[Editor’s Note: In part 1 of this series, Jonathan McLatchie introduced the book of Acts for it’s miracle accounts and the evidential value they carry. He argues that at least some of these miracles cannot be rationally dismissed out of hand but rather carry demonstrable evidential value for understanding the events of biblical history. McLatchie began by focusing on the miracles of the Apostle Paul. In Part 2, we pick up with more Pauline miracles.]
Striking Elymas Blind:
Acts 13:4-12 recounts Paul’s and Barnabas’ encounter with a magician by the name of Bar-Jesus, also called Elymas, on the island of Cyprus. Luke indicates that “he was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God,” (v. 7). Elymas, however, “opposed them, seeking to turn to the proconsul away from the faith,” (v. 7). In response,
“[Paul] looked intently at him and said, ‘You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.’ Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand,” (v. 10-11).
So convincing is this miracle that it results in the conversion of the Proconsul, Sergius Paulus (v. 12). If indeed this episode represents the testimony of Paul, it is an episode about which it would have been difficult for Paul to be sincerely mistaken.
One specific detail that Luke gets right is that Cyprus was under the governorship of a Pronconsul. At the time of Paul’s journey (47-48 C.E.), there were about 12-15 senatorial provinces (which were under the governorship of a Proconsul), compared to a larger number of imperial provinces (which were under the governorship of legates, who were directly under the emperor’s control). Senatorial provinces were considered to be more peaceful and civilized, and therefore did not require troops to maintain the peace. Imperial provinces, on the other hand (such as Judea) had a standing military presence. Cyprus became a senatorial province in 22 B.C.E., meaning it was governed by a Proconsul instead of a legate or prefect (Cassius Dio, Historiae Romanae 54.4).[1] If Luke was simply making up details with no connection to actual events, it would have been easy for him to mistakenly call the governor a legate or to use some generic title. In fact, the evidence suggests that, by the time of the Flavian dynasty (commencing in 69 C.E. with the emperor Vespasian), Cyprus was transferred back to imperial control and under the authority of legates. If Acts were composed after 70 C.E., as many scholars maintain, it would have been even easier for Luke to err at this point. In an age before the internet and ease of access to information, small points of specialized local knowledge, such as this, evince the credibility of the account in Acts, since it would be significantly easier to get those details wrong than it would be to get them right. Details such as this would not be in the stock of common knowledge across the empire (see my essay here for a discussion of the significance of this type of evidence).
Another remarkable confirmation of the account in Acts is the identification of the Proconsul as Sergius Paulus. A Greek inscription of Soloi, on the northeast coast of Cyprus, is dated “in the Proconsulship of Paulus.” This inscription is shown in the photograph below:
Though we cannot say for certain, it is quite plausible that this is the same individual spoken of in Acts. Though the precise date of the inscription is uncertain, it likely belongs to the first century C.E. This individual is said to have served as Proconsul during the tenth year of an emperor, though the name is missing from the inscription. Ben Witherington notes, “If the emperor in question was Claudius, the inscription would date to about A.D. 50, but the very date line seems to be a later addition. It thus remains possible that this refers to the same Sergius Paulus as mentioned in Acts, but it is also possible on epigraphical grounds that the inscription comes from as late as the time of Hadrian in the second century.”[2] Nonetheless, regardless of whether this is the same individual or not, the inscription demonstrates a connection of the family to the island of Cyprus, consistent with the account in Acts.
There is another interesting inscription that was identified in Pisidian Antioch, shown below.
This inscription bears the name of “L. Sergius Paullus the younger, son of L.” (note that Paullus is the Latin spelling, whereas Paulus is the Greek spelling). It is probable that “L” stands for Lucius, given the limited number of commonly used first names among Roman men. The inscription reads, “To L(ucius) Sergius Paullus, the younger, son of L(ucius), one of the four commissioners in charge of the Roman streets, tribune of the soldiers of the sixth legion styled Ferrata, quaestor…” It has even been suggested that this could be the son, or another relative, of the Proconsul mentioned in Acts. Given the connection of this individual to Pisidian Antioch, is it a coincidence that Paul and Barnabas travelled to Pisidian Antioch immediately following these events, after Sergius Paulus’ conversion to Christianity? Pisidian Antioch was not the nearest or most obvious stop after Cyprus. It is plausible that Sergius Paulus convinced Paul to travel to Pisidian Antioch with a desire for his relatives there to hear the gospel.
These connections to the archaeological evidence strongly suggest that the account in Acts 13:4-12, in which Paul causes Bar-Jesus (Elymas) to go blind in response to his opposition to the gospel, represents the testimony of Paul himself.
Healing the Cripple at Lystra:
In Acts 14:8-10, we read,
“Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, 10 said in a loud voice, ‘Stand upright on your feet.’ And he sprang up and began walking.”
In this account, Paul miraculously heals a man in Lystra who had been crippled since birth, a feat which greatly impresses the crowds. Verse 11 indicates that, “when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, ‘The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!’” Luke indicates that this was said in the Lycaonian language. The use of a native language, rather than Greek, was quite uncommon. Colin Hemer notes that “The use of a native language is unusual in the cosmopolitan, Hellenized society in which Paul moved. Lystra, however, as a Roman colony in a less developed part of Anatolia, preserved a language otherwise attested in a gloss in Stephanus of Byzantium.”[3] While Greek was widely spoken in urban centers and among the elite, rural populations (particularly in more isolated areas) retained their native tongue. This is, therefore, a specific (and unusual) local detail about Lycaonia that Luke gets right.
According to verse 12, “Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.” A number of inscriptions have been identified that confirm that Zeus-Hermes was the local cult in Lystra. The first century Roman poet Ovid writes, in his poem Metamorphoses, about Zeus and Hermes visiting a town in Phrygia, disguised as mortals seeking hospitality.[4] Only an elderly couple, Baucis and Philemon, welcome them, and as a reward for their kindness, the gods transform their humble home into a temple and grant them their wish to die together. Phrygia and Lycaonia were both located in central Anatolia (modern day Turkey) and the story of Baucis and Philemon is generally thought to be set close to the border with Lycaonia. This is, therefore, another specific local detail that Acts gets right. The fact that Barnabas is identified as Zeus (the greater of the two gods), whereas Paul is identified as Hermes also reflects the ancient belief that, when two deities visited earth, the lesser god did the speaking.
These specific details relating to Lystra, related accurately by Acts, suggests that the account of the healing of the crippled man reliably represents Paul’s testimony.
Paul’s Prison Break in Philippi:
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas, while in Philippi, cast out a spirit of divination from a slave girl. This leads to them being dragged into the marketplace before the rulers by the slave girl’s owners, and ultimately lands them in prison for causing a disturbance, their feet being fastened in stocks. At midnight, as they are praying and singing in the prison, there is a great earthquake, which shakes the foundations of the prison. The text tells us that “immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened,” (v. 26). The jailer is about to take his own life, but Paul cries out, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here,” (v. 28). This ultimately leads to the conversion and baptism of the jailer and his household. In verses 35-40, we read,
“But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, ‘Let those men go.’ 36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, ‘The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.’ 37 But Paul said to them, ‘They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.’ 38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. 40 So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.”
