Apologetics Quick Chart©

Terms and Definitions The Nature of Truth

Apologetics, from the Greek apologia: a defense, is that branch of Christian theology which Truth exists and is knowable. Many would try to deny the existence of truth with one of the
seeks to provide a rational justification for the truth claims of the Christian faith. following claims: “There is no truth” or “Truth is not knowable” or “Truth is relative.”
I Peter 3:15 – “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the These claims are self-refuting, meaning they fail to meet their own standard.
reason [i.e. – apologia] for the hope that you have.” Self-defeating claims: fail to meet their own standard and are self-contradictory
1. Offensive Apologetics – presenting a positive case for the Christian truth claims. For example, the claim that “there is no truth” is asserted as true, but that is contradictory.
“There is good reason to think Christianity is true.”-Ex. The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel Likewise, the claim that truth is not knowable, simply ask “how do you know that?” The
2. Defensive Apologetics – answering objections against the truth claims of Christianity. claim that truth is relative is asserted as absolute. But if truth is relative, then so is the claim
“There is no good reason to think Christianity is false.”-Ex. The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel “truth is relative.” Such claims do not meet the criteria it is asserting. Christianity claims to
Offensive apologetics is the focus of this document. be true. The following information provides evidence for that truth.
Three Arguments for God’s Existence
Cosmological Moral Teleological
P1: Everything that begins to exist has a cause P1: If God doesn’t exist, objective moral values don’t exist P1: The fine tuning of the universe is either design or chance.
P2: The universe began to exist P2: Objective moral values exist P2: It is highly improbable that it resulted from chance.
C: The universe has a cause C: Therefore, God exists C: Thus it is highly probable that it resulted from design.
Evidence for P1 Evidence for P1 Evidence for P2
-self-evident -God is the only source for objective moral values, because -The existence of life like ours depends upon a complex and
-nothing comes from nothing society and individuals can only provide subjective moral delicate balance which must be fine tuned to such a degree
-seems more plausible than its values (i.e., ethical relativism) that is literally incomprehensible and incalculable that it
denial Evidence for P2 cannot be a result of chance, thus it must be design.
Evidence for P2 -There exists moral obligations that everyone is required to -Examples of fine-tuning include the expansion rate of
-impossibility of an actual infinite number of past events follow whether they do or not or say they believe or not universe, gravitational force, placement of planet to sun,
necessitates a beginning -ex.-rape, murder, torture of children are examples of some placement of solar system in galaxy, strong nuclear force,
-Big Bang implies a beginning of the universe objective moral truths oxygen level, moon-
Implications of C Evidence of C earth gravity relation,
-first cause must be timeless, immaterial, super-powerful, -objective moral values breed a sense of obligation or duty and over a hundred
supernatural b/c time, matter, energy, and nature was -only a person or authority can give a sense of obligation others. If any one of
created at Big Bang -since the obligation to objective moral values cannot come these constants was
-this attributes are the very attributes of God from society or individuals, God must exist to ground this different then life
obligation would not be possible.

Reasons for the Reliability of the New Testament (NT)

Dates Manuscript Evidence Non-Biblical Sources
Reasons to believe the New Testament was 1) Comparing NT textual preservation
written in the 1st century: with other ancient documents. 1) There are more than 36,000 New
1) Extant (existing) manuscripts a) Number of manuscript copies: Testament quotations present in writings
a) The Chester Beatty of early church fathers.
Papyri contains most 5800+ 2) Secular Historians confirming NT
of the New Testament accounts:
and is dated AD 250 note: The NT has more manuscripts a) Josephus (A.D. 37-100) Jewish
b) The Bodmer Papyri than any other ancient document Archaeology Antiquities
(AD 200) contains Archaeology has continually affirmed the b) Cornelius Tacitus (A.D. c. 55-
most of John truth of the historicity of the Bible. 117) Roman historian- names Jesus as
1757 1) Significant OT archaeological finds:
2) Early Church Father’s Testimony the founder of Christianity
109 a) Dead Sea Scrolls (1947-56)
a) Papias (AD 70-163) – mentions all 96 c) Pliny the Younger (c. A.D. 112)
four gospels Qumran, Israel – provided oldest Roman governor
b) Justin Martyr (AD 100-165)-four NT Iliad Herodotus Thucydides copies of almost all of the books of d) Other Historians
gospels, 11 other NT texts the OT confirming reliability of -Lucian, Greek Satirist (2nd cent)
c) Iranaeus (AD 130-200) – all but b) Span of years between original transmission process -Suetonius, Roman Historian (c.
