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How Do we Know the Gospels are Historical?
http://www.strangenotions.com ^ | Fr. Dwight Longenecker

Posted on 03/11/2014 6:32:04 PM PDT by NKP_Vet

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To: Elsie

Here are a few scriptures from John;

John 10:

25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ....30 I and the Father are one.”

38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”

John 6:
53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.

John 14:

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

John 17:

Jesus Prays for All Believers

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”


61 posted on 03/12/2014 5:13:27 AM PDT by tired&retired
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To: tired&retired

1 John 2:

24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life.

26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.


62 posted on 03/12/2014 5:18:45 AM PDT by tired&retired
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To: tired&retired

1 John 3:

24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.


63 posted on 03/12/2014 5:20:23 AM PDT by tired&retired
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To: tired&retired

1 John 4:

13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.


64 posted on 03/12/2014 5:22:27 AM PDT by tired&retired
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To: TBP
That’s because the Gospels were specifically written with an awareness of the prophecies, in order to make them conform to those prophecies. They were put together by human writers who were propagandizing on behalf of the new religion.

That's quite some conspiracy they had going then isn't it. Is your tinfoil hat on tight enough?

So just what would be the point of them *creating* a new religion? What were they to gain? Many of them died horrible deaths.

I take it, then, that you do not believe any of the writings of the Bible. Did you come on this thread then just to cast doubt in the minds of those who do believe it? What is your purpose for your comments?

65 posted on 03/12/2014 5:24:40 AM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith....)
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To: Elsie
That is the point of the historical evidence -- you can't prove it is in error without comparable evidence. There would need to be a preponderance of evidence from the same time period that it was all a sham. All the evidence that actually exists shows that while the authorities of the period may not have believed it, they could not refute any of it. The few and feeble attempts made to disprove the gospels are so laughable that they have the opposite of their intended effect.

No such evidence exists.

66 posted on 03/12/2014 5:31:45 AM PDT by hopespringseternal
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To: NKP_Vet

Jesus’ disciples witnessed His death. They also witnessed Him after the resurrection. They were willing to undergo the most severe torture and deaths. Would they do that if they did not believe Christ was raised from the dead?

I am a person of faith, but my faith is also informed by the accounts in the New Testament (including fulfilled prophesy from the Old Testament).

Now, if there was no historical Jesus (does anyone assert this?) and if the Gospels were simply made up out of whole cloth my faith would certainly be shaken. It is hard to believe that a myth could survive intact for thousands of years, but I will listen to the evidence of that...if there is any.


67 posted on 03/12/2014 5:38:13 AM PDT by NCLaw441
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To: NCLaw441

A myth can’t survive 2,000 years. No one has been able to disprove that Jesus walked this earth. No one has been able to disprove that He didn’t rise from the dead. And you are right, would men willingly die for a man if they did not know for a fact that he had conquered death with his resurrection? He told them if they believed in Him they would never die. They believed.


68 posted on 03/12/2014 5:55:36 AM PDT by NKP_Vet ("I got a good Christin' raisin', an 8th grade education, ain't no need ya'll treatin' me this way")
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To: NKP_Vet

“A myth can’t survive 2,000 years.”

Have you maybe heard of Buddhism?


69 posted on 03/12/2014 6:04:14 AM PDT by Fuzz
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To: alexander_busek
There are literally hundreds of sects in the world, each with its own bizarre "holy writings" (e.g., the Koran, the Book of Mormon, the Tibetan Book of the Dead), about which you could make the same claim.

The fact that a "book" has followers does not in any way confirm the truth of that "book."


What you wrote in response to my abbreviated statement of faith sounds like me in my twenties and early thirties. I know where you're coming from and that you believe the veracity of your response trumps the foolishness of my statement, resulting in your statements being...truer.

I intended my post to appear in the FR Religion section, which for Free Republic, generally means Christian.
70 posted on 03/12/2014 6:39:36 AM PDT by Resettozero
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To: Fuzz

There were many Buddahs and not a one claimed devine birth and not a one said he would die and come back from the dead.

I am specifically talking about Jesus’ resurrection.


