Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- jn_en_2017_08_15 [2017/08/15 08:08] – potthast
+++ jn_en_2017_08_15 [2017/08/15 08:52] (current) – potthast
@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 </columns>
-[[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/de/doku.php/jn_de_2017_07_21|Deutsche Version]] [[Start|| Wiki Start]]
+[[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/de/jn_de_2017_08_15|Deutsche Version]] [[Start|| Wiki Start]]
 [[topics_collection_ix|| Topics Collection ix ]]
@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 Tuesday, August 15, 2017.  The bible is a fantastic book. Do we know it? What do we know about it and
 what is our idea on how it was written. When you explore the history of the biblical texts, it is highly
-amazing.
+amazing! The texts go back thousands of years ...
 {{2017:2017_08_15.jpg }}
-** ...**
+** Fantastic Sources ...**
+The biblical sources are far better preserved than anything we know from the ancient world! When you
+explore these things, it is really fantastic. There are so many more manuscripts on the New Testament
+than on any other source of that time - by far more, factor 5, or 8, or 10 more. And the oldest pieces
+of evidence we have are much closer to the New Testament than any other source we have. We have even
+evidence of the Old Testmaent coming from the time of Christ itself. It is nearly unbelievable!
+Today, in particular with a critical and scientific mind, we can say that what we have in our hands with the
+bibles you can buy in many bookstores around the world is with very good precision what was written
+nearly 2000 years ago. The spirit, which we find for example in the first letter of John, captures
+the facts quite well:
 <color #aa0000>
@@ Line 31: / Line 40: @@
 {{ 2017:2017_08_15_2.jpg}}
-** ...**
+** Realiable Tradition ...**
+There ist 1) the argument, that the biblical manuscripts have been preserved very well from the early
+beginnings. That means what we have today is what was written down when it was written down.
+) Second, when we search into the time when the biblical books have been written, we find that the
+New Testament must have been written between AD 50 and AD 100. The letters seem to come from a very
+early period. Parts of the gospels must have been fixed in writing at that time as well. Then,
+the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John have been composed some time between 60 and 95. That
+was between 30 and 60 years after the crucifiction, with many people still eye witnesses of these
+events.
+We know that the biblical texts have been passed down well, and that they have been written by
+eye witnesses and their friends within their life-time. But is it reliable what they wrote? So 3) we
+need to discuss the reliability of the testimony. We can at least say that most if not all of these
+witnesses were willing to die for their witness, that they believed in the truth of what they
+said and that they were willing to be put to death keeping their testimony. That is a quite strong
+observation.
+Finally, still this does not say that they were right. They could have been drawn into some
+kind of philosophy - just the faith of some people does not proof that the content of their faith is
+reality. So we need to look into the facts themselves. We need to look into the message. 4) And
+when the message is plausible, when the message describes reality, we can gain more confidence into
+what it tells us. Does it fit? Is it true in its description of reality. And yes, the more you
+study the biblical statements about mankind, about man and God, about ethics, about life, about
+freedom ... the more you learn about your own life and about others around you. The message
+itself is fantastic and breathtaking in its wisdom, depth and truthfulness.
 (Roland Potthast)
 [[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/en/doku.php/topics_collection_ix|... more texts]]
 </WRAP>