April 15, 2016

From Gary.... T.G.F.A.D.


Life is indeed too short; way too short!  Those of us who have attained retirement age know all to well how true this is!! Recently, I saw a TV show hosted by Morgan Freeman about time; in it, they assigned a time passage factor of 1:1 at age 12 and 2.4 to 1 at retirement age. This confirmed what I already knew- the older you get, the faster time passes.

Now this "fact" brings rise to a couple of questions: If time does indeed pass faster in my "golden years" then isn't it more precious?, and secondly, What should I do with this "precious time"?

And the following verse answers the question (at least for me, it does)...

Colossians 3:15 (WEB)
 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 

Find the peace of God, your calling to be in the one body (his church) and most of all- "Be Thankful"!!!!

In other words, Get right with God, continue to be right with God and have an attitude of thankfulness always. 

In short- T.G.F.A.D.!!!!

From Mark Copeland... "THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS" Chapter Three


                "THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS"

                             Chapter Three

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To notice the importance of prayer in spreading the Word and in
   assisting the spiritual development of brethren

2) To examine the purpose and methodology of discipline in a local
   congregation

SUMMARY

In this last chapter we first find Paul soliciting prayer in his
behalf, that the word of the Lord might have free course and be 
glorified, and that he might be delivered from unreasonable and wicked
men (1-2).  Confident in the Lord to establish and guard them from the
evil one, he is also confident that they will do the things he commands
them (3-4).  He follows with a prayer that the Lord direct their hearts
into the love of God and into the patience of Christ (5).

One last item needs to be discussed, and that is the need for
disciplinary action towards those who are walking disorderly and not
according to the tradition received from Paul.  Reminding them of his
own example of laboring night and day while with him, he charges that 
if anyone will not work, neither should he eat (6-10).  Paul had heard
there were members who had stopped working, and had become busybodies.
He exhorts such members to work in quietness and eat their own bread.  
If they do not, the others are to note such persons and not keep 
company with them, that they may be ashamed.  Such disciplinary action
was to be administered in a brotherly way, not as toward an enemy 
(11-15).

Paul closes his second epistle to the Thessalonians by first asking 
that the Lord of peace give them peace always in every way (16).  He 
then offers a salutation in his own handwriting as a sign of
authorship, followed with a prayer that the grace of the Lord be with
them all (17-18).

OUTLINE

I. A REQUEST FOR PRAYER, AND A PRAYER FOR THEM (1-5)

   A. PAUL REQUESTS THEIR PRAYERS (1-2)
      1. That the word of the Lord may have free course and be 
         glorified, as it was in their case (1)
      2. That Paul and his companions be delivered from unreasonable
         and wicked men, for not all are believers (2)
   
   B. AN EXPRESSION OF CONFIDENCE (3-4)
      1. In the faithfulness of the Lord (3)
         a. Who would establish them (3a)
         b. Who would guard them from the evil one (3b)
      2. In them (4)
         a. That they do the things he commands them (4a)
         b. That they will do the things he commands them (4b)

   C. A PRAYER FOR THEM (5)
      1. That the Lord direct their hearts (5a)
      2. Into the love of God and the patience of Christ (5b)

II. A CHARGE TO DISCIPLINE THE DISORDERLY (3:6-15)

   A. WITHDRAW FROM THOSE WHO ARE DISORDERLY (6-9)
      1. Commanded in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (6a)
      2. To be administered toward those...
         a. Who do not walk according to apostolic tradition (6b)
         b. Who do not follow apostolic example (7a)
            1) For Paul was not disorderly among them (7b)
            2) For Paul was not a burden to them, but gave them an
               example (8-9)

   B. ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO WILL NOT WORK (10-12)
      1. They had been commanded:  If anyone will not work, neither
         shall he eat (10)
      2. Yet there were some not working at all, but were busybodies
         (11)
      3. Such are commanded and exhorted to work in quietness and eat
         their own bread (12)

   C. SUMMATION CONCERNING CHURCH DISCIPLINE (13-15)
      1. Do not grow weary in doing good (13)
      2. For those who do not obey the apostolic teaching in this 
         epistle... (14a)
         a. Note that person (14b)
         b. Do not keep company with him (14c)
         -- That he may be ashamed (14d)
      3. Count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother (15)

III. CONCLUDING REMARKS (16-18)

   A. ANOTHER PRAYER IN THEIR BEHALF (16)
      1. May the Lord of peace give them peace always in every way
         (16a)
      2. May the Lord be with them all (16b)

   B. A CONFIRMATION OF HIS AUTHORSHIP (17)
      1. His own salutation with his own hand (17a)
      2. As he writes in every epistle (17b)

   C. FINAL BENEDICTION (18)
      1. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with them all
      2. Amen (so be it)

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - A request for prayer, and a prayer for them (1-5)
   - A charge to discipline the disorderly (6-15)
   - Concluding remarks (16-18)

2) For what two things does Paul ask them to pray in his behalf? (1-2)
   - That the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified
   - That he might be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men

3) In what way is the Lord faithful, or trustworthy? (3)
   - He will establish them and guard them from the evil one

4) What confidence did Paul have in the Thessalonians? (4)
   - That they both do and will do the things he commands them

5) What did Paul ask the Lord to do for the Thessalonians? (5)
   - To direct their hearts into the love of God and into the patience
     of Christ

6) What did Paul command them to do?  In whose name? (6)
   - To withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not 
     according to the tradition received from Paul
   - In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ

7) What example did Paul himself set while he was with them? (7-9)
   - Worked with labor and toil night and day, so as not to be a burden
     to any of them

8) What had Paul commanded them, even when he was with them? (10)
   - If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat

9) What had Paul heard was going on among the brethren at Thessalonica?
   (11)
   - That some were walking disorderly, not working at all, but were
     busybodies

10) What did Paul command and exhort such busybodies to do? (12)
   - To work in quietness and eat their own bread

11) What did Paul exhort the rest of the brethren to do? (13)
   - To not grow weary in doing good

12) What did Paul charge them to do if anyone did not obey his word in
    this epistle? (14)
   - To note that person
   - To not keep company with him

13) What is the reason for such disciplinary action? (14)
   - That he may be ashamed

14) What final instructions does Paul give in regards to such 
    disciplinary action? (15)
   - Do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother

15) For what does Paul pray in behalf of the Thessalonians? (16)
   - May the Lord of peace Himself give them peace always in every way
   - May the Lord be with them all

16) What served as a sign of Paul's authorship of this epistle? (17)
   - His salutation with his own handwriting

17) What is Paul's final benediction to his beloved Thessalonians? (18)
   - The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.  Amen.

