joanie – Page 6 – Joan Berry

May 22, 2019April 18, 2020

Making the Acquaintance of the Early Apostles and Disciples

The difference between disciples and Apostles is that the Lord had specially commissioned the twelve Apostles in the first century but He has also commissioned His disciples to be witnesses of His wherever they go. One has apostolic authority while the others have discipleship authority to make disciples of others.

Among the twelve apostles chosen by Jesus, there were three sets of brothers: James the Greater and John the apostle; James the Younger and Jude; and Peter and Andrew. It should be noted that certain names were prominent in Jewish society such as: James, John, Judas, and Simon. This accounts for the custom of Jewish males having two names so as to distinguish one from one another. In the case of Matthew and James the Younger, each had a father named Alpheus. There was some speculation that these two were brothers. This is unlikely because the Scriptures are consistent in naming relationships and no scripture bears out that they were brothers. James the Just was not the brother of Jesus, for example. Joseph, Simon, Jude, and a James were cited in the New Testament (NT) as His brothers. Two of Jesus’ sisters were identified as Mary and Salome; both names were also prominent in the society.

Apostle Andrew [and Peter] was the son of Jonas who resided in Bethsaida and Capernaum. Andrew was a fisherman as well as his brother. He was a disciple of John the Baptist until the baptism of Jesus. Following that event, he became Jesus’ first disciple and remained so for the rest of his life. Also, Andrew was the first to have a Home and Foreign mission. He preached in Greece, Asia Minor, and Scythia. He was martyred in Achaea, Greece on an X-shaped cross. His symbol is an X-shaped cross or two crossed fish because he was a fisherman.

Apostle Bartholomew [or Nathaniel] was the son of Talmai [of a royal line] and he was well educated in the Scriptures and scholar of the Law. The family lived in Cana of Galilee. For a time he was a missionary in Armenia and then in India where he was martyred. His symbol is three parallel knives in remembrance of his death by being flayed.

Apostle James the Greater, Boanerge, the son of Zebedee and Salome, was a fisherman and lived in Bethsaida, Capernaum, and Jerusalem. He was the brother of John the Apostle. He preached in Jerusalem where he was beheaded by Herod in 44 C.E. becoming the first apostle martyr. His symbol is three shells, a stalt [walking stick], and a sword representing his missions along the shores, his travels, and how he was killed.

Apostle James the Lesser [or Younger] was the son of Alpheus (Cleophas) and Mary and lived in Galilee. He was the brother of the Apostle John and Joseph. James preached in Palestine and was martyred in Egypt by crucifixion and being sawed into pieces. The saw became his symbol.

Apostle John, Boanerge, was the son of Zebedee and Salome, brother of James the Greater, and the Beloved Disciple. He and his brother were known as the “Sons of Thunder.” He also was a fisherman, from a wealthy family and resided in Capernaum, Bethsaida, and Jerusalem. He was the author of the Gospel of John and John 1, 2, and 3. He preached in Asia Minor until the Emperor Domitian banished him to the isle of Patmos. After Domitian died, John was release from imprisonment and allowed to return to Ephesus where he governed churches in Asia until he died a natural death ca. 100 C. E. There was an attempt on John’s life when he was given a chalice of poison, but God intervened and saved him. His symbol is a chalice containing a snake.

Apostle Jude [also known as Thaddeus in Mark and Lebbeus in Matt.] was the son of Alpheus [Cleophas] and Mary and the brother of James the Younger. The family lived in Galilee. Jerome referred to Jude as “Triomious” meaning a man with three names. Jude preached at Edessa near the Euphrates River and other places. He supported Jesus in a big way; he wanted the world to know his Lord. He was killed at Ararat by arrows. His symbol is a ship whose sail bears a cross because he was a fisherman and Christian.

Judas Iscariot, the traitor, was the son of Simon who lived in Kerioth. He was the treasurer for the group of apostles. Judas apparently had ulterior motives for joining the group because he was a violent Jewish Nationalist who hoped that Jesus would establish an earthly kingdom and he would be a participant. He hanged himself after his treasonous act against Jesus. His symbol is a hangman’s noose or a purse with pieces of silver falling from it.

Apostle Matthias was chosen by lots to replace Judas Iscariot. He was with Jesus when He was baptized by John the Baptist and remained with Jesus until he ascended to Heaven. He preached on the shores of the Caspian Sea and Cappadocia [Turkey]. He was martyred by being beheaded by a scimitar. His symbol is a scimitar and a Bible.

