Birmingham University Birmingham University ““Focus WeekFocus Week”” Day 2 of 5: Day 2 of 5:

How can this be love when . . .How can this be love when . . .

““You canYou can’’t trust t trust the Biblethe Bible””??

““At this time there was a wise man who was called At this time there was a wise man who was called Jesus. His conduct was good and [he] was known Jesus. His conduct was good and [he] was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the to be virtuous. And many people from among the Jews and the other nations became his disciples. Jews and the other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. But those who had become his disciples did not But those who had become his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion, and that he was alive; accordingly he crucifixion, and that he was alive; accordingly he was perhaps the Messiah, concerning whom the was perhaps the Messiah, concerning whom the prophets have recounted wonders.”prophets have recounted wonders.”(Josephus, (Josephus, AntiquitiesAntiquities 18:63-64 18:63-64 C10th Arabic version, C10th Arabic version, quoted in James H. Charlesworth, quoted in James H. Charlesworth, Jesus Within JudaismJesus Within Judaism (Doubleday, (Doubleday, 1988) p.95, cited in Gary R. Habermas, 1988) p.95, cited in Gary R. Habermas, The Historical JesusThe Historical Jesus (College (College Press, 1996), p.194. Press, 1996), p.194. ) )

““He convened a meeting of the Sanhedrin and He convened a meeting of the Sanhedrin and brought before them a man named James, the brought before them a man named James, the brother of Jesus, who was called the Christ, brother of Jesus, who was called the Christ, and certain others. He accused them of having and certain others. He accused them of having transgressed the law and delivered them up to transgressed the law and delivered them up to be stoned.”be stoned.” (Josephus, Antiquities 20.200)

““Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilate, and a most mischievous superstition, Pontius Pilate, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judea, the first source of the evil, but even in only in Judea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome . . . Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all Rome . . . Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty: then, upon their information, an who pleaded guilty: then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind.mankind.” ” (Tacitus, Annals 15.44)

““I have asked them if they are Christians, and if I have asked them if they are Christians, and if they admit it, I repeat the question a second they admit it, I repeat the question a second and third time, with a warning of the and third time, with a warning of the punishment awaiting them. If they persist, I punishment awaiting them. If they persist, I order them to be led away for execution; for order them to be led away for execution; for whatever the nature of their admission, I am whatever the nature of their admission, I am convinced that their stubbornness and convinced that their stubbornness and unshakable obstinacy ought not to go unshakable obstinacy ought not to go unpunished . . . [continued . . .]unpunished . . . [continued . . .]

(Pliny the Younger, Letters, 10.96)

They also declared that the sum total of their They also declared that the sum total of their guilt or error amounted to no more than this: guilt or error amounted to no more than this: they had met regularly before dawn on a fixed they had met regularly before dawn on a fixed day to chant verses alternately amongst day to chant verses alternately amongst themselves in honour of Christ as if to a god, themselves in honour of Christ as if to a god, and also to bind themselves by oath, not for and also to bind themselves by oath, not for any criminal purpose, but to abstain from theft, any criminal purpose, but to abstain from theft, robbery, and adultery . . .”robbery, and adultery . . .”

(Pliny the Younger, Letters, 10.96)

““The Christians . . . worship a man to this day - The Christians . . . worship a man to this day - the distinguished personage who introduced the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that their novel rites, and was crucified on that account. . . . [It] was impressed on them by account. . . . [It] was impressed on them by their original lawgiver that they are all brothers, their original lawgiver that they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, and from the moment that they are converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws.” crucified sage, and live after his laws.” (Lucian, The Death of Peregrine, 11-13)

EarlyEarly ANTI-Christian sources say Jesus was:ANTI-Christian sources say Jesus was:

1. Regarded as wise - Josephus & Lucian. 1. Regarded as wise - Josephus & Lucian. 2. A powerful and honoured teacher - Pliny & the Talmud & 2. A powerful and honoured teacher - Pliny & the Talmud & Lucian.Lucian.3. Performed miraculous feats, but rejected by Jewish 3. Performed miraculous feats, but rejected by Jewish leaders - The Talmud.leaders - The Talmud.4a) Crucified - Tacitus, Josephus, Talmud & Lucian. 4a) Crucified - Tacitus, Josephus, Talmud & Lucian. 4b) Crucified under Pontius Pilate - Tacitus & Josephus.4b) Crucified under Pontius Pilate - Tacitus & Josephus.4c) Crucified on the eve of Passover - The Talmud.4c) Crucified on the eve of Passover - The Talmud.5. Reports of Jesus' resurrection - Josephus.5. Reports of Jesus' resurrection - Josephus.6. Followers believed he was the Messiah - Josephus6. Followers believed he was the Messiah - Josephus7. Christians worshipped Jesus as God - Pliny & Lucian.7. Christians worshipped Jesus as God - Pliny & Lucian.

