Bart Ehrman's Misquoting Jesus on 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Recently I've been reading through the book Misquoting Jesus by Bart D. Ehrman. For the most part, it's an interesting read. Not that I agree with it—I don't. But from the standpoint of textual criticism, I wanted to see what arguments he uses against the Scriptures so that I can better defend the Christian faith against those who don't believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God. 

   
One of the things that caught my attention early on as I read through the book was that ironically, Ehrman is guilty of Misquoting Jesus on 1 Corinthians 15:3-4! I kind of couldn't believe it because it was such an obvious misquotation, but there it was, plain as day. Here's the full quote:

"It is not clear how much Paul used scripture (i.e., the writings of the Jewish Bible) in trying to persuade his potential converts of the truth of his message; but in one of his key summaries of his preaching he indicates that what he preached was that 'Christ died, in accordance with the scriptures . . . and that he was raised, in accordance with the scriptures' (I Cor. 15:3-4). Evidently Paul correlated the events of Christ's death and resurrection with his interpretation of key passages of the Jewish Bible, which he, as a highly educated Jew, obviously could read for himself, and which he interpreted for his hearers in an often successful attempt to convert them."[1]

   
Yes, the apostle Paul could obviously read for himself. And so can I, thank God. And when I read 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 in God's Word it doesn't read the way Ehrman has misquoted it. Now I'm not saying it's a misquote because of the ellipsis, no problem there really. But check out what Ehrman blatantly removed from the text. Paul doesn't merely say "Christ died, in accordance with the scriptures" but rather, "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3). And similarly, Paul doesn't merely say "that he was raised, in accordance with the scriptures" but rather, "that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:4).

Insignificant, you might think.  Really?

Who else misquoted the Scriptures? The devil![2]

In contrast to Bart Ehrman, notice how Irenaeus quoted 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. In his book Against Heresies, Irenaeus quotes the passage accurately: "He [Christ] was likewise preached by Paul: 'For I delivered,' he says, 'unto you first of all, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures.'"[3]

Addendum:

How is Bart Ehrman "Misquoting Jesus on 1 Corinthians 15:3-4" if the apostle Paul is the one who wrote it? The answer is because Paul says he received his gospel (1 Cor. 15:3ff) directly from Jesus! (See Galatians 1:11-12.)

ENDNOTES:

[1] Bart Ehrman, Misquoting Jesus (New York: HarperCollins, 2005), p. 21, ellipsis his. Note: This is the hardcover edition without the appendix.

[2] In Luke 4:9-11, the devil misquoted Psalm 91:11-12.

[3] Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book III. See The Ante-Nicene Fathers.

No Tampering with the Gospel!

"To tamper with the gospel is to trouble the Church....Indeed, the Church's greatest troublemakers (now as then) are not those outside who oppose, ridicule and persecute it, but those inside who try to change the gospel....Conversely, the only way to be a good churchman is to be a good gospel-man. The best way to serve the Church is to believe and to preach the gospel."  (John Stott, The Message of Galatians [Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1968], "The Bible Speaks Today.")

A Biblical Definition of Lordship Salvation

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).

A few years ago I was involved in a brief discussion on the topic of Lordship Salvation, and I will include my comments here in order to elaborate more on the subject of this post. 

   
In an Amazon discussion started April 4, 2012 by Steven R. Cook and titled "Lordship Salvation or Free Grace Salvation?", Mr. Cook posted a comment which he subsequently deleted. But before he deleted it, I responded to it and said:

Steven,

You said: "Lordship Sanctification is biblical, Lordship Salvation is not."

Don't let the non Free Grace position define the terms. We DO believe that Lordship Salvation is biblical in the sense that one must "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved" (Acts 16:31). The question in the debate is not whether or not the Savior is Lord (We all agree that He is!). The question in the debate is whether or not a person has to submit / commit / surrender / forsake / promise / etc. to "the Lord Jesus Christ" in order to be eternally saved? The Free Grace position says "no"; the non Free Grace position says "yes".

I don't know if I'll be able to get back to this discussion, but I think this point is important to make.

In a follow up comment I added this:

I might add that Dr. Charlie Bing has written an excellent explanation of Acts 16:30-31 from a Free Grace perspective - making the same basic point as I've made. See: Charlie Bing, Lordship Salvation (Xulon [Press], 2010), pp. 108-110 [where he says in part: "The acclamation of Jesus as Lord is an acclamation of His sovereign position as God over all and not a demand for individual submission. The objective truth must be distinguished from the subjective requirement" (p. 109)].

