gun, Daily Mail had jumped the gun, Glenn Beck had jumped the gun, and I jumped the gun. This is great I thought! After all, I am a Biblical Studies student and a Christian. What could be better than, perhaps, the greatest archaeological discovery … [Read more...]
Who is the Angel of the Lord?
Throughout the Old Testament, we routinely encounter the mysterious character who goes by the title "The angel of the Lord." By looking at the numerous appearances of this individual, we can piece together clues as to His identity. The first time the angel of the Lord is introduced, he makes an appearance to Hagar, the servant of Abraham's wife Sarai. In Genesis 16:7-13, we … [Read more...]