Q. IsnQ. Isn’’t the New Testament the t the New Testament the product of exaggerated stories product of exaggerated stories and Chinese whispers?and Chinese whispers?

““For what I received I passed on to you For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.me also, as to one abnormally born.”” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)

When were the Gospels When were the Gospels written?written?

Probable dates:Probable dates:AD 33 – Jesus is crucified AD 33 – Jesus is crucified AD 60 – Mark writes his gospelAD 60 – Mark writes his gospelAD 61 – Luke writes his gospelAD 61 – Luke writes his gospel

(AD 62 – (AD 62 – ‘‘ActsActs’’ is written by Luke) is written by Luke)(AD c62 – Paul(AD c62 – Paul’’s death in Rome)s death in Rome)

NB. Paul’s letters are earlier than all four gospels

Q. DidnQ. Didn’’t errors creep into the t errors creep into the New Testament during the New Testament during the copying process?copying process?

EARLIESTEARLIEST WHEN SURVIVING TIME No. of WHEN SURVIVING TIME No. of WORK WRITTEN WORK WRITTEN COPY GAP COPIES COPY GAP COPIES

Herodotus 488 - 428 BCHerodotus 488 - 428 BC AD 900 1,300 years 8 AD 900 1,300 years 8

Thucydides c.460 – 400 BC AD 900 1,300 years 8Thucydides c.460 – 400 BC AD 900 1,300 years 8

Caesar’s Caesar’s Gallic Gallic 58 – 50 BC AD 900 58 – 50 BC AD 900 950 years 9 – 10 950 years 9 – 10WarWar

Livy’s Livy’s Roman 59 BC – AD 17 AD 900Roman 59 BC – AD 17 AD 900 900 years 20 900 years 20HistoryHistory

TacitusTacitus AD 100AD 100 AD 1100 AD 1100 1,000 years 20 1,000 years 20

New New AD 49 - 90 AD 49 - 90 AD 130 40 – 260 years 5,000 Greek AD 130 40 – 260 years 5,000 GreekTestamentTestament (full (full 10,000 Latin 10,000 Latin

manuscripts manuscripts 9,300 others 9,300 others AD 350) AD 350)

““The last foundation for any doubt The last foundation for any doubt that the scriptures have come down that the scriptures have come down to us substantially as they were to us substantially as they were written has now been removed.” written has now been removed.” Sir Frederick Kenyon, Sir Frederick Kenyon, The Bible and Archaelogy The Bible and Archaelogy [Harper and [Harper and Row]Row]

  

What about the What about the ““Gnostic Gnostic gospels?gospels?””

““Simon Peter said to them, “Let Mary Simon Peter said to them, “Let Mary leave us, for women are not worthy of leave us, for women are not worthy of life.”life.”  Jesus said: “I myself shall lead her in Jesus said: “I myself shall lead her in order to make her male, so that she too order to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every woman who will you males. For every woman who will make herself male will enter the make herself male will enter the kingdom of heaven.”kingdom of heaven.”The Gospel of Thomas, saying 114James M Robinson [ed.] The Nag Hammadi Library, p.138

[Jesus said:] “If you fast, you will bring [Jesus said:] “If you fast, you will bring sin upon yourselves, and if you pray, sin upon yourselves, and if you pray, you will be condemned, and if you give you will be condemned, and if you give to charity, you will harm your spirits.” to charity, you will harm your spirits.” The Gospel of Thomas, saying 14

Why not join us tomorrow to Why not join us tomorrow to discuss:discuss:

How can this be love How can this be love when Jesus was just a when Jesus was just a

moral teacher?moral teacher?

Tea tent, 12-1 and 1-2Tea tent, 12-1 and 1-2