Apostle Matthew [Levi] was the son of Alpheus and employed as a tax collector whom the populace hated. He lived in Capernaum. He was well educated and the first to write down the teachings of Jesus. His name means “Gift of God.” Matthew preached in Ethiopia and Egypt where he died as a martyr when King Hercanus had him killed with a battle axe. His symbol is three money bags and a battle axe as a reminder that he was a tax collector before following Jesus and how he was killed

Apostle Simon Peter (or Cephas) was the only apostle mentioned as being married. He is the son of Jonas who resided in Bethsaida and Capernaum. He was a fisherman as well as his brother, Andrew. His name, Simon, means rock from the Greek; Peter also means rock from the Arabic. He was the first to confess that Jesus was the Son of God and Peter was on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus as well as seeing Jarius’ daughter rise to live again. He served as missionary traveling as far as Babylon. Out of love for Jesus, he refused to be crucified in the same position; he was crucified head down in Rome. His symbol is an upside-down cross with keys crossed. His bones and those of Paul were interred together in a double monument on the Appian Way beneath the church of Saint Sebastian on the Appian Way. Peter and Paul were entombed there before they were each taken to the basilicas that honor them: Saint Peter’s Basilica and Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.

Apostle Phillip lived in Bethsaida and most likely a fisherman. As a follower of Jesus, he was an ordained deacon and one of the seven appointed when the church was forming. He had a successful campaign in Samaria and became a major figure in missionary work of the early church. He preached in Phrygia until he was martyred in Hierapolis. He was hanged and as he was dying he requested to be wrapped in papyrus rather than linen as was Jesus. He felt unworthy of being wrapped as his Lord. John’s gospel reports that Phillip was one of the first to respond to Jesus’ “Follow me.” His symbol is a basket because of his part in feeding the 5,000. Phillip is credited with having the cross as an emblem of Christianity

Apostle Simon the Zealot [in Matt, Luke, and Mark] was a Canaanite Zealot who lived in Galilee. He preached on the west coast of Africa, then to what is now England where he was crucified in 74 C. E. His symbol is a fish lying on a Bible representing his former life as a fisherman and before he became a fisher of men for the Kingdom of God through spreading the gospel.

Apostle Thomas Didymus [Thomas means twin] lived in Galilee and preached in Parthia, Persia, and India at Marbry near Madras at Mt. Thomas. Thomas was a pessimist and thus the nickname “Doubting Thomas.” He had to touch the wounds that Jesus suffered before he believed He had risen. Afterward, he proclaimed, “My Lord, My God.” Thomas was martyred in India. He was stoned, beaten, and shot with arrows and speared. His symbol is a group of stones, arrows, and spears.

Notes:

Barnabus, a companion to Paul, was from Cypress where Jews burned him to death ca. 100 C. E.

Silas, a companion to Paul, died a natural death in Macedonia 65-100 C. E. At one time he and Paul were imprisoned together where they were freed by a miracle. His symbol shows him carrying chains.

Deacon Stephen was stoned to death. James the son of Zebedee and James, brother of Jesus were also killed.

I am sure there were many more martyrs in the early church.

Barnabus, Titus, Timothy, and Luke traveled with Paul at one time or another. John Mark traveled with Peter, Mark was from Libya, City of Cyrene in Pentapolis; Luke was from Antra, Spain.

Special note:

The Letters of Barnabus can be found on the Internet. www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/barnabas-lightfoot.html The Nag Hammadi Scriptures (Dead Sea Scrolls) have many books and letters of the apostles and disciples and other writings of interest. This information was not placed in the Canon. Following are examples of the content: Gospel of Mary Magdalene, Gospel of Judas Iscariot, Paul’s Letters to the Laodiceans, The Hidden Book of James, The Secret Book of John, Gospel of Phillip, Book of Thomas, The Revelation of Paul, The Revelation of James, Letters of Peter to Phillip, The Secret Book of John, and the Second Revelation of James.

Sources .