Paul briefly alludes to this episode in a letter to the Thessalonians: “But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict,” (1 Thess 2:2, emphasis added). This raises the question as to how the Thessalonians knew about Paul’s shameful treatment in Philippi. Turning to Acts 17:1, we read, immediately following Paul’s experience in Philippi, “when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica.” The route taken by Paul was, in fact, a major Roman highway, the Via Egnatia. Amphipolis and Apollonia were overnight stops along that route. Paul’s route from Philippi to Thessalonica is depicted in the map below.
One can imagine, then, Paul arriving in Thessalonica having just come from Philippi, still full of indignation about the unjust and illegal treatment he had received there, and recounting to the new converts in Thessalonica what had happened. This dovetails with Paul’s allusion in 1 Thessalonians 2:2 to how he had “been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know…”
The evidential force of this coincidence is enhanced by the fact that Acts does not appear to be utilizing 1 Thessalonians as a source — that is to say, these two writings are independent of one another. In support of this, it may be observed that 1 Thessalonians 1:9 emphasizes the conversion of pagans in Thessalonica: “. . . you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God . . . ” The book of Acts, on the other hand, emphasizes the conversion of Jews and god-fearing gentiles (Acts 17:4). These are, of course, not mutually exclusive. Nonetheless, if the author of Acts were using 1 Thessalonians as a source, one would expect him to lay more emphasis on the conversion of pagans.
This undesigned coincidence provides evidence for the contention that the account of Paul’s prison break in Philippi, resulting from the earthquake, in fact represents Paul’s own testimony. The account is also linked to Paul having cast out a spirit of divination from the slave girl, which was the incident that led to his imprisonment along with Silas in Philippi.
The Raising of Eutychus:
Acts 20:7-12 recounts the raising of Eutychus, a young man who fell asleep during Paul’s sermon, and fell to his death from a third-story window. According to verse 9-10, “being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, ‘Do not be alarmed for his life is in him.’” The word νεκρός, used in this text, refers to a literal death rather than merely a lack of consciousness. Though some have disputed that Luke intended to convey that Paul raised Eutychus from the dead, and have asserted instead that Paul simply recognized vital signs in Eutychus, this is not the plainest reading. Ben Witherington observes,
“Though there has been considerable debate, v. 9b does say he was picked up dead; the text does not say it appeared as if he was dead (contrast 14:19). In short, in what follows we have a miracle tale about the raising of the dead, following the usual form of such a tale with the confirmation of the cure and the reaction of the observers at the very end of the narrative.”[5]
Moreover, as a medical physician (Colossians 4:14), Luke would likely have been able to distinguish between someone who was dead and someone who was merely unconscious or in a coma. If Eutychus had been merely injured or in a deep faint, Luke probably would have noted that rather than describing him as “dead.”
Unlike the previously discussed miracles, Luke claims to have been witness to this miracle himself (verse 7). That Luke was indeed Paul’s travelling companion is borne out by numerous lines of evidence, both internal and external, which I will not unpack in detail here. Luke’s demonstrated track-record of historical scrupulousness also indicates that he was in the habit of being truthful. Moreover, Luke, in travelling with Paul amidst the persecutions that Paul experienced — including being present with Paul in Caesarea Maritima, where Paul was imprisoned for two years (Acts 24:27) and then again as Paul set sail for Rome to stand trial before Caesar (Acts 27-28) — put his neck on the line for the gospel. Paul indicates that Luke was present with him during his first imprisonment (Col 4:14; Philem 24) and again during his second imprisonment in Rome (2 Tim 4:11). This, again, evinces Luke’s sincerity.
The Miracles of Peter
Luke indicates that he was present with Paul in Jerusalem when Paul visited the elders of the Jerusalem church (Acts 21:17-18). Luke mentions James, Jesus’s brother, by name, and indicates that “all the elders were present,” (v. 18). According to Galatians 2:9, the leaders of the church in Jerusalem included James, as well as Simon Peter, and John the son of Zebedee. Luke was also present with Paul when Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea Maritima for at least two years (Acts 24:27), in relative geographical proximity to Jerusalem (a two or three day journey on foot). Luke would have presumably had ample access during this time to the apostles. He was, therefore, in a position to know what the apostles were claiming. Luke, moreover, indicates in his address to Theophilus, in the prologue to his gospel, that he was interested in the testimony of “those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word.” The numerous points of specific confirmation of the gospel of Luke also indicate that Luke extracted reliable information from the apostles concerning Jesus’s ministry. Taken together, these considerations support that Luke had access to, and reliably represented, the apostles’ claims.
Peter in particular is reported to have performed various miracles that one could not readily be sincerely mistaken about (see those miracles performed, or experienced, by Peter in the list supplied at the beginning of this article). In addition to healing individuals who were lame (Acts 3:2-10) or paralyzed (Acts 9:33-34), he is alleged to have raised Dorcas from the dead, an incident which became known throughout all Joppa and resulted in many conversions (Acts 9:36-42). Peter also struck Ananias and Saphira dead at a word, as God’s judgment for having lied about the price obtained for their land, an incident that caused great fear to come upon the whole church (Acts 5:1-11). Furthermore, Peter experiences a miraculous prison break, where he is led out of the jail by an angel (Acts 12:6-11). There is also another incident where the apostles as a group are liberated from prison by an angel (Acts 5:18-20). The other apostles are also said to have performed many signs and wonders, healings and exorcisms, though no details are supplied (Acts 5:12-16).
The Miracles of Philip the Deacon
Luke indicates that he lodged at the house of Philip the deacon: “On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him” (Acts 21:8). Thus, Luke was in a position to know what Philip himself claimed concerning his activities and alleged miracles. According to Acts 8:6-8,
“[T]he crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was much joy in that city.”
Moreover, Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian Eunuch, in Acts 8:26-38, though not a miracle per se, is nonetheless an occasion of special providence, since the Ethiopian coincidentally happens to be reading Isaiah 53, a major text in the Hebrew Bible concerning the Messiah, which Philip is consequently able to explain to him (see my detailed essay on Isaiah 53 here). In Acts 8:39-40, we read of another miraculous event following the Ethiopian’s baptism: “And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.” The sudden transportation of Philip to Azotus, about twenty miles north of Gaza, is surely an event about which one could hardly be sincerely mistaken.
The Evidential Value of the Miracles in Acts
I have argued in the foregoing that the accounts in Acts concerning the miracles performed, and experienced, by Paul, Peter and Philip actually represent the testimony of those individuals. Given the nature of those alleged miracles, it is quite implausible that they could be sincerely mistaken. I have argued at length elsewhere that the context of persecution evinces the sincerity of Paul and the other apostles (see my article on this here). The miracles recorded in Acts, therefore, provide further support for the truth of Christianity.
References:
[1] Strabo, The Geography of Strabo. Literally Translated, with Notes, in Three Volumes., ed. H. C. Hamilton (Medford, MA: George Bell & Sons, 1903), 71–72.
[2] Ben Witherington III, The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1998), 399–400.
[3] . Colin J. Hemer, The Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History, ed. Conrad H. Gempf (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1990), 110.
[4] P. Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses, ed. Arthur Golding (Medford, MA: W. Seres, 1567).
