extra biblical evidences of the bible

8/13/2019 Extra Biblical Evidences of the Bible

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CONTENTS

Extra Biblical Evidences of the Bible

Non-biblical accounts of New Testament events

and people 3

Extra-Biblical Historical Evidencein Support of the Deity of Jesus Christ 6

Extra-Biblical Historical Evidence for the Life, Death

and Resurrection of Jesus 10The Apostles Creed 16

The Origin of the Apostles Creed 17

Archeological Evidence 20

Advanced Medical Knowledge 22

Advanced Scientific Knowledge 24

Science and the Bible 26

Meticulous Care in the Transmission of the Bible 33

Creation by an Intelligent God 34

Creation vs. Evolution - Intelligent Design 35

Does God Exist - The Big Questions 40


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EXTRA BIBLICAL EVIDENCESOF THE BIBLE

Non-biblical accounts ofNew Testament events and people

Introduction

Jesus lived His public life in the land of Palestine under the Roman rule of Tiberius(ad 14-37). There are four possibleRoman historical sources for his reign: Tacitus(55-117), Suetonius (70-160), Velleius Paterculus (a contemporary), and Dio Cassius(3rd century). There are two Jewish historical resources that describe events of thisperiod: Josephus (37-100A.D.), writing in Greek, and the Rabbinical Writings

(written in Hebrew after 200, but much of which would have been in oral form priorto that time). There are also sources (non-historians) writing about the Christians, inwhich possible mentions are made (e.g., Lucian, Galen).

Flavius Josephus (AD 37-101, a Jewish historian) mentions John the

Baptist and Herod - Antiquities, Book 18, ch. 5, par. 2

"Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's army came from God,and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, that was calledthe Baptist: for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews toexercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another, and piety towards

God, and so to come to baptism; for that the washing [with water] would beacceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the putting away [or theremission] of some sins [only], but for the purification of the body; supposing stillthat the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness."

Flavius Josephus (AD 37-101) mentions Jesus - Antiquities, Book 18, ch. 3,par. 3.

Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man;for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truthwith pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles.He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men

amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, (9) those that loved him at the firstdid not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; (10) as thedivine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful thingsconcerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct atthis day.


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Flavius Josephus (AD 37-101) mentions James, the brother of Jesus -

Antiquities, Book 20, ch. 9.

"Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled thesanhedrim of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was calledChrist, whose name was James, and some others, [or, some of his companions]; and

when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he deliveredthem to be stoned: but as for those who seemed the most equitable of the citizens,and such as were the most uneasy at the breach of the laws, they disliked what wasdone."

Flavius Josephus (AD 37-101) mentions Ananias the High Priest who was

mentioned in Act 23:2

Now as soon as Albinus was come to the city of Jerusalem, he used all his endeavorsand care that the country might be kept in peace, and this by destroying many of theSicarii. But as for the high priest, Ananias (25) he increased in glory every day, andthis to a great degree, and had obtained the favor and esteem of the citizens in a

signal manner; for he was a great hoarder up of money

Act 23:3, "And the high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him tostrike him [Paul] on the mouth."

Tacitus (A.D. c.55-A.D. c.117, Roman historian) mentions "Christus" who isJesus - Annals 15.44

"Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the mostexquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by thepopulace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme

penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, PontiusPilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, againbroke out not only in Judea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where allthings hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre andbecome popular."

Thallus (Circa AD 52, eclipse of the sun)

Thallus wrote a history of the Eastern Mediterranean world from the Trojan War tohis own time. His writings are only found as citations by others. Julius Africanus,who wrote about AD 221, mentioned Thallus' account of an eclipse of the sun."On the whole world there pressed a most fearful darkness; and the rocks were rent

by an earthquake, and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down.This darkness Thallus, in the third book of his History, calls, as appears to mewithout reason, an eclipse of the sun."

Is this a reference to the eclipse at the crucifixion? Luke 23:44-45, "And it was nowabout the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45the sun being obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two."The oddity is that Jesus' crucifixion occurred at the Passover which was a full moon.It is not possible for a solar eclipse to occur at a full moon. Note that Julius


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Africanus draws the conclusion that Thallus' mentioning of the eclipse was describingthe one at Jesus' crucifixion. It may not have been.

Julius Africanus, Extant Writings, XVIII in theAnte Nicene Fathers, ed. by AlexanderRoberts and James Donaldson (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1973), vol. VI, p. 130. ascited in Habermas, Gary R., The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of

Christ, (Joplin, MO: College Press Publishing Company) 1996.

Pliny the Younger mentioned Christ.

Pliny was governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor. Pliny wrote ten books. The tentharound AD 112.

"They (the Christians) were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before itwas light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, andbound themselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commitany fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when theyshould be called upon to deliver it up; after which it was their custom to separate,

and then reassemble to partake of food but food of an ordinary and innocent kind."

Pliny, Letters, transl. by William Melmoth, rev. by W.M.L. Hutchinson (Cambridge:Harvard Univ. Press, 1935), vol. II, X:96 as cited in Habermas, Gary R., TheHistorical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ, (Joplin, MO: College PressPublishing Company) 1996.

The Talmud

"On the eve of the Passover Yeshu was hanged. For forty days before the executiontook place, a herald went forth and cried, "He is going forth to be stoned because he

has practiced sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy. Any one who can say anythingin his favor, let him come forward and plead on his behalf." But since nothing wasbrought forward in his favor he was hanged on the eve of the Passover!"

Gal. 3:13, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a cursefor us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree."

Luke 22:1,"Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, wasapproaching. 2And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might putHim to death; for they were afraid of the people."

This quotation was taken from the reading in The Babylonian Talmud, transl. by I.Epstein (London: Soncino, 1935), vol. III, Sanhedrin 43a, p. 281 as cited in

Habermas, Gary R., The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ,(Joplin, MO: College Press Publishing Company) 1996.


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Lucian (circa 120-after 180) mentions Jesus.

Greek writer and rhetorician."The Christians, you know, worship a man to this day the distinguished personagewho introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account. . . . You see,these misguided creatures start with the general conviction that they are immortal

for all time, which explains the contempt of death and voluntary self-devotion whichare so common among them; and then it was impressed on them by their originallawgiver that they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, anddeny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws. Allthis they take quite on faith, with the result that they despise all worldly goods alike,regarding them merely as common property."

Lucian, The Death of Peregrine, 1113, in The Works of Lucian of Samosata, transl. byH.W. Fowler and F.G. Fowler, 4 vols. (Oxford: Clarendon, 1949), vol. 4, as cited inHabermas, Gary R., The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ,(Joplin, MO: College Press Publishing Company) 1996.

Though Lucian opposed Christianity, he acknowledges Jesus, that Jesus was

crucified, that Christians worship him, and that this was done by faith.

Slick, Matt.Non-biblical accounts of New Testament events and people. Christian Apologetics and Research (CARM). 3 February,

2014..

Extra-Biblical Historical Evidencein Support of the Deity of Jesus Christ

The references here provided are given to demonstrate that the earliest of Christiansdid indeed worship Jesus Christ as God.

Lucian, a second century Greek satirist,mentions that the Christians worshippedJesus:

"The Christians, you know, worship a manto this day--the distinguished personagewho introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account...You see, thesemisguided creatures start with the general conviction that they are immortal for all

time, which explains the contempt of death and voluntary self-devotion which are socommon among them; and then it was impressed on them by their original lawgiverthat they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, and deny thegods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws. All thisthey take quite on faith, with the result that they despise all worldly goods alike,regarding them merely as common property." (emphasis added)
http://carm.org/non-biblical-accounts-new-testament-events-and-or-peoplehttp://carm.org/non-biblical-accounts-new-testament-events-and-or-people


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Pliny the Younger, Roman governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor around 112 AD,wrote to the Emperor Trajan observing that the Christians sang hymns to Christ "asto a god":

"[The Christians] were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it waslight, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god..."

Further non-Biblical evidence to show that Christians were recognized as those whoworshipped Jesus is seen in some first century Pagan graffiti, which attempts toridicule Christians by depicting a believer worshipping a horse type headed god on across:

There is also the testimony of the non-canonical writings of the early Christians. Thelist below is only a mere sampling as many quotations could be cited.*

St. Ignatius of Antioch.

