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Is Jesus God?

Discover the fascinating debate on the divinity of Jesus with renowned scholar Bart Ehrman. Dive into early Christian history, explore eyewitness testimonies, and examine the significance of Jesus' resurrection. Understand why it matters and explore alternative explanations. Uncover the truth about Jesus and his identity.

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Is Jesus God?

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  1. Is Jesus God?

  2. Our Apologetic

  3. What have you heard?

  4. Did Jesus even exist? Bart Ehrman • Attended Moody Bible School • Current Professor of Religion at University of North Carolina • Expert of Early Christian history and writings • Not a Christian- Agnostic • Award from Freedom from Religion Foundation

  5. Why does it matter? • I Corinthians 15 Is the most important passage about the resurrection in apologetics. • It is an early creed dating to less than 10 years after the resurrection • It shows that the resurrection makes Christianity falsifiable. • It shows multiple eyewitness

  6. Four Facts + One These facts are accepted by an overwhelming majorityof Scholars

  7. Fact 1: Jesus died by crucifixion • Sources • Josephus (Jewish and Roman Historian) • Tacitus (Roman Senator and Historian) • Lucian (Satirist and Rhetorician) • Mara Bar-Sarepion (Roman Stoic Philosopher) • Jewish Talmud (Jewish Commentary on Old Testament) • All four Gospels

  8. Fact 2: Jesus followers believed he rose from the dead • Paul • Oral Tradition • Creeds • Sermon Summaries • Written Tradition • Gospels • Apostolic Fathers • Clement • Polycarp (Bishop of Smyrna) • They Believed it • Willingness to suffer (not die necessarily) • Acts • Clement of Rome (Pope/Bishop of Rome) • Ignatius (Church father) • Dionysius of Corinth (Church Father/Bishop) • Tertullian (Church Father from Carthage) • Origen (Church father from Alexandria)

  9. Fact 3: Paul changed his mind • Conversion • Paul • Acts • Early Christians (Galatians) • Suffering and Martyrdom • Paul • Luke • Clement of Rome • Polycarp • Tertullian • Dionysius of Corinth • Origen

  10. Fact 4: James changed his mind • Conversion • (Before) he didn’t believe • Early creeds: report Jesus appeared to James. • (After) Paul and Acts • Martyrdom • Josephus • Hegesippus/Jerome (Chronicler/Apologist) • Clement of Alexandria (Church Father)

  11. Bonus fact (Fact 5): the tomb was empty • Jerusalem Factor • Enemy Attested • Testimony of Women

  12. Influence of Martyrs • Is it important enough to die for? • I may believe that chocolate ice cream is the best ice cream but I am not willing to die for it • Jesus being God would be important enough to die for • Are you an eyewitness to the event? • I may believe that Jesus is God but I could just be wrong because I am not an eyewitness to the event • This separates the early disciples from current day martyrs • This separates the early disciples from early followers of Islam or Mormonism

  13. What are other explanations? • Swoon Theory • Stolen Body • Disciples • Someone else • Hallucination theory • Replacement theory

  14. Guess who? Isaiah 53 describes Jesus perfectly despite being at least 130 years older Jesus Who was Jesus?

  15. Three options

  16. Who is Jesus? Liar Lunatic Legend Lord

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