Evidences

An Egyptian god has been proposed as a source for Jesus’ birth story, with up to 6 similarities noted between the god’s mythology and the gospels. What is a key problem with this idea.

lacks detail, unreliable sources

What biblical number, linked to observing the skies, is unsurprisingly common throughout ancient human cultures?

12

In what Bible passage does Paul state the implications for Christians if Jesus wasn’t raised from the dead?

1 Corinthians 15:14-17

What was the typical cause of death in a crucifixion? 

Suffocation, asphyxiation

Tradition says all of Jesus’ apostles died violent deaths except for whom?

John

Which Roman dismissed Christianity as a religion for “hysterical women, children, and idiots”?

Tacticus, Celsus

Which of these groups of people wrote New Testament books?

Groups of church elders

Deacons of churches

Brothers of Jesus

Apostles

Former priests form the Jerusalem Temple

Close associates of the apostles

2nd-generation Christians 

Apostles, Brothers of Jesus, Close associates of the apostles

In ancient manuscripts, what is an “autograph”?

original handwritten document written by the author themselves

To what section of the Bible do the Dead Sea Scrolls relate?

the whole old testement minus esther, other Jewish writings and prayers.

Approximately how much older are the Dead Sea Scrolls than the next-oldest extant copies of the Old Testament

1,000 years older

What term is used for the process of determining the original Bible text?

Textual criticism

Name two non-Christian ancient historians who mention Jesus in their writings

Tacitus, Josephus

How did Jesus Claim to be God?

Using the name “I AM”, John 10:30 “I and the Father are one”, Accepted worship, Forgave sins (Only God can forgive sins). 

Contrast Moses giving the Law (Torah) at Mt. Sinai with Jesus teaching the sermon on the Mount. What key difference was presented in class?

How did God’s Old Testament name “I AM” (YHWH) end up showing Jesus as God in the New Testament? Give two NT examples.

John 8:58 “Before Abraham was, I AM” John 18:5-6 “I AM He”. God used YHWH to state his eternal begin, Jesus’ uses to to prove he is God.

How does Revelation chapter 1 show Jesus as the God of the Old Testament.

The Alpha and Omega, The first and the last, The living one, Clothed in divine glory.

What problem is there with the suggestion the Jesus’ disciples stole his body?

The tomb was guarded, the disciples would gain nothing by lying. 

What problem is there with the idea that Jesus didn’t actually die on the cross?

Crucifixion was humiliating and you wouldn’t have someone that claimed to be a king fake a crucifixion.

What problem is there with the suggestion the Jesus’ disciples went to the wrong tomb and thought (wrongly) that he had risen from the dead?

Jesus was buried in a known location, the saw Jesus multiple times after he rose so he had to be alive.

What problem exists with the suggestion that Jewish or roman authorities moved Jesus’ body to another location after his burial.

They would’ve reviled that the resurrection wasn’t true by showing the body. Instead the tomb was empty and no one reviled a body.

Explain the Ryland Fragment and its significance

It is the oldest fragment of the New Testament that contains a part of John. It dates back to A.D. 125. This shows that the bible was circulated very early.

What is the Masoretic Text?

The Hebrew version of the old testament. 

Some Bible critics claim the Bible has a huge number of errors, numbering in the hundreds of thousands. What problem exists with this claim?

with so many errors lots of them are spelling and grammar errors. This has to occur because thousands of hand-written manuscripts had to be copied over the years.

From comparing copies of Bible manuscripts, we see that a few verse were likely added later by copyists

Mark 16:9-20, John 7:53-8:11

Who has had the responsibly for determining with books belong in the bible 

Holy spirit

What does the term “apocryphal” mean?

Hidden, This referees to the writings that weren’t part of the bible.

Some bible books such as 2 peter and Jude, quote from outside sources, Should this create a problem for these books?

It was to help the reader by including things that they would understand.