Chadwick, Henry (2019). St. John the Apostle

Holman, A. J.(1933). Holy Bible from the Ancient Eastern Text. HarperCollins, NY

Josephus: The Complete Works. (1998). (trans.) Wm. Whiston, A. M. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson

Kelly, B. (2016). How Did the Apostles Die? St. Richmond NH: St. Bernard Center:

Life Application Sudy Bible-NIV. (2005). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers

Nag Hammadi Scriptures. (2007). New York, NY: Harper Collins

New King James Version Study Bible. (2007). Pub. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

St. Gregory of Tours. The Ten Book of History. In Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.(2019)

Chadwick: Polycarp, bishop of Ephesus, claimed John’s grave is in Ephesus. He was a priest and wore the sacerdotal plate and that he also was a teacher, St. Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons claimed John wrote his gospel, letters, and the Revelation at Ephesus. He also claimed John was buried in Ephesus. Chadwick, Henry (2019). St. John the Apostle

Josephus: The Complete Works. (1998). (trans.) Wm. Whiston, A. M. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson

Josephus talks about the Revelation.

June 4, 2019April 18, 2020

Gnosticism, Essenes, and Christianity

“Know what is in front of your face and what is hidden from you will be disclosed to you. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed,” (From the Book of Thomas).

In some Christians’ opinion, they believe that Christianity in its early stages was of one accord; it was united, had one doctrine, and was charismatic. They further think all the people were inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus and that all believed in the same religion. In truth, all that is a myth. The early church was not united and there were many sects of Christianity that believed they were the only true believers. Some were Christians in name only. This is still true today with innumerable Christian Protestant denominations.

In this study, there is a comparison between the most prominent sects aside from the basic Christianity; the Essenes and the Christian Gnostics. With the discovery of the Nag Hammadi Scriptures (NHS) in 1945, a portal was opened to present a fresh view of early Christian communities. Further studies revealed that Christian Gnostics and Christianity were not divergent branches of the same religious tree. Claremont Graduate University professor James M. Robinson translated the Scriptures and learned that Gnostic writers were not the depraved cult described by some church leaders who held personal opinions. [These were the same leaders who discriminated against women and displaced them from church]. Gnosticism was recognized as a legitimate religious movement.

In the 1970s, after translation from Hebrew to Greek, to English, the NHS Codices provided a clear explanation of the diverse and philosophical ideas that found a place in early Christianity; an alternate view of the movement. Most of the NHS are Christian and were widely available in the early church. The contents of our Protestant Bible are only a small selection of Christian writings. Centuries later, various Christian writers used personal opinion as their guide to try to discredit the Gnostic Scriptures. Today, the NHS is a favorite with students of religions.

At the time of the Jesus Movement, the society was influenced by Greek and Roman cultures. The Gnostics were influenced by these cultures as well as by Jew and Christian doctrines. They ascribed to the belief that the universe was composed of two realms. One was present and visible world of matter; the other was spiritual, light, and good. They further believed that within themselves was a spark of divinity and by living a righteous life they could acquire special knowledge and practices to allow them to be free of their bodies and join Jesus in Heaven. Apparently, they believed they were physical matter, but a spiritual being.

A big difference between the Christians and Gnostics was that the Gnostics believed they were the only true believers and the Chosen Ones and that only they could have the special knowledge of the Gospels. Of course, the Christians were not having any of that and declared the Gospels were to be preached to all people – the world.

Christianity has its origins in Judaism and was considered to be a Jewish sect for some time. The separation came after the resurrection of Jesus. Christians lived among other sects such as the Pharisees, Sadducees, Gnostics, and Essenes. There were texts among religious writings of the times describing the ascetic and apocalyptic beliefs of the Essenes. This sect was totally devoted to their faith and embracement of martyrdom. The belief in martyrdom may have influenced this practice in Christian thought. Both shared the belief such as the imminent end of the world and return of Jesus. Furthermore, they held in common the belief that they should live pious and ascetic lives, be separate from cities and secular places. They ascribed to a life of solitary or communal prayer and self-denial. We see this today in convents, monasteries, and communal groups.

Conclusion:

While some of us, including myself, do not totally agree with Gnosticism [Remember there were different sects of Gnostics just as our Protestant churches], there is common ground and this is true of the Essenes to a degree. Christianity, as we know it, was not organized and fully developed at this time either.

A Great decade

During the 1940s, after 2000 prior years, two great biblical discoveries were discovered. In 1945, the Nag Hammadi Scriptures were found buried in a clay jar at the base of the Jabal Cliffs near the Nile River in Egypt. There were13 papyrus codices(bound as books, not scrolls). In all, there were 52 tractates, six were duplicates, and some were in tatters with many Christian writings included. This collection is also known as the NHS Library due to the variety of its contents. In later years, other copies of the NHS were discovered.

In 1947, the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered 30 miles from Jerusalem in a cave at Khirbet Qumran. The importance of this find is that its discovery, after being hidden for 2000 years, the scrolls proved the Old Testament had not been changed. The scrolls did not pertain to the Jesus Movement as this event occurred in New Testament times.