Justification By Faith Alone - 250 Bible Verses

Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer has pointed out in his Systematic Theology that "upwards of 150 passages of Scripture condition salvation upon believing only (cf. Jn. 3:16; Acts 16:31)."¹ It was probably about twenty years ago when I first read this statement, and I wanted to compile these Bible verses for myself. So I set about to study the Scriptures and compile a list of Bible verses in which the noun "faith" (Greek pistis) and the verb "believe" (pisteuo) are given as the sole condition for salvation.

   
This study does not answer the question "What is the Gospel?"² Nor does it answer the question "What is faith?"³ This study simply lists each occurrence of the words "faith" and "believe" (at least that I could find) when they occur or are given as the one and only condition for salvation in the New Testament. I specifically checked for a salvation context and only included these words in my list if the context had to do with salvation (specifically justification). And in the context of salvation, "faith" or "believe" had to be the only condition for salvation.

   
The list of Bible verses actually took a lot of time to compile. It was a long process because it's not simply a list from a concordance. Of course, I did use a concordance as a starting point, but as I said, I specifically checked the occurrence of each word for a salvation context. Additionally, the words "faith"/"believe" had to be listed as the only condition for salvation (as opposed to, for example, "believe and follow," "believe and forsake all," "believe and promise," "believe and confess," "believe and put Jesus on the throne of your life," "believe and make Jesus Lord of every area of your life," etc.). Furthermore, I also checked for other English words besides "faith" and "believe" to see if they used the same Greek words pistis and pisteuo, because these Greek words are not always translated as "faith" and "believe" in the New Testament. What's more, I also compared my list with other similar lists such as the ones by Lewis Sperry Chafer and J. B. Hixson. 

   
So these are the occurrences of the words "faith" and "believe" specifically in a salvation context and when either the one or the other word is given as the only condition for salvation.

Justification By Faith Alone

The Bible overwhelmingly testifies to the fact that faith is the sole condition for salvation—for one to be justified before God. The noun "faith" (Greek pistis) is the one condition for salvation approximately 70 times in the New Testament. The verb "believe" (Greek pisteuo), which is but a synonym of faith, is the only condition for salvation approximately 180 times in the New Testament. Altogether, 250 times in the New Testament justification is based solely upon a person's faith or belief in Jesus Christ as Savior.

The noun "faith" (pistis) is the only condition for salvation in the following passages:⁴

Matthew 9:2

Mark 2:5, 10:52

Luke 5:20, 7:50, 18:42

Acts 3:16, 15:9, 26:18

Romans 1:17, 3:22, 3:25, 3:26, 3:27, 3:28, 3:30, 3:30, 3:31, 4:5, 4:9, 4:11, 4:13, 4:14, 4:16, 5:1, 5:2, 9:30, 9:32, 10:6, 10:17, 11:20

1 Corinthians 15:14, 15:17

Galatians 2:16, 2:16, 2:20, 3:2, 3:5, 3:7, 3:8, 3:9, 3:11, 3:12, 3:14, 3:22, 3:23, 3:23, 3:24, 3:25, 3:26, 5:5, 6:10

Ephesians 1:15, 2:8, 3:12, 3:17

Philippians 3:9, 3:9

Colossians 1:4, 2:12

2 Thessalonians 2:13, 3:2

2 Timothy 3:15

Hebrews 11:6, 11:7, 12:2

1 Peter 1:5

The verb "believe" (pisteuo) is the only condition for salvation in the following passages:⁵

Matthew 27:42

Mark 5:36, 15:32

Luke 8:12, 22:67

John 1:7, 1:12, 1:50, 2:11, 2:23, 3:15, 3:16, 3:18, 3:18, 3:36, 3:36, 4:21, 4:39, 4:41, 4:42, 4:48, 4:50, 4:53, 5:24, 5:38, 5:44, 5:46, 5:47, 5:47, 6:29, 6:30, 6:35, 6:36, 6:40, 6:47, 6:64, 6:69, 7:5, 7:31, 7:38, 7:39, 7:48, 8:24, 8:30, 8:31, 8:45, 8:46, 9:18, 9:35, 9:36, 9:38, 10:25, 10:26, 10:37, 10:38, 10:38, 10:38, 10:42, 11:15, 11:25, 11:26, 11:26, 11:27, 11:40, 11:42, 11:45, 11:48, 12:11, 12:36, 12:37, 12:38, 12:42, 12:44, 12:46, 12:47, 13:19, 14:1, 14:10, 14:11, 14:11, 14:12, 14:29, 16:9, 16:27, 16:30, 16:31, 17:8, 17:20, 17:21, 19:35, 20:8, 20:25, 20:29, 20:29, 20:31, 20:31

