The Teleological Argument

THE TELEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT

I) The Argument from Biochemistry
    1) We infer design whenever parts appear arranged to accomplish a function.
    2) The strength of the inference is quantitative and depends on the evidence,
        the more parts, and the more intricate and sophisticated the function, the
        stronger is the conclusion of design.
    3) Aspects of life overpower us with the appearance of design.
    4) Since we have no other convincing explanation for that strong appearance
        of design, then we are rationally justified in concluding the parts of life were
        indeed purposely designed by an intelligent agent.

II) Defense of the premises
    1) Premise #1
        A) Basic reasoning 101
        B) Design is simply the PURPOSEFUL ARRANGEMENT OF PARTS
             WITH A SPECIFIC FUNCTION.
        C) Examples of this abound.
            1) The simple mousetrap is a great example of design.  Consisting of
                 many parts which consist of the base, spring, trigger, U shaped rod,
                eye screw, straight rod with a curve at on end, etc...  All the parts
                mentioned work together with one purpose, to slam the rod down
                when the trigger is released.
            2) A fluorescent lamp has low pressure mercury vapor and argon,
                xenon, argon-neon, or krypton gas.  The bulb is coated with
                a florescent coating made of a varying blend of metallic and
                rare-earth phosphor salts.  A cathode made of a coiled tungsten
                coated with a mixture of barium, strontium, and calcium oxides.
                All the parts work together for one purpose, to make light.
        D) In the examples above, the important thing to remember is this, that it
             is only when all the parts are present that the function will be produced.
             None of the individual parts can create the function alone, they all must be
            present and functioning in order to produce the result.  If one where taken
            away, the system would cease to function.
        E) In order to reach a conclusion of design, there must be an identifiable
             function of the system.  One has to be careful, though, in defining the
             function.  A computer can be used as a paper weight; is that its function?
             No, in considering design, the function of the system we must look at is the
             one that requires the greatest amount of the system,’s internal complexity.
             The function of a system is determined from the system’s internal logic: the
             function is not necessarily the same as the purpose to which the designer
             wished.  A person who sees a mousetrap for the first time may use it for a
             defense against burglars, but they still infer design by observing how the
             parts interact with each other.  Someone may try to use a lawnmower as
             a ceiling fan or out board motor, but the function of the equipment- to rotate
             the blade- is best defined by its internal logic.
        F) In all the above examples, we are justified to infer design by simple reason
             and logic.  Anyone who would reply to the contrary would have to show that
             they could come into existence and function by blind chance.  The burden of
             proof would be in their court.  Why? They are going against simple reasoning.
             Example: If I were to say to you that the pencil (or pen) you are using came
             about through blind means, that the forces of nature constructed the item,
             without giving detailed evidence for my conclusion, you would have me
             institutionalized.  Why?  My conclusion would go against your basic
             reasoning, especially since I provided no evidence for my conclusion.
    2) Defense of premise #2
        A) The evidence as indicated in the premise is as follows; 1) more parts to
              the system, 2) more intricate and sophisticated the function.
            1) You are in a junkyard and come across a board that is positioned
                  on a cement block to form a lever.  At the end of one side of the
                 board you notice another block positioned on the board.  Was this
                 the product of design.  Hard to tell since the number of parts
                 and the simplicity of the function can be because of random events
                 of nature.
            2) Yet, look again at the florescent lamp.  It is made up of numerous
                 parts and chemical compounds.  The arrangement of the individual
                 parts and chemicals are complex and the function is very
                 sophisticated.  The parts have to be in the correct quantity and in
                 the right position for the function to work.  This would indicate
                 to the rational person, design. 
        B) This is clearly seen in diverse systems.  Suppose you were at a friends house
             playing a game of Scrabble.  When the game ends, you get up to take a break.
             Upon your return, you notice that all the pieces have been thrown into the
             box.  Most of the letters are turned upside down, but a few are letter side up.
             You think nothing of it until notice the letters facing up read, “TAKE US OUT
             TO DINNER.”  You would immediately infer design since there are a number
             of parts (letters) ordered to accomplish a specific function, which is to
             communicate your playmates desires.
        C) In the example of the lamp and the message, you immediately infer design
             because the parts are numerous and the function is intricate.

    3) Defense of premise #3
        A) The blood clotting cascade

1. A cut occurs and Hageman Factor sticks to the surface of cells near the wound. Bound Hageman Factor reacts with another enzyme called HMK to produce Activated Hageman.

2. Pre Kallikrein reacts with Activated Hageman to produce Kallikrein.

3. Hageman Factor also reacts with HMK and Kallikrein to form Activated Hageman.

4. PTA reacts with Activated Hageman and HMK to produce Activated PTA.

5. Christmas Factor reacts with Activated PTA and Convertin to produce Activated Christmas Factor.

6. Antihemophilic Factor is activated by Thrombin to produce Activated Antihemophilic Factor.

7. Stuart Factor reacts with Activated Christmas Factor and Activated Antihemophilic Factor to produce Activated Stuart Factor.

8. Proconvertin is activated by Activated Hageman Factor to produce Convertin.

9. When a cut occurs, Tissue Factor (which is only found outside of cells) is brought in near the wound where it reacts with Convertin and Stuart Factor to produce Activated Stuart Factor. (Note that step 9 involves an extrinsic process whereas step 7 is an intrinsic process.)

10. Proaccelerin is activated by Thrombin to produce Accelerin.

11a. GLU-Prothrombin reacts with Prothrombin Enzyme and Vitamin K to produce GLA-Prothrombin. (Note that Prothrombin cannot be activated in the GLU form so it must be formed into the GLA form. In this process ten amino acids must be changed from glutamate to gama carboxy glutamate.)

11b. GLS-Prothrombin is then able to bind to Calcium. This allows GLA-Prothrombin to stick to surfaces of cells. Only intact modified Calcium-Prothrombin Complex can bind to the cell membrane and be cleaved by Activated Stuart and Accerlerin to produce Thrombin.

12. Prothrombin-Ca (bound to cell surface) is activated by Activated Stuart to produce Thrombin.

13.Prothrombin also reacts with Activated Stuart and Accelerin to produce Thrombin. (Step 13 is much faster than step 12.)

