33 Defenses for the Resurrection of Jesus

First shared at BellatorChristi.com.

By: Brian G. Chilton, M.Div., Ph.D. | March 29, 2024

I told someone recently that Easter (aka., “Resurrection Sunday”) is my favorite holiday. It holds a greater prominence for the child of God than even Christmas. Up until the commercialization of Christmas, Easter was the central holiday for the Christian. One of my good friends recently stated that her pastor called Easter the “Super Bowl for Christianity,” and for good reason. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

However, are there good reasons for believing that Jesus of Nazareth literally arose from the dead on that first Resurrection Sunday? The historicity of the resurrection and the Gospels were a major sticking point for me in my time of doubt. If the resurrection was only wishful thinking, then believers have no genuine hope for their eternity. Yet if the resurrection is true and did occur, then the believer has a hope that nothing else could afford. But do we know that it did happen?

In my book The Layman’s Manual on Christian Apologetics, I used an acronym to lay out the core fundamental evidence for the resurrection. However, my doctoral studies revealed even deeper reasons to accept the resurrection of Christ as a real event of history. Using the acronym RISEN as a launch pad, we will consider 33 defenses for the resurrection of Jesus. For those who are unfamiliar with Layman’s Manual on Christian Apologetics, the RISEN acronym stands for the following:

Records of Jesus’s resurrection,

Irritating details about the resurrection that show its truthfulness,

Sightings of the risen Jesus,

Early testimony about the risen Jesus,

and the disciples’ Newfound faith.[1]

Records of Jesus’s Crucifixion and Resurrection

Jesus’s resurrection maintains a high level of credibility when considering the early records that speak of this event. For this section, five groups of independent sources will serve as the first five defenses for the resurrection.

(1) Five Independent Testimonies in the Gospels.

Now, you likely read the above statement and asked yourself, “Five independent sources in the Gospels? How can there be five independent sources when there are only four Gospels? Within the four Gospels, scholars recognize five independent sources behind the texts.

1) Q, the initial for the German word quelle, meaning source, contains the independent sources shared by the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke. Scholars maintain that Q may be among the earliest source material in the Gospels.

2) The pre-Markan material makes up the second independent source, and it could very well date to the 30s.

3) The source material marked “M” represents the material that is exclusive to Matthew’s Gospel.

4) The “L” material is source material that is only found in the Gospel of Luke.

And, finally, 5) there is the independent source material found in John’s Gospel. The Markan material briefly describes the resurrection of Jesus. Q may not explicitly reference the resurrection, but it does contain material where Jesus alludes to, if not boldly predict his resurrection. Additionally, M, L, and John’s material all speak of the resurrection of Jesus, even noting the risen appearances of Jesus. Altogether, these five sources alone offer a strong case for the resurrection of Jesus.

(2) Independent Testimonies in the Epistles

Like the Gospels, we must consider the individual epistles as singular documents of history. Paul discusses the resurrection of Jesus thoroughly in 1 Corinthians 15. James the brother of Jesus does not specifically discuss the resurrection. However, he does call Jesus by the title “Lord,” indicating that he identified him with divinity. Only the resurrection could have convinced James of this association. Peter wrote two epistles. In those documents, he refers to Christ as the cornerstone (1 Pet. 2:6) and alludes to the resurrection with his teachings of God raising up those who had suffered. Likewise, John wrote three letters and identified Jesus with the Logos (wisdom) of God—a tremendously high theology that flowed from an understanding of the risen Jesus.

(3) Extra-biblical Christian Testimonies about the Resurrection.

Outside of the biblical texts, numerous Christian authors of the first and second-century, along with subsequent generations mentioned the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus This present exercise will not permit us to list all of them at this time. However, among the more prominent writers include Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Irenaeus, Polycarp, and Justin Martyr.

(4) Extra-biblical Roman Testimonies about the Resurrection.

Early Roman historians make mention of Jesus of Nazareth and the early Christian’s belief that Jesus had appeared to them alive on the third day after Jesus’s crucifixion. These historians include Tacitus (AD 55–120), Josephus (c. AD 37–97), Suetonius (AD 69–122), Thallus (c. AD 52) mentioned the darkness that surrounded the region and tried to rationalize it, Pliny the Younger (late first-century through early second-century), and Pliny’s letters to both Emperor Trajan and Emperor Hadrian about how they were to deal with the Christian movement, especially seeing that they refused to worship the gods of the Roman pantheon.

(5) Extra-biblical Jewish Testimonies about the Resurrection.

Additionally, it may surprise some to find that early Jewish rabbis included comments about Jesus in the Jewish Talmud, although their comments were not that flattering. Many referred to Jesus as a sorcerer (speaking to Jesus’s miracles), a deceiver (speaking of the resurrection), and a bastard (speaking to the Virgin Birth). Certainly, their portrayal of Jesus was not that kind.

Irritating Details

We now move on to the second letter of our RISEN acronym, which is the “I” that indicates irritating details of the resurrection that would be embarrassing for the early Christians to proclaim. For our present venture, these irritating details also speak to details surrounding the resurrection that skeptics may have a difficult time explaining.

(6) The Testimony of Women as the First Eyewitnesses.

Nearly every record of the resurrection begins with the testimony of women. Living in an egalitarian society as we do in the United States, many may look over this truth as inconsequential. However, it is far from that. The testimony of women did not enjoy the same strength as a man’s. Therefore, if a woman testified to seeing something as phenomenal as the resurrection, her report may not be taken seriously. Yet it was the faithful women of Jesus’s troupe that first saw Jesus risen from the dead and encounter the empty tomb. Even the disciples scoffed at this notion at first. The early church would simply not invent this detail if it were not true.

(7) Joseph of Arimathea Offering the Burial for Jesus.

Another embarrassing detail for the church was that they could not offer Jesus a proper burial. In fact, a member of the very Sanhedrin that condemned Jesus, named Joseph of Arimathea, offered the family and friends of Jesus his newly cut tomb to inter the body of Jesus. According to the tradition of the day, families would leave a body wrapped in cloth for a year. After a year, the body decayed in the dry, arid climate of Israel. The family then took the cloth and poured the bones into a family burial box called an ossuary. The early church would not have shown and exposed Joseph of Arimathea as the caregiver of Jesus if it were not in fact true.

(8) The Testimony of the Resurrection Beginning in Jerusalem.

Skeptics like to infer that the resurrection is a later invention of the church. Yet another detail that is irritating for the skeptic is that the report of the resurrection flowed out of Jerusalem, Israel in AD 33. If a person did not believe the report of the empty tomb, all one had to do was to travel to the tomb and see for themselves. Jerusalem was ground zero for the resurrection event.

(9) The Fact That No One Expected a Resurrection Before the End of Time.

Another irritating detail for the skeptic is yet another detail that is often overlooked. Many skeptics posit that the early church presented Jesus as the risen Son of God to fulfill some expectations they had for the Messiah. However, data suggests that the early church would not have done such a thing because they never expected the Messiah to rise from the dead in the first place!!! The understanding of the resurrection according to the Pharisees and Essenes was that the dead would rise at the end of time, not three days after the Messiah’s death. The messianic anticipation was that the Messiah would lead a revolt like Judas Maccabeus did to redeem the people from Roman rule and usher in the end of days. That did not happen. Their idea of a resurrection did not match the resurrection of Jesus.

(10) The Understanding that a Man Hung on a Tree Was Accursed.

Deuteronomy 21:22-23 states that anyone who is hung upon a tree is cursed. As such, Jewish believers would have scoffed at the idea that their hero would have been nailed to a tree. Seeing that they did not have an understanding of a resurrection in the here and now, the idea of a crucified Messiah makes no sense unless it was accompanied by a resurrection. Early followers of Jesus would have abandoned him as an accursed man unless they had reasons to believe that he had overcome death itself. The resurrection was the answer.

(11) The Crucifixion Nail.

Archaeologists discovered a portion of a heel bone that dated to a first-century crucified man named Yehohannon. Most interestingly, the heel bone contained a nail that was bent around a piece of olive wood. The nail is one of the first physical examples of the crucifixion. It also shows the brutality of the practice, which highly dismisses any idea that a person could have merely passed out on the cross and reawakened in a normal state after spending three days in a tomb. Additionally, another example of a crucified ankle was found a few years ago in northern Italy.

(12) The Nazareth Decree.

Archaeologists also discovered another artifact of great interest. It is a decree offered by the emperor. Scholars typically agree that it was decreed by Claudius between AD 41–54.[2] The decree states the following:

“It is my decision [concerning] graves and tombs—whoever has made them for the religious observances of parents, or children, or household members—that these remain undisturbed forever. But if anyone legally charges that another person has destroyed, or has in any manner extracted those who have been buried, or has moved with wicked intent those who have been buried to other places, committing a crime against them, or has moved sepulcher-sealing stones, against such a person, I order that a judicial tribunal be created, just as [is done] concerning the gods in human religious observances, even more so will it be obligatory to treat with honor those who have been entombed. You are absolutely not to allow anyone to move [those who have been entombed]. But if [someone does], I wish that [violator] to suffer capital punishment under the title of tomb-breaker.”

The decree reveals that the news of Jesus’s resurrection likely reached the ears of the emperor at least by the 40s. The decree was posted in Nazareth, Jesus’s hometown. Coincidence? I think not.

(13) The Ossuary of James.

The thirteenth defense isn’t as strong as others on this list, but it is still worth mentioning. A few years ago, archaeologists discovered an ossuary (i.e., a burial box) that contained the remains of a man named Joseph who was identified as the brother of Jesus. The ossuary dates to the first-century, leading many to deduce that the ossuary contained the bones of James the brother of Jesus. While the ossuary of James does not necessarily prove the resurrection, it does show that the burial practices presented in the Gospels match those of the times. If the burial box is legitimate and is connected to the holy family, then it does show that James’s identity was tied to being a brother of Jesus just as James was identified in the biblical narratives.

(14) The Shroud of Turin.

Space will not allow us to give all the reasons to believe that the Shroud of Turin is legitimate. However, we can say that new data more strongly than ever suggests that the Shroud is the authentic burial cloth of Jesus. For those who are unaware of the cloth, the Shroud of Turin is a herringbone cloth that contains a faint, hair-length image of a crucified man that matches the same kind of crucifixion that Jesus experienced. Recent data suggests that a similar image can be made if a cloth is exposed to high doses of X-ray radiation. For the image on the cloth to be made, it would require that a high dose of light radiation luminated from the body and that the body dematerialized, leading to the cloth collapsing on itself. These details match what one would expect with a resurrection event.

Sightings of the Risen Jesus

The biblical texts record numerous records of those who saw Jesus alive. The resurrected appearances of Jesus were a very public affair. This makes it even more difficult to dismiss.

(15) 500 Eyewitnesses of the Risen Jesus.

In the NT Creed of 1 Corinthians 15:3–9, 500 people were listed as eyewitnesses who saw the risen Jesus at the same time. Often, women were not included in public lists. If this continued with the early church, then only men were counted in this number. This would mean that possibly over 1,000 people saw the risen Jesus at the same moment in time.

(16) Women at the Tomb.

As previously noted, the female disciples of Jesus were the first to see him alive after he had risen from the dead. They are universally listed as the first eyewitnesses of the risen Jesus in all the Gospel narratives.

(17) Twelve Disciples.

After the betrayal of Judas and his suicide, the church replaced Judas with Matthias. Nonetheless, these disciples are either called the Twelve, or the Eleven in the resurrection reports due to their diminished number (Matt. 28:16; Lk. 24:9, 33). The grouping of the disciples into a singular number was done earlier in church history rather than later. Usages of “the Eleven” or “the Twelve” denote an earlier timeframe.