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2015

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From Mark Copeland... "THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS" Chapter Two


                "THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS"

                              Chapter Two

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To examine what is revealed about the "man of sin" whom the Lord 
   will destroy at His coming

2) To consider how those who do not have a love for the truth are 
   setting themselves up to be deceived by the man of sin

3) To discern why God will send a strong delusion to some that they 
   will believe a lie

SUMMARY

Evidently Paul received word that some of the Thessalonians had the
impression that the day of Christ had come, that is, it was near at
hand.  To reassure them such was not the case, he reminds them of those
things he had told them while he was still with them.  That is, Christ
will not come until the falling away occurs, and the man of sin is 
revealed (1-3).  Paul then describes this man of sin and explains that 
he is currently hindered from being revealed.  When that which 
restrains him is removed, the man of sin will become apparent, whom the
Lord will destroy with His coming (4-8).  The coming of the lawless one
is further described, whose coming will be according to the working 
with Satan.  With all power, signs, and lying wonders, he will deceive 
those who do not have a love for the truth.  Indeed, God will also send
a strong delusion to those who do not love the truth, that they might 
believe the lie and be condemned for taking pleasure in unrighteousness
instead of believing the truth (9-12).

As for the Thessalonians themselves, Paul is ever thankful that God has
chosen them for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and 
belief in the truth, having called them by the gospel to obtain the 
glory of the Lord Jesus Christ (13-14).  He therefore exhorts them to 
stand fast and hold to the traditions taught by word or epistle, and 
prays that Jesus and God the Father will comfort their hearts and 
establish them in every good word and work (15-17).

OUTLINE

I. ENLIGHTENMENT ABOUT THE COMING OF THE LORD (1-12)

   A. DO NOT BE TROUBLED (1-2)
      1. Concerning the coming of the Lord, and our gathering to Him
         (1)
      2. By false reports, as though the day of Christ has come (2)

   B. THE APOSTASY MUST COME FIRST (3-12)
      1. The Day of Christ will not come until...
         a. A falling away comes first (3a)
         b. The man of sin (lawlessness) is revealed (3-4)
            1) The son of perdition (3c)
            2) Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called
               God and that is worshipped (4a)
            3) He sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself 
               that he is God (4b)
         -- As Paul told them while he was with them (5)
      2. The man of sin is being restrained (6-7)
         a. They knew what it was that was restraining him (6a)
         b. He will be revealed in his own time (6b)
         c. The mystery of lawlessness is already at work (7a)
         d. But the one who restrains will do so until taken out of the
            way (7b)
      3. When the lawless one is revealed (8-12)
         a. The Lord will...
            1) Consume him with the breath of His mouth (8a)
            2) Destroy him with the brightness of His coming (8b)
         b. The coming of the lawless one...
            1) Will be according to the working of Satan (9a)
            2) With all power, signs, and lying wonders (9b)
            3) With all unrighteous deception among those who perish
               (10a)
               a) Because they did not receive the love of the truth
                  (10b)
               b) That they might be saved (10c)
         c. For this reason...
            1) God will send them a strong delusion (11a)
               a) That they should believe the lie (11b)
               b) That they may be condemned (12a)
            2) Because they did not believe the truth but had pleasure
               in unrighteousness (12b)

II. STEADFASTNESS ENCOURAGED (13-17)

   A. THANKSGIVING AND A CALL TO STEADFASTNESS (13-15)
      1. Bound always to give thanks to God (13a)
         a. Who from the beginning chose them for salvation (13b)
            1) Through sanctification by the Spirit (13c)
            2) And belief in the truth (13d)
         b. To which He called them (14a)
            1) By the gospel (14b)
            2) For the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ
               (14c)
      2. Stand fast and hold the traditions which they were taught
         (15a)
         a. Whether by word (15b)
         b. Or by his epistle (15c)

   B. PAUL'S PRAYER FOR THE THESSALONIANS (16-17)
      1. May the Lord Jesus Himself, and our God and Father (16a)
         a. Who loved us (16b)
         b. Who has given us... (16c)
            1) Everlasting consolation
            2) Good hope by grace
      2. Comfort your hearts (17a)
      3. Establish you in every good word and work (17b)

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - Enlightenment about the coming of the Lord (1-12)
   - Steadfastness encouraged (13-17)

2) What two related things does Paul now address them? (1)
   - The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
   - Our gathering together to Him

3) About what did he not want them to be troubled? (2)
   - As though the day of Christ had come

4) What two things must happen before that Day comes? (3)
   - The falling away
   - The man of sin is revealed

5) List the various descriptions of the "man of sin" (3a-4)
   - The son of perdition
   - Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or 
     that is worshipped
   - He sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is
     God

6) Had Paul told the Thessalonians of these things before? (5)
   - Yes

7) Did they know what was restraining the "man of sin" from being
   revealed? (6)
   - Yes

8) What was already at work at the time Paul wrote the Thessalonians?
   (7)
   - The mystery of lawlessness

9) How long would the one who restrains do so? (7)
   - Until he is taken out of the way

10) What will the Lord do to the lawless one? (8)
   - He will consume him with the breath of His mouth
   - He will destroy him with the brightness of His coming

11) According to what will the coming of the lawless one be?  What will
    accompany his coming? (9-10)
   - According to the working of Satan
   - All power, signs and lying wonders; with unrighteous deception

12) Who will be deceived by this lawless one?  Why? (10)
   - Those who perish
   - Because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they 
     might be saved

13) What will God therefore send? (11)
   - A strong delusion

14) What two purposes does Paul give for God doing this? (11-12)
   - That they should believe the lie
   - That they may be condemned

15) Who is it that will suffer such things? (12)
   - Those who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in 
     unrighteousness

16) How did God choose to save the Thessalonians? (13)
   - Through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth

17) How did God call them?  For what purpose? (14)
   - He called them by the gospel
   - For the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ

18) What two exhortations does Paul give them? (15)
   - Stand fast
   - Hold to the traditions which they were taught, whether by word or
     epistle

19) What two things does Paul mention that God and Jesus has given to
    us? (16)
   - Everlasting consolation
   - Good hope

20) For what does Paul pray that Jesus and God will do for the 
    Thessalonians? (17)
   - Comfort their hearts
   - Establish them in every good word and work

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2015

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From Mark Copeland... "THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS" Chapter One


                "THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS"

                              Chapter One

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To note the virtues that demonstrated the spiritual growth and
   development of the church at Thessalonica

2) To glean what will happen when Christ comes again, and upon whom His
   vengeance will fall

SUMMARY

As in the first epistle, Paul is joined by Silvanus and Timothy as he
extends a salutation to the church of the Thessalonians, along with a 
petition for grace and peace in their behalf (1-2).

He makes mention of his obligation to always thank God for the growth
of their faith and the way their love abounded towards one another.  He
is so impressed that he has boasted to other churches of their patience
and faith in the midst of persecutions and tribulations (3-4).

Paul then offers encouragement in their persecutions by reminding them
of the righteous judgment of God.  Because of their suffering, which 
made them worthy of the kingdom of God, God will be righteous to bring 
tribulation upon those who trouble them, and to give them rest along 
with Paul and others.  This will happen when Jesus is revealed from 
heaven with His mighty angels, when in flaming fire He will take 
vengeance on those who do not know God and who do not obey the gospel 
of Jesus Christ.  While these are punished with everlasting destruction
from the presence of the Lord, Christ Himself will be glorified in that
Day and admired by all those who believe (5-10).