[5] Witherington 1998, Acts 20:9-10.
Recommended Resources:
Miracles: The Evidence by Frank Turek DVD and Mp4
Two Miracles You Take With You Everywhere You Go by Frank Turek DVD, Mp3 and Mp4
Why We Know the New Testament Writers Told the Truth by Frank Turek (DVD, Mp3 and Mp4)
Can All Religions Be True? mp3 by Frank Turek
Dr. Jonathan McLatchie is a Christian writer, international speaker, and debater. He holds a Bachelor’s degree (with Honors) in forensic biology, a Masters’s (M.Res) degree in evolutionary biology, a second Master’s degree in medical and molecular bioscience, and a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology. Currently, he is an assistant professor of biology at Sattler College in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. McLatchie is a contributor to various apologetics websites and is the founder of the Apologetics Academy (Apologetics-Academy.org), a ministry that seeks to equip and train Christians to persuasively defend the faith through regular online webinars, as well as assist Christians who are wrestling with doubts. Dr. McLatchie has participated in more than thirty moderated debates around the world with representatives of atheism, Islam, and other alternative worldview perspectives. He has spoken internationally in Europe, North America, and South Africa promoting an intelligent, reflective, and evidence-based Christian faith.
Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/3G2VNtu
Are We in the End Times? Plus More Q&A
PodcastAre we the generation to witness the triumphant return of Jesus? After all, aren’t we seeing all the signs being fulfilled on the news right now? In this midweek episode, Frank unpacks end times views, challenges popular assumptions about prophecy, and answers tough listener questions related to feminism and the importance of the epistles in teaching us how to live the Christian life. Tune in as he tackles questions such as:
You’ll also learn why Frank thinks the best advice is to “always be ready” and stay tuned for even more mind-blowing insights about the Book of Revelation coming up on the next two episodes of, ‘I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist!’
If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!
Resources mentioned during the episode:
9 Discoveries That Support the Biblical Exodus in Egypt
Ryan Burge on X
Does Jesus Ever Talk About Homosexuality?
4. Is the NT True?, Theology and Christian ApologeticsI was in my mid-20s living in San Diego. I joined some people from a nearby church and went to a Pride parade to pass out water, give hugs, and hold signs saying “We are sorry the church hasn’t loved you the way Jesus would” (or something along those lines). All of a sudden, I was descended upon by a film crew with a microphone asking me what Jesus had to say about homosexuality. I was not expecting this, but I was giddy to share the love of Christ and talk about how we are all sinners saved by grace and how Jesus never singled out homosexuality as worse than any other type of sexual immorality. In the middle of my sentence (which I had been certain would be received with amazement, tears, and more questions about how to know this Jesus guy), the film crew interrupted me and said, “NOTHING. He said nothing about homosexuality.” And then they walked away without a word, off to find their next “interview.”
I sat there dumbfounded. What had just happened? And was it true that Jesus never said anything about homosexuality? And if not, why not?
Spoiler alert: Jesus really doesn’t ever address homosexuality specifically, and in our current sexual climate, this argument is being trotted out regularly to convince people that Jesus, therefore, didn’t really have an opinion on the topic (or He tacitly affirmed it).
I have always been drawn to the epistles and Revelation. The Gospels were a little less interesting to me because I couldn’t quite picture Jesus. I knew what the New Testament taught about sexuality, but it had never occurred to me that our theology hadn’t come from Jesus Himself. If your kids are coming to you asking why, here are a few things to help them think through the topic.
While it is true that Jesus never specifically mentions homosexuality, it doesn’t mean that He had nothing to say about sexuality or marriage. Jesus employs the K.I.S.S. method [1] and consistently points His listeners back to how things were in the beginning, with male and female, united for life, not to be separated (Mark 10:2-9). But some people assume that since He didn’t specifically mention homosexuality that must mean He was at least ambivalent about it. Such a conclusion does not give enough weight to what Jesus did say or why He only addressed certain topics. (For example, He didn’t say anything about bestiality or incest, either. To be consistent with this argument, you’d have to argue that He was on the fence about those things, too.)
The one thing we know He didn’t say was that certain types of sexual immorality were more damnable than any other. After all, sexual sins always involve us sinning against our own bodies (1 Corinthians 6:18). We are all equal at the foot of the cross.
Yes, Jesus came to die for the whole world (John 3:16). An often overlooked part of the Gospels, however, is that He came for the Jewish people (Israel), first. (Matthew 15:24). His entire 3 ½ year ministry was focused on this one demographic (though He never turned a gentile away because of it). In Romans 1, Paul clarifies multiple times: “First for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” So keep in mind that Jesus’s primary message was to Jews — the people who were then tasked with taking the good news to the ends of the earth (Genesis 12:2-3, Matthew 28:18-20). [2]This brings me to my next point.
The Jews already knew what the Law said about homosexuality, so they were a step ahead of most gentile cultures. The law of Moses was very specific about sexual morality (Leviticus 18 and 20). It lists every single possible person (or thing) a Jew was prohibited from having sex with. Why was it that specific? Because every single one of those sexual behaviors was happening or even commonplace in the land of Canaan! God warns them not to do any of these things, or they would be destroyed just like the Caananites were (Leviticus 18:28).
When Jesus came to the first-century Jews, they had known for generations what sexuality was intended to be. He didn’t need to reiterate this or go into specifics. This would be like coming to America to spread the message of driving on the right side of the road: your audience already knows it. When do we see homosexuality mentioned in the New Testament? You guessed it: when the author was speaking to a gentile audience who did not have familiarity with God’s laws regarding sexuality.
In summary:
Jesus did not have to address every different type of sexual immorality to advocate for biblical sexuality. He stuck to original design and even doubles down in Mark 10:5-9. We can do the same with our kids every time they come to us with “But what about [fill in the blank with new sex, gender, or marriage question]?” Just keep pointing them back to God’s original design, and things get a lot simpler. Remind them we are all prone to wander from God’s design. Every single one of us. We are all equal at the foot of the cross as image-bearers struggling to accurately reflect God’s image.
References:
[1] K.I.S.S. = Keep it simple, stupid! A motto drilled into us by my freshman year biology teacher/coach
[2] Notice that not a single apostle was a gentile.
Recommended Resources:
Correct not Politically Correct: About Same-Sex Marriage and Transgenderism by Frank Turek (Book, MP4, )
Legislating Morality: Is it Wise? Is it Legal? Is it Possible? by Frank Turek (Book, DVD, Mp3, Mp4, PowerPoint download, PowerPoint CD)
The Great Book of Romans by Dr. Frank Turek (Mp4, Mp3, DVD Complete series, STUDENT & INSTRUCTOR Study Guide, COMPLETE Instructor Set)
Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek (INSTRUCTOR Study Guide), (STUDENT Study Guide), and (DVD)
Hillary Morgan Ferrer is the founder and President of Mama Bear Apologetics. She feels a burden for providing accessible apologetics resources for busy moms. She is the chief author and editor of the bestselling books Mama Bear Apologetics: Empowering Your Kids to Challenge Cultural Lies, Mama Bear Apologetics Guide to Sexuality: Empowering Your Kids to Understand and Live Out God’s Design, and the soon to be released Honest Prayers for Mama Bears. Hillary has her master’s degree in biology and loves helping moms to discern truths and lies in both science and culture. She and her husband, John, have been married for 16 years and minister together as an apologetics team. She can never sneak up on anybody because of her chronic hiccups, which you can hear occasionally on the podcast and in interviews.
Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/448Dz36
Scientific Evidence for the Soul with Neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Egnor
PodcastIs there scientific proof of the soul? And if science is all about what can be measured, how do we explain things like consciousness, free will, and near-death experiences? This week, we’ll explore one of the most profound questions of human existence: are we just matter, or something more?
Joining Frank in this eye-opening podcast episode is Dr. Michael Egnor, a practicing neurosurgeon, neuroscientist, and Professor of Neurosurgery at Stony Brook University. In his new book, ‘The Immortal Mind: A Neurosurgeon’s Case for the Existence of the Soul‘, co-authored with Denise O’Leary, Dr. Egnor draws from over 7,000 brain surgeries and decades of experience to challenge the popular materialist view of the human person. Together, Frank and Michael will tackle questions like:
From fascinating case studies to philosophical insights from Aquinas and Aristotle, this episode will challenge the materialist narrative that you are just your brain. If you know someone who’s scientifically minded but open to deeper questions about human nature, this book is a must read! Be sure to grab your copy today and check out more of Dr. Egnor’s work at the Discovery Institute website listed below.
If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!
Resources mentioned during the episode:
Mike’s book: The Immortal Mind: A Neurosurgeon’s Case for the Existence of the Soul
Mike’s presentation: The Scientific Evidence of the Human Soul
Discovery Institute: Mind Matters News
Mike’s articles at the Discovery Institute
The Heroes of Pride Month
Theology and Christian ApologeticsI have been writing a series about Pride Month to highlight the truth behind the lives of the LGBTQ+ figures we are commanded to celebrate. Young Christians considering attending state universities should be aware of the kind of propaganda they will encounter and how to respond in a bold yet loving manner that affirms the free offer of salvation through Christ to all. These so-called “heroes” lived lives of “activism” and “helping the marginalized.” They are held up as people whom the young should imitate. ASU’s library commands us to “Celebrate” them. ASU is currently the largest state university in the country, weighing in at 180,000 students, so it has a sizable impact for this sex philosophy. Yet when we take an honest look at their lives, we see that they were hypocrites who harmed the very marginalized they claimed to defend. They offer no ideas on how to receive a new heart or find redemption. They lead their followers with promises of liberation, only to march them straight into the utter meaninglessness of “do as I say, not as I do” and imprisonment to sin.
Judith Butler is one of the most celebrated intellectuals behind the modern LGBTQ+ movement. A philosopher by trade, Butler has been crowned the patron saint of gender fluidity. She is best known for teaching us that gender isn’t something we are—it’s something we perform. Like a Broadway show, but with less coherence and worse costumes.
But before she denied the existence of objective reality as a mere power relation, Butler was raised in a Jewish home in Cleveland. As a form of discipline, her parents sent her to Hebrew school, hoping, perhaps, that a little theology would straighten her out. It did the opposite. There, she began grilling rabbis with tough philosophical questions: Why can only men read the Torah in services? Who decides what the Torah means? Underneath these lay a deeper question, one that shaped her thinking for decades: Why does God permit evil—especially in light of Jewish suffering?
The Came Hegel
She didn’t find answers that satisfied her. So she turned, instead, to Hegel. From him, she learned that all is one, that distinctions are illusions, and that we are climbing a dialectical staircase toward divinization. Everything is performance (all is one). Even performance is performance. Followed consistently, only the ego and its ideas/desires exist; there is no material world by which to test ideas and define simple concepts like “man and woman.” The psychoanalytic process is no longer about integration into reality but about conforming reality into whatever the ego wants.
Why is there suffering? Suffering is due to social constructs that interfere with individual desires, constructs imposed upon the individual ego by a judgmental society seeking to defend its power structures (this is foreshadowing something to come). And if suffering is constructed, then it can be deconstructed. If reality is imposed, then it can be reimagined. Truth is no longer discovered; it is declared.
If you think you’re a they/them, then you are. That’s all it takes. Just think it—and it is so.
There is no objective reality by which to test this. No external world to provide correction. The scientific method—laughable! Biology—repressive! That old wives’ tale that all human babies come from one biological mother and one biological father—how quaint! Gone is the humility of science and the moral law of God; in their place stands the imagination of the self, armed with a self-contradiction and a moralistic platitude. She even asserts that believing in two sexes is fascism!
The Real Moral Test
But here’s where the rubber meets the road.
For all her public moralism about power, justice, and women’s rights, Butler was strangely silent—indeed, complicit—when it really mattered. When the #MeToo movement urged us to “believe victims,” Butler didn’t. In fact, she did the opposite. She wrote a private, behind-the-scenes letter to the president of NYU defending her close friend and fellow gender theorist, who had been accused by a graduate student of sexual abuse and manipulation.
Let that sink in: Butler, long-time critic of power abuse and patriarchal academia, used her own power to shield an alleged abuser from consequences. She didn’t rush to defend the vulnerable. She rushed to protect the powerful—because that powerful person was one of her own.
This is the same Judith Butler who has built a career decrying systems of oppression, who teaches entire generations that moral hierarchies are tools of domination. But when a real moral test arrived, she flunked it. Not because she misunderstood her theory—but because she lived it out.
She later expressed some regret that maybe she may have defended privilege. Weak. But here’s the thing: before you start thinking “hey, we all make mistakes,” you must remember that isn’t the standard she has imposed on others. She demanded works righteousness conformity to her intersectionality power structure activism. There is no grace and no redemption. She can say “whoops” all she wants, but what this exposes is that in old age, after a lifetime of gender activism, she committing heinous wrongs and has seen no personal transformation.
As the fool said to King Lear: you shouldn’t have grown old until you grew wise.
Sadly, there is no such thing as wisdom for Butler because that requires objective reality, and the ego must deny itself to pursue truth. Wisdow laughs at her claim that “all is performance.”
You see, Butler’s gender theory has no room for integrity, no path to repentance, and no standard of justice beyond power itself. The ego is the highest standard. Her entire worldview boils down to this: “Do what you think is true. Reality is what you say it is.”Which works just fine—until she has more power and decides that you are the problem. Then letters are written to defend her friends.
Are you starting to see a theme behind these heroes?
This is what makes her a hero of Pride Month. Not because she offered a path to redemption or renewal. She didn’t. But because she gave the movement a philosophical excuse (albeit a nonsensical one) to cast off all restraint—gender, biology, objectivity, morality—and replace them with the ego and its desires.
What’s the pattern in what these heroes taught and how they live?
This is an incoherent philosophy on which to build a life. And yet, in our sin, it is the philosophy we all start with. Judith Butler and the LGBTQ+ movement are no different than the rest of us on this point: we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. And it is also true that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. If any of us is to find redemption, fulfillment, and true authenticity, it is in Christ alone.
This is why Butler matters to the LGBTQ+ movement. She gave it its defining creed: “You are whatever you think you are.” It’s a childish idea dressed up in the language of liberation. But it leads not to freedom, only to hypocrisy from which she cannot escape even in old age—and not to justice, only to self-justification.