It is well worth noting that Ignatius was an early church father who was a disciple of

the Apostle John. Throughout his letters it can clearly be seen that Ignatius wasgreatly influenced by John's high Christology (For example, compare Ignatius'statements of Jesus' Divinity with what John writes at: John 1:1, 18; 5:18; 8:58;20:28). Quotes taken fromApostolic Fathers_ Lightfoot & Harmer, 1891translation:

Ignatius to the Ephesians

Chapter 0

0:0 "Ignatius, who is also Theophorus, unto her which hath been blessed ingreatness through the plentitude of God the Father; which hath been foreordainedbefore the ages to be for ever unto abiding and unchangeable glory, united and elect

in a true passion, by the will of the Father and of Jesus Christ our God; even untothe church which is in Ephesus [of Asia], worthy of all felicitation: abundant greetingin Christ Jesus and in blameless joy."

Chapter 18

18:1 "My spirit is made an offscouring for the Cross, which is a stumbling-block tothem that are unbelievers, but to us salvation and life eternal. _Where is the wise?Where is the disputer?_ Where is the boasting of them that are called prudent? 18:2For our God, Jesus the Christ,was conceived in the womb by Mary according to adispensation, of the seed of David but also of the Holy Ghost; and He was born andwas baptized that by His passion He might cleanse water."

Chapter 19

19:3 "From that time forward every sorcery and every spell was dissolved, theignorance of wickedness vanished away, the ancient kingdom was pulled down, whenGod appeared in the likeness of man unto _newness of_ everlasting _life;_and that which had been perfected in the counsels of God began to take effect.Thence all things were perturbed, because the abolishing of death was taken inhand."


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Ignatius to the Romans

Chapter 0

0:0 "Ignatius, who is also Theophorus, unto her that hath found mercy in thebountifulness of the Father Most High and of Jesus Christ His only Son; to the church

that is beloved and enlightened through the will of Him who willed all things that are,by faith and love towards Jesus Christ our God; even unto her that hath thepresidency in the country of the region of the Romans, being worthy of God, worthyof honour, worthy of felicitation, worthy of praise, worthy of success, worthy inpurity, and having the presidency of love, walking in the law of Christ and bearingthe Father's name; which church also I salute in the name of Jesus Christ the Son ofthe Father; unto them that in flesh and spirit are united unto His everycommandment, being filled with the grace of God without wavering, and filteredclear from every foreign stain; abundant greeting in Jesus Christ our God inblamelessness."

Chapter 3

3:3 "Nothing visible is good. For our God Jesus Christ, being in the Father, is themore plainly visible. The Work is not of persuasiveness, but Christianity is a thing ofmight, whensoever it is hated by the world."

Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans

Chapter 1

1:1 "I give glory to Jesus Christ the God who bestowed such wisdom uponyou; for I have perceived that ye are established in faith immovable, being as itwere nailed on the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, in flesh and in spirit, and firmly

grounded in love in the blood of Christ, fully persuaded as touching our Lord that Heis truly of the race of David according to the flesh, but Son of God by the Divine willand power, truly born of a virgin and baptized by John that all righteousness mightbe fulfilled by Him."

Chapter 6

6:1 "Let no man be deceived. Even the heavenly beings and the glory of the angelsand the rulers visible and invisible, if they believe not in the blood of Christ [whois God], judgment awaiteth them also. _He that receiveth let him receive._ Let notoffice puff up any man; for faith and love are all in all, and nothing is preferredbefore them."

Polycarp

Polycarp was also believed to have been a disciple of the apostle John. Lightfootpoints out that after Ignatius was executed, Polycarp collected together his epistles(Lightfoot, p. 165).


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The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians

12:2 "Now may the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the eternal High-priest Himself the [Son of God Jesus Christ, build you up in faith and truth, and in allgentleness and in all avoidance of wrath and in forbearance and long suffering and inpatient endurance and in purity; and may He grant unto you a lot and portion among

His saints, and to us with you, and to all that are under heaven, who shall believe onour Lord and God Jesus Christand on His Father that raised him from the dead."(emphasis added).

Tatian the Syrian, Address to the Greeks(C. 165 - 175 A.D.):

"We are not playing the fool, you Greeks, nor do we talk nonsense, when we reportthat God was born in the form of a man."

St. Melito of Sardes,Fragment in Anastasius of Sinai (C. 177 A.D.):

"The activities of Christ after His Baptism, and especially His miracles, gave

indication and assurance to the world of the Deity hidden in His flesh.Being Godand likewise perfect man, He gave positive indications of His two natures: ofHis Deity, by the miracles during the three years following after His

Baptism; of His humanity, in the thirty years which came before His Baptism,during which, by reason of His condition according to the flesh, he concealed thesigns of His Deity, although He was the true God existing before the ages."

St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies3, 19, 1 (C. 180 AD):

"Nevertheless, what cannot be said of anyone else who ever lived, that He isHimself in His own right God and Lord and Eternal King and Only-begotten

and Incarnate Word,proclaimed as such by all the Prophets and by the Apostles

and by the Spirit Himself, may be seen by all who have attained to even a smallportion of the truth. The Scriptures would not have borne witness to these thingsconcerning Him, if, like everyone else, He were mere man. But that He had inHimself what no other ever had, that pre-eminent generation by the Most HighFather; and that He also experienced that pre-eminent birth from a Virgin, - thedivine Scriptures testify to both in His regard."

MacCann, Vincent.Extra-Biblical Historical Evidence in Support of the Deity of Jesus Christ. Spotlight Ministries.3 February

2014...
http://www.spotlightministries.org.uk/historicaldeityofjesus.htmhttp://www.spotlightministries.org.uk/historicaldeityofjesus.htm


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Extra-Biblical Historical Evidence for theLIFE, DEATH, and RESURRECTION

of JESUS

ANCIENT NON-CHRISTIAN SOURCES

Cornelius Tacitus (55-120 AD), "the greatest historian" of ancient Rome:

"Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the mostexquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by thepopulace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penaltyduring the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus,and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke outnot only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all thingshideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become

popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upontheir information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime offiring the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added totheir deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished,or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as anightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for thespectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the peoplein the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals whodeserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion;for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man's cruelty, thatthey were being destroyed."

Gaius Suetonius Tranquillas, chief secretary of Emperor Hadrian (117-138AD):

"Because the Jews of Rome caused continous disturbances at the instigation ofChrestus, [Claudius] expelled them from the city."

"After the great fire at Rome [during Nero's reign] ... Punishments were also inflictedon the Christians, a sect professing a new and mischievous religious belief."

Flavius Josephus (37-97 AD), court historian for Emperor Vespasian:

"At this time there was a wise man who was called Jesus. And his conduct was good

and he was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the Jews and othernations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. Andthose who had become his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reportedthat he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive;accordingly, he was perhaps the messiah concerning whom the prophets haverecounted wonders." (Arabic translation)


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Julius Africanus, writing around 221 AD, found a reference in the writings of Thallus,who wrote a history of the Eastern Mediterranean around 52 AD , which dealtwith the darkness that covered the land during Jesus's crucifixion:

"Thallus, in the third book of his histories, explains away the darkness as an eclipseof the sun--unreasonably, as it seems to me." [A solar eclipse could not take place

during a full moon, as was the case during Passover season.]

Pliny the Younger, Roman governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor around 112AD:

"[The Christians] were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it waslight, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and boundthemselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit anyfraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when theyshould be called upon to deliver it up; after which it was their custom to separate,and then reassemble to partake of food--but food of an ordinary and innocent kind."Pliny added that Christianity attracted persons of all societal ranks, all ages, both

sexes, and from both the city and the country. Late in his letter to Emperor Trajan,Pliny refers to the teachings of Jesus and his followers as excessive and contagioussuperstition.

Emperor Trajan, in reply to Pliny:

"The method you have pursued, my dear Pliny, in sifting the cases of thosedenounced to you as Christians is extremely proper. It is not possible to lay downany general rule which can be applied as the fixed standard in all cases of thisnature. No search should be made for these people; when they are denounced andfound guilty they must be punished; with the restriction, however, that when theparty denies himself to be a Christian, and shall give proof that he is not (that is, byadoring our gods) he shall be pardoned on the ground of repentance, even thoughhe may have formerly incurred suspicion. Informations without the accuser's namesubscribed must not be admitted in evidence against anyone, as it is introducing avery dangerous precedent, and by no means agreeable to the spirit of the age."