(18) Sighting Reported by James

James the brother of Jesus is listed in the report of eyewitnesses in 1 Corinthians 15. He was not a believer in Jesus prior to the resurrection. Yet he is later identified as a follower and the first pastor of the Church of Jerusalem.

(19) Family of Jesus.

Mary and the family of Jesus are also listed among the list of those who witnessed the risen Jesus. The brothers and sisters of Jesus became believers after the resurrection, indicating that something big happened between the crucifixion and the advent of the church.

(20) Sighting Reported by Paul.

Paul was an enemy of the church and even persecuted early church members. However, Paul became a believer and an early apostle of the church after seeing the risen Jesus on the road of Damascus.

Early Testimony

Skeptics often claim that the resurrection of Jesus was a later invention of the church. However, data strongly suggests that the message of the resurrection was proclaimed early in the life of the church. The report emerged at the creation of the church. The church flowed out from the belief that Jesus had literally risen from the dead.

(21) NT Creeds.

NT creeds are early confessions, statements of belief, hymns, and other formulations that flowed out of the early church and were recorded throughout the NT epistles. NT creeds are found in 1 and 2 Corinthians, Romans, Colossians, Philippians, Ephesians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, and various other documents. Some are even found in the Gospels and the book of Revelation. Among these formulations, one of the most important and most agreed upon creeds is found in 1 Corinthians 15:3–9. The 1 Corinthians 15 creed lays out the fundamentals of the resurrection while also speaking of those who had encountered the risen Jesus. The creeds are strewn about the NT and date to no more than 5 years after the resurrection, with the 1 Corinthians 15 creed dating to within months of the resurrection itself.

(22) Oral Traditions of the Gospels.

The early church was founded in what was a largely oral culture. While I do believe that Jewish men had a higher literacy rate than the common Greco-Roman world at that time, the cost to publish materials was quite expensive. Dr. Craig Keener suggests that the publication of the Gospel of Mark or the book of Romans could have equivocated to something around $2,000 to $3,000 in modern currency—twenty denarii in ancient currency.[3] A project like that would require group funding. Nonetheless, most material was passed along orally.

Now before you object, know that it has been shown that cultures can pass along volumes of information from one generation to another without changing any major detail. The Talmud is an example of that process. Even still, oral traditions, like the NT creeds, have certain traits that can be detected. Through my research, I discovered that the Gospel of Matthew contains many of these traits, especially with the teachings of Jesus. While I have not researched the resurrection traditions—but plan to do so—I did find that the statements referencing the resurrection itself found a strong root in early oral traditions. Thus, the statements referencing the resurrection arose prior to the writing of the book. The Matthean Great Commission statement offered by the risen Jesus holds all the traits of an NT creed, thus indicating its early nature.

(23) Sermon Summaries in Acts.

Oral traditions are not only found within the Gospels, they are also found in the sermon summaries of Paul and Peter in the book of Acts. Among these summaries include Paul and Peter’s proclamation that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead. The early nature of some of these proclamations places them in the 30s and 40s.

(24) Use of the Title “Lord” with Jesus.

NT scholar Richard Bauckham deduced that the “earliest Christology was the highest Christology.” By that, he meant that the early Christian movement held a high theological view of Jesus, equivocating him with the Father in some sense. This is evident with the thorough usage of the title “kurios,”—a Greek term meaning “Lord.” Gary Habermas has implied that this is one of the clearest examples that early Christians held Jesus to be in some part divine.

The title “Lord Jesus Christ” is often associated with the resurrection stories, including Thomas’s awe-struck response “My Lord and my God” when seeing the risen Jesus for himself. This title would not have been applied to one who was only crucified, seeing a person hung from a tree was believed to have been accursed. Something to the effect of a resurrection would have been necessary to show the divine nature of Jesus. In other words, a crucified man alone would never be elevated to the status of “Lord.”

(25) The Exclusive Use of “Son of Man” in the Gospels and Its Association with the Resurrection.

Jesus almost exclusively uses the title “Son of man” inflexively about himself. The title is only used four times outside of the Gospels—once by Stephen the first martyr as he was being killed (Acts 7:56), a quotation of Ezekiel in Hebrews 2:6, and two references in the book of Revelation (Rev. 1:13; 14:14), both connecting Jesus to the Son of Man character in Daniel 7:13–14. In the Gospels, however, Jesus uses the title for himself 14 times in Mark, 10 times in Q, 7 times exclusively in Matthew, 7 times exclusively in Luke, and 13 times in John. Altogether, Jesus uses the title 51 times.[4]

Contrary to popular belief, the title does not refer to the humanity of Jesus. Rather, it speaks of a divine being who takes on a humanlike form as he approaches the Ancient of Days in Daniel 7:13–14. Furthermore, the title is connected to the idea that Jesus would rise from the dead (Lk. 11:30) and ascend to the right hand of his Father (Mk. 14:62). The title is so strongly connected with the teachings of Jesus that NT scholar Joachim Jeremias commented, “…the apocalyptic Son of Man sayings which we have recognized as the earliest stratum must in essentials go back to Jesus himself.”[5]

(26) Early Stratum in the Resurrection Record.

While many aspects of the resurrection report in the four Gospels may seem a bit confusing, a good chronology of events can be placed together. Nonetheless, there is a common stratum within all reports of the resurrection events that glues them together. The similarities between the reports include the puzzling and mysterious nature of the events, the eyes of people are opened to the identity of Jesus, beams of heavenly light sometimes accompany the divine presence, along with the mysterious appearance and disappearance of Jesus at will. Jeremias calls this stratum a chiaroscuro—a contrast between light and dark.[6] Additionally, these reports include Aramaisms, such as Mary Magdalene calling Jesus “rabboni” (Jn. 20:16) and the potential inclusion of Jesus’s historical name (“Jesus of Nazareth”) (Mk. 16:6).

(27) Early Belief that the Tomb was Empty.

In his magnum opus, Gary Habermas notes that around 75% of scholars maintain the historicity of the empty tomb, still clearly accepted by a vast majority of critical scholars.[7] Even still, a good deal of evidence suggests that the church proclaimed an empty tomb very early in its history. The empty tomb appears in three of the four Gospels.[8] Additionally, the acknowledgment of the empty tomb appears in one of the sermon summaries in Acts, which could quite well be an NT creed.

Paul states, “When they had carried out all that had been written about him, they took him down from the tree and put him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and he appeared for many days to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people” (Acts 13:29–30, CSB). The sermon summaries in Acts are extremely early. Even if the summaries date to the 40s, we have very early testimony of an empty tomb. NT scholar James D. G. Dunn attests, “The story of the empty tomb was probably being told in Jerusalem shortly after the event.”[9]

(28) Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Speaking of the empty tomb, this brings us to defense #28. Protestants often claim that the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem was the likely place of Jesus’s burial. But this simply cannot be true. The tomb is too old to have belonged to Joseph of Arimathea. Furthermore, it holds no historical grounding, contains no features of a first-century tomb, and was likely created in the 7th century BC. Remember that the tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea was newly cut (Lk. 23:53). Though the Garden Tomb does not match, the same cannot be said of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Due to repair work, the stone slab covering the tomb had to be removed temporarily. Underneath, researchers found remnants of an earlier tomb, labeled with a cross amid first-century limestone. The tomb was said to have been discovered by Helena, the mother of Constantine, once Christianity became a legal religion in Rome. Local Christians had been worshiping at the tomb for centuries as they acknowledged that the tomb belonged to Jesus. Earlier Roman authorities placed a statue of Venus to desecrate the site. However, this act did not deter the Christians from their worship activities. Later, the tomb was cut out and a cathedral was built around it. Archaeologist Ted Wright once said that he was 98% certain that the tomb was the authentic burial site of Jesus.[10]

Newfound Faith

The last letter of our acronym denotes the newfound faith of the early believers. Picture yourself as one of the early disciples. You invested yourself fully in the cause of Jesus. Despite your good intentions and wholehearted investment, your beloved leader dies on a Roman cross. Everything you worked for is now lost. Quite honestly, most of the disciples probably thought about going back to their chosen occupation before following Jesus. However, due to the resurrection, they embraced a newfound truth that they had not expected nor anticipated. Jesus defeated death and ushered in a new mode of existence. Light replaced dark, life overcame death, and the goodness of God triumphed over the powers of evil.

(29) The Transformation of Paul.

The transformation of Paul was quite baffling. Paul had been a persecutor of the church. Yet after seeing the risen Jesus, he not only accepted the tenets of Christianity, but he was one of the hardest-working Christian evangelists of all time.

(30) The Transformation of James.

None of the family members of Jesus, outside of Mary the mother of Jesus, believed him to be the Messiah prior to his resurrection (Jn. 7:5). However, oddly, Jesus’s siblings became believers after his resurrection. James became such a strong believer in Jesus that he became the first pastor of the Church of Jerusalem.

(31) The Willingness of the Disciples to Die for What They Knew to Be True.

Even though some people will die for something they mistakenly believe to be true, no one will die for something they know to be a lie, especially if that condemnation includes an excruciating death. Yet the disciples of Jesus were willing to die for what they knew to be true. They never wavered, and they never changed their minds. They knew Jesus to be the risen Son of God.

(32) Change of the Day of Worship from Saturday to Sunday.

Perhaps one of the most astounding defenses for the resurrection was the early disciples’ decision to change their day of worship from the Sabbath day (Friday evening—Saturday) to early Sunday morning. They called this day the “Lord’s Day” (Rev. 1:10). The change in worship times was done to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus. N. T. Wright maintains that 1 Corinthians 16:2 implies that the church began keeping Sunday as the Lord’s Day as early as the mid-50s if not earlier.[11] In the early church, leaders often waited until early Easter Sunday to baptize everyone who had come to faith the previous year. Easter Sunday became one of the most important days of the year for the early Christians because of the resurrection of Jesus.

(33) Jesus’s Fulfillment of Messianic Prophecies.

Last, but certainly not least, the early Christians professed that Jesus had fulfilled numerous messianic prophecies predicted about the Messiah. And they were absolutely on point! Space does not permit us to elucidate every prophecy at this time. But it can be said that Jesus fulfilled so many prophecies about the Messiah through his life, death, and resurrection that it is mathematically impossible to leave to chance. It is assuredly impossible for anyone by mere human means to fulfill the prophecies written about the Messiah, particularly concerning his resurrection.

Admittedly, this article turned out much longer than I anticipated. And in full disclosure, I took a shotgun approach to the defenses for the resurrection as I laid out multiple lines of defense. Some are assuredly stronger than others. Nevertheless, given these 33 data points, a person can build a cumulative case for the proposition that Jesus of Nazareth literally rose from the dead on the first Easter Sunday.

There is much more that could be offered, such as the inability of alternative theories to explain all the details, further studies into oral traditions and their trustworthiness, enemy attestation, the chronology of Easter events, and other factors concerning Jesus’s post-Easter appearances. Suffice it to say, we have every reason to believe that Jesus is the risen Son of God. So, what will you do with the data that has been given? It’s one thing to accept that Jesus arose from the dead, but it is quite another to accept him as the Lord of your life. What will you do with the risen Jesus?

About the Author

Brian G. Chilton, M.Div., Ph.D.

Brian G. Chilton is the founder of Bellator Christi Ministries and the co-host of the Bellator Christi Podcast. Dr. Chilton earned a Ph.D. in the Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University (with high distinction), a M.Div. in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his B.S. in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); earned a Certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, and completed Unit 1 of Clinical Pastoral Education at Wake Forest University’s School of Medicine. Dr. Chilton is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Evangelical Philosophical Society.  In his spare time, he enjoys reading, working out in his home gym, and watching football. He has served in pastoral ministry for over 20 years, works as a clinical hospice chaplain, and is an Adjunct Professor of Apologetics at Carolina College of Biblical Studies (https://www.CCBS.edu).