This leads to his prayer concerning them.  His desire is that God would
count them worthy of His calling, fulfill His good pleasure and the 
work of faith with power, and that the name of the Lord might be 
glorified in them, and they in Him, in keeping with the grace of God
and the Lord Jesus Christ (11-12).

OUTLINE

I. INTRODUCTION (1-2)

   A. SALUTATION (1a)
      1. From Paul
      2. Also Silvanus and Timothy

   B. GREETINGS (1b-2)
      1. To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the
         Lord Jesus Christ (1b)
      2. Grace and peace from God and Jesus (2)

II. ENCOURAGEMENT IN PERSECUTIONS (3-12)

   A. THANKFUL FOR THEIR SPIRITUAL GROWTH (3-4)
      1. Such thanksgiving is fitting in view of:
         a. Their faith growing exceedingly (3a)
         b. Their love abounding toward each other (3b)
      2. Paul and his companions even boast of them among the churches
         of God (4a)
         a. For their patience and faith (4b)
         b. In all their persecutions and tribulations they endured 
            (4c)

   B. ENCOURAGEMENT IN TRIAL IN VIEW OF CHRIST'S RETURN (5-10)
      1. Their persecutions are evidence of God's righteous judgment to
         come (5-7a)
         a. In which they shall be counted worthy of the kingdom of God
            (5)
         b. In which God will repay with tribulation those who trouble
            them (6)
         c. In which they will receive rest (7a)
      2. Such judgment will occur when Jesus is revealed from heaven
         (7b-9)
         a. With His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance
            (7b-8a)
            1) On those who do not know God (8b)
            2) On those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus
               Christ (8c)
         b. Punishing such with everlasting destruction (9a)
            1) From the presence of the Lord (9b)
            2) From the glory of His power (9c)
      3. Jesus will come in that Day... (10a)
         a. To be glorified in His saints (10b)
         b. To be admired among all those who believe (10c)
         -- Because Paul's testimony among them was believed (10d)

   C. HIS PRAYER FOR THEM (11-12)
      1. That God would...
         a. Count them worthy of His calling (11a)
         b. Fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work
            of faith with power (11b)
      2. That according to the grace of God and the Lord Jesus 
         Christ...
         a. The name of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in them
            (12a)
         b. And they may be glorified in Him (12b)

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - Introduction (1-2)
   - Encouragement in persecutions (3-12)

2) Who joins Paul in sending this letter? (1)
   - Silvanus and Timothy

3) How does Paul identify the church? (1)
   - The church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord 
     Jesus Christ

4) What two reasons does Paul give for why he thanks God always for
   them? (3)
   - Because their faith grows exceedingly
   - Because their love abounds toward each other

5) What did Paul boast among the churches of God in regards to the
   Thessalonians? (4)
   - Of their patience and faith in all the persecutions and 
     tribulations they endured

6) What was one consequence of their suffering? (5)
   - That they may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God

7) What does God consider it a righteous thing to do? (6)
   - To repay with tribulation those who trouble them

8) What will those who are troubled receive when the Lord is revealed
   from heaven? (7)
   - Rest with Paul and others

9) Who will accompany Jesus when He is revealed from heaven? (7)
   - His mighty angels

10) Upon whom will Jesus take vengeance in flaming fire? (8)
   - Those who do not know God
   - Those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ

11) How will they be punished? (9)
   - With everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and 
     from the glory of His power

12) What two things will happen to Jesus when He comes? (10)
   - He will be glorified in His saints
   - He will be admired among all those who believe

13) What five things does Paul pray for in behalf of the Thessalonians?
    (11-12)
   - That God would count them worthy of His calling
   - That God would fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness
   - That God would fulfill the work of faith with power
   - That the name of Jesus Christ may be glorified in them
   - That they may be glorified in Him

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2015

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From Mark Copeland... "THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS" Introduction


                "THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS"

                              Introduction

AUTHOR:  The apostle Paul, joined in his salutation by Silvanus and
Timothy (1:1), and with a reference to his own signature at the end of
the epistle (3:17).  Early sources in church history that attribute
this letter to Paul include:  Clement of Alexandria (200 A.D.),
Tertullian (200 A.D.), and Irenaeus (200 A.D.).

THE CITY OF THESSALONICA:  It was the capital and largest city of the
Roman province of Macedonia.  Located on the Egnatian Way, a major road
from Rome to the eastern provinces, the city served as center of trade
and commerce.  Today, it is known as Thessaloniki, or Salonica.

THE CHURCH AT THESSALONICA:  The establishment of the church is 
recorded in Ac 17:1-9.  On his second missionary journey, Paul and his
companions (Silas and Timothy) had just left Philippi and passed
through Amphipolis and Apollonia to arrive at Thessalonica.  As was his
custom, Paul immediately located the synagogue and reasoned with the
Jews for three Sabbaths concerning Jesus Christ.  While some of them
were persuaded, including a great number of devout Greeks and leading
women, the unbelieving Jews became jealous and created an uproar in the
city.  Therefore it became necessary to send Paul and Silas away
secretly by night to Berea.

Despite such ominous beginnings, a strong church was established in
Thessalonica (cf. 1:2-10).  Mostly Gentile (cf. 1:9), its members
included Jason (Ac 17:9), Aristarchus, and Secundus (Ac 20:4).  It had
already been the recipient of an earlier letter (First Thessalonians).

TIME AND PLACE OF WRITING:  Second Thessalonians appears to have been
written just a few months, possibly a year, after First Thessalonians.
This would place the writing of the epistle during Paul's extended stay
at Corinth on his second missionary journey (cf. Ac 18:1-11), sometime 
around 53 A.D.

PURPOSE OF THE EPISTLE:  The first epistle to the Thessalonians had 
been written in response to news brought back by Timothy who had made a
quick trip there while Paul was in Athens (cf. 1Th 3:1-3,6).
Encouraged by their steadfastness in the face of persecution, Paul had
exhorted them to holiness in view of the Lord's coming (cf. 1Th 
3:12-13; 5:23).

From the second letter, it appears that they remained strong in the 
Lord despite persecution (cf. 1:3-4).  But it is apparent from this
letter that misunderstanding about the Lord's coming was present in the
church.  Some of the members were being troubled by false reports (cf.
2:1-2); others had stopped working, perhaps assuming that the Lord's 
imminent return meant one did not need to work anymore (cf. 3:11-12).

Paul's purpose in writing this epistle, therefore, is three-fold:

   * To encourage them in their steadfastness under persecution

   * To correct their misunderstanding about the imminence of the 
     Lord's return

   * To instruct the congregation on what disciplinary action to take
     toward those who refused to work

THEME OF THE EPISTLE:  In correcting their misunderstanding about the
return of Christ, Paul explains that the Lord will not come right away
(cf. 2:1-3).  Therefore they need to continue with steadfastness and
patience for which they had been commended.  A suggested theme of this
epistle might therefore be:

         "STEADFASTNESS WHILE WAITING FOR THE COMING OF CHRIST"

KEY VERSES:  2 Thessalonians 2:15-17

   "Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you
   were taught, whether by word or our epistle.  Now may our Lord Jesus
   Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given
   us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your
   hearts and establish you in every good word and work."

