It came to my attention lately about two communities in the
Holy Land being named Bethlehem. It is not a secret by any means that both
claim to be the birth place of Jesus. And just as we have cities throughout our
country bearing the same name, so do other countries. The Bethlehem we are most familiar with is the
one about five miles south of Jerusalem on Israel’s West Bank; the other one is
located about eight miles from Nazareth and about 100 miles north from the one
near Jerusalem. Bethlehem is mentioned
in Joshua 19: 15 as Bethlehem of Zebulun (tribe allotted this land). In what we
know as Judah, Bethlehem was formally known as Ephrath (Gen. 35: 16 and 19).
Rachael gave birth to Benjamin near the Bethlehem near Nazareth where she died,
but her shrine is located near Jerusalem
Argument #1: Because
Jesus’ family was centered in Nazareth; many archeologists believe that he was
born in the Bethlehem in Galilee. Also, the ministry of Jesus was mainly in
Galilee and the Kineret (Aviram Oshri of the Israeli
Antiquities Authority).
“Mary rode on top of the donkey at the end of her pregnancy – and I asked myself, what are the chances that the baby would still be alive if she rode all the way to Bethlehem in Judea ?” said Dr. Oshri. “Zero. Whereas the distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem is possible.” “If you ask me, Jesus was born in Nazareth,” said archaeologist Dr Uzi Dahari. “At that time in the Roman period, people didn’t move from place to place. All of his family is from Nazareth.”
Archaeologists also report that no archeology evidence has been found to prove that the Bethlehem in Judea was the birth place of Jesus. Where as the one in Galilee has produced finds from the time of Jesus as well as a fortified wall mentioned in ancient documents. Excavation of both Bethlehems is ongoing. (Dr Uzi Dahar).
There is an excellent report on
this topic at that I highly recommend.
https://hubpages.com/religion-philosophy/Bethlehem-Israel#mod_24867621
(scroll down to Rachael’s tomb)
Micah 5:2 “But you,
Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the
clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over
Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.”
Situated on the main highway to Egypt, it was known
variously as Ephrath (Genesis 35:16), Bethlehem Ephratah (Micah 5:2),
Bethlehem-Judah (1 Samuel 17:12), and “the city of David” (Luke 2:4).
Argument #3
A general summary is that the birth of Jesus was written in
the 2nd and 3rd centuries, well past anyone living at the
time of Jesus. The Matthew 2: 6 verse does not occur in Old Testament prophesies
as it is presented in Matthew. As to Rachael’s tomb, only a shrine to her is
located seven miles south of Jerusalem. Her tomb is located near the Bethlehem
in Galilee where she died. She died too far from family burial caves near
Jerusalem to be interred there. At the time of Rachel, the main highway known
as the Patriarch’s Thoroughfare went through the Nazareth area. Also, in
Rachael’s time, the Bethlehem in Judea did not exist. The Bethlehem of Galilee
was a thriving town in the 1st century (Oshri, 2012).
Further information: The seven differences between Judea and Galilee
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/7-differences-between-galilee-and-judea-in-the-time-of-jesus/
M
The doctrine of the Trinity that is central to the Christian faith
was not articulated in Scripture, but rather by the church in the first
centuries following the writing of the New Testament and before the Council of
Chalcedon (circa 100-451), (Grenz, 2000, p. 76; Grenz & Franke, 2001,
p.172). The scope of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is beyond human
intellect to accurately explain. However, scholars have attempted to express
the Trinity as being economic, essential, and social and this essay will follow
that train of thought in examining this view (GCU, 2011, para. 14).
In common knowledge, the trinity is often thought as the Father
being the creator and provider, the Son as mediator of salvation, and the Holy
Spirit as the activator of salvation. Other Thoughts regarding the trinity are Immanent
or essential trinity is that in which ‘God exists internally, separated from
history, time and space; and Essential trinity said to be focused on the
relationship of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Among the trinity
members, their relationship is known as social trinity.
Dawson McAllister, in his 1997 article, “I Don’t Understand the
Trinity,” for Campus Life, explains
the concept in answer to a student who asked him the following questions: What
exactly is the Trinity? How can God be three people at once? Which one should I
pray to? And what does each of the three do?
