What is The Passion?

What is The Passion? Mark 15

The Controversy • What actually happened? • Why does it matter? Is the life story of the founder of Christianity the product of human sorrow, imagination, and hope? That a few simple men should in one generation have invented so powerful and appealing a personality, so lofty an ethic and so inspiring a vision of human brotherhood, would be a miracle far more incredible than any recorded in the Gospel. - Historian Will Durant

Why Argue Over the Facts? • Faith without Fact is Fanaticism. • The facts of Christ’s life are binding: He claims to be God Almighty. • Diane Saywer’s “Historians” say… • Political points of view: i.e. propaganda. • Not eyewitnesses • Not accurate historically. • Written long after the fact • Nobody has the original writings anyway.

“The Gospels are Propaganda,Not History” “Unless we take literally and on faith the New Testament accounts written many decades afterward (between 70 and 100 A.D.), we simply don't know what happened almost two millennia ago.” “In this groundbreaking and controversial book, Burton Mack brilliantly exposes how the Gospels are fictional mythologies created by different communities for various purposes and are only distantly related to the actual historical Jesus.” – Back Cover

“The Gospels are Propaganda,Not History” • All histories are selective. • Belief itself does not mean the report is inaccurate. • For example: the Holocost • Eyewitness reports are some of the best sources. “Many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this book; but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” John 20:30,31 “An ideological bias can actually create a greater concern to tell the story straight. For example, it has often been the Jewish historians of the holocaust…that have proved the most accurate, precisely because they wanted to do all they could to ensure that such horrors never occur again.” Blomberg. Jesus and the Gospels. P. 185

“Not eyewitnesses” • All the internal evidence points to eyewitness accounts. • “This is the disciple who bears witness of these things, and wrote these things, and we know his witness is true.” John 21:24 • “We did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses…” 2 Peter 1:16

“Not accurate historically” • What did they have to gain? • Willing to die for a known lie? • They claim to be histories. Just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught. Luke 1:2-4 (NASB-U) On the contrary, I began with a mind unfavorable to [Luke]… Luke was not merely trustworthy, but a historian of the highest order.” William Ramsay, St. Paul: The Traveler and Roman Citizen, 19

“Not accurate historically”

“Written long after the fact” • Written testimonies about the crucifixion and resurrection within 15 years after the fact. • Galatians (49ad), 1 Corinthians (52ad) • “After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;” 1 Cor. 15:6 (NASB-U)

“Written long after the fact” • Written testimonies about the crucifixion and resurrection within 15 years after the fact. • Even earlier creeds. • “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures”- 1 Cor. 15:3-4 (NASB-U)

“Written long after the fact” • Written testimonies about the crucifixion and resurrection within 15 years after the fact. • Even earlier creeds. • Secular histories in the mid-1st Century. • Suetonius reports that Jews were expelled from Rome in 49 AD because of controversy over Christ - Claudius, 25:4 • Tacitus reports that Christ was executed under Pontius Pilate in the reign of Tiberius - Annals, 15:44 • Flavius Josephus, court historian for Emperor Vespasian: • “At this time there was a wise man called Jesus. His conduct was good and he was known to be virtuous. Many people from among the Jews and other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die.” • Josephus, Antiquities 18:63,64

“Nobody has the original writings anyway.” • Lengthy citations dating from 90-120ad • Extant manuscripts dating to 120 ad • 5,000+ extant manuscripts recovered! Ryland Fragment dating to 120ad, found in Egypt.

“Nobody has the original writings anyway.”

The Gospels Are Reliable Histories • Written soon after the events. • Written by eye-witnesses. • Written with great concern for accuracy. • We have abundant manuscript evidence, and we know what the original writings looked like. That a few simple men should in one generation have invented so powerful and appealing a personality, so lofty an ethic and so inspiring a vision of human brotherhood, would be a miracle far more incredible than any recorded in the Gospel. - Historian Will Durant

The “Historians” Say: “The interval between the dates of original composition and the earliest extant evidence is so small as to be in fact negligible, and the last foundation for any doubt that the scriptures have come down to us substantially as they were written has now been removed. Both the authenticity and general integrity of the books of the New Testament may be regarded as finally established.” Frederic Kenyon, Bible and Archaeology, 288

What actually happened? • Arrest and initial interrogation by the Jewish Sanhedrin • Interview with Pilate • Diverted to Herod • Back to Pilate for final sentence

Who was responsible?

Sejanus and Tiberius Who was responsible? • Roman responsibility “Pilate said to Him, ‘You do not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you, and I have authority to crucify you?’” John 19:10 • Why did Pilate condemn Jesus even though he thought him innocent? • Fear of riots (Matthew 27:24) • Fear of Caesar (John 19:12)

Who was responsible? • Jewish responsibility • “Pilate asked, ‘Do you want me to release the King of the Jews?’… They answered, ‘Crucify him.’ Mark 15:9,13 • Why did religious authorities want Jesus killed? • blasphemy (Luke 22:66-71)

Who was responsible? • Christ’s responsibility • Emphasis of the gospels • “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Luke 23:34 • “No one takes my life from Me, I lay it down on My own initiative.” John 10:18 Why? The Big Question!

Consider the options? “Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we teach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.” - 1 Corinthians 1:22-24 Possible Conclusions: • A tragic, meaningless death of a martyr • An intentional death of the world’s savior

Consider the options? “The idea of a crucified god really did not make sense in the first century,” says Ben Wither-ington, a scholar of the New Testament, in Jennings' report. “It's not a message you make up if you're going to start a religion in the first century A.D.“ From Jesus and Paul —The Word and the Witness

Consider the options? Jennings: “Yet within a few decades, against all odds, the tiny Jesus movement began to spread, and in spite of ridicule, suspicion and persecution it would ultimately displace the Caesars and remains the dominant religion of the West over 2000 years later.” What is your verdict? From Jesus and Paul —The Word and the Witness

Raise your hand -- we’ll bring a microphone to your seat…or feel free to come up afterwards to talk or pray with someone • Questions? Comments? Experiences?

Ryland Fragment: 100-120ad

The “Historians” Say: • William Ramsay

What is The Passion?