CHAPTER 6

NEW TESTAMENT

During the period of time between the prophets and Jesus' birth, several things happened of which the Bible is particularly silent. However, the prophets did give a broad view of what would happen in the future(God's Prophetic Word). Between 430-332 B.C., the Persian Empire existed(Encyclopedia Britannica). Some of the prophets lived during the beginning of this empire(The Encyclopedia Of Religion And Ethics). Daniel predicted the Persian rule and the other empires that followed in King Nebuchadnezzar's dream(Daniel 2:28). The Greek empire followed from about 336-167 B.C. and then the Jews had a period of freedom and independence until 63 B.C., which was known as the Maccabean or Hasmonean Age(World Book Encyclopedia). Rome then conquered the area about 63 B.C. and continued ruling through the time of Christ and the time of the early church(The Book Of Knowledge). Books written during this period are placed in a group called the Apocrypha(Illustrated Dictionary And Concordance Of The Bible). The Apocrypha was not considered a part of the scriptures until the Catholic church declared them to be in a drastic reaction to the Reformation Period of the late fifteenth and Early Sixteenth centuries[A.D. 1400-1500's](Eerdman's Handbook To The Bible),which is why they are sometimes called the Deutero-Canonical books(The Lion Encyclopedia Of The Bible). But most often the books were called the Apocrypha, which means hidden(Anchor Bible Dictionary). Some examples of the Apocrypha include the book of Baruch, and also the books of First and Second Maccabees(The Catholic Encyclopedia).

During this period of time between both the Old and New Testaments, the Old Testament books were translated into the common[Koinonia] Greek about the year 170 B.C., for King Ptolemy Philadelphus of Alexandria, Egypt(How We Got The Bible). Seventy Scholars worked independently of each other in separate quarters to produce the translation, which is sometimes called the Septuangent or LXX. The copies were found to be without variation, despite the difficulties involved(The Heart Of Hebrew History). For example, Hebrew has no vowels in the written language. Also, it reads from right to left instead of left to right. There are also no spaces between words and no capital letters. Each line matches a column, so the scriptural text might look something like this:

trcdggnnngbhtn

htrhtdnsnvhhtd

for the Bible verse "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth"(Genesis 1:1). Many copies were made, and scholars known as Massoretes made small marks on older scrolls removed from the synagogues to distinguish vowels and word spacing for future reference in translations(The Encyclopedia Of Religion And Ethics). They also made similar marks in their commentaries of the Hebrew Bible. They refused to mark the synagogue scriptures for fear that it would be a sacrilege(The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia). After a scroll was too worn to use anymore, they buried it. The oldest copies of the LXX and the Hebrew Bible, until 1947, were dated about A.D. 900. Between 1947 and 1949, the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in caves west of the Dead Sea(The Meaning Of The Dead Sea Scrolls). These scrolls were dated about 175 B.C.(Understanding The Dead Sea Scrolls), written in both Hebrew and Aramaic, which were of the common languages of the Jewish people, which Jesus taught(The Treasure Of Qumran). When compared to those written 1,000 years later, scholars confirmed "the solidity" of the Old Testament, with so little change over time("The Bible's Last Secrets" U.S. News And World Report). An even older portion of text containing Numbers 6:22-27 was found in Jerusalem in 1979, and dated to 587 B.C., hundreds years older than the Dead Sea Scrolls(Guinness Book Of World Records),showing a "remarkable continuity in the transition of the Bible over Millenniums"("The Bible's Last Secrets"U.S. News And World Report). Other Archeological finds date from the sixth to the ninth century B.C., and older(Archaeology And Old Testament Study). The dates give evidence that the Old Testament was "being copied LONG before the critics had even believed they were even considered to have been written"("Are The Bible Stories True?" Time)! The Old Testament was considered sacred(Encyclopedia Judaica). Some scholars reluctantly state that "its certainly not made up"(Biblical Archaeology Review). Jesus and the Apostles quoted extensively from it(The Divine Demonstration: A Textbook Of Christian Evidence).

