Who wrote the bible

[Catholic_Vegan]

Is there any proof that the gospels were written by 4 men; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John?
I have a son that maintains that he needs ‘proof’ in order to believe. He wants to believe in Jesus as God, but feels that there are inaccuracies in the bible. I try to explain that the Catholic church not only relies on the Bible but Sacred Tradition. I don’t think he actually grasps the meaning or importance of Sacred Tradition. I don’t seem to be able to explain Sacred Tradition in a way that he can comprehend what it is all about.
Catholic Vegan

 

[Catholic_Vegan]

Is there any proof that the gospels were written by 4 men; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John?
I have a son that maintains that he needs ‘proof’ in order to believe. He wants to believe in Jesus as God, but feels that there are inaccuracies in the bible. I try to explain that the Catholic church not only relies on the Bible but Sacred Tradition. I don’t think he actually grasps the meaning or importance of Sacred Tradition. I don’t seem to be able to explain Sacred Tradition in a way that he can comprehend what it is all about.
Catholic Vegan

 

[Mannyfit75]

Is there any proof that the gospels were written by 4 men; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John?

There isn’t any proof. Only speculations. Many of the ECF affirm those four Gospels were written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The ones we have are copies, we do not have the originals.

I have a son that maintains that he needs ‘proof’ in order to believe. He wants to believe in Jesus as God, but feels that there are inaccuracies in the bible. I try to explain that the Catholic church not only relies on the Bible but Sacred Tradition. I don’t think he actually grasps the meaning or importance of Sacred Tradition. I don’t seem to be able to explain Sacred Tradition in a way that he can comprehend what it is all about.
Catholic Vegan

Tell your son that there are no inaccuracies in the Bible. If he thinks there are inconsistencies in the Bible please point them out.

You could also explain that the Catholic does not rely on Scripture Alone like you mention. The Catholic Church rely on Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and Magisterial Authority. The Church is sole interpreter of Scripture, and that individuals cannot interpret the Bible in their own terms; which can be distorted Scripture.

The Catechism defines Sacred Tradition as:

97 “Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture make up a single sacred deposit of the Word of God” (DV 10) in which, as in a mirror, the pilgrim Church contemplates God, the source of all her riches.

80 “Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture, then, are bound closely together, and communicate one with the other. For both of them, flowing out from the same divine well-spring, come together in some fashion to form one thing, and move towards the same goal.” Each of them makes present and fruitful in the Church the mystery of Christ, who promised to remain with his own “always, to the close of the age”.

78 This living transmission, accomplished in the Holy Spirit, is called Tradition, since it is distinct from Sacred Scripture, though closely connected to it. Through Tradition, “the Church, in her doctrine, life and worship, perpetuates and transmits to every generation all that she herself is, all that she believes.” “The sayings of the holy Fathers are a witness to the life-giving presence of this Tradition, showing how its riches are poured out in the practice and life of the Church, in her belief and her prayer.”

((more coming))

 

[Mannyfit75]

. . two distinct modes of transmission

81 "Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit."42

"And [Holy] Tradition transmits in its entirety the Word of God which has been entrusted to the apostles by Christ the Lord and the Holy Spirit. It transmits it to the successors of the apostles so that, enlightened by the Spirit of truth, they may faithfully preserve, expound and spread it abroad by their preaching."43

82 As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, "does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence."44

Apostolic Tradition and ecclesial traditions

83 The Tradition here in question comes from the apostles and hands on what they received from Jesus’ teaching and example and what they learned from the Holy Spirit. The first generation of Christians did not yet have a written New Testament, and the New Testament itself demonstrates the process of living Tradition.

Tradition is to be distinguished from the various theological, disciplinary, liturgical or devotional traditions, born in the local churches over time. These are the particular forms, adapted to different places and times, in which the great Tradition is expressed. In the light of Tradition, these traditions can be retained, modified or even abandoned under the guidance of the Church’s Magisterium.

III. THE INTERPRETATION OF THE HERITAGE OF FAITH

The heritage of faith entrusted to the whole of the Church

84 The apostles entrusted the “Sacred deposit” of the faith (the depositum fidei),45 contained in Sacred Scripture and Tradition, to the whole of the Church. "By adhering to [this heritage] the entire holy people, united to its pastors, remains always faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. So, in maintaining, practicing and professing the faith that has been handed on, there should be a remarkable harmony between the bishops and the faithful."46

The Magisterium of the Church

85 "The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the Church alone. Its authority in this matter is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ."47 This means that the task of interpretation has been entrusted to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome.

86 "Yet this Magisterium is not superior to the Word of God, but is its servant. It teaches only what has been handed on to it. At the divine command and with the help of the Holy Spirit, it listens to this devotedly, guards it with dedication and expounds it faithfully. All that it proposes for belief as being divinely revealed is drawn from this single deposit of faith."48

87 Mindful of Christ’s words to his apostles: “He who hears you, hears me”,49 the faithful receive with docility the teachings and directives that their pastors give them in different forms.

 

[Mannyfit75]

The dogmas of the faith

88 The Church’s Magisterium exercises the authority it holds from Christ to the fullest extent when it defines dogmas, that is, when it proposes, in a form obliging the Christian people to an irrevocable adherence of faith, truths contained in divine Revelation or also when it proposes, in a definitive way, truths having a necessary connection with these.