Acts 5:15, 8:37, 8:37, 9:42, 10:43, 11:17, 11:21, 13:12, 13:39, 13:48, 14:1, 14:23, 15:5, 15:7, 15:11, 16:31, 16:34, 17:12, 17:34, 18:8, 18:8, 18:27, 19:2, 19:4, 21:20, 21:25, 22:19

Romans 1:16, 3:3, 3:22, 4:3, 4:5, 4:11, 4:17, 4:18, 4:24, 6:8, 9:33, 10:4, 10:11, 10:14, 10:14, 10:16, 13:11

1 Corinthians 1:21, 3:5, 14:22, 14:22, 15:2, 15:11

2 Corinthians 4:4, 4:13

Galatians 2:16, 3:6, 3:22

Ephesians 1:13, 1:19

Philippians 1:29

1 Thessalonians 1:7, 2:10, 2:13, 4:14

2 Thessalonians 1:10, 2:11, 2:12

1 Timothy 1:16, 3:16, 4:3 (Greek pistos), 1 Tim. 4:10 (Greek pistos)

2 Timothy 1:12

Titus 3:8

Hebrews 4:3, 11:6

James 2:23

1 Peter 1:8, 1:21, 2:6, 2:7

1 John 4:16, 5:1, 5:5, 5:10, 5:10, 5:10, 5:13, 5:13

Jude 5

ENDNOTES:

¹ Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, 8 Vols., Vol. 7, pp. 265-266. Elsewhere Chafer writes: "Upwards of 115 New Testament passages condition salvation on believing, and fully 35 passages condition salvation on faith, which latter word in this use of it is an exact synonym of the former. These portions of Scripture, totaling about 150 in all, include practically all that the New Testament declares on the matter of the human responsibility in salvation". (Chafer, Systematic Theology, 8 Vols., Vol. 3, p. 376.) Chafer goes on to write: "In the preceding pages it is also pointed out that the New Testament declares directly and without complication in at least 150 passages that men are saved upon the sole principle of faith; and, in this connection, it has been demonstrated that it is not a matter of believing and repenting [i.e. believing and repenting are "two sides of the same coin" so to speak], of believing and confessing Christ, of believing and being baptized, of believing and surrender to God, of believing and confessing sin, or of believing and pleading with God for salvation, but it is believing alone. Such belief is apart from works (Rom. 4:5), it is a committal of one's self to Christ (2 Tim. 1:12), and it is a definite turning [i.e. repenting]—an act of the will—to God from every other confidence (1 Thess. 1:9)." (Chafer, Systematic Theology, 8 Vols., Vol. 3, pp. 392-393.)
     

² See 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 for the definition of the Gospel.

³ See Hebrews 11:1 for the definition of faith.

⁴ If a Scripture reference is repeated twice in a list it means that there are two occurrences of the word "faith" in that verse.

⁵ If a Scripture reference is repeated two or three times in a list it means that there are two or three occurrences of the word "believe" in that verse.

Two Greek Words for "Temple" in the New Testament

While the Greek words ieron and naos are both translated "temple" in the New Testament, what's the difference, if any, between these two terms? Here's what I found when I researched the answer to this question:

Richard Trench in his classic book Synonyms of the New Testament writes that ieron refers to "the whole compass of the sacred enclosure, the temenos [i.e. a piece of land marked off from common use and assigned as an official domain, especially to a king, chief, or god], including the outer courts, the porches, porticoes, and other buildings subordinated to the temple itself". In distinction to this, Trench says that naos signifies "the proper habitation of God...the oikos tou theou...[it] is the temple itself, that by especial right so called, being the heart and centre of the whole; the Holy, and the Holy of Holies...'temple' in its more limited and auguster sense."¹

J. H. Thayer in his Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament says that ieron has reference to "the whole temple, the entire consecrated enclosure", while the word naos is "used of the temple at Jerusalem, but only of the sacred edifice (or sanctuary itself), consisting of the Holy place and the Holy of holies".²

And Moulton and Milligan, in The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament, write that "the word [naos] is apparently to be distinguished from the wider and more general ieron, 'the temple precincts'...naos, which in both LXX and NT is applied to the temple at Jerusalem".³

So to put it simply, I would say that while ieron refers to "the temple precincts" (as noted above), naos refers to the temple proper.