In addition, Samaritan documents, which only follow the Law[Pentateuch] and not the prophets, are dated back to the fall of Samaria[c. 700 B.C.]and closely match the Hebrew book of Law(Bible Reference Library).

Eight men wrote the New Testament, covering a period of about fifty to sixty years, from roughly A.D. 50 to 100(The Compact Survey Of The Bible). The writers wrote the twenty-seven books in Greek, the universal language of the time. Practically everyone spoke Greek, the official language of the Roman Empire(Compton's Encyclopedia). The New Testament is separated into five General Classes: the four Gospels["Good News"] of Jesus(Matthew through John), the book of History(Acts of the Apostles), Paul's fourteen Letters[also known as the Epistles](Romans through Hebrews), the seven General Epistles/Letters(James through Jude), and finally ending with the Book of Prophesy(Revelation).

THE GOSPELS

The Gospels were written to show the life of Christ. They were written in a "Synoptic" form meaning "seen together" because they let us see Jesus from a similar point of view by several different witnesses(Bible Handbook- A Guide For Basic Bible Learning). Most historians agree that Jesus of Nazareth was a very real and historic person(Jesus: The Evidence). Official Government records and letters concerning Jesus still exist. Celsus records the infants killed in Bethlehem(The Gospel Of History), under Herod's orders(Matthew 2:16). There are records from Herod the Great, revealing his paranoia, which led to murdering of his family, his wife and three sons(The Life And Works Of Flavius Josephus). There are records about Pilate, including his eventual banishment to Gaul in A.D. 36 for his lack of leadership(The Meaning Of The Dead Sea Scrolls), and of Caesar Augustus. Historians of the time of Christ include Suetonius, Mana-Bar-Senopion, Tacitus, Philo, Eusebius, and Josephus(Encyclopedia Britannica). Pliny, the Governor of Bithynia, recorded Jesus of Nazareth as an actual person(Jesus:The Evidence), as well as Tatian of Alexandria(The Old Testament And Christian Faith). Jewish and Roman documents dated from the Second to the Fourth Centuries A.D. record the life of Christ and actually ADMIT to Jesus' miracles, but say that he used magic arts learned in Egypt, or used secret information stolen from the temple(The Divine Demonstration: A Textbook of Christian Evidence). Thallus, around 52 A.D., admitted to the darkness(Mark 15:33) during Jesus' crucifixion(The Case For Historic Christianity). Josephus mentions the Resurrection(The Gospel Of History). Some of these historians then as well as modern historians disagree with the Bible's view that Jesus was, and still is, the Son of God(John 1:1-14; 8:58; Hebrews 13:8). Many doubt the miracle of his virgin birth (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke-1:27-2:17), his miracles [35 are mentioned in particular in the Gospels-ie; changing water to wine-(John 2:1-12), and in particular of his resurrection(Matthew 28:1-7; Mark 16:1-6; Luke 24:1-8; John 20:1-9)]. Outside of that, they consider him as important a person as Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, or even Napoleon(Isaac Asimov's Commentary Of the Bible). For instance, the Talmud's[the Jewish Bible] commentaries, called Gemaras, mention Jesus(The Case For Historic Christianity). Historians document Jesus' birth in about 4 B.C., his preaching about A.D. 27, his meeting Pontius Pilate, Peter's denial(Jesus: A Life), his death on a cross about A.D. 30(Jesus: The Evidence), as well as His disappearance(Theology Of The New Testament). Many stories were spread about the life and times of Jesus(Luke 1:1), many of them false(Mark 14:56-59), in attempting to discredit him and his followers("The Gospel Truth?"Time). But early christians recognized the Four Gospels as Truth, in which evidence dated from A.D. 200 confirms this as fact(The Lion Encyclopedia Of The Bible). Certain Radical scholars have declared that "Christ and his apostles spoke within the context of First century culture, so it is not relevant today,"("Is God's Word Obsolete?" The Better Way), in order for them to live the life they want to live(Matthew 7:20), rather than following what the Bible says(John 14:15). These views have been called by serious Bible scholars as "Theological double-talk"(The Case For Historical Christianity). Skeptics used to say that the prophesies were written AFTER Jesus lived, around the Middle Ages, until the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other materials dated to before 100 B.C., over a century BEFORE Jesus was even Born(Jesus And The Riddle Of The Dead Sea Scrolls)! Even today, skeptics try to denounce Jesus, calling Him a Homosexual("Was Jesus A 'Drag Queen'?" Flashpoint). They call Mary, the mother of Jesus, a "sexually questionable woman", and brag of most people's lack of knowledge of the Bible("The Gospel Truth?"Time), allowing them to make their own "scholarly" conclusions("Is God's Word Obsolete?" The Better Way). One way they decided on how the "real" Jesus lived, was to vote by dropping colored beads into a bucket. The most beads of a certain color decided the "historical accuracy" of events in the Bible("The Gospel Truth?"Time).

