 Okay, welcome back to our second lecture on BC 212, Christian apologetics. And we've been talking about Bible translation, especially focusing, of course, on English versions of the Bible. And we just trying to understand why there are so many different versions. And then why do we see difference, sometimes serious differences in the English version. So we're coming to that. Let me go ahead and share this little graphic, which is useful, very useful for us to understand different Bible translations. So overall, what we said was the translators who are going to work on the translations, of course, they're going to start with the original, which is the Hebrew, the Arabic and the Greek. They have to make certain decisions to guide their translation process. They have to decide, especially when it comes to differences, a minor difference as they see in the text. Are they going to go for the majority or are they going to go for the neutral version? And in addition to that, they also have to make a decision on what is the overall philosophy behind them doing their work. Are they going to be closed in word to the original text? Or are they attempting to produce something that is easier for the reader to put it in modern language? Are they going to communicate thought? Are they going to communicate meaning? Or are they going to be a paraphrase, just a brief, almost like a summary of what was being said. So based on this, this little chart captures for us very nicely where different English versions fall. Most of us, so when you look at this, we are very familiar with New King James. That's something I've been using for a long time. I started off with the King James in the early days and then moved to New King James. So these versions fall in this philosophy word for word. So they try to stay word for word from the original text. Now I'm slowly trying to move to NASB. So I'm trying to slowly, because then the New American Standard Bible has come out with a 2020 version, which is not only word for word, but it is also in contemporary English. So I thought that's pretty good. So I'm in the process of trying to move from NKJV to NASB. That's kind of where I am right now personally. Now there's nothing wrong if you're using any of these other versions of the English Bible. You find NIV is a very common one where many people do use NIV. It's pretty common. But we have to keep in mind that it falls in this category of thought for thought, which is fine. I'm not saying it's wrong, but some interpretation of the original text has already taken place by the translators. They have attempted to say or they have said, okay, this is what we think the writer was thinking. And so this is what we're communicating to you so that you can try to think the same thing, so thought for thought. So then NIV falls here. It's very commonly used and I'm not against it. Another common one that you would see is the Amplified Bible. And again, the Amplified Bible has a classic version, which was done earlier than they've redone another one. So there's also a newer version of the Amplified Bible. And the advantage of the Amplified Bible is they show you in parenthesis variations of the meaning of that original word. And then sometimes they put the box brackets where they also try to interpret further the word. So that's why it's called an Amplified Bible. But it's kind of trying to help the reader saying this word means this, but it could also mean these other things in the English language. So they kind of bring that out in that work. Now, many are familiar today with also the Good News Bible, Good News Translation, the Living Bible and the Message Bible. So, but keep in mind, these are more paraphrase versions. So they're trying to make it very simple, very easy, capture the essence of what was being said. Not it's not doing a word for word, thought for thought meaning, but put in simple words for the reader, make it easy for the reader to get a sense of what was said. Now, this is where the problems happen. And some of you may have already observed. If I take a verse from, let's say, New King James with the New American, put it alongside, especially one of these that are more paraphrased or equivalent versions. Sometimes they it's like these are two different things that are being said, you know. So that's where it leaves us with a very uncomfortable feeling. And I have to admit it is very uncomfortable when you have something there. So hey, this is what word for word text is saying. And here you have maybe the Living Bible, the Message, or even sometimes even the Good News Bible is saying something that's not really saying what, you know, the word for word is saying. So that is a problem for us. And but the motivation behind what the translators have attempted is in doing the paraphrase is trying to make something easy for people to read. But in the process, you know, some of what was what is said is actually distanced from what the original text says. So I'm not saying we should completely disregard these things. No, I would say at the server purpose, the paraphrase version server purpose, and especially for those who, you know, who was English, maybe they want something easy to read. English may not be that great or, you know, so it's a good introductory step for people. But if we want to study, really study the scriptures, we need to move more and more closer towards the left end, which is getting closer to the word for word and thought for thought. And so therefore for us, students were serious about studying. It would be good to look at translations of the Bible, the English version of the Bible that are word for word. But here's what I do. And I just said, I'll say this and then we'll pause for some questions. I, like I said, I you I've been using your King James version for a long time and I'm slowly trying to move my migrate myself to the New American Center Bible 