14. Fibrinogin is activated by Thrombin to produce Fibrin. Threads of Fibrin are the final clot. However, it would be more effective if the Fibrin threads could form more cross links with each other.

15. FSF (Fibrin Stabilizing Factor) is activated by Thrombin to form Activated FSF.

16. When Fibrin reacts with Activated FSF many more cross ties are made with other Fibrin filaments to form a more effective clot.

Well now, I am wondering to myself whether you are experiencing frustration or intrigue, weariness, or exctiment. There are a lot of details but let me ask you a leading question. Is this intricate system something that man developed or is it something that man has discovered? Blood clotting is not an invention of man. It is the invention of either God or "Mother Nature" (i.e., it invented itself). Regardless of how you believe the clotting cascade came to be, the fact remains that blood clotting is a clear example of irreducible complexity.

Let us next consider that this irreducibly complex system of blood clotting must have a way to remove the clot once the wound has healed. How is this done?

17a. A blood protein, Plasminogin is activated by + - Pa to produce Plasmin. This acts like tiny chemical scissors which cuts up the Fibrin filaments of the clot.

17b. The rate at which the clot is broken up is controlled by yet another blood protein named Alpha 2 Antiplasm, which in turn inactivates Plasmin. One of the most important parts of this whole blood clotting machine is the ability it has to keep the clotting localized to the area of the wound and to stop the clotting cascade. What is the biggest killer of human beings? That's right, blood clots. Most heart attacks and strokes are caused by blood clots lodging. I believe the way your body shuts down the clotting cascade is a fascinating as the clotting process itself.

18. Antithrombin inactivates Activated Christmas, Activated Stuart and Thrombin.

19. Protein C is activated by Thrombin to produce Activated Protein C.

20. Activated Protein C inactivates Accelerin and Activated Antihemophilic.

21. Finally, Thrombomodulin which lines the inside of your blood vessels prevents Thrombin from activating Fibrinogin. A logical question is : How do we know that we have to be able to produce the whole set of enzymes or factors in the clotting cascade in order to successfully accomplish the procedure?

Probably the best answer is illustrated by the disease hemophilia. Hemophilia A is the form of the disease that 85% of hemophiliacs have and it is caused by a deficiency of Stuart Factor. The 14% that have hemophilia B are deficient in Accelerin. People who have severe hemophilia A are able to produce 2-5% of normal levels while another 15% are mild and are only able to make 5-30% of normal levels of Stuart Factor output.

Like all enzymes, Stuart Factor is produced by protein synthesis. As you know, amino acids are joined together one at a time by this orderly process. The gene for Stuart Factor contains 186,000 base pairs and occupies 0.1% of the X chromosome. Note that this does not translate into Stuart Factor having 62,000 amino acids because only the "exon" portions of the DNA molecule are expressed. The largest portion of the DNA in this gene is found in the "intron" base pair sequences. The gene for Accelerin contains 31,000 base pairs.

Why can a hemophiliac not stop bleeding? They cannot stop because they either do not produce enough Stuart Factor or they produce defective Stuart Factor. And why do they not produce the right amount to type of Stuart Factor? The answer is, because their body does not know how. Their parent passed on defective information on their X chromosome, and incidentally, they will pass on the same defective information on to their offspring.
        From:  Irreducible Complexity? Blood Clotting! By Robert Harsh

        B) Did you get all that.  Do not worry if it is a little over our heads.  The issue
             here is the fact that this system of the human body has many parts and is
             extremely intricate and sophisticated in its function.  In fact, if just one of the
             parts were removed or damaged, the system would fail and you would either
             bleed to death (as with hemophilia) or your blood would coagulate in your
             veins and solidify.  Either way you would die.
        C) This is just on system within the human body that shows this complexity.
             Others include the immune system, biosynthesis of AMP, how cells transport
             material from on subcellular compartment to another, etc...
    4) Defense of conclusion
        A) It is a fact that no other explanation has been set forth by scientists to explain
             the complex systems that biochemistry has discovered.
        B) The Journal of Molecular Evolution was established in 1971 and is devoted
             exclusively to the research aimed at explaining how life at the molecular
             level came to be.  Each month it publishes about 10 papers on various aspects
             of molecular evolution.  10 papers per month means about 100 papers per year.
             Over the past decade about 1000 papers have been published.  As of yet, no
             paper has been published to explain why the systems of the human body
             have come about through a naturalistic means.
        C) This is true for all the published papers.
        D) Since there is no other explanation, we are justified to conclude that the parts
             of life were indeed purposely designed by an intelligent agent.

A plea to understand and act!

Recently, a letter came to me from one of my former apologetics students. He was a very good student who went on to do an extremely successful work as a campus evangelist at a major university known for its high level academics in mid-America. Some years ago, when the militant British atheist, Richard Dawkins, came to lecture at this university, my student had the opportunity to personally and publicly question Dawkins concerning a statement that he (Dawkins) perhaps wishes he had never placed in print. Dawkins wrote, “I am not advocating a morality based on evolution. . . . I am not saying how we humans ought to behave. . . . My own feeling is that a human society based simply on the gene’s law of ruthless selfishness would be a very nasty society in which to live” (The Selfish Gene 2-3). As Dawkins often seems accustomed to do, in condescending fashion he refused to face up to the inconsistency of his materialistic explanation of human life. Given the atheistic explanation, there is no objective ground for stating that anyone “ought” to do anything. Such is the obvious error of atheism and agnosticism! In his recent letter, my former student was not ultimately concerned with the obvious growing influence of atheism in America on a university campus. However, writing as a deeply concerned parent, he is alarmed at the challenge skeptical thought is presenting to much younger people today, like his daughters (ages 13 and 16) who are in Middle School and High School respectively. With deep concern for the moral and spiritual welfare of his precious daughters he wrote: . . . .I am enclosing some recent literature [that] attests to the aggressive nature of atheism in our culture. It does not come as a surprise, but I am reminded of the relevancy of your work . . . . My 16 year-old daughter is in AP [Advanced Placement] Honors Biology as a junior in High School. . . . [H]er extensive Biology book . . . presents evolution as a “core value” for understanding life . . . . Also enclosed is a mailing [my daughter] received as a “benefit” of being in the Science Club, and Science Fair, [for] which “benefit” [I] paid $20. . . . Along with [this] subscription to the heavily biased Scientific American [my daughter] was solicited by Skeptical Inquirer. The presentation of their work and materials was very professionally done, on glossy full-color paper, complete with pictures of Einstein and Darwin to appeal to the smart, young AP Biology students. What the Biology text did not do in an attempt to be non-biased toward religion by taking a less aggressive approach this publication [Skeptical Inquirer] will do by putting a dagger into the heart of those who still cling to their faith. . . . May these examples of frontal assault on faith serve to fuel your fire today as they do mine. If we wait until High School to teach apologetics and the fallacy of evolution, it is too late! They are beating us to the punch, and at a much younger age than 16 years! The above letter is a powerful reminder of how Christian faith is under assault in our culture. However, the attack on faith is not only being made against adults, but children and grandchildren are also being hit hard through skeptical education, entertainment, and media. Apologetics (cf. 1 Peter 3:15; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5) is the answer! Warren Christian Apologetics Center exists to help young and older apply this answer. Share the news of WCAC with others. Share this Newsletter. Direct others to www.warrenapologeticscenter.org. Pray for us. Send the Warren Center your tax-deductible contributions. Help us build this informational center to arm our children, grandchildren, and generations to come with assurance of the existence of God, the divine origin of the Bible, and the deity of Jesus Christ! Charles C. Pugh III Director