71 posted on 03/12/2014 7:01:39 AM PDT by NKP_Vet ("I got a good Christin' raisin', an 8th grade education, ain't no need ya'll treatin' me this way")
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To: circlecity

There ya go. There are OTHER things that back up Luke’s account.

“I, Moroni...” doesn’t have NEARLY the number of reinforcing data to testify as to his veracity.


72 posted on 03/12/2014 7:58:57 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: tired&retired
John 14:15 “If you love me, keep my commands.

More from nJohn:

1 John 3:21-23

Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

73 posted on 03/12/2014 8:01:03 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: tired&retired

I just posted the verses just in front of this one...


74 posted on 03/12/2014 8:01:50 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: hopespringseternal; restornu; teppe; Normandy; StormPrepper
That is the point of the historical evidence -- you can't prove it is in error without comparable evidence.

You mean there should be at least a button or a broken sword or some steel or curlom bones or great city foundations - something to show that what was claimed actually occurred?


 
The BIGGEST battle EVER recorded; and not ONE even teeny bit of evidence of it can be found!!
 
 


The Book of Ether

Chapter 15

Millions of the Jaredites are slain in battle—Shiz and Coriantumr assemble all the people to mortal combat—The Spirit of the Lord ceases to strive with them—The Jaredite nation is utterly destroyed—Only Coriantumr remains.

 And it came to pass when Coriantumr had recovered of his wounds, he began to remember the awords which Ether had spoken unto him.

 He saw that there had been slain by the sword already nearly atwo millions of his people, and he began to sorrow in his heart; yea, there had been slain two millions of mighty men, and also their wives and their children.

 He began to repent of the evil which he had done; he began to remember the words which had been spoken by the mouth of all the prophets, and he saw them that they were fulfilled thus far, every whit; and his soul amourned and refused to be bcomforted.

 And it came to pass that he wrote an epistle unto Shiz, desiring him that he would spare the people, and he would give up the kingdom for the sake of the lives of the people.

 And it came to pass that when Shiz had received his epistle he wrote an epistle unto Coriantumr, that if he would give himself up, that he might slay him with his own sword, that he would spare the lives of the people.

 And it came to pass that the people repented not of their iniquity; and the people of Coriantumr were stirred up to anger against the people of Shiz; and the people of Shiz were stirred up to anger against the people of Coriantumr; wherefore, the people of Shiz did give battle unto the people of Coriantumr.

 And when Coriantumr saw that he was about to fall he fled again before the people of Shiz.

 And it came to pass that he came to the waters of Ripliancum, which, by interpretation, is large, or to exceed all; wherefore, when they came to these waters they pitched their tents; and Shiz also pitched his tents near unto them; and therefore on the morrow they did come to battle.

 And it came to pass that they fought an exceedingly sore battle, in which Coriantumr was wounded again, and he fainted with the loss of blood.

 10 And it came to pass that the armies of Coriantumr did press upon the armies of Shiz that they beat them, that they caused them to flee before them; and they did flee southward, and did pitch their tents in a place which was called Ogath.

 11 And it came to pass that the army of Coriantumr did pitch their tents by the hill Ramah; and it was that same hill where my father Mormon did ahide up the records unto the Lord, which were sacred.

 12 And it came to pass that they did gather together all the people upon all the face of the land, who had not been slain, save it was Ether.

 13 And it came to pass that Ether did abehold all the doings of the people; and he beheld that the people who were for Coriantumr were gathered together to the army of Coriantumr; and the people who were for Shiz were gathered together to the army of Shiz.

 14 Wherefore, they were for the space of four years gathering together the people, that they might get all who were upon the face of the land, and that they might receive all the strength which it was possible that they could receive.

 15 And it came to pass that when they were all gathered together, every one to the army which he would, with their wives and their children—both men, women and children being armed with aweapons of war, having shields, and bbreastplates, and head-plates, and being clothed after the manner of war—they did march forth one against another to battle; and they fought all that day, and conquered not.

 16 And it came to pass that when it was night they were weary, and retired to their camps; and after they had retired to their camps they took up a howling and a alamentation for the loss of the slain of their people; and so great were their cries, their howlings and lamentations, that they did rend the air exceedingly.