2020 version. So I kind of spent a lot of my time here. But in studying, I also do read translation versions that are in this entire range. And the reason I do that is to because I feel doing that helps in communicating to modern or to current audience to present day audience in modern language. English language. So while I study here, I study in the word for word space. So I try to understand what was originally intended by the writer and I look up the Hebrew and the Greek and I study here. But I also read what modern translations versions say to get an idea of how to communicate that in modern language. And that is important because ultimately you're speaking to an audience. They are, you know, they are they're speaking that the language English language being used is different from, you know, the King James or the New King James. So we have to be able to communicate the original thought original word in in modern language. And I find just reading other versions helps in that process and just thinking through on how this is how I should say it when I'm speaking. So I do that. But in studying and understanding truth and gaining insight, I stay here in the word for word area, mainly New King James and now trying to move to New American Standard Bible 2020. Okay, so, yeah, so kind of just summarize some of these in and you can see when all of these versions were done. So, okay, so before we come to the final section here, let's see if there are any questions and think people want to ask or discuss any questions. Everybody's everybody's got an understanding. Yeah, so in the process of doing the translations, the translation translators will indicate, you know, and you will find this in the footnote sort of in the middle section of various Bible saying you know this word is or it was said like this in the majority text, or it is said like this in the new section, you know, versions. It is so they're basically telling you that look we have followed maybe the majority text but the oldest text would say this. So they're kind of getting it across to the reader, or they may italicize the word or they may give you the meaning of the word and so on. So they kind of trying to, they've done their work, but they're also trying to, if there are any variations, they communicate that to the reader. Okay, now understand that the these variations are not, you know, huge, they're not major. These are minor variations. The essence, if we get the essence of what is being said, we live by that, we don't have to, you know, falter, struggle with it. It's pretty clear. Only, you know, what I would be careful of is these paraphrased versions because they're done deliberately to make it simple and easy, but in the process they are far away from the original. So I would, you know, I would read them, but if you're going to seriously study, you want to study truth, stay close to the original text. Okay. The last final section is just to affirm to us the wonder of the Bible. There is unity across the books. So it's quite amazing, you know, throughout the Bible, for example, the Triune God in the very first chapter of the Bible, Genesis chapter one, there is one God, but he is introduced to us as unity. You know, when Moses writes there, God said, let us make man in our image. The word us and our is not singular. And it's like, if somebody wanted to, you know, try to just make up something and say, hey, you cannot put us, you cannot use us and our, and our for, for us, you know, for God, but he said, let us make man in our image, you know, and in our likeness. So then you go throughout the scripture and the Bible brings out throughout the scripture a Triune God. That is actually very difficult and yet it's very interesting. It's very difficult because, you know, the Lord our God is one God, but he's God and three persons. And to capture that and to capture that consistently through time across from Genesis to Revelation is something very amazing. And it was not done by one writer. These are 40 different authors who come from different backgrounds and, you know, some are highly educated, some are just plain simple ordinary people. And yet there is that consistency of one God, three persons, Triune God, very, very different. And, you know, it has to speak to us about, because that is very, it's a very complex understanding, right, a Triune God. And yet that is consistently maintained throughout this, the Bible. And that itself is telling us, you know, God's hand was on these writers who are writing the scriptures to maintain that. And it wasn't like each one taught the other person, no, it was the hand of God keeping that thought. Because then historical archaeological information in many places are just consistent with what is actually found in historical records. So that's also very interesting. From a prophetic standpoint, again, the Bible is amazing because there are so many prophecies, things that were written well in advance, which are fulfilled in, you know, time to come. And there are some amazing, astounding prophecies. You know, you think about Isaiah calling by name a Persian king who was not even born. So Isaiah says, you know, he mentioned Cyrus. He writes about Cyrus and he said, you're the one who's going to do this. And Cyrus is not even born. He's not even around. The Persian Empire is not even there. And then comes, you know, the fulfillment of that prophecy, which is amazing. I'm just mentioning one, but like that, there were so many things in the Bible, spoken hundreds of years in advance and fulfilled in time. And mathematically, or let me put it like this, humanly, it is impossible, you know, it's impossible. But it is these prophecies have been fulfilled. And I think the most astounding would be that of Jesus Christ himself. That, you know, when we put all the prophecies concerning Christ, there are about 300 of them concerning his first coming. And