Emporer Hadrian (117-138 AD), in a letter to Minucius Fundanus, the Asianproconsul:

"I do not wish, therefore, that the matter should be passed by without examination,so that these men may neither be harassed, nor opportunity of maliciousproceedings be offered to informers. If, therefore, the provincials can clearly evincetheir charges against the Christians, so as to answer before the tribunal, let thempursue this course only, but not by mere petitions, and mere outcries against the

Christians. For it is far more proper, if anyone would bring an accusation, that youshould examine it." Hadrian further explained that if Christians were found guiltythey should be judged "according to the heinousness of the crime." If the accuserswere only slandering the believers, then those who inaccurately made the chargeswere to be punished.


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The Jewish Talmud, compiled between 70 and 200 AD:

"On the eve of the Passover Yeshu was hanged. For forty days before the executiontook place, a herald went forth and cried, 'He is going forth to be stoned because hehas practised sorcery and enticed Israel to apostacy. Anyone who can say anythingin his favour, let him come forward and plead on his behalf.' But since nothing was

brought forward in his favour he was hanged on the eve of the Passover."

[Another early reference in the Talmud speaks of five of Jesus's disciples andrecounts their standing before judges who make individual decisions about each one,deciding that they should be executed. However, no actual deaths are recorded.]

Lucian, a second century Greek satirist:

"The Christians, you know, worship a man to this day--the distinguished personagewho introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account. ... You see,these misguided creatures start with the general conviction that they are immortalfor all time, which explains the contempt of death and voluntary self-devotion which

are so common among them; and then it was impressed on them by their originallawgiver that they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, anddeny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws. Allthis they take quite on faith, with the result that they despise all worldly goods alike,regarding them merely as common property." Lucian also reported that theChristians had "sacred writings" which were frequently read. When somethingaffected them, "they spare no trouble, no expense."

Mara Bar-Serapion, of Syria, writing between 70 and 200 AD from prison tomotivate his son to emulate wise teachers of the past:

"What advantage did the Athenians gain from putting Socrates to death? Famine and

plague came upon them as a judgment for their crime. What advantage did the menof Samos gain from burying Pythagoras? In a moment their land was covered withsand. What advantage did the Jews gain from executing their wise king? It was justafter that that their kingdom was abolished. God justly avenged these three wisemen: the Athenians died of hunger; the Samians were overwhelmed by the sea; theJews, ruined and driven from their land, live in complete dispersion. But Socrates didnot die for good; he lived on in the teaching of Plato. Pythagoras did not die forgood; he lived on in the statue of Hera. Nor did the wise king die for good; he livedon in the teaching which he had given."

GNOSTICS SOURCES

The Gospel of Truth, probably by Valentius, around 135-160 AD:

"For when they had seen him and had heard him, he granted them to taste him andto smell him and to touch the beloved Son. When he had appeared instructing themabout the Father. ... For he came by means of fleshly appearance." Other passages


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affirm that the Son of God came in the flesh and "the Word came into the midst. ... itbecame a body."

"Jesus, was patient in accepting sufferings. . . since he knows that his death is lifefor many. . . . he was nailed to a tree; he published the edict of the Father on thecross. ... He draws himself down to death through life. ... eternal clothes him. Having

stripped himself of the perishable rags, he put on imperishability, which no one canpossibly take away from him."

The Aprocryphon of John, probably by Saturninus, around 120-130 AD:

"It happened one day when John, the brother of James,--who are the sons ofZebedee--went up and came to the temple, that a Pharisee named Arimaniusapproached him and said to him, `Where is your master whom you followed?' Andhe said to him, 'He has gone to the place from which he came.' The Pharisee said tohim, 'This Nazarene deceived you with deception and filled your ears with lies andclosed your hearts and turned you from the traditions of your fathers.'"

The Gospel of Thomas, probably from 140-200 AD:

Contain many references to and alleged quotations of Jesus.

The Treatise On Resurrection, by uncertain author of the late second

century, to Rheginos:

"The Lord ... existed in flesh and ... revealed himself as Son of God ... Now the Sonof God, Rheginos, was Son of Man. He embraced them both, possessing thehumanity and the divinity, so that on the one hand he might vanquish death throughhis being Son of God, and that on the other through the Son of Man the restorationto the Pleroma might occur; because he was originally from above, a seed of the

Truth, before this structure of the cosmos had come into being."

"For we have known the Son of Man, and we have believed that he rose from amongthe dead. This is he of whom we say, 'He became the destruction of death, as he is agreat one in whom they believe.' Great are those who believe."

"The Savior swallowed up death. ... He transformed himself into an imperishableAeon and raised himself up, having swallowed the visible by the invisible, and hegave us the way of our immortality."

"Do not think the resurrection is an illusion. It is no illusion, but it is truth. Indeed, itis more fitting to say that the world is an illusion, rather than the resurrection which

has come into being through our Lord the Savior, Jesus Christ."

". . . already you have the resurrection ... why not consider yourself as risen andalready brought to this?" Rheginos was thus encouraged not to "continue as if youare to die."


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LOST WORKS QUOTED IN OTHER SOURCES

Acts of Pontius Pilate, reports sent from Pilate to Tiberius, referred to by

Justin Martyr (150 AD):

"And the expression, 'They pierced my hands and my feet,' was used in reference to

the nails of the cross which were fixed in His hands and feet. And after he wascrucified, they cast lots upon His vesture, and they that crucified Him parted itamong them. And that these things did happen you can ascertain the 'Acts' ofPontius Pilate." Later Justin lists several healing miracles and asserts, "And that Hedid those things, you can learn from the Acts of Pontius Pilate."

Phlegon, born about 80 AD, as reported by Origen (185-254 AD), mentioned thatJesus made certain predictions which had been fulfilled.

ANCIENT CHRISTIAN SOURCES(extra-biblical)

Clement, elder of Rome, letter to the Corinthian church (95 AD):

"The Apostles received the Gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ wassent forth from God. So then Christ is from God, and the Apostles are from Christ.Both therefore came of the will of God in the appointed order. Having thereforereceived a charge, and having been fully assured through the resurrection of ourLord Jesus Christ and confirmed in the word of God with full assurance of the HolyGhost, they went forth with the glad tidings that the kingdom of God should come.

So preaching everywhere in country and town, they appointed their firstfruits, whenthey had proved them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons unto them thatshould believe."

Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, letter to the Trallians (110-115 AD):

"Jesus Christ who was of the race of David, who was the Son of Mary, who was trulyborn and ate and drank, was truly persecuted under Pontius Pilate, was trulycrucified and died in the sight of those in heaven and on earth and those under theearth; who moreover was truly raised from the dead, His Father having raised Him,who in the like fashion will so raise us also who believe on Him."

Ignatius, letter to the Smyrneans (110-115 AD):

"He is truly of the race of David according to the flesh, but Son of God by the Divinewill and power, truly born of a virgin and baptised by John that all righteousnessmight be fulfilled by Him, truly nailed up in the flesh for our sakes under PontiusPilate and Herod the tetrarch (of which fruit are we--that is, of his most blessedpassion); that He might set up an ensign unto all ages through His resurrection."


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"For I know and believe that He was in the flesh even after the resurrection; andwhen He came to Peter and his company, He said to them, 'Lay hold and handle me,and see that I am not a demon without body.' And straightway they touched him,and they believed, being joined unto His flesh and His blood. Wherefore also theydespised death, nay they were found superior to death. And after His resurrection Heate with them and drank with them."

Ignatius, letter to the Magnesians (110-115 AD):

"Be ye fully persuaded concerning the birth and the passion and the resurrection,which took place in the time of the governorship of Pontius Pilate; for these thingswere truly and certainly done by Jesus Christ our hope."

Quadratus, to Emperor Hadrian about 125 AD:

"The deeds of our Saviour were always before you, for they were true miracles;those that were healed, those that were raised from the dead, who were seen, notonly when healed and when raised, but were always present. They remained living a

long time, not only whilst our Lord was on earth, but likewise when He had left theearth. So that some of them have also lived to our own times."

(Pseudo-)Barnabas, written 130-138 AD:

"He must needs be manifested in the flesh. ... He preached teaching Israel andperforming so many wonders and miracles, and He loved them exceedingly. ... Hechose His own apostles who were to proclaim His Gospel. ... But He Himself desiredso to suffer; for it was necessary for Him to suffer on a tree."