The Gospels["Good News"](Anchor Bible Dictionary) were written to show and prove that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God(Mark 1:1), so that the readers would then believe in him and be baptized into him in the hope of eternal life(Mark 16:15,16; John 20:30,31; Romans 6:3-5; Titus 3:7). The Gospels show the Old Testament's fulfillment of prophecy(Luke 24:44-49), from Jesus' birth(Micah 5:2), his death (Isaiah 53), and his resurrection(Psalms 16:10). It has been calculated that the odds of all the prophesies[333](All About The Bible) to be fulfilled randomly by all those involved in the Birth, Life, Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus are greater than one in 10¹⁵⁷th power(The Bible: The Inspired Book). Jesus often called himself the son of man(Daniel 7:13; Matthew 9:6; Mark 14:21; Luke 19:10; John 1:51). The Gospels warned of the dangers of not believing in Christ, like the prophet's warnings to the people(Ezekiel 3:17-21). The writers of the Gospels[Good News/Truth] also warn against false teachers(Matthew 7:15; 24:11,24).

MATTHEW- Written by the Apostle Matthew(Eerdman's Handbook To The Bible). It was believed to have been written in Antioch(The Four Gospels:A Study Of Origins). He was a tax collector(Matthew 9:9-13; 10:2-4; Mark 2:14-17; 3:18; Luke 5:27-37; 6:15; Acts 1:13) before Jesus called him to be an Apostle(Halley's Bible Handbook). He was in the service of King Herod Antipas near Capernaum. His duty was to levy taxes on merchandise carried over the Damascus-Acre road, and to tax fishing and other industries in the area(Interpreter's Bible). He was also known as Levi, leading some scholars to believe that he might have been a Levite, although most believe it was to separate himself from his Publican past(Butler's Lives Of The Saints). Many scholars believe it was written about A.D. 70, to the Jewish people. Some scholars however, argue that it was written about A.D. 60, thinking that Mark copied from him, while others believe Matthew copied from Mark, and so it might have been written about A.D. 80. These scholars argue that the dating of the earliest piece of the gospel found[A.D.66]is wrong(The Search For Jesus). What matters is that God guided Matthew to write the Gospel. Matthew shows Jesus' descending from both Abraham and King David within Joseph's line(Matthew 1:117). The Gospel according to Matthew shows Jesus the Teacher condemning the hypocritical lawyers and Pharisees(Matthew 6:5; 21:28-32,43-46). Matthew taught heavily on the spiritual rather than a physical Kingdom of Heaven(Matthew 25:1-13,31-46). Matthew traveled and preached to such areas as Syria, and Persia(The New Catholic Encyclopedia). Tradition states that he was martyred by the Anthropophagi cannibals(Interpreter's Bible). They tried unsuccessfully to burn him, then killed him with a spear(The Catholic Encyclopedia).