June 11, 2019April 18, 2020

Gentile Conversions

The stoning of Stephen in Jerusalem was the event that triggered the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles. Many of the believers fled for their lives to Antioch in Syria where a large population of Jews was already established. Once there, the refugees established the mother church for the believers (Carson & Moo, 2005, p.238). Antioch is where the first Gentile church was established because the gospel message of Jesus was so well received (Alexander & Alexander, 2009, p. 643). After a controversy over restrictions Jews wanted to place on Gentile converts, Paul removed the two main obstacles that Gentiles faced in converting to Christianity; the circumcising of men and dietary laws. [In Galatians 2, Paul removed these restrictions from non-Jewish converts. He wanted no obstacles in the way of their conversion]. From the Antioch church, Paul’s missionary journeys were commissioned to the world as presented in the Book of Acts which covers 30 years beginning with the birth of the new church at Pentecost until Paul’s imprisonment in Rome (Alexander & Alexander, 2009, p. 643).

Paul’s Missionary Journeys

Paul’s missionary home base was in Antioch, Syria about 300 miles north of Jerusalem. Looking on a map (see insert) one can see the advantage of that location as access to other regions. Antioch was a Christian stronghold and remained so until the Muslim invasion in the seventh century (Niswonger, 1992, p. 206). The founding of the church at Antioch is believed to have taken place circa 32-44 A.D. by church members fearing for their lives following the stoning of Stephen (Niswonger, 1992, p. 208). Believers in Antioch were the first to become known as Christians, given that name by people outside the fellowship of the church (Niswonger, 1992, p. 207). At the time of Paul’s missionary journeys, the Jewish population in the city was about a half million and under Roman rule. Antioch was a commercial center and due to the wealth of the Christians there, they were able to send Paul and Barnabus with supplies to the Jerusalem poor during the famine (Acts 11:29-30), (Niswonger, 1992, p. 206). It was during the trip to Jerusalem that they added John Mark, cousin of Barnabus, to their company. The first missionary journey most likely began around 47-48 A.D. and was commissioned by the Antioch church.

Map of Paul’s missionary journeys courtesy of Ken Anderson.

Paul’s Missionary Journeys Timeline.

Circa 47-48 C. E.,. Paul’s first missionary journey was to Galatia (Acts: 13-14 NIV). The places Paul and Barnabus traveled to were: Selucia, Cyprus (native land of Barnabus), Salamis, Paphos, Attalia, Perga, Antioch of Pisidian, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, and then returned to Antioch of Syria. At Paphos, Paul struck Elymas, a sorcerer, blind because he had interfered with the faith of a new convert, Proconsul Sergius Paulus (Niswonger, 1992, p. 212). John Mark, for reasons not explained, left the journey shortly after the group landed at Perga in Pamphylia which created a rift between the apostles (Niswonger, 1992, p. 210). Paul and Barnabus preached first to the Jews in the synagogues and when the message was rejected, they preached to the Gentiles (Carson & Moo, 2005, p.288). At Lystra, they encountered a problem with the pagans proclaiming they were gods after they healed a lame man and Paul preached to them that they needed to worship the true God. The Jews stirred up a crowd which stoned Paul and left him for dead outside the city (Niswonger, 1992, p. 213).

Paul’s Second Missionary Journey: Greece.

A.D. 50-52.The second missionary journey (Acts 15:36-18:22 NIV) began in Antioch of Syria and from there they traveled through Cyria and Cilicia to Lystra, Phrygia, Galatia, Traos, Philippi in Macedonia, Thessalonica (largest city in Macedonia, Berea, Athens, Corinth (where they stayed for nearly two years, Ephesus, Caesarea, and then returned to Antioch of Syria. Due to the rift over John Mark, the apostles separated for this trip with Paul recruiting Timothy and teaming with Silas to return to Asia Minor; Barnabus took Mark with him to continue ministering in Cyprus (Niswonger, 1992, p. 222). Paul and Silas run into trouble in Philippi when Paul performed an exorcism and landed in jail. Paul fell back on his Roman citizenship and secured his release. They likewise had to flee Thessalonica and Berea and ended in up in Athens for safety (Carson & Moo, 2005, p.288-289). They preached for a time in Athens but not with much success and they moved on to Corinth where they remained for about a year and a half and where he had to defend himself before Gallio, a Roman official. Also at this juncture, they recruited Priscilla and Aquila to help spread the gospel and they in turn enlisted the help of Apollos (Carson & Moo, 2005, p.289). Paul, Silas, and Timothy left for Ephesus where they remained for two and one-half years. Forced to leave by an uprising, Paul left there and made his way to the coast, sailed to Caesarea and then further traveled to the mother church at Antioch, Syria (Acts 18:20-22 NIV).