Justin Martyr, to Emperor Antoninus Pius about 150 AD:

After referring to Jesus's birth of a virgin in the town of Bethlehem, and that Hisphysical line of descent came through the tribe of Judah and the family of Jesse,Justin wrote, "Now there is a village in the land of the Jews, thirty-five stadia fromJerusalem, in which Jesus Christ was born, as you can ascertain also from theregisters of the taxing made under Cyrenius, your first procurator in Judea."

"Accordingly, after He was crucified, even all His acquaintances forsook Him, havingdenied Him; and afterwards, when He had risen from the dead and appeared tothem, and had taught them to read the prophecies in which all these things wereforetold as coming to pass, and when they had seen Him ascending into heaven, andhad believed, and had received power sent thence by Him upon them, and went toevery race of men, they taught these things, and were called apostles."

Justin Martyr, in Dialogue with Trypho, around 150 AD:

"For at the time of His birth, Magi who came from Arabia worshipped Him, comingfirst to Herod, who then was sovereign in your land."

"For when they crucified Him, driving in the nails, they pierced His hands and feet;and those who crucified Him parted His garments among themselves, each castinglots for what he chose to have, and receiving according to the decision of the lot."


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"Christ said amongst you that He would give the sign of Jonah, exhorting you torepent of your wicked deeds at least after He rose again from the dead ... yet younot only have not repented, after you learned that He rose from the dead, but, as Isaid before, you have sent chosen and ordained men throughout all the world toproclaim that 'a godless and lawless heresy had sprung from one Jesus, a Galileandeceiver, whom we crucified, but His disciples stole Him by night from the tomb,

where He was laid when unfastened from the cross, and now deceive men byasserting that He has risen from the dead and ascended to heaven.'"

"For indeed the Lord remained upon the tree almost until evening, and they buriedHim at eventide; then on the third day He rose again."

Habermas, Gary R. Extra-Biblical Historical Evidence for the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus.Ancient Evidence for the Life

Jesus.3February, 2014..

THE APOSTLES CREED

1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:

2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:

3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:

4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He

descended into hell:

5. The third day he rose again from the dead:

6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the FatherAlmighty:

7. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:

8. I believe in the Holy Ghost:

9. I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints:

10. The forgiveness of sins:

1l. The resurrection of the body:

12. And the life everlasting. Amen.

The Apostles Creed.Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL). 3 February,

2014..
http://www.kotiposti.net/~raamattu/jt/oppi/risti/doc/www.westarkchurchofchrist.org--extrabiblical-historical-evidence-of-jesus.pdfhttp://www.kotiposti.net/~raamattu/jt/oppi/risti/doc/www.westarkchurchofchrist.org--extrabiblical-historical-evidence-of-jesus.pdfhttp://www.ccel.org/creeds/apostles.creed.htmlhttp://www.ccel.org/creeds/apostles.creed.htmlhttp://www.kotiposti.net/~raamattu/jt/oppi/risti/doc/www.westarkchurchofchrist.org--extrabiblical-historical-evidence-of-jesus.pdfhttp://www.kotiposti.net/~raamattu/jt/oppi/risti/doc/www.westarkchurchofchrist.org--extrabiblical-historical-evidence-of-jesus.pdf


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The Origin of the Apostles Creed

Saint Ignatius of Antioch

The Apostles Creed is said to be the oldest expression of the OrthodoxChristian/Catholic Faith. It is referred to by the Church Fathers as the "Old RomanSymbol." According to Christian/Catholic Myth, the Apostles themselves contributedto its creation. The myth says that each Apostle wrote one expression each withinthe Creed itself. Whether or not the Apostles each contributed to the Creed or not isnot the issue. The issue is whether or not the Bible teaches the Apostles creed anddo the followers adhere to that teaching. We can see from studying the ApostlesCreed, that the Creed was derived from the Bible itself. Not only is the Creed derivedfrom the Bible, this Creed gives an accurate basis for the development of allChristian Theology. Christology, Soteriology, Ecclesiology, and Eschatology, which isthe basis of all Systematic Theology that we know today. The Apostles Creedformulates the "argument" for the Christian/Catholic Faith giving a firm foundation tobuild your philosophy of life on.

The Apostles Creed developed into a solid statement of faith from years ofApologetics (the defending of the faith). Apologetics is a core part of theChristian/Catholic Faith. In the beginning of the Church, the Apostles spent much oftheir time counteracting divers views that were opposed to the Apostles originalmeaning. The Apostle Paul writes,

"But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contraryto what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!" Galatians 1:8 NASB.

Saint Irenaeus

The Apostle Paul was constantly having to explain the gospel over again because ofpeople spreading contrary views. The Apostles Creed developed through argumentsagainst those who do not adhere to the original Apostolic teaching. All the Saintswho followed the Apostles Biblical teaching stood firm in their faith in keeping thatteaching. Saint Ignatius of Antioch, who was brutally murdered for the Faith in 107,said,

"I Glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who by Him has given yousuch wisdom. For I have observed that ye are perfected in an immoveable faith, as ifye were nailed to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, both in the flesh and in thespirit, and are established in love through the blood of Christ, being fully persuaded,in very truth, with respect to our Lord Jesus Christ, that He was the Son of God, "the

first-born of every creature, Col. i. 15. God the Word, the only-begotten Son, andwas of the seed of David according to the flesh, Rom. i. 3. by the Virgin Mary; wasbaptized by John, that all righteousness might be fulfilled Matt. iii. 15. by Him; thatHe lived a life of holiness without sin, and was truly, under Pontius Pilate and Herodthe tetrarch, nailed [to the cross] for us in His flesh. From whom we also derive ourbeing, Literally, "we are." from His divinely-blessed passion, that He might set up astandard for the ages, through His resurrection, to all His holy and faithful[followers], whether among Jews or Gentiles, in the one body of His Church." Ignatius to the Smyrnans, Early Church Fathers, Schaff, Philip (1819-1893)


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The Saints and Martyrs all held a common teaching within each of their writings. TheApostle Creed affirms what is undeniably the teaching of the early Church.

Athanasius wrote to Eusebius of Caesarea,

"We believe in One God, the Father Almighty, the Maker of all things visible andinvisible. And in One Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, God from God, Light fromLight, Life from Life, Son Only-begotten, first-born of every creature, before all theages, begotten from the Father, by Whom also all things were made; Who for oursalvation was made flesh, and lived among men, and suffered, and rose again thethird day, and ascended to the Father, and will come again in glory to judge thequick and dead. And we believe also in One Holy Ghost:" Select Works and LettersAuthor. Athanasius, Schaff, Philip (1819-1893)

Saint Athanasius

Eusebius of Caesarea, Irenaeus, Athanasius, Ambrose, Augustine, and Jerome were

early church apologists that affirmed the teaching found in the Apostles Creed.Augustine wrote against Pelagian heresy, Irenaeus wrote against Gnostic heresy,Athanasius and Ambrose against Arian heresy, Eusebius, Irenaeus, and Athanasiuswere the apologists that brought us the Biblical Canon, and Jerome gave us the"Latin Vulgate" which is the Bible in the common language of that time. All theseearly church apologists used Bible Scriptures as premises in the defense of theChristian/Catholic Faith. Each of these apologists writings and teaching contributedthe formulation of the Nicene Creed. The elements of the Nicene Creed are verysimilar to the Apostles Creed. The Nicene Creed is another stepping stone from theApostles Creed. The Early Church Fathers wrote Creeds in order to end debate onfundamental theological issues.

Saint Jerome

The essence of the Apostles Creed is in its trinitarian roots. All of the Apostles andChurch Fathers are Trinitarians. The Creed focuses on the Father, Son, and HolySpirit in its teaching. These teachings came directly from the Apostles and theChurch Fathers. Saint Ambrose states,

"If, then, God is One, one is the name, one is the power, of the Trinity. ChristHimself, indeed, saith: ;Go ye, baptize the nations in the name of the Father, and ofthe Son, and of the Holy Spirit. In the name, mark you, not in the names."