for one man to fulfill even eight of these prophecies, for one human person to fulfill all eight, the probability is one in 10 to 17. And again, this was calculated by a mathematics professor, Peter Stornan. And for one man to fulfill all 48 of these is one in 10 raised to 157. And this is humanly not possible. It's not possible humanly. We would just say it's impossible. And yet it did happen. And therefore it has to be a work of God. You know, for one person to fulfill all of these prophecies had to be God. So like this, you can point to many script prophecies in the Bible and say like, it's so amazing. Then, like we mentioned earlier, it's indestructibility. People have tried to destroy it, not succeeded. It's focused on Jesus Christ. You see Jesus from Genesis to Revelation in the Bible. And Jesus pointed that out in John 5.39. He says the scriptures are testifying of him, referring to the entire Old Testament scriptures. Jesus is seen there. The teachings of the Word of God, the Bible are amazing. It is ancient and yet it is timeless. Ancient means you're reading scripture that was written more than 2,000, 3,000 years ago. And yet it is so relevant to our day and time. And so that is amazing. And it transforms our lives. Somehow, all kinds of people, all kinds of background, they pick up the Bible, they read it and their lives are so powerfully changed. And it's not a self-help book. Here are the 10 steps to a better life. It's not how to be a better person kind of book. No, it's talk about so many things. It's not written like a self-help book. It's not designed or written like a be a better person book. It's scripture. It's talking about God is dealing with man and so on. And yet you need to read the scriptures. Life has changed. So that is also remarkable. So, you know, it's amazing. This section, the last part is taken from the Gideon's Bible. You would find it in almost every Gideon New Testament. It's just very, very beautifully captured, you know. The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation and so on. It's just beautiful. I encourage you to read it. It's just a beautiful writing about the Bible itself. Okay. So, we conclude this chapter on the Bible. And any questions before we move to, we're now going to shift to another set of topics. So, before we leave this, any questions about the Bible, its authenticity, its accuracy? You know, are you convinced? Are you, you know, are you convinced about the authenticity and the accuracy of the text of scripture? And, you know, if people ask us questions, we should be able to explain to them in a very simple way. Look, this is why the Bible is so reliable. This is why we are so confident about the scripture text. And yes, you know, there are these versions which seem like the Bible is contradictory, but there's a reason why these are so different. And therefore, we encourage you to stay in this part of, you know, use these kind of translations, etc. We can explain to people. All good? Any questions? So, now we're going to shift in our discussion to the person of Jesus Christ. So, we talked about the Bible. Now, we're going to shift to talking about the person of Jesus Christ. Now, this is so important because somehow in the modern church, who Jesus Christ is has been compromised. Now, I'm not saying everybody has done this. No, that's not true. But in the modern church, in order for us to be, you know, let's say accommodating, welcoming, so on, sometimes leaders in the church compromise on who Jesus Christ is. For example, in talking about the uniqueness of Christ, to say that Jesus Christ is the only saviour. There is no other saviour. Sometimes Christian leaders compromise on that because, you know, people will not welcome such statements today. How can you say that Jesus Christ is unique? You know, they're okay to accept Him as one among many. But if you say Jesus Christ is unique and He's the only saviour for mankind. That is not acceptable. And so that aspect is compromised. Then about His resurrection, did He physically rise from the dead? How can you say that? And so sometimes they're willing to compromise on that. It's okay. Yeah, maybe it was just a spiritual resurrection. Maybe it didn't happen really, but that's okay. So on. So what we want to do in the next section is establish for ourselves the uniqueness of Christ, His resurrection. And how do we present Christ to the world? That there should not be any compromise on that, the person of Jesus Christ. And if we are convinced about the uniqueness of Christ, then we can, you know, affirm that when we are asked. We don't have to compromise. We don't have to, you know, say, you know, say, present Christ in a way that He really isn't. But rather be present Christ. This is who the Bible says Jesus Christ is. This is why we say it was a physical bodily resurrection from the grave and that He ascended physically to the Father. This is why we say that and we answer that. So we're going to shift our focus now to the person of Christ. Let me get started here and we will continue this next week as well. We have quite a bit of ground to cover. I will move a little, I move fast in this because it is not something that's totally new for us. Many of us are familiar with these things, but it's good to put it down in a way that we can understand it ourselves and also communicate it to others. Now, in some cases, in some cases, you will hear people make the statement, oh Jesus was not a historical person. That's just, it's not there. But actually, when they, if you hear that kind of a statement, you and I must be sure that that is not true. Jesus Christ was a historical person. That means He actually lived in time physically. It's not just a mythology. It's not just something people made up. No, and there are at least 19 independent sources that refer to the person of Christ. And I've just mentioned a few here. Different