Jesus' death Archives - Bible Authenticity

What Caused the Three Hour Darkness at Jesus’ Execution? – An Eclipse?

April 6, 2024 BibleAuthenticity Comments 1 comment

A Total Eclipse of the Sun. Dramatic Solar Eclipse illustration.

“Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour”—Matthew 27:45 ESV

“And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour”—Mark 15:33 ESV

“It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour”—Luke 23:44 ESV

Starting right in the middle of the day, when the sunlight is the very brightest, from about noontime until about 3 PM, on the day Jesus was executed, a mysterious darkness covered “the whole land” (Greek, “ge”), meaning Jerusalem and the surrounding area of Judea. Three extra-Biblical ancient historians, Thallus, Phlegon, and Africanus, also mentioned this three hour period of darkness in their writings read more

Are God, Jesus, and the holy Spirit a Trinity? – 2 Corinthians

December 28, 2023 BibleAuthenticity Comments 1 comment

“The Trinity is one of the most important teachings of the Christian faith. It defines God’s very essence and describes how he relates to us”—The Forgotten Trinity, back cover

Since Second Corinthians was written over twenty years after the start of Christianity, we would expect to see at least some evidence of such an important doctrine as the Trinity in the Letter’s 13 chapters, if it is a true Christian doctrine. Let’s examine scriptures from this book which tell us something about God, Jesus, and the holy Spirit. read more

Jesus’ Birth, Rejection, Mistreatment, Execution & Death Foretold in Dead Sea Scrolls

July 1, 2023 BibleAuthenticity Comments 7 comments

“Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms”—Luke 24:44 NIV

Critics claim that Jesus was just an ordinary man, and that predictive prophecy is impossible, and therefore deny that Jesus fulfilled any Old Testament prophecies. Since there are so many prophecies that Jesus actually fulfilled, critics resort to claiming that the prophecies in the Old Testament were written after the fact, so as to conform to what happened to Jesus, and also that the New Testament recordings of these fulfillments are frauds, that is, written to conform to Old Testament predictions. read more

“THE SACRIFICE OF THE BODY OF JESUS CHRIST”

July 11, 2022 BibleAuthenticity Comments 2 comments

“We have been made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time”—Hebrews 10:10 NIV

Most Christian churches and preachers claim that Jesus’ physical body was resurrected. However, the Bible, as we can see above, says that Jesus’ body was sacrificed.

What does that mean? According to Numbers chapters 28 and 29, “burnt offerings” (Numbers 29:39 NIV) were to be made by God’s people, the Israelites, “each day” of the year (Numbers 28:3 NIV), plus additional “burnt offerings” every “Sabbath day” (Numbers 28:9 NIV), “on the first of every month” (Numbers 28:11 NIV), and even more on other festival days they were commanded to observe in the spring and fall each year. read more

DID JESUS CHRIST DIE IN HIS “DEITY”/”DIVINITY”?

July 16, 2021 BibleAuthenticity Comments 9 comments

“Surely you, Yahweh, are from ancient times, my holy God, who never dies”—Habakkuk 1:12 NJB

“My God, my Holy One, you will never die”—Habakkuk 1:12 NIV

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God”—1 Timothy 1:17 NIV

Since it is obvious from the scriptures that Almighty God, Yahweh, cannot die, the Trinitarian claim that Jesus Christ is Almighty God runs into a huge problem. To overcome this problem, Trinitarians claim that Jesus “died in his humanity, but not in his “Deity”, or “Divinity”. Do the scriptures support such an idea? Are there any scriptures that say anything about such an idea? Actually, no, there are none. In fact, the scriptures contradict such erroneous ideas. read more

WAS JESUS GOD, OR GOD’S SON, IN COURT?