Exposition of the Christian Faith, Chapter 1, Paragraph 8 Ambrose, Early ChurchFathers, Schaff, Philip (1819-1893)

Saint Jerome says,

"In the symbol of our faith and hope, which was delivered by the Apostles, and isnot written with paper and ink, but on fleshy tables of the heart, after the confessionof the Trinity and the unity of the Church, the whole symbol of Christian dogmaconcludes with the resurrection of the flesh. To Pammachius Against John ofJerusalem, Paragraph 28, Jerome, Early Church Fathers, Schaff, Philip (1819-1893)


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Saint Augustine says,Therefore God supreme and true, with His Word and Holy Spirit (which three are

one), one God omnipotent, creator and maker of every soul and of everybody; bywhose gift all are happy who are happy through verity and not through vanity; whomade man a rational animal consisting of soul and body, who, when he sinned,neither permitted him to go unpunished, nor left him without mercy. Book 5,

Chapter 10, City of God and Christian Doctrine, Saint Augustine, Church Fathers,Schaff, Philip (1819-1893)

Saint Augustine

It is clear that the Apostles Creed is the standard of Christian/Catholic faith wherewe can stand confidently firm. The Apostles Creed is what the Bible itself is teaching.In Acts 2:22-36 Apostle Peter says,

"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to youby God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him inyour midst, just as you yourselves know this Man, delivered over by the

predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands ofgodless men and put Him to death. "But God raised Him up again, putting an end tothe agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. "ForDavid says of Him, `I SAW THE LORD ALWAYS IN MY PRESENCE; FOR HE IS AT MYRIGHT HAND, SO THAT I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN. `THEREFORE MY HEART WAS GLADAND MY TONGUE EXULTED; MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL LIVE IN HOPE;BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES, NOR ALLOW YOUR HOLYONE TO UNDERGO DECAY. `YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE;YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF GLADNESS WITH YOUR PRESENCE. Brethren, I mayconfidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and wasburied, and his tomb is with us to this day. "And so, because he was a prophet andknew that GOD HAD SWORN TO HIM WITH AN OATH TO SEAT one OF HIS

DESCENDANTS ON HIS THRONE, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection ofthe Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His fleshSUFFER DECAY. "This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses."Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received fromthe Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you bothsee and hear. "For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says:THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOURENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET." "Therefore let all the house of Israel

know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ--this Jesus whom youcrucified."

The Apostles Creed in an indispensable part of the Christian/Catholic Church thatcannot be changed or removed. The Apostles Creed is the Gospel itself. Like Saint

Jerome said,

"In the symbol of our faith and hope, which was delivered by the Apostles, and isnot written with paper and ink, but on fleshy tables of the heart"To PammachiusAgainst John of Jerusalem, Paragraph 28, Jerome, Early Church Fathers, Schaff,Philip (1819-1893)

The Origin of the Apostles Creed.Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL). 3 February, 2014..
http://apostles-creed.com/origin.htmlhttp://apostles-creed.com/origin.htmlhttp://apostles-creed.com/origin.htmlhttp://apostles-creed.com/origin.html


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Archeological Evidence

There is considerable archeological evidence demonstrating that the books ofScripture were in circulation thousands of years ago, with the same wording astoday. The confirmation of the statements of the Bible through archeological andhistorical investigations provides us with powerful evidence of the historicaltruthfulness of the Word of God and indicates that its statements were accuratelytransmitted over thousands of years.

Recently archeologists found jewelry and pottery buried in nine caves across theHinnom Valley near the southern walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. These treasureswere dated some 2,600 years ago, and contained exact wording from Numbers 6:24-26: "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you andbe gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."

When you take into account the small size of the nation of Israel, the amount ofarcheological evidence is quite significant. In comparison to the giant political powersof Assyria, Egypt and Mesopotamia, Israel was tiny. If not for the demonstrations of

God's power which were well known throughout the region, this minute countrywould probably have been completely ignored in the surviving literature of the greatempires.

Fortunately, there are many historical records regarding events that involved theIsraelites. What continually amazes many researchers is that every time a newdiscovery is made, it supports rather than discredits the biblical accounts. To thisdate, not one biblical event has been proven wrong, while many have beenconfirmed by historical evidence. New archeological discoveries are made everymonth which verify biblical accounts.

Battles and Wars

Monoliths found in Iraq inscribed by King Shalmaneser III mention King Jehu, Omri,and "Ahab the Israelite." Another chronicles a tribute given to Tiglath-Pileser III byking Menahem. A building inscription, also by Tiglath-Pileser III dating 734BC refersto a tribute from king Ahaz. A stela found in Jordan dating to 830BC refers to atribute which Omri had to pay to Mesha king of Moab.

An inscription in modern-day Iraq (then Assyria) from 722BC refers to theconquering of Samaria and the exile of Israelites to Assyria. It indicates that 27,900inhabitants were captured by Sargon II. Sennacherib referred to Hezekiah's refusalto surrender and the subsequent siege of Jerusalem. He indicates that he laid siegeto 46 cities and drove out over 200,000 people.

The Tower of Babel

One of the most astonishing archeological finds has been the base of the so-called"Tower of Babel" in Babylon (just south of Baghdad). According to the inscription onthe base of the remains of a tower, "A former king built [this tower], they reckon 42ages past, but he did not complete its head. Since a remote time, people hadabandoned it, without order expressing their words." Note the reference to the


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confusion of their language. We know from Genesis 11:2-8 that God scattered thepeople by confusing their language.

Joseph

Other archeological records dating to about 1500BC refer to the seven years of good

and seven years of famine in Egypt. One of them specifically refers to Joseph, who itclaims was in charge of distributing grain to the people, just as the Bible records inGenesis 41:47-57.

The Exodus

On the shores of the Red Sea, at Wadi Sidri on the west side of the Sinai is a hugeinscription written in a curious combination of Egyptian hieroglyphics and Hebrewletters. This inscription which covers a wall of stone about 100 feet high, was alreadyconsidered ancient by historian Diodorus Siculus in 10BC. It relates the story of themiraculous crossing by the Israelites over a divided sea, followed by the mightyarmy of pharaoh submerged in the sea as the waters returned. The story is identical

to the biblical account from Exodus 14:21-28.

Other inscriptions at Wadi Sidri and Kibroth-hattaavah refer to the biblical accountsof the venomous snakes in the Sinai desert, the plaque brought upon the peoplewhen they ate raw quail meat, and Miriam's near-mutiny of Moses. The lost Pishonriver mentioned in the account of the Garden of Eden but regarded by many to be amyth has just been identified using infrared satellite technology. In 1997 a fossilizedsnake was discovered with fully developed hind legs, confirming the biblical accountin Genesis that snakes originally had legs.

New Testament evidence

As for the New Testament, many archeological records confirm those accounts aswell. The bones of a crucified man were discovered--the first of their kind--showingnot only that the practice existed but that both feet were pierced from the sides, justbelow the ankle bone, rather than from the top as was generally thought. Ossuariesdating to the first century AD are inscribed with the names of many peoplementioned in the New Testament and often with the sign of the cross or the name ofJesus. An ossuary of Matthias, dating to 40AD (less than 10 years after Christ)contains the inscription "Jesus is Yahweh (God)."

References to many people once regarded as myths by archeologists--such asPontius Pilate, Caiaphas the high priest, and others--have since been discovered inarcheological inscriptions.

The Bibles Archeological Evidence. The Debate. 2 February 2014. .
http://www.debate.org.uk/debate-topics/historical/the-bible-and-the-quran/the-bibles-archaeological-evidence/http://www.debate.org.uk/debate-topics/historical/the-bible-and-the-quran/the-bibles-archaeological-evidence/http://www.debate.org.uk/debate-topics/historical/the-bible-and-the-quran/the-bibles-archaeological-evidence/http://www.debate.org.uk/debate-topics/historical/the-bible-and-the-quran/the-bibles-archaeological-evidence/


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Advanced Medical Knowledge

In numerous instances the Bible contains medical information that far predatesman's actual discoveries of related principles in the field of medicine. The medicalinstructions given by Moses to the Israelites some 3500 years ago were not only farsuperior to the practices of contemporary cultures, they also exceeded medicalstandards practiced as recently as 100 years ago. Where did Moses get thisadvanced information? Following are some examples of the medical knowledgeafforded the Israelites in biblical times:

Sanitary Practices

For centuries doctors denied the possibility that disease could be transmitted byinvisible agents. However, in the late 19th century Louis Pasteur demonstrated in hisGerm Theory of Disease that most infectious diseases were caused bymicroorganisms originating from outsidethe body. This new understanding of germsand their means of transmission led to improved sanitary standards that resulted in

an enormous drop in the mortality rate. Yet these core principles of sanitation werebeing practiced by the Israelites thousands of years earlier.