Notes

[1] Brian G. Chilton, Layman’s Manual on Christian Apologetics, 96–99.

[2] Gary Habermas, The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ, 176.

[3] Craig S. Keener, IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, 418.

[4] Joachim Jeremias, New Testament Theology, 259–260.

[5] Joachim Jeremias, New Testament Theology, 266.

[6] Ibid., 303.

[7] Gary Habermas, On the Resurrection: Evidences, 141.

[8] Ibid., 47.

[9] James D. G. Dunn, Jesus Remembered, 836.

[10] Look for Bellator Christi’s interview with Ted Wright on earlier episodes.

[11] N. T. Wright, Resurrection of the Son of God, 297, 579, 594.

33 Defenses of the Resurrection of Jesus on YouTube

(c) 2024. Bellator Christi.

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S7E4 How Has God Revealed Himself?

Dr. Brian Chilton explores nine different ways that God has revealed himself through the pages of Scripture.

Source: S7E4 How Has God Revealed Himself?

Today, we are going to talk about revelation and the various ways that God has revealed himself to humanity. If we consider that the Bible is the Word of God, then we must assert that God, in some way, reveals himself to humanity. Those of a more cessationist mindset, such as James White and others, claim that the only way that we can know God is through the Bible.

However, if that is true, then how did the writers of the Bible know the truths that God revealed to them? If God does not communicate with us, then the biblical writers could not have heard from God. And if the biblical writers could not have heard from God, then the Bible is merely a human production. But we know that is not true, as the Bible is the Word of God.

But if the biblical writers heard from God in unique ways, then is there not the possibility that God could also reveal himself to us in similar ways? One would think so. With this in mind, let us consider the various ways that God has revealed himself to individuals in Scripture. But first, we need to answer what we mean by revelation.

 

What Do We Mean by Revelation?

The term “revelation” comes from the Greek word apokalupsis, meaning to “unveil or reveal something previously unknown.” As such, when we speak of the revelation of God, we speak of God’s communication with humanity about truths known only to God and not by humanity. Revelation can speak of God’s disclosure of his identity or of some other reality that human beings could not know by themselves. This kind of spiritual knowledge is not something that could be known by any other means, but only through God himself. You can think about this being God’s education of humanity concerning spiritual realities and truth. So, how has God revealed himself to biblical writers and to people throughout all of time? In Scripture, we find at least 9 ways that God has revealed himself.

 

God’s Revelation by Theophanies

The first way God has revealed himself to humanity is by theophanies. The term theophany comes from a combination of two Greek terms: theos (θεός) meaning God, and phainein (φαίνειν) meaning “to show.” When placed together, theophany speaks of a visible manifestation of God.

Throughout the pages of Scripture, God has revealed himself to various individuals in a visible fashion. However, one must acknowledge that this is a rarity. God’s presence is often accompanied with fire, light, clouds, lightning, storms, thunder, wind, earthquakes, or any combination of the above.

Theophanies often occur around a promise made by God. For instance, God appeared to Abram and established a covenant with him in Genesis 12:1–8. Afterward, Abram commemorated the occasion by erecting an altar in the place where he had seen God.

God would visibly appear to Moses at the base of Mount Sinai in a burning bush (Exod. 3:1ff). From the burning bush, God disclosed that his name was Yahweh, or “I AM WHAT I AM.” God would guide the people by a visible theophany, which was a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He would then appear again on Mount Sinai where he gave Moses the law (Exod. 19:16–25).

God would also appear to Samuel when he commissioned the young man as a prophet (1 Sam. 3:1–14). He also appeared to Isaiah (Isa. 6:1–13), Jeremiah (Jer. 1:1–19), and Amos (Amos 7:15–17).

While God can appear to people anywhere he pleases, God often appeared at springs (Gen. 16:7), rivers (Gen. 32:22–32), and trees (Gen. 12:6–7). Yet most biblical theophanies occurred in the mountains (Gen. 12:8; Exod. 19; Psa. 48). In a mystical manner, ancients believed that mountains connected the earthly realm with the heavens.[1] God visited two mountains more frequently than any other—Mount Sinai and Mount Zion, a location near the Old City of Jerusalem.

God’s Revelation by Christophanies

            Second, God revealed himself by what is known as Christophanies. Like theophanies, the term uses the same Greek root phainein that describes an appearance. But this term uses the root word Christos, meaning “Christ.” Thus, Christophanies refer to early appearances of Jesus before his birth. Due to their nature, Christophanies are much more controversial in theological circles than are theophanies.

Those who accept Christophanies hold that the appearances of the Angel of the LORD in the Old Testament were often preincarnate manifestations of the Son of God. For instance, the Messenger of the LORD is often called God, such as in Genesis 18, where “the LORD appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day” (Gen. 18:1).[2] The Angel of the LORD was among three visitors who met Abraham at his tent that day. As the two angels left for Sodom, Abraham “remained standing before the LORD” (Gen. 18:22). From this passage, it would appear that on at least some occasions, the Angel of the LORD is associated with Yahweh.

Another example is found in the burning bush event. Moses stood before a burning bush. It was not the bush itself that was so mysterious, but the person he saw in the bush. He writes, “Then the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire within a bush. As Moses looked, he saw that the bush was on fire but was not consumed” (Exod. 3:2).

A third example is found in the book of Judges. In this case, the angel of the LORD appeared to a woman, the wife of Manoah, and said, “Although you are unable to conceive and have no children, you will conceive and give birth to a son” (Judg. 13:3). While standing before the Angel of the LORD, Manoah prayed to Yahweh and said, “Please, Lord, let the man of God you sent come again to us and teach us what we should do for the boy who will be born” (Judg. 13:8). Later when asked about his name, the Angel of the LORD simply said, “It is too wonderful” (NRSV) or “beyond understanding” (CSB) (Judg. 13:18).

There are other cases that could be offered. But these three examples highlight that the Angel of the LORD appeared in humanlike means, conversed with those appointed to him by Yahweh, and was in some way linked with Yahweh himself. In my opinion, I believe that since Jesus is the Son of God, then this was in some fashion preincarnate visitations. This brings up a host of questions like, “How was Jesus incarnate before his incarnation?” That is a question that we will want to cover at a later time. Nonetheless, I think we have sufficient evidence to suggest that God revealed himself and his plan through Christophanic means.

God’s Revelation by the Holy Spirit

            Third, God has revealed himself through his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, or the “Spirit of holiness,” is God’s living, abiding presence with his people. Unlike the Father and Son’s appearances, the Holy Spirit rarely appears in a physical fashion, although he has at times. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit appeared as tongues of fire to those who were filled with his presence (Acts 2:3–4). At Jesus’s baptism, he appeared as a dove lighting on the head of Jesus (Matt. 3:13–17).

The Spirit of God communes and communicates with God’s people in various ways. The Spirit inspired the authors of Scripture to write down the truths of God, as the Scripture is God-breathed. Often, the Spirit directs and instructs people to go to the places that God desires them to be. A good case study is with Phillip in the book of Acts. The Spirit led him away from an area of great ministry to a desolated area to meet an Egyptian eunuch. It was there that Phillip led the eunuch to the Lord after answering the questions that the eunuch had about the book of Isaiah.

Jesus teaches that the Spirit of God instructs, convicts, teaches, and guides (Jn. 16:8–11). There is no instance where Jesus even implies that this will cease. Rather, Jesus suggests that the Holy Spirit continues to point people back to his teachings and the revelation of God. Thus, the Holy Spirit is God’s revelation to us. He inspired and directed the composition of Scripture, and he reveals the truths of Scripture to people today.

God’s Revelation by the Incarnation of Christ

            Fourth, God revealed himself through the incarnation of Christ. John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it” (Jn. 1:1–5).

The apostle goes on to say, “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognize him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:9–14).

From this passage, we find that Jesus was the Light of God, even from creation. He revealed God’s light to the world. However, the world did not receive him. However, through the light of revelation offered to the world, a person has access to the Father by God’s revelation through the incarnation of Christ.

Additionally, we should note that the Son is the exact representation of the Father. The writer of Hebrews teaches, “Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son. God has appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb. 1:1–3). The Son is the divine revelation of God, the exact representative of the Father, and the door to salvation. Therefore, God revealed his nature, his salvation, and gifted us with eternal assurance through the incarnate Son.

God’s Revelation by the Spoken Word

Fifth, God reveals truths to us by the spoken word. Dr. Benjamin Laird points out in his book Creating the Canon that the spoken word played an integral role in the early church.[3] When a book was published or an epistle sent, the deliverer of the book would read the book aloud to its recipients. By that practice, the message was heard. Likewise, gospel evangelists were to speak the message by the spoken word, telling others about the wonders of God’s revelation through Christ. Never underestimate God’s power through the spoken word. In like manner, a person may be sent with a message from God that someone needs to hear. That can be a means of divine communication.

Additionally, God himself may speak to us audibly, although that is not the norm. When Jesus was baptized, the Father spoke from heaven to tell everyone that Jesus was his beloved Son (Matt. 3). On other occasions, God has spoken audibly to people. Again, this is not the norm, but it is always a possibility with a living God.

God’s Revelation by the Written Word

Sixth, God has revealed himself through the written Word of God. By this, we are, of course, talking about the Bible. As we noted last week, the Bible consists of 66 books, written by at least 40 individuals, over the course of 2,000 years. The Bible is God-breathed. As Paul said, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16–17).

God’s Revelation by Divine Impressions

Seventh, God often reveals himself by divine impressions. That is, God’s Spirit communes and speaks with our spirit. In Acts 14, Paul looked at a person and knew that he had faith to be healed (Acts 14:9). Now, how did Paul know that? It must have been by an impression that the Spirit placed on Paul’s spirit. On another occasion, Paul knew that the voyage of their ship was heading towards certain destruction. Paul was unable to deduce this by logic alone. Rather, the Spirit of God impressed upon Paul’s spirit what would come to pass. Divine impressions can consist of spiritual communication, but it can also include dreams, visions, and spiritual awakenings, which are ways to know things that could not be known otherwise.

God’s Revelation by Miracles

Eighth, God often communicates to humanity through miracles. Even in biblical days, miracles did not happen every day. When they did occur, God was communicating a message to his people. For instance, when the disciples of John relayed John’s question about whether Jesus was really the Messiah, the New Testament writers note that Jesus performed numerous miracles before their very eyes as a confirmation of his identity. When Jesus fed over 20,000 people with five loaves and two fish, it was shown that Jesus is the bread of life. He could sustain when material resources couldn’t.

The ultimate miracle is the resurrection of Jesus. From Jesus’s resurrection, we learn that he has the power to give eternal life and is the first fruits of the resurrection. That is, as Jesus was raised, so will the children of God be raised in the future.

Miracles do not happen by happenstance. They contain a spiritual, eternal message for those who have ears to hear. Even in the miracles of our lives, it is important to decipher the message that God wants us to have.

God’s Revelation by Interventions

Ninth, God often reveals his protective nature by interventions. By interventions, I speak of ways that God stepped in and protected us from something that could have been really bad. There are many ways that God may intervene in our lives. In Scripture, there are numerous accounts of God’s protective interventions. For instance, the Exodus serves as a major example of divine intervention. But God’s interventions could be much more subtle. His interventions could consist of natural phenomenon, or it may come by arranging certain circumstances to protect and keep us from danger.