McAllister answers the student’s first and second questions with
scripture by quoting Matt. 28: 18-20 NIV: 18 “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on
earth has been given to me.19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” McAllister again quotes
Matthew to answer the question about prayer: 6” But when you pray, go into your room, close the door
and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done
in secret, will reward you,” (V.6 NIV). In answer to the question about
what role each of the Trinity plays, McAllister gives a fuller answer: From
God, the Father, things originate and are generated. He is equal to the Son and
the Holy Spirit and he is responsible for sending the Son (John 3:16-17 NIV)
and the Holy Spirit (John 14:26 NIV) into the world. God, the Son, was
sacrificed to cover our sins and open the door to salvation. He also is our
advocate before the Father (I Tim. 2:5; I John 2:1). God, the Holy Spirit, has
many responsibilities because he helps us pray, comforts us, opens our minds to
God’s Word, lifts up Jesus, convicts us of our sins and guides us toward
righteousness (Rom. 8:26-27; John 3: 3-6, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7-11, Rom. 15:16
NIV). In addition, the Holy Spirit dwells within us, helps us witness to
others, and is faithful to give us joy, love, kindness, peace, and self-control
(Rom. 8:11; Acts 1:8; Gal. 5:22-23 NIV).
McAllister admits that we cannot precisely define the Trinity or God and
leaves the student with this truth: “Who among us can know the mind of the
Lord?” (Rom. 11:34), (p.80).
Steve Berg, in 2001, also writing for Campus Life, told why he believed in the Trinity even after being
told that if something could not be explained, one should not believe it. He
posits that just because the Trinity cannot be fully explained, it was not
impossible for it to exist (p.42). Berg
asserted that if the Trinity was biblical, then it is true. He pointed out Old
and New Testament scripture to back up his claim – Deut. 4:35; John 17:3; and I
Cor. 8:6 NIV) – God, the Father. Other scripture that Berg pointed to were
Paul’s writings for God, the Son, in Col. 2:9, Titus 2:13, John 1 NIV. For reference to the Holy Spirit, Berg used
the examples of Act 5, and I Cor. 3:16 where it said “Christians are God’s
temples – the place where God’s Spirit lives.” He also used the examples of the
Nicene and Apostles creeds and the names under which we were baptized as proof
they were based on the Word of God (p.42).
Cappadocian author, Gregory of Nazianzus, wrote in circa 380 that
the nature of the Godhead evolved in the three stages and he also revealed why
he believed the doctrine of the Trinity was not clearly stated in the
Scriptures (McGrath, 2011, p.163). According to Gregory, the Old Testament
spoke of the Father openly, but the Son vaguely. The New Testament revealed the
Son openly and gradually revealed the divinity of the Holy Spirit (p.163).
Gregory posits that since the Spirit indwelled the believers, they could see
this more clearly. Gregory believed that it was proper for God, the Father, be
recognized first, God, the Son revealed, once the Father was clearly revealed,
and then the Holy Spirit acknowledged (p. 163). He argued that it was a gradual
progression in order to clarify the understanding of the Trinity through God’s
divine self-revelation (p. 163).
Conclusion
Although
it is impossible for us to accurately and fully describe the Holy Trinity, we
can have a certain amount of understanding about the Godhead. We can understand
from the Scriptures that all things are generated by the Father, the Son is our
mediator or salvation, and the Holy Spirit is the activator of our salvation
and comforter. God has revealed the Trinity in an orderly manner throughout the
Scriptures to help bring understanding to us about the Trinity as he uses
self-revelation in nature and the Bible.
References
Grenz, S. (2000). Theology for the community of God. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
Grenz, S. J. & Franke J. (2001). Beyond foundationalism: Shaping theology in a postmodern context. Louisville, KY: Westminister John Knox
Life Application Study Bible –New International Version (NIV). (2005). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers
McGrath, A. (2011). Christian Theology: An introduction. (5th
ed.). West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.
McGrath, A. (Ed.) (2011). The Christian theology reader. (4th
ed.). West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.
Electronic sources:
Berg, S.
(2001). Why believe in the trinity? Campus Life, 60(1), 42.
Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/eds/detail?sid=
. . .