ENDNOTES:

¹ Richard Chenevix Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1958), pp. 10-12.

² Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House Co., 1977), p. 422.

³ J. H. Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1972), p. 422.

A Tribute to Rev. Cyrus Nichols: The "Missionary Herald"

Rev. Cyrus Nichols

On this 4th of July, I thought it might be appropriate to post a tribute to my great-great-great-grandfather, Cyrus Nichols. He was a pioneer missionary who fought for freedom against slavery in the years leading up to the Civil War. He also preached the gospel in Wisconsin for 40 years and established two churches that are still there today. Please enjoy reading this tribute to the Reverend Cyrus Nichols, "a good soldier of Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 2:3):

     "Rev. Cyrus Nichols was born Oct. 31, 1799 in Reading, Massachusetts [about 10 miles north of Boston], and was one of a family of ten children. His parents were in humble circumstances, but all their children were given a good education, and four out of six boys went through college. In early manhood there came upon him that change of heart which is spoken of as being born of the Spirit. He united with the Congregational Church at Newburyport, Massachusetts. There he heard in his soul a call to preach the Gospel. In order to prepare himself for this work, he entered Williams College in 1823, and in that training school of great and good men grew in intellectual stature. He supported himself to a considerable extent during his college years by teaching, and after four years of hard work graduated with honor in 1827. He then took a three years' course in the Theological Seminary at Auburn, New York, graduating in the spring of 1830. He was ordained to the Gospel ministry by the First Genesee Consociation and licensed to preach June 1, 1830.

     Exercising that wisdom for which most young clergymen are distinguished, soon after completing his studies he sought and found a companion for his life work, and was united in the sacrament of marriage, to Miss Dolly D. Hurlbut, on the 25th of July, 1830, at Hoosich Falls, New York, in a Presbyterian Church. Miss Hurlbut was a sister of Sidney S. Hurlbut, who afterward removed to Racine and became a prominent and successful manufacturer of wagon brakes.

     Having been appointed a home missionary by the Connecticut Missionary Society, he started West on the 1st day of September, 1830, his destination being the new State of Missouri. It took two months by stage and boat to make the journey. Finally, after many trials, tribulations and accidents, he reached his journey's end and settled in Palmyra, Missouri, a frontier town, where he remained, sowing the good seed of the Kingdom, and carrying forward the home missionary work in establishing churches and Sunday schools. Twice during his labors in Missouri he visited the East to raise funds for the establishment of a College at Philadelphia Mission, to be known as Marion College. During his second visit East, the feeling against Northern men with Abolition sentiments became so violent that all Northerners were driven from the State, and Mr. Nichols did not dare to return even to remove his household goods. These goods, however, were afterward sent to him, but were not all received.

     The Territory of Wisconsin in the far Northwest was then attracting attention, and hither this young missionary came, and on the first Sabbath in September, 1836, he preached the first sermon delivered in Racine, taking as his text the 17th verse of the 51st Psalm. Here he continued to labor as a home missionary, preaching at first once a month and afterward on alternate Sabbaths, until January, 1839, when the First Presbyterian Church of Racine was organized, chiefly through his efforts. He therefore stands forth like John the Baptist of old. "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight." [Isa. 40:3; Jn. 1:23.]