The Resurrection of our Lord

 Although there could be more that can be said on this most important subject, I present this for your consideration.  In my dealings with individuals, I have found that this subject has been denied by some within the realm of "christiandom".  The bodily resurrection is most important in the realm of salvation.  As Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 15, without it our faith is in vain and we are still in our sins.

Introduction
    1) The bodily resurrection of Christ is the crowning proof that Jesus was indeed who
         He claimed to be.
    2) The resurrection is of such importance that the NT insists that no one can be saved
         without it.
    3) In this study, we will be looking at 2 types of evidence for the resurrection
        A) The Direct Evidence
        B) The Indirect Evidence
    4) With this approach, we can establish that the resurrection did in fact happen as the
         scriptures indicate.

I) Direct Evidence
    1) Direct evidence is simply the evidence that is given by the witnesses themselves
    2) It is direct because they saw the event
     3) Examples of
        A) The revelation of God
            1) The Bible is direct evidence for the existence of God in that it is God’s
                 witness of Himself.
            2) God relates to us from the pages of scripture that He did create
                           everything that exists, how He interacted with mankind in the past,
        B) Those who witnesses the Civil War give direct evidence that it did in fact
             happen
    3) The Appearances
        A) Mary Magdalene (John 20:10-18)
            1) Appeared to a woman first
                a) Remember that this was a male dominated society
                b) A woman’s testimony was not accepted in court
                c) This is significant in the fact that had this been a hoax, the
                     writer would probably had given this honor to Peter.
            2) She saw Jesus
                a) The word saw means to see with the naked eye
                b) This same word is used in Mark 3:11; 5:15; Acts 3:16
                c) It is also used to seeing Jesus in his preresurrection body
                     (Matt. 27:55; John 6:19)
                d) She literally saw Jesus
            3) She heard Jesus
                A) John 20:13-16
                b) She heard the voice of Jesus
                c) We need to understand here that hearing in and of itself is not
                     enough.  In John 12:28 we find that God speaks, yet God is
                      immaterial in nature but they heard His voice
                d) But hearing and seeing combined is supportive evidence for the
                     claim
            4) In this first testimony we find that Jesus was both seen and heard by
                      Mary.
            5) We also find that Mary went and told the others what she had seen
                 (John 20:18)
        B) The other women (Matt. 28:1-10)
            1) Not only did Mary see the risen Lord the other women also saw Him
            2) In verse 9 we see that these women saw Jesus just as did Mary
            3) Not only did they see Him, they also clasped His feet and worshiped
                 Him.
                a) They physically touched Him
                b) He could not have been a ghost (Luke 24:39)
            4) They also heard Him speak
                a) He commanded them to go and tell the disciples
                b) Had to hear words in order to carry out
            5) They inspected the empty tomb (verse 6)
            6) Combined with the testimony of Mary, The risen Lord was seen, heard
                 touched, and the tomb was inspected
        C) Peter (I Cor. 15:5; John 20:3-9)
            1) The letter to the Corinthians declares that Jesus was seen of him
            2) Peter spoke with the Lord when Jesus asked him to feed His sheep
                 (John 21:15-17)
            3) Peter saw the empty tomb and the grave clothes just before His
                    appearance (John 20:6&7)
            4) Peter saw and heard the Lord and also observed the empty tomb
        D) Emmaus Road (Luke 24:13-35)
            1) Verses 17, 19, 25&26 indicate that they seen and heard Him
                a) Verse 27 indicates that this conversation went on for a
                     good length of time
                b) Not only with them but we also see this in Act 1:3
            2) They also ate with Him (verse 30)
                a) The fact that the Lord sat and ate with them is compelling
                b) This further indicates that Jesus was bodily resurrected
                c) Also Acts 10:41; Luke 24:43;
        E) Many eyewitnesses (I Cor. 15:1-11)
            1) States those that seen the risen Lord
                a) Peter
                b) Of the eleven Matt. 28:17
                c) Of 500 brethren at once
                    1) Written in about 55 or 56 AD
                    2) This was only about 22 or 23 years after His resurrection
                    3) Most were still alive and Paul seems to be challenging
                         the brethren to research his claims
                d) Of James
                e) All the apostles at the ascension Acts 1:6-12
                f) Finally of Saul
    4)Testing Credibility
        A) There are 4 questions that can be asked to help determine the credibility of
             eyewitness accounts.
        B) There are as follows
            1) Do the witnesses contradict each other?
            2) Are there a sufficient number of witnesses?
            3) Were they truthful?
            4) Are they non-prejudicial?
        C) Question #1
            1) Accounts do not contradict each other
            2) Each writer tells a crucial and overlapping part of the whole story
            3) Minor discrepancies are to be expected (one or two angels)
        D) Question #2
            1) There were over 500
            2) Most of which were still alive,as indicated earlier, and could be
                         examined
        E) Question #3
            1) The scriptures are inspired, also they have a ring of authenticity
            2) This will become more clear when we examine the Indirect evidence
        F) Question #4
            1) Christ not only appeared to believers, but also to unbelievers
                 a) Luke 24:11; apostles
                b) Luke 24:45; After the appearance
                c) John 20:25; Thomas
                d) Acts 9; Saul
            2) Any claim to this is groundless
                a) If bias disqualified testimony then no testimony could be given
                     to anything
                b) Doctors have biases, yet we trust and believe their testimonies
                     in relation to our health.
        G) When these criteria are applied to the witnesses of the resurrection, they all
             pass the test and therefore their testimonies can be taken as truth.