Allister, D. (1997). I don’t understand the trinity. Campus
Life, 56(4), 80. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebsohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/eds/detail?vid=30&sid=ee871674-a82a-4a0c-. . . ty(c,b,g
In the beginning, the focus was on God creating the material world including mankind. Man, made in God’s image was given sovereignty over the newly created world (NKJV, 2007, 1995, p. 7). God is introducing Jesus Christ as the Servant-Messiah who would bring the world to knowledge of God. God is asserting his authority in v. 5 by announcing that he the source of physical and spiritual life (NIV Study Bible, 1995, p.1102-1103)
. The Word was Christ and he was with God, the Father, before Creation. The world was created through God, the Creator Son (NKJV, 2007, p. 1656); John records a great tragedy in that humankind did not recognize their own creator (Barton et al., 2001, p. 365). “ In the call to praise the Creator, it is a call to praise God for all creation from the heavens to the human heart. It is the call for the heavens to praise him, for the elements of earth to praise him, and for the people to praise him (NIV Study Bible, p. 982; NKJV, p. 960). Moses had been speaking to the Israelites at the Jordan River, but before they crossed, he made an intercession prayer to God for the Israelites by appealing to God’s faithfulness, mercy, and honor. He reminds God of his redemption of the Israelites, his promises, and his reputation among all nations and his election of Israel (NKJV, 2007, p. 286). riority69 \ A highway makes traveling easier and the “way of holiness” was a road built up between temples where only the holy and redeemed could walk on because they had to be ceremoniously clean. Wild animals made travel dangerous but the redeemed would be safe. The redeemed are those God redeemed from bondage and they are to enter the gates of Zion pursued only by gladness, not wild animals. Sorrow will flee (NIV Study Bible, 1995, p. 1058). The psalmist considers his own faults, hidden and presumptuous, and asks to be delivered from them. He calls upon God as his rock and redeemer to redeem him (NIV Study Bible, 1995, p. 796). The Christian is no longer under the control of evil, but under the benevolent will of Jesus Christ, the redeemer. The believer is delivered freed, redeemed from the penalty of sin by the payment of Jesus’ death on the cross (NIV Study Bible, 1995, p. 1815). Jesus is telling his followers of the signs that will precede his second coming and refers to himself as their redeemer (NIV Study Bible, 1995, p. 1579).
Scientific and Christian Viewpoints may appear at
First to be Opposing
Copyright 2018 by Joan Berry
Scientific and Christian viewpoints may appear at
first to be opposing, but a closer look will reveal that they are very much in
agreement and that science is not the enemy of the Biblical account of the
Creation. The Creation has always been a matter of great interest to Christians
as well as to those in the various fields of science. Admittedly, neither the
Bible nor the Creation account were written to be sources of scientific
information, but they have had an intriguing attraction for scientific
investigation that many times resulted in confirmation of what Christians have
taken in faith all along. From a Christian’s perspective, the creation account
was where God first revealed himself; the purpose of his creations; and a as a
triune God who set a plan of salvation in place that led to the New Testament
and Jesus Christ. This essay will not cover theories of evolution; the topics
will be limited to the importance of Genesis, purpose of creation, comparison
to a Mesopotamian creation myth, Biblical creation process, and examples of
agreement between science and the Biblical account of Creation.
“In the beginning . . .,” the first words of Genesis
set the stage to explain the origins of our planet, nature, mankind, and God’s
purpose for us. God did not need humans for company or a new place to live, he
created the Earth and its inhabitants as a means to have a relationship and
dwell with mankind who was expected to worship him and take care of the
paradise he created for them (Hill & Walton, 2009, pp. 23, 58). God showed
his presence as he created the cosmos as a place he wanted to be, and then Adam
and Eve lost this special presence of God when they sinned, and God again
introduced his presence in the covenant with them as to what their lives would
bring to them (Hill & Walton, 2009, pp. 77-78; Gen. 3 NIV).
God could have destroyed his creation of mankind for
their disobedience, but in his mercy and grace spared their lives and banished
them from the garden. In the New Testament Adam is referred to as a type of him who was to come (Rom.
5:14) indicating that in some way that Jesus is connected. According to the
NKJV (2007), we should consider that both came into the world under unusual
circumstances as sinless people: Adam as the head of the old creation and Jesus
as the head of the new creation and as such God had planned for our salvation
from the beginning (p.2). It should be mentioned here that God is a triune God
(God, the father (Is. 40:28), Jesus, the son (Col. 1:16), and the Holy Spirit
(Job 33:4). There are many other
references and these are but a few examples: Matt. 29:19 and II Cor. 13:14.
During the creation process in Genesis 1:26, there is a reference … let us make man in our image, according to
our likeness, which most Christians also take to mean a triune God head is
involved. Some scholars think that the plural of god was often used during this
epoch but meant one god, but the other verses throughout the Bible seem to
refute that and Genesis implies that God being a spirit, was not talking about
angels or other created beings.
