Version 1.5 – 9.9.25
(In process of cleaning up bullet points, confirming sources, and adding additional information)
[Reminder: this document is not Scripture, it is fallible and imperfect, thus, research and study what you find]

The Table of Contents

RELIABILITY OF THE BIBLE

Manuscripts

• Ketef Hinnom Scrolls, “The Silver Scrolls”
  • written in Hebrew
  • contain scripture from Numbers
  • texts paralleling Exodus, and Deuteronomy
  • oldest known use of “YHWH”
  • written around 700 B.C.

• Dead Sea Scrolls
  • collection of biblical and apocrypha writings
    • 40% of the scrolls are biblical writings
  • written in Aramaic, Hebrew, by a Jewish sect called the Essenes
  • contains the full scroll of Isaiah, one of the best-preserved scrolls
  • Every book of the Hebrew Bible is represented in the scrolls, with the exception of the Book of Esther
  • written around 200 B.C.

• The Septuagint,
  • written in Konia Greek
  • Translated and written by seventy Jewish scholars were appointed to translate the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) for King Ptolemy II Philadelphus
  • written in 90 B.C.
  • Pre-Non-Christian Jews such as Philo and Josephus considered the Septuagint on equal standing with the Hebrew text
  • Similar to the Masoretic Text (7th-10th centuries A.D.) of the Hebrew Bible

• The Peshitta
  • Written in Classica Syriac dialect of the Aramaic language from Hebrew,
    • The New Testament of the Peshitta was translated from Koine Greek
      • As a translation into a language very similar to the one spoken by Jesus and the apostles
      • Did not include 2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, and Revelation.
    • Written around the 2^nd Century A.D.
    • Similar to the the Masoretic Text (7th-10th centuries A.D.)

• The Vulgate
  • Translated into Old Latin
  • The Old Testament is from original Hebrew and Aramaic texts
    • includes apocrypha books
      • Jerome noted that they were not part of the Jewish canon
  • The New Testament is from Koine Greek (The Septuagint)
  • Translated by Jerome, commissioned by Pope Damasus I
  • Translated around 382 A.D.
  • At the Council of Trent (1545–1563 A.D.), it was officially affirmed as the authoritative Latin text for the Roman Catholic Church
  • Codex Amiatinus, 716 A.D.
    • the oldest complete surviving manuscript of the entire Latin Vulgate Bible
    • Vulgate text-type
  • Codex Fuldensis, 541 A.D.
    • the four Gospels are presented as a single, continuous narrative
    • Vulgate text-type
  • Codex Sangallensis 48, 9th-century
    • contains both the Greek and Latin texts

• The Masoretic Text
  • The Authoritative Hebrew and Aramaic text of the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible (or Tanakh) in Rabbinic Judaism
  • Written in Hebrew and Aramaic
  • The Masoretes, a group of Jewish scribes and scholars who meticulously copied, edited, and distributed the text between the 7th and 10th centuries A.D.
  • The Aleppo Codex: Dating to the early 10th century CE
  • The Leningrad Codex: Dating to 1008 CE

• Rylands Papyrus (P52)
  • Fragment of The Gospel of John
    • John 18:31–33 on the front and 18:37–38 on the back
  • 100-125 A.D.
    • Possibly within John’s life time
      • Possible a copy of his own original writing
  • Alexandrian text-type

• Oxyrhynchus Papyri (P90 and P104)
  • P90 contains parts of the Gospel of John (18:36–19:7)
  • P104 contains parts of the Gospel of Matthew (21:34–37)
  • Early to mid 2nd Century (120-150 A.D.)
  • Alexandrian text-type

• Magdalen Papyrus (P64 and P67)
  • believed to be from the same codex
  • contain portions of the Gospel of Matthew
  • Mid to late 2nd Century (150-175 A.D.)
  • Alexandrian text-type

• Codex Vaticanus
  • Possible pre-Vulgate manuscript
  • 300–350 A.D.
  • missing a few sections, including part of Genesis, and some of the Pauline Epistles and Revelation
  • Alexandrian text-type

• Codex Sinaiticus
  • Possible pre-Vulgate manuscript
  • 325–360 A.D.
  • contains the entire New Testament and a significant portion of the Old Testament (the Greek Septuagint)
  • Alexandrian text-type

• Codex Alexandrinus
  • 5th century
  • contains most of the Greek Old Testament and New Testament, though some leaves are missing
  • Byzantine text-type

• Quantity of comparability – 5,800 Greek manuscripts, 10,000 Latin manuscripts and 9,300 manuscripts in various other ancient languages including Syriac, Slavic, Ethiopic and Armenian of the New Testament.

• Translations are not ‘different versions’ – Say “How, how are you” in Spanish and English and ask if the message is different.

• Time Gap
  • Comparing non-biblical ancient writings:
    • Plato: 1,200 years after the author. 
    • Caesar: 900 years after the author. 
    • The Gospel of John: 60-90 years after Jesus, and 0-30 years after John.
      • Rylands Papyrus (P52)

• Post-Apostolic Quotations:
  • 1^st century quotes
    • Ignatius of Antioch – wrote around 107 AD, died around A.D. 115, quotes Matthew.
      • wrote seven letters on his way to martyrdom in Rome
        • makes numerous allusions to New Testament books
          • The Gospels (particularly Matthew and John)
          • A number of Pauline Epistles (including Ephesians, Philippians, and 1 & 2 Corinthians)
          • See “Ignatius (115AD)“
    • Papias of Hierapolis (60–130 AD) – claims to have learned the teachings of Jesus directly from eyewitnesses – AD 95-110
      • lost work, the “Exposition of the Sayings of the Lord”
        • fragments preserved in the writings of later Church Fathers, especially Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 180 AD) and the historian Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 320 AD)
        • He noted that Mark wrote down the Gospel from the teachings of the Apostle Peter and Matthew “compiled the oracles in the Hebrew language, and each interpreted them as he was able.”
        • See “Papias, bishop of Hierapolis (60AD – 130AD)“
    • Clement of Rome – quotes gospels, discusses Jesus’ teachings, death, and resurrection – 70-96AD
      • First Letter to the Corinthians (1 Clement) is dated to around 96 AD
        • quotes or alludes to The Gospels (particularly Matthew and Luke), The Pauline Epistles (especially Romans, 1 Corinthians, and Ephesians), and The book of Hebrews.
        • See “Clement of Rome (95AD)“
    • Didache – means “The Teaching,” and its full title is “The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles.”
      • Written late 1st century, likely between 80 -100 AD
      • author is unknown
      • quotes and alludes to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, as well as Pauline epistles
        
        
  • 2nd century quotes
    • Irenaeus (c. 130–202 A.D.) – quotes from nearly every book of the New Testament
      • first to assert the canonicity of the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
      • See “Irenaeus (130 – 202 AD)“
    • Polycarp (69–155 A.D.) – a large number of quotations and allusions to the New Testament, particularly the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, and numerous Pauline Epistles (Romans, 1 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and 1 & 2 Timothy)
      • See “Polycarp (108AD)“
    • Justin Martyr (100–165 AD) – frequently refers to the Gospels as the “Memoirs of the Apostles”. He quotes Jesus’s teachings, and scholars have found that his citations align most closely with the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) but also include material from John
      • See “Justin Martyr (100AD-165AD)“
    • Clement of Alexandria (150–215 AD) – quotes extensively from both the Old and New Testaments
      • early testimony to nearly every book of the New Testament
    • Tatian (c. 120-180AD)
    • Tertullian (c. 160-220 AD) – See “Tertullian (155AD-220AD)“

Extra Biblical Writings

• The Didache (c. 80-100 AD) See above
• 1st Clement (c. 96 AD) – A letter from the church in Rome to the church in Corinth
  • earliest external evidence for the circulation of some New Testament writings
    • See “Clement of Rome (95AD)“
• Writings of Ignatius of Antioch (107–110AD)
  • To the Smyrnaeans: He explicitly refutes Docetism and provides early evidence for the belief that Jesus “came in the flesh.”
  • To the Trallians: He warns against Docetism (the belief that Jesus’s physical body was an illusion)
  • See “Ignatius (115AD)“
• Letter to the Philippians by Polycarp (155AD)
  • Mentions Ignatius
  • “Polycarp (108AD)“
• The Epistle of Barnabas (70 – 132AD) – scholars agree this is a pseudonym. included in Codex Sinaiticus and considered to be canonical by Clement of Alexandria
• The Epistle to Diognetus (mid-2nd century) – An anonymous apology (a defense of Christianity) written to a pagan named Diognetus.
• First Apology and Dialogue with Trypho by Justin Martyr (100-165AD)
  • “Justin Martyr (100AD-165AD)“
• the Diatessaron by Tatian (c. 120-180 AD) – a Gospel harmony that blended the four canonical Gospels into a single, continuous narrative
• Against Heresies by Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130-202 CE) – key witness to the emerging biblical canon, being the first to explicitly affirm the canonical authority of the four Gospels.
  • See “Irenaeus (130 – 202 AD)“

Archeology

• The Tel Dan Inscription – a victory monument erected by an Aramean king, likely Hazael of Damascus. The fragmentary stele (a stone slab) written in Aramaic that says “House of David” The inscription also mentions the “King of Israel,”
  • 9^th century BC
• The Merneptah Stele – an ancient Egyptian inscription that is widely considered the earliest known mention of the name “Israel” outside of the Bible. a determinative (a symbol) that indicates a group of people, not a fortified city-state. confirms that a group called “Israel” was present in Canaan during the Late Bronze Age.
  • 1208 BC
• Hezekiah’s Tunnel – It was constructed during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah in the late 8th century BCE to ensure a water supply for the city during a potential Assyrian siege as recorded in 2 Kings 20:20 and 2 Chronicles 32:2-4
  • 726-697 BC
• Caiaphas Ossuary – is an ossuary (a box used to hold the bones of the deceased) that is believed by many scholars to have belonged to Caiaphas, the Jewish high priest mentioned in the New Testament. The name “Joseph, son of Caiaphas” matches the name of the high priest mentioned by the Jewish historian Josephus Flavius, who identified him as “Joseph who was called Caiaphas.” This discovery provides direct, non-biblical evidence for the existence of this key figure in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’s trial.
  • 1^st Century
• The Pilate Stone – a limestone block with an inscription that is considered a key piece of archaeological evidence for the existence of Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect who presided over the trial of Jesus. This inscription explicitly identifies Pontius Pilate and his title, “Prefect of Judea,”
  • 52AD
• Nazareth Inscription – a marble tablet inscribed in Greek with a Roman imperial edict. The text commands the death penalty for anyone who disturbs graves, removes bodies, or moves a sepulcher’s sealing stone.
  • The death penalty is an unusually harsh punishment for tomb-robbing, a crime that typically resulted in a fine. This led some to believe the decree was a direct and severe imperial response to a specific, high-profile event—the empty tomb—that caused unrest.
  • aligns precisely with the events described in the Gospel of Matthew’s account of the empty tomb and the conspiracy theory that the disciples stole Jesus’s body
  • 41-54 AD
• Heel Bone of Crucified Man – a heel bone of a crucified victim – nail still embedded in it
  • It shows that the Romans sometimes used nails to affix a person’s feet to the cross, contradicting some theories that only ropes were used.
  • 1^st Century
• the Megiddo Mosaic – a mosaic floor of an early Christian church building in Israel that states “lover of God Jesus Christ”
  • 200AD
• The Alexamenos Graffito – The earliest known mocking depiction of Jesus on the cross, which includes a donkey’s head with the inscription “Alexamenos worships his god”
  • 1st to 2nd century AD
• The Amulet Scroll – Latin, north of the Alps – 3^rd century

Back to the Table of Contents

THE CANON

Old Testament

Jewish religious authorities and Jesus, declared OT divinely inspired writings (“the Law and the Prophets”)

• Internal OT – Cross-reference of Holy Scripture validates God-breathed Holy Scripture
  • 1 Kings 2:3, 11:41, 14:19, 15:7. 2 Kings 14:6. 2 Chronicles 20:34, 23:18, 26:22, 34:14; Nehemiah 8:1; Joshua 1:7, 8:31, 23:6; Ezra 7:6; Daniel 9:11; Malachi 4:4; Isaiah 8:20, 34:16

• External OT – Quoted by Jesus and or the Apostles as authority
  • JESUS: Matthew 4:4-10, 5:17-18, 7:12, 11:13, 12:40, 19:4-5, Matthew 21:42, Matthew 22:32-40, 24:37-39; Mark 11:17; Luke 24:44
  • Peter: Acts 2:16-21, 25-28, 34-35. 1 Peter 1:16
  • Paul: Romans 3:10-18, 4:3. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
  • Hebrews 1:5, 10:5-7, 16-17

• Extra biblical
  • Flavius Josephus (37AD – 100AD) – believed that OT canon was set and closed at the time of Artaxerxes (465-425 BC). a list of 22 OT books accepted by the Jews which appears to match our current 39 book collection (Against Apion, 1.38–42) “For although such long ages have now passed, no one has ventured neither to add, or to remove, or to alter a syllable” (Against Apion, 1.42)
  • Philo of Alexandria (20BC – 50AD): “the laws and the sacred oracles of God enunciated by the holy prophets … and psalms” (On the Contemplative Life, 25).
  • Ben Sira (Ecclesiasticus) and a fragmentary text from Qumran known as 4QMMT supports Philo and Josephus
  • Completion of OT sacred writings are referenced in the Jewish Council of Jamnia in 90AD
  • Melito’s Canon –160AD
    •  Eusebius EH4.26.13–14
  • Bryennios List – found in the Codex Hierosolymitanus (1056AD) – written by 4th-century bishop Epiphanius of Salamis

Different in Book numbers:  Kings and Samuel, for example, are single books for Jews and two books for Christians and in a slightly different order.

The official Hebrew Bible canon today contains no books from the Apocrypha

New Testament

The Apostles

• Luke 1:1-2 – “compile an account of…  eyewitnesses and servants of the word”
• Paul validated Luke’s writings as Holy Scripture – 1 Tim 5:18 (ref. Lk 10:7)
• Paul, Luke, and Mark – 2 Timothy 4:11; 1 Peter 5:13
• Peter validated Paul’s writings as Holy Scripture – 2 Peter 3:15-16 (ref. Col 4:16. 1 Thess 5:27),
• 1 Timothy 4:6, 11, 13.
  • “the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed [from the Apostles]“
  • “be trained,” “command and teach,”
  • “devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture“
• 2 Timothy 1:13-14
  • “the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me [an Apostle]”
    • Succession of Apostolic Doctrine (“SOAD”)

Post-Apostolic

Clement of Rome (95AD)

• He references or alludes to:  OT: Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Kings, Psalms, Proverbs, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jonah, and Malachi, NT: Matthew, Luke, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, 1 Timothy, Titus, and Hebrews.
  • Cites Scripture as authority
  • Argues apostolic tradition is only that which is in line with Holy Scripture = Succession of Apostolic Doctrine (“SOAD”) through Holy Scripture
    • Clergy that are in SOAD must be obeyed
    • Only Clergy that are in SOAD are divinely ordained as SOAD is what gives them their authority
      • Clergy is appointed by previous ministers that are in SOAD, sourced back to the Apostles themselves.
    • See “Sacred Traditions“
    • See “Completeness of Scripture“

Papias, bishop of Hierapolis (60AD – 130AD)

• He references Mark and Matthew, as well as 1 Peter, 1 John, Revelation, and maybe some of Paul’s epistles
  • States that Mark is the Greek translator for Peter
    • The Gospel of Mark is from Peter’s direct 1^st hand eyewitness account
    • States that Matthew compiled his work in “the Hebrew dialect.“
      • Tradition of Sacred Scripture
    • Eusebius, Hist. eccl. 3.39.15–16
  • Papias made a point of asking anyone who had known the apostles or their disciples about their teachings, specifically seeking out what was said by Peter, John, Matthew, and others
    • Quotes scripture and not oral traditions not directly from the Apostles or those who heard it directly from the Apostles.
      • The Apostles ARE the only source, not 2nd or 3rd hand traditions.
    • Succession of Apostolic Doctrine (“SOAD”)

Polycarp (108AD) 

• He references: OT: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and Isaiah; NT: Matthew, Luke, Acts, Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, 1 Peter, 1 John, and possibly Hebrews and James.
  • Quotes and applies Scripture as the authoritative guide for Christian living and defending the faith against heresy
  • Calls the written Tradition of Sacred Scripture “oracles of the Lord,” implying that these written words are the ultimate standard of truth
  • “follow the example of the Lord, being firm in the faith…as you have seen in the blessed Ignatius…and in Paul himself, and the rest of the apostles.”
    • THE example to follow is The Lord’s.
      • His example is written in the gospels.
    • Tangible examples of The Lord were “seen” in Ignatius and Paul and “the rest of the apostles”
      • Direct links to Jesus himself through direct connection to the Apostles
        • Ignatius was directly connected to an Apostle
      • No 2nd or 3rd hand witness/example from an apostle is stated.
      • Polycarp’s audience had access to those who were directly connected to an apostle, such as himself.
      • Succession of Apostolic Doctrine (“SOAD”)

Ignatius (115AD)

• He references (authentic short recession manuscripts): Matthew and John, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, Romans, Galatians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1 Thessalonians
  • Argued in support of Succession of Apostolic Doctrine (“SOAD”) but his writings are abused and misunderstood to justify dogmas that contradict Sacred Scripture (see below)
  • Ecclesiastical Authority is only derived from their unity with what the Apostles taught (Apostolic Doctrine) – this sort of tradition of ecclesiastical authority still falls under the primacy of the proper Succession of Apostolic Doctrine
    • All must be unified under and sourced to what the Apostles taught.
    • It’s the episcopate’s duty to maintain the Succession of Apostolic Doctrine to have legitimate authority.
      • Their “living voice” refers to the fact that many of those who heard from the Apostles directly, were still alive.
    • Succession of Apostolic Doctrine of the Episcopate – There must be at least one bishop/elder in each church who is unified to and continuing in the Succession of Apostolic Doctrine.
      • Sacred Scripture makes it clear more than one can and should be appointed, Thus, to properly understand his point.
        • Acts 20:17 – “elders” (plural) from one Church (Ephesus)
        • 1 Tim 5:17 – implies a plurality of elders in a church
        • Titus 1:5 – “elders (plural) in every town“
        • 1 Peter 5:1-2 – “fellow elder” addressing “the elders (plural) among you” shows a collective eldership of a plurality of elders.
      • This symbolizes the continuation of Bishop/Elder representing Jesus and the presbyters and deacons representing the Disciples of Jesus.
      • Papal Primacy is a misunderstanding of Ignatius and disregard for the explicit in Sacred Scripture
        • Papal Primacy wasn’t defined by the RCC until the First Vatican Council (1869-1870AD) – 1,755 years AFTER Ignatius.
        • Found nowhere in Sacred Scripture
      • Papal Infallibility is in no shape or form even alluded to in Ignatius’ writings. This doctrine is outside of Succession of Apostolic Doctrine as it contradicts and violates the writings of the Apostles.
        • Contradicts and violates Sacred Scripture
          • Only Jesus Christ is sinless. 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15. 1 Peter 2:22
          • No person will be sinless at any point in this life until after death – Ecclesiastes 7:20; Matthew 6:12. 1 John 1:8, 3:2
          • Peter, from his office as Apostle, sinned and was rebuked by Paul – Gal 2:11-21
          • Paul, an Apostle, was never without sin –  Romans 7:15–24. 1 Tim 1:15
          • John, an Apostle, includes himself when he says “we” are never without sin in 1 John 1:8
      • See “Papalism“
  • Ignatius depends on Sacred Scripture to support his points about continuing the established 1st century ecclesiastical tradition of bishops and elders with Succession of Apostolic Doctrine

Justin Martyr (100AD-165AD)

• He referenced: OT: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Daniel, and Psalms, NT: “Memoirs of the Apostles,” which scholars believe refer to the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), and also alluded to the Gospel of John and some of Paul’s letters. (1 Apology, 47.3)
  • Did not have the “living voice” of those directly connected to the Apostles like Ignatius, thus, Justin appealed to the written tradition of Sacred Scripture to maintain Succession of Apostolic Doctrine as his authority in his arguments.
  • “Memoirs of the Apostles” were read aloud in Christian worship services, alongside the Old Testament prophets.

Irenaeus (130 – 202 AD)

• He referenced: most books of the Old Testament; all four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), Acts, thirteen of Paul’s epistles, 1 and 2 Peter, 1 and 2 John, Jude, and Revelation
  • Mentored by Polycarp, who was a Disciple of John
  • Wrote (not orally) a “rule of faith” that summarizes the doctrines that has been passed down from the Apostles (Succession of Apostolic Doctrine) that is inline with the tradition of Sacred Scripture, invalidating gnostic “secret knowledge” claims.
    • Public, consistent, and verifiable succession of Apostolic doctrines supported by Apostolic writings, carefully preserved by the Church.
      • He argued that the elders in Rome, Smyrna, and Ephesus taught the same, unified, consistent, and verifiable Apostolic Doctrine.
        • He did not put Rome as the primary authority.
    • Argued that Gnostics were improperly interpreting Sacred Scripture because they did not have the writings from those who were directly associated with the Apostles or the writings themselves
      • Some gnostic sects invented their own writings, separate and apart from the Apostolic tradition of Sacred Scripture from the Apostles.
        • The Rule of Faith is a hermeneutical key for maintaining the Succession of Apostolic Doctrine
          • Precursor to the understanding of the Trinity
  • Primacy of Sacred Scripture: He states that the Gospel was first proclaimed orally by the apostles and “at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith.”
    • He argues that the four gospels are the sole, authoritative accounts of Jesus’s life and teaching and started justifying a closed canon of scripture.
    • The tradition of Sacred Scripture first came orally, but then, it was written, and now, is the “pillar of our faith” Thus, Succession of Apostolic Doctrine is now written and oral tradition is moot.

Marcion of Sinope (140 A.D.)

• He formed his own canon around 140 AD.
  • He founded a belief system known as Marcionism
    • He taught that the God of the Old Testament was a different, lesser deity than the God of love and mercy revealed by Jesus in the New Testament and rejected the Old Testament
      • Dualistic – two gods.
        • OT god was a “demiurge” – a lesser deity
        • NT god sent Jesus
          • Jesus was not god, himself
      • The Marcion Canon (140AD): Created his own canon; edited version of the Gospel of Luke along with ten epistles of Paul: Galatians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Romans, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Laodiceans (believed to be Ephesians), Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians.
        • he removed any passages that linked Jesus to the God of the Old Testament
  • He was excommunicated from the church in Rome around 144 A.D.
  • Strongly opposed by Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Pius I.
  • Helped prompt the early Church to define the true canon of Holy Scriptures and solidify the tradition of Sacred Scripture and cement the Succession of Apostolic Doctrine.