II) Indirect evidence
    1) This has to do with the following
        A) The immediate transformation of the apostles
        B) The reaction of those who rejected Jesus
        C) The existence and growth of the early church
        D) The martyrdom of the brethren
    2) Transformation
        A) Before
            1) Matt. 26:56; fled
            2) John 20:19; fearful
            3) John 20:15; Luke 24:11; they doughted
        B) After
            1) Acts 2; Bold
            2) Acts 4&5; Preached (Acts 4:20)
            3) Acts 5:40; beaten for what they said
        C) Why the change?
            1) Something happened
            2) Infer seeing the risen Lord
    3) Reaction of those who rejected Jesus
        A) Reaction of the Jewish authorities
        B) Never organized a search
        C) Never produced a body
        D) Matt. 28:11-15; bribed the soldiers
        E) Acts 7:54-60; fought instead of refuting with evidence to the contrary
             (Acts 5:17&18)
    4) Existence of early church
        A) There are good reasons why this should not have happened
            1) Deut. 6:4; Jews believed in only one God
            2) Matt. 26:63-65; this was the reason for the crucifiction
            3) There was insufficient time to establish themselves before persecution
                 came.
            4) If it was a lie, they had every opportunity to stop it
            5) Acts 5:33-39
    5) Martyrdom
        A) Acts 7:59&60; Stephen
        B) Acts 12:1&2; James
        C) Go over list
        D) Why would they die for a lie?
        E) All scholars are in agreement that something big happen to these men
        F) By far this is the most powerful piece of evidence.

IV) Conclusion
    1) What is the best explanation that can account for the direct and indirect evidence?
    2) It is best explained by the fact that God raised Jesus from the dead
        A) It has great explanatory scope
            1) The empty tomb
            2) The post mortem appearances
            3) the early church
            4) Martyrdom
        B) Great explanatory power
            1) Why the body was gone
            2) Why He was seen repeatedly
            3) The transformation of the apostles
    3) It is the only logical conclusion that can account for all the evidence

The Burial Of Jesus

 The Burial of Jesus Christ; a study of what happened and the significance of it


Introduction
    1) As we continue our study on this important topic, lets review what we have learned
        A) We examined the evidence that supports the fact that Jesus was a historical
             figure.  We looked at the writings of many secular writers that lived around
             the time of Jesus.  The most significant thing that we learned was that all
             these writers never once denied that Jesus existed.  They tried to discredit
             the claim that He was God, yet never argued that He did not exist.
        B) We then looked at the evidence for the claim that He is God.  We looked
             at several lines of evidence.  Fulfilled prophecy, The claims that He made,
             the claims of others, and used the inductive method to show that He is in
             fact God.
    2) As we continue our study, the next item we will look at is the burial of our Lord.
        A) One thing I must make clear, I did not find a lot of information on the subject.
        B) I found some and I will try to express this to you as best I can.
        C) Although there is a limited amount of information, I believe there is a
             sufficient amount, along with what is recorded in scripture, to help us
             understand what took place, the items used, and their significance.

I)The Tomb
    1) It was a rich mans tomb
        A)This is indicated in Matt. 27:57-60
        B) This is also a fulfillment of prophecy from Isaiah 53:9
            1)Joseph is said to be rich
            2) This was his own personal tomb
    2) No man had been laid before
        A) John 19:41
            1) There is significance to this.  It was a tomb that was unused, and not
                 just recently built.  This fact is important to notice because it was to
                 show that from it no one had before risen nor would come forth by
                 the power of another as was once the case at Elisha’s grave
                 (II Kings 13:21)
            2) This fact, I believe, was intentional on God’s part.  The Jews in
                 knowing the situation with Elisha could have made the conclusion
                 that it was just the same and that our Lord was not raised by the
                 power of God.
        B) Also we must remember that this was to be the tomb of our Lord.  I do not
             think it to be a stretch to conclude that it would not be proper for Him to
             be entombed in a common sepulcher.
    3) Location of tomb
        A) John informs us that the tomb was in a garden near the place of the
             execution.
        B) In all the gospel accounts we find that the women had watched were they
             had laid the body of our Lord.  This was done by them with their own eyes.
            1) The fact is important since some say that the women went to the wrong
                 tomb.
            2) In fact Matt. 27:61 seems to indicate that the women were with Joseph
                 and Nicodemus at the time that they had placed the body there.
            3) Mark 15:47 indicates that they beheld the location of the tomb.
            4) Luke 23:55 indicates that they seen how the body was laid on the
                 slab.
        C) Do we know were the tomb is today?
            1) Some have stated that they have found the tomb of our Lord.
            2) This claim can not be asserted with any type of truth.  The fact,
                 I believe, is we will never know were the tomb is.  This is God’s
                 doing.
                a) Remember one of the reasons why we do not have the
                     original autographs of the scriptures?
                b) I believe that, if we had them then they would become the
                     focus of idol worship and not God.
                c) This would seem logical of the tomb also.  All we have to
                     notice is in the way that some do in fact worship relics.
    4) The tomb itself
        A) Most tombs of the rich were hewn out of the side of a hill out of the rock face.
        B) They were primarily for the family and not the individual.
        C) The tomb usually had 2 chambers, an outer chamber in which the body was
             placed on a shelf cut in the side of the tomb and a smaller chamber toward
             the back which would became the final resting place for the bones.
        D) From the information that I could gather, it appears that the body of the
             deceased was placed in the outer chamber to decay.  Once the process of
             decay was complete (After 30 days, as far as I can gather), the bones
             would be placed in the ossuary.  This was a small box.  The ossuary was
             then placed in the inner chamber along with the rest of the family.