Conclusion

In all the ways we described, God reveals certain things about his nature, being, and ways of the world. Some have claimed that God has stopped revealing himself to humanity in some sense. However, nowhere in Scripture are we told that God will stop reaching out to humanity. The prophets likely heard from the Spirit through audible communication from time to time. However, more likely they received divine impressions as God placed his thoughts into their thoughts, messages from his Spirit to their own. They also interpreted divine miracles as God gave them insight. Most assuredly, God spoke to humanity in various means, but the ultimate expression of his revelation came through his Son, Spirit, and through the Word of God. If the Bible is to be accepted as the Word of God, then we must accept that God can, has, and will communicate to humanity.

On the next episode of the Bellator Christi Podcast, we will peer into how Scripture was written as the Holy Spirit inspired the writers of Scripture. Dr. Deanna Huff will join us next week. She will discuss the different models and theories of biblical inspiration. Join us for a fascinating discussion as we step into the arena of ideas.

[1] “Theophanies,” Lexham Bible Dictionary.

[2] Unless otherwise noted, all quoted Scripture comes from the Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman, 2020).

[3] Laird, Creating the Canon, Chapter 1.

S7E3 What is the Bible?

On S7E3 What is the Bible?, Dr. Brian Chilton describes the traits of the most revered book in Christianity: the Bible.

Source: S7E3 What is the Bible?

By: Brian G. Chilton, Ph.D.

 

E7E3 What is the Bible and Bibliology

Modern Christians place a lot of attention on the Bible. The Bible is the book that is used as the primary teaching tool for Christian worship services. It is the focus of study. Certain services in church settings are called “Bible studies” for good reason. Christians hold that the Bible is the revelation of God. That is, the Bible’s primary author is God as he inspired other individuals to reveal certain truths about himself. Or worded another way, the Bible is the means by which God has described who he is, who humanity is, and God’s plan to redeem humanity. As much attention that Christians often place on the Bible, it is shocking how little attention is given to the structure, history, and characteristics of the Bible. As we begin our series on bibliology, let’s begin by discussing a few basic questions about the Bible itself. Such as: What is the Bible? How Do We Know the Bible is the Word of God? How Long Did It Take for the Bible to be Written? Who Were the Writers of the Bible? What is the Primary Theme of the Bible? What is Bibliology?

 

What is the Bible?

First, we must ask, what is the Bible? The term “Bible” comes from the Greek term biblios, which means “books.” The Bible is not a singular book. Rather, it is a collection of 66 books.

 

Divisions of the Bible

The Bible is separated into two major sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament contains 39 books, and the New Testament consists of 27 books. The Old Testament follows the encounters that the people of Israel had with God from the time of creation to their implementation as a nation, and it ends with their return from Babylonian exile.

The New Testament picks up the story in the first-century AD when Israel was under Roman rule. The New Testament follows the life of Jesus of Nazareth and his followers. Christians hold Jesus to be the Son of God and the fulfillment of messianic prophecies as found in the Old Testament. The New Testament largely consists of letters written by early church leaders to various churches across the region. It concludes with an apocalyptic look at what is yet to come with the book of Revelation.

 

7 Subdivisions of the Bible

            We can break down the divisions of Scripture even further as we look at the Bible as a whole. These seven subdivisions consist of the law, history, poetry, prophecy, biographies, epistles, and apocalyptic literature. Let’s now look at these 7 subdivisions.

The first five books of the Bible, often called the Pentateuch or the Torah, contain the law that God gave to the people of Israel. The law consists of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. However, it would be wrong to think that legal standards are all that is found in this section. The first portion of Genesis contains the creation story, where God is shown to be the source behind all that exists. The story continues with the narratives depicting the patriarchs of Israel, their lives, the lives of their children, and ends with their redemption from famine when they were welcomed to Egypt by Joseph who assumed a high position in the Egyptian court.

In Exodus, things grew worse for the Israelites. In Egypt, they grew in population which grew the ire of the Egyptian pharaoh. Seeking to keep the people in line, he then enslaved the Israelites. Afterward, God calls Moses, an Israelite saved by the Egyptian princess and adopted by the Egyptian royalty, to set his people free. After they are freed from the clutches of Egypt, God leads Moses to Mount Sinai where he gives him the law that is recorded in the remaining parts of Exodus, Leviticus, parts of Numbers, and retold in Deuteronomy.

The second subsection is called historical narrative. Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles all call this subsection home. As the name implies, historical narratives are the historical stories of early Israel. They tell the story of the early leaders and prophets who established Israel as a nation.

Joshua picks up the story after Moses’s death when Joshua led the people back to their homeland. It is a book full of courage, faith, and revitalization.

The book of Judges describes the unfortunate fall of the people into deep depravity after returning home. Each subsequent judge is more wicked than the one preceding them. Then, the other historical books tell of the rise of King Saul, King David, and King Solomon. They follow their lives and rule. The historians are very honest. They do not hide the sins and wrongdoings of their leaders, giving the books the thrills and chills of a novel. These stories, while true, are timeless and very spiritual, as the kings serve as both inspirations of what to do and examples of what not to do.

The third subsection is called poetry. As the name suggests, this section comprises books of poetry, wisdom literature, and songs. Job—likely the oldest book of the Bible—along with Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon are all found in this section. The book of Proverbs tells of how life is supposed to go. If you live right and follow God, good things should come your way. However, Job serves as an example of a man who followed God and experienced great tragedy. Ecclesiastes is a profound book that is quite depressing unless you read it under the lens of the last few verses. The Qoheleth, or Teacher, highlights the meaninglessness of life without a transcendent anchor found in God. The Song of Songs serves as a vivid example of the beauty of love between a couple, also serving as a beautiful example of God’s love for us. All these books connect together to show that life is designed to function a certain way. But these books are very honest in that life does not always go according to plan. In the end, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps” (Prov. 16:9, NIV).

The fourth subsection is prophecy. This section holds the writings of various prophets who lived after the split of Israel, which morphed into the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judea. The prophet served as God’s mouthpiece. They often gave messages of warning, exhorting people to change their ways before they faced an inevitable time of hardship. These judgments could be avoided if they sought the protection and holiness of God. Regrettably, the people rarely listened. The prophets were not only foretellers—predicting the future—but they were primarily forthtellers—preaching about the woes of the current generation. The prophets are divided into two further subdivisions: the Major Prophets, which are larger books (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Lamentations), and smaller books called the Minor Prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi).

For the last subsections, we turn to the New Testament. The fifth subsection is called biographies. Some could hold that the first five books are biographical. However, the Book of Acts could also be considered historical. Nonetheless, I digress. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are four biographical accounts of the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Traditionally, Matthew is held to be written by Levi Matthew, a former tax collector and then-turned disciple of Jesus. His primary audience is Jewish believers and those interested in Jewish beliefs. Matthew links Jesus’s life back to the prophets of old, often showing Jesus as the fulfillment of the messianic expectations. In the Gospel of Matthew, you can find a lot of classic teachings of Jesus, including the Sermon on the Mount, several classic parables, and the Olivet Discourse. Matthew is often believed to have been written around AD 50–70 and likely came about in stages.

The Gospel of Mark was written by a man known as John Mark. John Mark was the cousin of Barnabas and a traveling companion of Paul, until a mysterious disruption caused Paul to part ways with Mark. John Mark gives a treatise primarily with a Roman audience in mind. Mark does not give a lot of lengthy messages. He is quick and to the point, often using phrases like “And immediately they went.” Mark’s Gospel is neither overly concerned with chronological accuracy nor fine-tuned details. Rather, he seeks to preserve the teachings of Simon Peter and does so with quickness. Mark’s Gospel often reads like an action movie as he moves from one scene to the next. Mark wrote his Gospel sometime in the AD 50s.

The Gospel of Luke is the exact opposite of the Gospel of Mark. Luke the physician wrote the Gospel of Luke. Luke was a colleague of Paul the Apostle. With great precision and detail, Luke writes an orderly account of Jesus’s life. While not an eyewitness of Jesus himself, he set forth to interview various individuals who were eyewitnesses and detailed their stories in the exquisite fashion of a historian. The Gospel of Luke was likely written in the late AD 50s or early AD 60s, although some argue that the Gospel was written in the 70s. The Gospel of Luke was written with an intellectual Greek audience in mind. His Gospel contains some of the classic parables of Jesus, including the Parable of the Good Samaritan and the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

The last Gospel is the most unique of all the four Gospels. It is the Gospel of John. John the Apostle likely wrote the Fourth Gospel later in life and likely while he was the pastor of the Church of Ephesus. It is one of the last New Testament books to be written. Most likely, the Gospel was penned in the mid-to-late 80s. John’s audience included all future generations of Christians. For that reason, his Gospel is the most spiritual and theological in nature. In contrast with the first three Gospels, John focuses on the Judean ministry of Jesus and Jesus’s theological impact. Because of the later time of his writing and different focus, John provides some stories and teachings that do not appear in the other Gospels. In John, you will find the “I am” teachings, the story of the raising of Lazarus, and various other post-resurrection stories not found anywhere else. If you are new to the Bible, John is an excellent starting point. In my opinion, the apostle likely had that in mind when writing this glorious book.

The book of Acts continues the story of the New Testament church from Jesus’s ascension to the imprisonment of Paul. Acts is the sequel to the Gospel of Luke. Therefore, Luke the physician also wrote this book. Acts continues the story of the church by primarily looking at the lives and ministries of Peter and Paul. The book of Acts was likely written before AD 64, the year that Paul and Peter were executed in Rome.

The sixth subsection is the Epistles. Rather than letters written to one specific person, epistles are circular letters written to a church, group of people, or a group of churches. The apostle Paul was the main author of these letters. However, the Catholic Epistles make up another subsection within this group. They contain letters ascribed to James, Jude, Peter, and John.

The seventh subsection of the Bible is apocalyptic. Apocalyptic literature focuses on the end times and the eventual victory of God in the ultimate culmination of history. While apocalyptic literature can often be frightening due to its imagery, when the symbols used by apocalyptic writers are correctly interpreted, the message of apocalyptic literature is often very optimistic. The book of Revelation, parts of Ezekiel, and parts of Daniel are all part of the apocalyptic genre of Scripture.

 

How Do We Know the Bible is the Word of God?

While a full treatment of this issue cannot be offered at this time, we have numerous reasons for believing that the Scripture is the Word, or revelation, of God.

First, consider the inspiration of Scripture. Simon Peter regards the nature of Scripture as one that comes from the Holy Spirit. He writes, “First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, ²¹ because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God^” (2 Pet. 1:20-21, NRSV). Thus, if Peter is correct, and Scripture flowed from the prompting and communication of the Holy Spirit, then it stands to reason that the Scripture is God’s divine revelation. Furthermore, even though God used human agents to bring about the books of the Bible, the human authors are under the instruction of the ultimate Author—and that Author is God. God said to Moses in the book of Deuteronomy concerning his prophets, “I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him” (Deut. 18:18, NIV). God has been in the practice of using human agents to reveal his truth.

Second, consider the instruction of Scripture. Paul writes that Scripture is theopneustos, that is, God-breathed. Paul writes, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16, NIV). The Bible is the primer, the primary manual for Christians. Thus, if the Bible is God’s written revelation, then we know about God through the truths he provided about himself in Scripture. Secondly, the Bible is used to rebuke. In our time, we like to mold the Bible to say things that we want. When I say this, most people think of a liberalization of Scripture in some sense. However, the opposite is also true. Often, denominations have added things to the revelation of God to oppress and legislate certain criteria that are not found in Scripture. Therefore, Scripture convicts people from both sides of the aisle when properly understood.

Finally, Scripture corrects and trains a person to live a life of righteousness. When the Bible is allowed to speak what the ultimate Author intended, it is shown to be factual and inspired. The problem comes when we place more emphasis on our interpretations than attempting to understand the actual teachings of Scripture. In other words, we should allow God to mold us in his image through the Word, rather than trying to mold God in our image.