The Muratorian Canon (170AD)

• Is believed to be the oldest surviving list of New Testament books
• The four Gospels, Acts, thirteen of Paul’s epistles, Jude, 1 and 2 John, and Revelation
  • Not included: Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, and 3 John.
  • The Apocalypse of Peter, though the text notes that some churches reject it.
  • Rejects The Shepherd by Hermas as authority
  • Explicitly rejects certain heretical books that were being circulated at the time, such as the writings of Marcion and other Gnostic sects
• The dating is reference to the episcopate of Pius I in the letter, who died around 157 AD, as being “quite recently in our own times.” May be earlier than 170AD

Tertullian (155AD-220AD)

• He referenced nearly all books of the Old Testament and an extensive list of New Testament books, including all four Gospels, Acts, most of Paul’s epistles, 1 Peter, 1 John, Jude, and Revelation (Adversus Marcionem)
  • Confirmed the inspiration of the OT along with the NT
  • Argued gnostic teachings and writings lack Apostolic origins, thus, using the Succession of Apostolic Doctrine with the tradition of Sacred Scripture because the orthodox church in prior and current poses the public, consistent, uniform, and verifiable core Apostolic teachings sourced from the Apostles themselves and their very writings.
    • Depends on Sacred Scripture to prove his arguments.
    • Depends on the teachings of those who learned directly from an Apostles themselves for proper hermeneutics.

Origen (184-253AD)

• Origen’s canon (184-253AD) – His writings show that while the core of the New Testament was largely settled. He categorized books into three groups: those universally accepted, those disputed, and those he considered heretical
  • referenced all the books of the Old Testament
    • including the Deuterocanonical books, but he noted some were not in the Hebrew canon.
  • Most of the New Testament books, including all four Gospels, Acts, all of Paul’s epistles, 1 Peter, 1, 2, and 3 John, Jude, and Revelation.
    • Origen is one of the first to clearly affirm the canonical status of all four Gospels
    • He accepted the letters from Romans to Philemon as genuinely from Paul
  • Disputed or Doubted: Expressed some doubt about the canonicity of Hebrews, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, and James.
    • The Shepherd of Hermas, a popular book that Origen himself valued but acknowledged was not universally considered Scripture
    • The Epistle of Barnabas was disputed.
  • Primacy of Sacred Scripture: “it is necessary for us to adduce the Scripture as a witness; for we cannot otherwise be sure about the matters in question without the Holy Scriptures.“
  • The interpretation of Sacred Scripture is sourced from the Apostolic tradition of Sacred Scripture and the Succession of Apostolic Doctrine taught by those who were directly connected to the Apostles themselves.

Hippolytus (170-235AD)

• He recognized 22 NT books as Holy Scripture.
  • He held a very high view of Scripture, which he considered the sole source of knowledge of God – “For there is, brethren, one God, the knowledge of whom we gain from the Holy Scriptures, and from no other source.” (Against Noetus)
    • Sufficiency of scripture – See “Completeness of Scripture“
  • His work ‘The Apostolic Tradition’ scholars have noted that its text has been heavily edited and its original Greek version is largely lost, existing only in later Latin and other translations rendering it insightful to the thoughts and times in which it was edited and copied.
    • Due to him being historically known as an “antipope,” and the current state of the writing, it does not seem to be inline with his thoughts and was modified later to support Roman Catholicism.

Athanasius of Alexandria (367AD)

• Thirty-Ninth Festal Letter – 367AD – by Athanasius of Alexandria
  • Same as the Modern canon
  • Closed canon – “in these alone the teaching of godliness is proclaimed. Let no one add to these; let nothing be taken away from them.”
    • See “Completeness of Scripture“
  • He was concerned that some Christians were being led astray by heretical writings and apocryphal books that were circulating. To combat this, he provided a clear list of the books that he considered to be “canonical,” or divinely inspired and authoritative for Christian faith and practice.

Highly analyzed, tested, and debated: Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 2 John, and 3 John

The Total Canon

• Justin Martyr (100AD-165AD) recorded that the four gospels were read alongside the OT books
  • 1 Apology, 47.3
    • See Justin Martyr (100AD-165AD)
• Tertullian (155AD-220AD) – confirmed the inspiration of the OT along with the NT
  • Adversus Marcionem
    • See “Tertullian (155AD-220AD)“
• The fifty Bibles for the Church of Constantinople (340AD)
  • Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus
    • Did not include: 1–3 Maccabees, 1 Esdras, Baruch and Letter of Jeremiah.
• The Council of Laodicea (363AD) – no specific list of sanctioned books was produced.  A “Laodicean canon” list was made but was composed long after the council.
• Thirty-Ninth Festal Letter – 367AD – Athanasius of Alexandria
  • List of closed canon books
    • See “Athanasius of Alexandria (367AD)“
• The Latin Vulgate – 382AD
  • Translated by St. Jerome, took 23 years.
  • Based on original language texts, majority Byzantium Text Types (later) (Aramaic, Hebrew, Konia Greek)
  • Greek Septuagint and Alexandrian Text Types (oldest) were not a primary source.
  • Included some Apocrypha, but separated
• The Synod of Hippo (AD 393) – affirmed the current OT and NT as authoritative
  • The first ecclesiastical council to produce a list of the New Testament books that is identical to the 27 books of the modern Bible.
  • The bishops at the synod declared that no other book should be read in the churches under the name of divine Scripture.
  • Attended by Augustine of Hippo in North Africa
• The Council of Carthage (397 and 419AD) – affirmed the current OT and NT as authoritative, but also included some of the Apocrypha/Deuterocanonical books but not affirmed as inspired.
  • Ratified and affirmed the Synod of Hippo
  • Took a firm stance against the Donatist schism
  • Evolution of clerical celibacy in the Western Church (Roman Catholic Church)
  • Age requirement of 25 for clergy
  • Forbid the administration of baptism or communion to the dead, a practice some Christians groups in the West were doing.
  • Attended by Augustine of Hippo in North Africa and 43 other North African bishops.
• The Synod of Trullo, a/k/a Quinisext Council (692 AD)
  • Solidified the further evolution away from Apostolic Canonical traditions and into new traditions outside of Scripture for both the Western church and the Eastern churches.
    • Forbid bishops from being married
    • Forbid “laypeople” in clergy roles
    • legislated against things like gambling, attending theatrical performances, and other activities considered improper for Christians
    • The council’s refusal to acknowledge the universal supremacy of the Roman pontiff in disciplinary matters was a key point of disagreement
• The Council of Florence (1439–1443AD) accepted EO canons (the apocrypha) to try to unify both sides, RCC and EO and not determine inspired authority.
  • Modified the Nicene Creed by the Western churches to satisfy the Eastern churches.
  • Claimed Papal Supremacy and universal jurisdiction over the entire church
  • The Development of the doctrine of Purgatory
  • The different kinds of bread used for “the Eucharist” – leavened for the East, unleavened for the West.
  • The false sense of unity didn’t last after the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 AD
• The Gutenberg Bible – 1455AD – based off the Latin Vulgate manuscripts by St. Jerome.
  • 180 copies of the Bible were originally printed, with around 49 surviving today
• The Wycliffe Bible – late 14^th century – First English translation
  • Translated under the direction of John Wycliffe
  • Translated from the Latin Vulgate
  • existed only in manuscript form; Over 250 of these manuscripts have survived today
  • Wycliffe and his followers, known as the Lollards, believed that the Bible should be accessible to all people in their native language, not just the clergy.
    • RCC banned the Wycliffe Bible, and owning a copy could lead to imprisonment or even execution.
    • In 1408, the Constitutions of Oxford formally prohibited the translation of the Bible into English without RCC approval.
    • In 1415, the Council of Constance formally condemned Wycliffe as a heretic, more than 30 years after his death.  The council ordered that his writings be burned and his remains be exhumed and cast out of consecrated ground.
    • In 1428, at the command of Pope Martin V, Wycliffe’s body was exhumed, his bones were burned, and the ashes were cast into the River Swift in Lutterworth, England.
• The Tyndale Bible – 1539AD First English translation made directly from the original Hebrew and Greek texts.
  • Translate by William Tyndale
  • RCC had forbidden English translations of the Bible
  • Based on original Greek (Septuagint and Alexandrian text type) and Hebrew manuscripts
  • translated the Greek word ekklesia as “congregation” instead of “church” and the Greek word agape as “love” instead of “charity,” creating problems for Roman Catholic doctrines.
  • William Tyndale was betrayed, arrested, tried for heresy, and executed by strangulation and burning at the stake in 1536AD.
• The Luther Bible (1522AD) – Apocrypha were in a separate section, noting that they were not inspired Scripture but were still good for Christians to read.
  • Translated by Martin Luther
  • Translated the original texts into German common vernacular
  • Rejected Tobit, Judith, 1–2 Maccabees, Book of Wisdom, Sirach, and Baruch as authoritative, but informative.
• The Roman Catholic Council of Trent – 1546AD
  • Accepted the The Clementine Vulgate (1592) as the official RCC canon – replaced by the Nova Vulgata in 1979AD A “secondary canon” or deuterocanonical (aka Apocrypha) were included
  • Solidified the evolved splinter of the once Apostolic church as the new Roman Catholic Church.
    • Condemned the reformers
    • Focused on attacking all those who questioned the Roman Catholic church’s authority.
    • Affirmed salvation is by faith and works
    • Affirmed the Roman Catholic Traditions were equal to Scripture
    • Repealed the Roman Catholic tradition of indulgences
• the Geneva Bible – 1560AD – rejected by Queen Elizabeth I and the Church of England.
  • Translated by English scholars who were Exiled by Queen Mary I
  • Translated from the original Hebrew and Greek texts.
  • First Bible to included verse and chapter numbers with notes and commentaries
  • Influenced the King James Bible which drew heavily on the Geneva Bible’s wording and style
• the Belgic Confession (1561AD) – by Guido de Brès, provided one of the clearest and most influential statements on the canon.
  • Rejects the Apocrypha but states the Church: “may read” these books for instruction, they “do not have such power and authority that from their testimony any point of faith or of the Christian religion can be established.“
• The Second Helvetic Confession (1562AD) – Written by Heinrich Bullinger
  • a comprehensive theological document that summarized the beliefs of the Swiss and became a major confessional standard for many Protestant denominations and was quickly adopted by churches in Scotland, Hungary, Poland, and France
  • rejects the Apocrypha and said that these books could be read for historical or moral instruction, it declared that they “do not have such power and authority that from their testimony any point of faith or of the Christian religion can be established.“
• The Westminster Confession (1647AD)
  • The confession states that the “Holy Scripture… is most necessary” and that its authority “depends wholly upon God… and is to be received, because it is the Word of God.“
  • Rejects the Apocrypha. It says that the books “commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon of the Scripture; and therefore are of no authority in the Church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved, or made use of, than other human writings.“
• King James Bible – (1611AD)
  • Original version, Apocrypha were in a separate section
    • Later removed the Apocrypha in 1885AD
  • About 80% of the Tyndale’s Bible
  • Revised in 1629AD and revised again in 1638AD
  • Current KJV is the 1769AD edition
  • See “King James Onlyists“

• Additional Roman Catholic Books: RCC included seven apocrypha books in the Roman Catholic approved Bible (NABRE, NRSV and RSV):
  • Includes the Apocrypha: Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, and Baruch
  • Jews and Protestants exclude from their canon due to not being divinely inspired.
  • Eastern Orthodox church has the same Hebrew Bible canon as Catholics but adds 3 & 4 Maccabees, Psalm 151, The Prayer of Manasseh in Chronicles, and 1 Esdras.
  • Were not quoted as the authority of God by any OT Prophets
  • Were not quoted as the authority of God by Jesus in the gospels
  • Were not considered inspired by God by 1st century orthodox Jews such as Josephus and Philo
  • Were not quoted as the authority of God by the Apostles
    • Jude possibly alluded to 1 Enoch, but not authoritatively but as an analogy.
      • Using common cultural imagery to make a point is not validating the imagery as factual authoritative truth.
        • Using an analogy from the movie The Matrix in giving the gospel does not validate The Matrix as divinely inspired authoritative truth of the Christian faith.
    • Hebrews 11:35 refers to 1 Kgs. 17:22; 2 Kgs. 4:35 and not 2 Maccabees 6-7 as some claim
      • Similarities do not constitute collaboration.
  • Jerome noted they were not part of the Jewish inspired canon

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The Standard to Discern Inspired Writings

• The Rome Catholic Church did not determine the canon or “create the Bible”.
  • Rome Catholic Church didn’t start to take shape until 5^th century AD
  • Eastern Orthodox have different canons
    • See “The Total Canon”
    • See ““RCC” – Roman Catholic Church“
• Disciples of the Apostles did not seek to add to Scripture.
  • Clement, Didache, Papias, Ignatius.
    • The Shepherd of Hermes was popular but ultimately rejected
    • Clements letter, Ignatius’ letters, and Polycarp’s letter did not meet the standard of inspired writing as they were not eye-witnesses of the risen Christ.
• Disciples of the Disciples of the Apostles did not seek to add to Scripture
  • Scripture is always spoken of in past tense in the 2^nd through 4^th centuries
    • Heb 1:1-2
    • Jude 1:3
    • John 20:31
    • 2 Peter 1:3
• Scripture is not to be added to by the will and whims of man except for the chosen eye witnesses of God.
  • Prov. 30:5-6
  • Deut. 4:2
  • Rev. 22:18-19

• The Councils generally used the following Criteria/questions to determine and discover the divine authenticity of a document:
  
  1. Is it prophetic? Was the book written by a prophet of God? Were the authors Apostles or Prophets? God put His words in the mouths of the prophets and they declared what God had revealed to them. Was the author an apostle or have a direct and close connection with an apostle? Luke, Mark, for example

2. Is it miraculous and validated by God? Was the writer given God’s affirmation through signs, fulfillment of prophecy, or comparison to other truth revealed up to that point? Did prophecies come true? Did the Apostles perform miraculous works? Is the book being accepted by the body of Christ at large?  Is it accepted and received by the elders and people of God?

3. Is it authentic and true? Does the message speak the truth about God? Did the book contain consistency of doctrine and orthodox teaching? Is it non-contradictory or self-invalidating with other works?

4. Is it supernaturally dynamic? Does it manifest the power of God? The word of God is able to accomplish its stated purpose.  Did the book bear evidence of high moral and spiritual values that would reflect the work of the Holy Spirit?

Post-Biblical Fulfilled Prophesies of Scripture

• Isaiah prophesied in 700 BC that the Kingdom of Babylon will be overthrown and never recover (Isaiah 13:19).  This happened in 539 BC, and Babylon never recovered.  But, he didn’t stop there.  He also revealed it would be reduced not nothing more than a swampland (Isaiah 14:23).  When archaeologists excavated Babylon during the 1800s, they discovered that some parts of the city could not be dug up because they were under a water table that had risen over the years. 

• Ezekiel prophesied in 587 BC that the city of Tyre will be sacked AND that it will be completely destroyed, dissembled, and thrown into the sea (Ezekiel 26:12).  Alexander The Great, did exactly that.  He took the rubble from Tyre’s mainland ruins and tossed it – stones, timber and soil – into the sea, to build the land bridge so he could attacked in 333-332 BC. 

• Daniel 9:25.  This gives the literal time frame from a certain point all the way to the appearance of The Messiah.  Beginning year of the prophesy is 444 BC.  Now, we must keep in mind that the Jewish prophetic year was composed of twelve 30 day months; that means the Jewish prophetic year had 360 days, not 365 days.  Daniel states 69 weeks of seven years each, and each year has 360 days, the equation is as follows: 69 x 7 x 360 = 173,880 days.  So, 173,880 days, or 476 years, from 444 BC brings us to 33 AD, when Jesus publicly begins his ministry. The book of Daniel was discovered with the Dead Sea Scrolls, dated to the 2^nd century BC – around 200 years before Jesus.

• Jesus’s prophetic message to Chorazin and Bethsaida – Matthew 11:21-22 – Chorazin wilted and did not flourish until the Byzantine empire moved in.  After the First Jewish-Roman War (66-73 CE), the towns in the Galilee region, including Bethsaida, suffered significant destruction. It appears that Bethsaida’s prosperity declined after this period. Archaeological evidence suggests that the site was largely abandoned in the 3rd century.

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Completeness of Scripture

• Nothing more to add, nullify, or take away – Deut 4:2, 12:32; Ps. 19:7-14; Rev. 22:19
  • It is sufficient – John 20:31; 1 John 5:13. Heb 1:1-2
    • Faith comes by hearing the word – Romans 10:17. 2 Tim. 3:15
    • 1 Cor. 4:6 – “Do not exceed what is written”
    • 2 Tim. 3:17 – “equipped for every good work”
    • Jude 1:3 – “was once for all time handed down”
    • Heb 1:1-2 – “God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son“
• A different (distorted/changed/new) gospel message is not Apostolic – Galatians 1:6-8
• Nothing more important – Job 23:12; Ps. 19:7-14, 119:97. 2 Tim. 4:2
• Biblical Ignorance leads to different and or new false doctrines – Jeremiah 23:36. 2 Peter 1:20-21; Acts 8:30-31. 1 Timothy 1:3-4; 4:1-5; 6:20. 2 Timothy 2:18; 4:3; Colossians 2:8
• God’s revealed words are written – Jeremiah 36:2; Joshua 23:6. 1 Cor. 4:6. 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Is. 8:20, 34:16; Matt. 22:31-32
• God’s word will not contradict or violate its His explicit statements – Ps. 89:34; John 17:17; Titus 1:9, 14. 2 Tim. 2:15
  • If there is a perceived contradiction, it is in the interpretation – Is. 8:20
  • See “Biblical Interpretation“
  • Exceeding what is written violates Scripture – 1 Cor. 4:6
  • A new and or changed and different gospel message written or oral violates Scripture – Galatians 1:6-8
• The Written word is the Standard of matters of faith – 2 Chronicles 17:9; Neh. 8:13
  • Is. 8:20 – “in accordance with”
  • John 20:31 – “these have been written so that…”
  • Mark 1:14 – “sows the word”
  • Luke 8:11 – “the seed is the word of God”
  • Acts 17:11 – “examining the Scriptures daily to see”
  • 2 Tim. 4:2 – “preach the word”
    • “the word” in context 2 Tim. 3:15-17 is “the sacred writings” and written “scripture“
• Written Scripture is the authority of God – Deut 4:2, 12:32; Is. 8:20, 34:16; Matt. 22:31-32. 2 Peter 1:20-21; Joshua 23:6; Romans 10:8, 15:4; Acts 18:28
• Written word is alive through the Holy Spirit – Heb 4:12. 1 Peter 1:23
  • God teaches/illuminates – 1 Chronicles 22:12; Psalm 119:34; Isaiah 54:13; Jeremiah 31:33-34; Matthew 16:17; John 6:45, 10:27, 14:26, 17:6; Hebrews 8:10-11; 1 John 2:27. 1 Corinthians 2:10-13
• Traditions are lesser than Scripture – Matthew 5:19, 15:6; Mark 7:6–9; Colossians 2:8
  • Authoritative Traditions were written down- Romans 10:8, 15:4. 1 Corinthians 11:2, 23
    • The written tradition – 2 Thessalonians 3:6
    • See “Tradition of Sacred Scripture”
• Proper Hermeneutics
  • Christ-centric Interpretation – Luke 24:25-27, 44-49; Acts 18:28.
  • Exegesis – 1 Corinthians 4:6
  • See ““Hermeneutics”

Biblical Interpretation

• Holy Scripture interprets Holy Scripture
  • The Explicit statement of truth interprets the less explicit
  • Cross-references throughout Scripture helps define the meaning and contexts.
• Original Intent (Context)
  • “Butt dial” and “Booty Call” are the exact same words in Konia Greek but MEAN completely different things in English.
  • “Kill two birds with one stone” can be a figure of speech or literal depending on the context of the statement.
  • Hebrew word for “long-suffering” literally means “long of nose,” suggesting that it takes a long time for God’s anger to ignite
  • True Meaning comes from proper CONTEXT
  • Knowing WHO is speaking is critical to the CONTEXT
    • “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” – Matt 4:9
• Literal or Figurative – If the words convey a meaning beyond their standard CULTURAL definitions, such as through comparison, exaggeration, or substitution to create an imaginative effect, it’s figurative language. If the words mean precisely what they appear to mean, without any imaginative interpretation, then it is literal language. 
• Literal unless Culture and Context determine otherwise.
• Figures of Speech – Tied to phrases known in THAT culture at THAT time in history and religion. Figures of speech is not not being deceptive, tricking, or lying.
  • Metaphors – A direct comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as,” implying that one thing is another. 
    • “The classroom was a zoo today“
    • Psalm 23:1
    • Jesus’ “I ams” – John 6:35, 10:9, 15:1,
  • Personification – giving human characteristics to non-human things
    • God having “nostrils” – Ex. 15:8; Ps. 18:8
    • Psalm 98:8
    • Proverbs 8:1-2
  • Hyperbole – Hyperbolic speech – extreme exaggeration used for emphasis
    • “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse“
    • Matthew 7:3
    • John 21:25
  • Idioms – A phrase whose meaning cannot be understood by literally interpreting the words within it.
    • “It’s raining cats and dogs“, “Kill two birds with one stone” and “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water” 
    • Genesis 3:19
    • Matthew 6:11
  • Simile – A comparison between two different things using “like” or “as.”
    • Psalm 1:3
    • Isaiah 53:6
    • Matthew 10:16

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Manuscript/Textual Variants

• Different Word arrangement in the various manuscripts
  • Manuscript A – “Jesus Christ” = Manuscript B “Christ Jesus“
• Different Word spellings over time
  • Manuscript A – “honour” = Manuscript B “honor“
  • Spelling of John’s name: Manuscript A – “Ioannes” = Manuscript B “Ioanes“
• Cultural historical linguistical sentence structure
  • Manuscript A – “Christ did came to save” = Manuscript B “Came to save Christ did“
• Adjectives added for modern translation sentence structure comprehension
  • Manuscript A – “only begotten son” = Manuscript B “[monogenes]only-kind son“
  • Means the exact same thing
• Word specificity differences
  • “agape” is a fatherly love in Konia Greek. The specific kind of love a father has for his only son. In English, the only word available is “love” and adjectives must be included for articulating what kind of love.
    • God doesn’t love us like we love our pets. God loves us like we love our own unique, special, one and only children.
  • One Greek word can convey an entire idea or concept, whereas in English we must attach other descriptive words such as adjectives to convey the same idea or concept.
• Ideas and Concepts that encompass more than one word.
  • Mark 1:41
    • Manuscript A – “moved with compassion” = Manuscript B “moved with anger“
    • Jesus was frustrated at the sinful state of man and being angry he was moved to be compassionate because of the natural state they were in; thus, both manuscripts are correct and non-contradictory
• Later variants do not add anything new or change what has already been stated
  • Matthew 6:13 – Textus Receptus vs Alexandrian Text-types
    • Manuscript A – “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen” = Manuscript B “[omitted]“
    • The addition of this phrase does not add anything new that Scripture has not already made clear.
    • The omission of this phrase doesn’t take away anything that isn’t already made clear
  • Also read about The Pericope Adulterae incretion
    • Added, it does not add anything new to the character, acts, and nature of Jesus; who he is and what he did/would have done.
    • Omitted, it does not take away anything about the character, acts, and nature of Jesus.
• There are NO variants that portray a contradictory idea, concept, and doctrine; the divine doctrine and truths of God remain in perfect authoritative harmony.