II) The preparation of the body
    1) After Joseph had claimed the body of our Lord, it had to be prepared for burial.
    2) The time
        A) The time of day and week of the issues are of importance to the understanding
             Of the events we have recorded.
        B) It is generally accepted that Jesus was nailed to the cross at 12 noon, and died
             at 3:00 Friday afternoon.
        C) It was a desecration of the Sabbath for the dead bodies to remain on the cross
             during that day.  Of course we know that the Sabbath was Sat.  The body of
             our Lord could not remain on the cross. 
            1) The time of the Sabbath began at sunset on Friday night.
            2) We sometimes miss this important fact of the Jewish time scale.  The
                 Sabbath, to them, would have started at sunset on Friday night and
                 ended on sunset Sat. night.
        D) This is significant in the fact that Joseph and Nicodemus would not have had
              a lot of time to properly prepare the body.  This was a hurried event.
            1) The time that they would have had would have only been about 4 or 5
                 hours.
            2) In that time Joseph would have had to go before Pilot, wait until the
                 guard established that Jesus was dead, purchase the necessary items,
                 take the body down from the cross, transport it to the tomb, and then
                 begin the burial process.
            3) The disciples would not have had the sufficient amount of time to
                 properly prepare the body. 
            4) This is why the women returned to the tomb on Sunday after the
                 Sabbath with more spices and items that they had prepared
                 (Luke 24:1). 
    3) Side note
        A) The actions of the disciples at this time needs to be noticed by all.
        B) They had just suffered a great loss.  The loss of our Lord.  Their hearts
             would have been very heavy.
        C) The natural inclination would have been to complete the burial process,
             yet this is not what they did.  The teachings of Jesus served to make them
             careful observers of the moral law which Jesus upheld during His time with
             them. (Matt. 8:22)
    4) Spices
        A) In all the accounts, the use of spices and other things are mentioned as being
             a part of the process.
        B) As I indicated before, we do not have a lot of information as to why these were
             used.  As such, the only thing that we can accomplish here is to make some
             assumptions as to what they were used for.  We simply do not have the facts.
        C) Amount used
            1) One thing that we do know is the amount that was used.
            2) John 19:39 indicates that it was about 100 pounds in weight.
            3) This was a large amount to use.  It has been speculated that this was
                 an amount that would have been used only for those of significant
                 stature.  Of course, being God, Jesus would have been seen in this
                 light.
        D) Some have suggested that the spices and other things were used to embalm the
             body.  I believe this to not be the case since it appears that the process that took
             place was that they would revisit the tomb about 7 days later to anoint the body
             again with the spices.  They would then wait about 30 days before they would
             visit the tomb for the final part, that was to place the bones in the ossuary. 
             This length of time (if the tradition is correct) would not allow enough time
             for the body to decompose if it was embolmed.
        E) With this evidence it would seem more logical that the spices were maybe used
             so that the stench of the body would not attract scavengers.  Maybe the spices
             were used to mask the odor of the body.  Of course this is just speculation and
             not fact.
    5) Linen cloth
        A) Another item that we can be certain of is the fact that the body was wrapped
             in fine linen cloth.
        B) Mark 15:46 indicates that Joseph went and purchased this cloth for this
             exact purpose.  This was not a second hand thought.
        C) The cloth would have been wrapped around the body in such away as to
             enclose the spices next to the body.
            1) This is not the way we see on t.v. in which the arms and legs are
                 wrapped individually.
            2) The arms most likely would have been placed in an X upon the
                 chest.  The legs would have been placed together.
            3) The body would have been wrapped as an entire unit.  In this way it
                 would have been impossible for someone in our Lords
                 condition to unwrap themselves from the cloth.

III) The stone
    1) The accounts inform us that a large stone was placed at the entrance of the tomb.
    2) This stone is of importance because it shows the impossibility of someone from
         the inside moving it, or a group from the outside moving it without disturbing
         the guard that was placed there.
    3) The stone was large
        A) Mark 16:3 gives the indication that the stone was of very great wieght.
            1) They questioned among themselves as to how they were going
                 to move the stone.
            2) It should be clear from the readings of the events that there was
                a plurality of women.  We are not told of the exact number but we
                 know that it was more than one.
            3) The importance of this fact is this, if a plurality of healthy
                 women were wondering how they would move the stone, how can
                 it be thought that one in our Lords condition could do it by Himself?
        B) This stone is speculated to be about 1 to 1 and one half tons in weight.
        C) This would make it impossible to move by oneself or to move it without
             making a considerable amount of commotion.
    4) The placement of the stone
        A) It is speculated that the stone was in a trench and that it was propped up
             by a smaller stone before it was rolled into place.
        B) However, we do know that the stone was placed in front of the opening
             of the tomb.
        C) This was done to ensure that the body would not be disturbed by natural
             forces.  Also, it would seem logical that the seam would have been sealed
             with something in order that the smell would be kept to a minimum.

IV) The Roman Seal
    1) The seal was made up of two leather straps. 
    2) They were placed in the form of an x.
    3) They were fastened to the stone by clay packs that were placed on each of the ends
         of the straps at the edge of the stone where it met at tomb.
    4) There was placed where the straps met in the middle a large clay pack where the
         Roman insignia was placed.
        A) The insignia was a ring.
        B) This was placed in the clay pack and embedded into it.
        C) Once this clay hardened, the only way to remove the straps was to break these
             seals.  There was no way to keep them in tact.
    5) The penalty for breaking the seal
        A) This seal was placed by the Roman guard as indicated by Matt. 27:62-65
            1) This is the only account that is given of this event happening.
            2) The original Greek indicates that it was the Roman guard that was
                  given to the Jews.
            3) It was the Roman guard that placed the seal on the tomb.
        B) This seal did two things
            1) It was an authenticating device. When the Roman guard unit placed the seal on something and the insignia embedded in it, they put their lives on the line that what they were to protect was there, in this case, the      body of Christ. They put their lives on the line.
            2) The seal was a security symbol in this sense – it represented the power and the might of the Roman Empire. People feared the breaking of that seal, because if that seal was broken every security force of the Roman Empire was thrown into finding that man or men. When they were found, now think of this, they were crucified; those who broke the seal were crucified upside down. And when they were crucified, trumpets      played throughout that city so everyone could be aware of the severe discipline of the Romans when it came to breaking the seal.