MARK- Written by John[Jewish] Mark or Marcus[Latin], (First Peter 5:13), a cousin of Barnabas(Colossians 4:10). His mother lived in Jerusalem(Acts 12:12). He was a Levite(Acts 4:36). The book was written to the Romans (Clarke's Commentary), about A.D. 65-68, in Rome, and covered the actions of the Christ[Greek for Messiah](Anchor Bible Dictionary), like Christ's miracles, rather than all His teachings. A piece of the Gospel of Mark was found, dated to about A.D. 68("Eyewitnesses To Jesus?"Time). Experts think that John Mark knew Jesus, and ran away during Jesus' arrest(Mark 14:51,52). Scholars believe Peter converted him because of the way Peter wrote about him(First Peter 5:13). He went with Paul and Barnabas on the first Missionary Journey(Acts 12:25) about A.D. 50, but halfway went back, upsetting Paul(Acts 13:13). Later, Paul and Barnabas argued, and Barnabas gave John Mark a second chance(Acts 15:36-39). Later when Mark proved himself, Paul changed his mind, and thought highly of Mark.(Colossians 4:10; Philemon 24; Second Timothy 4:11). Paul wanted to see John Mark again in Paul's final days at about the year A.D. 67 (Eerdman's Handbook To The Bible). Mark then traveled to Alexandria, spreading the Gospel, where he was martyred by being dragged through the streets by horses until he died(Butler's Lives Of The Saints).

LUKE- Written by Luke who was a doctor(Colossians 4:14), and describes various diseases in the book(Luke 8:43-48).It was written in Corinth(The Four Gospels: A Study Of Origins), generally to the Greeks, specifically to Theophilus(Luke 1:3). Some argue that because Theophilus means "Lover of God"(Anchor Bible Dictionary), that it was a general letter to the Greeks who believed(Isaac Asimov's Commentary On The Bible), but most agree that Theophilus was a genuine person(Eerdman's Handbook To The Bible). Skeptics argue about when the governor of Syria(Luke 2:2) ruled(Jesus: A Life), but prominent scholars agree that Quirinius[Cyrenius in KJV] was governor of Syria 6-4 B.C., then as proconsul of Asia 3-2 B.C. before becoming governor a second time after Jesus' birth, and historians have evidence of the census as well(Everyone In The Bible). Luke shows through the Mary's line(Luke 3:23-38) that Jesus fulfilled prophesy concerning Eve and the serpent(Genesis 3:15). Luke was not an eyewitness(Luke 1:2) but recorded carefully(1:3) the evidence given by the eyewitnesses(1:2) that he knew. Luke also stresses the roles of women, such as Mary, and Elizabeth(Bible Handbook- A Guide For Basic Bible Learning). Luke was written about A.D. 60-63, in Rome(Halley's Bible Handbook). A piece of Luke's Gospel has been found, with conflicting dates of somewhere in the first-century[63-90 A.D.]("Eyewitnesses To Jesus?"Time). Luke worked with Mark(Colossians 4:10,14; Philemon 24; Second Timothy 4:11). He wrote of the kindness and compassion of Jesus(Luke 7:12-16,22). He shows Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ(Luke 7:19-23), and the blessings of salvation in following Him(Luke 12:9,10,37-40). Luke was believed to have been crucified at Elea in Pelaponesus about A.D. 70(Butler's Lives Of The Saints). History now shows the two taxings recorded when Cyrenius was Governor of Syria(Luke 2:2) to be correct, long maintained by critics that it could not have occurred(The Divine Demonstration: A Textbook Of Christian Evidence).

JOHN- Written by the Apostle John, from around the city of Ephesus(Haley's Bible Handbook). Most Scholars agree that it was written about A.D. 90, although some scholars argue that it might have been around A.D. 60(The Lion Encyclopedia Of The Bible). A piece of the Gospel of John has been found and dated to be between 100-120 A.D.(The Search For Jesus). John, like his brother James, was a fisherman(Mark 1:16-20). Scholars believe their father to have been Zebedee(Matthew 4:21), and their mother to have been Salome(Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40), a sister of Mary(Clarke's Commentary), the mother of Jesus(John 19:25). This would have made John cousins with both Jesus and John the Baptist, of whom he was a follower(John 1:35,40), until the Lord Jesus called him(John 1:35-51; 2:2,11). He had a home in Jerusalem(John 19:27), and was also an acquaintance of the High Priest Caiaphas(John 18:13,15,16,28). He was known as the one whom that Jesus loved(John 13:23; 20:2; 21:20,24). John and his brother James were nicknamed the sons of Thunder[BOANERGES] (Mark 3:17), possibly hinting at their temper and/or zeal(Mark 9:38; Luke 9:54). John raced and beat Peter to the tomb of Jesus(John 20:2-5). The Apostle John also wrote the books of First, Second, and Third John, as well as the book of Revelation(Eerdman's Handbook To The Bible). Some Scholars think he was an Elder of the Church in Ephesus, where he stayed most of his later life, because he calls himself "The Elder"(Second John 1, Third John 1). If so, he would have been married(First Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6). The Book of John contains the shortest verse in the Bible, "Jesus wept"(John 11:35).(Guinness Book Of World Records)