historians who lived nearing that time or subsequently, they write about the person of Jesus Christ. We're talking about within the 1st century AD, or close to that, that they mentioned Jesus Christ. Obviously, if he was just a mythology, if he was just made up figure, a fictitious person who never actually lived, these historians, these are independent historians. These historians would not have mentioned about Jesus, his early followers and so on. So when somebody makes the assertion that, oh Jesus Christ was not a historical person, no, they are wrong. We've got more than sufficient historical evidence to point to his presence in human history. So we've got quotes here from Dr. Michael Grant, no serious scholars mentioned possibly the non-history of Jesus, or from Clifford Moore, Harvard professor. Jesus was a historical, not a mythical being, not just something made up here, but as a historical being. Now, why is Christ unique? What makes Jesus completely, totally different from every other religious leader, other historical leaders, or great teachers, or so on and so forth? How do we look at it? How do we understand it? And then if somebody asks us, how do we communicate that? So we capture this in nine key statements and what Christ claimed for himself. What the Bible says about the deity of Christ, what the Bible says about the uniqueness of Christ. Then you look at the incarnation, virgin birth. We look at his life work and teaching and impact on history. We look at his sacrificial death. We point also to his resurrection and we point also to salvation through faith and we point to his power to transform, heal, deliver. And all of these are important to different people. Of course, different things mean more or less, but all of these are important that establish the uniqueness of Christ. So let's quickly talk about that. So Jesus, now I know you had an entire course on Christology in, I think, the first semester. So you did a complete study on the life and the person of Jesus Christ. And so some of these things are familiar ground. But think about Christ's claim for himself. As you read the Gospels, especially the Gospel of John, Jesus is so clear, so emphatic on who he is. And in all of these statements, he's pointing out his uniqueness. He said, I am the bread of life. I am the light of the world. Before Abraham was, I am. And we'll come back to that later. I'm the door of the sheep. I'm the good shepherd and the resurrection, the life and the way, the truth and the life and the true way. So he's saying, look, this is who I am. And all of these things are making him unique. He didn't say, I am one of the people who are lights in this world. I am the light of the world. Any man who follows me will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. Powerful statement. He could have said, well, I will light up your life a little bit. Or I am one of the people who will give you light. Or he could have positioned himself in a non-unique way. He could have put himself along with many others. But he set himself apart. And when he grows up from the dead, when he presents himself or reveals himself to John, he says, look, I was alive. I died. I'm alive forevermore. I have the authority of hell and death. I'm an alpha and omega, beginning and the ending. Now, who else could have claimed this? And he says, look, I am the root and the offspring of David. I am that one that was spoken of in the Old Testament will come off the line of David. So, you know, so Jesus, when he presented himself to his disciples, he just didn't classify himself, like we said, along with a long list of teachers and prophets. No, he set himself apart in his claims. And the most notable would be John 14.6. He said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Now, those are strong words. In other words, he says, there's no other way to the Father. I am the only way. I am the only way. So either we accept that or we dispute that. There's no middle ground. He said, I am the way to the Father. There's no other way. And you won't accept it, accept it. So, you know, he made these statements. Think about another statement that really shocked the people. He said, Jesus said, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. So, you know, he said, Abraham rejoiced to see my day. And I said, like, hey, I was there when Abraham was there. And then he used the phrase of God, I am for himself. Before Abraham was, I am. Now he's playing on those words. That means I was there before Abraham. But also I'm using the title of God for myself. I am. And both are true. I was there before Abraham. And I'm God, deity. And so the people were ready to stone him because, hey, how could you speak like that? Or think about what he said in John 10. 30, I and my father are one. What did Jesus claim for himself? He claimed oneness with the Father, equality with the Father. Meaning, he said, I'm God. He says, and that's why they were going to stone him. You make yourself God. So that's how they understood it. His audience understood this as he is saying he's God. I and my father are one. So, and we look at one more in his high in John 17. And he was praying in his prayer. He's saying, Father, glorify me with the glory I had with you before the world was. I think about this, the glory which I had with you before the world was. That means I was there before the world. Everything was created. So this is not a small thing to say. Jesus is saying, I was there before every creation happened was with the Father. He's praying that. So you would look at all these claims of Christ and you say, look, there's nobody else. No other man has ever made such claims. Nobody else could even say that, say things what Jesus said. So the Christ claims for himself, put him, put him, put him, puts him apart, sets him apart, different, unique. Secondly, what the Bible states about Christ, the Bible presents