V) The Roman Guard
    A Roman Custodian was a sixteen man security unit. Each man was a fighting machine. Each man had usually three to five different weapons on them. They were able to protect six square yards, each individual, against superior force. The sixteen men, in the square of four on each side, were supposed to, and their reputation was, that they could protect that ground from an entire battalion. They were that well trained. In fact, they even used psychological warfare. It describes that they would often have black and purple feathers on these massive helmets. And the black and purple feathers would go up two and a half feet and the reason is, at a distance it made them look twice as big as they really were. And you read the descriptions of their enemies, how just the sight of the Roman Custodian struck fear into a person’s heart. Now I believe that sixteen of these men were placed at the tomb of Jesus Christ. You can find some accounts where four individuals were placed, in other words, one fourth of a Custodian, but there's no indication that is what happened here. Especially when it says, after the resurrection some of the guard unit remained at the tomb and the others went into the city to see the High Priest. I believe that indicates it was a pretty good size, multiple guard units. Now normally the way they were dispensed, the sixteen men, say at the tomb, you would have four units in the group of sixteen. The first unit was awake in a semi-circle in front of what they were to protect. The other twelve with their heads facing in were asleep in a semi-circle in front of them. Then every four hours, with the temple police it was every six hours they changed, with the Roman Custodian, every four hours, they woke up another unit or another unit that was rested took the place immediately in front of what they were protecting.

VI) Conclusion
    1) Based upon the above evidence, we can conclude the following
        A) The body of Jesus was not stolen.
        B) Jesus did not resuscitate and move the bolder and walk away
        C) There could have been no hallucinations by the Roman guard
    2) The only logical conclusion is the fact that God raised Jesus from the dead.                                   

The Divinty of Jesus Christ

The Divinity of Jesus Christ


There are those within the world that make the assertion that Jesus Christ is not God but a created being.  One organization that comes to mind is the cult of the Jehovah Witnesses.  They look at the Christ as being the first being that God created.  He is a lesser god if you will.  These assertions about the Lord are a direct assault upon the nature and character of God.  If their claims are true, than God is a liar and deceiver and should not be worshiped in any type fashion.  Here, I present some arguments to establish the claim that indeed Jesus Christ was and is God.
 
I) His direct claims to Deity
    1) Introduction: Who is Jesus?
        A) Philip Yancey states, “It occurs to me that all the contorted theories about
             Jesus that have been spontaneously generating since the day of His death
             merely confirm the risk God took when He stretched himself out on the
             discussion table-a risk He seemed to welcome.  Examine me, test me,
             you decide.
        B) The writers of scripture invite us to examine this person Jesus for ourselves
             and to conclude for ourselves His significance.  But we cannot focus the
             investigation just on His teachings or works.  First and foremost we must
             focus the investigation on His identity.
        C) Jesus does not fit the mold of any other religious leader.  He does not fit
             the mold because no other religious leader claimed to be God.  Jesus is the
             only one that made this claim and He is the only one who has ever convinced
             a great portion of the world that He was God.
        D) How could a man make others think that He was God?
    2) The Trial
        A) Mark 14:61-64
        B) Lawyers and Judges have examined this trial, their conclusions are as follows
            1) Judge Gaynor, jurist of the New York bench, maintains that it was the
                 crime of blasphemy made against Jesus: “It is plain from each of the
                 gospel narratives, that the alleged crime for which Jesus was tried and
                 convicted was blasphemy:...Jesus had been claiming supernatural
                 power, which in a human being was blasphemy” (John 10:33).
                 His reference was to Jesus making himself God and not to what
                 Jesus said concerning the temple. (Deland, MTJ, 118-19).
            2) A.T. Robertson says “Jesus accepts the challenge and admits that He
                 claims to be all three (the Messiah, the Son of Man, the Son of God).
                 ‘Ye say’ is just a Greek idiom for ‘Yes’ (compare ‘I AM’ in Mark        14:62
                 with ‘Thou hast said’ in Matt. 26:64).” (Robertson, WPNT, 277)
            3) H.B. Swete, in explaining why the high priest tore his garments in reply
                to what Jesus said, “The law forbade the High Priest to rend his garment
                in private troubles (Lev. 10:6; 21:10), but when acting as a judge, he
                was required by custom to express in this way his horror of any
                blasphemy uttered in his presence.  The relief of the embarrassed judge
                is manifest.  If trustworthy evidence was not forthcoming, the necessity
                for it had now been superceded: the Prisoner had incriminated Himself.”
                (Swete, GASM, 339).
            4) Hilarin Felder, “This inspection of the trial of Jesus should be sufficient
                to give us the invincible conviction that the Savior confessed His true
                divinity before His judges.” (Felder, CAC, 299-300).
            5) Craig Blombreg notes, “ Jesus may even be indicting his interrogators
                by this way of phrasing things.  But he does not stop here.  He goes on
                 to add, “and you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of
                 Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven”.  This reply combines
                 allusions to Daniel 7:13 and Psalm 110:1.  In this context, “Son of
                 man” means far more than a simple human being.  Jesus is describing
                 Himself as the “one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of
                 heaven” who “approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his
                 presence” and given authority and power over all humanity, leading
                 to universal worship and everlasting dominion (Dan 7:13-14).  This
                 claim to be far more than a mere mortal is probably what elicited the
                 verdict of blasphemy from the Jewish high court. (Blomberg, JG, 341-
                 43).  It is implied, if not expressly stated, that in Daniels vision this
                 being was enthroned, Jesus linked these two scriptures when the high
                 priest challenged Him to declare His identity.
            6) We can see that this was the testimony that Jesus wanted to bear of
                 Himself.  We can also see that the Jews must have understood exactly
                 what Jesus was implying by their actions.  It was either Jesus was
                 claiming divinity for Himself, which would have been blasphemy,
                 or He was, in fact, God.  His accusers seen this so perfectly that they
                 had Him crucified.
            7) We need to remember that the Jews were not a sect of ignorant
                 people.  They were highly cultured and an intensely religious people.
                 Jesus laid claim to Deity and it was because of this that His death was
                 decreed by the Sanhedrin.

