The twelve disciples as ‘official’ eyewitnesses

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At first glance, the lists of Jesus’ disciples (Matt 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:13-16; see also Acts 1:13) seem simply to introduce some of the key players in the story.  But these lists probably serve a more specific purpose, especially given that about half of the characters named in the lists are never named again in the Gospels.  So this more specific function of the lists of disciples is that they display continuity between Jesus and the early Christian community, and provide the latter with reassurance about the overall shape and content of Jesus ministry that could only come from those who had closely associated with him.  …

The women at the cross and the tomb

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There is a group of women who, according to the Synoptic Gospels, saw Jesus’ crucifixion (Matt 27:55; Mark 15:40; Luke 23:49), saw him being laid in his tomb (Matt 27:61; Mark 15:47; Luke 23:55), and saw that the tomb was subsequently empty (Matt 28:1,6; Mark 16:4-6).  ‘It could hardly be clearer,’ writes Richard Bauckham, ‘that the Gospels are appealing to their role as eyewitnesses.’

All the Gospels name some of these women, while implying that others were also present (Matt 27:55; 28:1, 5; Mark 15:41, 47; 16:6; Luke 24:10; John 20:2).  …

Why did Jesus heal?

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Briefly, we may say that healing miracles

  1. provide ‘signs’ to authenticate the gospel message.
  2. show God’s mercy and compassion in bringing relief and comfort to the suffering.
  3. equip and strengthen people for God’s service.
  4. give opportunity for God to be glorified as people see concrete evidence of his goodness, love, power, wisdom and presence.

According to N.T. Wright (Jesus and the Victory of God) the healing miracles of Jesus went further than the relief of physical suffering, or even social acceptance.  …

Discussion Starters, Lk 24:50-52; Acts 1:6-11

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1. Why didn’t Jesus go straight to heaven when he rose from the dead?

2. In how many ways could the following sentence be completed:- ‘Because Jesus has ascended to heaven, we know that…’

3. If Christ’s followers are not supposed to be standing looking into the sky (Acts 1:11), what are we supposed to be doing, according to this passage?  And why do we need power (verse 8) to do this?…

Rare Earth?

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Scientifically-minded people seem a little confused about whether they think that intelligent life is rather common in the universe, or exceedingly rare.

In 1961 Frank Drake postulated that there might be between 1,000 and 100,000,000 intelligent, communicative, civilisations in our own galaxy.  The range of possibility is now thought to be between 2 and 280,000,000 following further review of the various values contained in Drake’s ‘equation’.  In other words, we don’t know.

Christian theology has no great interest vested in the question of extra-terrestrial life.  …

Barnabas – ‘Son of Encouragement’

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In Acts 4:36f it is recorded that a man named Joseph, who was a Levite from Cyprus, sold a field that the owned and laid the proceeds at the apostles’ feet.  For this generous action, and for various others, he was dubbed ‘Barnabas’, meaning ‘Son of Encouragement’.  Acts 11:23 gives another example of his ministry of encouragement.  Furthermore,

  1. He introduced the newly-converted Saul to the apostles and convinced them of his sincerity, Acts 9:27; cf. Gal 1:18;
  2. He represented the apostles at Antioch, defending the conversion of Gentiles there as a work of the Holy Spirit and as a suitable sphere of ministry for Saul, Acts 11:19f;
  3. He demonstrated full commitment to the conversion of Gentiles (cf Acts 13:46), and journeyed with Paul (Acts 13-14 as they established Gentile churches in Cyprus (his own home) and throughout Asia Minor.  
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Israel in God’s plan

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I summarise a paper by Steve Motyer written for an Evangelical Alliance consultation in 2003.

We must interpret the Old Testament as Christians, from the perspective of faith in Christ.  Without this perspective, the Old Testament is confusing and incomplete.

As New Testament Christians, we must do what the New Testament writers did: which was to wrestle with this ‘new thing’ that God had done in Christ, understanding this in the light of the ‘old thing’ that he had done in Israel.  …

Inspiration and incarnation

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On publication in 2005, Peter Enns’ book Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament caused quite a stir.  It led, eventually, to his departure from his post as professor at Westminster Theological Seminary.

What was the fuss all about?

The main thesis of the book is that evangelicals need to take more seriously the human aspects of Old Testament.  Enns identifies three areas for exploration.

The Old Testament and the literature of the Ancient Near East

We need, says Enns, to recognise that the literature of the Old Testament has much in common with other literature from the Ancient Near East.  …

The Code of Hammurabi and the Law of Moses

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Hammurabi was a Babylonian king who reigned in the 18th century BC.  His code of law was discovered by French archaeologists in 1901-2.

Among the 300-odd laws are many that are similar to those of the Mosaic law.  For example, some of the laws deal with the concept of ‘an eye for an eye’, and these are quite closely parallel to those contained in the so-called ‘book of the covenant’ (Exodus 21-23).

The following examples are cited by Peter Enns (Inspiration and Incarnation):-

[ezcol_1half]If a son has struck his father, they shall cut off his hand.…

The Nuzi tablets

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Nuzi tabletsA number of stone tablets have been discovered at the site of Nuzi (in present-day northern Iraq).  These date from the 14th and 15th centuries BC.  Although scholars think that the parallels between the customs and practices recorded on these tablets and those recorded in Genesis may have been over-stated, they do nevertheless provide some historical background to the world of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachel, and Jacob’s twelve sons.

According to Peter Enns (Inspiration and Incarnation) the commonly-agreed parallels would include the following:-

  1. In the story of Abraham, we read that he and his wife Sarah were childless.
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