     Shortly after organizing this church Mr. Nichols removed to Prairie Village, now known as Waukesha. While serving the church in Racine and afterward he preached at Spring Prairie, Port Washington, Pike's Grove (now Somers), Caledonia Center, and other places. He was well known in those early years throughout all southern Wisconsin as the "Missionary Herald." Later in life he bought a farm of forty acres in Caledonia, on the Milwaukee Road, to secure a permanent home for his family. There he spent his declining years in the enjoyment of a country home. In 1880 he sold his farm and bought a residence on Prospect Street, in Racine, and with the benediction of an honorable and useful life he fell asleep Saturday, Feb. 10, 1883, aged eighty-three years, three months, ten days. The funeral was held in the Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, Feb. 13, and the funeral sermon was preached by Rev. Clarendon A. Stone, of the Congregational Church, and his remains rest in Mound Cemetery. His wife died Jan. 30, 1895, and was buried also from this church, of which she was member, Feb. 2nd, Rev. Charles S. Nickerson officiating. There are eight children surviving him, ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, all useful, highly respected and greatly esteemed in their respective walks of life. His third son, George Calvin Nichols, and his family are members of this church, and his grandson, George Sidney Nichols, often serves as usher.

     Mr. Nichols was an active man. He led a strenuous life. It required courage, zeal and unfaltering devotion of heart to be a missionary in those early days in this frontier settlement. The martyr spirit burned in his breast and wrought itself into the lineaments of his face. He was tall, spare, and sturdy, a fine specimen of a New England man in build and manner. His portrait, kindly presented to this church by his children, and adorned the Sunday-school room, has been thought to resemble the great poet, Whittier. Love for truth, love for humanity and love for the Lord Christ were the controlling forces that wrought in his life and work. Thus his spirit of faith, of sacrifice, of patience and of hope entered into the organization of this church in 1839, and by it he, being dead, yet speaketh. [Heb. 11:4, KJV.]"¹

Cyrus and Dolly Nichols
(circa 1830)

Cyrus and Dolly Nichols
(circa 1830)

Cyrus Nichols
(circa 1850)

Cyrus Nichols
(circa 1875)

To read a missionary report written in 1837 by Rev. Cyrus Nichols to the American Home Missionary Society, click here.

References:

¹ Commemorative Biographical Record of Prominent and Representative Men of Racine and Kenosha Counties Wisconsin (Chicago: J. H. Beers and Co., 1906), pp. 620-625. For more information see: Williams Biographical Annals (Boston: Lee and Shephard Publishers, 1871),  pp. 437-438. 

Tremendous Truths Concerning Christ's Burial

The burial of Christ has profound significance that is often overlooked. For example, Tom Stegall of Duluth Bible Church admits that the "burial of Christ is important for a variety of reasons"[1] — yet he only cites one importance and goes on to conclude that it's not even part of the Gospel! Such disregard for the Savior's burial is unfortunate. Theologian Lewis Sperry Chafer writes in his Systematic Theology: 

"Special significance is rightfully attached to the fact that as often as three times, when relating the saving events through which Christ passed, the Scriptures include His burial....Regardless of disclosure, too little emphasis has been given this subject by theologians."[2]

   
The student of Scripture who is to be commended and "approved" (2 Tim. 2:15) would do well to consider the following tremendous truths concerning Christ's burial:

1.) The burial of Christ is important in fulfilling Old Testament prophecy (Deut. 21:22-23; Psa. 16:9-11, Psa. 22:15; Psa. 40:2; Isa. 53:9).

2.) The burial of Christ is important in fulfilling Old Testament types. What are Old Testament types you may ask? The Old Testament types are the "picture language" in which the doctrines of the New Testament are prefigured. It has been said that, "The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed." Jesus said that the Old Testament Scriptures bear witness to Him (Jn. 5:39; cf. Lk. 24:25-27; Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11). What are some pictures of Christ's burial in the Old Testament? Consider the following examples:

• Noah in the ark (Gen. 6-8)
• Joseph in the pit (Gen. 37:18-28)
• Israel going through the Red Sea (Exodus 14)
• The scapegoat in the wilderness (Lev. 16:8-10, 26; cf. Jn. 1:29)
• The High Priest's staff laid in the tabernacle (Num. 17:1-11; cf. Heb. 5:1-5)
• Israel crossing the Jordan River and the twelve memorial stones (Joshua 4)
• David in the cave of Adullam (1 Sam. 22:1; 1 Chron. 11:15; cf. Micah 1:15)
• The Israelite in another man's grave (2 Kings 13:20-21; cf. Lk. 24:5-7)
• King Hezekiah's sickness and recovery (2 Kings 20)
• Daniel in the lion's den (Daniel 6)
• Jonah in the huge fish (Jonah 1:17, 2:10; cf. Matt. 12:38-40; Lk. 11:29-32)
• Lazarus in the tomb (John 11)

3.) The burial of Christ is important in fulfilling the Old Testament concept of death and resurrection from the grave (Gen. 3:19; Deut. 21:22-23; Psa. 22:15; Eccl. 3:20; Isa. 26:19, 53:9; Dan. 12:2; Jn. 5:28, 12:23-24, 16:16-22; Acts 2:22-32, 13:26-37; 1 Cor. 15:4).