II) Other Claims
    1) Equality with the Father
        A) John 10:25-33
            1) In this account the Jews clearly understood what Jesus’ was claiming.
            2) Their response, just as with the trial, shows us that they fully understood
                 His words.
            3) Of interest, the word ‘one’ comes from the Greek word hen which is
                 neuter and speaks of one essence, not one person.  The Father and the
                 Son share a oneness of divine essence and yet remain two separate and
                 distinct Persons within the Godhead.
            4) From all this it is evident that in the minds of those that heard the
                 statement, there was no doubt that Jesus was claiming before them
                 that He was God. 
            5) Lev. 24:16; states that the punishment for blasphemy was to be stoned.
                 They were prepared to stone Him for His claim.
        B) John 5:17-18
            1) The Jews were angry because of His violation of the Sabbath, but they
                 were furious when He made the claim to equality with the Father.
            2) The Jews did not refer to God as “My Father” If they did, they would
                 qualify the statement with “in heaven”.  However, this Jesus did not do.
                 He made a claim that the Jews could not mistake when He called God
                 “My Father.”  His claim was to a unique relationship.  Just as a human
                 father’s son is fully human, God’s Son must be fully God.
        C) John 8:58
            1) The expression of “Verily, verily” is a double amen.  It is the strongest
                 oath that one can give. 
            2) “I Am” refers to the name of God Himself, (Ex. 3:14).  It is clear that
                 this is no new idea that Jesus is presenting.  The Jews were quite
                 familiar with this concept of God.  Here we find Jesus using this
                 label to identify Himself. 
            3) We can see from the reaction of the Jews that were gathered, verse
                 59 indicates that they took up stones.  This again was in accord with
                 the Old Law (Lev. 24:13-16). In which one found to blaspheme was
                 to be stoned.
            4) Another thought is in the fact that Jesus did not try to clarify His
                 statement in an attempt to make sure that they understood what He
                 was stating.  There was no need to do such, they understood that He
                 was claiming to be God.
        D) John 5:23-24
            1) In the last part of this verse Jesus thrusts a warning at those who
                 accuse Him of blasphemy.  He tells them that by hurling abuse at Him,
                 they are actually hurling it at God, and that it is God who is outraged
                 by their treatment of Jesus.
            2) We also see that Jesus claims the right to be worshiped as God.  From
                 this it follows that to dishonor Jesus is to dishonor God.
        E) Sermon on the mount
            1) Matt. 5:20, 22, 26, 28, 32, 34, 44
            2) In these scriptures, Jesus teaches and speaks in His own name.  By
                 doing so, He elevated the authority of His words directly to heaven.
            3) Instead of repeating the prophets by saying “Thus saith the Lord’,
                 Jesus repeated, “but I say unto you,”.  This puts His words as equal
                 to God’s word (Mark 13:31).
    2) Worshiped as God
        A) Worship is reserved for God alone
            1) To fall down in homage is the greatest act of adoration and worship
                 that can be performed for God (John 4:20-22; Acts 8:27)
            2) John 8:24 states that people must worship God in spirit and truth
            3) Matt. 4:10; God is the only one to whom we can give worship to.
        B) Jesus received worship as God and accepted it.
            1) Matt. 8:2
            2) John 9:35-39
            3) Matt. 14:33
            4) John 20:27-29
        C) Others would not accept worship
            1) Acts 10:25-26
            2) Rev. 19:10
        D) As we can see, Jesus was and accepted worship from others as if He were
             God. 
    3) Comparison of titles given
    Of Jehovah God        Mutual Title        Of Jesus
    Is. 40:28                   Creator               John 1:3
    Is. 45:22; 43:11        Savior                 John 4:42
    I Sam. 2:6                 Raise dead         John 5:21
    Joel 3:12                   Judge                 John 5:27
    Is. 60:19-20              Light                  John 8:12
    Ex. 3:14                    I Am                  John 8:58
    Ps. 23:1                    Shepherd           John 10:11
    Is. 42:8                     Glory of God     John 17:1,5
    Is. 41:4; 44:6            First and last       Rev. 1:17; 2:8
    Hosea 13:14             Redeemer          Rev. 5:9
    Is. 62:5                     Bridegroom       Matt. 25:1
    Ps. 18:2                    Rock                 I Cor. 10:4
    Jer. 31:34                 Forgiver of sins    Mark 2:7,10
    Ps. 148:2                 Worshiped by Angels    Heb. 1:6
    Throughout OT        Addressed in prayer    Acts 7:59
    Ps. 148:5                 Creator of angels    Col. 1:16
    Is. 45:23                  Confessed as God    Phil 2:11