 17 And it came to pass that on the morrow they did go again to battle, and great and terrible was that day; nevertheless, they conquered not, and when the night came again they did rend the air with their cries, and their howlings, and their mournings, for the loss of the slain of their people.

 18 And it came to pass that Coriantumr wrote again an epistle unto Shiz, desiring that he would not come again to battle, but that he would take the kingdom, and spare the lives of the people.

 19 But behold, the aSpirit of the Lord had ceased striving with them, and bSatan had full power over the chearts of the people; for they were given up unto the hardness of their hearts, and the blindness of their minds that they might be destroyed; wherefore they went again to battle.

 20 And it came to pass that they fought all that day, and when the night came they slept upon their swords.

 21 And on the morrow they fought even until the night came.

 22 And when the night came they were adrunken with anger, even as a man who is drunken with wine; and they slept again upon their swords.

 23 And on the morrow they fought again; and when the night came they had all fallen by the sword save it were fifty and two of the people of Coriantumr, and sixty and nine of the people of Shiz.

 24 And it came to pass that they slept upon their swords that night, and on the morrow they fought again, and they contended in their might with their swords and with their shields, all that day.

 25 And when the night came there were thirty and two of the people of Shiz, and twenty and seven of the people of Coriantumr.

 26 And it came to pass that they ate and slept, and prepared for death on the morrow. And they were large and mighty men as to the strength of men.

 27 And it came to pass that they fought for the space of three hours, and they fainted with the loss of blood.

 28 And it came to pass that when the men of Coriantumr had received sufficient strength that they could walk, they were about to flee for their lives; but behold, Shiz arose, and also his men, and he swore in his wrath that he would slay Coriantumr or he would perish by the sword.

 29 Wherefore, he did pursue them, and on the morrow he did overtake them; and they fought again with the sword. And it came to pass that when they had aall fallen by the sword, save it were Coriantumr and Shiz, behold Shiz had fainted with the loss of blood.

 30 And it came to pass that when Coriantumr had leaned upon his sword, that he rested a little, he smote off the head of Shiz.

 31 And it came to pass that after he had smitten off the head of Shiz, that Shiz raised up on his hands and afell; and after that he had struggled for breath, he died.

 32 And it came to pass that aCoriantumr fell to the earth, and became as if he had no life.

 33 And the Lord spake unto Ether, and said unto him: Go forth. And he went forth, and beheld that the words of the Lord had all been fulfilled; and he afinished his brecord; (and the chundredth part I have not written) and he hid them in a manner that the people of Limhi did find them.

 34 Now the last words which are written by aEther are these: Whether the Lord will that I be translated, or that I suffer the will of the Lord in the flesh, it mattereth not, if it so be that I am bsaved in the kingdom of God. Amen.

 

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/ether/15

 

 


75 posted on 03/12/2014 8:06:11 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: NCLaw441
I am a person of faith, but my faith is also informed by the accounts in the New Testament (including fulfilled prophesy from the Old Testament).

John 20:29
Jesus said to Thomas, "You believe because you've seen me. Blessed are those who haven't seen me but believe."

76 posted on 03/12/2014 8:07:25 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Fuzz

It ain’t a myth and it’s not a religion.


77 posted on 03/12/2014 8:07:58 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Elsie
"There ya go. There are OTHER things that back up Luke’s account."

Of course there are. Not that Luke needed any. Once Luke asserted the historicity of his account the burden was on anyone challenging this to produce evidence to refute it.

78 posted on 03/12/2014 8:25:08 AM PDT by circlecity
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To: NKP_Vet

“There were many Buddahs and not a one claimed devine birth and not a one said he would die and come back from the dead.”

I don’t get it. If it did, it would be Christianity, not Buddhism. There are Buddhist myths that have been around for longer than Christianity with hundreds of millions of people believing and following them to this day.

“I am specifically talking about Jesus’ resurrection.”

Not by saying: “A myth can’t survive 2,000 years.” That’s a general statement that is easily disproven. Ancient Egypt, for example, had their gods and mythology for thousands of years as well.


79 posted on 03/12/2014 8:35:10 AM PDT by Fuzz
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To: Elsie

“It ain’t a myth and it’s not a religion.”

Nonsense.


80 posted on 03/12/2014 8:37:10 AM PDT by Fuzz
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