what did the lawyer in luke mean by "eternal life" bart ehrman

by Toni Osinski 7 min read

Who is Bart Ehrman and what is he writing?

Luke says the lawyer intended to put Jesus to the test, and to do so, he asks two questions. The first one is a sure bet, a good lawyer’s ploy: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” No surprises there. The lawyer already knew the answer; in fact, everybody listening knew the answer. The answer was so obvious, so much a part of the ...

Is Bart Ehrman's Jesus Interrupted at odds with the Bible?

Mar 16, 2013 · Jesus commends him on his answer about loving God and loving one’s neighbor and then follows up with the story of the Good Samaritan ( Luke 10:30-37) to show that works of love are the fulfillment of Loving Your Neighbor. This is why Jesus said, “Do this and you will live.”. Jesus was pointing the Lawyer to the law and requiring it of him.

What is Bart Ehrman's new book about the afterlife?

Sep 24, 2017 ¡ The questioner sets up the question with an important observation. I suspect my answer will not be what he expected. QUESTION: I have spent a lot of time looking in the gospels for teachings on the atonement. I could only find 5 passages (really more like 2, because they are parallel). Mt 20:28 / Mk 10:45 Jesus life as a ransom for many Luke ...

What is Bart Ehrman's new book about heaven and Hell?

Bart Ehrman says the ideas of eternal rewards and punishments aren't found in the Old Testament or in the teachings of Jesus. His new book is Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife.

How did Bart Ehrman lose his faith?

The problem of suffering has haunted me for a very long time. It was what made me begin to think about religion when I was young, and it was what led me to question my faith when I was older. Ultimately, it was the reason I lost my faith.Feb 19, 2008

What is the message of eternal life?

Overview. Eternal life is the phrase used in scripture to define the quality of life that our Eternal Father lives. The Lord declared, “This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). Immortality is to live forever as a resurrected being.

What does the story of Lazarus teach us about eternal life?

Jesus statement — “I am the resurrection and the life” — along with his power to raise Lazarus from the dead teach us that everything the Bible has to say about heaven, hell, and the promise of eternal life is wrapped up in the person of the Lord, Jesus Christ.Feb 1, 2020

What denomination is Bart Ehrman?

He subsequently left evangelicalism and returned to the Episcopal Church, where he remained a liberal Christian for 15 years, but later became an agnostic atheist after struggling with the philosophical problems of evil and suffering.

What is the biblical meaning of eternity?

infinite time; duration without beginning or end. eternal existence, especially as contrasted with mortal life: the eternity of God. Theology. the timeless state into which the soul passes at a person's death.

What does the word eternal mean in the Bible?

Definition of eternal (Entry 1 of 2) 1a : having infinite duration : everlasting eternal damnation. b : of or relating to eternity. c : characterized by abiding fellowship with God good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? — Mark 10:17 (Revised Standard Version)

What is the relationship between Jesus and Lazarus?

The account notes that Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters and that when Lazarus died of illness, Jesus wept and was “greatly disturbed.” Although Lazarus had been entombed for four days by the time Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was raised by Jesus from the dead and emerged from the tomb wearing his burial cloths.

What did Lazarus do after his resurrection?

Bishop of Kition According to Eastern Orthodox Church tradition, sometime after the Resurrection of Christ, Lazarus was forced to flee Judea because of rumoured plots on his life and came to Cyprus. There he was appointed by Barnabas and Paul the Apostle as the first bishop of Kition (present-day Larnaka).

Why did Jesus cry for Lazarus?

Thus he "groaned in his spirit" because even those who were closest to him failed to recognize that he was, as he declared in verse 26, "the resurrection and the life". Finally, at the graveside, he "wept in sympathy with their sorrow over Lazarus' death".

Why is Bart Ehrman agnostic?

Ehrman: No, I describe myself as an agnostic. An atheist declares there is no God. An agnostic says that they don't know. I don't believe that the God of the Bible exists, the God who intervenes in history and answers prayer.Mar 7, 2008

What does Bart Ehrman say about the Bible?

Heaven And Hell Are 'Not What Jesus Preached,' Religion Scholar Says Bart Ehrman says the ideas of eternal rewards and punishments aren't found in the Old Testament or in the teachings of Jesus. His new book is Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlife.Mar 31, 2020

Is Bart Ehrman married?

Sarah BeckwithBart D. Ehrman / Spouse

Did Luke Have a Doctrine of the Atonement? Mailbag September 24, 2017

For this week’s readers’ mailbag I have chosen a question about my claim that the author of Luke-Acts, unlike other writers of the New Testament, does not have a doctrine of the atonement – that Jesus’ death brought about a restored relationship with God (for Luke, it was the *resurrection* that mattered, not the crucifixion).

The Death of the Messiah for Salvation

In a previous post I argued that Christians invented the idea of a suffering messiah. Because Jesus was (for them) the messiah, and because he suffered, therefore the messiah *had* to suffer. That was clear and straightforward for the Christians.

Why is Paul important to the Christian faith?

EHRMAN: Paul is very important for understanding the history of heaven and hell, as he's important for understanding most things about early Christian thinking. Paul was not a follower of Jesus during his lifetime, during Jesus' lifetime. He wasn't one of the disciples. He converted several years after Jesus' death.