Mark 16:9–20 – The Ending of Mark’s Gospel

Did not include the Resurrection

• Oldest manuscripts end at Mark 16:8
  • BUT the transcriber(s) oddly leave a large blank space as though something else was supposed to be there or added later to complete the copy.
  • Eusebius and Jerome, reported that nearly all the known Greek manuscripts ended with Mark 16:8
  • Not in the Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus
  • Footnotes in Bibles do not hide this.
• The added ending doesn’t add anything new, since Mark 16:6-7 actually supports the ending.
  • Mark 16:6-7 – “He has risen… you will see him, just as he told you”
    • This statement proves Mark does support the resurrection
• Verses 16:9-20 in later manuscripts agree with Matthew and Acts.
• The witness of the other synoptic Gospels and very early mentions from Paul (pre-64 AD) in 1 Cor 15:1-7 support that authenticity of the addition that was just missed in prior Markian manuscripts.

King James Only-ists

• Textus Receptus – translated manuscript of the KJV
  • Erasmus, the translator and transcriber of the Textus Receptus was ordained as a Catholic priest, secretary to the Bishop of Cabrai, and a faculty member at Queens College, Cambridge, England.
  • Dedicated this scholarly work to Pope Leo X
  • Disagreed with Martin Luther
  • Is based on only 31 Greek manuscripts, some of which were incomplete
    • we currently have discovered over 2,000

Revelation 22:16b-21

• Erasmus, had no early Greek manuscripts except for later Latin manuscripts.  He attempted to translate those back into Greek and created a new “Greek” manuscript (Codex Reuchlins, manuscript 2814)
• Based some of his translations on commentary on Revelation by Andrew of Caesarea (563-614AD) and not on a biblical manuscript
  • older Greek manuscripts discovered later in history 
  • He created 17 variants not found in any other, older, Greek manuscript.
  • In Rev 17:4 he created a new Greek word: ἀκαθαρτητος (instead τὰ ἀκάθαρτα). There is no such word in Greek language as ακαθαρτητος. In Rev 17:8 he used καιπερ εστιν (and yet is) instead of και παρεσται (and shall come).

Johannine Comma – 1 John 5:7-8 insertion

• Not in older manuscripts.
  • Erasmus was pressured by the Catholic Church of that day to include a statement supporting the Trinity Based on codex 61, a 16th century manuscript.
  • Originally not included in his 1^st edition translation.
    

Translation Misses and Errors

• Matthew 23:24 Translation Error
  • “strain at a gnat…” but the more reliable older Greek manuscripts say “strain out a gnat”.  “At” and “out” are different word meanings for the Jewish figure of speech. 
    • The older manuscripts use “διϋλίζω” which in Greek means “strain through or out”. It is an outward thought concept not a positional concept. 
• Revelation 22:14 Translation Word Error
  • Manuscripts prior to Textus Receptus say “wash their robes”
    • (HOIPLUNONTESTASSTOLAS)
  • Textus Receptus says “do his commandments”
    • (HOIPOIOUNTESTASENTOLAS)
• Acts 16:7 Translation Miss
  • Older Greek manuscripts say “the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them”
  • Textus Receptus says “the Spirit suffered them not”
    • Jesus is removed/missed.
    • Change in common language – “suffer them not“
• 1 Peter 3:15 Translation Miss
  • Older Greek manuscripts say “sanctify Christ as Lord”
  • Textus Receptus says “sanctify the Lord God”
    • Christ is removed/missed
    • Textus Receptus begs the question: who is “the Lord God“?
• John 14:14 Translation Miss
  • Older Greek manuscripts say “ask Me anything in My name”
  • Textus Receptus says “ask anything in my name”
    • Focus of WHO to ask is removed/missed.

• Pericope Adulterae – John 7:53-8:11
  • The earliest manuscripts and many other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53—8:11
  • John 20:30

• The Ending of Mark – Mark 16:9-21 (See “Mark 16:9–20 – The Ending of Mark’s Gospel”)

• Ethiopian Confession – Acts 8:37
  • Not found in Papyrus 45, Codex Sinaiaticus and the Vaticanus.  
  • first early appearances of the variant exist in the Old Latin manuscripts, and begins to only appear in the Greek around the 6th century
    • In Minuscule 2816, a 15th century manuscript.
  • The tradition of the confession was current in the time of Irenaeus as it is cited by him (180AD) and Cyprian (250AD).
    • Irenaeus was a disciple of Polycarp who was a disciple of John the Apostle; thus, could have been an apostolic doctrine oral tradition until it was finally written.
  • Removed, footnoted, and or bracketed in various other bible translations

• KJV has been changed and revised throughout History and is not the same as it originally was
  • Erasmus’ 1^st Textus Receptus edition – 1516AD
  • Erasmus’ 2^nd Textus Receptus edition – 1519AD
    • over 400 changes for the second edition
  • Erasmus’ 3^rd Textus Receptus edition – 1522AD
  • Erasmus’ 4^th Textus Receptus edition – 1527AD
  • Erasmus’ final Textus Receptus edition – 1535AD
  • King James Bible authorized – 1611AD version
    • 1629AD revision
    • 1638AD revision
    • 1769AD revision – current

Outdated Language

• Outdated Word Usage
  • 2 Timothy 2:15
    • KJV – “Study to shew thyself…”- Modern common English translation – “Be diligent to present yourself…”
  • Genesis 31:36; Numbers 20:3
    • “Chode”
  • Exodus 28:13; 39:18 
    • “Ouches”
  • Isaiah 3:22
    • “Whimples”
  • Deut. 32:33, 33:17
    • “Dragons” and “Unicorns”
      
• Outdated Phrases no longer used
  • Job 15:27
    • “Collops of fat on his flanks“
  • Jeremiah 24:2
    • “Very naughty figs”
  • Genesis 25:29
    • “sod pottage”
  • 2 Cor. 6:12
    • “Straitened in your own bowels”
  • 1 Samuel 25:22
    • “Pisseth against the wall”

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HISTORICITY OF JESUS

• The Gospels are claims of firsthand Eyewitness accounts.
  • John 19:35, 20:30
  • Luke 1:1–4
  • Acts 2:32, 3:15, 10:39-41
  • 1 Corinthians 15:3–8
  • 1 Peter 5:1.
  • 2 Peter 1:16–18
  • 1 John 1:1–3
• 1^st Century Church Fathers in their writings discuss Jesus and the Gospels as historical events that were witnessed first hand by their Apostolic teachers.
  • Papias recording interviewing the daughters of Philip and people who were resurrected from the dead.
    • Eusebius, in his “Church History,” quotes Papias as saying he learned from the daughters of Philip the Apostle about a man who was raised from the dead in their day. A later source, Philip of Side, also claims Papias reported that people raised from the dead by Christ were still alive in the time of the Emperor Hadrian (who reigned from 117 to 138 CE).
• Mara Bar-Serapion, Non-Christian, letter to his son discussing historical people – 73AD
  • Alludes to Jesus and the Crucifixion
• Flavius Josephus, Non-Christian Jew – explicitly talks about Jesus – 37-93AD
  • Mentions the Crucifixion
• Cornelius Tacitus, Non-Christian Roman history – explicitly talks about Jesus – 56-120AD
  • Mentions the Crucifixion
• Pliny the Younger, Non-Christian Roman official, directly mentions Jesus – 112AD
  • Mentions the Deity of Jesus
• Suetonius, Non-Christian Roman historian – referenced Jesus – 120AD
• Lucian of Samosata, Non-Christian Roman comedian, directly mentions Jesus – 166AD
  • Mentions the Crucifixion
  • Mentions the Deity of Jesus
• Phlegon of Tralles – quoted by Origen – directly discussed Jesus – 2^nd century
• Celsus – Non-Christian Greek Philosopher – quoted by Origen – 175AD
  • Mentions the Crucifixion
• Thallus – Non-Christian writer – records the events at the moment Jesus died – quotes by Julius Africanus – 22AD
  • Alludes to the Crucifixion
• The Jewish (Babylonian) Talmud – Sanhedrin 43 – Non-Christian Jewish Rabbinical writing – explicitly talks about Jesus – 375 to 427 AD
  • Mentions the Crucifixion
  • Alludes to the Deity of Jesus (magic practice)
  • Alludes to the Resurrection (missing body)
• EP Sanders, Non-Christian Secular Academic, Arts and Sciences Professor of Religion at Duke University, one of the most respected and influential modern New Testament secular scholars
  • Confirms historicity of the Crucifixion
  • Confirms ancient historical deity belief
    
  • Quote from his book, The Historical Figure of Jesus:
    “That Jesus’ followers (and later Paul) had resurrection experiences, in my judgment, a fact. What the reality was that gave rise to the experiences I do not know. Much about the historical Jesus will remain a mystery. Nothing is more mysterious than the stories of his resurrection, which attempt to portray an experience that the authors could not themselves comprehend. But in the midst of mystery and uncertainty, we should remember that we know a lot about Jesus. We know that he started under John the Baptist, that he had disciples, that he expected the ‘kingdom’, that he went from Galilee to Jerusalem, that he did something hostile against the Temple, that he was tried and crucified. Finally we know that after his death his followers experienced what they described as the ‘resurrection’; the appearance of a living but transformed person who had actually died. They believed this, they lived it, and they died for it… we have a good idea of the main lines of his ministry and his message. We know who he was, what he did, what he taught, and why he died. Perhaps most important, we know how much he inspired his followers, who sometimes themselves did not understand him, but who were so loyal to him that they changed history.“

• Maurice Casey, Non-Christian Atheist Academic, Emeritus Professor of New Testament, University of Nottingham. An expert in Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke
  • He believed that the historical person of Jesus really existed, but he did not believe in his divinity.
  • He argued for the historicity of Jesus, criticizing “mythicists” who claimed Jesus was a mythical figure. He believed that the question of Jesus’s existence had long been settled by scholars.
  • Confirms historicity of the Crucifixion
• Michael Grant, Non-Christian Historian of the Roman Empire and worked at Ankara University, chairman of Humanity (Latin) at Edinburgh University, vice-chancellor of the University of Khartoum, vice-chancellor of Queen’s University of Belfast, and an expert of ancient Greek, Roman and Israelite history.
  • He firmly argued for the historical existence of Jesus.
  • Grant accepted the crucifixion as a historical fact
  • Grant did not endorse a literal, physical resurrection. However, he did find the evidence for the empty tomb to be historically firm and plausible based on the criteria used for other ancient sources.
  • He concluded that something happened after Jesus’s death to prompt his followers to believe he was alive.

GOD HAS A DIVINE SON

• Proverbs 30:2-4*
  • “the Holy One“
  • “ ascended into heaven and descended“
  • “His son’s name“
• Isaiah 9:6*
  • “a child will be born.. a son will be given…“
  • “His name [the son] will be called… Mighty God, Eternal Father…“
• Isaiah 7:14 (“Immanuel”) + Matt. 1:23
  • “God with us”
    • Hebrew: “with” = עִמָּנוּאֵל ʿimmānû’ēl literally means “God with us” or “with us is God” in presence of.
    • Greek: “with” = μετά meta means with which it is joined; occupying an intermediate position;  in the midst of, amid, denoting association, union
  • Thus, God will be actually joined to, in union with, and in the presence of and amid humanity.
  • See “Jesus, God Incarnate”
• Psalms 2:7 + Matt 3:17
  • “You are My Son” spoke by God to Jesus
• Micah 5:2
  • “From you [Bethlehem]“
  • “One will go forth for Me [God]“
  • “ruler in Israel“
  • “from the days of eternity“
• Hosea 11:1
  • “I [God] loved him [who’s ‘him’?]“
  • “I [God] called My son [that’s the ‘him’ who God loved]“
• Hebrews 1:8
  • “But of the Son He [God] says…”
  • God is speaking: “…Your [the Son] throne, O God [God calls the Son God]…“
  • The Son’s throne, according to God: “is forever and ever”
• Daniel 3:25
  • Spoken by King Nebuchadnezzar 
  • Referring to a mysterious and supernatural fourth man
  • “...the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.“
  • Says “gods” because he is not monotheistic.

PRE-INCARNATE CHRIST IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Genesis 18:1–3
  • “the Lord appeared to him”
  • “[Abraham] bowed himself to the earth and said, “My Lord…“
  • Hebrew: “the Lord” = יְהֹוָה Yᵊhōvâ
  • Physically appeared = “Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree,  while I bring a morsel of bread“
• Genesis 32:24–30
  • “a man wrestled with him [Jacob]”
  • “did not prevail against Jacob” = means Jacob wouldn’t give up (v. 26).
  • Had supernatural powers: “he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint”
  • “Then he (the man) said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
  • Jacobs’ testimony about his experience: “I have seen God face to face [in human form as ‘a man’], and yet my life has been delivered.”
• Jesus confirms his pre-existence – John 8:58
• God WALKED in the Garden of Eden – Genesis 3:8;
  • God the Father is spirit – John 4:24
• See “God has a Divine Son”
  
• “THE Angel of the Lord”
  • The Angel of the Lord makes no appearances while Jesus is on earth – He is Jesus
  • “Like God” who is also “like THE angel of The Lord” – Zechariah 12:8 + Isaiah 46:9
    • “no one like God” – Isaiah 46:9 = must then BE God
  • Called “THE Lord” – Judges 6:11-16
    • “the angel of the Lord came and sat” – actual, physical presence
    • “the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you” – “the Lord” = יְהֹוָה Yᵊhōvâ
    • Gideon calls The Angel of the Lord, God – “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us“
    • The Angel of the Lord calls himself God, – “And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you” – See Judges 6:12-13
  • Saw THE Angel, who is God – Judges 6:22, Judges 13:21-22
    • “Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.”
  • Called Wonderful – Judges 13:18 + Isaiah 9:6
  • Is Worshiped – Joshua 5:13-19
    • “Commander of the Lord’s Army” – top rank with highest authority.
      • “the Lord” = יְהֹוָה Yᵊhōvâ = literal Hebrew name of God
        • “fell on his face to the earth and bowed down” = accepted the same sort of homage that angels constitute as worship.
          • Same thing Abram did when he was in the presence of God – Gen. 17:3
          • Created servant angels do not accept worship – Rev 19:10, 22:8–9
            • “fell down at his feet” = worship
        • “the place where you are standing is holy” = The Commander is Holy.
          • The presence of God is Holy – Ex. 3:5; Acts 7:33
      • Then, Joshua 6:2 (only 2 verses later, same event) “And the Lord said to Joshua” – “the Lord” = יְהֹוָה Yᵊhōvâ = literal Hebrew name of God
  • Has the Divine Nature
    • Performed Miracles – Judges 6:21; 13:20
    • Foretells the future – Judges 13:3–6
    • Powerful – 2 Kings 19:35
  • Plurality of God – The Angel of the Lord distinguished from Yahweh – Zechariah 3:1-4; Joshua 5:13-19
    • Joshua 5:13-19; Joshua 6:2 – The Commander of the Lord’s Army, is also the Lord God, but district
      • See “God has a Divine Son”
      • See “The Trinity“

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PROPHESIES OF JESUS

• Lineage of the Messiah:
  • Born into the world – Gen 3:13
  • from Abraham – Gen 12:3 + Acts 3:25–26
  • from Isaac – Gen 17:19 + Romans 9:7
  • from Jacob – Gen 28:14 + Luke 3:34
    • The Divine Scepter of God – Gen 49:10 + Luke 3:33
  • “He” of “flesh and blood” on a throne of “his kingdom forever” – 2 Sam 7:12–13 + Matt 1:1
  • Daniel 7:13–14 + Luke 1:31–33
    • Will have a divine nature
• A Prophet like Moses – Deuteronomy 18:15–16 + John 5:45–47
• The Anointed One/Priest – 1 Samuel 2:35 + Hebrews 2:17
  • “faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind…forever”
    • Is perfectly faith, has the divine heart and mind of God, forever

The Suffering Servant – Isaiah 53

1. “he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him… He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not... ” Isaiah 53:2-4
   • Not born into material wealth or societal status, no earthly majesty or beauty, but absolutely humble
   • The people ended up hating him and rejecting him.
   • Judas, a close disciple betrayed him causing sorrow and grief
   • The Apostles were initially embarrassed of him and hid their faces
2. “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.… All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way;” Isaiah 63:4, 6
   • He had compassion on us, the sinners
   • We did not have compassion on him, thinking he was cursed by God
   • We looked elsewhere for our own self-righteousness and salvation
3. “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed... and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all… He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” Isaiah 53:5-7
   • Was crucified – nailed to a cross, piercing his hands and ankles
   • Was beaten, flogged, and tortured; totally crushed
   • Was chastised by the crowds and a thief on the cross next to him
   • His purpose: to take our sin upon himself.
   • Did not pronounce divine judgement and divine justice against the oppressors but instead, remind absolutely humble and submissive to God’s Will, as the Perfect Servant and Perfect Sacrificial Lamb.
4. “By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living… because he poured out his soul to death” Isaiah 53:8, 12
   • Illegally arrested, tried, and judged, oppressed and taken away
   • Died on the cross and cut off from the land of the living
5. “And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth…  and was numbered with the transgressors;” Isaiah 53:9, 12
   • Was associated and buried with sinners, as a sinner
   • Buried in a new, unused tomb of a wealthy man
   • Never lied or sinned, was innocent
6. “Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied… yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors” Isaiah 53:11-12
   • It was his purpose and mission – the will of God
   • He was the Guilt Offering that pays for the sinners guilt before God
   • Believers in him can become Children of God, his offspring.
   • His days were prolonged as he resurrected and remained with the Apostles for 40 more days after.
   • His sacrificial Guilt Offering satisfied God
   • He actively intercedes for sinners

• The Timeline of the Messiah’s arrival – Daniel 9:24–26 + Galatians 1:3–5
• The Virgin Birth – Isaiah 7:14 + Luke 1:35
  • Divine nature
• Born in Bethlehem – Micah 5:2 + Matt 2:4–6
  • Divine nature
• Will be in and then come out from Egypt – Hosea 11:1 + Matt 2:14
  • Divine Son
    • Grew up as a normal person – Isaiah 53:2-3
• Sinlessness – Exodus 12:5 + Hebrews 9:14
  • Perfect sacrifice – Psalm 40:6–8 + Hebrews 10:5–10
  • THE Passover Lamb – Exodus 12:21–27; Isaiah 53:7 + 1 Corinthians 5:7
    • The Atonement of sin – Leviticus 17:11 + Matthew 26:28; Isaiah 53:4-6, 9-12
    • Forsaken – Psalm 22:1 + Matthew 27:46
• A forerunner will proceed the Messiah – Isaiah 40:3–4 + John 1:23
  • In the spirit of Elijah – Malachi 4:5–6 + Matthew 11:10–15
• Begin Ministry in Galilee – Isaiah 9:1–2 + Matthew 4:12–17
  • Will teach with parables – Psalm 78:1–2 + Matthew 13:34–35
  • Will perform miracles – Isaiah 35:5–6 + Matthew 11:2–6
• Willful humility to servanthood – Psalm 8:5–6 + Hebrews 2:5–9
  • Ride on a Donkey – Zechariah 9:9 + Matthew 21:8–10
  • “no form or majesty” or “beauty” – Isaiah 53:2
• Introduce a New Covenant – Jeremiah 31:31 + Matthew 26:28
• Will be despised and rejected- Isaiah 53:3 + Luke 4:28–29
• It will be planned to kill him – Psalm 31:13 + Matthew 27:1
• Will be abandoned by “closets friends” – Psalm 31:11 + Mark 14:50; Psalm 41:9 + John 13:18
• Will be betrayed
  • 30 pieces of Silver – Zechariah 11:12–13 + Matthew 27:6–10
• He will remain silent before is accusers – Psalm 38:12–13; Isaiah 53:7 + Matthew 27:12–14
• Will be scorned/mocked/abused
  • Psalm 22:8 + Matthew 27:42–43; Isaiah 50:3–6 + Matthew 27:27–31
  • Cast lots for his clothing – Psalm 22:18 + John 19:23–24
• Will be Crucified
  • “Lifted Up” = hung on the cross – Numbers 21:9 + John 3:14–18
  • No bones broken – Exodus 12:46 + John 19:31–36
  • Hands and feet pierced – Psalm 22:16 + John 19:36–37; Isaiah 53:5
    • Will be dehydrated and thirsty – Psalm 22:15 + John 19:28
    • Vinegar drink – Psalm 69:21 + Matthew 27:34
    • Die on the cross – Isaiah 53:8, 12
• Crucified WITH criminals next to him – Isaiah 53:912 + Matt 27:44
• Quotes Scripture while on the Cross – Psalm 31:5 + Luke 23:46; Psalm 22:1 + Matthew 27:46
• He will be “hurt” but “He” will “crush” the head of Satan (defeating death and atone for sin) – Gen 3:15 + 1 John 3:8
• Buried as a criminal and sinner – Isaiah 53:9
  • Buried in a wealthy new tomb – John 19:38-41
• Will be Resurrected
  • Job 19:23–27 + John 5:24–29
  • Psalm 16:9–11 + Acts 2:31
  • Psalm 118:17–18 + Luke 24:5–7
  • Isaiah 25:7–8, 53:10 + 1 Corinthians 15:54