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey: Return to Asia and Greece.

A.D. 53-58. The third missionary journey (Acts 18:23:21-21:15 NIV) of Paul began in Antioch, Syria through regions of Galatia and Phrygia, Ephesus where he remained for about two years, Macedonia in Greece, Traos where he raised Eutyches from the dead, Assos, Mitylene, Chios, Samos, Miletus, Tyre, Ptolema, Caesarea, and Jerusalem. On his return to Ephesus, Paul learned that the disciples there only knew of John the Baptist’s baptism and he laid hands on them so they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. His book of I Corinthians was written in Ephesus and later wrote 2 Corinthians somewhere else in Macedonia (Niswonger, 1992, p. 233; Acts 19:4-7 NIV). His plans to sail to Syria were changed when he learned of an assassination plot to kill him on board the ship. Instead, he went to Miletus where he met the elders for what they thought would be their last meeting. From there he traveled to Palestine where he received the prophetic message that he if he went to Jerusalem he would be arrested (Niswonger, 1992, p. 238). He was determined to deliver an offering for the church there and was arrested as prophesized, his missionary journey at an end (Acts 21:27 NIV).

Epilogue:

A.D. 60. Paul was arrested in Jerusalem and imprisoned in Caesarea and Rome. However, on the way to Rome, his ship was caught in a storm and drifted to Malta from where Paul eventually made his way to Rome and placed under house arrest (A.D. 60-62). Due to that limitation, he wrote letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon (NIV note on p. 1876). Tradition says that Paul was released and he again traveled about the region spreading the gospel until arrested again during the reign of Nero and beheaded in A.D. 64 (NIV note on p. 1876).

Conclusion:

God, as usual, used a tragic event to bring greater glory to the cause of salvation. Stephen is stoned to death in Jerusalem causing believers to scatter in fear, but taking the gospel with them to share with others; in this case, it was a large Gentile audience who gladly received it. The church born at Pentecost was established in Antioch which then sent apostles on missionary journeys to the world. The missionaries endured hardships and some were martyred but the gospel message was delivered, received and spread throughout the known world.

References

Alexander, P., & Alexander, D. (2009). Zondervan handbook to the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan

Carson, D.A. & Moo, D.J. (2005). An introduction to the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan

Life Application Study Bible –New International Version (NIV). (2005). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers

Niswonger, R.L. (1992). New Testament History. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan

Illustrations: Anderson, K. (n.d.). Apostle Paul’s missionary journeys. Retrieved from http://kenanderson.net/bible/html/apostle_paul.html

June 11, 2019April 18, 2020

Scientific and Christian viewpoints

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 19^th 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 19^th century (Job 38:32 NIV).

Isaiah, in the 8^th century BC, declared the earth was round, discovered in modern times in the 15^th 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 17^th 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).

References

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 (2^nd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic

New King James Version Study Bible (NKJV), (2^nd 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.ph

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, 17(2), 137-154. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=2&sid=4fa2eeb4-28fb-46d3-96f9-a006edcc4842%40.

NASA Missions. (2012 updated). Voyager and Pioneer missions chart. Retrieved from 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.

July 8, 2019April 18, 2020

Star Trek Mimics Real Miraculous Actions of Jesus

“Beam me up, Scotty.” Many of us will recall that famous order by Captain Kirk on the original TV series, Star Trek. The characters in the show often appeared and disappeared at the push of a button. A few years later, a small number of scientists accomplished this “transportation” on a very small scale. I understand that it was too dangerous to continue the experiments. I would think that the Philadelphia experiment might have come to their minds. However, in real life long ago (ca. 30 C.E.), the Son of the Almighty God was popping in and out of places quicker than the blink of an eye; and He metamorphosed into a glorious, radiant being from the inside out. Thus, His inner circle got a glimpse of Jesus’ deity and His connection between Heaven and Earth. Following are accounts of Jesus’ appearances and disappearances and the transfiguration based on the books of the New Testament.

The Metamorphosis: The purpose of the occasion was to further teach a deeper understanding of the deity of Christ and of events to come.

