Category Archives: Apologetics

May 7, 2013

Son of Man: In Search of That Missing Prophecy

By Clarke Morledge
Is this Jonah being swallowed by the big fish, or is this how I felt at a Bible study the other night when I was stumped by a really good question?

Jonah and the big fish… or small group Bible study leader stumped by a really good question?

So, we had a “mini-crisis” in our small group Bible study recently. We were looking at the question of how Jesus fulfills prophecy in the New Testament. Someone read from Luke 24:45-46:

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead”(ESV)

Then, the question came: “Does anyone have a reference for this prophecy given in the Old Testament?”

Pages started to rattle. Folks were hunting for a cross-reference. Someone looks around the room for a concordance. Others were pulling out their iPhones to ask the “Almighty All-Knowning Google” for the answer. Whew, boy. I was in trouble.

You see, I’m like, uh, the small group leader. Not only that. I got a seminary degree. Yet, I was completely stumped. All that theological mumbo-jumbo and graduate school $$$  and I was busted.  I tried to mutter something spiritual and intelligent sounding. It was not really working. Folks were looking at me like, “Nice try, no dice, buddy”. I was thinking that Professor Hagner back in seminary was watching, peering over the top of his glasses down at me.  Sweat was pouring down my brow. The room was uncomfortably warm. I was glad I had my day job. Perhaps I could have tried to sneak out the backdoor…. Whoops. That would not have been good…. We were meeting at our house.

😉

OK. I am exaggerating quite a bit. We have a wonderful small group, after all. But it is a great question: Where in the Old Testament do you find the prophecy where Jesus says He will rise again from the dead on the third day? Well, unfortunately, you might be searching a long, long, long time for a specific verse…..
Continue reading

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Apologetics

May 2, 2013

Son of Man as Israel?

By Clarke Morledge
Elizabeth, Queen of England. She represented the aspirations, hopes and dreams of her nation.

Elizabeth, Queen of England. She represented the aspirations, hopes and dreams of her nation.  What insight does this give us in knowing  how the Son of Man represents Israel?

Jesus’ self-designated title of Son of Man is a mystery to many. What does Son of Man “represent”?

One of my favorite movies is Elizabeth, starring Cate Blanchett. What strikes me about the Virgin Queen was that she truly personified England as the up and coming European empire in the 16th century. As she matured over her long forty-four year reign, England grew along with her to become a decisive world power. Elizabeth never simply spoke nor acted on her own. She represented England as a nation.  She was not just a queen.  She was England.

To “represent” some entity has an interesting etymology. It is derived from a Latin phrase meaning “to present”, or “to symbolize, to be the embodiment of”.

Earlier on Veracity, we explored how Jesus as God’s “Son” lives out the same type of life that the nation of Israel was originally supposed to do as God’s “son” in the Old Testament. Israel was disobedient, but Jesus obediently fulfills what God intended Israel to do. Jesus somehow embodies all of what the nation of Israel is meant to be.  How do we clarify what it means to say that Jesus represented Israel?
Continue reading

3 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Apologetics

April 16, 2013

Son of Man and Prophecy

By Clarke Morledge
Perplexed by those making predictions in the economy? Likewise, many are perplexed by prophecies in the Old Testament that are cited as being "fulfilled" in the New Testament. Thankfully, there are useful ways of working through these difficulties.

Perplexed by those making predictions in the economy? Likewise, many are perplexed by prophecies in the Old Testament that are cited as being “fulfilled” in the New Testament. Thankfully, there is a useful way of working through these difficulties.

I don’t know about you, but I am terrible when it comes to understanding predictions, particularly when it comes to the stock market. Some say,  “buy gold, because it will double in price”. Some say to invest in the stock of company X, etc. All of this is based on supposedly predictive factors. It is like you need a “prophet” if you want to make a “profit”.

However, the best advice I have received is that you should stick with good, sound financial principles learned retrospectively over time and leave the rest to the speculators who have more money than sense in their heads: Diversify your portfolio instead of chasing the latest stock pick, get out of debt, etc., principles like that. Sometimes, the best way we can understand “prophecy” is only when we have the privilege of looking back.

The challenge can be no less different than when it comes to the prophecies of the Old Testament about what we see in the New Testament. Critics sometime charge that Christians misread prophesy in the Hebrew Bible about the coming of Christ. As we continue to look at Jesus as the Son of Man (start here then go to here), we need to step back for a moment and first address the issue of prophecy. This can be a complex topic for sure, but a lot of our problems about Bible prophecy sometimes come from not understanding the importance of looking back for perspective.
Continue reading

1 Comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in Apologetics

March 28, 2013

Hey Jude, Who is this Son of Man?

By Clarke Morledge
God took Enoch (Genesis 5:24). From Figures de la Bible, Gerald Hoet and others, 1728.

God took Enoch (Genesis 5:24). From Figures de la Bible, Gerald Hoet and others, 1728.

Jude is one of those obscure little books. Just one page in most Bibles. Whenever I glance at it, I want to sing with the Beatles, “Na na na, na-na na na. Na-na na na, hey Jude!” Often overlooked, the Letter of Jude references a critical key to help unlock the mystery of Jesus as the Son of Man.

The odd key is found in verses 14-15:

It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him (Jude 1:14-15 ESV).

The funny thing about this is that you will search your Bible in vain for this prophesy from Enoch. Enoch is only mentioned a handful of times in the whole Bible, such as in Genesis 5:24:

Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.(Genesis 5:24 ESV)

Pretty brief. Pretty curious, too. Pretty much leaves a lot open to the imagination. So, what is up with this Enoch, who just disappears, and what does he have to do with Jesus as the Son of Man?
Continue reading

3 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Apologetics

March 22, 2013

Announcement: Apologetics Conference

By Clarke Morledge
Daniel Janosik, professor of Apologetics and Islamic Studies at Southern Evangelical Seminary. A College of William and Mary graduate, Dr. Janosik will be speaking at an Apologetics Conference at Faith Bible College, April 12 & 13, 2013.

Daniel Janosik, Apologetics Conference speaker.

In an effort to alert the Veracity community in the greater Williamsburg, Virginia area about other resources…..

Ken Petzinger asked us to help spread the word that Faith Bible College will present an Apologetics Conference at Tabernacle Church (Norfolk, Virginia) on April 12 & 13, 2013. The brochure can be downloaded from the Faith Bible College, and the topics will surely be of interest to Veracity readers.

Daniel Janosik, professor of Apologetics and Islamic Studies at Southern Evangelical Seminary will be speaking. A College of William and Mary graduate, Dr. Janosik will cover a number of topics, including his areas of specialty, Science and Islam.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , | posted in Apologetics