JESUS IS GOD

• SAME HOLY NAME – John 8:58 (ref. Ex 3:14)
  • The literal name of God
    • Jewish reaction establishes the context of the “I AM” – stoning for blasphemy (John 10:33)
  • See “Jesus Calls Himself God“
• SAME DIVINE NATURE – John 1:1, 10:30, 14:11
  • Immanuel – Isaiah 7:13-14 – Hebrew for “God with us”
  • The head of every woman is man but both are equally human – same nature
• SAME DIVINE AUTHORITY
  • To forgive SIN – Matt 9:2; 28:18 (Ref. Ps. 130:3-4)
  • Command spirits – Mark 1:23-28; Matthew 8:28-34; 12:22
  • Command animals – Luke 5:1-11; John 21:1-14
• SAME HOLY GOODNESS – Mark 10:17 + John 8:46; 10:11
  • Sinlessness – Hebrews 4:15. 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 3:5. 1 Peter 2:22
• SAME DIVINE KNOWLEDGE
  • The future – Matthew 24:1-51, Mark 13:1-37, Luke 21:5-38
  • People’s thoughts – Matthew 9:4; Mark 2:8-11
• SAME DIVINE POWER
  • Raising the dead – Luk 7:11-18; Matt 9:18-26; John 11:1-46
  • Raised himself from the dead – Luk 24:5-8; Matt 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12, 36-53; John 20:1-10, 19-25; Acts 1:3. 1 Cor. 15:5-8
  • Controlled the weather – Matt 8:23-27
  • Control the elements – John 2:1-11; Mark 6:45-56; 11:12-14; Matthew 14:15-21; 15:32-39; 21:18-19
  • Created from dirt – John 9:1-38
  • Create from nothing – Matt. 14:15-21; 17:24-27
  • Healed blind, deaf, paralyzed, deformities, birth defects, diseases – Matt 9:1-8, 27-31, 12:10-13, 20:30-34; John 5:1-9; Luke 8:43-48, 17:11-19; Mark 1:40-45, 8:22-26;
  • Healed from far away – Matthew 8:5-13; 15:22-28
• SAME WORSHIP AS
  • Matt 2:11; 14:33; 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38
    • Worship – προσκυνέω proskyneō – kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication; homage shown to men and beings of superior rank
    • 1 Cor 14:25 – προσκυνέω proskyneō is for God- worship
    • Rev 11:1 – προσκυνέω proskyneō is what is done at the Temple and Altar of God – worship
    • According to Jewish law and tradition, this kind of worship is reserved for God alone
    • Angels literally say προσκυνέω proskyneō IS WORSHIP – Rev 22:9
      • Angels do not accept this form of obeisance, homage = προσκυνέω proskyneō = worship – Rev 19:10, 22:8–9
        • Same exact word used in Revelation, προσκυνέω proskyneō, understood by Angels as “worship”
        • Worshiping an idol is literally prostrating, doing homage, making obeisance and supplication to… “beings of superior rank”
          • Acts 7:43 – προσκυνέω proskyneō of Moloch, god of Rephan – blasphemous idol worship
          • Rev 13:12 προσκυνέω proskyneō of the First Beast – blasphemous idol worship
          • Different words used describing different aspects/elements of worship.
            • Acts 17:23. 2 Thess 2:4 –σέβασμα is not “worship” in the sense of the act or desire of the devotee, but regarding the object and thing, item, such as temple, altars, stone statue, painted image, and not the being or idea; the physical material thing.
            • Col. 2:18 – θρησκεία thrēskeia – the external functions of worship, such as ceremonies, rituals, rites

GOD CALLS JESUS GOD

• Isaiah 7:14 – His name literally means “God with us”
  • See “God has a divine Son“
• Isaiah 9:6 – “The mighty God, The everlasting Father”
• Hebrews 1:8 – “But of the Son He says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever” (ref. Ps 45:6-7)
  • “He says” is God speaking
  • “of the Son” the subject of God speaking is “the Son“, who is Jesus in context
  • God says: “Your [the Son] throne, oh God [God calls the Son God], is forever and ever“

JESUS CALLS HIMSELF GOD

• John 8:58 (ref. Ex 3:13-14)
  • John: “I am” – ἐγὼ εἰμί = literally “I” “am”
  • Exodus: “Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, What is his name?’ what shall I say to them? God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
    • הָיָה – “to exist, to be, come to pass“
  • The literal name of God – “What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”
    • Jewish reaction establishes the context of the “I AM” – stoning for blasphemy (John 10:33)
• John 10:30 – Translate in English common phrase: “I am the same person” or “We are one and the same“
• John 13:13 – “Lord… I am”
  • “Lord” – κύριος, kyrios, masculine noun – “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord. the possessor. title is given to: God, the Messiah“
  • “I am” – εἰμί, eimi, verb – “to be, to exist, to happen, to be present“
  • Jesus affirms that HE IS that whom people and things belong to and has power of deciding their fate as master and Lord, the possessor and title given to God.
• John 14:7, 9-11 – translated western concept: “If you know me, you know him because I am him and seeing me is seeing him”
• John 14:11b – “the works” = things only God can do (See “Jesus is God”)

Thought exercise: “Prove you are who you say you are.”  And doubt their claim. Have them explain ‘who they are.’ (Their name, title, character, lineage, authority, abilities, education, friend and family witnesses).

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WITNESSES OF JESUS’ DIVINITY

• The Prophet Isaiah – Isaiah 7:14 + Matt. 1:23
• John the Apostle – John 1:1-3, 14; 1 John 5:20
• Luke the Evangelist – Acts 20:28
• Thomas the Apostle – John 20:28
• Peter the Apostle – 2 Peter 1:1
• Paul the Apostle – Titus 2:13; Col 1:15; 2:9-10; Romans 9:5
• Hebrews 1:8
• James, Apostle and Brother of Jesus – James 1:1 (presently Lord and slave of)
• Jude, Apostle and Brother of Jesus – Jude 1:1-5 – “Only Master and Lord, Jesus” Context of “Lord”
  • Old Greek copies say “Jesus” and not “Lord”
  • P72 manuscript, the oldest copy, reads “the God Christ”
• Jesus accepted worshiped – Matt 2:11; 14:33; 28:9, 17; Luke 24:52; John 9:38
  • Angels do not accept worship – Rev 19:10, 22:8–9
  • See “Jesus is God: Same Worship as“
• The Jewish authorities – John 10:33 “for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself God.”
  • Blaspheme laws – Matt 9:3; John 10:33 (ref. Leviticus 24:16)
  • Admitted Jesus had supernatural powers – John 8:52 + Matt 12:24; Luke 11:14-26; (Talmud (Sanhedrin 43))

JESUS’ DIVINITY HISTORICALLY BELIEVED

• Ignatius of Antioch (105AD) – “God Himself was manifested in human form”
• Pliny the Younger – (61-113AD) – “… a hymn to Christ, as to a god.”
• Justin Martyr (150AD) – “The Father of the universe has a Son. And He, being the first-begotten Word of God, is even God“
• Lucian of Samosata – (120-180AD) – “The Christians. . . worship a man… and worship the crucified sage”
• Irenaeus of Lyons (185AD) – “He indicates in clear terms that He is God… God, then, was made man”
• The Alexamenos Graffito (See “Archeology”)
• the Megiddo Mosaic (See “Archeology”)

JESUS, GOD INCARNATE

• Genesis 3:15 – “He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”
• Daniel 7:13-14 – “One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days…serve Him… His dominion is an everlasting dominion”
  • Luke 9:58, Matthew 11:19, 26:64
• Willful and Voluntary Humility – Philippians 2:6–8 + Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 2:5–9; cf. Psalm 8:4–6
• Micah 5:2 – “from everlasting/eternity/ancient of days”
• Zechariah 12:10 – “they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son”
• Acts 20:28 –  “his own blood“
• John 1:1, 14 – “the word is God… the word became flesh”
• Ps 45:6-7 – “Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You”
• Colossians 1:15; 2:9-10

FULLY GOD AND FULLY MAN

• Fully God – Son of God
  • John 1:1
  • See “Jesus Is God”
  • See “Jesus, God Incarnate”
  • See “God Calls Jesus God”
  • See “Jesus Calls Himself God”
• Full Man – Son of Man
  • John 1:14
  • The title “Son of Man” references his humanity
• Willful limitations and Voluntary Divine Humility – Philippians 2:6–8 + Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:3, 2:5–9; cf. Psalm 8:4–6
• Unique Conception and Birth – Luke 1:35
  • Human emotions
    • John 11:35; Matt. 9:36, 14:14, 15:32; Mark 1:41
  • Human bodily fatigue
    • John 4:6; Matt. 8:23-24
  • Human bodily hunger
    • Matt. 4:2, 9:10-13, 21:18; Mark 11:12; Luke 24:42-43
  • Human bodily thirst/hydration
    • John 19:29-29
  • Human bodily death
    • 1 Peter 2:24, 3:18; John 19:33-34
• God Himself, in being and essence, did not die
  • Matt. 27:50; Luke 23:46; John 19:30
    • God is spirit – John 4:24. 2 Cor. 3:17
    • God is eternal – Deut. 33:27; Ps. 90:2. 1 Tim. 1:17
• Union of Both Distinct Natures
  • 1 Tim 3:161 John 4:2-3
  • God Loves, Christ died – Romans 5:8; John 3:16
  • God physically with Us – Matt 1:23
  • God related with Us – Heb. 2:17; Phil. 5:7

THE TRINITY

• Plurality of God: God refers to himself in Plural – Gen. 1:26, 3:22, 11:7; Isaiah 6:8
  • The Hebrew word “Elohim” is a plural noun
  • See “Jesus, God Incarnate”
  • See “God Calls Jesus God”
• Multiple Persons of THE God: Ps 45:6-7 – “Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You”; Genesis 19:24
• The Persons of THE Triune God in the Old Testament
  • God, The Father
    • Deut. 32:6
    • Ps. 68:5
    • Isaiah 63:16
    • Jeremiah 3:19
    • Malachi 2:10
  • God, The Son
    • Isaiah 7:14, 9:6
    • Ps. 2:7, 11-12
    • Proverbs 30:4
    • Daniel 3:25
    • Hosea 11:1
  • God, The Holy Spirit
    • 2 Samuel 7:14, 23:2-3
    • Genesis 1:2
    • Judges 14:6
    • 1 Samuel 10:6
    • Isaiah 61:1
• The Distinct Persons communicate with each other
  • Jesus prays to the Father – John 17; Matt 26; Luke 23:46
  • The Father prays to the Son and speaks to the Son – Heb 1:1-12; Matthew 3:16-17
  • The Holy Spirit is a sent by Jesus as the Helper and Life giver – John 16:7-15
    • Direct role in the incarnation of the Son – Luke 1:35
    • Communicates with the Son – Matthew 3:16-17, 4:1
    • Causes spiritual life and indwells in God’s children and seals their salvation – John 3:5. 1 Corinthians 6:19; Ephesians 1:13-14
    • Reminds believers of the words of Jesus and understanding, learning, and teaching Holy Scripture – John 14:26, 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11
    • Empowers people for God the Father’s will to be known and done – Judges 3:10; Micah 3:8; 1 Samuel 16:13; 1 Corinthians 12:11
    • Convicts the world of sin and casts out demons – John 16:8; Matthew 12:28
    • Is an active Advocate for the children of God who intercedes for them in moments of their weaknesses – John 14:16; Romans 8:26
    • He produces “fruit” through us in our lives for God’s pleasure and glory- Galatians 5:22-23
• The Triune nature revealed:
  • Zechariah 12:10
  • Isaiah 48:16
  • Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19
  • 2 Corinthians 13:14
  • 1 Peter 1:2
  • 1 John 5:7
  • John 14:15-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-10, 14-15
• Historically Believed
  • The Didache (70AD) baptism in all three names
  • Ignatius of Antioch (115 AD) – “to the Church… which has been chosen through the true suffering by the will of the Father and Jesus Christ our God, to whom the Spirit is in all things.“
  • Justin Martyr (100-165AD)- “For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water.”
  • Irenaeus (c. 130–202 AD) – (Against Heresies 4.38. 3, “the rule of faith”)
  • Theophilus of Antioch (c. 168–180 AD) – First to apply the word “trinity” to the doctrine (“Ad Autolycum” Book II, Chapter 15); he writes, “The three days before the luminaries were created are types of the Trinity: God, his Word, and his Wisdom.”
  • Tertullian (c. 155–240 AD) – “We define that there are two, the Father and the Son, and three with the Holy Spirit, and this number is made by the pattern of salvation… [which] brings about unity in trinity, interrelating the three, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.“
  • Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–254) “in the unity of the Trinity, i.e., along with the unchangeable Father and His Son, unless He had always been the Holy Spirit.“
  • Novatian (c. 200–258) – “Thus, in a mysterious manner, the Son is placed by the Father as a foundation; but the Spirit also has His place with them.”
  • Athanasius of Alexandria (296-373AD) – “The Son is from the Father, but not as from a source external to him, but as being His own begotten Word; and the Holy Spirit is not from the Father only, but from the Son also, as being the Spirit of the Son and of the Father.“
  • Council of Nicaea (325 AD) – “We believe in one God, the Father Almighty… and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten from the Father, only-begotten, that is, from the substance of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not created, of one substance with the Father… And in the Holy Spirit.“
  • Gregory of Nazianzen (329-390AD) – (Oration 21, p. 33) – “When I speak of God, let yourselves be surrounded with a lightening flash of light that is both one and three: three in properties… and one in divinity. The divinity is one in three, and the three are one—in whom the divinity exists.”
  • the Athanasian Creed

Back to the Table of Contents

ISLAM

The Quran Validates The Bible As The Words Of God:

• Surah 2:41
  • “Believe in My revelations which confirm your Scriptures.”
    • Validates the Christian Bible of the 7th century as “Scripture” of God
      • See “Manuscripts“
• Surah 2:87
  • “Indeed, We [God] gave Moses the Book [The Torah, Hebrew Bible] and sent after him successive messengers. And We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the holy spirit [as recorded in the Gospels]. Why is it that every time a messenger comes to you ˹Israelites˺ with something you do not like, you become arrogant, rejecting some and killing others?”
    • “Israelites” rejected and killed Jesus.
      • Footnote #1 states: “The holy spirit is Gabriel” which contradicts Jesus’ teachings and the Gospels.
• Surah 2:113
  • “both [Jews and Christians] recite the Scriptures.“
• Surah 2:121
  • “Those We have given the Book follow it as it should be followed. It is they who ˹truly˺ believe in it.”
    • “the Book” in Qu’ranic context is The Bible
• Surah 3:3
  • “He has revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺ the Book in truth, confirming what came before it, as He [God] revealed the Torah and the Gospel“
    • “The Torah,” the Old Testament, and “the Gospel” which is the New Testament; are from God, thus, are God’s word.
• Surah 3:48
  • “And Allah will teach him writing and wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel“
• Surah 3:93
  • “…Bring the Torah and read it, if your claims are true.”
    • Test what is taught against The Bible as truth will not contradict it
• Surah 4:163
  • “Indeed, We have sent revelation to you ˹O Prophet˺ as We sent revelation to Noah and the prophets after him. We also sent revelation to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and his descendants, ˹as well as˺ Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon. And to David We gave the Psalms.”
    • Confirms the Old Testament as the revelation from God
    • Confirms Jesus’ teachings as being revelations from God
    • REQUIRES The Bible of the 7th century to be UNCORUPTED for this Qu’ranic statement to be true
      • See “Manuscripts“
    • REQUIRES the NEED for The Bible in order to know who these people are because they are not explained in the Quran.
• Surah 5:46
  • “…We sent Jesus, son of Mary, confirming the Torah revealed before him. And We gave him the Gospel containing guidance and light and confirming what was revealed in the Torah—a guide and a lesson to the God-fearing.”
    • Literally calls the New Testament a revelation of God
    • See “Prophesies of Jesus“
• Surah 5:68
  • “O People of the Book! You have nothing to stand on unless you observe the Torah, the Gospel, and what has been revealed to you from your Lord.”
• Surah 5:110
  • “O Jesus, son of Mary! Remember My favour upon you and your mother: how I supported you with the holy spirit¹ so you spoke to people in ˹your˺ infancy and adulthood. How I taught you writing, wisdom, the Torah, and the Gospel.“
• Surah 10:37
  • “It is not ˹possible˺ for this Quran to have been produced by anyone other than Allah. In fact, it is a confirmation of what came before, and an explanation of the Scripture.”
    • If this us true, it would not contradict “what came before [the Quran]”
      • The Quran contradicts what came before it.
        • See “Manuscripts“
• Surah 10:94
  • “If you ˹O Prophet˺ are in doubt about ˹these stories˺ that We have revealed to you, then ask those who read the Scripture before you.”
    • “Those… before you” are Christians.
      • Christians read “the Scriptures” which is the Bible
• Surah 29:46
  • “Do not argue with the People of the Book unless gracefully, except with those of them who act wrongfully. And say, “We believe in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to you. Our God and your God is ˹only˺ One.”
    • See “God has a Son”
    • See “Prophesies of Jesus“
• Ibn Ishaq’s “Sirat Rasulallah”, translated as “The Life of Muhammad”, by A. Guillaume, Karachi: Oxford, 1998, pp. 103-104

The Bible in Muhammad’s Day:  5,800 Greek manuscripts, older than the 7th century. Significant numbers of manuscripts in Latin, Coptic, Syriac, and other languages also exist, with some predating the 7th century. Early church quotes prior to the 7th century = current bible, same Bible Muhammad is referring to. See “Manuscripts“

Qu’ranic Translations:

1. The Noble Qur’an by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan and Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali.
2. The Clear Quran by Dr. Mustafa Khattab
3. Sahih International by Umm Muhammad Maarif-ul-Quran
4. The Qur’an: A New Translation by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem
5. The Holy Qur’an: Text, Translation and Commentary by Abdullah Yusuf Ali.
6. The Message of the Qur’an by Muhammad Asad

Qu’ranic Variations – Dr. ShSabir Ali confirms.

• “Islamic sources report that the Quran was collected on two separate occasions, once during the caliphate of Abu Bakr and again during the caliphate of Uthman; and that additional redactional activity took place during the caliphate of ‘Abd al-Malik. The sources also report that a systematic campaign to destroy non-conforming Qur’an codices was carried out on two separate occasions, first during the caliphate of Uthman and again during that of ‘Abd al-Malik; and that in the year 45/665, the suhaf or sheets collected by Zayd b. Thabit for Abu Bakr were destroyed by the governor of Medina.” (David Powers, Muhammad is Not the Father of Any of Your Men (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2009) 161)
• Egyption Edition of 1924 (common today)
• The Seven Ahruf – the different modes or styles in which the Quran was revealed.
  • The Ten Qira’at are the codified and authenticated recitational traditions that emerged later, after the standardization of the Quranic text by Caliph Uthman
• The Uthmanic Codex, the third Caliph, Uthman ibn Affan
  • Due to existence of ahruf disputes and differences 
    • Sahih al-Bukhari 4987; Book 66, Hadith 9 – “Hudhaifa was afraid of their differences in the recitation of the Qur’an... ordered that all the other Qur’anic materials, whether written in fragmentary manuscripts or whole copies, be burnt.”
      • Proves there were differences in the Quran.
        • Burned the different Quranic recitations
    • Sahih al-Bukhari 2801; Book 56, Hadith 18 – “We used to recite, “Inform our people that we have met our Lord, He is pleased with us and He has made us pleased ” Later on this Qur’anic Verse was cancelled (abrogated).”
      • It first said one thing, then said something else = changed.
    • “Malik also said: ‘Uthman’s Mushaf has disappeared [taghayyaba]. And we have found no information about it among the authoritative writers[al-ashyakh].” (Ali al-Samhudi, Wafa al-Wafa bi-akhbar dar al-Mustafa, ed. Muhammad Muhyi I-Din Abd al-Hamid (Cairo, 1955; repr. Beyrouth: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyya, 1984), Vol. 2:669 (quoted in Alfred-Louis de Prémare, “ Abd al-Malik b. Marwan and the Process of the Qur’an’s Composition,” in Ohlig and Puin, The Hidden Origins of Islam, 205).
    • “Ibn Wahb reported back to us, and said, ‘I interrogated Malik concerning the Uthman’s mushaf, and he said to me ‘it has disappeared.” (Ibn Abi Dawud, Kitab Al-Masahif, pg. 35, lines 18-19 (quoted in Alfred-Louis de Prémare, “ Abd al-Malik b. Marwan and the Process of the Qur’an’s Composition,” in Ohlig and Puin, The Hidden Origins of Islam, 205).
    • Umar Ibn Shabba, Ta’rikh al-Madina al-munawwara, (Mecca, 1979) Vol I:7
• The Ibn Masud Codex
  • “This concerns the rajaz of the Bedouin [rajaz k-rajaz al-A’rab]. By God, if I can find someone who will read it, I will kill him, and I will even rub his mushaf with a side of pork.” (Alfred-Louis de Prémare, “ Abd al-Malik b. Marwan and the Process of the Qur’an’s Composition,” in Ohlig and Puin, The Hidden Origins of Islam, 208)
  • Ali al-Samhudi, Wafa al-Wafa bi-akhbar dar al-Mustafa, ed. Muhammad Muhyi I-Din Abd al-Hamid (Cairo, 1955; repr. Beyrouth: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyya, 1984), Vol. 2:669 (quoted in Alfred-Louis de Prémare, “ Abd al-Malik b. Marwan and the Process of the Qur’an’s Composition,” in Ohlig and Puin, The Hidden Origins of Islam, 205
• The Al-Hajjaj Codex
  • “I was one of the guards of Hajjaj b. Yusuf. Al-Hajjaj wrote the Mushaf. Then he sent them to the military capitals (al-amsar). He sent one to Medina. The members of Uthman’s family disapproved of that. They were told: ‘get out the Mushaf of Uthman b. Affan, so that we may read it!’ They answered: ‘It was destroyed on the day when Uthman was killed.’” (Umar Ibn Shabba, Ta’rikh al-Madina al-munawwara, (Mecca, 1979) Vol I:7, (quoted in Alfred-Louis de Prémare, “ Abd al-Malik b. Marwan and the Process of the Qur’an’s Composition,” in Ohlig and Puin, The Hidden Origins of Islam, 204))
    • Hajjaj Codex and Uthman’s Codex were not the same
  • Umar Ibn Shabba, Ta’rikh al-Madina al-munawwara, (Mecca, 1979) Vol I:7, (quoted in Alfred-Louis de Prémare, “ Abd al-Malik b. Marwan and the Process of the Qur’an’s Composition,” in Ohlig and Puin, The Hidden Origins of Islam, 204
• The Canonical Qira’at, the oral recitation traditions – Kahloun (Qalun), Hafs, Warsh, Kisai (Al-Kisa’i), and Ibn Katiyah (Ibn Kathir)
  • Muslim scholar by the name of Ibn Mujahid sifted through the many popular recitations of the Quran and established seven ways of reading the Quranic text that he deemed acceptable. (Keith Small, Textual Criticism and Qur’an Manuscripts (Lexington Books, 2011) 146-147) Through the work of scholars like Ibn Mujahid, combined with governmental pressure, the number of canonical recitation systems was settled at ten.
    • As-Suyuti, Al-Itqan fii Ulum al-Qur’an, p.525

Explicit differences in the various Qur’ans

Also see “The Words Of God Cannot Be Altered Or Changed“

• Surah 2:10, the word yukadhdhibūn (they deny) in the Hafs recitation is recited as yakhdhubūn (they lie) in Warsh.
  • they deny does not mean they lie too. “Deny” and “lie” are two different words that can convey a different meaning.
• Surah 1:7
  • Hafs: Maliki (مَالِكِ) – “Master” of the Day of Judgment.
  • Warsh: Maliki (مَلِكِ) – “King” of the Day of Judgment.
  • A master is not always a king, these are different words
• Surah 2:259
  • Hafs: nunshizuhā (نُنْشِزُهَا) – “We raise them.”
  • Warsh: nunshiruhā (نُنْشِرُهَا) – “We resurrect them.”
  • Though, the thought may be the same, the word used is not the same.
• Surah 2:285
  • Hafs: laa nufarriqu bayna ahadin min rusulihi (لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ) – “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.”
  • Warsh: lā yufarriqu (لَا يُفَرِّقُ) – “He [God] makes no distinction between any of His messengers.”
  • 1st person and 3rd person are not the same
• Surah 62:9
  • Hafs: fāmḍū (فَامْضُوا) – “Then proceed.”
  • Warsh: fās'aw (فَاسْعَوْا) – “Then strive/hurry.”
  • To proceed does not mean to hurry
• Surah 6:137
  • Hafs: wa kadhalika zuyyina li-kadhīrin (وَكَذَلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِكَثِيرٍ) – “And thus was made pleasing to many…”
  • Warsh/Qalun:wa kadhalika zuyyina li-kuthirin (وَكَذَلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِكُثِيرٍ) – “And thus was made pleasing to much…”
  • Hafs uses a masculine plural adjective (kathīrin), referring to a large number of people. Warsh uses a feminine plural (kuthirin), referring to a large amount of a thing.
• Surah 3:146:
  • Hafs: ...they did not weaken (wa mā dhalū).
  • Variant: Some recitations read ...they did not become humiliated (wa mā dhalū). The difference is subtle but significant, shifting from a general sense of weakness to a sense of humiliation.

