Nietzsche“When we hear the ancient bells growling on a

Sunday morning we ask ourselves: Is it really possible! This, for a Jew, crucified two thousand years ago, who said he was God's son? The proof of such a claim is lacking. Certainly, the Christian religion is an antiquity projected into our times from remote prehistory; and the fact that the claim is believed - whereas one is otherwise so strict in examining pretensions - is perhaps the most ancient piece of this heritage. A god who begets children with a mortal woman; a sage who bids men work no more, have no more courts, but look for the signs of the impending end of the world;

Nietzsche

“a justice that accepts the innocent as a vicarious sacrifice; someone who orders his disciples to drink his blood; prayers for miraculous interventions; sins perpetrated against a god, atoned for by a god; fear of a beyond to which death is the portal; the form of the cross as a symbol in a time that no longer knows the function and ignominy of the cross -- how ghoulishly all this touches us, as if from the tomb of a primeval past! Can one believe that such things are still believed?”—Human, all too Human, s.405, R.J. Hollingdale transl.

What the Old Testament says What the Old Testament says about Christabout Christ

“For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes”

(2 Co. 1:20)

What is the O.T. about?

“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.” (Mt. 5:17)

“Then, beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the scriptures.”

(Lk. 24:27)

“You search the scriptures because in them you think you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me.” (Jn. 5:39) (1 Pe. 1:10)

5 Passages

• Ge. 3:15 (c. B.C. 4000 1500)

• Ge. 49:8 - 12 (c. B.C. 2000 1500)

• 2 Sm. 7:12 - 17 (c. B.C. 1000)

• Isa. 7:14 (c. B.C. 735 / 4)

• Mic. 5:2 (c. B.C. 700)

Ge. 3:15

Man (Mt. 1:25, “son”)Bruised (Jn. 19)Overcome (Jn. 16:33; Rv. 5:5)Results:

Reconciliation to God Release from Satan’s slavery Reform

N.B.: Vague Obscure Indefinite

Ge. 49:8-12

Descendant of Judah (Lk. 3:33)A man who will bring peace (Eph. 2:14)Establish law (Col. 3:15)Receive willful obedience (Col. 3:15)Over nations (Phil. 2:10)

2 Sam. 7:12-17

David’s seed (Lk. 3:31)God’s Son (Rm. 1:4; Hb. 1:5)Priest (Hb. 1:5)Build a house for God (Eph. 2:20) King (Acts 2:36)Eternal reign (Acts 2)

Solomon: Conditional Messiah: Unconditional

Isa. 7:14

Born of a virgin (Mt. 1:18 - 25)

Micah 5:2

Bethlehem (Lk. 2:4-7)Of humble origin (Lk. 2:24)Sent by God (Jn. 3:16; 6:38)Ruler (Mt. 28:18; Ac. 2:34f)Eternal (Jn. 8:58; Col. 1:17)

Role of prediction in prophecy

“I declared the former things long ago and they went forth from my mouth, and I declared them. Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass. Therefore, I declared them to you long ago, before they took place I proclaimed them to you, so that you would not say, ‘My idol has done them…’” (Isa. 48:3,5)

Establish credibility

Provision against mistakes / fraud

Summary:

LineageVirgin BirthPlace of BirthBruisedOvercomeLive eternallySon, King, PriestReform

8 Prophecies fulfilled in one man, 1 in 1017:

100,000,000,000,000,000

– 48, 1 in 10157

– 332, 1 in 84100

Nietzsche“When we hear the ancient bells growling on a

Sunday morning we ask ourselves: Is it really possible! This, for a Jew, crucified two thousand years ago, who said he was God's son? The proof of such a claim is lacking. Certainly, the Christian religion is an antiquity projected into our times from remote prehistory; and the fact that the claim is believed - whereas one is otherwise so strict in examining pretensions - is perhaps the most ancient piece of this heritage. A god who begets children with a mortal woman; a sage who bids men work no more, have no more courts, but look for the signs of the impending end of the world;

Nietzsche““When we hear the ancient bells growling on a When we hear the ancient bells growling on a

Sunday morning we ask ourselves: Is it really Sunday morning we ask ourselves: Is it really possible! This, for a Jew, crucified two thousand possible! This, for a Jew, crucified two thousand years ago, who said he was God's son?years ago, who said he was God's son? The proof of such a claim is lacking. Certainly, Certainly, the Christian religion is an antiquity projected into the Christian religion is an antiquity projected into our times from remote prehistory; and the fact that our times from remote prehistory; and the fact that the claim is believed - whereas one is otherwise the claim is believed - whereas one is otherwise so strict in examining pretensions - is perhaps the so strict in examining pretensions - is perhaps the most ancient piece of this heritage. A god who most ancient piece of this heritage. A god who begets children with a mortal woman; a sage who begets children with a mortal woman; a sage who bids men work no more, have no more courts, but bids men work no more, have no more courts, but look for the signs of the impending end of the look for the signs of the impending end of the world; world;

Nietzsche““When we hear the ancient bells growling on a When we hear the ancient bells growling on a

Sunday morning we ask ourselves: Is it really Sunday morning we ask ourselves: Is it really possible! This, for a Jew, crucified two thousand possible! This, for a Jew, crucified two thousand years ago, who said he was God's son?years ago, who said he was God's son? The proof of such a claim is lacking. Certainly, Certainly, the Christian religion is an antiquity projected into the Christian religion is an antiquity projected into our times from remote prehistory; and the fact that our times from remote prehistory; and the fact that the claim is believed - whereas one is otherwise the claim is believed - whereas one is otherwise so strict in examining pretensions - is perhaps the so strict in examining pretensions - is perhaps the most ancient piece of this heritage. A god who most ancient piece of this heritage. A god who begets children with a mortal woman; a sage who begets children with a mortal woman; a sage who bids men work no more, have no more courts, but bids men work no more, have no more courts, but look for the signs of the impending end of the look for the signs of the impending end of the world; world;

Objections

• Willful fulfillment: e.g., donkey (Zech. 9:9)

This does not negate the fact that it was fulfilled. (Jn. 19:28-29)

Some tried but failed, cf. Theudas and Judas (Acts 5:33-40)

Attempted willful negation: Julian the apostate, A.D. 362: “…and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled”

(Lk. 21:24)

Objections

• Willful fulfillment:

Some things were beyond His control His ancestry Others’ reactions His death

Objections

• Written after fulfilled:

Pentateuchc. B.C. 1500Malachi c. B.C. 450

LXX c. B.C. 250

Re: “The proof of such a claim is lacking.”

God is incredible (Jn. 20:28)

Jesus - the Christ - is inescapable (Phil. 2:10)

Christians are insightful– “Vision looks inward and becomes duty.– Vision looks outward and becomes aspiration.– Vision looks upward and becomes faith.” (Stephen S.

Wise)

Christianity is incomparable (Jn. 14:6)