Christology (Biblical)

Christological Origins of Paul’s Gospel

I. Doubts About the Authenticity of Paul’s Teachings
A common objection raised by critics of Christianity and Muslim apologists is that the apostle Paul distorted the teachings of Jesus and the apostles of the early Jewish-Christian community by importing ideas from the Greco-Roman mystery religions. These included ideas like a dying and rising god, sacramental meals of communion with patron gods, and salvation through union with a divine figure. The purpose of this paper is to refute the critics with historical and biblical evidence, and demonstrate how Paul’s gospel which was received by revelation in his encounter with the risen Christ on his way to Damascus displays consistencies with the teaching of Jesus and the apostles of the early Church.

A. The Claim of Hellenistic Influence
There are several problems with the critics’ theory that Paul was influenced by Hellenistic religions. Continue reading “Christological Origins of Paul’s Gospel”

The Eternal Significance of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. BADR Part 11

The Eternal Significance of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. BADR Part 11

Question: How does the nature of Jesus’ resurrected body shed light on the final transformed bodies of believers in the final days?

A. 1 Cor. 15 – Christ’s [Last Adam]*** resurrection as first fruits – In a twinkling we shall receive our glorified body like Jesus – imperishable and immortal.

Paul on the “spiritual body” – The apostle does not speak of a bodily spirit, but a spiritual body. A spiritual body is a resurrected physical body with greater capacities as an instrument of the Holy Spirit. Among its new powers are those of being incorruptible and giving life (v. 45).

1) Incorruptible– It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption (1 Cor. 15:42). For this corruptible must put on incorruption (1 Cor. 15:53).
2) Glorious – It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory (1 Corinthians 15:43).
3) Powerful – It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power (1 Corinthians 15:43). The believer will have permanent invigoration, unsurpassed beauty, and endless energy.
4) Spiritual – It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body (1 Cor. 15:44) – In the resurrection the believer will have a body perfectly responsive to his redeemed spirit which in turn will be completely amenable to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It will be spiritual also in that it is free of sinful propensities and without physical vulnerabilities & limitations [hyperspace teleport?].

B. Sum: Like the resurrected Jesus Christ, our transformed bodies will be corporeal, recognizable, immortal, imperishable, glorified.

Encounters With the Risen Christ and the Nature of His Resurrected Body. BADR Part 10

Encounters With the Risen Christ and the Nature of His Resurrected Body. BADR Part 10

Question. What is the nature of appearances of the risen Jesus and the nature of his resurrected body?

A. Nature of the Appearances
The initiative in the resurrection appearances always rested with Jesus.
They occurred to several individuals. Some appearances were to a single person; one was to a group of five hundred. They are reported to have taken place during a very specific period of forty days.

Ophthe, which means “he appeared.” This term probably implies seeing something which was objectively present outside the mind of the observer. Phaneroo, “reveal,” as in John 21:1, “Jesus revealed himself”; Harao, in its aorist passive form ophthe – permitted to become visible (Acts 1:3a), (“God permitted him) to become visible” (Acts 10:40).

The writers of the Gospels and Paul agree that Jesus appeared in bodily form. But Jesus’ body is no longer bound by space & time. Finally, there was a continuity between Christ’s body before the resurrection and his mode of existence after the resurrection.

B. Nature of Christ’s Resurrection Body
His body made impressions on physical senses.
Jesus’ body is no longer bound by material or spatial limitations. It has new powers diff. from his earlier, natural body. It belongs to a different order of reality. Jesus’ body is both materialistic and non-materialistic.

You may view the video at:
Encounters With the Risen Christ and the Nature of His Resurrected Body. BADR 10

Basic Facts about the Virgin Birth of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke

[I believe] in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit; Born of the Virgin Mary. The Apostles’ Creed.

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). Matthew 1:23

Mary was a virgin when she was pregnant with Jesus (Matt. 1:18, 25; Lk. 1:27, 34) and he was conceived through the special work of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:20; Lk. 1:35).

How could Mary have a child if she did not yet have a husband and the sexual intimacy that comes with marriage? The biblical response is that God caused the pregnancy and that nothing is impossible with God (Lk. 1:37). This simple phrase nicely summarizes the crux of the debate about the credibility of the virginal conception. A person’s belief or unbelief in the virginal conception rests chiefly on whether they believe in God and his ability to create life in whatever manner he chooses. Accordingly, people often reject the virginal conception because of presuppositions that doubt or limit God’s activity in the world… Continue reading “Basic Facts about the Virgin Birth of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke”

The Empty Tomb: Inadequate Alternative Explanations. BADR Part 8

The Empty Tomb: Inadequate Alternative Explanations. BADR Part 8

Question – Critics have offered other theories to explain the empty tomb of Jesus. Why are these alternative theories not plausible?

1) Swoon or Apparent Death Theory: Jesus did not die.
But the Roman executioners were “professionals” who were thorough in verifying Jesus’ death.

