There are several ways in which we can be assured that what we are taught about Jesus is true and not just made up. These are called our faith sources. These sources, like the Bible and other sources of information about Jesus have accounts of Jesus’ life. The most important part of these faith sources is the Christian Scriptures. Although the Christian Scriptures are one of the most valuable tools we have to learn about Jesus there are also the Gospels, and also other non-biblical, and non-Christian accounts of Jesus’ life that we can consider when trying to answer the question How can we be sure that what we are taught about Jesus is true and not just made up?
The Christian Scriptures is the entire Christian Bible. It is composed of both the Hebrew Scriptures and the Christian Testament. The Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) is composed of several books all containing stories about Jesus, and the Christian Testament (New Testament) which contains the stories of Jesus and the earliest Christian Communities. Although these stories cannot confidently prove to us that they are true there are several distinct similarities, which are contained in nearly all of the books. These similarities are so frequent that their constant occurrence seems more than coincidence. Although these similarities occur often in the books of the Hebrew Scriptures, there are four short books included in the Christian Testament, which we must rely on to
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The Gospels, in turn, serve as the scale or test of truth and authenticity of everything the church teaches about Jesus. It is said that the Gospels are the link between Jesus of Nazareth and the people of every age throughout history who have claimed to be his followers. Although the Gospels teach us about Jesus’ life they may not provide concrete evidence that what they speak of is true there are several other
The Gospel of John, the last of the four gospels in the Bible, is a radical departure from the simple style of the synoptic gospels. It is the only one that does not use parables as a way of showing how Jesus taught, and is the only account of several events, including the raising of Lazarus and Jesus turning water into wine. While essentially the gospel is written anonymously, many scholars believe that it was written by the apostle John sometime between the years 85 and 95 CE in Ephesus. The basic story is that of a testimonial of one of the Apostles and his version of Jesus' ministry. It begins by telling of the divine origins of the birth of Jesus, then goes on to prove that He is the Son of God because of the miracles he performs and finally describes Jesus' death and resurrection.
Since the election of President Barrack Obama in 2008, many people have started to believe that America is beyond racial inequalities - this is not the reality. Rather, we, as a society, chose to see only what we want to see. Discrimination is still rampant in our nation. Michelle Alexander explains that since the Jim Crow laws were abolished, new forms of racial caste systems have taken their place. Our society and criminal justice system claim to be colorblind, but this is not the actuality. Michelle Alexander explains:
One of the main characteristics of the gospel of Mark is it’s length. Mark is much shorter than Matthew and Luke, but what it lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. The author of Mark does not slow down the gospel story and makes sure that only important and relevant details are included. When Mark is compared with Matthew and Luke, it becomes obvious to see what Mark has eliminated. The author’s omission of Jesus’ birth, lineage, resurrection, and ascension denote careful planning and purpose in the gospel of Mark.
Every day, race is discussed and criticized in news articles, magazines, television, and various other parts of the media. Although we seem to be past segregation, race is still a polarizing issue. Many people today still assert the idea that certain races are of a lower class or are to be feared, when people are nothing more than products of their own environments. If all minorities were given the same opportunities, these misconceptions and stereotypes would disappear. A post-racial America is not possible because the past of racism will continue to linger throughout generations, people are born as judgemental, and there will always be that one person whose ignorance outweighs all else.
The New Testament teaches about who Jesus is and what he did on the earth. John wrote the last of the four gospels which recount Jesus’ life and what is to come. The gospel of John is somewhat different from the other three gospels, in that it is more symbolic and less concrete. For example, John expresses Jesus as the Passover Lamb when Matthew, Mark, and Luke do not. This gospel is showing that Christianity is moving away from the long-practiced Jewish traditions. John’s gospel can be laid out into four parts: the prologue or the incarnate word, signs of the Messiah with teachings about life in him, the farewell teaching and the passion narrative, and the epilogue or the roles of Peter and of the disciple whom Jesus loved. The Gospel of John is arguably the most
As a whole, racism is largely focused on individual people and very specific acts of oppression against very specific groups of people. But how do you define race? Omi and Winant (1994) argue that race and racism definitions as a whole are limited because they “neglect the institutional and ideological nature of race in America” (p. 10). Race relations are so ingrained in American culture that a 'true' definition of race has never been properly established. The narrow focus on individuals fails to note the impact racism has on society as a whole, especially in politics (Omi and Winant, p. 15). The authors also quote Glazer and Moynihan (1963) stating that ethnic groups are not solely bound by skin color or even by place of origin, but more commonly by “ties of interest” (Omi and Winant p. 18). By defining race and ethnicity by biological means, the fact that these ethnic and racia...