OUTLINE:

INTRODUCTION (1:1-2)
   1. Salutation (1)
   2. Greetings (2)

I. ENCOURAGEMENT IN PERSECUTIONS (1:3-12)

   A. THANKFUL FOR THEIR SPIRITUAL GROWTH (1:3-4)
      1. Thanking God for their growing faith and abounding love (1:3)
      2. Boasting to others of their patience and faith in all their
         persecutions (1:4)

   B. ENCOURAGEMENT IN TRIALS IN VIEW OF THE LORD'S RETURN (1:5-10)
      1. Suffering will make them worthy of the kingdom of God (1:5)
      2. God will repay those who trouble them (1:6)
      3. This will occur when Jesus is revealed from heaven (1:7-10)
         
   C. HIS PRAYER FOR THEM (1:11-12)
      1. That God would count them worthy of their calling (1:11a)
      2. That God would fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness
         and the work of faith with power (1:11b)
      3. That the name of Jesus might be glorified in them, and they in
         Him, according to the grace of God and Christ (1:12)

II. ENLIGHTENMENT ABOUT THE COMING OF THE LORD (2:1-17)

   A. DO NOT BE TROUBLED (2:1-2)
      1. Concerning the coming of the Lord and our gathering to Him
         (2:1)
      2. By false reports, as though the day had come (2:2)

   B. THE APOSTASY MUST COME FIRST (2:3-12)
      1. A falling away must occur, and the man of sin revealed (2:3-5)
      2. The man of sin is being restrained, though the mystery of
         lawlessness is already at work (2:6-7)
      3. When the lawless one is revealed, the Lord will destroy him 
         with His coming (2:8)
      4. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of
         Satan, and will mislead those who do not have a love for the 
         truth (2:9-12)

   C. STEADFASTNESS ENCOURAGED (2:13-17)
      1. Thankful to God for their election through sanctification by
         the Spirit and belief in truth, having been called by the 
         gospel to obtain glory (2:13-14)
      2. A call to stand fast and hold to the traditions taught by word
         or epistle (2:15)
      3. Prayer for their comfort and establishment in every good word
         and work (2:16-17)

III. EXHORTATIONS TO CHRISTIAN LIVING (3:1-15)

   A. A REQUEST FOR PRAYER, AND A PRAYER FOR THEM (3:1-5)
      1. Asking them to pray that the word of the Lord might have free
         course, and he be delivered from evil men (1-2)
      2. Expressions of confidence in the Lord, and in their obedience
         (3-4)
      3. Praying that the Lord will direct their hearts into the love 
         of God and patience of Christ (3:5)

   B. A CHARGE TO DISCIPLINE THE DISORDERLY (3:6-15)
      1. To withdraw from those who do not follow apostolic tradition
         and example (3:6-9)
      2. Especially those who will not work (3:10-12)
      3. Don't grow weary in doing good, and avoid those who do not 
         obey the words of the epistle (3:13-15)

CONCLUDING REMARKS (3:16-18)
   1. A prayer that the Lord bless them with His peace and presence
      (3:16)
   2. A confirmation of his authorship of this epistle (3:17)
   3. A benediction of grace from the Lord Jesus Christ (3:18)

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE INTRODUCTION

1) On which missionary journey was the church at Thessalonica 
   established?
   - Paul's second missionary journey

2) Where can we read about the establishment of the church at 
   Thessalonica?
   - Ac 17:1-9

3) What two letters were written to this congregation?
   - 1st and 2nd Thessalonians

4) From where and when did Paul write 2nd Thessalonians?
   - From Corinth, sometime around 53 A.D.

5) What length of time had passed between the writing of the two 
   epistles?
   - A few months, maybe a year

6) Why did Paul write 2nd Thessalonians (see Purpose Of The Epistle)?
   - To encourage them in their steadfastness under persecution
   - To correct their misunderstanding about the imminence of the 
     Lord's return
   - To instruct the congregation on what disciplinary action to take 
     toward those who refused to work

7) What has been suggested as the theme of this epistle?
   - Steadfastness while waiting for the coming of Christ

8) What are the key verses of this epistle?
   - 2Th 2:15-17

9) According to the outline above, what are the three main sections of
   this epistle?
   - Encouragement in persecutions (chapter 1)
   - Enlightenment about the coming of the Lord (chapter 2)
   - Exhortations to Christian living (chapter 3)

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2015

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Fact—The New Testament is the Most Historically Accurate Book Ever Written by Kyle Butt, M.Div.


http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=13&article=524

Fact—The New Testament is the Most Historically Accurate Book Ever Written

by Kyle Butt, M.Div.


Dismissing the miracles documented in the New Testament is a favorite pastime of many skeptics, and even some liberal-thinking religious leaders. However, this “dismissal” game gets extremely complicated because the miracles are so closely blended with historical facts that separating the two soon becomes like trying to separate two different colors of Play-Doh.® Take, for instance, the plight of Sir William Ramsay. His extensive education had engrained within him the keenest sense of scholarship. Along with that sense of scholarship came a built-in prejudice about the supposed inaccuracy of the Bible (especially the book of Acts). Ramsay noted: “…[A]bout 1880 to 1890 the book of the Acts was regarded as the weakest part of the New Testament. No one that had any regard for his reputation as a scholar cared to say a word in its defence [sic]. The most conservative of theological scholars, as a rule, thought the wisest plan of defence [sic] for the New Testament as a whole was to say as little as possible about the Acts” (1915, p. 38).
As could be expect of a person trained by such “scholars,” Ramsay held the same view—for a while. He held the view only for a brief time, however, because he did what few people of his time dared to do. He decided to explore the actual Bible lands with an open Bible—with the intention of proving the inaccuracy of Luke’s history as found in the book of Acts. However, much to his surprise, the book of Acts passed every test that any historical narrative could be asked to pass. After his investigation of the Bible lands, he was forced to conclude:


The more I have studied the narrative of the Acts, and the more I have learned year after year about Graeco-Roman society and thoughts and fashions, and organization in those provinces, the more I admire and the better I understand. I set out to look for truth on the borderland where Greece and Asia meet, and found it here [in the Book of Acts—KB]. You may press the words of Luke in a degree beyond any other historian’s, and they stand the keenest scrutiny and the hardest treatment, provided always that the critic knows the subject and does not go beyond the limits of science and of justice (1915, p. 89).
The renowned archaeologist Nelson Glueck put it like this:
It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a Biblical reference. Scores of archaeological findings have been made which conform in clear outline or exact detail historical statements in the Bible (1959, p. 31).
Considering the fact that the land of Palestine in the days of the New Testament writers tossed and turned on a sea of political, economical, and social unrest, I would say that its historical accuracy is pretty amazing. Travel to the Holy Lands and see for yourself if you doubt New Testament accuracy. Carry with you an honest, open mind and a New Testament, and I assure you that you will respect the New Testament writers as accurate historians by the end of your journey.