4.) The burial of Christ is important in providing continuity between His physical death and bodily resurrection (1 Cor. 15:3-5, 35-44).

5.) The burial of Christ is important in proving the reality of His physical death and bodily resurrection (Matt. 12:39-40, 27:57-66; Jn. 12:23-24; 1 Cor. 15:3-5).

6.) The burial of Christ is important in fulfilling all righteousness (Isa. 53:9; Matt. 3:15; 1 Cor. 15:4).

7.) The burial of Christ is important in highlighting His humanity (Jn. 12:23-24; Acts 13:26-41; 1 Cor. 15:3-5, 20).

8.) The burial of Christ is important in completing His humiliation (Matt. 12:39-40; Jn. 12:23-24; 1 Cor. 15:43; Eph. 4:8-10).

9.) The burial of Christ is important in His identity as the Last Adam (Gen. 3:19; Psa. 22:15; Jn. 12:24; Rom. 5:14; 1 Cor. 15:20-22, 42-45).

10.) The burial of Christ is important in His identity as the Messiah (Isa. 53:9; Matt. 12:38-42; Acts 2:22-36, 13:23-37; 1 Cor. 15:3-5).

11.) The burial of Christ is important in His identity as the firstborn from the dead (Isa. 26:19; Jn. 16:16-22; Acts 2:24, 13:29, 33; Col. 1:18; Heb. 12:22-23; Rev. 1:5).

12.) The burial of Christ is important in His identity as the begotten Son of God (Psa. 2:7; Acts 13:29, 33; Heb. 1:5, 5:5).

13.) The burial of Christ is important in highlighting His sinlessness (Isa. 53:1, 9; Rom. 1:1-2, 10:16).

14.) The burial of Christ is important in making all things new (Isa. 53:9; Matt. 27:57-60; Lk. 23:53; Jn. 19:41-42; Rev. 21:5-6).

15.) The burial of Christ is important in refuting Gnostic type heresies and human philosophies (1 Cor. 15:3-5; Col. 2:8-12).

16.) The burial of Christ is important in order for Him to conquer death (Hosea 13:13-14; Acts 2:24-31; 13:29-37; 1 Cor. 15:3-5, 36, 54-57; Rev. 1:8).

17.) The burial of Christ is important in "the reverberating witness of the empty tomb" (Matt. 27:57-28:10; Mk. 15:42-16:7; Lk. 23:50-24:49; Jn. 19:31-20:31; Acts 2:22-32, 13:29-30; 1 Cor. 15:3-5).

18.) The burial of Christ is important in emphasizing the power of His resurrection (Acts 2:24; Rom. 1:4; 1 Cor. 15:43).

19.) The burial of Christ is important in His resurrection on the third day (Matt. 12:38-42, 27:57-66; Acts 10:40; 1 Cor. 15:4).

20.) The burial of Christ is important in order for Him to be the first fruits (Matt. 27:52-54; 1 Cor. 15:3-5, 20-23, 35-44). 

21.) The burial of Christ is important in order for Him to bear much fruit (Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:2, 13; Matt. 27:52-53; Jn. 5:25-29, 12:23-24; 1 Cor. 15:3-5, 20-23, 35-45; Heb. 12:22-23). Commenting on Matthew 27:52, Dr. C. I. Scofield affirms: 

"That these bodies returned to their graves is not said and may not be inferred. The wave-sheaf (Lev. 23.10-12) typifies the resurrection of Christ, but a sheaf implies plurality. It was a single 'corn of wheat' that fell into the ground in the crucifixion and entombment of Christ (John 12.24); it was a sheaf which came forth in resurrection. The inference is that these saints, with the spirits of 'just men made perfect' (Heb. 12.23) from Paradise, went with Jesus (Eph. 4.8-10) into heaven." (Scofield, The Scofield Reference Bible [New York: Oxford University Press, 1917], p. 1042.)

