I’m watching a documentary about the life of Jesus Christ. It is astounding how little the supposed experts (secular scholars of high rank) know about the historicity of Gospels, the very books they attempt to study.
“...Words like ‘Father, why have You forsaken me’ are put in Jesus mouth by early Christians...” is what one of such experts on the show just said. Do they not realize the burden of proof for the claim that the Christians put those words in the Savior’s mouth is on them? We have four historically attested accounts of what Christ said and did, and nothing that claims otherwise. A-priori rejection because the Gospels are “religious propaganda” is not acceptable because everything that comes from antiquity is more or less religiously motivated. By that standard we should reject everything that comes from that period.
Double standards is all I hear when listening to the secular world’s criticism of the Holy Scriptures.
I agree. When you look at any text, one has to first ask what is the text saying.
Then why is it significant to the writers. If the significance is not that obvious, but felt it was of
critical importance to record it is very like authentic.
The phrase "why have you forsaken me" would be very meaningful to jews, pointing back to the psalms.
Just this reference had so much depth. Those who heard this would immediately find it jumping out at
them. And the power of this phrase would have been preached on and repeated.
So of all the phrases to be remembered this is one that is probably most accurate. Jesus was continually
showing His disciples where in scripture He was foretold from.
The problem with scholars, is they miss a stunning point. In one week a group of followers who had liked
their teacher were turned into society changing apostles. And all literally on the resurrection reality.
This unexpected outcome and steps, thrust them like actors on stage they did not choose but found themselves
the instruments of the Eternal Kingdom, without their teacher, but with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was profound for a few sentences, that held eternal meaning, when put in context. Parables, stories that
encapsulated the Lords meaning. Until this time, no parables were told in scripture. A nation, Israel, remoulded
as the Church, the temple in the hearts of the believers, the message, eternal love has come to dwell in man.
This community goes from a few disciples, 30-40 to 3,000 plus. And in the space of 3 months or so.
Within 30 years it had spread to Rome and throughout the roman empire. And all of it on the foundation of
the resurrection and the fulfilment of scripture. It is almost impossible to believe such a belief structure could
be invented in reverse, simply because it would get no traction, unless the actual witnesses saw and believed it.
It is this first person witness that drove the faith. Peter had walked with Jesus, you could meet him, and speak
with him. Nothing they said they lied about, rather truth was their highest ethic. And God showed them the
road to the gentiles, to opening the door to the world of non-Jews, unthinkable to the disciples, until God did
it. The rawness of the gospels testified to their impression on the disciples, not the exact details but how
it came across and what it meant. The contradictions spoke of what stuck in their minds, and how they responded.
Praise the Lord, He is our King, Amen