2) Conspiracy & Theft Theory: The disciples stole the body and claimed that He rose from the dead.
But conspiracy is always executed for selfish advantage and the disciples were persecuted and imprisoned for their claims. Conspiracy theory about the resurrection violates all known psychological laws of lying.

3) Hallucination Theory: All of Christ’s post-resurrection appearances were really hallucinations.
But hallucination only visits the prepared mind. The disciples were not psychologically predisposed and did not expect Jesus to rise from the dead. Critics only needed to point to the body of Jesus in his tomb to refute the disciples.

You can view the video at:
The Empty Tomb: Inadequate Alternative Explanations. BADR Part 8

Next video – Harmonizing Alleged Discrepancies Between the Resurrection Accounts of the Four Gospels. BADR 9

Authenticity and Coherence of Gospel Witnesses – The Resurrection Evidence is Well-Founded. BADR Part 6

Authenticity and Coherence of Gospel Witnesses – The Resurrection Evidence is Well-Founded. Badr Part 6

Kairos Podcast Series 8: Biblical Anthropology, Death and Resurrection (BADR Part 6)

Questions: Are the testimony of the eyewitnesses and the historical records in the NT credible? What criteria are used to evaluate the credibility of the NT accounts of the resurrection?

Aristotle’s dictum – Benefit of doubt must be given to the document itself, not arrogated by the critic to himself – listen to the text first & not simply assume fraud or error unless proven factual inaccuracies.

1. Variety of sources: multiple attestations
A variety of sources in the New Testament testify to the empty tomb: Matthew 28:11–15 (the M material special to Matthew); Mark 16:1–8; Luke 24:1–12; John 20:11–18.
There is a complex unified story shared between the gospels even though the authors wrote their respective accounts based on data gathered from different witnesses.

2. No legendary accretions. No developed theological reflection points to accounts situated in the early phase of Christianity. Evidence of honesty and integrity of witnesses– No glossing over disciples’ weaknesses, women as central witnesses to the Resurrection.

3. Pointers to authenticity – austere records, natural cohesion – the witnesses unintentionally confirm, corroborate one another. The gospels display incidental undesigned coincidences.

You can view the video at – Authenticity and Coherence of Gospel Witnesses – The Resurrection Evidence is Well-Founded.

The Miracle of Christmas Pt. 1/2: The Son of God Assumed Human Existence

The Miracle of Christmas Pt.1/2: The Son of God Assumed Human Existence

Speaker: Dr. Ng Kam Weng

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The Miracle of Christmas Pt.1/2: The Son of God Assumed Human Existence

At Christmas, Christ, the Son of God who shared the glory of the Father from eternity, assumed humanity but retained his deity throughout his life on earth. Christ in his human existence cloaked or veiled the form of God in the form of a servant. In becoming incarnate, the Son of God demonstrates to us what it means to be a perfect human being, one who is not only sinless, but is also able to sympathise and help his sinners. (Phil. 2:6-11: Heb. 4: 15)

Series 3: The Prophecies of the Messiah and His Kingdom in the Book of Isaiah. Part 2. Is Isaiah 53 about Christ and his atoning death?

Question: The prophecies about the Suffering Servant in Isa. 53 are very confusing as the Servant appears different in the various (four) Servant songs. Is Isaiah 53 really about Christ, let alone his atoning death? And furthermore, the standard Hebrew term for “atonement” is not found in the text, how can it be about an atoning death?

Discussants: Dr. Leong Tien Fock and Dr. Ng Kam Weng.

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Part 2. Is Isaiah 53 about Christ and his atoning death?

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Related Posts
The Atonement in Isaiah 53

Christ’s Death as Expiation-Propitiation (Hilasterion): Appeasing the Wrath of God

Series 3: The Prophecies of the Messiah and His Kingdom in the Book of Isaiah. Part 1. Did Isaiah Prophesy the Virgin Birth of Christ?

Question: Matthew cites Isa. 7:14 and says it is fulfilled by the birth of Jesus. However critical scholars argue that in the context of Isaiah 7, this verse is about a child born during the time of Ahaz. How would evangelical scholars like you respond to this critical scholarship?

Discussants: Dr. Leong Tien Fock and Dr. Ng Kam Weng.
You are welcome to join the discussion at:

Part 1. Did Isaiah Prophesy the Virgin Birth of Christ?

Please forward this message if you find the video discussion helpful.

Series 2: Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity – Part 6: Is Christianity is then just a copy-cat religion?

Question: Earlier Ehrman claimed that pagan myths like Philostratus Life of Apollonius of Tyanna could have influenced how the four gospels were written. Some documentaries from National Geographic & Discovery Channel claim that Christianity borrowed he idea of resurrection and saviors from the Mystery religions and Mithraism. Is Christianity is then just a copy-cat religion?

Discussants: Dr. Ng Kam Weng and Mr. Micheal LimYou are welcome to join the discussion at:

Is Christianity is then just a copy-cat religion?

Please forward this message if you find the video discussion helpful.