Bible Question (short): Inspired by God? |
Question (full): Before you jump to conclusions, please do not think that I am someone in here trying to make trouble. I have serious questions regarding some of the text in the New Testament. I want and do believe in the bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ! But (I believe) there may be problems with the text that will cause problems when trying to evangelize the lost, unless we (we/I) am able to resolve some issues with the resurrection accounts. First: mommapbs and others wrote me the following. 2 Tim 3:16 - All Scripture is inspired by God - note the word ALL, not some. I do not see at all where this would apply to the New Testament, even though I want (and do myself) believe the new Testament is inspired by God, this verse must be applied to the "Old Testament". The New Testament was not even something the author would consider as Scripture, yet. Please re-read the Resurrection account of these four crucial witness accounts, or second hand witnesses or third and fourth hand witnesses as in case of say Luke or Mark. Matthew 28 Mark 16 Luke 24 John 20 Read the accounts and answer these questions Was Mary alone when she went to the tomb on the first trip? Were there soldiers there when she went on the first trip? Who were the people that were with her on the first trip? Are these four men all in agreement on this? How many angels did she see on this first trip? Did she see any angels at all on this first trip? Are these four men all in agreement on this? Did Mary Magdalene see the risen Christ on her first trip to and from the tomb? Are these four men all in agreement on this? In what area of Palestine did Jesus first appear to the eleven? Are these four men all in agreement on this? What about this curious statement in Luke 24:34? You have the two men from the Emmaus experience who are fuzzy witnesses at best of what they think they saw or didn't see or wasn't allowed to see by supernatural means, and now they are telling the eleven that Jesus has appeared to Simon! Can't you see Simon's look of astonishment as he says "He did? That's news to me? Or, the other 10 looking at Simon and saying "why did you keep that VERY important information from us? Why did we have to hear from these two guys with the bad eyes that you have already seen the risen Christ? And Peter is just standing there with a sheepish grin "I was going to tell you, but I wanted it to be a surprise" It's an odd statement. It doesn't belong in the story. It doesn't belong in any of the stories. There are people who will say that Luke probably never wrote that. They will say it was probably added, very clumsily of course, and more than likely to prove that Peter, the first Pope, was also the first person to see the risen Christ. Isn't that strange? Luke never mentions that the risen Christ was witnessed by Mary Magdalene. Somebody has to come in and marry all of these texts together and by doing so they are going to have to make some major jumps to declare that they are all Divinely inspired and the Word of God. I have an appointment with my minister tomorrow to discuss some of these same issues. I'm more concerned with knowing what I am talking about when evangelizing the lost at this point, than with resolving these issues for myself, but I would like to resolve them as much as possible, in any event. In Christ Schimc |