Mark: A Passion Narrative The Gospel of Mark is arguably one of the most read books in the New Testament. Mark writes about Jesus’ adult life, from the time God proclaims to the world that Jesus was his son, to the time of his resurrection. His narrative style for the text makes it easier to read than many books in the bible, which is why it is many people’s favorite. Many scholars have analyzed the Gospel of Mark, and have many different opinions about it.
The book of Luke, found after the books Matthew and Mark, focuses on the ministry of Jesus Christ but it also gives us a look into His birth and growth in totality. In this chapter we see a historical account of some of the journeys that Christ experienced. It is important to keep in mind that the Bible and all of its books do serve as historical accounts but each book is unique in the fact that they incorporate a theological timeline. The Bible is, conceivably, the most important book that has ever been written. It gives the world eyewitness accounts to historical events that helped not only shaped a region of the world but the whole entire world. It is nearly impossible to go through some formal societal education and have never once read a part of the bible or have heard a story that adapts from the stories within the bible. The bible has helped formed institutions, associations and so much more. By reading the Gospel of Luke we are truly reading what is meant for us to read as Christians. The principal plot in the book of Luke is the life of Jesus Christ, his sacrifice, His ability to beat death and remain perfect as the son of GOD despite being human as well. Jesus is seen as the perfect savior for humans in the book of Luke. Luke not only gives multiple examples of the power of Jesus but also it gives us a look at The Lord’s triumph over temptation. Luke also depicts Jesus as a man/GOD who had a very deep concentration on people and relationships. The book of Luke gives Jesus a loving characteristic but doesn’t shy away from showing that at times Jesus got angry too. Jesus showed a great deal of compassion to the sick, those in pain, the poor, and unambiguously the sinful. Jesus had genuine love for everyone. Throughout this...
Through historical and economic data this research paper will express how Florence flourished from a mercantile economy in the Renaissance.
During the Renaissance, or “rebirth”, of Europe wealth increased dramatically. The Crusades which preceded the Renaissance, provided Western Europe with new culture and products, such as silk. Merchants began trading with people from the East, which brought wealth and new kinds of goods to Europe. Slavery became re-introduced into society during the Renaissance and many Muslims worked as slaves in Italy. Money lending and trade contributed to the excessive wealth of city-states in Italy.
In the gospels of Mark and John, both showed a vivid portrait of Jesus in their writing. Mark’s gospel describes much more of Jesus' life, miracles, and parables as suffering servant. However, John’s gospel was written to convince people to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Nonetheless, both John and Mark present many of the crucial events of Jesus' life, including his trial, crucifixion, and resurrection.
The writings of historian Eusebius, and Iraneous, Bishop of Lyons, have confirmed the writings of the Apostle John. These men did their historical writing between 130 and 180 AD. They researched scrolls from the time of Christ. Archaeology also provides exterior evidence. Archaeologist Joseph Free states, "Archaeology has confirmed countless passages which have been rejected by critics as unhistorical and contradictory to known facts (McDowell 54)."
Such corroborating texts include Flavius Josephus’, a Jewish historian, The Antiquities of the Jews supported the fact of Jesus historically. This text was written in the first century A.D. It contains passages that depict Jesus’ life, miracles, and crucifixion.
As stated before, racism has been a major contentious issue in the United States of America. Before the abolition of slavery in the country in the mid 20th century, racism was socially and even legally sanctioned in the country. The rights that were denied to those affected by racism such as African Americans, Native Americans, Latin Americans, and Asian Americans, among others, were enjoyed...
There are well accepted accounts from the bible that Christians and others never question. Events and locations that are part of the story told of Christ and his history. One such is the account of John 1, of the birth of Christ in the lower Galilee town of Nazareth. This town is not mentioned at all, in the old testament, nor in any of the extensive rabbinical literature,and the only established site there, is the ancient town water well. Now refered to as (no surprise) as Mary's well. The modern town is covered with churches also no surprise, and although modern archeology can offer no support at all for them the Nazarenes can point out sites such as Joseph's carpentry shop, the spot where Mary received the annunciation as well as the exact location of mensa Christi, the table at which Jesus dined after his resurrection and the site of the synagogue where Jesus preached as a you boy.