Lost Quranic Verses

• Surah 2:106: None of Our revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but We substitute something better or similar: Knowest thou not that God hath power over all things? (Sahih al-Bukhari, 5005)
  • Except, according to Hadiths, some were forgetten
    • Either the Hadiths are false or the Quran 2:106 is False
  • To Substitute is to change something. To substitute one for another is to change that which is being substituted.
    • Admission that the Quran changes or has changed
  • “something better” implies that which came first was less good.
    • Can the revealed word of God be less good and need to be substituted for “something better”
      • Can God not get it right the first time?
      • How can it be from the original writings if they are later changed?
      • Abrogation of verses by Allah Ta’ala during the time of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) while the incidence of Wahi (Revelation) was in progress is a fact well-known to all. … Once a verse has been abrogated on the authority of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), it cannot be included in the Qur’aanic text any longer. (Desai, The Quraan Unimpeachable, pp.48,49).
  • If they were “substituted” and abrogated, how are some still retained and are still part of the Qur’an text?
    • Is Surah 2:106 inaccurate and incorrect?
    • It cannot be referring to Surahs about The Bible (the Tawraat and the Injil) since the Quran in several verses says the opposite about the Bible.
      • Are those verses inaccurate and false? (see above)
  • Substituted Verses, still in the Qur’an: Surahs 2.106 and 16.101, that Allah substitutes such a “better or similar” verse for the original text. Thus we are told in one place of the Qur’an that intoxicating wine has both good and bad effects (Surah 2.219) and that Muslims should not come to their prayers in a state of intoxication (Surah 4.43). Later, however, the consumption of wine was forbidden altogether (Surah 5.93-94) and the latter verses are said to have been substituted for the former verses (which nevertheless remain in the Qur’an text).
• It is reported from Ismail ibn Ibrahim from Ayyub from Naafi from Ibn Umar who said: “Let none of you say ‘I have acquired the whole of the Qur’an’. How does he know what all of it is when much of the Qur’an has disappeared? Rather let him say ‘I have acquired what has survived.’” (as-Suyuti, Al-Itqan fii Ulum al-Qur’an, p.524)
  • “much of the Qur’an has disappeared“
  • “have acquired what has survived“

• MISSING VERSE 1: “We used to read a verse of the Qur’an revealed in their connection, but later the verse was cancelled. It was: “convey to our people on our behalf the information that we have met our Lord, and He is pleased with us, and has made us pleased“. (Sahih al-Bukhari 4090, Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 416).
  • Abrogation and “cancelling” was about the Qur’an and not the bible.
  • The Verse of the Qur’an, no longer found in the Qur’an:
    • “convey to our people on our behalf the information that we have met our Lord, and He is pleased with us, and has made us pleased”
      • The text was widely recorded and amongst the sources for it we find Ibn Sa’d, at-Tabari, al-Waqidi and Muslim (Nöldeke, Geschichte, 1.246).

• MISSING VERSE 2 – Greed of Man: Abu Waqid al-Laithii said, “When the messenger of Allah (saw) received the revelation we would come to him and he would teach us what had been revealed. (I came) to him and he said ‘It was suddenly communicated to me one day: Verily Allah says, We sent down wealth to maintain prayer and deeds of charity, and if the son of Adam had a valley he would leave it in search for another like it and, if he got another like it, he would press on for a third, and nothing would satisfy the stomach of the son of Adam but dust, yet Allah is relenting towards those who relent.’” (As-Suyuti, Al-Itqan fii Ulum al-Qur’an, p.525).
  • The Verse of the Qur’an, no longer found in the Qur’an: Verily Allah says, We sent down wealth to maintain prayer and deeds of charity, and if the son of Adam had a valley he would leave it in search for another like it and, if he got another like it, he would press on for a third, and nothing would satisfy the stomach of the son of Adam but dust, yet Allah is relenting towards those who relent.’
  • “We used to recite a surah which resembled in length and severity to (Surah) Bara’at. I have, however, forgotten it with the exception of this which I remember out of it:”If there were two valleys full of riches, for the son of Adam, he would long for a third valley, and nothing would fill the stomach of the son of Adam but dust.” (Sahih Muslim, 1050)
    • Ubayy ibn Ka’b is said to be the original transmitter
    • Attested hereto as missing: Sahih Muslim, 1047a-c and Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6436
    • The verse was read by Ubayy ibn Ka’b just after Surah 10.25 in his codex (Jeffery, Materials, p.135) 
    • It was also reported by Anas ibn Malik, Ibn Abbas, Ibn Zubair and others (Nöldeke, Geschichte, 1.234)

• MISSING VERSE 3: Stoning for Adultery – the Verse of the Rajam
  • Allah sent Muhammad (saw) with the Truth and revealed the Holy Book to him, and among what Allah revealed, was the Verse of the Rajam (the stoning of married persons, male and female, who commit adultery) and we did recite this Verse and understood and memorized it. Allah’s Apostle (saw) did carry out the punishment of stoning and so did we after him. I am afraid that after a long time has passed, somebody will say, ‘By Allah, we do not find the Verse of the Rajam in Allah’s Book’, and thus they will go astray by leaving an obligation which Allah has revealed. (Sahih Muslim 1691a; Book 29, Hadith 21).
    • The second Caliph of Islam, Umar, once brought the existence of these missing verses to the attention of the Muslim public during one of his sermons from the minbar (the pulpit) of the mosque in Medina.
  • “Verily stoning in the book of God is a penalty laid on married men and women who commit adultery, if proof stands or pregnancy is clear or confession is made” (Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasulullah, tr. Guillaume, p. 684, para. 1015).
    • Stoning ordered by Allah’s Messenger for “illegal sexual intercourse” (Sahih al-Bukhari 7167)
    • Stoning is for adulterers (Sahih al-Bukhari 7182)
    • The adulterous woman is ordered to be stoned (Sahih al-Bukhari 7193, 7194)
  • Ibn Shihab reported that a man in the time of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) acknowledged having committed adultery and confessed it four times. The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) then ordered and he was stoned. ” (Muwatta Imam Malik, (c) 2014, 41.1 Stoning, pg. 615; ISBN-13: 978-1-908892-36-2).
  • Zirr ibn Hubaish reported: “Ubayy ibn Ka’b said to me, ‘What is the extent of Suratul-Ahzab?’ I said, ‘Seventy, or seventy-three verses’. He said, ‘Yet it used to be equal to Suratul-Baqarah and in it we recited the verse of stoning‘. I said, ‘And what is the verse of stoning’? He replied, ‘The fornicators among the married men (ash-shaikh) and married women (ash-shaikhah), stone them as an exemplary punishment from Allah, and Allah is Mighty and Wise.“‘ (online PDF: as-Suyuti, Al-Itqan fii Ulum al-Qur’an, p.61; online text: As-Suyuti, Al-Itqan fii Ulum al-Qur’an, p.13)(Ulum Al-Quran: Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur’an Paperback – 1 Nov 1994 by Ahmad Von Denffer)
  • Zaid ibn Thabit and Sa’id ibn al-As were writing out the mushaf (the written codex of the Qur’an) and when they came to this verse Zaid said, “I heard the messenger of Allah (saw) say: ‘The adult men and women who commit adultery, stone them as a punishment“‘. Umar said, “When it was revealed I went to the Prophet (saw) and said, ‘Shall I write it?’, but he seemed very reluctant”. (online PDF: As-Suyuti, Al-Itqan fii Ulum al-Qur’an, p.16/pdf p.64)
    • If it came from the mouth of the messenger of Allah, why would he then be “reluctant” especially after they used it to justify taking the lives of people already and enforced as the punishment prescribed by Allah?
    • Error: Problem with this is that Umar had already died, and could not have been part of this dialog.
      • The claims that Umar made a mistake: In the context of Siddique’s comments on the stoning verse, Siddique says, “As for ‘Umar (ra) we know that he was a great mujtahid, but he also made mistakes which are documented in the hadith” (Al-Balaagh, op,cit., p.2). On what grounds does a twentieth-century Muslim writer accuse the great Caliph of Islam, Umar ibn al-Khattab, of making a mistake about something he experienced directly during Muhammad’s own lifetime? 
  • “See that you do not forget the verse about stoning and say: We do not find it in the Book of Allah; the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) had ordered stoning and we too have done so, after him. By the Lord Who holds possession of my life, if people should not accuse me of adding to the Book of Allah, I would have this transcribed therein: Ash-shaikhu wash-shaikhatu ithaa zanayaa faarjumuu humaa. We have read this verse”. (online PDF: Muwatta Imam Malik, p.352 /PDF p.388).
  • “The Verse of stoning and of breastfeeding an adult ten times was revealed¹, and the paper was with me under my pillow. When the Messenger of Allah died, we were preoccupied with his death, and a tame sheep came in and ate it.” (Sunan Ibn Majah 1944)
    • A goat/tame sheep ate the written Quran
  • Current (different) version: Surah 24.2
    • Changed from “stoning” to “lashes” and no mention of stoning
    • Mention of married or unmarried is removed.
  • Desai acknowledges that the stoning verse was indeed a part of the original text of the Qur’an but, as he conveniently does with all texts now said to be omitted from the Qur’an, he claims that it was subsequently abrogated (The Quraan Unimpeachable, p.48).
    • There is nothing in Umar’s declaration on the pulpit that day to suggest that the ayatur-rajm was ever abrogated.

• MISSING VERSE 4: Adult Breastfeeding
  • A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that it had been revealed in the Qur’an that ten clear sucklings make the marriage unlawful, then it was abrogated by five sucklings and Allah’s Apostle (saw) died and before that time it was found in the Qur’an. (Sahih Muslim 1452b).
    • The original verse “ten clear sucklings make the marriage unlawful” is missing AND
    • The abrogated verse is also missing: “it was abrogated by five sucklings”
      • Where is the abrogated verse if abrogation was divine and nothing has been forgotten?
    • A goat or a “tame sheep” ate the written Quran – Sunan Ibn Majah 1944

• MISSING VERSE 5:
  • We used to recite a surah similar to one of the Musabbihaat (numbers 57, 59, 61, 62 and 64), and I no longer remember it, but this much I have indeed preserved: ‘O you who truly believe, why do you preach that which you do not practise?’ (and) ‘that is inscribed on your necks as a witness and you will be examined about it on the Day of Resurrection’. (Sahih Muslim, 1050).
  • Similar to, but not the same as Surah 2:44

• DIFFERENT VERSE 1: Ziad bin Thabit Verse
  • “Zaid bin Thabit said, “When the Qur’an was compiled from various written manuscripts, one of the Verses of Surat Al-Ahzab was missing which I used to hear Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) reciting. I could not find it except with Khuza`ima bin Thabjt Al-Ansari, whose witness Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) regarded as equal to the witness of two men. And the Verse was:– “Among the believers are men who have been true to what they covenanted with Allah.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 2807; Book 56, Hadith 23)
  • Different from Surah 33:23
    • Hadith 2807 must be authentic given the pedigree and source: “Khuza`ima bin Thabjt Al-Ansari, whose witness Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) regarded as equal to the witness of two men“
  • The Differences: “Among the believers are men who have (‘have‘ removed, “proven” added in 33.23) been (missing in quran) true to what they covenanted with (pledged to, different in 33.23) Allah.“

• DIFFERENT HADITHS v. QURAN: – Food prohibition
  • Surah 6:145 – “Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “I do not find in what has been revealed to me anything forbidden to eat except carrion, running blood, swine—which is impure—or a sinful offering in the name of any other than Allah.”
  • Sahih Bukhari 3155 – forbids eating donkey meat
  • Sahih Bukhari 1933a – forbids eating “beats with fangs”
  • Sahih Bukhari 1934a – forbids eating birds with talons
  • Sahih Bukhari 4215 – forbids garlic and onions
  • Sahih Bukhari 4219 – forbids eating horse meat
  • Sunan Abi Dawood 3796 – forbids eating flesh of lizard.
  • The Hadiths prohibit what is NOT prohibited in the Quran
    • Contradicts Surah 6:115 and 69:44-47
  • Contradicts Hadith: Sahih Muslim 15c

• The Sana’a Manuscript, DAM 01-27.1 (palimpsest); textual variants that existed before the full standardization of the Uthmanic codex
  • The Lower (erased) text is dated around 671 CE, placing it within a few decades of the Prophet Muhammad’s death.
    • Pre-Uthmanic Tradition
  • The Upper (newer written) texts is dated around the late 7th or early 8th century CE.
    • Uthmanic Tradition
  • Original texts written over, but are readable in ultraviolet light
    • The lower erased text contains many variations from the standard Uthmanic Quran. These differences include synonyms for certain words, as well as omissions, additions, and transpositions of words or groups of words. The surahs (chapters) are also arranged differently.
  • Proves the Quran has changed.

Qur’anic stories taken from Apocryphal/heresy/false Christianity

• Surah 3:49 – ” I will make for you a bird from clay, breathe into it, and it will become a ˹real˺ bird”
  • Quotes Infancy Gospel of Thomas, a heretical gnostic text, and NOT the Bible.
    • ” And having made some soft clay, He fashioned out of it twelve sparrows.” (1st greek form, para. 2; 2nd greek form, para. 3; Latin form, Ch. 4, para. 2)
    • Irenaeus of Lyon (AD 180) – spurious and apocryphal
    • Christians have all rejected it’s authenticity and was never part of the Bible.
• False Crucifixion – 2nd, 3rd, and 4th century NON-biblical, UN-orthodox Gnostic teaching: Marcionism, Ebionites, Docetism, Basilidians
  • See “Historicity of Jesus“
  • See “Gnosticism“
• Surah 5:116 – “And ˹on Judgment Day˺ Allah will say, “O Jesus, son of Mary! Did you ever ask the people to worship you and your mother as gods besides Allah?”
  • Assumes Mary was worshiped as God by Christians in the 7^th century
    • Though this developed into a Roman Catholic dogma, it is not a biblical apostolic doctrine
      • Reveals Muhammad’s source of Christian teachings was not orthodoxia or an apostolic biblical Christian – but from someone or something outside of Christianity
        • See “Mariology“
• Surah 21:51-71 is from apocrypha Book of Jubilees (Book of Jubilees 12:12-14), a Jewish Midrashic legend and myth (Midrash Rabbah 38:13)
  • AND mistranslated the myth
• Surah 5:73 – “Those who say, “Allah is one in a Trinity,” have certainly fallen into disbelief. There is only One God.”
  • Failed understanding of Christianity and the doctrine of the Trinity, which teaches there is One God of whom is of 3 persons that make up the One Triune God.
  • Christianity is a Monotheistic faith
    • Monotheism
  • See “The Trinity“
• Surah 4:171 “O People of the Book! Do not go to extremes regarding your faith; say nothing about Allah except the truth.¹ The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger of Allah and the fulfilment of His Word through Mary and a spirit ˹created by a command˺ from Him.² So believe in Allah and His messengers and do not say, “Trinity.” Stop!—for your own good. Allah is only One God. Glory be to Him! He is far above having a son!“–
  • Failed understanding of Monotheistic Trinitarianism
    • Mary was never, in all Christian history, taught as part of the trinity.
    • “The Book” says God has a son: See “God has a divine son”
      • See “The Quran Validates The Bible As The Words Of God“
• Influenced by Corrupt Roman Catholic Popes and Gnostic unorthodox unbiblical false Christian sects in Muhammad’s lifetime: Pope Gregory I and Pope Pelagius II
  • See “RCC” – Roman Catholic Church and CATHOLICISM
• Surah 2:78-79 – “And among them are the illiterate who know nothing about the Scripture except lies, and ˹so˺ they ˹wishfully˺ speculate. So woe¹ to those who distort the Scripture with their own hands then say, “This is from Allah”—seeking a fleeting gain! So woe to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they have earned.”
  • Can only be referring to Gnosticism and Gnostic Apocrypha writings
    • Nasoraeanism or Sabianism refers to an Arab gnostic Jewish sect that had their own gnostic writings.
    • The Elcesaites  and Ebionites were an ancient Jewish Christian gnostic sect
      • heretical, unorthodox, gnostic, and cult writings that confused even people in the church for a long time. Gnosticism, Valentinianism, Marcionism, Montanism, Adoptionism, Docetism,  Arianism, monophysitism, and Monothelitism

The Words Of God Cannot Be Altered Or Changed

• Surah 6:34 – “Indeed, messengers before you were rejected but patiently endured rejection and persecution until Our help came to them. And Allah’s promise ˹to help˺ is never broken. And you have already received some of the narratives of these messengers.”
  • Refers to all the Prophets of the Old Testament, Jesus and the Apostles of the New Testament, all the “messengers before you (prior to the 7th century).
  • “The narratives of these messengers” is the Bible.
  • Not corrupted since God’s “help came to them…” and “is never broken”
    • Thus, all pre 7th century Biblical Manuscripts are from God
      • See “Manuscripts“
• Surah 6:114-115 – “˹Say, O  Prophet,˺ “Should I seek a judge other than Allah while He is the One Who has revealed for you the Book ˹with the truth˺ perfectly explained?” Those who were given the Scripture know that it has been revealed ˹to you˺ from your Lord in truth… The Word of your Lord has been perfected in truth and justice. None can change His Words. And He is the All-Hearing, All- Knowing.”
  • “perfectly explained” – if this is true, why later abrogations? How does The Sana’a Manuscript, DAM 01-27.1 exist?
  • “None can change His Words.” – If no one can, how is abrogation possible and how does The Sana’a Manuscript, DAM 01-27.1 exist? Why are changes made in the Hadiths (dietary prohibitions)
  • “All-knowing” – If the God of Muhammad is all knowing, why couldn’t he reveal the Scriptures perfectly, the first time and render abrogation irrelevant?
    • Christianity is progressive noncontradictory revelation that in all parts remains true at all times
      • Jewish Ceremonious Laws and Cultural Laws remain true at all times for that culture at that time.
      • Jewish Sacrificial System was ended by Jesus, as he was the perfect and complete atonement that was payment for the rest of time; he fulfilled the sacrificial requirement.
      • Never “replaced” or “abrogated” but fulfilled and completed.
• Surah 10:64 – “There is no change in the promise of Allah.”
  • How is abrogation justified? literally changes and modifies doctrine
  • How does the Sana’a Manuscript, DAM 01-27.1 exist?
• Surah 2:106 – Abrogation – “If We ever abrogate¹ a verse or cause it to be forgotten, We replace it with a better or similar one. Do you not know that Allah is Most Capable of everything?”
  • Footnote 1: “The Quran was revealed over a period of twenty-three years. New rules were introduced when the believers were ready to accept and apply them. Replacing a ruling with another is called abrogation (naskh). For example, alcohol consumption was forbidden over three stages (see 2:219, 4:43, and 5:90, respectively). Some of the Prophet’s companions said, “If drinking had been forbidden from day one, no one would have accepted Islam!”
    • If no one would accept Islam because of drinking, that means Allah is NOT “capable of everything”
      • Allah is dependent on the readiness and willingness of acceptance of the believer – dependent on the will of man/creation.
  • Contradicts Surah 6:114 and the claim of “perfectly explained” if a revelation needed to be improved and “replaced with a better” verse.
    • Replacing with a “better” verse means that the initial verse is less good, not perfect and incomplete.
    • Hadiths and dietary prohibitions, NOT in the Quran.
      • Hadiths are not God’s Words
  • If Allah caused the forgotten verses to be forgotten, how are they still recorded in the Hadiths? (Sahih al-Bukhari 4090, Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 416) (Sahih Muslim, 1050)
    • Not capable of everything, causing the forgotten verses to actually be forgotten
  • If Allah replaces abrogated verses, where is the abrogated verse about adult breastfeeding? (Sahih Muslim 1452b and Sunan Ibn Majah 1944)
    • Did the Goat (or “tame sheep”) supersede the will of Allah in preventing him from replacing the forgotten (eaten) verse?
      • Where is the verse in the Quran?

