Read more carefully before you criticize the Bible!

8-6-24 Read more carefully before you criticize the Bible Part 1

My Comment:

The “Opening Post” for the discussion I refer to below is too long to share here. It is the usual collection of objections to the truth of the Gospels (no one really knows who wrote them) and the writings of Paul (Paul is a consummate liar and no one should believe him).

My Response:

Your comments represent a very flawed understanding of the New Testament text and the Bible as a whole.

To suggest that John was not present at the events he records in his Gospel reflects a very poor understanding, even purposeful misunderstanding, of the record he wrote in the Gospel of John.

Mark wrote the Gospel of Mark and includes an incident that took place when he was present as a young man at the arrest of Jesus where he narrowly escaped capture as he and the other disciples were granted leave by the request of Jesus to leave the scene promptly. To suggest Mark was not a disciple but only joined Peter later on ignores the history of Mark and his family and their continued connection with the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ both before and after His crucifixion and resurrection.

Matthew, who most certainly was Jewish, held a job as a tax collector that of course was not well-favored by Jews of his day. Nevertheless, Matthew answered the call to follow Jesus. Reading his account carefully, he obviously had connections that provided additional witness to the facts surrounding the crucifixion and bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Furthermore, Matthew’s Gospel has been recognized as having been written for the benefit of a largely Jewish audience, as seen, for example, by Matthew’s more frequent use of the expression “kingdom of heaven” rather than “kingdom of God.” Matthew gives us the account of the prophetic Olivet Discourse in its fulness, as does Luke in his Gospel.

As for your comments about the Apostle Paul, they represent a very biased, untruthful, misrepresentation of what he did and taught.

Your continued misrepresentation of what Paul records demonstrates the shoddiness of your arguments when you state in the Opening Post:

“*Romans 3:*
7 Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?”
-Again Paul admits he lies !”

I have explained this text for you in our previous discussions. Paul, in the statement you quote from Paul, reports what others have falsely claimed about Paul, not what Paul ever said, as becomes more evident when the following verse, Romans 3:8, is included:

Rom 3:8  And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

As I may have said before, you need to learn how to read more carefully before fabricating claims against the message of the Bible. Your mistaken claims only make you look foolish, which I am sure is not your intent.