Historians have dated several major events during the life of Christ, which is written in the Bible and is also supported by both historical and archaeological evidence(Jesus: The Evidence). Here is a brief History of events that occurred during the Life of Christ and the approximate dates:

1) The Birth of Jesus[4 B.C.]

2) Went to the temple at age 12[A.D. 9]

3) Caiaphas becomes High Priest[A.D. 18]

4) Pontius Pilate arrives in Judea[A.D. 26]

5) John [the Baptist] begins his ministry[A.D. 26]

6) Jesus is Baptized, and starts his ministry[A.D. 27]

7) 12 Apostles chosen, Sermon on the Mount, and his Rise in

Popularity[A.D. 28]

8) Herod kills John[the Baptist], growing opposition by Jewish

leaders against Jesus' ministry[A.D. 29]

9) Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem, his arrest,

his trial, death by crucifixion, of his burial, and the

disappearance of his body[A.D. 30]

Some wonder why the date of 4 B.C. is given as the birth of Christ. Around A.D. 526, a monk named Dionysius Exiguus calculated that Jesus was born in A.U.C. 754, which is Latin for the Year of Rome(Peloubet's Bible Dictionary). However, in the late 1700's and early 1800's, it was discovered that the monk had made an error of 4 years. Later, it was discovered that in April of A.U.C. 750, King Herod died. So, the date for Jesus' birth was moved to 4 B.C.

Worldly scholars disagree with Christian scholars concerning the miracles of Jesus, including the miracle of his Resurrection. Rather than accept the Resurrection, they give many different types of speculations, from robbers(The Case For Historic Christianity), to UFO's(The Bible And Flying Saucers). They say that "the Jesus of History and the Christ of Faith are two separate beings, with very different stories", and claim the Bible is full of myths(Jesus: A Life). In thinking that Jesus faked his death, critics ignore the efficiency of Roman soldiers(Roman Society And Roman Law In The New Testament), and the evidence from the Gospels that even the medical profession can agree with(The Crucifixion Of Jesus). Some say that Jesus' followers took his body(Matthew 28:11-15), ignoring the evidence showing how the disciples couldn't have done so(Thy Word Is Truth). Some scholars state that the gentile christians, about A.D. 300, "busily set to work destroying or altering any evidence which might conflict with the Orthodox view of Jesus", ignoring the evidence(Jesus: A Life). In considering the evidence of early manuscripts(Redating The New Testament) these same scholars admit that "the New Testament could well be closer in time to Jesus than was supposed"(Jesus: A Life). Will Durant writes "that a few simple men should in one generation have invented so powerful and appealing a personality, so lofty an ethic and so inspiring vision of human brotherhood, would be a miracle far more incredible than any recorded in the Gospels"(Caesar And Christ). It does not matter if man does not believe, because if God says it is true, then it is true(Why We Believe The Bible).

Questions

1. The Old Testament was translated into what language in 170

B.C.?

2. What problems did the scholars have in translating from

Hebrew to Greek?

3. What are the oldest copies of the Old Testament?

4. The Gospels were written concerning what person?

5. Do historians agree that Jesus actually lived?

6. Who wrote the book of Matthew?

7. Who wrote the book of Mark?

8. Who wrote the book of Luke?

9. Who wrote the book of John?

10. Why should we study the Gospels?

11. Why do we need to study the Old Testament prophets

concerning the Gospels?

12. How does the Bible prove itself as the Word of God?