four books of NT mentioned composition and earliest copy: b) House of David Inscription (1993) AD 120)
d) Polycarp (c. AD 110) - four Tel Dan, Israel – Earliest mention -Thallus, Historian of Samaria (AD 52)
gospels, majority of Pauline texts note: the NT manuscripts 1350 of King David outside the Bible 3) Combining all secular testimony
are closer to the original 1300 c) Cylinder of Nabonidus (1854) Ur,
e) Ignatius (c. 107) – 24 books of (outside of N.T.) we get the following
copies than any other Iraq – Corroborates Belshazzar as
NT quoted from by Ignatius ancient document picture: Jesus was crucified by Pontius
f) There many and early quotations last king of Babylon (Dan. 5:1-30) Pilate at Passover time, believed by
400
that push the New Testament well 2) Significant NT archaeological finds: disciples that Jesus rose on the third day,
within the first century. a) Pilate Stone Inscription (1961) church leaders charged Christ with
3) John Ryland fragment: 50 max Caesarea Maritima – Confirmed sorcery (i.e., miracles), Christianity could
contains a fragment of existence and office of Pilate not be contained and spread into Roman,
John 18:31- 33, 37-38. NT Iliad Herodotus Thucydides b) Caiaphas Ossuary (1990) near Nero and other Roman rulers persecuted
Found in Egypt. Dates Jeusalem-confirmed existence of Christians, early Christians denied
2) Embarrassing details - If the New Caiaphas
between AD 117-138. polytheism, live dedicated lives according
4) Focus of Luke’s Testament was fabricated, the c) Pool of Siloam (2004) Jerusalem– to Jesus’ teaching, and worshiped Christ –
authors would not report and include Site of Jesus’ miracle in John 9:1-11
writings This picture is congruent with the NT
(Gospel of Luke and embarrassing detail. People lie to 3) John McRay - Professor of NT and accounts
put themselves in a better light, thus archeology. Wrote Archaeology and the New
Acts) is Jerusalem 4) “On the basis of non-Christian sources...it
(Acts 1:8). Does not mention the embarrassing accounts increase the Testament. Supervised excavations at is noteworthy that it does not in any way
destruction of Jerusalem (AD 70) thus likelihood of accuracy. Ex.–Peter’s Caesarea, Sepphoris, and Herodium. John conflict with,
most likely written before that date. denial of Christ, all disciples fled in McRay has stated that “Archaeology has not but rather
Matthew and Mark written before that fear after Christ’s dead, women produced anything that is unequivocally a confirms, the
and most of Paul’s epistles written well discovered empty tomb contradiction to the Bible.” And “There is historical
before that. Thus most, if not all, of NT 3) Variations of the Gospel Stories - no question information in
Variations attest to the N.T. accuracy in that the
written before AD 70. the New
Importance of Early Dating what they reported. If the gospels were credibility of Testament.”
fabricated and conspired they would be the New
1) Early dating shows eyewitnesses Paul Barnett,
were alive during the production of NT exactly the same (which is an indication Testament is professor of
of conspiracy). The stories differ slightly enhanced”
and could serve as a corrective. ancient history
2) The time is too short for legends to (because of perspective, focus) which through at Macquarie
attest to the truth of what is being archaeology.
develop. Takes at least two generations University Josephus
in order for legend to corrupt historical reported. Ex. - number of angels at empty Caiaphas Ossuary
data tomb (Mt 28:5-7, Jn 20:10-13)
Produced by J. Steve Lee of “Is Christianity True”: Contact Steve at www.ischrsistianitytrue.wordpress.com for speaking opportunities or other resources. © Copyright 2015 All Rights Reserved
 The Divine Claims of Christ and Messianic Prophecy
Jesus’ Divine Claims Options for Understanding Statistical Prophecy
Jesus claimed to be God in direct and indirect ways: Jesus “teachings” resolved around himself thus, when Jesus The Old Testament contains predictions about a coming
1) Direct Claims: claimed to be God, he was making a claim about the very messiah. Such predictions included being a descendent of
a) Jesus’ Trial - Mk 14:61-64: High Priest asks core of his teaching. If Jesus was not God, then he was Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; soldiers gambling for his
Jesus, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” mistaken about something that was at the very core of his garments; born in Bethlehem; the piercing of his side with no
Jesus replied, “I am and all of you will see the Son of teaching. A great teacher could be mistaken about a marginal bones broken; being crucified with criminal; burial among
Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming issue, being God or not can never be a marginal issue. the rich; piercing of hands and feet; and riding into Jerusalem
with the clouds of heaven” High priest tore his clothes, Claiming to be God becomes the most important issue and if on a donkey, to name a few.