 

How Long Did It Take for the Bible to be Written?

The Bible spans a timeframe of over 2,000 years. Most likely, the Book of Job is the oldest book of the Bible. Though many scholars believe that it may have been written much later, Roy B. Zuck in the Bible Knowledge Commentary offers a compelling case that Job was likely a contemporary of Abraham (Zuck, BKC, 717). If true, that would place him and the story around 2100—1900 BC. Some contend that the story may have been passed along as an oral tradition until the time of Moses, when he ultimately recorded the story in a book.

Revelation is the last book of the Bible to have been written. John the Apostle likely penned the book around AD 95. If we are to accept both dates, Job being the more controversial of the two, then the Bible spans a remarkable 2,195 years.

 

Who Were the Writers of Scripture?

It is important to remember that the Bible traverses a vast number of societies and civilizations. The first individuals recorded in Scripture were the patriarchs who were Semites living as Sumerian nomads. Then, the people developed into communities, then city-states, until they finally formed a nation. At certain times, the people lived as slaves in Egypt, and at other times they lived as prosperous citizens of a mighty kingdom. Eventually, the Bible ends with the Jewish followers of Jesus who lived under the auspicious rule of the Roman Empire.

God used at least 40 individuals to write the Bible. Here are a few of the more prominent writers of Scripture. Moses wrote the majority of the first five books of the Bible, along with Psalm 90. It is likely that he collected stories of his people while living in Egypt. As he encountered the living God and the redemption of the people of Israel from the enslavement of Egypt, he likely documented their theological history in addition to the law that God gave him. Moses would have been a highly educated, sophisticated gentlemen, having been granted the best education that Egypt could offer.

King David is one of the most prolific writers of the Bible. He collected the majority of the psalms in the Book of Psalms. He penned at least 73 of them himself.

King Solomon was the son of David. He was one of the wisest kings of Israel. Solomon collected and likely wrote most of what is found in the book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs. Unsurprisingly, the name identified as the wisest man in Israel was known for his wisdom literature.

God used many individuals as writing prophets. The prophet Samuel was an early prophet. He likely wrote the vast majority of what is found in 1 and 2 Samuel. The chief of them was Isaiah. Isaiah wrote a large masterpiece that spoke of the upcoming Messiah and the restoration of Israel. Many believe that he may have been executed by being sawn in two. Jeremiah, often called the weeping prophet, wrote the book ascribed to him along with the Book of Lamentations. Many Jewish and Christian scholars alike believe that Jeremiah may have penned 1 and 2 Kings as well. Baruch, Jeremiah’s assistant, likely helped him pen these documents. Like Isaiah, he wrote a large book that often spoke of the pending judgment that was to come to the people and about the ultimate restoration that would eventually come.

Additionally, God used Ezekiel to write a compelling, yet bizarre prophecy that included a futuristic look at the third Temple in Jerusalem. Other prophets include Daniel, Amos, Hosea, Habakkuk, and the other Minor Prophets.

Like Moses, the prophet Daniel would have been a man of great education and sophistication. He likely penned most, if not all, of the book that bears his name.

In addition to writing the book that holds his name, some also hold the prophet Ezra to be behind the writing of 1 and 2 Chronicles. He may have authored other books or portions of them.

In the New Testament, God used Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Simon Peter, James, and Jude to write the books in this collection. Additionally, if one of Paul’s companions wrote Hebrews, such as Barnabas or Apollos, then there would be another person to add to the list of writers.

What is the Primary Theme of the Bible?

As complicated and expansive as the Bible is, its message is relatively simple. The Bible’s main message is one of redemption. The narrative thread that connects the 66 books of Scripture tells the story of God’s loving creation, of humanity’s sinful fall, and of God’s ongoing effort to redeem mankind from sin and themselves. The story of the Bible reaches its climax with Jesus of Nazareth, who was the Son of God and the Savior of humanity, the horror of his crucifixion, and the glory of his marvelous resurrection. The story culminates with God’s restoration of humanity and creation in the New Heaven and the New Earth. As my dad used to say, “The Bible is about love. If you take love out of the Bible, then you have removed the message of the Bible.” Dad was and is absolutely right!

 

What is Bibliology?

Of all our questions tonight, this one is the easiest to answer. Bibliology is the study of the Bible. Biblios means “books,” and logos means the “study of something.” Thus, bibliology is the study of the Bible. Bibliology includes hermeneutical studies—that is, how we can best interpret the Bible—along with canonical issues, or how the early collectors of Scripture identify which books were inspired from those that were not.

One of our first explorations of bibliology will peer into the nature of revelation. How has God revealed himself through history? That will be our topic of conversation next week. We will also be joined by Curtis Evelo for the first episode of the Question Zone. We hope that you will join us for this fascinating study. Until then, we thank you for joining us on the Bellator Christi Podcast. May God bless, and we’ll see you back the next time that we step into the arena of ideas.

S7E2 Why Does God Seem So Hidden?

Dr. Brian Chilton interviews author and professor Dr. Josh Waltman on S7E2 Why Does God Seem So Hidden. They discuss his recent book.

Source: S7E2 Why Does God Seem So Hidden?

The Grace of God in His Responsiveness

Dr. Brian Chilton writes about the grace of God in his responsiveness to our requests. He examines God’s responsive grace in Matthew 7:7-8.

Source: The Grace of God in His Responsiveness

By: Brian G. Chilton, Ph.D., M.Div. | July 30, 2023

Recently, I delivered a message on Matthew 7:7–8 and observed how the grace of God is involved in his responsiveness to our needs. Matthew 7:7–8 is part of the classic message known as the Sermon on the Mount. Seemingly, the Sermon on the Mount is not necessarily one long message, but it could be a collaboration of various messages Jesus delivered on the mountainside on that occasion. Thus, what is classically known as the Sermon on the Mount could be segments of an entire sermon series that Jesus preached. Some have even suggested that the Sermon on the Mount was used as an early catechism by the church, indicating the ethical standards of Christian behavior.[1]

Nonetheless, in Matthew 7:7–8, Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matt. 7:7–8).[2] The Greek terms αἰτεῖτε (“to ask”), ζητεῖτε (“to seek”), and κρούετε (“to knock”) are all in the present, active, imperative tense. The tense of these words does not indicate a one-time event, but rather, it expresses an ongoing action. Thus, Jesus tells a person to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking, and God will eventually respond to the person’s requests. The answers to these queries are where the grace of God is found. Let’s examine how God responds to each action.

The Grace of God in God’s Responsiveness to Asking

First, God’s grace is exemplified in his response to a person’s asking. After asking, the answer would be δοθήσεται ὑμῖν (“given to you”). Using a divine passive—a trademark of Jesus’s teaching—Jesus taught that the Father would answer according to his will. The term δίδωμι is the root word behind the word δοθήσεται. Didwmi is often associated with God’s love. The root of the word is found in God’s giving through the works of Jesus (Jn. 5:36) and his disciples (Jn. 6:37). Jesus’s sacrifice is rooted in God’s love and his gift of salvation (Mk. 10:45; Matt. 20:28).

To put this into perspective, the expectation of the praying person is to be met with the kindness and helpfulness of God.[3] Does God owe anyone an answer to prayer? No. But Jesus explains that the Father is a merciful giver. He explains that “Who among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him” (Matt. 7:9–11). The gifts that God gives us flow out of his loving grace.

 The Grace of God in God’s Responsiveness to Seeking

Second, God’s grace is found in his responsiveness to our seeking. Like asking, the concept of seeking corresponds with a person’s prayer life. The concept of seeking is the idea of looking for something that is lost. In this case, a person seeks after the kingdom of God.[4] While that is the primary meaning behind Jesus’s teaching, one can also claim that a person seeks after other things, including answers to why certain events happened as they did. Perhaps a person went through a troubling situation and the person wants to know why it occurred.

In either case, Jesus said the Father would respond by allowing the person to find what they are searching for. The term εὑρίσκω describes the discovery of something being sought either by intentional searching or unexpected discovery. Here again, the grace of God undergirds his responsive action. God most assuredly allows us to find the kingdom of God as he is the first mover, seeking to save the lost. Moreover, he answers our most pressing questions in due time. For me, I had several issues that I needed answered before I could fully intellectually commit to my faith. The answers did not come overnight. Five to seven years elapsed before I finally received my answers. Yet God did provide them in his timing. All of this is rooted in God’s grace and love.

 The Grace of God in God’s Responsiveness to Knocking

Finally, the grace of God is exhibited in God’s opening the appropriate doors for us. The word ἀνοίγω points to the opening of a door. The primary focus of the passage is the opening of the gate of salvation (Matt. 7:13). As Keener points out, “It is possible that Matthew’s emphasis in this section is prayer for God’s rule.”[5] But it may also point to the opening of opportunity for the advancement of one’s ministry. This could also include a person’s career, ministry advancement, and other issues. For singles, this knocking could relate to the pursuit of finding the right person to marry. The apostle Paul often prayed for God to open the door of opportunity for the advancement of the gospel through his ministry (e.g., 1 Cor. 16:9; Col. 4:3–4). Thus, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that a person could interpret this teaching in that manner.

Just as in the other two cases, God will open the right doors for us, as well. Sometimes it may seem as if the world is collapsing around us with little to no opportunities available to us. We may see other friends and colleagues excelling while we feel like we are struggling to make it by. Take heart. If we stay faithful to God and continue knocking, God will open up the appropriate doors for us in due time. When God opens a door of opportunity, no one can close them. Nevertheless, open doors are only available because of God’s amazing grace.

Conclusion

While much attention has been placed on the action words “ask,” “seek,” and “knock,” the real impact of the Jesuan message is found in the divine passive—that is, God’s responses. Donald Hagner argues that “the faithfulness of God in answering prayer has a rich OT and rabbinical background.”[6] God’s reactions in giving, revealing, and opening all flow from the benevolence of God—all-encompassing compassion toward his creation.

Even though God’s timing is not always immediate when replying to our requests, and though we may often have to ask repeatedly, the fact that God responds to us at all is truly remarkable, especially given the depth, breadth, and sheer immensity of God’s transcendent being. As you read this, the divine answer to your prayers may not have come just yet. Keep asking, seeking, and knocking, and the Lord will reply in due time. And when God does, it will be far greater than you could ever imagine.

About the Author

Brian G. Chilton is the founder of Bellator Christi Ministries and the co-host of the Bellator Christi Podcast. Dr. Chilton earned a Ph.D. in the Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University (with high distinction), a M.Div. in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his B.S. in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); earned a Certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, and completed Unit 1 of Clinical Pastoral Education at Wake Forest University’s School of Medicine. Dr. Chilton is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Evangelical Philosophical Society.  In his spare time, he enjoys reading, working out in his home gym, and watching football. He has served in pastoral ministry for over 20 years and serves as a clinical chaplain.

https://www.amazon.com/Laymans-Manual-Christian-Apologetics-Essentials/dp/1532697104 

https://www.amazon.com/Conversations-about-Heaven-Difficult-Questions/dp/1666762687

 

Notes

[1] Joachim Jeremias, New Testament Theology, John Bowden, trans (London, UK: SCM, 1971), 194.

[2] Unless otherwise noted, all quoted Scripture comes from the Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman, 2020).

[3] John Holland, Gospel of Matthew (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2005), 325.

[4] Craig S. Keener, Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2009), 244.

[5] Ibid., 245.

[6] Donald Hagner, Matthew 1–13, WBC, Vol. 33A (Dallas, TX: Word, 1993), 174.

 

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What Happens When We Die?