The Israelites were instructed to wash themselves and their clothes in running waterif they had a bodily discharge, if they came in contact with another person'sdischarge, or if they had touched a dead human or animal carcass. They were alsoinstructed to wash any uncoveredvessels that were in the vicinity of a dead body,and if a dead carcass touched a vessel it was to be destroyed. Items recoveredduring war were also to be purified through either fire or running water. In addition,the Israelites were instructed to bury their human waste outside of camp, and toburn the waste of their animals (See Numbers 19, Leviticus 11 and 15, Deuteronomy23:12).

These sanitary practices without question saved countless lives in the Israelite campsby protecting them against infection caused by unseen germs. Meanwhile, theirEgyptian peers were dying by the thousands due to "remedies" that almost alwaysconsisted of some amount of human or animal dung. As mentioned earlier, the soundsanitary practices that we take for granted today only began to flourish about a 100years ago.

Bacteria

Some time after I wrote these web pages, a Bible skeptic unwittingly showed me yetanother example of advanced scientific/medical knowledge in the Bible. He posted a

message on a discussion board that ridiculed some verses in Leviticus 13 and 14 thatmention leprosy on walls and on garments. He felt this was silly and an error sinceleprosy is a human disease. What this skeptic was unaware of is the fact that leprosyis a bacteria, a living organism, that certainly can survive on walls and garments! Infact, the Medic-Planet.com encyclopedia notes that leprosy "can survive three weeksor longer outside the human body, such as in dust or on clothing". It is no wonderthat God commanded the Levitical priests to burn the garments of leprosy victims!(Leviticus 13:52)


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Laws of Quarantine

In the same Med-Planet encyclopedia cited above we read that "It was not until 1873that leprosy could be shown to be infectious rather than hereditary." Of course Godknew this all along, as His laws to Moses reveal (Leviticus 13, 14, 22, Numbers19:20). His instructions regarding quarantine to prevent the spread of leprosy and

other infectious diseases are nothing short of remarkable, considering that this life-saving practice was several thousand years ahead of its time. Infected persons wereinstructed to isolate themselves outside the camp until healed, and were to shaveand wash thoroughly. The priests that administered care were instructed to changetheir clothes and wash thoroughly after inspecting a plague victim.

It should be re-emphasized that the Israelites were the only culture to practicequarantine until the last century, when medical advances finally demonstrated theimportance of sanitation and isolation during plagues. The devastating black plagueof the 14th century that claimed millions of lives was not broken until the churchfathers in Vienna began encouraging the public to start following the guidelines asset forth in the Bible. The promising results in Vienna compelled other cities to follow

suit, and the dreaded plague was finally eradicated.

The First Antiseptic

Hyssop oil was charged by God to Moses to be used as a purifying agent. Hyssop oilhas been shown to contain 50% antifungal and antibacterial agents (Numbers 19:18,Psalm 51:7).

Circumcision and Blood Clotting

For centuries scholars must have been perplexed by God's law of circumcision whichrequired the procedure to be performed on the 8th day after birth (Gen 17:12, Gen

21:14, Lev 12:3, Luke 2:21). Medical researchers recently discovered that the twomain blood clotting factors, Vitamin K and Prothrombim, reach their highest level inlife, about 110% of normal, on the 8th day after birth. These blood clotting agentsfacilitate rapid healing and greatly reduce the chance of infection. You can verify withany Obstetrician that the 8th day of life is the ideal time for a circumcision, and thatany circumcision done earlier requires an injection of Vitamin K supplement.

Dietary Guidelines

By the 1980s, all the health organizations of the United States had adopted low-fat,high fiber dietary guidelines. This was the culmination of numerous scientific studiesthat had demonstrated that diets high in vegetables, fruits, and grains reduced therisk of heart disease, cancer, and many other diseases. Secular physicians generallyagree that these dietary guidelines that were producing longer life spans were firstdeveloped by religious movements founded in the 1800s, particularly by theSeventh-day Adventists. Where did the Seventh-day Adventists get their guidelines?From a meticulous and careful study of the Bible. It appears man has finally caught

up to the dietary recommendations given by God to the Israelites some 3500 yearsago!

Williams, Fred.Advanced Medical Knowledge. Bible Evidences.3 February 2014..
http://www.bibleevidences.com/medical.htmhttp://www.bibleevidences.com/medical.htm


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Advanced Scientific Knowledge

Though the Bible is not a science book, when it touches on scientific matters it iseither completely accurate or non-contradictory, and often demonstrates remarkablefore-knowledge. There are many scientific facts mentioned in the Bible that were notunderstood by man until centuries after the Bible was written. Following are a fewexamples:

The Earth and Space

The earth's shape is perhaps the most important to deal with first since many criticsclaim that the Bible portrays the earth as flat. This couldn't be farther from the truthand in my opinion is one of the most vaporous arguments used by skeptics againstthe Bible. There is not a single passage that plainly states that the earth is flat. Thegroundswell of this criticism gets its roots from the inaccurate but common beliefamong many that the ancients on up through the middle ages believed that theearth was flat. The truth is, virtually all learned people have known for the last 2500

years that the earth is spherical.

Before the learned ancients surmised that the earth was spherical, the divinelyinspired Isaiah wrote "It is He who sits above the circle of the earth...(Isaiah40:22)". In addition, from the Book of Job we have "He stretches out the north overempty space; he hangs the earth on nothing (Job 26:7)". It should be noted that justlast century scientists believed space consisted of a hypothetical substance calledEther (not the chemical), which was the medium between the celestial bodies. Also,the pagans of that time believed in such things as a mythical Atlas character whosupported the pillars that held heaven and earth apart, and later carried the eartharound on his shoulders. Another interesting tidbit that illuminates the divine natureof Job 26:7 is the recent discovery of a huge hole in space in the direction of the

northern hemisphere.

First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics

The 1st Law of Thermodynamics states that matter can be neither created nordestroyed, and that the amount of matter in the universe remains constant. If theFirst Law is correct, which every scientific measurement ever made has confirmed,then the universe could not have created itself, it must have been created in thepast, no further creating must be going on, and no loss of creation is occurring. TheBible is the only religious book that correctly portrays the First Law by 1) itsdescription in Genesis of a Creator who is no longer creating, and 2) a Creator who is"upholding all things by the word of his power ( Heb 1:3)".

The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, which states that all systems degenerate fromorder to disorder, was regarded by Albert Einstein to be the premier Law in science.Again the Bible is the only religious book to accurately describe this Law: "For theheavens will vanish away like smoke, the earth will grow old like a garment... , (Isa

51:6)", and also a New Testament rendering: "You, Lord, in the beginning laid thefoundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They willperish, but You remain; and they will all grow old like a garment; (Heb 1:10-11)"


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The Hydrologic Cycle

The circulation and conservation of earth's water is called the hydrologic cycle, whichis accurately portrayed in several passages of the Bible, including the following: "ForHe draws up drops of water, which distill as rain from the mist, which the clouds

drop down and pour abundantly on man. ( Job 36:27-28)" .Centuries after the Book

of Job was written, Aristotle demonstrated only a vague understanding of thisprocess. Though he recognized that rain came from clouds, he incorrectly postulatedthat air turned into water and vice versa.

It has only recently been learned that most clouds are formed by ocean evaporation,but again the Bible had it right centuries ago:"All the rivers run into the sea, yet thesea is not full; to the place from which the rivers come, there they return again (NKJ,

Eccl 1:7)". The complex nature of how water is supported in clouds despite beingheavier than air is clearly implied when God declared to Job"Do you know how theclouds are balanced, those wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge ,(Job 37:16).

The value of Pi

In the verse of the Bible that contains a circumference and diameter (1 Kings 7:23),the Hebrew word for circumference contains an extra character at the end that canonly add value to the word by applying Gematria (each Hebrew letter also representsa number). When taking the ratio of the added character to the value of the originalword, the value of Pi is achieved to within 4 decimal places!