REFERENCES

Glueck, Nelson (1959), Rivers in the Desert: A History of the Negev (New York: Farrar, Strauss, and Cudahy).
Ramsay, William (1915), The Bearing of Recent Discovery on the Trustworthiness of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1975 reprint).

Defend the Truth...In Meekness and Fear by Eric Lyons, M.Min.



http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=534


Defend the Truth...In Meekness and Fear

by Eric Lyons, M.Min.


The Truth of God’s Word is precious (Proverbs 23:23; cf. John 17:17; Psalm 119:142,151). God expects humanity to come to learn it and love it (John 8:31-32; Psalm 119:47,48,113,119,127,165,167). Christians are then expected to defend it and let others know about it (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 8:4; Acts 26:24-25). The inspired apostle Peter even commanded first-century Christians to “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15, emp. added). God is serious about His people teaching and defending His Word.
In our proclamation of the Truth, however, we must keep in mind what Peter noted at the end of 1 Peter 3:15—that our defense is to be made “with meekness and fear” (emp. added). Christians are to try to be Christ-like at all times, including when we defend the truth. Our teaching is to be characterized “with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15, NASB/RSV). We are to “honor all people” as we “fear God” (1 Peter 2:17). As we “proclaim the praises of Him” who called us “out of darkness into His marvelous light,” we must be “clothed with humility” (1 Peter 2:9; 5:5).
Recently a man who identified himself as a Catholic priest wrote an unsolicited letter to Apologetics Press. We had never heard of this gentleman before reading his note. Although, sadly, he is very mislead in his adherence to Catholic doctrine (see Pinedo, 2009), consider some of his analysis of a handful of preachers in the church of Christ. [NOTE: He refers to preachers as “elders.”]
As a Roman Catholic priest who follows non-Catholic religions with some interest...I have observed a lot of meanness, rudeness, and lack of basic civility among CoC [Church of Christ—EL] elders [preachers—EL], especially recently. How does one explain this? In general (no doubt there are exceptions perhaps many), Christian love seems deficient in the way they seek to promote truth.
In general, they strike me as tending to be suspicious, rash and uncharitable in their judgments about other people’s motives, prone to arrogance, and even too eager to call someone a liar, more so than the average pagan in the streets. These comments are based on only my limited experience, to be sure, and sometimes, no doubt, I am guilty of some of the very same sins and character flaws.
I was considering doing some kind of oral interaction with an elder or two about Catholic matters. Now it looks to me like this would be a royal invitation to verbal abuse, misrepresentation, and even character assassination....
Some members of the Lord’s church might tend to dismiss this criticism with a wave of the hand, but we believe this gentleman was right in his assessment and denouncement of some who attempt to “defend the truth,” yet do so in an unchristlike manner. What’s more, we all need to be reminded of the necessity and seriousness of “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). We must examine ourselves and ensure that our teachings and defense of the truth are done lovingly and patiently, confidently yet kindly, neither rudely nor arrogantly (1 Corinthians 13).
Keep in mind what the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy shortly before commanding him to “preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2). He described “a servant of the Lord” as one who “must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition” (2 Timothy 2:24-25). May God help us to live according to the Truth as we seek to defend it.

REFERENCE

Pinedo, Moises (2008), What the Bible says about the Catholic Church (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press), [On-line], URL: http://apologeticspress.org/pdfs/e-books_pdf/wtbsatcc.pdf.

The Historical Christ--Fact or Fiction? by Kyle Butt, M.Div.



http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=10&article=187


The Historical Christ--Fact or Fiction?

by Kyle Butt, M.Div.


Most children and adults easily recognize the name of Jesus Christ. Many even can recount the story of His life. Also easily recognizable are the names of Peter Pan and Rumpelstiltskin. And most people can relate the “facts” of these fairy tales as well. Is Jesus of Nazareth a fictional character who deserves to be included in a list containing mystifying magicians, daring dragon slayers, and flying boy heroes? The world-famous medical doctor and lifelong critic of Christianity, Albert Schweitzer, answered with a resounding “yes” when he wrote:
The Jesus of Nazareth who came forward publicly as the Messiah, who preached the ethic of the Kingdom of God, who founded the Kingdom of Heaven upon earth, and died to give His work its final consecration, never had any existence. He is a figure designed by rationalism, endowed with life by liberalism, and clothed by modern theology in an historical garb (1964, p. 398).
In more modern times, former-preacher-turned-atheist Dan Barker has suggested that “the New Testament Jesus is a myth” (1992, p. 378). Are such views based upon historical evidence and therefore worthy of serious consideration? Or do they represent merely wishful thinking on the part of those who prefer to believe—for whatever reason—that Christ never lived? Was Jesus Christ a man whose feet got dirty and whose body grew tired just like the rest of humanity? Fortunately, such questions can be answered by an honest appeal to the available historical evidence.
What is a “historical” person? Martin Kahler suggested: “Is it not the person who originates and bequeaths a permanent influence? He is one of those dynamic individuals who intervene in the course of events” (1896, p. 63). Do any records exist to document the claim that Jesus Christ “intervened in the course of events” known as world history? Indeed they do.