Genesis has similarities to Sumerian and Mesopotamian
creation myths and because these texts are older, some believe Genesis was
developed from those sources, but there are major differences (Hill &
Walton, 2009, p 81). The creation myths are the product of pagan societies that
assigned gods to everything, but in Israelite religion there was the one and
only God. For example, there was no moon god or goddess, God made the moon for
light and a way to note the change of seasons – function. Mankind was created
in the image of God and the world was created for them. In mythology, mankind
was an afterthought and presented as a slave to the many pagan gods (Hill &
Walton, 2009, p 83). Genesis presents mankind as very special: the crown of
creation, made in the image of God, and granted a priestly identity at creation
(Skillen, 2011, p 123). Skillen (2011)
posits that this was a revolutionary break with mythologies and the pagan bond
was broken forever; mankind had, under God, dignity, purpose, and freedom and
was empowered (p. 123).
Genesis is
literature and the record of the “beginnings” including the foundations of Old Testament theology and was not meant
to be a source of scientific information, however archaeologists use its
content to locate ancient ruins and
scientist consult it in their
investigations of nature and the cosmos (Hill & Walton, 2009, p 78). It
must be remembered that science uses methods to study material things (matter
and energy) and expresses results in materialistic terminologies – the
mechanics of how something works, but not the meaning and purpose (Lucas, 2005,
p 140). An example given by Lucas was
that two people were standing on a beach; one was a scientist and the other was
a Boy Scout. They both saw a bright light flashing at intervals at sea. The
scientist was excited by the intensity and distance and wondered what its
source could be. The Boy Scout saw it as an SOS signal and ran for help and
saved many lives. The scientist could not get beyond the technical aspect of
the light’s properties to wonder who was holding the light and why – the
primary reason (p 140). The point could
be made that God gave us the capacity to understand that science is an
acceptable and often necessary way to find the truth about nature. The Bible
has its limitations which does not
include detailed information about scientific matters for example a course in
astronomy, but we have been made in God’s likeness and are able to understand
the truths in his created order which is something that modern scientists have
come to realize (Lucas, 2005, pp. 143-145).
Creations that scientists have pondered are many and
several will be briefly discussed here as examples of their investigations
including some that are a little controversial.
In the Bible firmament means heavens, and the root word refers to
something hammered out as metal as a bracelet (NKJV, 2007, note p. 4). Using
this as a background for Gen. 1:6, scientists believe the separation of the
water above and below is a reference to the asteroid belt which separates the
outer gaseous planets from the terrestrial planets (inside planets) and forms a
circle as a bracelet. From 1974-1982, the
National
Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) probes, Voyagers and Pioneers, detected ice
and water on Neptune and Uranus, Saturn’s moons and rings, and Venus. And we
know from recent robot probes on Mars that there is water there, also (NASA
Missions, 2012 updated).
In
Genesis 2:7, God made man from the dust of the ground and breathed life into
him. This is thought of as molding man from clay (NKJV, 2007, note p. 6).
Beginning in the 1960s, scientists discovered that clay has the properties of
being able to store and transfer energy and contains some of the building
blocks of life. This was further confirmed in 1985 by the American Research
Center (Klein, n.d.).
Following
are a few examples from a compiled list of scientific proofs of the Bible by J.
N. Clayton (n.d.):
A place in the north void of stars
was found in the 19th century and the Earth is held in place by
invisible forces was discovered in 1650 (Job 26:7NIV):He spreads out the northern skies over empty
space; he suspends the earth over nothing. Arcturus and other stars
move through space was discovered in the 19th century (Job 38:32
NIV).
Isaiah, in the 8th century BC, declared the earth
was round, discovered in modern times in the 15th century (Isaiah 40:22):
He sits enthroned above the circle of the
earth and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens
like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
Blood is necessary to life discovered in the 17th
century (Lev. 17:11 NIV): For
the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make
atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for
one’s life. Only three centuries ago the complete meaning of what blood
meant to life was discovered by William Harvey (Merrill, 1991, pp. 35-36).
Psalms 8:8: the
birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of
the seas. Oceans were discovered to have natural guided streams (or paths)
in 1854.
Genesis 1:2 NIV: Now
the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep,
and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. Earth was in nebular
form initially, discovered in 1911.
Conclusion;
Even though science confirms what we already have accepted as truth through God, we must remember that upon learning through science out of curiosity does not eliminate the revelation of the nature of God; and that science tried to explain things without God being involved. It is important to understand that God created (Hill & Walton, 2009, p 96). The purposes of Genesis were to present God as the Creator of all, to give the account of origins of the cosmos, and proclaim the assumption that God existed and that he planned from the beginning to lead us to Christ and salvation (Lucas, 2005, p 151).