By: Brian G. Chilton, Ph.D., M.Div. | June 16, 2023

Death is one of the greatest mysteries of life. The term “death” holds such a stigma that many of us do not even mention it when speaking of our dearly departed. Some may use the term “passed away” or even “expired.” While taking Clinical Pastoral Education, I was told about a staff chaplain who scolded someone who used the term “expire” to reference a person’s passing. The chaplain said, “People are not milk. They don’t go bad.” While everyone received a great laugh from the chaplain’s remarks, he did bring up an interesting point. Conversations about death and passing are often avoided.

British philosopher and documentarian Adam Curtis spoke about how people in Victorian times rarely spoke about sex but often mentioned death. However, in today’s culture, people never talk about death but are obsessed with sex.[1] Curtis’s observations are on point. Perhaps as a culture, it is easier for us to ignore the reality of death. Yet in my current profession as a hospice chaplain, death cannot be ignored.

Regardless of whether a person admits it or not, we often wonder what death will be like when it comes. You may have wondered whether we can know anything about the death experience. It may surprise you to discover that we can to a degree.

Objective Evidence for What Happens When We Die

In my doctoral work, I was introduced to the concept of near-death experiences by one of the world’s leading scholars on NDEs, Dr. Gary Habermas, a research professor at Liberty University. Dr. Habermas took up this study when he tragically lost his wife to breast cancer when she was only in her thirties. Both he and J. P. Moreland, a research professor at Biola University, discovered that good objective evidence suggests that a person’s soul survives death.

Some individuals return to their bodies and report what they have seen and heard outside the scope of their bodies. While their experiences in the heavenly realm cannot be verified, their encounters outside of the body can. In one famous case, a woman died, left her body, and overheard her obnoxious brother-in-law say in the waiting room that he was going to “wait and see if the ol’ girl kicks the bucket.” She later returned to her body. A month after her recovery, she gave her brother-in-law an earful.[2] Principle: Be careful what you say in a waiting room. You never know who’s listening.

Similarities of Experiences Tell Us What Happens When We Die

Some have objected to NDEs by saying that the reported encounters are too varied to tell us anything about the death experience. However, that is not entirely true. In a massive research study, medical doctor Jeff Long and Paul Perry investigated over 1,300 cases of reported NDEs from across the world. Evaluating the varied stories, they discovered some fascinating parallels.

•             75.4% reported feeling an out-of-body separation from their bodies.
•             74.4% reported having heightened senses, including experiencing a “reality that was more real than the present reality.”
•             76.2% reported having experiences of incredible emotions and overwhelming peace.
•             33.8% reported passing through a tunnel.
•             64.6% reported seeing a divine being of magnificent light.
•             57.3% reported encountering angelic beings, seeing deceased relatives, and/or deceased friends.
•             60.5% reported having an altered sense of space and time.
•             22.2% reported having a life review.
•             52.2% reported having encountered unworldly heavenly realms.
•             56% experienced some special learning of life.
•             31% witnessed some boundary or barrier.
•             58.5% of those who returned to their body reported having the free choice to return as their time had not yet come.[3]

As noted, Long and Perry researched over 1,300 NDE cases across the globe when they penned their book. Amazingly, at Long’s website, the Near-Death Experience Research Foundation (nderf.org), the number of cases now surpasses over 5,000, all reporting eerily similar phenomena that Long and Perry reported over 10 years prior. These reports come from people from various walks, different ethnicities, and a panoply of languages. Yet, they all still convey having the same kind of experiences that others maintain, even though many had not heard of other NDEs.

The NDEs of the Physically Blind Indicate What Happens When We Die

In Chapter 8 of my book Conversations about Heaven, I give numerous other examples that provide additional evidence for near-death experiences. The chapter, called “Are Near-Death Experiences Real?,” features recent studies conducted with blind individuals who reported visual experiences outside their bodies. The descriptions of their out-of-body experiences were confirmed by the medical team in the hospital room. Furthermore, when they returned to their bodies, the NDErs maintained their physical blindness.[4] There is simply no other way to account for these kinds of encounters outside of accepting that the soul lives beyond the scope of the body.

No matter what you make of NDEs, one thing is fairly evident: our conscious selves (i.e., our souls) appear to survive death. And the evidence suggests that we are fully embraced by a loving God who grants us peace, immensely surpassing anything felt on earth. This certainly does not bring back the ones we loved and will never replace the real grief we feel when thinking about our losses. Nonetheless, this data offers me comfort in knowing that the loved ones I have lost were welcomed into their eternal home with feelings of rapturous joy, exhilarating excitement, and overwhelming love.

Conclusion

Some have asked me how it is possible to serve as a hospice chaplain where death is seen nearly every day. This morning, I officiated a funeral for 14 unclaimed persons in a common grave. One of the social workers told me that many have a difficult time with those kinds of services. So, how is it that hospice chaplains and ministers are able to lend such care? For me, it stems from the promise of eternal life. NDEs confirmed for me something that the Word of God promises—that is, on the other side of eternity, there awaits a greater reality for the child of God.

 

Therefore, when my time comes to leave this world, I have better reasons for believing that I will experience the same emotions of love, grace, and joy in my eternal home. The apostle Paul said it best when he wrote, “For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17–18, CSB).

About the Author

Brian G. Chilton is the founder of Bellator Christi Ministries and the co-host of the Bellator Christi Podcast. Dr. Chilton earned a Ph.D. in the Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University (with high distinction), a M.Div. in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his B.S. in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); earned a Certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, and completed Unit 1 of Clinical Pastoral Education at Wake Forest University’s School of Medicine. Dr. Chilton is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Evangelical Philosophical Society.  In his spare time, he enjoys reading, working out in his home gym, and watching football. He has served in pastoral ministry for over 20 years and serves as a clinical chaplain.

https://www.amazon.com/Laymans-Manual-Christian-Apologetics-Essentials/dp/1532697104 

https://www.amazon.com/Conversations-about-Heaven-Difficult-Questions/dp/1666762687

 

Notes

[1] Referenced in Rainn Wilson, Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution (New York, NY: Hachette Go, 2023), 55.

[2] Brian G. Chilton, Conversations about Heaven: Difficult Questions about Our Eternal Home (Eugene, OR: Resource, 2023), 118; Melvin Morse and Paul Perry, Closer to the Light: Learning from the Near-Death Experiences of Children (New York, NY: Random House, 1990), 3-9; Gary R. Habermas and Moreland, Beyond Death (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2004), 158.

[3] Jeffrey Long and Paul Perry, Evidence of the Afterlife: The Science of Near-Death Experiences (New York, NY: HarperOne, 2011), 6-7; John Burke, Imagine Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God’s Promises, and the Exhilarating Future That Awaits You (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2015), 46; Chilton, Conversations about Heaven, 130-131.

[4] Chilton, Conversations about Heaven, 119–120.

 

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Should a Preacher Be Well-Studied?

By: Brian G. Chilton, Ph.D., M.Div. | June 9, 2023

As we travel down the road of life, we often come across events that cause us to stop and ponder, such as observing the beauty of a mountainside or taking in the calm of the rhythmic patterns of the ocean waves. But on other occasions, we take off-ramps that force us to consider deeper-level ideas that have pervaded our communities and church life.

Recently, I took one of those off-ramps when I heard some folks say something that seemed quite bizarre. Within the same week, I heard two or three people assert that a preacher should not study for their message on Sunday. Should a preacher be well-studied? According to this logic, a preacher should not consider what message to bring prior to standing up in the pulpit. No notes should be used, and no outside study should be employed. According to this viewpoint, a preacher should just stand up and let the Spirit speak through them.

The idea is especially fluent in Appalachian culture, particularly in some independent Baptist and charismatic circles—but certainly not all.¹ The viewpoint comes from a flawed interpretation of Jesus’s messages, where Jesus said that a person should not focus on what one will say, but rather the person should depend on the Spirit for guidance. But did Jesus intend to say that a preacher should be ill-prepared for their message? Most assuredly, he did not. We will speak more on a proper interpretation of this message a little later. Nevertheless, when we examine the totality of Scripture, we note that a preacher—and really every child of God—should be well-studied in the Word of God for three important reasons.

A Preacher Should Be Well-Studied to Proclaim Accurate Messages

I cannot stress enough the vast importance of being fully prepared for a message. Paul writes, “Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth. Avoid irreverent and empty speech, since those who engage in it will produce even more godlessness, and their teaching will spread like gangrene” (2 Tim. 2:14–17a).² This text alone shows the vast importance of being well-studied in preparation for a message and anytime the Word of God is expounded.

In Paul’s day, those who had not been faithful to the proper exposition of God’s Word had allowed godless teaching to spread like a virus. Paul used the descriptive term γάγγραινα—meaning gangrene—to illustrate the toxicity that false teaching causes. Gangrene is an infection that spreads to the point that the limb becomes useless and needs to be amputated. If the infection is not stopped, it will spread, poisoning the entire system.

Paul was one who certainly placed a high value on being a well-studied man. 2 Timothy is likely the last letter that Paul wrote before his execution. Even facing the potential of death, Paul placed a high value on his studies, as he requested that his friends bring “the scrolls, especially the parchments” (2 Tim. 2:13). The scrolls and parchment were likely Old Testament Scriptures along with personal books and writing papers that Paul held in his possession.³

A Preacher Should Be Well-Studied for Deeper Devotions

I attended a leadership seminar in which a CEO asserted a leadership principle that is especially pertinent for Christian discipleship. The CEO said, “To be a good leader, you must first learn how to be a good follower.” He went on to say, “Everyone has to answer to someone. Even as a CEO, I answer to my board members.” This is a principle of such magnitude that it cannot be over-emphasized.

A pastor is not the ultimate authority over the church. Christ is. Even then, Christ, while coequal with the Father in essence, is under the Father’s authority. Thus, God is the ultimate authority of the church. If a pastor is not under the direct authority of God, then that pastor is not qualified to lead the church. Understanding this principle makes it even more necessary for a pastor to be well-studied.

Throughout the pages of Scripture, the biblical writers highlighted the magnitude of one’s meditation on God’s Word. For instance, Joshua asserts that the “book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do” (Josh. 1:8).

The psalmist illustrates the importance of being well-studied in God’s Word when it comes to devotional life in saying, “May my meditation be pleasing to him, I will rejoice in the Lord” (Psa. 104:34). The psalmist also states that “I will meditate on your precepts and think about your ways” (Psa. 119:15). When preachers and the Christian world understand their subjection to the Father’s authority, then it becomes even more important to learn from God. The best way to learn from God is to spend time in God’s Word.

A Preacher Should Be Well-Studied to Answer Challenges

I once heard it said that a law enforcement officer loses the right to be out of shape due to the nature of the job. In like manner, I think it should be said that a preacher of God’s Word loses the right to be uneducated in the truths of Scripture. By this, I am not saying that everyone should earn a Doctor of Philosophy or a Doctor of Ministry. There is a special calling for that. I am honored to be one of those who were called to pursue higher academia. However, not everyone has that calling, and neither should they. Those who pursue post-graduate studies should have a calling to specialize in a particular area so that they can advance scholarship in that area.

Answering Challenges about the Faith

While not everyone has a calling to specialize in higher education, everyone does have a calling to prepare themselves so that they can provide an answer to those who ask about their faith. This is Evangelism 101. Simon Peter admonishes his readers not to fear those who may try to persecute them for their faith. Rather, they should be prepared to answer those who ask about the faith they hold so dear.

In what has become the apologetic mantra of our day, Peter writes, “Do not fear them, or be intimidated, but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Yet do this with gentleness and reverence, keeping a clear conscience, so that when you are accused, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame” (1 Pet. 3:14–16).