III) Support of Deity: The Great Proposition
    1) If God became a man, what would we expect from Him?
        A) He would have an utterly unique entrance into the world
        B) He would be without sin
        C) He would manifest His supernatural presence in the form of supernatural
             acts: miracles
        D) He would speak the greatest words ever spoken
        E) He would have a lasting and universal influence
        F) He would satisfy the spiritual hunger in humanity                                                                     
    2) It is only in Jesus that we can find all 8 of these propositions clearly in His person.
    3) Examination of propositions
        A) Entrance into the world
            1) Every man woman and child have been conceived through natural
                 processes.  That is the union of the male sperm and the female egg.
                 This is not so of Jesus.  He was conceived while His mother was yet
                 a virgin.  He had no earthly biological father.
            2) The Bible gives the testimony of the virgin birth.  The main body
                 of evidence is in the accounts of Matt. And Luke.  However, the OT
                 did predict the Messiah’s unique conception hundreds of years before
                 the event.  Is. 7:14 and Gen 3:15.
            3) Gen 3:14
                a) This is the first prophecy of the coming Messiah that is recorded
                     in the scriptures.  Here God promises that it would be the
                     seed of WOMAN that would bruise the head of the serpent.
                b) It is clear from the text that the Savior would come from a
                     virgin.  It is stated from the seed of woman and not of man.
                       The distinction seems to be purposeful in nature.  If He were
                     to be conceived in a purely natural way the term man would
                     have been used.  Yet the seed of woman eliminates this
                     possibility.
            4) Is. 7:14
                a) This is a much clearer prophecy of the Saviors entrance into the
                     world.  It states that a virgin will conceive and bear a child.
                     That child was to be the Messiah, Immanuel, God with us.
                b) There has been much confusion as to the correct meaning of
                     Almah, which is the word that is translated virgin.
                c) I believe that this is really a none issue for our study.  We can
                     return to it in the future.  I can say this that the word is correctly
                     translated virgin.
            5) It is obvious that Jesus is the only one in history that has had such a
                 unique entrance into the world.  No other person has come in such a
                 fashion.
        B) Without sin
            1) It is admitted by all that God cannot sin.  It goes against His divine
                 nature.  This is the only reason that people will be in the eternal
                 Gehenna. 
            2) Therefore, if Jesus is God, we would expect for Him to be without
                 sin.
            3) Jesus view of Himself
                a) John 8:46; “Which of you convinceth me of sin?”  When He
                     asked this question, He got no answer.  He invited them to
                     accuse Him and was found innocent.  Jesus was the only one
                     who could encourage such public examination since He was
                     without sin.
                b) John 8:29; “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath
                     not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.”
                     Jesus lived in unbroken communion with God.
                c) We are told of the temptation of Jesus in Matt. 4 and Luke 4 but
                     we are never informed of His sin.  We never hear Him
                     confessing or asking for forgiveness, yet He tells His disciples
                     to do so.  He had no sense of quilt that accompanies a sin
                     nature as with us.
            4) Views of others
                a) 1 Peter 1:19
                b) 1 Peter 2:22
                c) 1 John 3:5
                d) Luke 23:41
                e) Luke 23:14
                f) Luke 23:22
                g) Luke 23:47
        C) Supernatural acts-miracles
            1) If Jesus were God, He would have control over all of the physical
                 elements.  We would expect for Him to be able to do miracles.
            2) Recorded miracles of physical healing
                a) Matt. 8:2-4 lepers
                b) Matt. 9:2-8; paralytic
                c) Matt. 8:14-17; Peters mother-in-law
                d) John 4:46-53; a son
                e) John 5:1-9; physical infirmity
            3) Miracles in the natural realm
                a) John 2:1-11; water into wine
                b) Matt. 8:23-27; stilling of a storm
                c) Luke 5:1-11; catching of fish
                d) Matt. 14:22,23; walking on water
                e) Matt. 21:18-22; withering of the fig tree
            4) Miracles of raising the dead
                a) Matt. 9:18-26; Jairus’s daughter
                b) Luke 7:11-15; widow’s son
                c) John 11:38-44; Lazarus
        D) Greatest and most important words
            1) If Jesus was God we would expect for His words to be true, forceful,
                 and everlasting. 
            2) True
                a) John 8:31-32; Jesus proclaims that His word is truth.  This claim
                     of Jesus can be supported in many ways.
                b) The sermon on the mount is a great example of this.  Here He
                     shows how man is to live his life.  It has been said that if all of
                     mankind were to live by His words, we would have peace of
                     earth.  This can be said of no other person.  Neither Plato,
                     Socrates, Aristotle, Buda, Confucius, or Mohamed has
                     spoken in such a way.
                c) Jesus spoke of the true intents of the hearts of those to who he
                     came.  John 4:6-29; Matt. 23:13-36; Matt. 15:1-9
                d) In Matt. 24 Jesus speaks the truth as to the destruction of the
                     temple and warns those who would listen to Him to leave
                     as quickly as possible.  We learn from history that this happened
                     and those who understood His words fled from the city just
                     before it happened.
            3) Forceful
                a) Heb. 4:12
                    1) The writer states that it is the Word of God that has
                         these attributes.
                    2) It is powerful
                    3) It can divide the soul and spirit
                    4) It can discern the thoughts and intents of the heart
                b) James 1:19-27
                    1) It is the Word of God that is able to save the soul
                    2) The Word of God is the perfect law of liberty
                    3) It is through God’s word that we are able to see who
                         we really are in the sight of God.
                c) John 16:7-11
                    1) Jesus here makes the claim that the Comforter (which
                         is the Holy Spirit) will reprove the world of sin.  Just
                         how will this be accomplished?
                    2) Verses 13-15 show us the process of transmission from
                         the Father to the Son to the Holy Spirit to the apostles
                         In this way we see that it is through the apostles
                         teachings that this would be accomplished.  It was
                         through the words of the apostles that this happens
                         (Acts 2:14-47)
                d) With this we can make the claim that the Word of God is
                     indeed powerful.  It is the most powerful force on earth.
                e) It has the power and force to transform the lives of those who
                     hear and accept it.
                f) Does the words of Jesus have the same effect?
                    1) The disciples
                    2) Women at the well (John 4:1-29)
                    3) Samaritans (John 4:39-42)
                    4) Woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-9)
        E) Lasting and universal influence
            1) No new ethical teachings have been given in spite of all the progress
                 of thought.
            2) He never wrote a book, yet there are volumes of books that have been
                 written about Him.
            3) He never founded a college, yet if we put all the students of all the
                 schools together, it cannot boast as having as many students.
            4) He never amassed an army, drafted a soldier, yet no other leader
                 in history has had more volunteers.
            5) He was not a psychiatrist, yet He has healed more hearts than all
                 combined.
            6) Today, His word is still the best selling book.
            7) Medical institutions have been established in His name all over the
                 world.
        F) Satisfy the spiritual hunger of humanity
            1) It is inescapable, man has a desire to worship something
            2) This is well documented throughout history.
                a) Roman gods
                b) Greek gods
                c) Norse gods
                d) Mother nature
                e) Satan
                   f) Pyramids of Mexico
                g) Shrines in India
                h) Animals
            3) It seems to be hard wired into man to worship something that is
                 greater than himself.
            4) We would expect for God to satisfy this desire.  If so then does Jesus
                 accomplish this?
            5) Of course He does.  It can be shown inquiring anyone who worships
                 Him.
            6) The difference is in the fact that He fills this void in mankind unlike
                 any other.
                a) He gives us peace of mind and heart in this life which no
                    other source can.  In all other types of worship, this cannot
                                           be said.  In the list above, we see that most of these gods
                     never could impart this to the people.
                b) Look to your own selves.
        G) In all of these items, we find that it is Christ and Christ alone that fits. 
             Therefore we can make the claim that He is God.

IV) Conclusion
    1) Jesus made the claim that He is God
    2) Others also made the claim
    3) The evidence from scripture supports this claim without contradiction.
    4) The things that we would expect of God have been shown in Christ   
    5) We have no remaining conclusion to make except to conclude that He is God.