HOSTILE TESTIMONY

Interestingly, the first type of records comes from what are known commonly as “hostile” sources—writers who mentioned Jesus in a negative light or derogatory fashion. Such penmen certainly were not predisposed to further the cause of Christ or otherwise to add credence to His existence. In fact, quite the opposite is true. They rejected His teachings and often reviled Him as well. Thus, one can appeal to them without the charge of built-in bias.
In his book, The Historical Figure of Jesus, E.P. Sanders stated: “Most of the first-century literature that survives was written by members of the very small elite class of the Roman Empire. To them, Jesus (if they heard of him at all) was merely a troublesome rabble-rouser and magician in a small, backward part of the world” (1993, p. 49, parenthetical comment in orig.). It is now to this “small elite class of the Roman Empire” that we turn our attention for documentation of Christ’s existence.
Tacitus (c. A.D. 56-117) should be among the first of several hostile witnesses called to the stand. He was a member of the Roman provincial upper class with a formal education who held several high positions under different emperors such as Nerva and Trajan (see Tacitus, 1952, p. 7). His famous work, Annals, was a history of Rome written in approximately A.D. 115. In theAnnals he told of the Great Fire of Rome, which occurred in A.D. 64. Nero, the Roman emperor in office at the time, was suspected by many of having ordered the city set on fire. Tacitus wrote:
Nero fabricated scapegoats—and punished with every refinement the notoriously depraved Christians (as they were popularly called). Their originator, Christ, had been executed in Tiberius’ reign by the governor of Judea, Pontius Pilatus. But in spite of this temporary setback the deadly superstition had broken out afresh, not only in Judea (where the mischief had started) but even in Rome (1952, 15.44, parenthetical comments in orig.).
Tacitus hated both Christians and their namesake, Christ. He therefore had nothing positive to say about what he referred to as a “deadly superstition.” He did, however, have something to say about it. His testimony establishes beyond any reasonable doubt that the Christian religion not only was relevant historically, but that Christ, as its originator, was a verifiable historical figure of such prominence that He even attracted the attention of the Roman emperor himself!
Additional hostile testimony originated from Suetonius, who wrote around A.D. 120. Robert Graves, as translator of Suetonius’ work, The Twelve Caesars, declared:
Suetonius was fortunate in having ready access to the Imperial and Senatorial archives and to a great body of contemporary memoirs and public documents, and in having himself lived nearly thirty years under the Caesars. Much of his information about Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero comes from eye-witnesses of the events described (Suetonius, 1957, p. 7).
The testimony of Suetonius is a reliable piece of historical evidence. Twice in his history, Suetonius specifically mentioned Christ or His followers. He wrote, for example: “Because the Jews at Rome caused continuous disturbance at the instigation of Chrestus, he [Claudius—KB] expelled them from the city” (Claudius, 25:4; note that in Acts 18:2 Luke mentioned this expulsion by Claudius). Sanders noted that Chrestus is a misspelling of Christos, “the Greek word that translates the Hebrew ‘Messiah’” (1993, pp. 49-50). Suetonius further commented: “Punishments were also inflicted on the Christians, a sect professing a new and mischievous religious belief” (Nero, 16:2). Again, it is evident that Suetonius and the Roman government had feelings of hatred toward Christ and His alleged mischievous band of rebels. It is equally evident that Suetonius (and, in fact, most of Rome) recognized that Christ was the noteworthy founder of a historically significant new religion.
Along with Tacitus and Suetonius, Pliny the Younger must be allowed to take a seat among hostile Roman witnesses. In approximately A.D. 110-111, Pliny was sent by the Roman emperor Trajan to govern the affairs of the region of Bithynia. From this region, Pliny corresponded with the emperor concerning a problem he viewed as quite serious. He wrote: “I was never present at any trial of Christians; therefore I do not know the customary penalties or investigations and what limits are observed” (as quoted in Wilken, 1990, p. 4). He then went on to state:
This is the course that I have adopted in the case of those brought before me as Christians. I ask them if they are Christians. If they admit it, I repeat the question a second and a third time, threatening capital punishment; if they persist, I sentence them to death (as quoted in Wilken, p. 4).
Pliny used the term “Christian” or “Christians” seven times in his letter, thereby corroborating it as a generally accepted term that was recognized by both the Roman Empire and its emperor. Pliny also used the name “Christ” three times to refer to the originator of the “sect.” It is undeniably the case that Christians, with Christ as their founder, had multiplied in such a way as to draw the attention of the emperor and his magistrates by the time of Pliny’s letter to Trajan. In light of this evidence, it is impossible to deny the fact that Jesus Christ existed and was recognized by the highest officials within the Roman government as an actual, historical person.
Celsus, a second-century pagan philosopher, produced a vehement attack upon Christianity by the title of True Discourse (c. A.D. 178). In that vile document, Celsus argued that Christ owed his existence to the result of fornication between Mary and a Roman soldier named Panthera. As he matured, Jesus began to call himself God—an action, said Celsus, which caused his Jewish brethren to kill him. Yet as denigrating as his attack was, Celsus never went so far as to suggest that Christ did not exist.
Some have attempted to negate the testimony of these hostile Roman witnesses to Christ’s historicity by suggesting that the “Roman sources that mention him are all dependent on Christian reports” (Sanders, 1993, p. 49). For example, in his book, The Earliest Records of Jesus, Francis Beare lamented:
Everything that has been recorded of the Jesus of history was recorded for us by men to whom he was Christ the Lord; and we cannot expunge their faith from the records without making the records themselves virtually worthless. There is no Jesus known to history except him who is depicted by his followers as the Christ, the Son of God, the Saviour to the World (1962, p. 19).
Such a suggestion is as outlandish as it is outrageous. Not only is there no evidence to support such a claim, but all of the available evidence militates against it. Furthermore, it is an untenable position to suggest that such upper class Roman historians would submit for inclusion in the official annals of Roman history (to be preserved for posterity) facts that were related to them by a notorious tribe of “mischievous,” “depraved,” “superstitious” misfits.
Even a casual reader who glances over the testimony of the hostile Roman witnesses who bore testimony to the historicity of Christ will be struck by the fact that these ancient men depicted Christ as neither the Son of God nor the Savior of the world. They verbally stripped Him of His Sonship, denied His glory, and belittled His magnificence. They described Him to their contemporaries, and for posterity, as a mere man. Yet even though they were wide of the mark in regard to the truth of Who He was, through their caustic diatribes they nevertheless documentedthat He was. And for that we are indebted to them.