saying, “you have heard the blasphemy.” This is a he is wrong then he is not a good teacher. Were these predictions fulfilled by (1) manipulation,
direct reference to Dan 7:13 a reference to God. In 1st The Alternatives – Quadralimma (4 L’s) (2) written after the fact, (3) chance, (4) or truly fulfilled?
cent. Jewish context, everyone knew he was referencing There are four alternatives with regard to who Jesus was Manipulation Impossible Most prophecies were beyond the
Dan 7:13 which talks of the Son of Man coming in a (notice being a good teacher is not an option) control of Jesus, which rules out that he deliberately fulfilled
cloud of glory (only God was referenced that way) to Legend – Never was a Jesus who claimed to be God them to become the messiah. Written in After the Fact
judge the living and the dead (only God could judge) Lunatic – Thought Impossible Finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls situated in entire
and all the world would worship him (only God is that he was God, Old Testament, prophecies and all, 100 years and more
worshipped). He was claiming to be God and everyone but was wrong before Christ. Fulfillment by Chance Next to Impossible The
knew it Liar – Jesus mathematical possibility of anyone fulfilling the predications
b) Claimed to be equal with the Father - John 10:25-33; deliberately by mere coincidence or chance makes us beg the question:
John 5:17,18. “I Am” - John 8:58; “I Am” in Old deceived people was Jesus the Messiah? Peter Stoner in Science Speaks
Testament refers to God Himself Lord – He was calculates the probability of fulfillment by chance. Fulfilling
c) Son of God – Matthew 16:16,17 who he claimed to 8 prophecies by chance is 1 in 1017. That’s one in one
2) Indirect Claims: be. In taking the hundred million billion. 1017 in silver dollars would fill
a) He forgave sins - Mark 2:5-7; Sins one commit against claims of Jesus Texas two feet deep. Blind fold someone, mark one silver
God, can only be forgiven by God, Jesus forgave sin seriously one dollar; the person has one chance to pick the marked dollar.
b) Claimed to be “life” - John 14:6 - Not that he knew but cannot dismiss Jesus as just a good moral teacher. Simply Fulfilling 48 prophecies by chance. One in 10157. That’s one
that he was the “way” the “truth” and the “life” being a good moral teacher is not an available option. Only chance in a trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion,
the options of legend, liar, lunatic, or lord are available. trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion.
All the prophecies came true in Christ!
Evidence for the Resurrection
Establishing Critique: denies the first historical fact
#2 Empty Tomb: Jesus’ tomb was found #4 Transformation of Disciples: Disciples that Jesus died from the crucifixion.
Historical Facts empty suddenly and sincerely came to believe that Disciples would not have claimed a
Historical Facts must . . . 1) This old information transmitted by Jesus was risen from the dead despite every miracle resurrection with a tortured and
1) be recorded in very early sources. Paul (I Cor 15:4) implies the empty predisposition to the contrary wounded Jesus.
2) be recorded in multiple independent sources. tomb. 1) Jewish messianic expectations included 3) Disciples Lied – Disciples of Jesus
3) lack legendary development, have a ring of 2) empty tomb story is also part of Mark’s no idea of a messiah who would be intentionally deceived people into
truth
very old source material (Mk 16:1-8). executed as a criminal. thinking that Jesus rose from the dead.
4) have no other competing story. 3) The earliest known Jewish response to 2) Jesus’ execution exposed Him as a Critique: Disciples wouldn’t die for a
-There are four facts about the fate of Jesus
Jesus’ resurrection presuppose the heretic, a man literally accursed by God known lie. Doesn’t explain the empty
widely accepted by the majority of NT empty tomb (Mt 28:11-15). (Deut 21:23). tomb fact.
historians today:
4) empty tomb discovered by women, 3) Jewish beliefs about the afterlife 4) Wrong Tomb – Women and disciples
#1 Burial: After Jesus died, he was unlikely to be invented by disciples precluded anyone’s rising from the dead went to the wrong tomb that was empty
buried by Joseph of Arimathea in his tomb.
given the status of women and the before the general resurrection and mistakenly believed in resurrection.