What does the Old Testament say about the soul?

In the Old Testament, what we would call the soul is really more like what we would call the breath. When God creates Adam, he creates him out of earth, and then he breathes life into him. The life is in the breath. When the breath leaves the body, the body no longer lives, but the breath doesn't exist.

Who is Bart Ehrman?

If you're just joining us, my guest is Bart Ehrman, who is the author of the new book "Heaven And Hell: A History Of The Afterlife.". He's a distinguished professor of religious studies at The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Who is Terry Gross?

I'm Terry Gross, back with Bart Ehrman, author of the new book "Heaven And Hell: A History Of The Afterlife.". He's a distinguished professor of Religious Studies at The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and is one of America's most widely read scholars of early Christianity and the New Testament.

What did the disciples think of Jesus' resurrection?

Prior to Jesus’ death they had come to think that they were living at the end of the age and that God was soon to bring history to a climactic end through a cataclysmic act of judgment; this final event in history would involve a resurrection of all those who had died to face judgment. When these disciples came to think that Jesus himself had been raised, they naturally concluded that the resurrection had begun. Jesus was the first to rise; he had been exalted to heaven; he himself was to return to earth as the powerful Son of Man to raise all people from the dead. All this would happen very soon. As it turns out there were other apocalyptic lessons that could be drawn from Jesus’ resurrection. One of the most interesting – [...]

Who is Mike Licona?

On April 16, 2011 I had a kind of radio debate with Mike Licona, a conservative Christian apologist and professor at Houston Baptist University. The venue was the English radio broadcast, "Unbelievable," hosted by moderator Justin Brierley, and the main question under discussion was whether there is "evidence" that Jesus was raised from the dead. Mike had just published his (large) book, called The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach and wanted to talk about it. He is also the author of The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus. The debate careens among different topics as the conversation escalates into scholarly challenges. Here it is, for your listening pleasure.

What does Ehrman say about Jesus?

In the book of John, Jesus talks about himself and proclaims who he is, saying "I am the bread of life.".

Who is Bart Ehrman?

Bart Ehrman is the author of more than a dozen books, including Misquoting Jesus and God's Problem. Bible scholar Bart Ehrman began his studies at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Originally an evangelical Christian, Ehrman believed that the Bible was the inerrant word of God. But later, as a student at Princeton Theological Seminary, ...

Is Jesus a virgin?

In Matthew, Jesus comes into being when he is conceived, or born, of a virgin; in John, Jesus is the incarnate Word of God who was with God in the beginning and through whom the universe was made. In Matthew, there is not a word about Jesus being God; in John, that's precisely who he is.

What does Jesus teach in Mark?

Whereas in Mark, Jesus teaches principally about the coming kingdom and hardly ever mentions himself directly. These differences offer clues into the perspectives of the authors, and the eras in which they wrote their respective Gospels, according to Ehrman.

Was Mark a disciple?

As for the other Gospels, Mark was said to be not a disciple but a companion of Peter, and Luke was a companion of Paul, who also was not a disciple. Even if they had been disciples, it would not guarantee the objectivity or truthfulness of their stories.

What does Jesus talk about in John's Gospel?

But when you read John's Gospel, that's virtually the only thing Jesus talks about is who he is, what his identity is, where he came from," Ehrman says. "This is completely unlike anything that you find in Mark or in Matthew and Luke.

Jairus and The Healing of His Daughter.

Luke and Matthew Genealogy

  • The next difference is between the genealogies found in Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38. Historically, scholars understood the differences between the genealogies due to one being Mary’s and the other Joseph’s. However, as Ehrman and others note, it isn’t ever said to be Mary’s line but Joseph’s. So, what can explain this difference? The current thinking is that two genealog…
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The Flight to Egypt

  • The third contradiction Ehrman raises is the flight to Egypt. Luke 2:2-40 and Matthew 2:1-23. Now there are many differences in these accounts. Luke has shepherds and no Magi. Matthew has dreams from angels, Magi, more dreams and the flight to Egypt. These seem like glaring contradictions. Until you stop for a moment and consider Luke’s opening statement. Many have …
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Jesus’ Death and The Tearing of The Temple Curtain

  • This is another apparent contradiction that seems to be very persuasive: Mark 15:37-39 vs. Luke 23:45-46. Ehrman points to the contradiction very directly. It is about whether the temple curtain rips and then Jesus died or if Jesus died and then the curtain rips. But, a little bit of careful reading reveals there is no contradiction. None! First, l...
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Wider Historical Events

  • Regarding the general reliability of the Bible against known historical events. Ehrman argues there was no registration that matches up with Luke 2. However, Brooke W. R. Pearson, argues quite convincingly that the key sentence in Luke 2:2 ought to be read as ‘this registration was earlier (or before) Quirinius governed Syria,’ rather than, ‘This was the first census that took place while Qui…
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Conclusion

  • Yes, I admit it, I haven’t resolved all of Bart Ehrman’s contradictions. And I’m sure he can raise more of them. However, I put it to you that from those we’ve looked at, some of his ‘contradictions’ don’t stand up to scrutiny. Just reading the text revealed that. Given that, perhaps Ehrman isn’t just reading the text as much as he asserts he is and perhaps his knowledge of the first century isn’t …
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