Mary Vs. Mother Of Muhammad

• Mary is favored over “over all women” – Surah 3:42
• Muhammad’s mother was not saved – Sahih Muslim 976b

Jesus In The Qu’ran

• Jesus’ virgin birth – Surah 19:20-22; 21:91; 3:47
  • God has the ability to create a child without a father – Tafseer Al-Bagwai
  • Mary called Gabriel, “My Lord” – Tafseer Al-Bagwai

• Jesus is sinless and “pure” – Surah 19:19-20; 3:46

• Jesus is called “the Word of God” – Surah 3:39, 45-49 (see Footnote 1); 4:171 (see Footnote 2) [proper translation: “And His word cast to (towards) Mariam and a spirit from Him.“]
  • Jesus is “from” God, known as “a Word” before given the a name, prior to his physical birth with a pre-existence identity as “the Messiah” and exclusive title only for Jesus.
    • Jesus existed prior to being physical created
      • God had to speak forth from himself, a thought existing in his eternal mind, before a word is uttered, then the spoken word transferred that Word into Mary and caused the physical manifestation of a baby in Mary’s womb.
        • “He created him by a word from Him” – Al-Tafsir Al-Wasit (Tantawi)
          • Jesus is a male child from God, the only one with the exclusive title as the Anointed One.
          • Only Jesus is “one of those nearest to God” a profound unique relationship with God and closeness – Surah 3:45
            • Male adults who have a child from them, is a father
            • Male children who come from a male father, is a son.
              • Jesus is the Son of God, and God is his Father.
                • See GOD HAS A DIVINE SON

• Jesus was “a sign for humanity” and “a sign for all peoples“- Surah 19:21; 21:91
• Jesus CREATED LIFE from clay – Surah 3:49; 5:110
  • Only God creates life – Surah 67:2; 3:47; 5:110
    • See GOD CALLS JESUS GOD
      • See JESUS, GOD INCARNATE
        • See JESUS CALLS HIMSELF GOD
          • See JESUS IS GOD
  • Muhammad never creates life from non-life
• Jesus RAISED THE DEAD – Surah 3:49; 5:110
  • Only God raises the dead
  • Muhammad never raised anyone who died, back to life
• Jesus is omniscient – Surah 3:49
• Jesus had the authority of God – Surah 3:50
  • Authority to “legalize some of what had been forbidden to you.”
    • Contradiction (only if Jesus isn’t divine): Surah 9:31, Footnote 1
      • “When ’Adi ibn Ḥâtim, a companion of the Prophet (ﷺ), heard this verse, he said, “But the Jews and Christians do not worship their rabbis and monks!” The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, “Do the rabbis and monks not forbid the permissible and permit the forbidden, and they obey them?” ’Adi answered, “Yes, they do.” The Prophet (ﷺ) concluded, “This is how they worship them.” Collected by At-Tirmiⱬi.“
      • Thus, obeying the authority to permit the forbidden is worship.
      • Therefore, Jesus has the divine authority of God for Surah 3:50 to not be in error.

• Jesus ascended into heaven – Surah 3:54-55; 5:117(w/Footnote 1); 4:158
  • According to the Quran, God foils the plot to kill Jesus with deception and trickery of his own
    • “And Allah is the best of planners.} Planning is a well-thought-out plan, or diverting someone from what he wants by means of a trick.” – Al-Tafsir Al-Wasit (Tantawi) ref Surah 3:54-55
    • “Allah’s plan is His enticing of His servants without them knowing… Allah mocks them, and He is the One who deceives them. This has been mentioned previously in Surat Al-Baqarah. The root of plotting in the language is deceit and trickery… It is also said: Rather, it is deceit” – Al-Qurtubi ref Surah 3:54-55
    • Explicit Contradiction – Surah 2:42 – “Do not mix truth with falsehood or hide the truth knowingly.”
      • Also see Surah 2:9
    • Taqiyyah cannot apply because God wasn’t facing persecution or in imminent danger.
• Islam rejects the actual physical crucifixion of Jesus on the Cross
  • Surah 4:157 (w/ Footnote 1)
  • God tricked and deceived the Jews, Romans, and Apostles right before the cross, made Judas look like Jesus
  • Gnostic sects believed something similar – same groups where Muhammad quotes his stories from (See “Qu’ranic Stories taken from Apocryphal/heresy/false Christianity” under “Lost Quranic Verses“)
    • 2nd, 3rd, and 4th century NON-biblical, UN-orthodox Gnostic teaching of Marcionism, Ebionites, Docetism, Basilidians
  • Contradicts known history. See “Historicity of Jesus”
• Contradiction: Surah 19:15 and Surah 5:117 (Jesus died)
  • When was “the day of his death” if he ascended into heaven, alive?
  • Surah 5:117 – the word “tawaffa” means “to die” or “to cause to die,” not just “to take up.” تَوَفَّيْتَنِى literally translates “you took my life” which means “to die“

• Jesus will return and be Judge – Surah 43:61; 4:157-159 (w/ Footnote 1 in 157); 3:55 (w/ Footnote 1)
  • Only God judges – Surah 7:87
  • Jesus will judge – Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2476; Sahih al-Bukhari 3448
    • The Arabic term used, hakam ‘adilan (حَكَمًا عَدْلًا), explicitly means a “just judge”
  • Either Jesus, as Judge, will be inefficient compared to God, or Jesus has the same just authority as God to act as a divine Judge.
    • See “GOD HAS A DIVINE SON“

Jesus is a Muslim claim

• Luke 22:42 – “Father, let your will be done”
• Validates the truth of the Bible’s writings if used to justify.
• BUT: Jesus calls God “Father”
• Muslims can’t call God their “Father” because Allah cannot not have sons
  • Surah 6:101
• Calling God “Father” is blasphemy in Islam.

THEREFORE, EITHER: Jesus is a blasphemer and NOT a Muslim OR The Bible is false, can’t be used to justify Jesus as a Muslim, AND the Quran is false (Surah 2:41, 87, 113, 121; 3:3, 48, 93; 4:163; 5:46, 68, 73, 110-111; 10:37, 94; 29:46)

Muhammad In Islam

• Imperfect Sinner – Needed to be forgiven for past, present, and future shortcomings and misjudgments (a sinner) Surah 40:55, 47:19; 48:2; 80:1-10
• Illiterate – Surah 96:1-5; 7:158; 62:2; 29:48; Sahih al-Bukhari 1913; Sahih al-Bukhari 3; Sahih al-Bukhari 6982
  • But what was the angel asking him to read?
    • Not normal behavior for an angel in all of Scripture
      • Appeared to Muhammad far differently then all the angels of the Torah and the Gospels. Sahih al-Bukhari 4
      • The angel, not God, told him what to say – Sahih al-Bukhari 5
        • Only that one angel taught Muhammad – Sahih al-Bukhari 6
  • The Arabic term used is “ummi”, which most scholars interpret as “unlettered” or “illiterate” – one who cannot read or write .
  • The early community was illiterate – Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2944; Sahih al-Bukhari 4838; Sahih al-Bukhari 2125
• Initial source of Muhammad’s Christian understandings came from his Cousin
  • ” Waraqa bin Naufal bin Asad bin ‘Abdul ‘Uzza, who, during the pre-Islamic Period became a Christian and used to write the writing with Hebrew letters. He would write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as Allah wished him to write.” Sahih al-Bukhari 3
• Suicidal – Sahih al-Bukhari 6982
  • “Then Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) returned with the Inspiration, his neck muscles twitching with terror till he entered upon Khadija and said, “Cover me! Cover me!” They covered him till his fear was over and then he said, “O Khadija, what is wrong with me?” Then he told her everything that had happened and said, ‘I fear that something may happen to me.”… the Divine Inspiration was also paused for a while and the Prophet (ﷺ) became so sad as we have heard that he intended several times to throw himself from the tops of high mountains and every time he went up the top of a mountain in order to throw himself down… And whenever the period of the coming of the inspiration used to become long, he would do as before, but when he used to reach the top of a mountain, Gabriel would appear before him”
    • No other Prophet, after hearing from God directly, felt suicidal.
    • Conveniently considered mudraj
    • Is this Hadith blaspheming the Messenger of Allah, if false?
• Muhammad is NOT called “anointed one” – Surah 3:45-49 (see Footnote 2, “anointed one”)
• Muhammad NEVER stated, in the Quran, “I am a prophet of God”
  • Only Allah makes the claim – Surah 33:40; 3:144; 48:29
• Muhammad Died, on June 8, 632 AD and buried in Meca – Surah 39:30
  • Illness began with severe headaches, fever, and pain – Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3667
  • Became to weak and had to appoint Abu Bakr to lead – Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3667
    • Referring to his declining health: “I have not seen anyone suffering from a more severe fever than the Messenger of Allah” – Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 5664
  • Did not ascend into heaven
    • Umar ibn al-Khattab declared that the Prophet had not died but had only gone to God, and he threatened anyone who said otherwise – Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3670
      • Why would Umar say “Verily, Allah will resurrect him...” if they deny Jesus’ resurrection?
    • Abu Bakr interestingly stated, “Whoever worshipped Muhammad, then Muhammad is dead” yet, they idolize Muhammad greater than the greater prophet, Isa (Jesus).
      • See “Jesus In The Qu’ran“
• Possessed by Deamons – Ibn Ishaq’s biography of Muhammad, page 36, 72
• Controlled by Magic –Sahih al-Bukhari 6063
• Tricked by Satan, controlled by Magic, and “bewitched” – “the Satanic Verses” – Surah 69:41, 42; 81:22-25; Ibn Sa’d, volume 1, page 237;  Hadith of Bukhari, Volume 7, # 660; Ibn Sa’d’s “Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir” (Book of the Major Classes), volume 2, pages 244 – 248; Bukhari 4.440, 450, 546; Ibn Sa’d’s “Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir” (Book of the Major Classes), volume 2, pages 244 – 248; “The Life of Muhammad”, page 240

The Holy Spirit In Islam

• Supported Jesus – Surah 2:87
• Debates in Islam of WHO the Holy Spirit is:
  • Never explicitly called Gabriel in the Qu’ran
  • Is The Angel Gabriel – Bukhari 8.173; islamqa.info, Q&A 14403; Daqaiq al-Tafsir, part 1, p. 310; part 2, p. 92
  • Is the spirit of God himself ( Ruh al-Qudus or Ruh)- Surah 16:2; 19:64; Kashani, (1402/1982), Vol. 1, 524
• The Spirit gives and creates life (Q. 15:29; 19:17-19; 66:12)
• The Spirit is present with all believers to strengthen them (Q. 58:22)
  • The Holy Spirit being the angel Gabriel is a concept originated from a NON-biblical, UN-orthodox gnostic teaching of Marcionism, Valentinianism, Ophians, Adoptionism, Arianism
    • Gabriel was called Satan – Sahih al-Bukhari 1125

Muhammad Mentioned In The Bible claim

• Argument justifies/qualifies the reliability of the Bible
  • Can’t argue that it has been corrupted it appealing to it for justification
• Isaiah 42:
  • V. 2 – “He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice”
  • V. 7 – “to open the eyes that are blind” (healing the blind)
  • V. 11 – “Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice” (does not say come form the desert)

Muhammad’s God, Allah

• Surah 4:157 – Deception = lying
  • “made to appear so”Footnote 1: “Allah made the main culprit who betrayed Jesus look exactly like Jesus”
  • Contradiction = Surah 23:116
  • Contradiction = Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1015

Allah’s Dependence

• Surah 6:101 – Needs a mate to have a son
  • Does not have a son because he did not have a mate
    • Dependent on a mate in order to have a son
• Ask: “Can Allah enter his creation in physical form”
  • If “No,” Allah is limited by creation, dependent on natural laws of creation.
  • If “Yes,” Allah can be incarnate the flesh = God Incarnate is possible.
    • See “Jesus, God Incarnate”

MORAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES

• Condoned Racism, Racial Discrimination, and Segregation – Sunan ad-Darimi, Hadith 2184; Surah 3:106
  • “حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ ، عَنْ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ ، عَنْ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنِي عُقْبَةَ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ ، ثُمّ قَالَ : لَمْ يُحَدِّثْنِيهِ وَلَكِنْ سَمِعْتُهُ يُحَدِّثُ الْقَوْمَ، قَالَ :” تَزَوَّجْتُ بِنْتَ أَبِي إِهَابٍ ، فَجَاءَتْ أَمَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ، فَقَالَتْ : إِنِّي أَرْضَعْتُكُمَا، فَأَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنِّي. قَالَ أَبُو عَاصِمٍ : قَالَ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ أَوْ الرَّابِعَةِ. قَالَ : كَيْفَ وَقَدْ قِيلَ؟، وَنَهَاهُ عَنْهَا. قَالَ أَبُو عَاصِمٍ : وَقَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي حُسَيْنٍ ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ : ” فَكَيْفَ وَقَدْ قِيلَ؟ ” وَلَمْ يَقُلْ : نَهَاهُ عَنْهَا. قَالَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ : كَذَا عِنْدَنَا” – 2184
  • TRANSLATION: “Abu Asim narrated to us, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Ibn Abi Mulaykah, who said: Uqbah ibn al-Harith narrated to me, then he said: He did not narrate it to me, but I heard him narrating it to the people. He said: “I married the daughter of Abu Ihab, and a black slave woman came and said: ‘I breastfed you both.’ So I went to the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, and mentioned that to him, but he turned away.” On my authority. Abu Asim said: He said on the third or fourth. He said: How, when it has been said? And he forbade him from it. Abu Asim said: And Umar ibn Sa`id ibn Abi Husayn said, on the authority of Ibn Abi Mulaykah: “How, when it has been said?” And he did not say: He forbade him from it. Abu Muhammad said: This is how it is with us.“
  • Surah 3:106, when Muslims translate this into English, they attempt to hide the racial undertones by using the word “gloomy-faced” When translated properly, the word وَتَسْوَدُّ literally means “become black” and وُجُوهٌۭ literally means “face”
    • يَوْمَ تَبْيَضُّ وُجُوهٌۭ وَتَسْوَدُّ وُجُوهٌۭ ۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْوَدَّتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ أَكَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَـٰنِكُمْ فَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ ١٠٦
      • Quran.com translation: On that Day some faces will be bright while others gloomy. To the gloomy-faced it will be said, “Did you disbelieve after having believed? So taste the punishment for your disbelief.”
      • Google Translate: The Day some faces will turn white and some faces will turn black. As for those whose faces will turn black, [it will be said], “Did you disbelieve after your belief? Then taste the punishment for what you used to disbelieve.”
  • Historically, in Islamic culture, the phrase “faces turning white” is associated with goodness and a place in heaven, while “faces turning black” is associated with disbelief and punishment. Modern Islamic scholars, however, interpret “blackening of faces” as a metaphorical expression of shame and disgrace, a common idiom in Arabic.
    • Yet, it is the still the tone of a persons’ face, “black” that is associated with something negative (shame, disgrace, disbelief, and judgement).
  • Sahih al-Bukhari 1591 & Sahih Muslim 2909a
    • حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا زِيَادُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ يُخَرِّبُ الْكَعْبَةَ ذُو السُّوَيْقَتَيْنِ مِنَ الْحَبَشَةِ ‏”‏‏.‏
    • TRANSLATED: Ali ibn Abdullah narrated to us, Sufyan narrated to us, Ziyad ibn Saad narrated to us, on the authority of Al-Zuhri, on the authority of Saeed ibn Al-Musayyab, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may God be pleased with him, on the authority of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, who said: “The Kaaba will be destroyed by Dhu Al-Suwayqatayn from Abyssinia.”
    • The presented translation on Sunnah.com is “literally: One with two lean legs” but that doesn’t fully describe the literal phrase used in Arabic.
      • “Dhus-Suwaiqa-tain” isn’t the word used in the actual text.
      • The most literal translation is: “a black-faced, knock-kneed man from the Abyssinians”
        • Abyssinain (al-Habashi) is Ethiopia
        • The role described of this person is negative
    • The Sunnah.com translation of Sahih Muslim 2909a dodges the word all together, despite still being in the actual text.
      • Sunnah.com translation: “The Ka’ba would be destroyed by [removed] an Abyssinian having two small shanks.“
      • The text: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، – وَاللَّفْظُ لأَبِي بَكْرٍ – قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ، سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ يُخَرِّبُ الْكَعْبَةَ ذُو السُّوَيْقَتَيْنِ مِنَ الْحَبَشَةِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏
      • The more fair translation: “Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah and Ibn Abi Umar narrated to us – and this wording is from Abu Bakr – they said: Sufyan ibn Uyaynah narrated to us, on the authority of Ziyad ibn Sad, on the authority of al-Zuhri, on the authority of Said, who heard Abu Hurayrah say, on the authority of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace: “The Ka`bah will be destroyed by Dhu al-Suwayqatayn from Abyssinia.“
    • Word-play deception at it’s finest.

• Condoned Pedophilia – Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3896 & 5134; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1422
  • حَدَّثَنِي عُبَيْدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ تُوُفِّيَتْ خَدِيجَةُ قَبْلَ مَخْرَجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ بِثَلاَثِ سِنِينَ، فَلَبِثَ سَنَتَيْنِ أَوْ قَرِيبًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَنَكَحَ عَائِشَةَ وَهْىَ بِنْتُ سِتِّ سِنِينَ، ثُمَّ بَنَى بِهَا وَهْىَ بِنْتُ تِسْعِ سِنِينَ‏.‏ – 3896
  • TRANSLATION: “Ubayd ibn Ismail told me, Abu Usamah told us, on the authority of Hisham, on the authority of his father, who said: Khadijah died three years before the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) left for Medina. He stayed there for two years or close to that, and he married Aishah when she was six years old, then he consummated the marriage with her when she was nine years old.” – 3896
    • Muhammad married A’isha at 6 years old
    • Muhammad “consummated” the marriage at 9 years old
    • A’isha was 18 years old when Muhammad died – 5134; 1422d
  • حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي، شَيْبَةَ قَالَ وَجَدْتُ فِي كِتَابِي عَنْ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ تَزَوَّجَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِسِتِّ سِنِينَ وَبَنَى بِي وَأَنَا بِنْتُ تِسْعِ سِنِينَ ‏.‏ قَالَتْ فَقَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ فَوُعِكْتُ شَهْرًا فَوَفَى شَعْرِي جُمَيْمَةً فَأَتَتْنِي أُمُّ رُومَانَ وَأَنَا عَلَى أُرْجُوحَةٍ وَمَعِي صَوَاحِبِي فَصَرَخَتْ بِي فَأَتَيْتُهَا وَمَا أَدْرِي مَا تُرِيدُ بِي فَأَخَذَتْ بِيَدِي فَأَوْقَفَتْنِي عَلَى الْبَابِ ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ هَهْ هَهْ – Sahih Muslim 1422a
  • TRANSLATION: Abu Kurayb, Muhammad ibn al-Ala’ narrated to us, Abu Usamah narrated to us, and Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us, saying: I found in my book, on the authority of Abu Usamah, on the authority of Hisham, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Aishah, who said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, married me when I was six years old and consummated the marriage with me when I was nine years old. She said: So we came to Medina and I was ill for a month, then it died. My hair was curly, so Umm Ruman came to me while I was on a swing with my friends. She shouted at me, so I went to her, and I did not know what she wanted from me. She took me by the hand and made me stand at the door. I said, “Huh, huh….”
    • A’isha is describing her 9 year old memory.
    • This 9 year old was just swinging with her friends
    • No idea she was going to be sent away with this 54 year old man that day
      • He consummated the marriage that year/day
  • حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ كُنْتُ أَلْعَبُ بِالْبَنَاتِ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكَانَ لِي صَوَاحِبُ يَلْعَبْنَ مَعِي، فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا دَخَلَ يَتَقَمَّعْنَ مِنْهُ، فَيُسَرِّبُهُنَّ إِلَىَّ فَيَلْعَبْنَ مَعِي‏.‏
  • TRANSLATION: “Muhammad told us, Abu Mu’awiyah told us, Hisham told us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Aisha – may God be pleased with her – who said: I used to play with dolls in the presence of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, and I had female friends who played with me. Whenever the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, would enter, they would hide from him, so he would let them come to me so they could play with me.“
  • Sahih al-Bukhari 6130: “I used to play with the dolls in the presence of the Prophet, and my girl friends also used to play with me. When Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) used to enter (my dwelling place) they used to hide themselves, but the Prophet would call them to join and play with me. (The playing with the dolls and similar images is forbidden, but it was allowed for `Aisha at that time, as she was a little girl, not yet reached the age of puberty.) (Fath-ul-Bari page 143, Vol.13)”
    • Muhammad was grooming Aisha

• Condoned Violence
  • Surah 9:5
    • فَإِذَا ٱنسَلَخَ ٱلْأَشْهُرُ ٱلْحُرُمُ فَٱقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ وَخُذُوهُمْ وَٱحْصُرُوهُمْ وَٱقْعُدُوا۟ لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍۢ ۚ فَإِن تَابُوا۟ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ فَخَلُّوا۟ سَبِيلَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ ٥
    • TRANSLATION: “So when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they repent and establish prayer and give zakah, let them go on their way. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.“
    • Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran, adds in words that are NOT in the text
      • “who violate their treaties” is not in the text
        • added to, in a sense, justify acting in violence toward non-Muslims
      • T. Usmani and A. Yusuf Ali do not include that added phrase.
    • This surah calls for forced conversion and extortion under the threat of violence.
  • Surah 9:29
    • قَـٰتِلُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَلَا بِٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَلَا يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَلَا يَدِينُونَ دِينَ ٱلْحَقِّ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ حَتَّىٰ يُعْطُوا۟ ٱلْجِزْيَةَ عَن يَدٍۢ وَهُمْ صَـٰغِرُونَ ٢٩
    • TRANSLATION: Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day and do not forbid what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden and do not adopt the religion of truth from among those who were given the Scripture – until they pay the jizyah out of hand while they are humbled.
    • This surah commands Muslims to “fight” all those who don’t “adopt” Islam.
    • Specifically targets Jews and Christians.
    • Uses force and violence (fight) to extort money (jizyah)
  • Surah 8:39
    • وَقَـٰتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّىٰ لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌۭ وَيَكُونَ ٱلدِّينُ كُلُّهُۥ لِلَّهِ ۚ فَإِنِ ٱنتَهَوْا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌۭ ٣٩
    • TRANSLATION: And fight them until there is no more persecution and religion is all for Allah. But if they desist, then indeed, Allah is Seeing of what they do.
    • This verse calls to fight them “until” they submit.
    • “persecution” in Islam is when people reject Islam and don’t obey it, thus, Islam is being persecuted, they claim.
      • Victimhood
  • Surah 191
    • وَٱقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَخْرِجُوهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ أَخْرَجُوكُمْ ۚ وَٱلْفِتْنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ ٱلْقَتْلِ ۚ وَلَا تُقَـٰتِلُوهُمْ عِندَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ حَتَّىٰ يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ ۖ فَإِن قَـٰتَلُوكُمْ فَٱقْتُلُوهُمْ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ١٩١
    • TRANSLATION: And kill them wherever you find them and expel them from where they expelled you. And persecution is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al-Haram until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.
    • Command to kill for the rejection of Islam.
      • “persecution” in Islam is when people reject Islam and don’t obey it, thus, Islam is being persecuted, they claim.
        • Victimhood
      • If people want to kick Muslims out of their land because they are forcing and aggressively imposing Islam on the non-Islamic culture, this is a justification for killing them.
      • States that rejecting, resisting, and opposing Islam is “worse than killing”
        • Minimizes killing
  • Sahih Muslim (on the punishment for killing a non-Muslim): Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6915 states, “the judgment that no Muslim should be killed in Qisas (equality in punishment) for killing a Kafir (disbeliever).“, it has been used to justify prejudice and the devaluing of a non-Muslim’s life.
  • Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 25 Narrated by ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar in Sahih al-Bukhari, the Prophet Muhammad said: “I have been ordered to fight with the people till they say, ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah,’ and ‘Muhammad is Allah’s Apostle.’” This Hadith is often used to support the idea of offensive aggression and oppression to spread Islam.
    • Also Sahih Muslim, Hadith 22
  • Hadiths on the Killing of Apostates: Several Hadiths, including Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6922, state: “Whoever changes his Islamic religion, kill him.”
  • The Hadith of the Tree of the Jews: A famous Hadith, Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2922 states: “The Hour will not begin until you fight the Jews, until a man hides behind a stone. The stone will say, ‘O Muslim, here is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him!‘”
    • Also Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2926