Ocean Currents

Scientists have only recently discovered springs of water in the depths of the oceans.Perhaps this is what the Bible is referring to in the following: "Have you entered the

springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths? (Job 38:16)".

Man from Dust

Researchers at NASA's Ames Research Center confirmed that every element in mancan be found in the soil, prompting one of the scientists to say "...the biblicalscenario for the creation of life turns out to be not far off the mark".

Gravitational Properties of Constellations

God asked Job Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, Or loose the belt of Orion?(Job 38:31). In the last century astrophysicists have discovered that the stars of

Pleiades move in unison with each other, and are thus gravitationally bound. Theyhave also discovered that the stars of Orion are free agents that are notgravitationally bound! Interestingly, the three stars that comprise Orion's belt appearto be closer together than the outer stars in the constellation, but are actuallyfarther apart! (they appear closer together because of the 2-D plane we see themin).


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Vast number of stars in the Universe

God said to Abraham 'Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are ableto number them.' And He said to him, 'So shall your descendants be.'(Gen 15:5)".And through the prophet Jeremiah, 'As the host of heaven (stars) cannot benumbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the descendants of

David My servant (Jeremiah 33:22,). And finally, in the New Testament "Thereforefrom one man, ...were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude--

innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. (Hebrews 11:12)"

Before the invention of the telescope in 1608, scientists throughout history, includingthe famous astronomer Ptolemy (150 AD), taught that the total number of stars inthe heavens was under 3000. On a clear night the naked eye can only count about1000 stars. However, because of telescopes such as the Hubble, we now know therearecountlessbillions upon billions of stars in the universe - just as God had revealedto us several thousand years ago through the Bible.

Precise dimensions of Noah's Ark

The dimensions of Noah's Ark as described in the Bible are ideal for stability. In fact,South Korean architects who examined the dimensions found that the boat wasvirtually impossibleto capsize! Their modeling and analysis found that the ark couldsurvive waves higher than 30 meters! (note that a typical tsunami is only 10 metershigh). Many other cultures have flood legends similar to the account in the Bible, buttheir ark descriptions were never palatable. For example, the Babylonian GilgameshFlood legend described an ark that was shaped like a cube, which would be horriblefor stability.

Williams, Fred. Advanced Scientific Knowledge.Bible Evidences. 2 February 2014..

Science and the Bible

The Bible is not a science book, yet it is scientifically accurate. We are not aware ofanyscientific evidence that contradicts the Bible. We have listed statements on thispage that are consistent with known scientific facts. Many of them were listed in theBible hundreds or even thousands of years before being recorded elsewhere.

Statements Consistent With Paleontology

Dinosaurs are referred to in several Bible books. The book of Job describes twodinosaurs. One is described in chapter 40 starting at verse 15, and the other inchapter 41 starting at verse 1. We think you will agree that 1 chapters aboutdinosaurs is a lotsince most people do not even realize that they are mentioned inthe Bible.
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Statements Consistent With Astronomy

The Bible frequently refers to the great number of stars in the heavens. Here are twoexamples.

Genesis 22:17

Blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the starsof the heaven and as the sand which ison the seashore; and your descendants shallpossess the gate of their enemies.

Jeremiah 33:22As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, sowill I multiply the descendants of David My servant and the Levites who minister toMe.

Even today, scientists admit that they do not know how many stars there are. Onlyabout 3,000 can be seen with the naked eye. We have seen estimatesof 1021starswhich is a lot of stars. (The number of grains of sand on the earths seashores is

estimated to be 1025. As scientists discover more stars, wouldnt it be interesting todiscover that these two numbers match?)

The Bible also says that each star is unique.

1 Corinthians 15:41There isone glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of thestars; for onestar differs from anotherstar in glory.All stars look alike to the naked eye.* Even when seen through a telescope, theyseem to be just points of light. However, analysis of their light spectra reveals thateach is unique and different from all others. (*Note: We understand that people canperceive some slight difference in color and apparent brightness when looking atstars with the naked eye, but we would not expect a person living in the first centuryA.D. to claim they differ from one another.)

The Bible describes the precision of movement in the universe.

Jeremiah 31:35,36Thus says the LORD,Who gives the sun for a light by day,The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night,Who disturbs the sea,And its waves roar(The LORD of hosts isHis name):If those ordinances departFrom before Me, says the LORD,Thenthe seed of Israel shall also cease

From being a nation before Me forever.

The Bible describes the suspension of the Earth in space.

Job 26:7He stretches out the north over empty space;Hehangs the earth on nothing.Statements Consistent With MeteorologyThe Bible describes the circulation of the atmosphere.


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Ecclesiastes 1:6The wind goes toward the south,And turns around to the north;The wind whirls about continually,And comes again on its circuit.

The Bible includes some principles of fluid dynamics.

Job 28:25To establish a weight for the wind,And apportion the waters by measure.The fact that air has weightwas proven scientifically only about 300 years ago. Therelative weights of air and water are needed for the efficient functioning of theworlds hydrologic cycle, which in turn sustains life on the earth.(If you are a physicsenthusiast, please ignore our omission of the terms mass, gravity, and density fromthis comment.)

Statements Consistent With Biology

The book of Leviticus (written prior to 1400 BC) describes the value of blood.

Leviticus 17:11For the life of the flesh isin the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar tomake atonement for your souls; for it isthe blood thatmakes atonement for thesoul.The blood carries water and nourishment to every cell, maintains the bodystemperature, and removes the waste material of the bodys cells. The blood alsocarries oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. In 1616, William Harveydiscovered that blood circulation is the key factor in physical lifeconfirming what

the Bible revealed 3,000 years earlier.The Bible describes biogenesis (the development of living organisms from otherliving organisms) and the stability of each kind of living organism.

Genesis 1:11,12Then God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb thatyields seed, andthefruit tree thatyields fruit according to its kind, whose seed isin itself, on the earth;and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb thatyields seed accordingto its kind, and the tree thatyields fruit, whose seed isin itself according to its kind.And God saw that it wasgood.

Genesis 1:21So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which

the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to itskind. And God saw that it wasgood.

Genesis 1:25And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to itskind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God sawthat it wasgood.


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The phrase according to its kind occurs repeatedly, stressing the reproductiveintegrity of each kind of animal and plant. Today we know this occurs because all ofthese reproductive systems are programmed by their genetic codes.

The Bible describes the chemical nature of flesh.

Genesis 2:7And the LORD God formed man ofthe dust of the ground, and breathed into hisnostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Genesis 3:19In the sweat of your face you shall eat breadTill you return to the ground,For out of it you were taken;For dust you are,And to dust you shall return.

It is a proven fact that a persons mental and spiritual health is strongly correlated

with physical health. The Bible revealed this to us with these statements (and

others) written by King Solomon about 950 BC.

Proverbs 12:4An excellent wife isthe crown of her husband,But she who causes shame islike rottenness in his bones.

Proverbs 14:30A sound heart islife to the body,But envy isrottenness to the bones.

Proverbs 15:30The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,

Anda good report makes the bones healthy.

Proverbs 16:24Pleasant words are likea honeycomb,Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

Proverbs 17:22A merry heart does good, likemedicine,But a broken spirit dries the bones.

Statements Consistent With Anthropology

We have cave paintings and other evidence that people inhabited caves. The Biblealso describes cave men.

Job 30:5,6They were driven out from among men,They shouted at them as ata thief.They hadto live in the clefts of the valleys,Incaves of the earth and the rocks.


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Note that these were not ape-men, but descendants of those who scattered fromBabel. They were driven from the community by those tribes who competedsuccessfully for the more desirable regions of the earth. Then for some reason theydeteriorated mentally, physically, and spiritually. (Go into a bad part of your townand you will see this concept in action today.)Statements Consistent With Hydrology

The bible includes reasonably complete descriptions of the hydrologic cycle.

Psalm 135:7He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;He makes lightning for the rain;He brings the wind out of His treasuries.

Jeremiah 10:13When He utters His voice,There isa multitude of waters in the heavens:And He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth.He makes lightning for the rain,He brings the wind out of His treasuries.In these verses you can see several phases of the hydrologic cyclethe worldwideprocesses of evaporation, translation aloft by atmospheric circulation, condensationwith electrical discharges, and precipitation.

Job 36:27-29For He draws up drops of water,Which distill as rain from the mist,Which the clouds drop downAndpour abundantly on man.Indeed, can anyoneunderstand the spreading of clouds,The thunder from His canopy?

