Peer review is where other scholars who know as much as you do about a given topic offer critique and generally serve as a gatekeeper process to make sure information is reliable and solidly researched. Unfortunately, when it comes to the New Testament, Bart bypasses that important step and makes everyone think the sky is falling when it is not. His peer, Dr. Dan Wallace, weighs in on this…
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I Came across this CNN article Former fundamentalist ‘debunks’ Bible. It appears Bart Ehrman is at it again…just in time for the latest round of religious skepticism served up in Angels and Demons (new movie based on Dan Brown’s book).
Ehrman clearly has an axe to grind. And his is self-admittedly the Problem of Evil in the world. This finds its way into his writing. Other equally credentialed New Testament Scholars are not convinced by his arguments; in fact they see the NT as highly reliable historically. Bart Erhman makes a living by overstating the implications of issues biblical scholars (conservative, moderate, or liberal) have known about for decades. See for example our previous post on this issue here when Bart was on the Colbert Report.
Ben Witherington has responded with a six part review of Bart’s claims in Jesus Interrupted (Bart Interrupted)
part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 part 5 part 6
For a wonderful book exploring these claims in accessible fashion, see Reinventing Jesus by Dan Wallace, Ed Komoszewski, and M. James Sawyer.
An important passage describes Jesus’ trial before the Jewish leadership (Mark 14:60-64). They asked him point blank, “are you Messiah, the Son of the blessed one?” Jesus response is powerful: “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Now there is a lot here. But the most important point is this, Jesus is quoting Daniel 7:13-14 and refers to himself as the “Son of Man.” If you go back and read the Daniel passage you will see that the Son of Man is in the presence of the Ancient of Days (God himself) and is given authority by him (cf. Ps 110).
The Jewish leadership, who knew the Hebrew Scriptures well, got the message loud and clear responding that this was blasphemy and that Jesus deserved to die for claiming to be God (Mark 14:63-64). People don’t get crucified for spouting off moral platitudes or loving everybody (though Jesus certainly loved people and was not promoting immorality). Something more is needed. No one denies that Jesus died by roman crucifixion. So why was he crucified?
This passage is your answer. The Jewish leadership clearly understood who Jesus claimed to be—God—and they had him crucified because of it. The early church did not turn Jesus into a God 400 years later at a church council as many today are saying. Jesus was so clear on this point, that it got him crucified.
Does Jesus change lives? Watch and see…
…yes.
And he can change yours today if you will let him.
Behold the Preeminence of Jesus Christ:
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
This hymn we find in Col 1:15-20 was sung by the first followers of Jesus; it predates the writing of the NT. What is clear from this and other passages is that Jesus was worshipped from the very beginning. The deity of Christ was not an invention or later accretion.