22.) The burial of Christ is important in demonstrating that His sacrifice on the cross had ended; i.e. Christ was taken down off the cross and buried as the Scriptures required (Deut. 21:22-23; Gal. 3:13).

23.) The burial of Christ is important in picturing sin's complete removal out of sight (Lev. 16:8, 10, 26; Psa. 103:12; Micah 7:19; Matt. 12:39-40; Jn. 1:29).

24.) The burial of Christ is important in revealing God's saving power (Isa. 53:1, 9; Rom. 1:1-2, 1:16, 10:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-5).

25.) The burial of Christ is important when witnessing to sinners (Isa. 53:1-12; Matt. 12:39-40, 26:1-13; Acts 2:22-32, 13:26-41; Rom. 10:16; 1 Cor. 1:17, 15:4).

26.) The burial of Christ is important in the Gospel (Isa. 53:1-12; Matt. 26:1-13, 27:57-66; Mk. 15:42-47; Lk. 23:50-56; Jn. 19:31-42; Acts 2:22-32; 13:26-41; Rom. 10:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-5).

27.) The burial of Christ is important in providing eternal salvation (Isa. 53:1-12; Jonah 2:9-10; Matt. 12:39-42; Jn. 12:23-24; Acts 2:22-32, 13:26-41; Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-5).

28.) The burial of Christ important to believe in order to receive forgiveness of sins (Isa. 53:1, 9; Matt. 12:39-42; Acts 13:26-41; Rom. 1:16, 10:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-5).

29.) The burial of Christ is important in the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 6:3-4, 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Col. 2:12).

30.) The burial of Christ is important in a believer's water baptism by immersion as a public testimony of identification with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection, and manifestation (Acts 8:36-39; cf. 1 Cor. 15:3-5).

31.) The burial of Christ is important in the believer's sanctification (Rom. 6:3-4; 1 Cor. 15:2; Col. 2:9-12).[3]

32.) The burial of Christ is important so that Jesus is not dishonored (Gen. 23:4, 25:9; Deut. 10:6, 21:22-23, 28:26, 34:6; 2 Sam. 21:10-14; 1 Kings 14:10-14, 16:4; 2 Kings 9:34-37; Psa. 79:1-4; Eccl. 6:3; Isa. 53:9; Jer. 7:33, 8:1-2, 16:4, 6, 22:19; Ezek. 29:5; Rev. 11:9).

33.) The burial of Christ is important in honoring Him (Matt. 26:1-13; Jn. 19:38-42).

ENDNOTES:

[1] Thomas L. Stegall, "Proposed Change" to the Word of Grace Bible Church doctrinal statement on the "SOLE CONDITION FOR SALVATION" (circa 2007).

[2] Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, 8 Volumes (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1976), Vol. 7, pages 63-64.

[3] Although I don't agree with his interpretation of the Gospel, Pastor Dennis Rokser of Duluth Bible Church is correct to point out: "The Gospel offers the good news of SALVATION to us. (1 Cor. 15:2a)...by which also you are saved...The present tense of 'saved' may be viewed in two possible ways. First, Paul may be communicating that these Corinthians via the Gospel were being presently saved from the POWER OF SIN in their Christian lives as long as they remained steadfast to the Gospel, just like they had been saved from the PENALTY OF SIN (Hell) when they had trusted in Christ. In other words, the Gospel they had received would continue to have saving effects from spiritual damage upon their lives 'if you hold fast the word which I preached to you.' In the second view, the apostle may be indicating that the Gospel continues to bear fruit in Corinth by various [unsaved] sinners continuing to receive it, and as a result being 'saved'. Both views are presented by Dr. S. Lewis Johnson in his comments on 1 Corinthians in The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 1255." (Rokser, Let's Preach the Gospel [Duluth: Duluth Bible Church], p. 23.) The comment of Dr. S. Lewis Johnson on 1 Corinthians 15:2 is as follows: "Ye are saved (Gr., present tense) may refer to continual salvation from the power of sin in the lives of believers, or it may refer to the day-by-day salvation of the inhabitants of Corinth as they received the message and formed part of the church of Jesus Christ." (Johnson, Charles F. Pfeiffer and Everett F. Harrison, Editors, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary [Chicago: Moody Press, 1990], p. 1255.)

An Understanding of Sheep in the New Testament

"Christ...the great Shepherd of the sheep. After all, both Israel and the church are called His sheep." —J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, Vol. 3, pg. 591.