Answering Challenges Requires Study in Scripture

How can a person be prepared to give a defense of their faith if they do not know what they believe? And how can they know what to believe if they do not know what the Scriptures teach? And how can they know what the Scriptures teach if they are not well-studied in the Scriptures? It seems fairly self-explanatory.

Conclusion: A Preacher Should Be Well-Studied

Some contend that a person should just rely on the Holy Spirit without any formalized study of God’s Word. They will then refer to the Scripture mentioned at the outset of this article where Jesus said that a person should only rely on what the Holy Spirit tells them to say (Lk. 12:12). As this article has shown, there are numerous reasons for a preacher—and really any saint of God—to be well-studied in the Word of God. However, two additional points need to be made concerning Luke 12:12.

The View is Biblically Flawed

First, Jesus is not speaking about whether a preacher should be prepared for a Sunday sermon. Rather, when the verse is kept in its proper context, one sees that Jesus references what a person says in one’s defense if that person is brought to trial for their faith. Jesus taught, “Whenever they bring you before synagogues and rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how you should defend yourselves or what you should say. ¹² For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what must be said” (Lk. 12:11–12).

Instead of worrying about what you will say, a person should instead trust in the Spirit’s leadership and direction in the moment of trouble. Nothing in this teaching says anything about a preacher’s preparedness for a message. Instead, it speaks to the importance of a person’s trust and dependence on God, especially in tumultuous times. Even the use of the verse in that manner illustrates the incredible importance of rightly handling the Word of Truth.

The View is Historically Flawed

Second, early Jews knew nothing about biblical illiteracy. In first-century Israel, every boy was required to attend Hebrew school. Rabbis and scribes would regularly commit the entire Old Testament to memory. In Jewish schools, boys would learn Hebrew, memorize Scripture, and learn biblical stories. By 75 BC, Rabbi Shimon ben-Shetach declared elementary education compulsory for young children.

Rabbinic teachers even observed four kinds of learners: the sponge—one who retains everything but is unable to distinguish between true and false points, or significant and insignificant information; the funnel—one who lets information go in one ear and out the other; the strainer—the one who forgets significant material and retains the unimportant information; and the filter—the one who retains important information and discards that which is of unimportant.⁴

Rabbinic Training

So, in ancient Israel, there was no such thing as a young Jewish person who was not at least partially studied in God’s Word. Unfortunately, the level of our biblical training is often subpar compared to the training of our biblical ancestors. Even for those who did not have a formal education, the community afforded an important didactic using oral traditions. The community made biblical training part of their cultural identity. They would pass along stories from one generation to another. The community ensured that their stories remained intact.

Additionally, rabbis—the official teachers of the day—were often expected to have memorized the book from which they were teaching before they could teach from it—rabbinical schools moved from the midrashic stage to the mishnaic before moving to the Talmudic phase.⁵ Therefore, the argument that a person should not study the Word of God to proclaim a message finds no accurate parallel in antiquity or in Scripture.

In the end, we can simply say that such an accusation is guilty of intellectual laziness at best, and spiritual irresponsibility at worst. Our final assessment must be that the idea that a person should not study and prepare oneself to present a biblical message should be wholeheartedly dismissed and rejected.

About the Author

Brian G. Chilton earned his Ph.D. in the Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University (with high distinction). He is the host of The Bellator Christi Podcast and the founder of Bellator Christi. Brian received his Master of Divinity in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); earned a Certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, and plans to purse philosophical studies in the near future. He is also enrolled in Clinical Pastoral Education to better learn how to empower those around him. Brian is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Evangelical Philosophical Society. Brian has served in pastoral ministry for over 20 years and currently serves as a clinical hospice chaplain as well as a pastor.

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© 2023. Bellator Christi.

Notes

• 1My appreciation goes out to Dr. Mark Phillips for pointing this out to me in an online forum.
• 2 Unless otherwise noted, all quoted Scripture comes from the Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman, 2020).
• 3Thomas D. Lea and Hayne P. Griffin, Jr, 1, 2 Timothy, Titus, New American Commentary, vol. 34, David S. Dockery, ed (Nashville, TN: B&H, 1992), 254.
• 4Robert E. Sutton, “Ancient Jewish Education,” AMITchildren.org, https://amitchildren.org/ancient-jewish-education/.
• 5Birger Gerhardsson, Memory and Manuscript: Oral Tradition and Written Transmission in Rabbinic Judaism and Early Christianity (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1961), 90–91.

Four Levels of Demonic Influence

Dr. Brian Chilton writes about four levels of demonic influence and how a person can avoid attacks from the enemy.

Source: Four Levels of Demonic Influence

By: Brian G. Chilton, Ph.D. | May 5, 2023

Everyone realizes that humanity is caught in a spiritual battle. If not, then a person should. Paul exhorts believers that they should “Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:10–11).[1] The apostle fully realized that the fight was not a physical one, but rather, it was a spiritual one. The enemy forces of darkness are constantly attempting to undermine and attack God’s plans and his people. Yet the enemy is limited by what he can do to God’s people. A lot of what he can do depends on a person’s reliance on God and God’s permissive will. Scripture indicates that a person can experience four levels of demonic influence.

First Level of Demonic Influence: Social Influence

The first level of demonic influence may seem counterintuitive because it does not necessarily originate from demonic forces. However, the enemy can manipulate a person’s thinking through social influences, emotional insecurities, and from a person’s own innate sinful desires. While the enemy is not directly involved, that does not mean that social or innate influences are any less threatening.

Scripture often speaks of the untrustworthy nature of the human heart. Jeremiah asserted that “the heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?” (Jer. 17:9). Jesus also noted that all kinds of evil originate from the human heart (Mk. 7:21–23). James spoke of the deadly nature of the human heart and how it ultimately leads to death (Jms. 1:14–15).

Even though social and cultural influences along with the issues of the human heart can lead one away from the leadership and purposes of God, the good news is that the Holy Spirit (God’s presence with us) comes alongside those who are redeemed, to offer help, encouragement, conviction, and education for those receptive to his call (Jn. 14:25–26). Without the Holy Spirit’s assistance and resistance to societal and emotional pressures, a person becomes like a ship with no rudder or a leaf blowing in the wind. In other words, a person finds oneself without any foundation. The enemy has a way of using such influences to cause a person to enter a proverbial house of mirrors in which the world and reality are viewed much differently than they actually exist.

Second Level of Demonic Influence: Demonic Temptation

The second category of demonic influence includes temptation. This occurs when the enemy tries to lead a person down a path that opposes the will and direction of God. Temptations not only include immoral behaviors, but they also could include dissuading a person from following God’s leadership, direction, and will. For instance, Satan attempted to thwart God’s plan in the life of Jesus (Matt. 4:1–11). He did so by offering Jesus an easier road without sacrifice, popularity and fame with little work, and selfishness over a life of service.

Satan also tempted Ananias to lie in Acts 5:3, and he led David to take a census of which God did not approve (1 Chron. 21:1). Most assuredly, Satan and his minions tempted Judas to betray Jesus. Other instances of demonic temptation include that of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:6–7), Esau (Gen. 25:29–34), Achan (Josh. 7:21), Samson (Judg. 14:16–17), Solomon (1 Kgs. 11:1, 4), and Peter (Matt. 26:69–75). In other words, everyone will face temptation sooner or later. The question is what a person does when temptation comes their way. As avowed in the Baker Encylopedia of Psychology and Counseling, “Yielding to sinful temptations arising from one’s own nature may make one increasingly susceptible to demonic temptation.”[2] Anyone who succumbs to temptation may find it increasingly difficult to resist (see Jn. 8:34).

Third Level of Demonic Influence: Demonic Oppression

When one continuously gives way to temptation in one’s life, the door to the third level of demonic influence may be opened—the door of demonic oppression. Oppression occurs when a demonic entity exerts “considerable influence over a person’s life short of actual possession.”[3] Unger discovered four effects of demonic oppression in Scripture. First, oppression often leads to the hardness of the heart toward the gospel (2 Cor. 4:4). Second, oppression could lead one toward apostasy and doctrinal corruption (1 Tim. 4:1). Third, it can also lead one to accept and adopt sinful behaviors into one’s life (2 Pet. 2:1–12). Finally, demonic oppression can lead to forms of physical illness (Lk. 13:10–16). As a caveat, not all physical illnesses are the result of demonic oppression.

Four Areas

How does oppression enter a person’s life? It has been suggested that four areas could open the door to oppression: 1) the involvement in the occult, 2) allowing one’s heart to grow bitter and full of hate, 3) indulgences, and 4) ministry activities that dilute the authority of God.[4]

Sometimes, oppression could stem from continued opposition where the enemy blocks ministry opportunities. In this case, a person of God did not do anything to invite oppression, but it could come from another person or region that is oppressed. In this case, a supernatural intervention from God is necessary to break the strongholds in that area. One such biblical case is found in the life of the apostle Paul. The apostle spoke of certain instances where he was not permitted to visit the Thessalonians due to the prevention of Satan (1 Thess. 2:18). We are not told exactly what happened but only that the enemy prevented Paul from doing what he wished. Here again, we must exercise caution because some opportunities are not allowed. After all, it does not cohere with the will and purpose of the Lord (Rom. 15:22; Acts 16:6–7).

Fourth Level of Demonic Influence: Demonic Possession

Finally, the last and most severe case of demonic influence involves demonic possession. Since the believer is filled with the Holy Spirit of God, demonic spirits cannot possess the child of God. A believer can be oppressed but not possessed. Thus, a believer finds added protection in their salvation through the insulated defense of God’s presence. As the psalmist notes, “The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty” (Ps. 91:1). Those who do not have this protective insulation from God become sitting ducks for the possessive gunshots of the enemy.

Three Signs of Demonic Possession

It must be noted that demonic possession must not be confused with mental illnesses. A thorough mental assessment is needed before demonic possession is accepted. However, demonic possessions still occur in modern times. Yale-trained psychiatrist Dr. Richard Gallagher reports on his numerous interactions with real-life demonic possessions in his book Demonic Foes. Gallagher reports that after ruling out mental illness, three primary signs accompany genuine demonic possessions— “the ability to speak an unknown language, the awareness of hidden knowledge, and various abnormal physical signs, especially immense strength, but also humanly impossible bodily “movements,” extreme contortions, and even the rare levitation.”[5]

The Bible refers to individuals who were possessed. The Greek term daimonizomai indicates one who is under the control of a demonic entity. One such instance is with Mary Magdalene, a woman whom Jesus had delivered from the possession of seven demons (Mk. 16:9; Lk. 8:2). Luke states that Jesus had delivered a man in the synagogue who was demon-possessed (Lk. 4:33). Jesus also confronted a man who had been demon-possessed for many years. His case was so bad that he lived in tombs (Lk. 8:27–39). In all cases, when Jesus confronted the demons, the demons had no choice but to flee.

Conclusion

As we conclude this study, we must note common trends that are found in all forms of demonic involvement. In more severe cases of demonic influence, a person almost always opens the door to the intruders. As Gallagher asserts, demons are “cosmic terrorists.”[6] They want to terrorize humanity because of the divine imprint and value that God has placed on human beings. But how does one open the door to these demonic terrorists? As previously noted, practices of the occult, harboring bitterness and hate, continued immoral behavior, the hardness of one’s heart, and false forms of worship are the common threads that often lead to more intense demonic involvement. These practices open the door to demonic spirits.

Some people may claim, “This sounds like a lot of spiritual mumbo jumbo.” But consider the continued depravity of our time. Nearly every week we hear another case of a shooting. Newspapers are full of headlines involving atrocious acts of violence and immorality. The more a culture or society turns away from God, the more that culture or society can expect increasing demonic influence upon the psyche of the culture.