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EASTERN ORTHODOX

Sacred Traditions (See “Catholcism; Sacred Tradition” below)

Mariology

• Perpetual Virgin:
  • Never called “the Virgin Mary” in the bible.
    • Only called “virgin” in a pre-Jesus birth context.
    She was a virgin prior to conceiving Jesus, but never after. (Mat 1:18; Luk 1:27, 34)
• • Matt. 1:18 – “before they came together” implies they did eventually “come together”
    • Already stated they were “betrothed”
• • • Matt 13:55 – literally, in true context, says he has at least 4 blood related half-brothers (also Act 1:14)ἀδελφός, in context, means: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother; blood relative.
• • • Mark 6:3 – literally, in true context, says he had blood related half-sisters.
• • John 2:12 – literally, in true context, states “brothers” separated from “disciples”
• • Earliest record of this teaching comes from the Apocryphal writing found in Protoevangelium of James
• • Early church teachers rejected this doctrine: Helvidius, Tertullian and Victorinus. 
• • Jerome’s influence supported it with Apocrypha.
  • A Handbook of the Catholic Faith (Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1956): “This point of doctrine [the immaculate conception] is not expressly dealt with anywhere in the Bible, nor was it preached by the Apostles, and for many centuries it was not mentioned at all by the Church. Gradually, however, as the idea of the future dogma began to develop among the faithful, theologians submitted the point to the closest examination, and finally, the view then generally prevailing was formally pronounced as a dogma of the Church by His Holiness Pope Pius IX in 1854” (p. 238)”
• Unique Role: To miraculously conceive the Son of God in the flesh
  • Prophesied of (like John the Baptist) – Isaiah 7:14
• • “favored” by God – Lk 1:30, 49
  • “blessed” by God – Lk 1:48
    • All generations will call her such due to the uniqueness of her role in God’s plan.
• Mary, the servant; calls herself a “servant” of the Lord, nothing more – Lk 1:38, 48
  • Focused only on God’s will, not hers – Lk 1:38
  • Followed the lead of her Husband – Matt 1:20-24
• Immaculate Conception – Sinlessness of Mary
  • Mary says she needs a “Savior” – Lk 1:47
• • Only “the Child” was called “holy” – Lk 1:35
• • Mistakenly Rebuked Jesus (Sin, lacking perfection) – Lk 2:28
• • Did not fully believe (Sin, lacking perfection) until after the resurrection – Mark 16:1, Lk 24:8
• • Forgot (Sin, lacking perfection) and left Jesus in Jerusalem, for days – Luk 2:43-45
  • Did not fully understand (Sin, lacking perfection) – Lk 2:50
• Assumption of Mary
  • Not important enough to be mentioned in Holy Scripture by ANY of the Apostles
• • John, the adopted son of Mary, directed by Jesus, doesn’t even teach this in ANY of his 4 writings.
• • Luke, recording the History of the early Church, does NOT record this event.
  • Was not an official RCC dogma until the 1800s.
• “Queen of Heaven” title, RCCC 966
  • Jesus only called her “woman” – John 2:4, 19:26
• • Only told John “behold YOUR mother” – John 19:27
• • Mary told servants to do whatever Jesus tells you – John 2:4
    • Not a “middle-man”
  • Conflicts with Holy Scripture: Isaiah 42:8
• “Mother of God” title
  • Jesus’ context with Mary was “woman” only referring to her humanity – John 2:4, 19:27
    • “your son” (v19:27) in true context, refers to their humanity – the Son of Man, which Mary is the mother of.
• • • Mary is put in humanistic contexts
• • • “the Child… his mother Mary” – Mat 2:11
• • • “the parents… the child Jesus… mother Mary… this child…” – Lk 2:27,34
  • Proper understanding and translation of the word used at The Council of Ephesus in 431 AD, “Theotokos” which could be translated, and more accurately mean the God-bearer and not mother of God
    
• Mary Mediatrix (Mary is the mediator between us and Jesus) – RCCC 2677
  • Completely foreign in Holy Scripture
• • Vatican Council II, p. 421Handbook for Todays Catholic, p. 31
  • Contradicts Holy Scripture: 1 Tim 2:5; Rom 8:34; Heb 7:24-26; John 14:6. 1 Peter 1:3
• The Veneration of Mary
  • Not venerated by the wise men – Matt 2:11
    • The gifts were for Jesus, not Mary.
• • • Not venerated by the Shepherds – Lk 2:16-20
• • • Not venerated by Simeon at the Temp – Lk 2:25-38
• • • Blessing “them (v.33)” is NOT venerating Mary.  All Christians are called to bless each other in various ways AND both her and Joseph were blessed.
• • • The prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher did not venerate Mary – Lk 2:36-38
• • • None of the Apostles venerated Mary (in the RCC/EO context of ‘veneration’) – Acts 1:14
• • • She was favored and respected
• Apocrypha
  • The Gospel of the Nativity of Mary (aka Protoevangelium of James) – early 2nd century
    • Not written by an Apostle
    • Gnostic themes
    • Rejected by Origen
    • Condemned by Pope Innocent I in 405AD
    • Rejected by the Gelasian Decree around 500AD
    • Doctrines: Perpetual virginity, sinlessness, and assumption.
  • 2 Maccabees
    • No Jewish authority, even Jesus, declared them divinely inspired writings (not considered in “the Law and the Prophets”)
    • No cross-reference of Holy Scripture validates them as God-breathed Holy Scripture, only possible illustration or example with like using The Matrix or a Disney story in modern times to help the reader understand.
    • Not quoted by any Apostle
    • Not referenced in the Council of Jamnia in 90AD
    • Flavius Josephus – OT canon closed at the time of Artaxerxes (465-425 BC)
    • Not fully accepted by the Church as canon; used as reference material and placed as an appendix.
    • Doctrines: pray to the dead (Mary)
      
      
• Mary Worship & Explicit Blasphemy
  • RCCC 2677 – “By asking Mary to pray for us, we acknowledge ourselves to be poor sinners and we address ourselves to the ‘Mother of Mercy,’ the All-Holy One,”
    • Only God is Holy
• • • Assumes Mary is omniscient to hear everyone’s prayers simultaneously
• • • Contradicts 1 Samuel 2:2
• • • Only God’s mercy saves.
    RCCC 2679 – “Mary is the perfect Orans (pray-er), a figure of the Church. When we pray to her, we are adhering with her to the plan of the Father,”
    • Never instructed to pray to anyone besides God.
• • • Violates Philippians 4:6
• • • Contradicts Jesus’ example on how to pray – Matt. 6:9
• • • Irrelevance – Hebrews 7:25
    RCCC 971 – “The liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and Marian prayer, such as the rosary, are an epitome of the whole Gospel,”
    • Literally a different gospel, contrary to the one preached in Holy Scripture
• • • Violates Galatians 1:6-9
• • • Heresy
  • RCCC 969 – “Mary, …by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation”
    • False teaching: the Holy Spirit intercedes.
    • Heresy: Jesus gives the gift of eternal life, and the Holy Spirit makes us born into it.
    • Violates: Romans 8:26-27, 34. 1 John 2:1. Hebrews 7:25.

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CATHOLICISM

Doctrines of Mary (See “Mariology” above)

Sacred Traditions

• Sufficiency of Scripture
  • 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is God-breathed… for every good work.”
• • Psalm 19:7-8 – “The law of the Lord is perfect… The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy… The precepts of the Lord are right”
• • John 20:31 – “these are written so that you may believe”
• • Extra-Scriptural Doctrines – traditions NOT expressed in Scripture
    • Mark 7:8-9 – “the commands of God” i.e. found in Scripture
• • • Colossians 2:8 – “depends on human tradition… rather than on Christ”
• • • 1 Cor. 4:6 – “not to go beyond what is (presently) written”
  • The Finality of Matters of Faith
    • Hebrews 1:1-2 – “God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets (OT)… in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son (NT).”
• Galatians 1:8-9 – “a gospel other than the one we (The Apostles) preached to you… a gospel other than what you accepted (past tense)”
• See “Completeness of Scripture”

Papalism

Peter as “Pope” claim – Matt. 16:18 (Peter = Petros, a movable stone or pebble rock = petra, massive rock formation, immovable; bedrock), not the same word or meaning; 1 Cor. 10:1-4, the same word “rock” (“petra”) and associates it to Christ.  

• • 1 Peter 5:1-4 (“fellow”) and Jesus is “Chief Shepherd”. 
• • Acts 15:13-29 – James led, not Peter. 
• • 2 Corinthians 11:5 – Paul is equal to Peter
• • Apocryphal Acts of Peter – traditions of Peter in Rome; Paul, Ignatius, and Clement never mention Peter in Rome, until Tertullian and Irenaeus over 120 years later.
  • Paul NEVER greets Peter in Romans, nor upset that Peter never visited him while he was in Rome.
    • 12 Thrones, not one superior to the other – Matthew 19:25-30
      
      
• Papal Authority – Mark 3:14-19.
  • Matt. 18:1,15-19 – All same authority.
• • 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, 2 Corinthians 13:10 – Paul exercises sole authority, w/o Peter’s consideration.
• • Titus 2:15 – Titus, a NON-Apostle had “all authority”
• • Plurality of Elders – Acts 20:17; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:5; Clement of Rome (Clement of Rome, Epistle to the Corinthians, XLIV.3–5) said ““eminent (respected) men. with the consent of the whole Church.” Again, “those who were appointed” is plural.
  • Christ is Head of the Church – 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18
• Papal Succession – Jesuit John McKenzie, when professor of theology at Notre Dame, wrote: “Historical evidence does not exist for the entire chain of succession of church authority.”—The Roman Catholic Church (New York, 1969), p. 4.
• The Great Schism (1054AD) – The Eastern Orthodox Church did not recognize the Pope’s claim to universal authority and infallibility, instead viewing him as merely the “first among equals” (primus inter pares) of the five patriarchs.
• The Waldensians – rejected Papal authority – 12th century
  • Traveling as lay preachers without RCC permission.
  • translate the Bible into a vernacular language (Occitan, a language spoken in southern France)
  • Rejected veneration of saints, the doctrine of purgatory, the use of indulgences, and the authority of the papacy.
  • Excommunicated by Pope Lucius III in 1184AD
  • The Piedmontese Easter Massacre in 1655AD where thousands were killed by the RCC
  • the Waldensian Evangelical Church continues to exist, primarily in Italy and parts of South America
• the Lollards – rejected Papal Authority – 14^th century.
  • the creation and circulation of the Wycliffe Bible
  • Rejected veneration of images and saints, the concept of transubstantiation, the practice of confession to a priest, and the use of indulgences. They also condemned the immense wealth and political power of the clergy.
  • The De Heretico Comburendo statute of 1401AD authorized the burning of “heretics” (deemed by the RCC and CoE) at the stake. This law led to the execution of many Lollards.

UNIVERSALISM / INTERFAITHS

Not all roads lead to God

• John 1:3; 3:16-17; 8:24; 10; 14:6
  • Matt. 7:13-14, 21-23, 22:14
• • Luke 13:23-27
• • Acts 4:12
• • 1 Tim 2:5
• • Phil. 2:9-11
  • Rom. 9:27

Not everyone will be saved

• Q:  Why be religious at all – if all will be saved no matter what?
  • Why try to convince me of your point of view?
• • Pointless, moot, irrelevant
• • John 1:10-11, 15 – “the sheep”
• • Matthew 20:28 – “ransom for many”
• • Isaiah 53:11-12 – “many”
• • Romans 8:32-34 – the “given”
• • Ephesians 5:25-27 – for the church
• • Rev 5:9 – the ransomed people
• • Rev. 20:10 – False Prophets – “forever”
  • 1 Sam. 3:14
    • “forever” does not mean “a time period” – it means “without end” per Hebrew scholars
• Universalist Rebuttals:
  • *Matthew 25:46: Greek, the word “eternal” is the word aionion. The same word describes both conditions.
• • *Mark 3:29 – never means never
    • Interprets Matt 12:32
    *1 Timothy 2:3-4 – “will” also means “desire” (Mark 9:35; Phil. 4:17) = God desires that all people be saved. But, not all people will be saved.
    • Ezekiel 33:11 + John 3:36
  • *2 Peter 3:9 –
    • God can desire one thing and ordain another.
      • Acts 2:23, 27-28
      • Exodus 4:21
      •  Deut. 2:30
    • Why?  Romans 9:22-23
    • Verses that help in proper understanding:
      • 2 Tim. 2:25
      • Ezekiel 36:27
      • Mark 4:11-12
      • Rom. 11:8
      • Isaiah 42:18
      • Gen. 20:2-6
• Men die once, then are judged – Heb 9:27

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SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST

Sabbath Day Worship

• Jesus is Our Sabbath Worship
  • The only commandment not restated in the NT – Matt. 19:18; Rom. 13:9
• • Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath – Matt. 12:8
    • The Sabbath is defined as a shadow, the reality is Jesus.  Jesus is our Sabbath.
• • • “The Lord’s Day” – Rev 1:10-11
• • • The New Bible Dictionary:  the term, ‘The Lord’s Day’ in Rev. 1:10: “This is the first extant occurrence in Christian literature of “te kuriake hemera.”  The adjectival construction suggests that it was a formal designation of the church’s worship day. As such it certainly appears early in the 2nd century”
  • The Sabbath (day) was made for MAN to rest – Mark 2:27
• Rom. 14:5-6 – “convinced in their own minds”
  • If “required” there would not be a choice.
  • Not to Judge based on day – Col. 2:16-17
• 1^st Century Church met on Sunday – Acts 20:7. 1 Cor. 16:1-2
• 2^nd Century Church met on Sunday – Ignatius, Epistle to the Magnesians, 1. 67
• Clear Word Bible translation adds/changes language NOT in biblical manuscripts.
  • Exodus 16:5, 30
  • Acts 20:7
  • Rom. 14:5
  • Col. 2:16
• Significance of Sunday
  • Jesus rose from the dead – Matt. 28:1-7; Mark 16:2, 9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1
• • Jesus made resurrected appearances – John 20:19, 26
• • Holy Spirit came on Sunday – Lev. 23:16; Acts 2:1
• • First sermon by Peter was preached – Acts 2:14, 41
• • Thousands baptized on Sunday – Acts 2:41
  • Paul preached on Sunday – Acts 20:7
• Luke used Roman measurement of “days”

EVANGELICALISM

Not all prayers are heard

• Is. 1:15; Prov. 28:9; James 4:3

“Don’t Judge Me” claim

• Hypocritical Judgements – Matt 7:1-6; Rom 2:1
  • Hypocrisy rebuked – Luke 7:36-50
• Righteous Judgements – John 7:24
• Commanded to Judge – 1 Thess. 5:21; John 7:24
  • Without fear when righteous – Acts 20:27. 2 Tim. 4:2
  • Others Accountability – Matt. 18:15-17, 22:39; Gal. 6:1
• Church Discipline; requires righteous judgements – Matt. 18:15-17. 1 Cor. 5:1-10

People can be Good (without Christ) claim

• Your Good deeds aren’t good enough – Isa 64:6
• No one is good enough – Romans 3:10-12 (ref Ps. 14, 53)
• Only God is good – Mark 10:18
  • Jesus is the good shepherd – John 10:11
  • See “Jesus is God”
• All fall short – Romans 3:23
  • Failing to do something good, is sin – James 4:17
• All people are sinners – Romans 5:12; Gen 6:5
  • No one is sinless – 1 John 1:8-11
  • Paul, an Apostle, “worst sinner of them all” – 1 Tim. 1:15
• Sin comes from the heart – Mark 7:20-23, James 1:14-15
  • Jeremiah 17:9
• • Manifestations of a sinful heart – Rom. 1:29-32
  • Unrighteous anger and lustful desires are sin – Matt 15:7-8
• Born spiritual dead in sin – Eph 2:1
  • Can’t “see” the kingdom – John 3:7
• Break one law, broke them all – James 2:10
  • The Law of God – Mark 12:29-31
  • The Law is Good – 1 Tim. 1:8
  • Sin is Lawlessness – 1 John 3:4
• Satan, “the enemy” only sets traps and temps, but we are the ones that sin – Gen 3:6. 1 Thess 3:5; Matt 4:1; Mark 1:13
  • God does not “tempt” – James 1:13
• Just wage for sin is death – Romans 6:2

Women Pastors/Elders/Overseers

•  I do not permit a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man – 1 Timothy 2:11-14
• “in ALL churches… the women should keep silent in the churches” – 1 Cor. 14:33-34
  • Context is doctrinal teaching
  • “All” and “Churches” (universally plural)
  • Willful “submission” to the teaching authority “without contention” or debate, interruption, or arguing with the Elders.
• if any man aspires to the office of overseer – 1 Timothy 3:1-7 (NASB)
  • Also Titus 1:6
• Gender Ordained Rolls and Divine Order based on Order of Creation, per God – 1 Tim. 2:1-15
  • Eve was deceived, not Adam, but Adam failed to lead so Eve took charge and led Adam
• • God made Adam first
• • God gave commands to Adam, not Eve, but to teach Eve them (Gen. 2:16-18)
• • Men are to love their wives like Christ loves the church (the bride) (Eph. 5:25)
    • Christ is the head of the church.

• • 3,100 names in the Bible, 170 are women, but only maybe 15 in all biblical history were uniquely granted an authoritative position over the 2,000 years of biblical record. Averages to 1 female every 133 years in biblical history.

• • • Proves unique purposes and not the normal standard and expectation.
  • Men are used by God to bring SPIRITUAL LIFE, after women are used by God to bring PHYSICAL LIFE (born of water and spirit)
• Angels are messengers of God and NEVER appear in female form.

APOSTOLIC REQUIREMENTS:

• Above Reproach – Titus 1:6. 1 Tim. 3:2
  • Contradicting scripture violates this requirement.
• • Not being a male or having more than one wife violates the first requirement and scripture (1 Timothy 2:11-14)
• • husband of one wife – 1 Tim 3:2; Titus 1:6
• • He must be one who manages his own household well… but if a man does not – 1 Tim 3:4, 5a; Titus 1:6
• • Gender Specific – “He” is used repeatedly – 1 Tim 3:4,5,6,7; Titus 1:6, 9
  • Sound Doctrine – Titus 1:9. 1 Tim. 3:2
    • Not being a male or having more than one wife violates this requirement.

Female Eldership Rebuttals

• Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah were Authoritative Judges
  • not all women in the Old Testament were. These three were unique.
  • Chosen to be Judgement on the men of Israel.
  • Judges weren’t priests or prophets simply by position; Judge, Priest, and Prophet are mutually exclusive roles, all by God’s unique choosing; not the norm.
• Prophetesses are not Elders
  • There was wicked prophetess: 1 Kings 18:1-19; Revelation 2:18-23; Ezra 8:33; Nehemiah 6:5-14)
• • Anna, the prophetess (Luke 2:36-38) and the four daughters of Phillip (Acts 21:1-9) were not church Elders.
  • Joel 2:28-32 – unrelated to Eldership and fulfilled in the four daughters of Phillip
• Priscilla, the wife of Aquila – Acts 18:2,18
  • Husband named first, v2
• • Never given the title of Elder/Overseer
• • Romans 16:3-4  -“coworkers [helpers] in Christ Jesus” applies to all believers
  • Acts 18:26 – “and explained the way of God to him more accurately” all Christians are called to do this.
• Phoebe – Romans 16:1-2
  • All Christians are called to serve in the church
  • All Christian women are sisters in Christ.
• The Mother of John Mark – Acts 12:12
  • was not a elder/overseer/pastor but a host.
  • Is not given the title of elder/overseer.
• Chloe – 1 Cor. 1:11
  • Is not given the title of elder.
  • Members of her family are telling Paul about drama.
• Nympha – Colossians 4:15
  • Is not given the title of elder.
  • Was a host.
• Lydia – Acts 16:14-15
  • Is not given the title of elder.
• • A businesswoman, not elder
• • Was a host.
  • Converted her family, like all mothers should.
• The Pagan Customs of Ephesus – there is no mention by Paul about combating Pagan customs in the qualifications.
• Education of Women – education was not a factor in the qualifications.
• Times Change – assumes the Bible is outdated and God is ignorant of the future cultural changes.
• Only talking to the church of Ephesus – the letter is unspecific and universally applicable – “if ANY man”
  • 1 Cor. 14:33-34 literally states “all churches”

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HYPER CALVINISM

Why pray? Matthew 6:5a, 9a. 1 Thess 5:17; John 14:15-17; Jeremiah 29:11-12; Luke 18:13–14

PENTECOSTALISM

Prophesy

• Test all things, including prophesies – 1 Thess 5:21-22
• Do NOT believer every spirit, but test them – 1 John 4:1
• It is very serious to claim a prophesy – Deut 18:20-22
• Not given to everyone – 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Eph 4:11
• The gift of prophesy and the Office of Prophet are not the same

The Office of Prophet – Exodus 6:28-7:2, Numbers 12:1-8, Deuteronomy 18:9-22

• Uniquely chosen by God, not self-willed
• Speaks forth God’s direct message to people
• New Revelations: Forthtelling (insight, exhortative) and or foretelling (foresight, predictive)
• Wrote Holy Scripture
• Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Samuel, David, Nathan, Elijah
• John the Baptist was the last to hold the Office of Prophet

The Gift of Prophecy

• Not for unbelievers – 1 Cor 12:22
  • It is God’s word; unbelievers don’t know or understand God’s word.
• Will result in the unbeliever worshiping God, when convicted by the Holy Spirit – 1 Cor 12:25
• The gift declares God’s word – knowing God’s word is greater than speaking in different tongues – understanding is the key – 1 Cor 14:1-5
• Proclaiming the Gospel is a form of prophesy – speaking forth God’s words = quoting Holy Scripture
  • See “Completeness of Scripture”

Various parts/kinds of the gift of Prophesy – 1 Cor 12:4-11

• Message of wisdom – 1 Cor 12:8 + 1 Cor 2:6-8
  • “God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery [to the rulers of this age]”
• • Context clue 1: “for our glory”
    • For believers
    Context clue 2: “if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord”
    • Spiritual Wisdom is knowing as fact Jesus’ purpose and work
• • • Context clue 3: “we may understand what has been freely given to us”
• • • Understood the Gospel
  • Being gifted by the Holy Spirit to impart the wisdom of the gospel
• Message of Knowledge
  • Knowledge of God’s Word
  • The ease of memorization, recollection, and articulation
• Performing miracles 1 Cor 12:10 + Acts 19:11
  • “extraordinary” is not healing headaches, tummy aches, or feelings of worry or anxiety.
    • Apostles raised the dead
    • Fully and completely cured the blind, deaf, mute, paralyzed, diseased
• Prophecy – foretelling (foresight, predictive)
  • Wisdom and knowledge are Forthtelling (insight, exhortative)
  • So clear and accurate even unbelievers come to faith – 1 Cor 12:25
• Distinguishing between spirits – Matt 7:19-20 + 1 John 4:1 +1 Thess 5:21-22
  • The clarity to see the fruit

Prophesy (new revelations) in the Post-Apostolic age

• Clement of Rome, appointed by Peter and disciple of John wrote pointing to the previous writings as his authority and did not exorcise any gift of prophecy.
• Papias of Hierapolis, a disciple of John and friend of Polycarp who was also a disciple of John also did not note any continuance of the gift.
• Ignatius of Antioch, appointed by Peter and a disciple of John, who was also friends with Polycarp does not note a continuance of the gift.
• Polycarp of Smyrna, a friend of Papias and Ignatius, and disciple of John also does not in any of his writings note a continuance of the gift.
• Irenaeus of Lyon, who was a disciple of Polycarp wrote extensively against heresies in his day, always referred back to what had been written by The Apostles and does not note any true continuance of the gift.