Book sources:
Hill, A. E., & Walton, J. H. (2009). A survey of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Life Application Study Bible –New
International Version (NIV). (2005). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
Merrill, E.H., (1991). An historical survey of the Old Testament (2nd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic
New King James Version Study Bible (NKJV), (2nd ed.), (2007). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc
Electronic sources:
Clayton, J.N. (n.d.). Scientific proof of the Bible. Retrieved from http://www.kingjamesbible- online.org/Scientific-Proof-of-Bible.php
Klein, D.R. (n.d.). Organic chemistry. Retrieved from http://www.skeptictank.org/files//atheist2/isue11b.htm.
Lucas, E. (2005). Science and the Bible: are they incompatible? Science And Christian Belief,-28fb-46d3-96f9-a006edcc4842%40.
NASA Missions. (2012 updated). Voyager and Pioneer missions chart. Retrieved from http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html
http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html
Skillen, J. W. (2011). The seven days of creation. Calvin Theological Journal, 46(1), Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=6c6d3a7c -69de-48ad-863b-bbe6e56cc20a%4111-139.
Although the Bible was
not meant to be a book on natural science, it contains the wisdom of God and
how the ancient Hebrew people obeyed Him in caring for the human and nature’s
ecology. Professor of Philosophy Holmes Rolston, III, (1996), at Colorado State
University, looked to the Bible to
study how the ancient Hebrew people, who were in better and closer contact with
the land than modern people, cared for the lands from which they drew their
substance either as pastures for livestock, or as field crops. Furthermore, he
had an interest in learning how human nature relates to the Bible, and as to how it works and how it
should work in regard to human values. Unlike science, Rolston said, humans
must have morals to make their ecology perform correctly because they have a
conscience and do not live well with other people without the love of God and
their neighbors.
Rolston
approached human ecology from the human nature aspect rather than the
scientific view. He attributed the Hebrews with knowing that in each seed and
root, there was the possibility of reaping a crop. He also acknowledged the
wisdom of Abraham’s realization that he and Lot needed to save their pastures
from destruction from overgrazing. He made the ethically ecological decision
that he and his nephew should separate their herds of goats and sheep and find
other grazing lands.
An ethical and moral situation that Rolston also addressed was
that 80 percent of the world’s produce was eaten by 20 percent of the
population which meant that 80 percent of the people were forced to eat the
meager 20 percent remaining. This was and is a horrible ratio that became an
ethical problem. There was only so much available land on which to grow food
and this also created a human ecological problem that ended up being centered on
ethics instead of science. It became a matter of morals and loving your
neighbor. According to Rolston, Isaiah 5:7-8 is a metaphor of greedy land
owners who have acquired adjoining lands until they have gained it all. He
posits that no intelligent human ecology can happen until the people learn to
use the land justly and charitably.
Rolston further said that the Hebrews adhered to the laws of God
because they believed their fertile lands were a gift from God as their creator
and whom they must obey to flourish in their land. One of the laws was to have
one of their fields lie fallow every seventh year. This allowed the soil to
recover its minerals and become fertile again, and remains a practice even
today. Rolston regards the Bible as being about longevity and keeping the earth
sustainable and is a separation between what exists and what should exist.
Harking back to the days of Adam and Noah, Rolston reminds his
readers that God reestablished his covenant with Noah to save animal species
for future generations and mankind was to repopulate the earth in its kind and
not to be a threat to the animals. Adam and Noah, he said, were appointed
trustees over creation and by extension ourselves as stewards of the earth. He
pointed out how Job rejoiced over God’s creation of fauna and flora with the
psalmist of Psalms 104 proclaiming the same (Job 38, 39, 40 NKJV). The
ancients, while not having the scientific knowledge of today, realized the
ecology of the earth was special and needed to be respected.
Conclusion
The
Bible writers have proclaimed from
cover to cover God’s creative work and we are directed to obey Him and to love
and live within the natural world because we are intertwined and we are
intricately dependent upon nature to exist.
It behooves us to respect and care for the ecology of all concerned.
Humans must place a high value on the natural world that God provided for us
and we must become the good stewards as God commanded. Rolston again reminds us
that the story of Noah makes us aware of the various forms of life “and to the
biological and theological forces producing them. What is required is not human
prudence but principled responsibility to the biospheric Earth to God,”
(Rolston, 1996). Rolston concluded that the Bible
directs people how to live among each other in love and justice within the
natural world that he created just as the Hebrew culture saw themselves living
in harmony with nature.
References
NKJV
Study Bible. (2007). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Rolston, H. (1996). The Bible and Ecology. Interpretation, 50(1), 16-26. Retrieved from http://library.gcu.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true e&db=rfh&AN=ATLA0000908036&site=ehost-live&scope=site