Solution to the Problem

However, we are not without hope. The solution to this problem is startlingly simple. The demonic realm cannot stand near the presence of God. As soon as Jesus approached them, the demons had to flee. In the book of James, we are given a simple three-step solution to demonic influence. First, a person submits to God (Jms. 4:7). That is, a person submits to the authority, power, and authority of God Most High.

Second, a person resists the devil (Jms. 4:7). A person commits oneself to Christ and then stands against the powers of the demonic realm.

If these two steps are performed, then the third naturally flows in that the devil has no choice but to flee (Jms. 4:7). The devil and his minions are formidable foes and are not to be taken lightly. However, they are no match for the awesome power and glory of our God Most High.

About the Author

Brian G. Chilton earned his Ph.D. in the Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University (with high distinction). He is the host of The Bellator Christi Podcast and the founder of Bellator Christi. Brian received his Master of Divinity in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); earned a Certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, and plans to purse philosophical studies in the near future. He is also enrolled in Clinical Pastoral Education to better learn how to empower those around him. Brian is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Evangelical Philosophical Society. Brian has served in pastoral ministry for over 20 years and currently serves as a clinical hospice chaplain as well as a pastor.

https://www.amazon.com/Laymans-Manual-Christian-Apologetics-Essentials/dp/1532697104

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Notes

[1] Unless otherwise noted, all quoted Scripture comes from the Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman, 2020).

[2] David G. Benner and Peter C. Hill, eds., Baker Encyclopedia of Psychology and Counseling, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1999), 327.

[3] M. F Unger, Demons in the World Today (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1971), 113.

[4] T. B. White, The Believer’s Guide to Spiritual Warfare (Ann Arbor, MI: Vine, 1990), 150.

[5] Richard Gallagher, Demonic Foes: My Twenty-Five Years as a Psychiatrist Investigating Possessions, Diabolic Attacks, and the Paranormal (New York, NY: HarperOne, 2022), 81.

[6] Gallagher, Demonic Foes, 243.

 

Copyright, 2023. Bellator Christi.

S6E28 Leaving Calvinism Finding Grace (w. Dr. TJ Gentry)

On episode S6E28 Leaving Calvinism Finding Grace (w. Dr. TJ Gentry), Brian Chilton and Curtis Evelo interview TJ Gentry about his latest book

Source: S6E28 Leaving Calvinism Finding Grace (w. Dr. TJ Gentry)

S6E26 The Moral and Ontological Arguments

On S6E26 The Moral and Apologetic Arguments, Dr. Brian Chilton and Curtis Evelo discuss two additional arguments for God’s existence.

Source: S6E26 The Moral and Ontological Arguments

Seven Last Sayings on the Cross

By: Brian G. Chilton, Ph.D., M.Div. | April 7th, 2023

The seven last sayings of Jesus on the cross is very telling. Often, you can tell a lot about a person’s character by the last words said before they die. This is especially true of Jesus of Nazareth. This Good Friday and Easter is special for various reasons. On the one hand, the calendar matches the year AD 30 perfectly, one of the two proposed dates for Jesus’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection.¹ On this Good Friday, let us reflect on the seven last sayings that Jesus uttered from the cross and consider what each saying tells us about the character and compassion of Jesus.

Three periods of time are important to know concerning Jesus’s death. Jesus was nailed to the cross at 9 AM, darkness covered the region around noon, and Jesus died at 3 PM. The first three sayings from the cross were spoken before noon, whereas the last four statements were spoken near to the time of his death at 3 PM.

The First Saying on the Cross: A Word of Forgiveness

“Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).²

The first statement shows the great love that Jesus even had for his enemies. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told his disciples that they were to love their enemies. Jesus illustrated this principle on the cross. Jesus never instructs us to do something that he would not do himself. In this age of insults and aggression, we would all benefit from the love and compassion that Jesus demonstrated to those who nailed him upon the cross.

The Second Saying on the Cross: A Word of Promise

“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

At least two criminals were crucified with Jesus. The number could have been more, but the Evangelists only tell us about two. While the other criminal joined the crowds to condemn Jesus, this criminal received Jesus as his Savior even in the last moments of his life. Jesus promised him a place in heaven. The pain of this man’s sin may have eclipsed the physical pain he suffered. Yet this day of agony would serve as a day of redemption, as Jesus promised this man a place in heaven with him that very day!

Several principles come out of this saying on the cross. First, when a person dies, they immediately enter into the presence of God. There is no delay. Jesus teaches an ongoing, spiritual existence that supersedes death. Second, God continues to reach out to a person throughout one’s life, even to the point of death. It is never too late to start a new relationship with Christ.

The Third Saying on the Cross: A Word of Protection

“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home” (John 19:26-27).

Even while Jesus was on the cross, he was concerned about others. He made sure that his mother received the necessary care she needed from John his trusted disciple.

I fully admit that I am a mama’s boy. While I love my father, there is something special about a mother’s love. Jesus had a special relationship with his mother, Mary. Jesus and Mary had a bond that no one else could understand, especially given the manner in which Jesus was born.

In a time when widows and orphans were often mistreated and neglected, Jesus ensured that his mother received the care that she needed before his passing. Jesus trusted his disciple John, who was called “the disciple Jesus loved.” John was a very reliable soul. Even though he suffered the pangs of death which encroached his being, Jesus made sure that his mother found a home with someone who could be trusted. John was that person.

Do we care about others the way Jesus did? Or, are we consumed with the needs of the self, to the point that we neglect the needs of others?

The Fourth Saying on the Cross: A Word of Despair

“About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46).

The fourth saying is probably one of the most misunderstood of the seven sayings on the cross. Jesus quotes Psalm 22:1 in Aramaic. Psalm 22 is a psalm about despair and suffering. Most assuredly, Jesus experienced some sense of abandonment and despair. The weight of sin pressed upon his being, an experience he never had before being the sinless Lamb of God. This impacted his relational connectedness with the Father to some degree.³

Surely, Jesus felt abandoned. Most people had abandoned him. The majority of his disciples left him in his time of need, with the exception of John and the female disciples. The crowds that clamored around him when he miraculously fed and healed them were now absent, except for a few looking from afar with curiosity.

The first line points to the entire psalm.

As was the practice of the time, Jesus’s quotation of the first line of the psalm is an allusion to the entire work. The psalm ends with a glimmer of hope as it says, “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord. All the families of the nations will bow down before you, for kingship belongs to the Lord; he rules the nations” (Ps. 22:27-28).

The psalm concludes by saying, “They will come and declare his righteousness; to a people yet to be born they will declare what he has done” (Psa. 22:31).

Though Jesus was in a great deal of despair, he did not lose hope in the Father’s plan. In many ways, we may go through a time of pain and sorrow. We may be tempted to lose sight of the Father’s purpose and plan. But like Jesus, never lose your hope even while traveling “through the darkest valley” (Psa. 23:4a). Remember, we have the continued hope that we should “fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff–they comfort me” (Psa. 23:4b).

The Fifth Saying on the Cross: A Word of Fulfillment

“After this, when Jesus knew that everything was now finished that the Scripture might be fulfilled, he said, ‘I’m thirsty’” (John 19:28).

The Greek word for “I thirst” is one word—dipso. Previously, Jesus had declined the soldier’s invitation to receive soured wine mixed with an anesthetic. Yet moments before his death, he accepted the invitation to receive the wine mixed with soured vinegar, so that he could speak the last words that needed to be proclaimed from the cross. His acceptance of the wine mixed with vinegar echoes Psalm 69:21. The psalm reads, “Instead, they gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (Psa. 69:21).

Jesus stayed the course until the Scripture was fulfilled. He stayed true to the Father’s mission for his life, even to the last moments of his life. No matter what we go through in life, stay the course. Finish strong. Stay true to the Father’s plan.

The Sixth Saying on the Cross: A Word of Victory

“When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit” (John 19:30).

The Greek word for “It is finished” is also one word—tetelestai. Jesus’s one-word statement was a sign of victory. The word in Aramaic could be mashelem, which incorporates the word shalom meaning peace. If so, Jesus’s proclamation of victory ultimately brings peace to those who believe in him. Jesus was victorious. Though Jesus’s death was sorrowful, he was victorious. That is why this tragic day is called “Good Friday.” Jesus defeated sin and the schemes of Satan. Good Friday is a day of victory.

The Seventh Saying on the Cross: A Word of Trust

“It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three, because the sun’s light failed. The curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle. And Jesus called with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.’ Saying this, he breathed his last” (Luke 23:44-46).

Jesus’s commitment to Scripture cannot be denied, especially in his seven sayings on the cross. Just as he had done previously, Jesus’s final word from the cross is a quotation of the psalms. This time, he quotes Psalm 31:5 which says, “Into your hand I entrust my spirit; you have redeemed me, Lord, God of truth” (Ps. 31:5). The psalm speaks of trusting God even in the most frightening of experiences.

Even as Jesus breathed his last, he trusted the Father’s plan. His trust was well placed because the Father proved his faithfulness on Easter Sunday. While everything was grim and gloomy on Friday afternoon, the blessed promise was that Sunday was on its way. We may experience our own Fridays of gloom. Jesus reminds us that we must keep trusting in God because our Sunday is also on its way.

The psalm speaks of trusting God even in the most frightening of experiences. Even as Jesus breathed his last, he trusted the Father’s plan. His trust was well placed because the Father proved his faithfulness on Easter Sunday.

Conclusion of the Seven Last Sayings on the Cross

The seven sayings on the cross afford a glimpse into the character of Jesus. These seven sayings on the cross tell us about the compassion, the faith, and the determination of Jesus. Even though he was the Son of God, the human personality and character of Jesus are admirable to all.

Furthermore, the seven sayings on the cross when meshed with the glories of Easter Sunday grant a powerful spiritual application. While everything was grim and gloomy on Friday afternoon, the blessed promise was that Sunday was on its way. We may experience our own Fridays of gloom. Jesus reminds us that we must keep trusting in God because our Sunday is on its way. The world is in a state of turmoil. Nations threaten others with aggression. Sickness and disease seems to increase with each passing year. The world is indeed in a deep state of darkness. Yet, take heart, Sunday is on its way. Sunday–a day of resurrection, restoration, and peace–may seem so far away. But it may be nearer than we think. For on that day, as Paul reminds us,“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:16-18).

About the Author

Brian G. Chilton earned his Doctor of Philosophy in the Theology and Apologetics program at Liberty University. He is the host of The Bellator Christi Podcast and the founder of Bellator Christi. Brian received his Master of Divinity in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); and earned a Certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. Also, he is enrolled in Clinical Pastoral Education to better learn how to empower those around him. Brian is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Evangelical Philosophical Society. Brian has served in pastoral ministry for nearly 20 years and currently serves as a clinical hospice chaplain and serves as an interim pastor in northwestern North Carolina.

If you enjoyed this article, consider reading the following article by this author: https://bellatorchristi.com/2022/04/16/4-new-arguments-for-the-resurrection-of-jesus/

Copyright, 2023. Bellator Christi.

Notes

• 1The years AD 30 and AD 33 are held to be the two most likely candidates. From my research, I personally hold that the year AD 33 better fits the year of Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection than does its counterpart. Interestingly, this would place Friday, April 3, 33 AD as the actual date of Jesus’s crucifixion, and Sunday, April 5, 33 AD as the date of Jesus’s resurrection. While 2023 matches AD 30, the year 2026 perfectly matches AD 33, making Easter of 2026 a very special occasion.
• 2Unless otherwise noted, all quoted Scripture comes from the Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman, 2020).
• 3To what degree is a matter of theological inquiry.