Tell City Nazarene Church's Biblical Journey
With Pastor Charles Areson
Today's reading is Mark 13-16
Look A Mistake!
This is the claim some have made when it comes to the last part of Mark chapter 16. There is a statement in most modern Bibles that this section is not found in most of the older Manuscripts. This makes some question if it may have been added later.
This has given some the excuse that the entire Bible can be thrown out as just a collection of man-made sayings. The problem with this is that it takes one doubt over one area and uses it to paint the entire Bible. It is similar to saying my dad was good so all dads are good or this businesswoman is a crook so all women in business are crooks.
Volumes have been written to explain and I won't go into detail but let me give a few thoughts.
1. This admission of possible doubt demonstrates the attempt of Christians to remain connected with the historical reality of their faith.
2. This section could have been added later by Mark or by his request after concern that his method of trying to draw the reader into making their own conclusion left too many doubts. (Authors have updated new additions at other times, why not here? No, this doesn't discount the inspiration of Scripture but I won't go into that now.)
3. The claims made in the later parts of Mark do not contradict any other scriptures. Yes, some have taken the claim to play with snakes as literal but a few misusing this doesn't negate the truth it contains.
There are a host more but these three I hope will give you some comfort in the truth of scriptures.
Look A Mistake!
This is the claim some have made when it comes to the last part of Mark chapter 16. There is a statement in most modern Bibles that this section is not found in most of the older Manuscripts. This makes some question if it may have been added later.
This has given some the excuse that the entire Bible can be thrown out as just a collection of man-made sayings. The problem with this is that it takes one doubt over one area and uses it to paint the entire Bible. It is similar to saying my dad was good so all dads are good or this businesswoman is a crook so all women in business are crooks.
Volumes have been written to explain and I won't go into detail but let me give a few thoughts.
1. This admission of possible doubt demonstrates the attempt of Christians to remain connected with the historical reality of their faith.
2. This section could have been added later by Mark or by his request after concern that his method of trying to draw the reader into making their own conclusion left too many doubts. (Authors have updated new additions at other times, why not here? No, this doesn't discount the inspiration of Scripture but I won't go into that now.)
3. The claims made in the later parts of Mark do not contradict any other scriptures. Yes, some have taken the claim to play with snakes as literal but a few misusing this doesn't negate the truth it contains.
There are a host more but these three I hope will give you some comfort in the truth of scriptures.
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