She is, in short, the perfect hero for a movement that celebrates “authenticity is however you feel now” without accountability, and identity without objective reality. Pray with me that those who are caught up in captivity to this philosophy see their need for Christ and turn to him.
You can find the other posts in my Pride Month Heroes series on my Substack, which is drowenanderson.substack.com.
Recommendations:
Correct not Politically Correct: About Same-Sex Marriage and Transgenderism by Frank Turek (Book, MP4, )
Does Jesus Trump Your Politics by Dr. Frank Turek (mp4 download and DVD)
Is Morality Absolute or Relative? by Dr. Frank Turek Mp3 and Mp4
Legislating Morality: Is it Wise? Is it Legal? Is it Possible? by Frank Turek (Book, DVD, Mp3, Mp4, PowerPoint download, PowerPoint CD)
Dr. Owen Anderson is a Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Arizona State University, a pastor, and a certified jiu-jitsu instructor. He emphasizes the Christian belief in God, human sin, and redemption through Christ, and he explores these themes in his philosophical commentary on the Book of Job. His recent research addresses issues such as DEIB, antiracism, and academic freedom in secular universities, critiquing the influence of thinkers like Rousseau, Marx, and Freud. Dr. Anderson actively shares his insights through articles, books, online classes, and his Substack.
What Do Critical Scholars Admit About Jesus? with Dr. Gary Habermas
PodcastResurrection expert Dr. Gary Habermas returns to discuss Volume 3 of his magnum opus, ‘On the Resurrection: Scholarly Perspectives‘, which includes 500+ scholarly treatments related to the resurrection. From far-left critics to conservative theologians, this collective volume provides a strong overview of everything that has ever been written about the resurrection and includes over 8,000 footnotes!
During their conversation, Frank and Gary answer questions like:
If you’re looking for the most comprehensive survey of scholarship for and against the resurrection, this is it! Whether you’re a skeptic, seeker, or committed believer, this discussion offers rich insight and a reason to take the resurrection seriously. As Gary would say, “It’s a bold argument to say that Jesus rose from the dead, but try to get out of it!”
If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!
Resources mentioned during the episode:
On the Resurrection: Evidences – Volume 1
On the Resurrection: Refutations – Volume 2
On the Resurrection: Scholarly Perspectives – Volume 3
GaryHabermas.com
Volume 1 Podcast – Did Jesus REALLY Rise From the Dead?
Volume 2 Podcast – Do Naturalistic Alternatives to the Resurrection Work?
The Miracles in Acts, and Their Evidential Value Part 2
3. Are Miracles Possible?, 4. Is the NT True?[Editor’s Note: In part 1 of this series, Jonathan McLatchie introduced the book of Acts for it’s miracle accounts and the evidential value they carry. He argues that at least some of these miracles cannot be rationally dismissed out of hand but rather carry demonstrable evidential value for understanding the events of biblical history. McLatchie began by focusing on the miracles of the Apostle Paul. In Part 2, we pick up with more Pauline miracles.]
Striking Elymas Blind:
Acts 13:4-12 recounts Paul’s and Barnabas’ encounter with a magician by the name of Bar-Jesus, also called Elymas, on the island of Cyprus. Luke indicates that “he was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God,” (v. 7). Elymas, however, “opposed them, seeking to turn to the proconsul away from the faith,” (v. 7). In response,
So convincing is this miracle that it results in the conversion of the Proconsul, Sergius Paulus (v. 12). If indeed this episode represents the testimony of Paul, it is an episode about which it would have been difficult for Paul to be sincerely mistaken.
One specific detail that Luke gets right is that Cyprus was under the governorship of a Pronconsul. At the time of Paul’s journey (47-48 C.E.), there were about 12-15 senatorial provinces (which were under the governorship of a Proconsul), compared to a larger number of imperial provinces (which were under the governorship of legates, who were directly under the emperor’s control). Senatorial provinces were considered to be more peaceful and civilized, and therefore did not require troops to maintain the peace. Imperial provinces, on the other hand (such as Judea) had a standing military presence. Cyprus became a senatorial province in 22 B.C.E., meaning it was governed by a Proconsul instead of a legate or prefect (Cassius Dio, Historiae Romanae 54.4).[1] If Luke was simply making up details with no connection to actual events, it would have been easy for him to mistakenly call the governor a legate or to use some generic title. In fact, the evidence suggests that, by the time of the Flavian dynasty (commencing in 69 C.E. with the emperor Vespasian), Cyprus was transferred back to imperial control and under the authority of legates. If Acts were composed after 70 C.E., as many scholars maintain, it would have been even easier for Luke to err at this point. In an age before the internet and ease of access to information, small points of specialized local knowledge, such as this, evince the credibility of the account in Acts, since it would be significantly easier to get those details wrong than it would be to get them right. Details such as this would not be in the stock of common knowledge across the empire (see my essay here for a discussion of the significance of this type of evidence).
Another remarkable confirmation of the account in Acts is the identification of the Proconsul as Sergius Paulus. A Greek inscription of Soloi, on the northeast coast of Cyprus, is dated “in the Proconsulship of Paulus.” This inscription is shown in the photograph below:
There is another interesting inscription that was identified in Pisidian Antioch, shown below.
This inscription bears the name of “L. Sergius Paullus the younger, son of L.” (note that Paullus is the Latin spelling, whereas Paulus is the Greek spelling). It is probable that “L” stands for Lucius, given the limited number of commonly used first names among Roman men. The inscription reads, “To L(ucius) Sergius Paullus, the younger, son of L(ucius), one of the four commissioners in charge of the Roman streets, tribune of the soldiers of the sixth legion styled Ferrata, quaestor…” It has even been suggested that this could be the son, or another relative, of the Proconsul mentioned in Acts. Given the connection of this individual to Pisidian Antioch, is it a coincidence that Paul and Barnabas travelled to Pisidian Antioch immediately following these events, after Sergius Paulus’ conversion to Christianity? Pisidian Antioch was not the nearest or most obvious stop after Cyprus. It is plausible that Sergius Paulus convinced Paul to travel to Pisidian Antioch with a desire for his relatives there to hear the gospel.
These connections to the archaeological evidence strongly suggest that the account in Acts 13:4-12, in which Paul causes Bar-Jesus (Elymas) to go blind in response to his opposition to the gospel, represents the testimony of Paul himself.
Healing the Cripple at Lystra:
In Acts 14:8-10, we read,
In this account, Paul miraculously heals a man in Lystra who had been crippled since birth, a feat which greatly impresses the crowds. Verse 11 indicates that, “when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, ‘The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!’” Luke indicates that this was said in the Lycaonian language. The use of a native language, rather than Greek, was quite uncommon. Colin Hemer notes that “The use of a native language is unusual in the cosmopolitan, Hellenized society in which Paul moved. Lystra, however, as a Roman colony in a less developed part of Anatolia, preserved a language otherwise attested in a gloss in Stephanus of Byzantium.”[3] While Greek was widely spoken in urban centers and among the elite, rural populations (particularly in more isolated areas) retained their native tongue. This is, therefore, a specific (and unusual) local detail about Lycaonia that Luke gets right.