TESTIMONY OF JESUS AMONG THE JEWS

Even though much of the hostile testimony regarding the existence of Jesus originated from witnesses within the Roman Empire, such testimony is not the only kind of hostile historical evidence available. Anyone familiar with Jewish history will recognize immediately the Mishnahand the Talmud. The Mishnah was a book of Jewish law traditions codified by Rabbi Judah around the year A.D. 200 and known to the Jews as the “whole code of religious jurisprudence” (Bruce, 1953, p. 101). Jewish rabbis studied the Mishnah and even wrote a body of commentary based upon it known as the Gemares. The Mishnah and Gemares are known collectively as the Talmud(Bruce, 1953, p. 101). The complete Talmud surfaced around A.D. 300. If a person as influential as Jesus had existed in the land of Palestine during the first century, surely the rabbis would have had something to say about him. Undoubtedly, a man who supposedly confronted the most astute religious leaders of His day—and won—would be named among the opinions of those who shared His rabbinical title. As Bruce declared:
According to the earlier Rabbis whose opinions are recorded in these writings, Jesus of Nazareth was a transgressor in Israel, who practised magic, scorned the words of the wise, led the people astray, and said that he had not come to destroy the law but to add to it. He was hanged on Passover Eve for heresy and misleading the people. His disciples, of whom five are named, healed the sick in his name (1953, p. 102).
First-century Judaism, in large part, refused to accept Jesus Christ as the Son of the God. Yet it did not refuse to accept Him as a historical man from a literal city known as Nazareth or to record for posterity crucial facts about His life and death.
Josephus is another important Jewish witness. The son of Mattathias, he was born into a Jewish upper class priestly family around A.D. 37. His education in biblical law and history stood among the best of his day (Sanders, 1993, p. 15). At age nineteen, he became a Pharisee. When Jerusalem rebelled against the Roman authorities, he was given command of the Jewish forces in Galilee. After losing most of his men, he surrendered to the Romans. He found favor in the man who commanded the Roman army, Vespasian, by predicting that Vespasian soon would be elevated to the position of emperor. Josephus’ prediction came true in A.D. 69 at Vespasian’s inauguration. After the fall of Jerusalem, Josephus assumed the family name of the emperor (Flavius) and settled down to live a life as a government pensioner. It was during these latter years that he wrote Antiquities of the Jews between September 93 and September 94 (Bruce, 1953, pp. 103-104). Josephus himself gave the date as the thirteenth year of Domitian (Rajak, 1984, p. 237). His contemporaries viewed his career indignantly as one of traitorous rebellion to the Jewish nation (Bruce, 1953, p. 104).
Twice in Antiquities, Jesus’ name flowed from Josephus’ pen. Antiquities 18:3:3 reads as follows
And there arose about this time Jesus, a wise man, if indeed we should call him a man; for he was a doer of marvelous deeds, a teacher of men who receive the truth with pleasure. He led away many Jews, and also Greeks. This man was the Christ. And when Pilate had condemned him to the cross on his impeachment by the chief men among us, those who had loved him at first did not cease; for he appeared to them on the third day alive again, the divine prophets having spoken these and thousands of other wonderful things about him: and even now the tribe of Christians, so named after him, has not yet died out.
Certain historians regard the italicized segments of the section as “Christian interpolation.” There is, however, no evidence from textual criticism that would warrant such an opinion (Bruce, 1953, p. 110). In fact, every extant Greek manuscript contains the disputed portions. The passage also exists in both Hebrew and Arabic versions. And although the Arabic version is slightly different, it still exhibits knowledge of the disputed sections (see Chapman, 1981, p. 29; Habermas, 1996, pp. 193-196).
There are several reasons generally offered for rejecting the passage as genuine. First, early Christian writers like Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Origen did not use Josephus’ statement in their defense of Christ’s deity. Habermas observed that Origen, in fact, documented the fact that Josephus (although himself a Jew) did not believe Christ to be the Messiah (1996, p. 192; cf. Origen’s Contra Celsum, 1:47). However, as Habermas also pointed out, the fourth-century writer Eusebius, in his Ecclesiastical History (1:11), quoted Josephus’ statement about Christ, including the disputed words. And he undoubtedly had access to much more ancient sources than those now available.
Furthermore, it should not be all that surprising that such early Christian apologists did not appeal to Josephus in their writings. Wayne Jackson has suggested:
Josephus’ writings may not have been in extensive circulation at that point in time. HisAntiquities was not completed until about 93 A.D. Too, in view of the fact that Josephus was not respected by the Jews, his works may not have been valued as an apologetic tool (1991, 11:29).
Such a suggestion possesses merit. Professor Bruce Metzger commented: “Because Josephus was deemed a renegade to Judaism, Jewish scribes were not interested in preserving his writings for posterity” (1965, p. 75). Thomas H. Horne, in his Critical Introduction to the Study and Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, referred to the fact that the main source of evidence frequently used by the so-called “church fathers” was an appeal to the Old Testament rather than to human sources (1841, 1:463-464). The evidence substantiates Horne’s conclusion. For example, a survey of the index to the eight volumes of the multi-volume set, The Ante-Nicene Fathers, reveals only eleven references to Josephus in the entire set.
The second reason sometimes offered as to why the disputed passage in Josephus’ Antiquitiesmight be due to “Christian interpolation” is the fact that it seems unlikely that a non-Christian writer would include such statements as “this man was the Christ” or “if indeed we should call him a man.” But while such might be unlikely, it certainly is not beyond the realm of possibility. Any number of reasons could explain why Josephus would write what he did. For example, Bruce allowed for the possibility that Josephus might have been speaking sarcastically (1953, p. 110). Howard Key suggested:
If we assume that in making explicit statements about Jesus as Messiah and about the resurrection Josephus is merely conveying what Jesus’ followers claimed on his behalf, then there would be no reason to deny that he wrote them [i.e., the supposed interpolated phrases—KB] (1970, p. 33).
It also should be noted that Josephus hardly qualifies as the sole author of such statements made about Christ by those who rejected His deity. Ernest Renan, for example, was a nineteenth-century French historian whose book, The Life of Jesus, was a frontal assault on Christ’s deity that received major attention throughout Europe (see Thompson, 1994, 14:5). Yet in that very volume Renan wrote: “It is allowable to call Divine this sublime person who, each day, still presides over the destinies of the world” (as quoted in Schaff and Roussel, 1868, pp. 116-117).
Or consider H.G. Wells who, in 1931, authored The Outline of History. On page 270 of that famous work, Wells referred to Jesus as “a prophet of unprecedented power.” No one who knew Wells (a man who certainly did not believe in the divinity of Christ) ever would accuse his account of being flawed by “Christian interpolation.” The famous humanist, Will Durant, was an avowed atheist, yet he wrote: “The greatest question of our time is not communism vs. individualism, not Europe vs. America, not even the East vs. the West; it is whether men can bear to live without God” (1932, p. 23). Comments like those of Renan, Wells, and Durant document the fact that, on occasion, even unbelievers have written convincingly about God and Christ.
Furthermore, even if the material containing the alleged Christian interpolation is removed, the vocabulary and grammar of the section “cohere well with Josephus’ style and language” (Meier, 1990, p. 90). In fact, almost every word (omitting for the moment the supposed interpolations) is found elsewhere in Josephus (Meier, p. 90). Were the disputed material to be expunged, the testimony of Josephus still would verify the fact that Jesus Christ actually lived. Habermas therefore concluded:
There are good indications that the majority of the text is genuine. There is no textual evidence against it, and, conversely, there is very good manuscript evidence for this statement about Jesus, thus making it difficult to ignore. Additionally, leading scholars on the works of Josephus [Daniel-Rops, 1962, p. 21; Bruce, 1967, p. 108; Anderson, 1969, p. 20] have testified that this portion is written in the style of this Jewish historian (1996, p. 193).
In addition, Josephus did not remain mute regarding Christ in his later sections. Antiquities20:9:1 relates that Ananus brought before the Sanhedrin “a man named James, the brother of Jesus who was called the Christ, and certain others. He accused them of having transgressed the law, and condemned them to be stoned to death.” Bruce observed that this quote from Josephus “is chiefly important because he calls James ‘the brother of Jesus the so-called Christ,’ in such a way as to suggest that he has already made reference to Jesus. And we do find reference to him in all extant copies of Josephus” (Bruce, 1953, p. 109). Meier, in an article titled “Jesus in Josephus,” made it clear that rejecting this passage as actually having been written by Josephus defies accurate assessment of the text (1990, pp. 79-81). Meier also added another emphatic defense of the historical reliability of the text in Antiquities concerning Christ.
Practically no one is astounded or refuses to believe that in the same book 18 of The Jewish Antiquities Josephus also chose to write a longer sketch of another marginal Jew, another peculiar religious leader in Palestine, “John surnamed the Baptist” (Ant. 18.5.2). Fortunately for us, Josephus had more than a passing interest in marginal Jews (p. 99).
Regardless of what one believes about the writings of Josephus, the simple fact is that this well-educated, Jewish historian wrote about a man named Jesus Who actually existed in the first century. Yamauchi summarized quite well the findings of the secular sources regarding Christ:
Even if we did not have the New Testament or Christian writings, we would be able to conclude from such non-Christian writings as Josephus, the Talmud, Tacitus and Pliny the Younger that: (1) Jesus was a Jewish teacher; (2) many people believed that he performed healings and exorcisms; (3) he was rejected by the Jewish leaders; (4) he was crucified under Pontius Pilate in the reign of Tiberius; (5) despite this shameful death, his followers, who believed that he was still alive, spread beyond Palestine so that there were multitudes of them in Rome by 64 A.D.; (6) all kinds of people from the cities and countryside—men and women, slave and free—worshiped him as God by the beginning of the second century (1995, p. 222).