1) Journal of the American Medical inability for women to give testimony 4) Yet the disciples suddenly came to Critique: Tomb of Jesus is a known
Association article “On the Physical Death
in 1st cent. Jewish context. believe that God had raised Jesus from location, the tomb of Joseph of
of Jesus” March 21, 1986, Volume 256 #3 Appearances of Christ: On multiple the dead that they were willing to die for Arimathea.
determined that Jesus died from the process occasions & various circumstances that belief. 5) Hallucination – Disciples hallucinated
of crucifixion. Also, Roman soldiers are different individuals and groups of people the resurrection.
experts at capital punishment. Best Explanation
experienced appearances of Jesus. What explanation best accounts for these four Critique: Hallucinations are
2) Jesus burial is attested in very old,
1) Appearance narratives are very early established facts? individualistic; the appearances of Jesus
multiple sources (I Cor. 15:3-5 and Mark and cannot be dismissed as legendary I were to groups of people at many
15:42-47). Explanatory Scope: it must explain all the
Cor. 15:5-8 – very early source (within facts locations. Even if hallucinations
3) Joseph of Arimathea is unlikely to be a 5 years of crucifixion). occurred does not explain why the tomb
Christian invention because he was a Explanatory Power: it must explain each fact
2) Appearance narratives are multiple and adequately is empty.
well-known member of the high-court. from independent sources. 6) God raised Jesus from the dead – Only
4) Burial story lacks any signs of legendary Proposed Explanations –
-Appearances . . . 1) Conspiracy – The disciples faked the explanation that is able to explain each
development. . . .to Peter is attested by Luke and Paul fact adequately and all of the facts. All
5) No other competing burial story. resurrection by stealing the body of Jesus
. . .to the twelve by Luke, John, and out of the tomb. attempted naturalistic explanations do
Paul Critique: Explains the empty tomb but doesn’t not adequately explain each and all the
. . .to the women is attested by Matthew explain why the disciples would die for a facts.
and John; lie. No one dies for a lie they know is a lie.
. . .appearances in Galilee are attested 2) Apparent Death/Swoon Theory – Jesus did
by Mark, Matthew, and John not die but revived in the tomb, got out and
3) Gerd Ludemann of U. of Gottingen, a the disciples mistakenly thought he rose
skeptic of the resurrection, concludes that from the dead
the appearances “are historically certain.”

References/Resources:
Beginner
-I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist by Geisler and Turek (Crossway, 2004) -To Everyone an Answer, ed. Beckwith, Craig, and Moreland (InterVarsity Press, 2004)
-Passionate Conviction, ed. P. Copan and William Lane Craig (B&H, 2007) -Contending with Christianity’s Critics, ed. Paul Copan and William Craig (B&H, 2009)
-On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision by William Lane Craig (Cook, 2010) -Apologetics Study Bible, ed. Ted Cabal (B&H, 2007)
-Christian Research Journal (bimonthly apologetics journal) -Areopagus Journal (bimonthly apologetics journal)
Intermediate
-Reasonable Faith, by William Lane Craig (Crossway, 2008) -Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, Norman Geisler (Baker, 1998)
-The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus, G. Habermas and M. Licona (Kregel, 2004) -Building Belief, Chad Meister (Baker, 2006)
-God and Evil: The Case for God in a World of Pain, ed. Meister and Dew (InterVarsity, 2013) -Reinventing Jesus, by Komoszewski, Sawyer, and Wallace (Kregel, 2006)
-Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Examines the Gospels, J. Wallace (Cook, 2013) -Fabricating Jesus, Craig A. Evans (InterVarsity, 2006)
Advanced
-The Jesus Legend, Gregory Boyd & Paul Eddy (Baker Academic, 2007) -The Historical Reliability of the Gospels, 2nd ed., Craig Blomberg (InterVarsity, 2008)
-Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview, Moreland and Craig (IVP, 2003) -Debating Christian Theism, ed. J. P. Moreland, C. Meister & K. Sweis (Oxford, 2013)
Web Resources:
www.reasonablefaith.org www.str.org www.crossexamined.org www.ischristianitytrue.wordpress.com
www.paulcopan.org www.bethinking.org www.apologetics.com www.coldcasechristianity.com
Produced by J. Steve Lee of “Is Christianity True”: Contact Steve at www.ischrsistianitytrue.wordpress.com for speaking opportunities or other resources. © Copyright 2015 All Rights Reserved