According to verse 12, “Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.” A number of inscriptions have been identified that confirm that Zeus-Hermes was the local cult in Lystra. The first century Roman poet Ovid writes, in his poem Metamorphoses, about Zeus and Hermes visiting a town in Phrygia, disguised as mortals seeking hospitality.[4] Only an elderly couple, Baucis and Philemon, welcome them, and as a reward for their kindness, the gods transform their humble home into a temple and grant them their wish to die together. Phrygia and Lycaonia were both located in central Anatolia (modern day Turkey) and the story of Baucis and Philemon is generally thought to be set close to the border with Lycaonia. This is, therefore, another specific local detail that Acts gets right. The fact that Barnabas is identified as Zeus (the greater of the two gods), whereas Paul is identified as Hermes also reflects the ancient belief that, when two deities visited earth, the lesser god did the speaking.
These specific details relating to Lystra, related accurately by Acts, suggests that the account of the healing of the crippled man reliably represents Paul’s testimony.
Paul’s Prison Break in Philippi:
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas, while in Philippi, cast out a spirit of divination from a slave girl. This leads to them being dragged into the marketplace before the rulers by the slave girl’s owners, and ultimately lands them in prison for causing a disturbance, their feet being fastened in stocks. At midnight, as they are praying and singing in the prison, there is a great earthquake, which shakes the foundations of the prison. The text tells us that “immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened,” (v. 26). The jailer is about to take his own life, but Paul cries out, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here,” (v. 28). This ultimately leads to the conversion and baptism of the jailer and his household. In verses 35-40, we read,
Paul briefly alludes to this episode in a letter to the Thessalonians: “But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict,” (1 Thess 2:2, emphasis added). This raises the question as to how the Thessalonians knew about Paul’s shameful treatment in Philippi. Turning to Acts 17:1, we read, immediately following Paul’s experience in Philippi, “when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica.” The route taken by Paul was, in fact, a major Roman highway, the Via Egnatia. Amphipolis and Apollonia were overnight stops along that route. Paul’s route from Philippi to Thessalonica is depicted in the map below.
One can imagine, then, Paul arriving in Thessalonica having just come from Philippi, still full of indignation about the unjust and illegal treatment he had received there, and recounting to the new converts in Thessalonica what had happened. This dovetails with Paul’s allusion in 1 Thessalonians 2:2 to how he had “been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know…”
The evidential force of this coincidence is enhanced by the fact that Acts does not appear to be utilizing 1 Thessalonians as a source — that is to say, these two writings are independent of one another. In support of this, it may be observed that 1 Thessalonians 1:9 emphasizes the conversion of pagans in Thessalonica: “. . . you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God . . . ” The book of Acts, on the other hand, emphasizes the conversion of Jews and god-fearing gentiles (Acts 17:4). These are, of course, not mutually exclusive. Nonetheless, if the author of Acts were using 1 Thessalonians as a source, one would expect him to lay more emphasis on the conversion of pagans.
This undesigned coincidence provides evidence for the contention that the account of Paul’s prison break in Philippi, resulting from the earthquake, in fact represents Paul’s own testimony. The account is also linked to Paul having cast out a spirit of divination from the slave girl, which was the incident that led to his imprisonment along with Silas in Philippi.
The Raising of Eutychus:
Acts 20:7-12 recounts the raising of Eutychus, a young man who fell asleep during Paul’s sermon, and fell to his death from a third-story window. According to verse 9-10, “being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, ‘Do not be alarmed for his life is in him.’” The word νεκρός, used in this text, refers to a literal death rather than merely a lack of consciousness. Though some have disputed that Luke intended to convey that Paul raised Eutychus from the dead, and have asserted instead that Paul simply recognized vital signs in Eutychus, this is not the plainest reading. Ben Witherington observes,
Moreover, as a medical physician (Colossians 4:14), Luke would likely have been able to distinguish between someone who was dead and someone who was merely unconscious or in a coma. If Eutychus had been merely injured or in a deep faint, Luke probably would have noted that rather than describing him as “dead.”
Unlike the previously discussed miracles, Luke claims to have been witness to this miracle himself (verse 7). That Luke was indeed Paul’s travelling companion is borne out by numerous lines of evidence, both internal and external, which I will not unpack in detail here. Luke’s demonstrated track-record of historical scrupulousness also indicates that he was in the habit of being truthful. Moreover, Luke, in travelling with Paul amidst the persecutions that Paul experienced — including being present with Paul in Caesarea Maritima, where Paul was imprisoned for two years (Acts 24:27) and then again as Paul set sail for Rome to stand trial before Caesar (Acts 27-28) — put his neck on the line for the gospel. Paul indicates that Luke was present with him during his first imprisonment (Col 4:14; Philem 24) and again during his second imprisonment in Rome (2 Tim 4:11). This, again, evinces Luke’s sincerity.
The Miracles of Peter
Luke indicates that he was present with Paul in Jerusalem when Paul visited the elders of the Jerusalem church (Acts 21:17-18). Luke mentions James, Jesus’s brother, by name, and indicates that “all the elders were present,” (v. 18). According to Galatians 2:9, the leaders of the church in Jerusalem included James, as well as Simon Peter, and John the son of Zebedee. Luke was also present with Paul when Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea Maritima for at least two years (Acts 24:27), in relative geographical proximity to Jerusalem (a two or three day journey on foot). Luke would have presumably had ample access during this time to the apostles. He was, therefore, in a position to know what the apostles were claiming. Luke, moreover, indicates in his address to Theophilus, in the prologue to his gospel, that he was interested in the testimony of “those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word.” The numerous points of specific confirmation of the gospel of Luke also indicate that Luke extracted reliable information from the apostles concerning Jesus’s ministry. Taken together, these considerations support that Luke had access to, and reliably represented, the apostles’ claims.
Peter in particular is reported to have performed various miracles that one could not readily be sincerely mistaken about (see those miracles performed, or experienced, by Peter in the list supplied at the beginning of this article). In addition to healing individuals who were lame (Acts 3:2-10) or paralyzed (Acts 9:33-34), he is alleged to have raised Dorcas from the dead, an incident which became known throughout all Joppa and resulted in many conversions (Acts 9:36-42). Peter also struck Ananias and Saphira dead at a word, as God’s judgment for having lied about the price obtained for their land, an incident that caused great fear to come upon the whole church (Acts 5:1-11). Furthermore, Peter experiences a miraculous prison break, where he is led out of the jail by an angel (Acts 12:6-11). There is also another incident where the apostles as a group are liberated from prison by an angel (Acts 5:18-20). The other apostles are also said to have performed many signs and wonders, healings and exorcisms, though no details are supplied (Acts 5:12-16).
The Miracles of Philip the Deacon
Luke indicates that he lodged at the house of Philip the deacon: “On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him” (Acts 21:8). Thus, Luke was in a position to know what Philip himself claimed concerning his activities and alleged miracles. According to Acts 8:6-8,
Moreover, Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian Eunuch, in Acts 8:26-38, though not a miracle per se, is nonetheless an occasion of special providence, since the Ethiopian coincidentally happens to be reading Isaiah 53, a major text in the Hebrew Bible concerning the Messiah, which Philip is consequently able to explain to him (see my detailed essay on Isaiah 53 here). In Acts 8:39-40, we read of another miraculous event following the Ethiopian’s baptism: “And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.” The sudden transportation of Philip to Azotus, about twenty miles north of Gaza, is surely an event about which one could hardly be sincerely mistaken.