The Test of the Prophet/Prophesy:

• False prophets WILL produce bad fruit of their prophesy (errors, inaccuracies, contradictions) True prophets WILL produce good fruit (truth, divinely accurate, magnify Christ, Glorify God) – Matt 7:19-20
• Patterns laid out in Holy Scripture as examples – Very specific locations, persons, events, in such detail, they are undeniably true.
  • See “Prophesies of Jesus”
  • See “Post-biblical fulfilled Prophesies”

Does it contradict/violate Holy Scripture:

• True prophesy Will not contradict Scripture – 1 Cor 12:3, Rev 2:20-21
• Are sure, no questions, “maybes,” “I think” – Num. 12:6. Ezekiel 1:1. Dan 10:7, 10:16-17; Rev. 1:11-13
• Not to be hidden, unless specifically directed to by God – 1 Sam 3:15; Rev. 1:11-13

Is the source validated?

• Self-validation claim is not valid alone – John 5:31-33; Rev. 2:20-21
• Validated by actual undeniable miraculous signs and wonders -Acts 14:3
  • BUT this alone does not prove it – Rev. 13:13-14; Matt 7:22-23
• Will come true, be completely accurate, and will be fulfilled – Deut 18:22
  • BUT this alone does not prove it – Deuteronomy 13:1-3
• Validated by (1) multiple witnesses (claims, life, other reliable 1^st hand eyewitnesses, signs, accuracy), (2) not just by one element, and (3) NO elements are false.
  • Matthew 18:16; John 5: 33, 39, 8:17-18, 10:25, Acts 1:8
  • Jesus was validated by (1a) His own claims (accuracy) and (1b) his life, (2) John the Baptist, the Apostles, the crowds who saw (3) the miracles, (4a) God the Father (4b) in OT prophesies and (4c) The Holy Spirit in (5) Scripture.
  • The Apostles were validated by (1a) their claims (accuracy) and their life (1b, fruit), (2) each other, their disciples, and their firsthand eyewitnesses, (3) their signs and wonders by (4) the Holy Spirit, and (5) alignment to Holy Scripture.

Does it impact the spirit of the hearer?

• Rebuke, correct, and warn of sin – Matt 23:37
  • Stirred up such a reaction of hate, true prophets were murdered. – Matt 23:37
• Compel a focus on Christ and force accepting or rejecting God’s truths – Matt 10:34-37
  • The incarnate Son of God is an essential truth of God – 1 John 4:2-3

False prophets/prophecies:

• Ezekiel 13:1-7 – their imagination and their own spirit, actually see nothing, but claim its from God and actually wait for it to come true.
• Other Spirits – can perform counterfeit “signs and wonders”- Rev. 13:13-14; Matt 7:21-23, 24:11, 24
• Uses the Lord’s name in vain – not of God.
• Speak heresy and or won’t magnify the person and work of Christ – 1 Cor 12:3
• Can prophesy accurately – Deuteronomy 13:1-3

 Joel 2:28-32, Acts 2:14-41

• “in THOSE days” does NOT say “for the rest of history” or “in all the days to come” or “until the end of the age”
• “all people” is the inclusion of Gentiles and not just Jews.
• Fulfilled in the days of Apostles

Similarities to Modern day Pentecostalism

Marcus, the self-proclaimed Prophet – lead by demonic spirits, able to prophesy

• Uses attractive words sparking emotional reactions
• Invokes angels and uses spiritualized language
• “Open thy mouth, speak whatsoever occurs to thee, and thou shalt prophesy… She then, vainly puffed up and elated by these words, and greatly excited in soul by the expectation that it is herself who is to prophesy, her heart beating violently [from emotion], reaches the requisite pitch of audacity, and idly as well as impudently utters some nonsense as it happens to occur to her…Henceforth she reckons herself a prophetess.. She then makes the effort to reward him, not only by the gift of her possessions (in which way he has collected a very large fortune), but also by yielding up to him her person” (Against Heresies: Book I, Chapter XIII)

The Montantists

•  as they assert, the women with Montanus [Maximilla] received the prophetic gift, let them show who among them received it from Montanus and the women. [they claim] For the apostle thought it necessary that the prophetic gift should continue in all the Church until the final coming. But they cannot show it [in scripture], though this is the fourteenth year since the death of Maximilla.” (314AD, Miltiades, bishop of Rome)
• “[Montanus] to be making additions to the doctrines or precepts of the Gospel of the New Testament, which it is impossible for one who has chosen to live according to the Gospel, either to increase or to diminish.“ (Eusebius records Apollonius’ writings of the 2nd century)
• “... he [Montanus] became beside himself, and being suddenly in a sort of frenzy and ecstasy, he raved, and began to babble and utter strange things, prophesying in a manner contrary to the constant custom of the Church handed down by tradition from the beginning… Some of those who heard his spurious utterances at that time were indignant, and they rebuked him as one that was possessed, and that was under the control of a demon, and was led by a deceitful spirit, and was distracting the multitude; and they forbade him to talk, remembering the distinction drawn by the Lord and his warning to guard watchfully against the coming of false prophets. But others imagining themselves possessed of the Holy Spirit and of a prophetic gift, were elated and not a little puffed up; and forgetting the distinction of the Lord, they challenged the mad and insidious and seducing spirit, and were cheated and deceived by him… secretly excited and inflamed their understandings which had already become estranged from the true faith… and filled them with the false spirit, so that they talked wildly and unreasonably and strangely, like the person already mentioned….For the faithful in Asia met often in many places throughout Asia to consider this matter, and examined the novel utterances and pronounced them profane, and rejected the heresy “

The Elements of True Prophesy

1. The claim/vision/dream from God, directly
2. The support of Holy Scripture, or not
3. The spiritual impact of the message: magnifies Jesus Christ the incarnate Son of God and God’s glory, or the flesh and carnality.
   1. Selfless Sacrificial love, or selfishness, greed, and coveting – 1 Cor 13:2
4. The Fruit: Came true and or was fulfilled, or not.
5. The Witness:
   1. (A) multiple witnesses
      1. (1) claims, magnify Christ
      1. (1b) life, fruit of the spirit
      1. (2) other 1^st hand eyewitnesses,
      1. (3) signs, magnitude, accuracy
      1. (4) alignment with Scripture
   1. (B) not just by one witness, and
   2. (C) None of the 4 elements of witness are false

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Speaking In Tongues

• Individuals gifted by The Holy Spirit
  • Comes FROM God, not SELF will
    • Acts 2:4
• • • Not everyone is given the gift – 1 Cor. 14:2
• • • Use is an act of Worship – 1 Cor. 14:2
• • • “Mysteries” is how it is possible – a miracle
  • “builds up himself” – exercise of faith and confirmation of it – 1 Cor. 14:4
    • Not “FOR himself”
• It is a Known Language
  • Human languages – Acts 2:6-11
• • “Intelligible” – 1 Cor. 14:9-11
  • “with my mind also” – 1 Cor. 14:14-16
• Coherent Message (the Mind/understood), necessary
  • Just useless noises without “revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching” – 1 Cor. 14:6
  • 1 Cor. 14:19
• Required Interpretation
  • “pray that he may interpret” – 1 Cor. 14:13
  • 1 Cor. 14:27-28
• Is For Unbelievers and Outsiders
  • 1 Cor. 14:16-17, 22-23
• At Most Three Speakers
  • 1 Cor. 14:27
  • No more than three
• Must Take Turns Speaking and being Interpreted
  • 1 Cor. 14:27
  • Not at the same time
• Must be Interpreted – or MUST remain silent
  • 1 Cor. 14:27-28
  • This is a command – 1 Cor. 14:37
  • Tongues is “lesser” if no one “interprets” – 1 Cor. 14:5
• Disobedience to 1 Cor. 14 is lawlessness, disobedience, and “Confusion”
  • Not of God – 1 Cor. 14:33“decently and in order” – 1 Cor. 14:40
• • The Holy Spirit doesn’t contradict or violate God’s Word – or it’s not the Holy Spirit but the flesh or another spirit. – 1 Cor. 14:38
• • Must agree with 1 Cor. 14:33 or it is NOT of GOD – 1 Cor. 14:37
  • Using God’s Name in Vain – ascribing something to God that God didn’t do or say.
• Joel 2:28-32 Fulfilled
  • Acts 2:16-21
  • Daughters of Phillip would prophecy
• Peter points to THAT moment in the fulfillment of Joel.

DEFINITIONS AND TERMS

“Apocrypha” a/k/a Deuterocanonical is a collection of books that were written during the intertestamental period (roughly 400 BCE to 1st century CE), useful for historical and moral instruction but not divinely inspired (not the words of God) and therefore not part of the biblical canon. They are of no authority in matters of Christian doctrine. The Apocrypha were not part of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) used by the Jews of Jesus’s time. The books of the Old Testament accepted by the Jews were considered the proper canon. Jesus and his apostles did not quote from the Apocryphal books as Scripture, unlike their frequent citations from the Old Testament books. The Apocrypha contains doctrines that are in conflict with the rest of the biblical canon, such as praying for the dead or salvation through good works (e.g., in 2 Maccabees and Tobit). Historically, the Apocrypha were placed in a separate section between the Old and New Testaments. This placement was meant to signify their secondary status as non-canonical books, distinguishing them from the inspired Scriptures. In modern times, most Bibles have removed the Apocrypha entirely.

“Apostle, the Office of” is not to be confused with the general term ‘apostle‘ (a role, not church position or office, as messengers or missionaries “sent out” by the Church as everyone is called to be). The Office of an Apostle is defined by the New Testament in Acts 1:21–22. 1 Corinthians 9:1. Galatians 1:1 as a person specially chosen and commissioned by Christ directly, to be a foundational witness to His life, death, and resurrection. This office is considered unique and unrepeatable, meaning there are no apostles today in the same sense as the original ones. An apostle’s authority was not derived from a human institution or appointment, but from a direct call from Jesus Himself. The Twelve were chosen by Christ during His ministry, and Paul’s apostleship was based on his personal encounter with the resurrected Christ Apostles were empowered by the Holy Spirit to perform miracles, signs, and wonders. These acts served to authenticate their message and confirm their divine commission (2 Corinthians 12:12, Acts 2:43)

“Codex” is an ancient handwritten book that contains biblical texts, distinguished by its format of folded pages bound together along one edge. This is in contrast to a scroll, which was the dominant form of document for Jewish and Greco-Roman texts at the time. Three of the most important are Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Vaticanus, and Codex Alexandrinus.

“Gnosticism”

Is a diverse group of religious movements in the early Christian era that emphasized “gnosis”—a Greek word for secret knowledge—as the key to salvation. Gnostics believed that this special knowledge, rather than faith in Christ’s death and resurrection, was what would liberate the human spirit from the physical world. The Gnostic worldview was fundamentally dualistic, meaning it saw a sharp separation between two opposing realms. (1) A spiritual world of light and goodness: This was the realm of a supreme, transcendent God who was completely unknown and unknowable. (2) A physical world of matter and evil: This world was created not by the supreme God, but by a lesser, flawed deity known as the Demiurge, often identified with the God of the Old Testament. The Demiurge was seen as a malevolent or ignorant creator. the body was a prison of evil matter, but within it was a divine spark of the supreme God. Salvation, therefore, meant escaping the material world through gnosis, which would allow the divine spark to ascend back to its spiritual origin. Gnosticism’s dualism led to a unique and heretical view of Christ. Most Gnostics believed that Jesus could not have been a true human being with a physical body, as matter was inherently evil. They taught that Christ was a purely spiritual being who only appeared to be human. This belief, known as docetism (from the Greek word dokeō, “to seem”), meant that Christ did not truly suffer or die on the cross, as his human form was an illusion. These are often categorized as either Syrian-Egyptian Gnosticism or Hellenistic Gnosticism. (A) Valentinianism: This was one of the most widespread and influential Gnostic schools, founded by Valentinus, an Alexandrian teacher who was active in Rome in the 2nd century. Valentinians developed a complex cosmology involving a series of divine beings called aeons that emanated from the supreme God. They believed that a flawed aeon, Sophia (Wisdom), created the Demiurge and the material world. Their goal was to achieve salvation by acquiring knowledge of this spiritual hierarchy, which would allow their divine spark to return to the Pleroma (the spiritual realm). (B) Basilidianism: Founded by Basilides in Alexandria, this sect also taught a dualistic cosmology. They believed in a supreme, unbegotten God who gave rise to a series of emanations or “sonships.” The material world was created by the last of these, a flawed being known as the “Great Archon.” Basilidians were known for their highly intellectual and speculative theology. They also believed that salvation was achieved through knowledge that would allow the soul to escape the material world. (C) Sethianism: This group is named for their reverence for Seth, the third son of Adam, whom they considered a divine figure and the father of a spiritual race of humanity. Sethian texts often reinterpreted Genesis, viewing the serpent in the Garden of Eden as a heroic figure who brought knowledge to humanity. They saw the God of Genesis as the ignorant Demiurge and rejected the Old Testament. Their extensive literature, including texts found in the Nag Hammadi Library, reveals a complex mythology centered on the spiritual lineage descended from Seth.

“Hermeneutics”

Is the practice of interpreting biblical texts. It’s not just about understanding what the words say on a surface level, but about discerning their meaning for the original audience and for believers today. Biblical hermeneutics involves several core principles to ensure accurate and responsible interpretation and exegesis Scripture: (1) proper context, literary and historical, (2) original language and grammar, (3) Theological coherence, and (4) the role of the Holy Spirit and Christ-centric Interpretation (Luke 24:25-27, 44-49; Acts 18:28). The most accurate and sound approach is, Literal-Grammatical-Historical: This approach seeks to understand the text in its original context, taking the words at their normal, plain meaning unless the genre dictates a figurative sense (e.g., in apocalyptic literature). Allegorical can be applied when their is a cultural, historical, and societal symbolic meaning behind the terms and phrase.

“Old Testament” is the first major division of the Christian Bible, containing 39 books. It is understood as the divinely inspired and authoritative record of God’s covenant with Israel and the history of His redemptive plan leading up to the coming of Jesus Christ. Old Testament canon is identical to the books of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) used by Judaism. This includes the Law (Torah), the Prophets (Nevi’im), and the Writings (Ketuvim). The Old Testament as essential for understanding the New Testament. It is seen as a book of prophecy and fulfillment, where the prophecies, types, and promises of the Old Covenant find their ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The New Testament does not replace the Old, but rather brings its story to its climax. The Old Testament is considered to be God’s revelation of Himself to humanity through historical events, laws, psalms, and prophetic pronouncements.

“New Testament” is the second major division of the Christian Bible, consisting of 27 books. It is considered the divinely inspired and authoritative record of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the founding of the early Church, and the establishment of the new covenant. The New Testament canon is identical to the canons of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. The 27 books were universally accepted by the time of the 4th century. The entire Bible tells one cohesive story of God’s plan of redemption, with Jesus Christ as the central figure. The Gospels detail his life and ministry, while the Epistles explain the theological implications of his work.

“RCC” – Roman Catholic Church

The evolved monarchical episcopate and ecclesiastical tradition of the 4th to 5th century to the present, out from the 1st through 3rd century unified catholic (universal) church, with the dogmas of absolute doctrinal control and primary superior authority over all Christendom. The Council of Nicaea (325 CE) did not establish the papacy and it only recognized the status of Rome alongside Alexandria and Antioch. Papalism evolved from Pope Leo I (c. 440-461 CE). Leo I was a pivotal figure who firmly asserted Roman bishop’s authority. He was the first to use the title “Vicar of Peter,” a dogma not revealed in Scripture, and pushed Rome’s claim to primacy. His letter confirming Christ’s two natures at the Council of Chalcedon in the 5th century sparked a great schism between the west (Rome) and the churches of the east. The East-West Schism (1054 CE) is the formal and official split between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches was in large part due to disagreements over the imposed authority of the Pope. In 1517 CE, a Catholic Monk named Martin Luther raised objections to the evolved dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church. The Reformation was a 16th-century religious movement that began as an attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church but resulted in yet another schism and creation of Protestantism, a third major branch of Christianity. The Council of Trent in 1563 CE solidified the schism and evolved the Roman Catholic traditions further. The split was driven by theological disputes such as papal authority, the evolved church traditions, abuses within the Roman Catholic Church, widespread corruption, particularly the practice of selling indulgences (pardons for sin), fueled discontent. The sale of indulgences was used to finance major building projects, and it was widely seen as a commercialization of salvation. First Vatican Council (1869-1870 CE) is the council that dogmatically defined the doctrines of papal primacy and papal infallibility, 1,800 years after the Apostles. Second Vatican Council (1962-1965CE) evolved further and softened its stance toward other Christian denominations and non-Christian religions and greatly expanded the dogma of Mariology, around 1,900 years after the Apostles.

“Succession of Apostolic Doctrine”

Is the doctrines and teachings in matters of faith and life that originated from the Apostles and handed down (Jude 1:3; 1 Cor 15:3) and passed on to each generation of disciple. These doctrines can be learned and understood by each generation through study of the writings of the Apostles directly in Holy Scripture, with illuminated and divine guidance by the Holy Spirit (Heb 4:12. 1 Peter 1:23,  1 Chronicles 22:12; Psalm 119:34; Isaiah 54:13; Jeremiah 31:33-34; Matthew 16:17; John 6:45, 10:27, 14:26, 17:6; Hebrews 8:10-11; 1 John 2:27. 1 Corinthians 2:10-13) assisted by the writings of those who were directly informed by an Apostle in the 1st and 2nd century; all in agreement with and under the authority of the writings directly from the Prophets and Apostles (Deut 4:2, 12:32; Is. 8:20, 34:16; Matt. 22:31-32. 2 Peter 1:20-21; Joshua 23:6; Romans 10:8, 15:4; Acts 18:28), which is God’s Word. Apostolic Doctrine can only be sourced directly from an Apostle themselves. Thus, only their divinely inspired writings from their mouth and hand (including Mark and Luke) as primary sources and the uninspired writings of those who heard from them directly as 1st hand witnesses of the Apostles (Clement, Papias, Polycarp, Ignatius, Irenaeus via Polycarp, etc) as secondary sources are apostolic in nature. Disciples, generations later, disconnected from the direct personal 1st hand influence of an Apostle, are then completely dependent on the continuation and succession of the doctrines originally taught by the Apostles, who are the only source. Which is discoverable and may be learned through proper hermeneutics and illumination of the Holy Spirit, by any Disciple who is filled with the Holy Spirit, generations later with access to Apostolic Doctrine: Holy Scripture and secondary apostolic sources.

“Text-type” is a scholarly classification used to group ancient manuscripts of the Bible that share similar linguistic and textual characteristics, suggesting they belong to a particular tradition of copying and transmission. This concept is vital for the field of textual criticism, which seeks to determine the most accurate original wording of the biblical texts. Scholars have identified several major text-types for the New Testament: (1) Alexandrian, considered by most scholars to be the oldest and most reliable text-type; (2) Western, found in manuscripts from Western Europe and North Africa. It is known for its distinctive variations, including many additions and expansions. It is considered less reliable for establishing the original text; (3) Byzantine, the most common text-type and is found in the majority of later Greek manuscripts (from the 9th century onward). It is generally considered less accurate than the Alexandrian type; and (4) Caesarean, a less-defined group of manuscripts with mixed readings that are thought to be a bridge between the Alexandrian and Western traditions.

“Tradition of Sacred Scripture”

Is the historical process and various cultural traditions of revealing, teaching, applying, writing, discovering, identifying, utilizing, and preserving the written record of God’s word. From it’s divine revelation from God to a Prophet and Apostle and their oral teaching of it; the disciples memorization and practical application, to its first initial original written form and subsequent copies and translations through history. The traditions of the beginning and continuation of Sacred Scripture were always, eventually written down (Joshua 23:6, Isaiah 34:16; Matt 21:42; Luke 1:1-2, 24:44. John 20:31. 1 Cor 15:3-4). It is always the written record that is appealed to as authoritative in refuting unorthodoxy, heresy and blasphemy.

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