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Is there a God? Why would I believe that?

Is there a God? Why would I believe that? . Cosmological Argument: first cause Teleological Argument: design/order Intelligent Design Moral Argument: with and without God Pascal’s wager Jesus: liar, lunatic, Lord—legend? Personal testimony Predictive Prophecy, miracles, Jews.

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Is there a God? Why would I believe that?

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  1. Is there a God? Why would I believe that? Cosmological Argument: first cause Teleological Argument: design/order Intelligent Design Moral Argument: with and without God Pascal’s wager Jesus: liar, lunatic, Lord—legend? Personal testimony Predictive Prophecy, miracles, Jews

  2. Where & how did we get the Bible

  3. Does the Bible claim to be from God • 2 Tim. 3:16 God-breathed • 2 Peter 1:21 origin in God not man • Heb 1:1-2 prophets and son • What did Jesus say: Mat 5:17f, Jesus and the OT God

  4. 4 Step Process from God to us • Inspiration: God speaks to prophets, prophets speak to people, written down • Canonization – community collects sacred writings • Transmission – scribal copying • Translation: translators: Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek Eng.

  5. Inspiration Processes • Spoke to Moses face to face (Num 12:6-8); prophets: “Thus saith the Lord” Jer.1:1-4; Isa. 7:7 • Spoke through His Son --Jesus (word incarnate) • Heb 1:1-2; John 1:1-12 • Some did historical research--Luke 1:1-4 • Some edited former works--Prov 25:1 • Some quoted secular sources--Acts 17:28

  6. External Corroboration • Moral Quality: Love God, love neighbor, yet not simplistic, interfaces with culture yet deep values on human life—what you’d expect of God • Historicity: camels? Hittites? David? Jeremiah’s scribe, Balaam, Mesha, Omri, Sennacherib, resurrection witnesses • Fulfilled prophecy:Tyre (Ezk 26:12), Isaiah –Cyrus (Isa. 44:28, 45:1, Jesus (Isa 53; Mic. 5:2 ); 1 Kgs. 13:2—Josiah

  7. Canonization • Don’t have everything God ever said: • Prophets like Huldah-- 2 Chr 34:22ff • Solomon wrote 3000 proverbs we’ve got 375 (1 Kgs 4) • Many things Jesus did not recorded--Jn 21:25 • God’s people collect and sanction books—canonization 10 commandments in ark; Ex 24:4,7; 1 Kgs 8:9; Neh 8:8; Jews recording negatives • NT: Rev 22:18-19 not add or subtract (Deut. 4:2) • Peter of Paul 2 Pet 3:15f • Immediately authoritative Dt 31:24ff; 1 Sam 10:25 deposited; Dan 9:2-Jeremiah • Certain books not accepted--which? why?

  8. Criterion of Canonization • Is it inspired by God? -- Thus saith the • Lord (Isa. 7:7) • Is it written by a prophet? • Does it agree with previous revelation? • Does it come with the power of God? • Was it received by the people of God? • Antilegomena: Prov., Ezek. Esther, Eccl. Song of Songs • TaNaK: Torah, Nebi’im; Kethubim

  9. Levels of “Canonization” Pseudepigrapha OT Apocrypha Canon of OT Antilegomena

  10. Transmission – Did God use flawed processes to preserve His word? • Moses wrote it 1440 BC how did we get it? • Copied over and over • Copying process not always 100% • 1 Sam 13:1f: KJV/NJKV; ASV/NASB; NIV, NRSV/ESV • Mark 16 • 1 Jn 5:7 • How do we correct for that? • Why didn’t God preserve it perfectly?

  11. Scribal errors • Misreading Gen 10:4 dodanim/rodanimd / r • Mis-hearing Ps 100:3; not we/we are his • Metathesis: thier • Fusion/Fission: CHRISTISNOWHERE • Homoeoteleuton: same endings • Dittography/haplography • Harmonizing corruptions – bless for curse • Conflation: church of God/ church of Lord Church of Lord God

  12. Text Criticism • Older manuscripts better • Shorter reading preferred • Greater geographical spread • Number and types of manuscripts--weighing groups/families of manuscripts • DSS—Dead Sea Scrolls • Silver amulet of Numbers 6:24ff (700 BC)

  13. Translation Theory • MT  LXX Vulgate KJV/NIV/NRSV et al • Different ways to translate: which one is right? • Do translators make mistakes: Prov 26:23KJV: Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. • Does language change: 2 Cor 8:1 KJV: “We do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on ….” • Literal word for word … pros/cons Prov 10:5 • Modified literal… pros/cons • Dynamic equivalence: meaning for meaning… pro/cons • Politically corrected texts… pros/cons TNIV

  14. Proverbs 10:5 KJV • lyKiW;maNBeCyiq.aBargexowybimeNBerycqA.BaMDAr;ni • KJV: He that gathereth in summer is a wise son, but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.

  15. Proverbs 10:5 NIV • NASB: He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely, But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully. • NIV: He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

  16. Proverbs 10:5 NLT • NLT: A wise youth works hard all summer; a youth who sleeps away the hour of opportunity brings shame. • Message: Make hay while the sun shines -- that's smart, go fishing during harvest --that's stupid.

  17. Conclusions • Better manuscript evidence than ever before • No major doctrine affected • Realistic in transmission and translation issues • Confidence in God’s word… benefit of plurality of translations • Focus not on jots/tittles but on meaning

  18. Conclusion • If God has spoken and told us many things then this book should be the most important guideline in our lives. • God used flawed processes—why? idols • Providence did not preserve it perfect • God can use me • Calls us to study and figure things out, focus on meaning • Best position in 2000 years to know what God said 4 Processes God to us: ICTTInspiration, Canonization, Transmission, Translation

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