The Evidential Value of the Miracles in Acts
I have argued in the foregoing that the accounts in Acts concerning the miracles performed, and experienced, by Paul, Peter and Philip actually represent the testimony of those individuals. Given the nature of those alleged miracles, it is quite implausible that they could be sincerely mistaken. I have argued at length elsewhere that the context of persecution evinces the sincerity of Paul and the other apostles (see my article on this here). The miracles recorded in Acts, therefore, provide further support for the truth of Christianity.
References:
[1] Strabo, The Geography of Strabo. Literally Translated, with Notes, in Three Volumes., ed. H. C. Hamilton (Medford, MA: George Bell & Sons, 1903), 71–72.
[2] Ben Witherington III, The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1998), 399–400.
[3] . Colin J. Hemer, The Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History, ed. Conrad H. Gempf (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1990), 110.
[4] P. Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses, ed. Arthur Golding (Medford, MA: W. Seres, 1567).
[5] Witherington 1998, Acts 20:9-10.
Recommended Resources:
Miracles: The Evidence by Frank Turek DVD and Mp4
Two Miracles You Take With You Everywhere You Go by Frank Turek DVD, Mp3 and Mp4
Why We Know the New Testament Writers Told the Truth by Frank Turek (DVD, Mp3 and Mp4)
Can All Religions Be True? mp3 by Frank Turek
Dr. Jonathan McLatchie is a Christian writer, international speaker, and debater. He holds a Bachelor’s degree (with Honors) in forensic biology, a Masters’s (M.Res) degree in evolutionary biology, a second Master’s degree in medical and molecular bioscience, and a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology. Currently, he is an assistant professor of biology at Sattler College in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. McLatchie is a contributor to various apologetics websites and is the founder of the Apologetics Academy (Apologetics-Academy.org), a ministry that seeks to equip and train Christians to persuasively defend the faith through regular online webinars, as well as assist Christians who are wrestling with doubts. Dr. McLatchie has participated in more than thirty moderated debates around the world with representatives of atheism, Islam, and other alternative worldview perspectives. He has spoken internationally in Europe, North America, and South Africa promoting an intelligent, reflective, and evidence-based Christian faith.
Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/3G2VNtu
Do Naturalistic Alternatives to the Resurrection Work? with Dr. Gary Habermas
PodcastIf God exists and Jesus rose from the dead, then Christianity is true. Case closed! However, there are still those who offer alternative explanations for the empty tomb despite the evidence for the resurrection. What are these theories and do they withstand critical analysis?
This week, Frank sits down with Dr. Gary Habermas, the world’s leading resurrection scholar to discuss, ‘On the Resurrection: Refutations‘, the second volume of his magnum opus–a massive 4-volume project nearly 40 years in the making. From second-century texts that seem to challenge the resurrection to modern skeptical scholars like Bart Ehrman, Gary will uncover why naturalistic explanations for the empty tomb simply don’t hold up. Tune in as Frank and Gary answer questions like:
If you’re looking for the most well-researched scholarship to refute common resurrection objections, you won’t find a better resource than this! Be sure to pick up your own copies of Gary’s amazing work and stay tuned for the next podcast where he’ll return to discuss even more insights from his life’s work on the resurrection!
If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!
Resources mentioned during the episode:
On the Resurrection: Evidences – Volume 1
On the Resurrection: Refutations – Volume 2
On the Resurrection: Scholarly Perspectives – Volume 3
GaryHabermas.com
There is a God by Antony Flew
Signature in the Cell by Stephen C. Meyer
Volume 1 Podcast – Did Jesus REALLY Rise From the Dead?
Bringing Jews to Jesus? Plus LIVE War Report from Israel with Jeff Morgan
PodcastPodcast: Play in new window
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | iHeartRadio | Blubrry | Email | TuneIn | RSS
What’s the current situation on the ground in Israel and how are the Israeli people responding to the war against Iran? Jeff Morgan, host of the ‘SO BE IT!’ Jews for Jesus outreach ministry program and YouTube channel, joins Frank from his home near Tel Aviv to discuss his work as a street apologist in Israel and how citizens are dealing with the current crisis. During their conversation, Frank and Jeff will address questions like:
Tune in to learn specific ways you can support the humanitarian efforts and ministry work of Jews for Jesus and how to spark meaningful conversations with Orthodox and traditional Jews. Also, let’s pray for the leaders of Israel and Iran to seek peace in the name of the only person who can save and redeem humanity–Jesus the Messiah.
If you enjoyed this podcast episode PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY BY SUPPORTING OUR MINISTRY HERE. 100% of your donation goes to ministry, 0% to buildings!
Resources mentioned during the episode:
Jews for Jesus
‘So Be It’ YouTube channel
Fellowship of Israel Related Ministries
The Miracles in Acts, and Their Evidential Value
3. Are Miracles Possible?, 4. Is the NT True?The book of Acts recounts various miracles performed by Paul and the other apostles, as well as the deacons Stephen and Philip. If it can be shown that these miracle reports substantially represent the testimony of these individuals, then this is an important aspect of the testimony that must be accounted for. For reasons I have discussed at length previously, there is strong reason to believe that the apostles sincerely believed what they claimed. As William Paley puts it,
Since these purported miracles are often not of a type about which one can plausibly be sincerely mistaken, a demonstration that these claimed miracles represent the testimony of those who allegedly performed or witnessed them is of significant evidential force in confirming the truth of Christianity.
The Miracles of Acts
What are the miracles of the apostles and deacons that are alleged by the book of Acts? Below is a comprehensive list:
These miracle reports are of varying evidential value. For example, no specific details are supplied regarding the miracles of Stephen. Moreover, there are, at least at the present time, no venomous snakes on the island of Malta, and it was a common ancient belief that all snakes were venomous — thus, I do not repose particularly much weight on Paul’s surviving a viper bite on Malta. Moreover, Paul’s healing of the father of Publius on Malta represents another case where one might postulate that those reporting the healing were sincerely mistaken. For example, It is possible that the father of Publius was already on the path to recovery when Paul prayed over him, leading to a mistaken belief that the healing was miraculous. Fever and dysentery can often resolve on their own. Nonetheless, the significant majority of the miracle reports listed above are extremely difficult to be sincerely mistaken about. I shall now turn to the task of arguing that these miracle reports, delivered to us by Acts, in fact represent the testimony of those who are alleged to have performed or witnessed these instances of special divine action.
The Miracles of Paul
Paul indicates in his letters that he performed miracles in attestation of his apostolic claims. For example, he wrote to the church in Corinth, “The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works,” (2 Cor 12:12). Note that this appeal is made to an audience who had in their midst individuals who doubted Paul’s apostolic credentials. It was risky to appeal to such miracles if there were no such convincing miracles to speak of that could be brought to the minds of his critics. There is a similar passage, indicating that Paul performed miracles, in his letter to the Romans:
Though Paul does not indicate what those signs purportedly involved, we read in Acts about the sort of miracles that Paul performed (see the list given above).