April 9, 2021 BibleAuthenticity Comments 2 comments

Like Jesus’ enemies, Trinitarians often assert that Jesus was “claiming to be God” (John 10:33 REB). However, Jesus flatly refuted that false charge by saying, “I am God’s Son” (John 10:36). Like Jesus’ enemies, once again, Trinitarians also falsely assert that Jesus “was claiming equality with God” (John 5:18 REB). Jesus flatly refuted that false charge also, by saying: “In all truth I tell you, by himself the Son can do nothing; he can do only what he sees the Father doing” (John 5:19 NJB).

When, finally, Jesus was brought before the Jewish Supreme Court, the Sanhedrin, what was the real issue that they were concerned about?

“The high priest said to him, ‘I order you to tell us under oath before the living God whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God'” (Matthew 26:63 NAB).

This was the real issue, whether Jesus claimed to be “the Messiah, the Son of God.” They obviously knew he never ‘claimed to be God’. Notice Jesus’ response:

“The words are yours. But I tell you this: ‘from now on you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of the Almighty and coming on the clouds of heaven'” (Matthew 26:64 REB). read more

Is It True That Jesus Did Not Really Die On the Cross, As Critics Claim?

March 7, 2020 BibleAuthenticity Comments 10 comments

“But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water” (John 19:33,34 NIV).

Some skeptics claim that Jesus somehow survived his crucifixion, and was unknowingly placed alive in the tomb, where he revived, and early on Sunday morning escaped from the tomb alive. This is quite a far-fetched story, but nevertheless, many people believe it. However, when we carefully consider all the known and pertinent facts, such a theory flies in the face of all the evidence. read more

Do the Twelve Minor Prophets Support Trinity Doctrine?

March 6, 2020 BibleAuthenticity Comments 0 Comment

“The Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. And yet, there are not three Gods, but one God”—Athanasian Creed

The statement quoted above is said to be the primary belief of most Christian groups. If this is true, then we should find some evidence of it throughout the Bible.

The 12 relatively short Bible Books called “the minor prophets”, from Hosea to Malachi, make many references to Almighty God “Yahweh”, but no references to Jesus Christ by name, and some references to God’s spirit, or the holy Spirit. There is one famous reference to Jesus, in a verse which predicts his birthplace, and mentions something very significant in doing so:

“But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2 NRSV).

Matthew 2:1-6 confirms that Micah 5:2 accurately predicts the birthplace of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. But Micah 5:2 also does something else very significant. It says that Jesus had an “origin”, a beginning,” not with his birth on earth, in the distant past. This scriptural fact overturns the key Trinitarian claim that the Son of God, Jesus Christ, has always been eternal. Jesus’ having an “origin” is powerful proof that he is not eternal. The Biblical fact that is Jesus is not eternal is further contrasted with this:

“Are you not from eternity, Yahweh my God? My Holy One, You will not die” (Habakkuk 1:12 HCSB). read more

Is the Trinity Taught in 1 Peter, or Is It Contradicted?

November 4, 2019 BibleAuthenticity Comments 2 comments

First Peter opens up with a statement that has been that has been used to support the Trinity doctrine. Trinitarians point to the naming of the three who are said to be in the Trinity as proof of its existence. For example:
“Who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood” (1:2 NIV). Yes, the three are mentioned. Trinitarians count 1,2,3, and say, ‘There’s the Trinity!’ The mention of three does not say anything about their supposed equality, nor the “personhood” of the Spirit, nor their supposed “oneness” of substance. In fact, only one of the three is identified as God, something Trinitarians overlook. Rather, “God the Father” is shown to be in control with his “foreknowledge”. In fact, only “the Father” is said to have such “foreknowledge”, meaning that he knows things that “Jesus Christ” doesn’t know, which is a very clear indication of their separateness and distinction. The Holy Spirit is always described by “the”, indicating that it is not a person, and therefore cannot know anything. Being “sprinkled with” “Jesus” Christ’s “blood” indicates that he died, which also means that he cannot be Almighty God, since God cannot die (Habakkuk 1:12).
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . he has given us new birth . . . through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1:3 NIV). “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” indicates that “God the Father” is the God of, or over, Jesus Christ, thus denoting his superiority. “The resurrection of Jesus Christ” implies his Father’s superiority because he brought his Son back from death. “From the dead” implies that Jesus was dead, which means he cannot be God, since God cannot die (Habakkuk 1:12). Jesus admits that, “I was dead” (Revelation 1:18), meaning that his entire person was “dead,” not just the Trinitarian imagined “human part” of him.