RELIABILITY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT RECORDS

Although the above list of hostile and Jewish witnesses proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that Jesus actually lived, it is by no means the only historical evidence available to those interested in this topic. The gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), and the other 23 books that form the New Testament, provide more information about Jesus than any other source(s) available. But may these records be viewed as historical evidence, or are they instead writings whose reliability pales in comparison to other types of historical documentation? Blomberg has explained why the historical question of the Gospels, for example, must be considered.
Many who have never studied the gospels in a scholarly context believe that biblical criticism has virtually disproved the existence [of Christ—KB]. An examination of the gospel’s historical reliability must therefore precede a credible assessment of who Jesus was (1987, p. xx).
But how well do the New Testament documents compare with additional ancient, historical documents? F.F Bruce examined much of the evidence surrounding this question in his book, The New Testament Documents—Are They Reliable? As he and other writers (e.g., Metzger, 1968, p. 36; Geisler and Brooks, 1990, p. 159) have no-ted, there are 5,366 manuscripts of the Greek New Testament in existence today, in whole or in part, that serve to corroborate the accuracy of the New Testament. The best manuscripts of the New Testament are dated at roughly A.D. 350, with perhaps one of the most important of these being the Codex Vaticanus, “the chief treasure of the Vatican Library in Rome,” and the Codex Sinaiticus, which was purchased by the British from the Soviet Government in 1933 (Bruce, 1953, p. 20). Additionally, the Chester Beatty papyri, made public in 1931, contain eleven codices, three of which contain most of the New Testament (including the Gospels). Two of these codices boast of a date in the first half of the third century, while the third slides in a little later, being dated in the last half of the same century (Bruce, 1953, p. 21). The John Rylands Library boasts of even earlier evidence. A papyrus codex containing parts of John 18 dates to the time of Hadrian, who reigned from A.D. 117 to 138 (Bruce, 1953, p. 21).
Other attestation to the accuracy of the New Testament documents can be found in the writings of the so-called “apostolic fathers”—men who wrote primarily from A.D. 90 to 160 (Bruce, 1953, p. 22). Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Tatian, Clement of Rome, and Ignatius (writing before the close of the second century) all provided citations from one or more of the Gospels (Guthrie, 1990, p. 24). Other witnesses to the early authenticity of the New Testament are the Ancient Versions, which consist of the text of the New Testament translated into different languages. The Old Latin and the Old Syriac are the most ancient, being dated from the middle of the second century (Bruce, 1953, p. 23).
The available evidence makes it clear that the Gospels were accepted as authentic by the close of the second century (Guthrie, p. 24). They were complete (or substantially complete) before A.D.100, with many of the writings circulating 20-40 years before the close of the first century (Bruce, 1953, p. 16). Linton remarked concerning the Gospels:
A fact known to all who have given any study at all to this subject is that these books were quoted, listed, catalogued, harmonized, cited as authority by different writers, Christian and Pagan, right back to the time of the apostles (1943, p. 39).
Such an assessment is absolutely correct. In fact, the New Testament enjoys far more historical documentation than any other volume ever known. There are only 643 copies of Homer’s Iliad, which is undeniably the most famous book of ancient Greece. No one doubts the text of Julius Caesar’s Gallic Wars, but we have only 10 copies of it, the earliest of which was made 1,000 years after it was written. To have such abundance of copies for the New Testament from within 70 years of their writing is nothing short of amazing (Geisler and Brooks, 1990, pp. 159-160).
Someone might allege that the New Testament documents cannot be trusted because the writers had an agenda. But this in itself does not render what they said untruthful, especially in the light of corroborating evidence from hostile witnesses. There are other histories that are accepted despite their authors’ agendas. An “agenda” does not nullify the possibility of accurate historical knowledge.
In his work, The New Testament Documents—Are They Reliable?, Bruce offered more astounding comparisons. Livy wrote 142 books of Roman history, of which a mere 35 survive. The 35 known books are made manifest due to some 20 manuscripts, only one of which is as old as the fourth century. We have only two manuscripts of Tacitus’ Histories and Annals, one from the ninth century and one from the eleventh. The History of Thucydides, another well-known ancient work, is dependent upon only eight manuscripts, the oldest of these being dated about A.D. 900 (along with a few papyrus scraps dated at the beginning of the Christian era). The History of Herodotus finds itself in a similar situation. “Yet no classical scholar would listen to an argument that the authenticity of Herodotus or Thucydides is in doubt because the earliest MSS of their works which are of any use to us are over 1,300 years later than the originals” (Bruce, 1953, pp. 20-21). Bruce thus declared: “It is a curious fact that historians have often been much readier to trust the New Testament records than have many theologians” (1953, p. 19). As Linton put it:
There is no room for question that the records of the words and acts of Jesus of Galilee came from the pens of the men who, with John, wrote what they had “heard” and “seen” and their hands had “handled of the Word of life” (1943, pp. 39-40).

CONCLUSION

When someone asks the question, “Is the life of Jesus Christ a historic event?,” he or she must remember that “If we maintain that the life of our Lord is not a historical event, we are landed in hopeless difficulties; in consistency, we shall have to give up all ancient history and deny that there ever was such an event as the assassination of Julius Caesar” (Monser, 1961, p. 377).
Faced with such overwhelming evidence, it is unwise to reject the position that Jesus Christ actually walked the streets of Jerusalem in the first century. As Harvey has remarked, there are certain facts about Jesus that “are attested by at least as much reliable evidence as are countless others taken for granted as historical facts known to us from the ancient world.” But lest I be accused of misquoting him, let me point out that Harvey went on to say, “It can still be argued that we can have no reliable historical knowledge about Jesus with regard to anything that really matters” (1982, p. 6).
Harvey could not deny the fact that Jesus lived on this Earth. Critics do not like having to admit it, but they cannot successfully deny the fact that Jesus had a greater impact on the world than any single life before or after. Nor can they deny the fact that Jesus died at the hands of Pontius Pilate. Harvey and others can say only that such facts “do not really matter.” I contend that the facts that establish the existence of Jesus Christ of Nazareth really do matter. As Bruce stated, “The earliest propagators of Christianity welcomed the fullest examination of the credentials of their message” (1953, p. 122). While Paul was on trial before King Agrippa, he said to Festus: “For the king knoweth of these things, unto whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him; for this hath not been done in a corner” (Acts 26:26).
As the earliest apologists of Christianity welcomed a full examination of the credentials of the message that they preached, so do we today. These credentials have been weighed in the balance and not found wanting. The simple fact of the matter is that Jesus Christ did exist and live among men.
It is impossible to say that no one has the right to be an agnostic. But no one has the right to be an agnostic till he has thus dealt with the question, and faced this fact with an open mind. After that, he may be an agnostic—if he can (Anderson, 1985, p. 12).

REFERENCES

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