To what extent can we be confident that these miracle reports are representative of Paul’s own claims? Of course, there is the general case for the author of Acts being a travelling companion of Paul and someone who was in the habit of being scrupulous and one who received reliable information from Paul concerning his itinerary and activities (an argument which I and others have laid out extensively elsewhere). Luke appears to have been present with Paul, beginning in Acts 16:10, though the “we” passages trail off when Paul passes through Philippi (the last use of the “we” pronoun, ἡμῖν, being in Acts 16:16) and commence again when Paul passes back through Philippi some seven or eight years later (Acts 20:6), continuing through the remainder of the book. This suggests that the author remained behind at Philippi, and subsequently rejoined Paul later when Paul again passed through Philippi. Thus, we may infer that Luke’s primary source for the events for which he was not himself present was Paul himself. Moreover, I have argued previously, at some length, that there is more direct evidence that the report of Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus (given in Acts 9, 22, and 26) represents Paul’s testimony, since various specific aspects of it are independently confirmed by Paul’s letters. This would presumably have included his three-day blindness and subsequent healing at the hands of Ananias, after Ananias and Paul both experienced a vision concerning each other (this event is mentioned in the account in Acts 9, as well as in Acts 22).
But what about other miracles are associated with Paul?
* Stay Tuned for Part 2 of “Miracles in Acts” by Jonathan McLatchie*
References:
[i] William Paley, A View of the Evidences of Christianity, Reissue Edition (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009), proposition 1 (preface).
Recommended Resources:
Miracles: The Evidence by Frank Turek DVD and Mp4
Two Miracles You Take With You Everywhere You Go by Frank Turek DVD, Mp3 and Mp4
Why We Know the New Testament Writers Told the Truth by Frank Turek (DVD, Mp3 and Mp4)
Can All Religions Be True? mp3 by Frank Turek
Dr. Jonathan McLatchie is a Christian writer, international speaker, and debater. He holds a Bachelor’s degree (with Honors) in forensic biology, a Masters’s (M.Res) degree in evolutionary biology, a second Master’s degree in medical and molecular bioscience, and a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology. Currently, he is an assistant professor of biology at Sattler College in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. McLatchie is a contributor to various apologetics websites and is the founder of the Apologetics Academy (Apologetics-Academy.org), a ministry that seeks to equip and train Christians to persuasively defend the faith through regular online webinars, as well as assist Christians who are wrestling with doubts. Dr. McLatchie has participated in more than thirty moderated debates around the world with representatives of atheism, Islam, and other alternative worldview perspectives. He has spoken internationally in Europe, North America, and South Africa promoting an intelligent, reflective, and evidence-based Christian faith.
Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/443zf3W
The Nature and Purpose of Miracles
3. Are Miracles Possible?When I was born the doctors said I was blind. In fact, I have a letter from the doctor saying that I was blind and that my grandmother (my grandparents reared me) simply would not accept that. She prayed and had her church pray. She had them anoint me with oil. One day I reached for a toy and my grandmother realized I could see. Today I have bad vision but I can see. Was this a miracle?
What Miracles Are
Miracles are by definition a supernatural act of God where he intervenes in nature to alter an otherwise natural course of events. By ‘supernatural’ is meant an act that transcends or is not a part of nature. It is other than nature. The only being other than nature is God; hence, miracles are only done by God. While there are paranormal activities described in the Bible, such as demonic activity or magic (Pharaoh’s magicians or the false miracles of the end times for instance), they are not true miracles according to this definition. They would be considered at best paranormal.
Notice too that since miracles are supernatural actions by God then many events that are normally said to be miraculous are actually not. While many say that the event of a newborn is miraculous, it is completely natural. Coming close to hitting a car head-on but barely missing it is also not a miracle. Rare events are not miraculous simply by virtue of being rare. Unexplained events are not miraculous just because they are unexplained. To be able to say an event is a true miracle, there must be a causal connection back to God. The action also has to be a direct intervention in nature. Providence (God sovereignly guiding human affairs/events) is thus also not miraculous. Miracles occur when nature is interrupted in some way.
Characteristics of Miracles
There are clear characteristics of true miracles. (For this discussion I am largely drawing on Norman Geisler’s “False Miracles,” in Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics.)[1]
The Purpose of Miracles in the Bible
In the Bible miracles authenticate a message/messenger of God. They are not performed in the Bible for entertainment. They are performed to prove something. For example, Peter exclaims, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know . . .” (Acts 2:22). Contrary to popular belief miracles did not happen frequently in biblical times. While the Bible spans about 1500 years from the writings of Moses to the close of the NT, most of the miracles center around Moses/Aaron, Elijah/Elisha, and Jesus/the Apostles. There are huge gaps of time between these people’s lives. (One person who did the math said that if we add all the miracles up and divide by the number of years the Bible spans, it is about one miracle every eight years.) The reason miracles occurred with these groups is because they all had a message for God’s people and to those around them: That Yahweh is the true God and Jesus is identical with him. Other miracles happened outside of these groups, but also for specific reasons, such as the conquest of the land or accomplishing certain goals for God’s people.
It should be clear that based on these characteristics, miracles are special events caused by God that have a specific purpose and are extremely rare. In biblical times they did not happen often. If they did, people would not be amazed at them. Further, if they happened all of the time today, people would not be amazed at them.
The Theistic Context of Miracles
As Norman Geisler often says, there cannot be acts of God unless there is a God who can act. In order to truly say a miracle happened, we must know that a theistic God exists, that is, a God who is the creator and sustainer of this universe, who transcends it, and is not part of it. In the logical order then, it makes sense to prove that God exists before moving onto miracles. Even if a rare, unexplainable event happens, atheists can logically deny it was a miracle. If God has been demonstrated, however, that option (as C. S. Lewis maintained) is not available. Thus, while miracles may practically show God exists by making people see there is no other option for an event, it is logically better to argue for God’s existence first before moving onto miracles. This is why the 12 step method of Norman Geisler and Frank Turek’s I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist is so strong. In following the method of classical apologetics, they first prove that God exists before going on to show that miracles happen.
References:
[1] Norman L. Geisler, Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1999), 471-474.
Recommended Resources:
Miracles: The Evidence by Frank Turek DVD and Mp4
Two Miracles You Take With You Everywhere You Go by Frank Turek DVD, Mp3 and Mp4
Why We Know the New Testament Writers Told the Truth by Frank Turek (DVD, Mp3 and Mp4)
Early Evidence for the Resurrection by Dr. Gary Habermas (DVD), (Mp3) and (Mp4)
J. Brian Huffling, PH.D. has a BA in History from Lee University, an MA in (3 majors) Apologetics, Philosophy, and Biblical Studies from Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES), and a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion from SES. He is the Director of the Ph.D. Program and Associate Professor of Philosophy and Theology at SES. He also teaches courses for Apologia Online Academy. He has previously taught at The Art Institute of Charlotte. He has served in the Marines, Navy, and is currently a reserve chaplain in the Air Force at Maxwell Air Force Base. His hobbies include golf, backyard astronomy, martial arts, and guitar.
Originally posted at: https://bit.ly/3TnHLFI