I was talking to a man at a church I was visiting last Sunday and he made a statement that surprised me because I've never heard it before. He said, "We are not under the Law, we are in the age of grace. And in the age of grace, God never calls the church His sheep." The statement that I've never heard before is when the man said, "in the age of grace, God never calls the church His sheep."

   
I'm not sure where this man was coming from or what his point was when he said that "in the age of grace, God never calls the church His sheep." Perhaps I should have asked, but I didn't. I just kept listening. From other statements he made, it sounded like he believed in Calvinism and Lordship Salvation. Anyway, after we got done talking, I kept thinking about his comment, and if it was true that "God never calls the church His sheep"? 

   
Almost immediately I remembered the portion of Scripture that says that God "brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep" (Hebrews 13:20). Another Bible verse that I thought of is when Jesus says in John 10:16, "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold." I have always understood that statement as Jesus looking ahead in time and making reference to the church in distinction to the nation of Israel (compare Matthew 16:18). Can you think of any other Bible verses where the church in this age of grace is referred to as God's sheep? 

Charles Ryrie on How Not to Interpret the Gospel

Several years ago I came across an interesting video online called "Dr. Charles Ryrie on the Gospel". In the video Ryrie says, “I don’t know how to label this [gospel]. I think I’ll label it a ‘cut up’ gospel. A gospel according to scissors. Where people are taking a portion of the Scripture, and getting their soteriology out of that portion only."¹ Ryrie goes on to describe this gospel as “a gospel that is dissected—cut up, because of the raw material [that] you used to draw your theological conclusions”.² Although Ryrie is specifically referring to those who isolate the Synoptic Gospels to teach a works approach to salvation, his insights on the hermeneutics of the gospel are true in general: you can’t isolate one portion of Scripture to the exclusion of the others and you can’t cut and paste the gospel!

ENDNOTES:

¹ Ryrie, “Dr. Charles Ryrie on the Gospel,” http://vodpod.com/watch/2671794-dr-charles-ryrie-on-the-gospel. Also see the video: "FGA Banquet 2008, Dr. Charles C. Ryrie" (time stamp: 15:50 - 18:25 minutes). 

² Ibid.

Answering Objections to the Gospel, Part 3

OBJECTION #3: "A person does not have to believe in Christ's burial or resurrection appearances to be saved."

ANSWER: People have to believe "the gospel" to be saved (Rom. 1:16; Eph. 1:13; 2 Thess. 1:8-9, etc.), and Christ's burial and resurrection appearances are part of "the gospel" (see 1 Cor. 15:1-5; cf. Psa. 22:1-22; Psa. 40:1-3; Isa. 53:1-12; Acts 13:26-32).

For more answers to objections see my blog post titled: "Answering Objections to the Gospel" (March 18, 2021).

Edward W. Goodrick on the Gospel

Dr. Edward W. Goodrick (1913-1992) was for many years a professor of Greek and Bible at Multnomah School of the Bible (now Multnomah Bible College) in Portland, Oregon. Additionally, Dr. Goodrick was the northwest regional chairman of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS). He also co-edited with John Kohlenberger several popular reference books, including The Strongest Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, The Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance, and The Greek-English Concordance to the New Testament. Professor Goodrick's legacy continues at Multnomah Bible College through the Goodrick Memorial Award for Excellence in Biblical Language Study. This prestigious award is "bestowed annually on the student who has displayed the highest excellence in biblical language study over the entire course of the college's biblical language program."

Here is Dr. Goodrick's statement on the Gospel from his book Do It Yourself Hebrew and Greek:

"I Corinthians 15:3-5 is a very significant passage which expresses the four facts of the Gospel. There are four verbs whose verb forms appear to be the same if you only have the English to go by.

a. Look up I Corinthians 15:3-5. What are the four English verbs that deal with Christ?

     (1) ______________________   (2) _____________________________

    

     (3) ______________________   (4) _____________________________

b. Look up the passage in the Interlinear. What are the four Greek verbs which are translated by these English verbs?

     (1) ______________________  (2) ______________________________

     (3) ______________________  (4) ______________________________

c. Look up all four verbs in the Analytical Lexicon."¹

FOOTNOTE:

¹ Edward W. Goodrick, Do It Yourself Hebrew and Greek (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1980), p. 206.