“Investigating the time and circumstances that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the sufferings destined for Christ” (1:11 NAB). Trinitarians claim that “the Spirit of Christ” indicating things means it is a person. Many translation use “he” rather than “it.” However, “it” is the more accurate translation, as also rendered in the NRSV, and KJV. Additionally, Trinitarians overlook the very next verse, which talks about “the good news” which was “preached to you [through] the holy Spirit sent from heaven” (1:12 NAB). “The holy Spirit” was “sent from heaven,” by God.

“No slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him” (John 13:16 NAB). read more

Are Jesus Christ and Almighty God Part of a Trinity?—-1 Timothy

October 15, 2019 BibleAuthenticity Comments 68 comments

It is frequently asserted by Bible preachers and teachers that Jesus Christ Is Almighty God, and, along with the Holy Spirit, they are part of a Trinity. If this is so, then we should find plenty of scriptural evidence to support it. Do we? Since 1 Timothy was written by Bible scholar and teacher the apostle Paul to counter false teachers and false teachings, let’s see what it says.
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope” (1 Timothy 1:1 NIV). God and Christ are here clearly portrayed as two separate and distinct individuals. As if this is not enough, it is further emphasized in verse 2:
“Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord” (1 Timothy 1:2 NIV). “Grace, mercy and peace” are said to come from both God and Christ, with no mention of the Holy Spirit. This omission of the Holy Spirit would be surprising and confusing if the Trinity were true, but since the Holy Spirit is not a person, this statement makes perfect sense.

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever” (1 Timothy 1:17 NIV). This sets Almighty God totally apart as being “eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God”, since Christ was created, died, and was visible while on earth.

“There is one God and one mediator between God and Christ, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5 NIV). By definition, the mediator cannot be either of the two parties that he mediates “between”. Therefore, it is obvious that Christ cannot be either”God” or “mankind”. No, Christ is “the man”, the “one mediator”. This one scripture is enough to obliterate Trinitarian notions.

“Who gave himself as a ransom for all people” (1 Timothy 2:6 NIV). “Sacrificed himself” (REB). Jesus died as a ransom sacrifice. Almighty God “Yahweh . . . never dies” (Habakkuk 1:12 NJB), therefore Jesus cannot be Almighty God. This one fact also obliterates the Trinity.

“He appeared in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16 NIV). KJV and NKJV have “God was manifest in the flesh”, however, footnoted editions admit that the Greek did not originally read this way. John 1:14 says “The Word [Christ] became flesh” (NASB). Numbers 23:19 says that “God is not human” (NIV), and John 1:18 says that “No one has seen God at any time” (NASB). Since God has never been on earth, nor “in the flesh”, nor “human”, but the Bible says Christ did experience all that, obviously Christ cannot be Almighty God.

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, I warn you” (1 Timothy 5:21 NRSV). God and Jesus are just as separate and distinct from each other as they are from the angels.

“Until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—-God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see” (1 Timothy 6:14-16 NIV). Here, we plainly see that Almighty God is set apart from Jesus Christ, and God is the only one who has eternally been immortal (compare Revelation 1:18), and whom no one has ever seen (John 1:18).

In each of the eight times that God and Jesus are mentioned in 1 Timothy, their being distinct and separate is made very clear. Also, the Holy Spirit is only mentioned twice, and each time it is called “the Spirit” (1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1), which is not something that a person is called. These eight simple Biblical statements of God and Jesus together devastate the Trinity dogma. In fact, the Trinity doctrine confuses pure Biblical truth, because it fits the description of one of the “false doctrines” that Christians are commanded in this letter “not to teach” (1 Timothy 1:3,4 NIV).

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