This simple verse has remarkable scientific insight. The drops of water whicheventually pour down as rain first become vapor and then condense to tiny liquidwater droplets in the clouds. These finally coalesce into drops large enough toovercome the updrafts that suspend them in the air.

The Bible describes the recirculation of water.

Ecclesiastes 1:7All the rivers run into the sea,Yet the sea isnot full;To the place from which the rivers come,

There they return again.

Isaiah 55:10For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,And do not return there,But water the earth,And make it bring forth and bud,That it may give seed to the sowerAnd bread to the eater,


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The Bible refers to the surprising amount of water that can be held as condensationin clouds.

Job 26:8He binds up the water in His thick clouds,

Yet the clouds are not broken under it.

Job 37:11Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds;He scatters His bright clouds.

Hydrothermal vents are described in two books of the Bible written before 1400BCmore than 3,000 years before their discovery by science.

Genesis 7:11In the six hundredth year of Noahs life, in the second month, the seventeenth day ofthe month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and thewindows of heaven were opened.

Job 38:16Have you entered the springs of the sea?Or have you walked in search of the depths?Statements Consistent With GeologyThe Bible describes the Earths crust (along with a comment on astronomy).

Jeremiah 31:37Thus says the LORD:If heaven above can be measured,And the foundations of the earth searched out beneath,I will also cast off all the seed of Israel

For all that they have done, says the LORD.Although some scientists claim that they have now measured the size of theuniverse, it is interesting to note that every human attempt to drill through theearths crust to the plastic mantle beneath has, thus far, ended in failure.

The Bible described the shape of the earth centuries before people thought that theearth was spherical.

Isaiah 40:22It isHe who sits above the circle of the earth,And its inhabitants arelike grasshoppers,Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.

The word translated circle here is the Hebrew word chuwgwhich is also translatedcircuit, or compass (depending on the context). That is, it indicates somethingspherical, rounded, or archednot something that is flat or square.The book of Isaiah was written sometime between 740 and 680 BC. This is at least300 years before Aristotle suggested that the earth might be a sphere in this bookOn the Heavens.


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This brings up an important historical note related to this topic. Many people areaware of the conflict between Galileo and the Roman Catholic Pope, Paul V. Afterpublishing A Dialogue on the Two Principal Systems of the World, Galileo wassummoned to Rome, where he was forced to renounce his findings. (At that time,theologians of the Roman Catholic Church maintained that the Earth was the centerof the universe, and to assert otherwise was deemed heretical.)

We could not find any place in the Bible that claims that the Earth is flat, or that it isthe center of the universe. History shows that this conflict, which took place at thetime of the Inquisition, was part of a power struggle. As a result, scientific andbiblical knowledge became casualtiesan effect we still feel to this day.

Statements Consistent With Physics

The Bible suggests the presence of nuclear processes like those we associate withnuclear weaponry. This is certainly not something that could have been explained in67 AD using known scientific principles (when Peter wrote the following verse).

2 Peter 3:10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens willpass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both theearth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

The television is a practical (if not always worthwhile ) device that useselectromagnetic waves (which transmit its video signal). The Bible contains passagesthat describe something like televisionsomething that allows everyone on earth seea single event.

Matthew 24:30Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the

earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heavenwith power and great glory.

Revelation 11:9-11Then thosefrom the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodiesthree-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. Andthose who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts toone another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, andthey stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.

Science and the Bible. Clarifying Christianity. 2 February 2014..
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Meticulous Care in the Transmission of the Bible

A common misunderstanding of the Bible by both Christians and non-Christians alikeis the mistaken notion that the Bible is a translation upon a translation upon atranslation, leading some to believe that the end result is so garbled it hardlyrepresents the original. This couldn't be farther from the truth. Translations arederived from extant copies of old manuscripts such as the Greek Textus Receptus(Received Text) and the Hebrew Masoretic text, and are not translations of a textthat had itself been translated from another interpretation. Often, the differencesbetween Bibles with different translations lie only in how the scholars interpreted aword or sentence from the original language of the text source (Hebrew, Aramaic, orGreek).

Of course this doesn't mean that all translations are equal! Some are clearly betterthan others and convey wording closer to the original language. So how reliable arethe manuscripts that all these Bibles are translated from? The evidence isoverwhelming and seldom disputed. Manuscripts prepared from different individualsspread over various parts of the Middle East and Mediterranean region agree

remarkably with each other. Also, the manuscripts agree with the Septuagint, whichwas translated to Greek from Hebrew possibly as far back as the 3rd century BC. TheDead Sea scrolls discovered in 1947 also provided a profound testimony to thereliability of the centuries of transmission of the Bible text, as every Old Testamentbook found was virtually word for word with today's Bible! (the few differences were"obvious slips of the pen or variations in spelling").

The scribes who were in charge of the Old Testament text dedicated their lives topreserving the text's accuracy when they made copies. The great lengths the scribeswent to guarantee the reliability of the copies is illustrated by the fact that theywould count every letter and every word, and record in the margins such things asthe middle letter and word of the Torah. If a single error was found, the copy was

immediately destroyed.

The New Testament manuscript evidence is even more impressive, with 24,000known copies, 5,366 which are complete, and some that date as early as the secondand third centuries. This manuscript authority greatly surpasses all other writings ofantiquity, as illustrated in the following table:

Work When Written Earliest Copy Time Span No. of copies

New Testament A.D. 40-100 A.D. 125 25 yrs 24,000

Homer (Iliad) 900 B.C. 400 B.C 500 yrs 643

Sophocles 496-406 B.C A.D. 1000 1,400 yrs 193

Aristotle 384-322 B.C. A.D. 1100 1,400 yrs 49

Caesar (Gallic Wars) 100-44 B.C. A.D. 900 1000 yrs 10

As can be seen from the table, Homer's Iliad, the most renowned book of ancientGreece, is a very distant second to the New Testament in manuscript support, withonly 643 copies. Of these copies, there are 764 disputed lines, compared to only 40lines in the New Testament. The New Testament even fares better than the 37 playswritten by William Shakespeare in the 17th century. Every play contains various


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gaps in the printed text, forcing scholars in many cases to "fill in the blanks". Withthe 24,000 copies of the New Testament, we can be sure that nothing has been lost.It is also very impressive to note that scholars can recreate all but 11 verses of theNew Testament by simply piecing together quotations by the early church fathers ofthe second and third centuries!

Williams, Fred.Meticulous Care in the Transmission of the Bible.Bible Evidences. 3 February2014..

Creation by an Intelligent God

Creation evidently agrees with the Bible declaration of an omniscient and

omnipotent Designer God.

Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternalpower and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood throughwhat has been made, so that they are without excuse.

Psalms 136:4 To Him who alone does great wonders, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;5To Him who made the heavens with skill, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;6 To Him who spread out the earth above the waters, For His lovingkindness is

everlasting;7 To Him who made thegreat lights, For His lovingkindness is everlasting:8 The sun to rule by day, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,9 The moon and stars to rule by night, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Psalms 139:

13 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb.14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderfulare Your works, And my soul knows it very well.15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfullywrought in the depths of the earth;* Discoveries in astronomy have shown beyond a reasonable doubt that the universedid, in fact, have a beginning. There was a single moment of creation.

Proverbs 8:22 "The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old.23 "From everlasting I was established, From the beginning, from the earliest timesof the earth.24 "When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no springsabounding with water.25 "Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills I was brought forth;26 While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, Nor the first dust of theworld.27 "When He established the heavens, I was there, When He inscribed acircle on the face of the deep,
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28 When He made firm the skies above, When the springs of the deep becamefixed,

29 When He set for the sea its boundarySo that the water would not transgressHis command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth;30 Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was daily His delight,Rejoicing always before Him,

Proverbs 30:

4 Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in Hisfists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all theends of the earth? What is His name or His son's name? Surely you know!5 Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

Creation vs. Evolution - Intelligent Design

Intelligent design is the science that studies signs of intelligence. Note that a sign is

not the thing signified. Intelligent design does not try to get into the mind of adesigner and figure out what a designer is thinking. Its focus is not a designers mind

(the thing signified) but the artifact due to a designers mind (the sign). What adesigner is thinking may be an interesting question, and one may be able to infersomething about what a designer is thinking from the designe

extra biblical evidences of the bible

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