TruthMatters_SJ
The prophet Daniel lived between 605 B.C. and 530 B.C. He and his fellow Israelites were captives in Babylon under the King Nebuchadnezzar. After correctly explaining one of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams, he was given a position of power under him. He often prayed to God while in this position and the Lord gave him numerous …
Continue reading "The Biblical Prophecy that Changed the World!"
When Herod the Great became aware of the birth of the Messiah, he ordered the slaughter of all children under the age of two in Bethlehem. But how did he know the Messiah was to be born at that particular time? Which prophecies in the Old Testament or other sources supported this claim? Jesus’ birth …
Continue reading "How Did Herod the Great Know the Timing of the Messiah’s Birth?"
Prior to his decades-long ministry, Luke reports in the book of Acts that St. Paul (who was then called Saul) hunted and persecuted people of “the Way,” which he considered to be a false and blasphemous movement against the God of the Jewish people, whom he dutifully worshipped. He stood at the feet of St. …
Continue reading "10 Tips from St. Paul for Christian Debates with Nonbelievers"
In his letter to the Romans (2:15), Paul wrote: “They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them.” Thankfully, we all have a conscience that can help us distinguish what is right from what is wrong …
Continue reading "Is Our Conscience Evidence of a Benevolent God?"
God disrupts lives to build heroes. Modern skeptics sometimes question whether Moses really existed. They cite a lack of much archaeological evidence for the Exodus and disputes among scholars on its timing and which Pharaoh was in power. The oldest piece of extra-Biblical evidence we have is the Merenptah Stele, which places Israel in Canaan …
An important lesson can be learned when considering what we know of Joseph of Arimathea. The Bible tells us that he was a member of the Sanhedrin, which is the group of Jewish leaders who convicted Jesus to death on the cross. The Bible also tells us that he asked Pontius Pilate for Jesus’ body, …
People sometimes question God’s wisdom and sovereignty when they witness suffering in the world, wondering why God would permit human suffering. Anyone who has witnessed human poverty, pediatric cancer or the deaths and injuries resulting from catastrophic weather events has likely had these questions in his or her mind. Why would God allow suffering? The …
Bart Ehrman begins his book “Misquoting Jesus” by misleading readers about the information we have concerning the New Testament. He begins by building an implicit case against the Gospels and Paul’s letters by (1) stretching the dates between Paul’s writings, Jesus’ crucifixion, and those of the Gospel writers; (2) suggesting there were “many” Gospels written …
Continue reading "Ehrman’s “Misquoting Jesus” Misleads Readers from its Inception"
As Christians on social media, we often encounter daily attacks on our faith waged by nonbelievers and cynics with strong desires to plant seeds of doubt. When we examine their attacks, however, we find them without merit. I have outlined a few recent arguments against Jesus’ resurrection from nonbelievers, along with responses. Early apostles and …
Continue reading "A Christian Rebuttal to Skeptics’ Common Claims about Jesus’ Resurrection"
In his last speech to the American public on April 3, 1969, before his untimely death by assassination, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. shared a very prescient and compelling message. He said: “Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just …
Continue reading "Did Jesus’ Apostles See the Kingdom of God in their Lifetimes?"