Bart Ehrman's Bad Arguments Go On Tour

Summary

In this podcast, Kelly addresses New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman's arguments, critiquing his stance on the historicity of Jesus's resurrection and divinity. Ehrman, once a conservative Christian, now an agnostic atheist, has been criticized for his views on biblical manuscripts and the physical laws. Kelly counters Ehrman's claims by highlighting the differences in evidence quality for Jesus compared to other ancient figures, the unique claims of Jesus in the synoptic gospels, and the impact of textual variants on Christian doctrine. The discussion aims to clarify misconceptions and affirm the reliability of the New Testament accounts.

Takeaways

• 📚 The host, Kelly, introduces the topic of discussing New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman's views, highlighting his transition from a Conservative Christian to an agnostic atheist.
• 🔍 Ehrman's focus on textual criticism is emphasized, which involves using biblical manuscripts to restore the original text of the Bible, given that no original copies exist.
• 🤔 The debate over Jesus's resurrection is presented, with Ehrman arguing against it based on the belief that it violates the laws of nature, while his critics argue that laws of physics and mathematics differ fundamentally.
• 📖 The difference in the quality of evidence for Jesus's resurrection versus other ancient figures like Apollonius of Tyana and Romulus is discussed, pointing out the more substantial and earlier evidence for Jesus.
• 😯 Ehrman's claim that the New Testament never describes Jesus claiming to be God is contested, with references to John 8:58 and the implications of Jesus using 'I am' in the context of his divinity.
• 📝 The argument from silence is critiqued, where Ehrman suggests that the lack of explicit claims to divinity in some gospels undermines the claim that Jesus saw himself as divine, but critics argue this is not convincing.
• 👤 The discussion of Jesus's ability to forgive sins and read thoughts as indicative of his divine nature, as opposed to Ehrman's view that these are anti-priestly polemics and not claims of divinity.
• 👉 Ehrman's view that Jesus saw himself as a mortal apocalyptic prophet is challenged, with the argument that the evidence suggests a divine self-identity, especially in the context of the trial narratives.
• 🌐 The issue of New Testament textual variants is addressed, with Ehrman's popular presentations potentially overstating the extent of the problem and the actual impact on Christian doctrine.
• 📉 The contrast between the number of variants and the actual reliability of the New Testament text is highlighted, showing that the vast majority of variants do not affect core Christian beliefs.
• 🔑 The final point is Ehrman's own concession that essential Christian beliefs are not affected by textual variants, which is a significant admission that nuances his public skepticism.

Q & A

Who is Bart Ehrman and what is his current religious identification?

Bart Ehrman is a renowned New Testament scholar who was once a Conservative Christian but now identifies as an agnostic atheist.

What is textual criticism and why is it important in biblical studies?

Textual criticism is the science of using biblical manuscripts to restore what the original text of the Bible said. It's important because we don't have the original copies of the gospels or any other biblical texts.

What is the main argument of Bart Ehrman's book 'Misquoting Jesus'?

In 'Misquoting Jesus', Ehrman focuses on the variations in biblical manuscripts and argues that these discrepancies raise questions about the reliability of the Bible's text.

What is the difference between the laws of mathematics and the laws of physics as discussed in the debate with Justin Bree?

The laws of mathematics describe essential features of reality and are necessarily true in every possible world, while the laws of physics describe how objects in reality tend to behave and are contingent truths, meaning they could be different.

Why does Ehrman believe that Jesus's resurrection violates the laws of nature?

Ehrman believes that Jesus's resurrection violates the laws of nature because, from his perspective, it implies a violation of the laws of physics, which he views as unbreakable.

What is the difference between the evidence for Jesus's resurrection and that for Apollonius of Tyana or Romulus according to the script?

The evidence for Jesus's resurrection comes from first-hand accounts and writings within decades of the event, whereas the evidence for Apollonius of Tyana and Romulus comes from much later sources, sometimes centuries after their respective lifetimes.

Why does Ehrman argue that the New Testament never describes Jesus claiming to be God?

Ehrman argues that while the Gospel of John may portray Jesus as claiming to be God, the other gospels and Paul's letters do not explicitly or implicitly claim Jesus's divinity, which he believes indicates that this claim is not historical.

What is the significance of the phrase 'I am' in the context of Jesus's claim to divinity in the Gospel of John?

In the Gospel of John, when Jesus says 'I am', it is a reference to the name of God as revealed in the Old Testament (Yahweh), suggesting that Jesus is claiming the name of God for himself, which is seen as a claim to divinity.

What is the issue with using the number of textual variants in the New Testament manuscripts as evidence of corruption or unreliability?

The issue is that while there are many variants, they are spread across a large number of manuscripts, and most of these variants are trivial. The existence of variants in multiple manuscripts actually allows for more accurate textual criticism and can lead to a more reliable understanding of the original text.

How does the script address the concern that the textual variants might affect Christian doctrine?

The script argues that despite the presence of textual variants, no orthodox doctrine or ethical practice of Christianity depends solely on any disputed wording, as there are always undisputed passages that teach the same truths.

What does Ehrman admit in the appendix of 'Misquoting Jesus' regarding the impact of textual variants on essential Christian beliefs?

Ehrman concedes that essential Christian beliefs are not affected by textual variants in the manuscript tradition of the New Testament.