Jesus said that he was both God and the Son of God Almighty, the Creator. He did not claim to be a philosopher or simply a good guy. Those who say he was a ground breaking philosopher, but not God, as he claimed to be make him out a liar in their ignorance.

He is the only person who has ever made these claims and offered any evidence to back them up. The making of the claims gives you only two choices as to how to go: it either makes him a nut, unworthy of wasting any time on, or he is the Son of God as he claims to be. Christ (not a name, but a title) said, that in his name is life. The world did not, and does not believe that.

At the end of the last essay I had asked how you might account for the fact as to why the Bible has incurred more distain than any other book of any kind. So why is it so hated?

The answer is simple. The Bible is the only book that draws an appalling picture of mankind.

The Bible is the oldest complete library or compilation known to mankind. Any document or books near to its age are quite clearly inferior in both content and composition.

If you should doubt the truth in that last statement, I suggest that you seek some ancient documents out for reading and study; then draw your own conclusions. Some of the documents we have commented upon at this site might be used: the non-canonical gospels and letters, the Gilgamesh Story, the Creation Epics, or perhaps the Egyptian Book of the Dead.

Second set of essays in the series - Is the Bible Credible?

“Do not be deceived; God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh, will of the flesh reap corruption: but, he who sows to the spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” (Galatians 6:7 and 8)

The period covered by New Testament history was characterized by frequent and complicated changes in the political affairs of Judea and those countries round about. None of these are accurately described in the New Testament and yet it contains many allusions to them in an incidental way. Josephus gives a detailed account of them all. This fact affords a most excellent opportunity to test the accuracy of the sacred writers. Agreement can be accounted for on no ground except perfect information on both sides. The New Testament reader who has no other source of information is left in great confusion.

By N. B. Hardeman

I next call your attention to the first roman writer of note. Caius Cornelius Tacitus, whose ancestors are unknown, was born about the middle of the first century and died in the year 117. Thus he lived contemporary with the apostles and early Christians. He was chosen praetor of Rome in the year 88, and was made consul in 97. He wrote, Description of Germany, The Life of Agricola (his father-in-law), History of Rome, and Annals of Rome. He is one of the most reliable of Roman writers and his superiority of style is such that two of his books are used as texts in our best colleges. Tacitus had no respect for Christians and speaks of them in the bitterest of terms. His evidence, therefore, is the evidence of a foe, and becomes all the stronger because of such. Summing up his testimony, we offer the following:

By N. B. Hardeman

The evidence from external sources regarding Jesus is indeed meager, but there are reasons for such. At the time he lived, the world was absorbed in military greatness. Only heroes and heroines on the field of battle attracted attention. Worldly glory and deeds of earthly valor were worthy to mention, but moral force and spiritual achievements were passed into obscurity. The weapons used by Christ and his disciples were not carnal. He had no great armies, clad in brilliant uniforms, bearing aloft his unfurled banners. He had no great political powers or men of wealth to sing his praise. He was from a despised town and lived among the poorest of earth, and hence, why should a historian take notice of one so humble?

By N. B. Hardeman

Your continued presence and evidence of interest in these talks are genuinely appreciated not only by me, but by those brethren who are making possible this meeting. Allow me to read to you 2 Tim. 3: 16, 17.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

The aim of its translators was to update the vocabulary and grammar of the King James Version, while preserving the classic style and beauty of the 1611 version. Although it uses substantially the same Hebrew and Greek texts as the original KJV, it indicates where other manuscripts differ. In 1984 the NKJV was slightly revised […]

The New American Standard Bible (NASB) an English translation of the Bible. The most recent edition of the NASB text was published in 1995, with the original having been published in 1971. As its name implies, the NASB is a revision of the American Standard Version of 1901. The New American Standard Bible is widely […]