Before Jesus was crucified, He took His inner circle, Peter and brothers James and John, into the country for rest and prayer on a mountainside. At some point, the disciples fell asleep and when they awoke, they saw figure of glorious radiance. His face shone like the sun and His clothes were a brilliant, glowing white. They beheld their Lord as He appeared in His deity. Appearing with Jesus were Moses (law) and Elijah (prophet). The glory of God appeared as a cloud that enveloped them. Peter made an error when he offered to make a booth (tabernacle) for each of them because this placed all three on equal status. To undo the error, God proclaimed from the cloud, ”Listen to Him,” referring to Jesus. The disciples had fallen on their faces in fear and Jesus comforted them as the two Old Testament figures disappeared and Jesus transfigured back into His recognizable body. And then He instructed them to tell no one of their experience. They needed to have this experience to better understand the mission of Jesus and what would soon come.

Appearances and Disappearances

Prior to meeting the two believers on the road to Emmaus, Jesus had suddenly appeared to the two Marys at the tomb and to Peter.

Mark and Luke have similar stories about Jesus and the two men on the road to Emmaus. According to Mark, Jesus appeared to two believers on the road and they did not recognize Him because He had changed his body. Mark pointed out that the men were walking in the wrong direction – away from the believers in Jerusalem; Jesus rebuked them for their lack of Scripture knowledge; and when they recognized Him, they turned back toward Jerusalem. Generally, biblical scholars believe that God did not want Jesus to be recognized right away until the full reality of the bodily resurrection could be better understood.

Luke reported a fuller account of this event; the same account as Mark told about Jesus’ appearance to the two men on the road to Emmaus, but here the accounts differ: Jesus starts a conversation by asking what recent events had occurred in Jerusalem. The men began to tell of a crucifixion three days prior of Jesus, who was a prophet who performed great miracles of healing and was an equally great teacher. However, he died as other prophets. They said that they heard He had risen from the dead, but didn’t believe it. When the group arrived at Emmaus, the men invited Jesus to stay with them and continue their conversation. During the meal, when Jesus broke bread with them, their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. And then Jesus disappeared. According to Mark, the followers returned to the believers in Jerusalem.

Appearance to the Disciples

The disciples gathered behind closed doors in Jerusalem to talk about what they had seen and heard about. Amid all the excitement, Jesus appeared in the room but was not immediately recognized because of the changes due to the resurrection and glorification of His body. In His new body, he was transcendent of all things. When the disciples finally recognized Him, they thought He was a ghost and Jesus ate a piece of broiled fish to prove otherwise. His body was not restored to the state familiar to His disciples as was Lazarus,’ but His crucifixion wounds were visible as a testament to his followers. His body was glorified and immortal and could appear or disappear at His will. Jesus met with His disciples at this time to prove He was resurrected and to further teach them to open their eyes to understand the purpose of His life and death and resurrection. He prepared them to teach and preach to others as His witnesses to the Good News.

Eight days following this meeting, Jesus again appeared to the disciples. This time Thomas was present having missed the first appearance. Jesus appeared to all eleven disciples to dispel any further unbelief concerning His resurrection (Judas was dead). Jesus rebuked their unbelief; He had foretold His death; He had foretold His resurrection; He told them the Old Testament had prophesized all that happened; and that the disciples had no excuse for their unbelief. We all know how Thomas (aka Doubting Thomas) touched a wound on Jesus’ body and declared “My Lord, My God!”

Great Commission

In another post resurrection encounter with His disciples, Jesus gave them the Great Commission. He instructed them to go forth into the world to teach, preach, baptize in His name and as His witnesses. Jesus spent 40 days between His resurrection and assentation during which he appeared to various people.

Ascension

Following a meeting with the His 11 disciples, Jesus led them out of Jerusalem to Bethany on the slopes of Mt. Olives. After speaking to them and promising them the fulfillment of Holy Spirit, and instructing them to wait for it in Jerusalem, He blessed them and then enveloped by a cloud (glory of God), He ascended heavenward until He disappeared.

Epilogue

The power of Jesus is amazing, not only for his metamorphotic powers, healing the sick, and walking on water, but for His love of us and the sacrifice to save us, To God be the Glory.

Sources

Life Application: New Testament Commentary. (2001). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Pub.

Life Application Study Bible NIV (2005). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Pub.

NKJV Study Bible. (2007). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Mark 16: 12-13; 14; 19-20. Luke 24: 13-34; 35-43; 44-49; 50: 53. John 20: 19-23; 21: 1-24; 21: 15-25.