Christ as God, who became man. Very simple. No, the Bible doesn't present him as he has a great prophet. He has a great teacher. He has a great philosopher. No, this is God who became man. Very clear. And we know these passages in John 1. In the beginning was the word. The word was with God. The word was God. The word was God. Very clear. And the word became flesh. So this same word came on earth. So who's Jesus? The one who is God became man. Philippians reiterates that he was in the form of God, but he made himself of no reputation. That is, he came as a man. So he was there as God in God form. He was God, and yet he came down in the form of man. And then we see several other scriptures. So what does the Bible say about Jesus? It says very clearly, this is God who became man. So today, when we present Christ to the world, we have to stay true to that teaching of the Bible. We cannot present Christ as, you know, in any other way. This is the Jesus of the Bible. What he claimed for himself or the Bible claims about who he is. And related to that point, number three is the Bible presents Christ as absolutely unique. So even the Bible doesn't say he's one among many. The Bible says he's the only. So when we are familiar with these scriptures, Acts 4-12, there is no other name under heaven. Given among men, by which we could be saved. No other name. Sound like, okay, here's a name you can call. Now there's no other name you can call. And it says there's one God, one mediator. And that's Jesus Christ. So the Bible presents Christ as the only, the only saviour, the only mediator. Number four, why is Christ unique? Because of his incarnation and the virgin birth. Now think about this. In the incarnation, in the incarnation. This incarnation is God becoming man. So the Bible is presenting this man, Jesus, as God who became man. And also he was born off a virgin. And also he was born off a virgin. Now no other person has claimed this. I am incarnate, God who has become man. And I've been born in this manner. Born off a virgin. The only one known as the incarnation and born off a virgin is Jesus Christ. Now we know that in, for example, in Hinduism, there are a lot of avatars, which is paddled to our understanding of incarnation. That means God coming in, in human form. But then there's a huge difference between the incarnation and the personal Jesus Christ and avatars. So what is it? What is it? Now let's think, let's think through this logically and not in any condemning way, but in a differentiating way, like let's differentiate this. What we find is on the one side, there are so many avatars coming. And we are saying there's so many avatars coming and which one of them ever succeeded in providing salvation and deliverance for the human race? The fact that there was a need for so many avatars meant that each preceding avatar was not God because God can never fail. But on the other hand, what the Bible is pointing us to is there's one incarnation. There's one God came to the earth one time because that's all he needed. He just needed one attempt. He's God. He cannot fail. He's going to fulfill what he came to fulfill. And in that one incarnation, he completed everything he came to do. He provided salvation, he conquered the devil, he did everything. So just looking at it purely from a logical standpoint, the incarnation, the birth of Jesus Christ makes complete sense. That is, God had to come just once, do the work, finish the work and there's no need for anymore. Unlike having numerous avatars keep on coming and none of them succeeding in providing salvation. So that's the big difference. The other important thing is the fact that Jesus Christ was God who became man, born of a virgin, sinless and perfect, positioned him and him alone to provide salvation. So this was God who became man. So it was not a man who ascended into some God like state, but it was God who became man. So he was perfect to start with. He lived a perfect life. He was not subject to death, to sin, Satan and death. And so he alone as a man could become a substitute for all of us, to pay for our sin. So that itself positions Christ uniquely to be able to deliver mankind, to redeem mankind. Okay. So let me pause here with the point number four. We will complete the, pick this up here, point number five next week. Let me see if there are any thoughts and questions so far. Everybody's with me so far. Any questions? All good. Okay. I think everybody's following. Yeah, I think we are understanding this. Let's take a moment just to close in prayer. So we'll pick up from here next class, next week. Look at the uniqueness of Christ that we will talk about the resurrection of Christ. And we established the fact that Christ actually rose up from the grave. Now we will cover that next week, right? And these PDFs have been put up on the Classwork section. So you can download it from there and just review it for your own study. Okay. Can somebody please close in prayer today? Then we will dismiss. Okay. Who wants to pray? Go ahead, Eliza. Heavenly Father, we are most grateful once again to you for the beautiful grace that you have bestowed on us. We thank you for the opportunity and the privilege to be guided, Father, to study on this network. Father, we pray that you continue to grant us the grace to be able to understand your word as we go through it so that we will be able to defend our faith in any time that we are called upon. Father, we pray that you grant us the grace to be able to present Christ in His uniqueness to the unsaved world that they may come to the knowledge of Jesus. In Jesus' mighty name, we pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you, everyone, for being on the class today. Have a good, take a break. Get ready for your next class. Have a good day. Have a great week. I'll see you soon. God bless. Thank you. Thank you, everyone. God bless you. Thank you.