89 There is an organic connection between our spiritual life and the dogmas. Dogmas are lights along the path of faith; they illuminate it and make it secure. Conversely, if our life is upright, our intellect and heart will be open to welcome the light shed by the dogmas of faith.50

90 The mutual connections between dogmas, and their coherence, can be found in the whole of the Revelation of the mystery of Christ.51 "In Catholic doctrine there exists an order or hierarchy of truths, since they vary in their relation to the foundation of the Christian faith."52

The supernatural sense of faith

91 All the faithful share in understanding and handing on revealed truth. They have received the anointing of the Holy Spirit, who instructs them53 and guides them into all truth.54

92 "The whole body of the faithful. . . cannot err in matters of belief. This characteristic is shown in the supernatural appreciation of faith (sensus fidei) on the part of the whole people, when, from the bishops to the last of the faithful, they manifest a universal consent in matters of faith and morals."55

93 "By this appreciation of the faith, aroused and sustained by the Spirit of truth, the People of God, guided by the sacred teaching authority (Magisterium),. . . receives. . . the faith, once for all delivered to the saints. . . The People unfailingly adheres to this faith, penetrates it more deeply with right judgment, and applies it more fully in daily life."56

scborromeo.org/ccc/p1s1c2a2.htm#78

 

[Socrates4Jesus]

Is there any proof that the gospels were written by 4 men; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John?
I have a son that maintains that he needs ‘proof’ in order to believe. He wants to believe in Jesus as God, but feels that there are inaccuracies in the bible. I try to explain that the Catholic church not only relies on the Bible but Sacred Tradition. I don’t think he actually grasps the meaning or importance of Sacred Tradition. I don’t seem to be able to explain Sacred Tradition in a way that he can comprehend what it is all about.
Catholic Vegan

The book More Evidence that Demands a Verdict has page after page of proof of the authorship and reliability of the Bible, among other teachings of the historic Christian faith.

amazon.com/Evidence-Demands-Questions-Challenging-Christians/dp/0785243631

It would make a great gift for him or an excellent resource for you!

 

[mercygate]

How old is your son? No point bringing out the apologetic/catechetical artillery without knowing what the target is.

 

[timotheos]

Is there any proof that the gospels were written by 4 men; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John?

Our Catholic radio station airs an old program recorded by Archbishop Sheen (Life is Worth Living) at 6:00AM, and this morning’s episode was about the gospel writers. It seems that each of the writers had a certain audience in mind (eg. Luke wrote for the Greeks, John wrote for the early Christian community, Matthew wrote for the Jewish community, and Mark for the Romans, if I remember right). He said a few things about the Gospel writers I hadn’t heard before. I hope to get a set of these audiotapes someday. He was a very learned, intelligent and persuasive man, maybe your son would respond to his engaging approach.

I don’t think he actually grasps the meaning or importance of Sacred Tradition. I don’t seem to be able to explain Sacred Tradition in a way that he can comprehend what it is all about.

Here’s a kind of weak analogy: To become a competent doctor, you must not only study many texts, but you must work for several years under the guidance of experienced mentors, kind of like an apprenticeship, where you learn a huge amount not written in the textbooks. The textbooks are roughly analogous to Sacred Scripture, and learning under a experienced tutors could be considered a bit like learning the Tradition. If a doctor’s whole education was just limited to reading a few books, it would be really scary to be a patient.

-God bless, Tim

 

[Ammonius_Saccus]

Tell your son that there are no inaccuracies in the Bible. If he thinks there are inconsistencies in the Bible please point them out.

John says that Jesus was crucified on the Day of Preparation for the Passover. Mark says Jesus was killed the morning after the Passover meal was eaten.

 

[Socrates4Jesus]

John says that Jesus was crucified on the Day of Preparation for the Passover. Mark says Jesus was killed the morning after the Passover meal was eaten.

This is a common mistake, AS. The Lord’s Supper was on a different day from the Passover meal.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” …When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they were reclining at the table eating … Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. “I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.” (Mark 14:12, 17, 22-25)The Passover lambs were sacrificed a day (or perhaps two days) prior to the Passover meal at the end of the week-long Passover celebration. It would take many hours to sacrifice enough lambs to feed so many families who traveled to Jerusalem once a year for the Passover. Jesus was sacrificed on the cross at the same time the lambs were being sacrificed at the Jewish Temple. This might be one reason why the Jewish religious leaders insisted that the Roman guards break the legs of the to criminals crucified with Christ. They did not want the crucifixions to bring dishonor to God during the Passover meal. The Romans honored their request, but when they were about to break Jesus’ legs, He was already dead. He died before the Passover meal during the week-long Passover event.

Jesus ate the Lord’s Supper with His disciples a day or two (Thursday or Friday) before the Passover meal at the end of the week (Saturday). They were hoping to eat the Passover meal with Him and had no idea this would be their last meal with Him prior to his death and resurrection.

 

[Catholic_Vegan]

How old is your son? No point bringing out the apologetic/catechetical artillery without knowing what the target is.

 

[Catholic_Vegan]

My son is 2l years old. He is looking for proof (hard evidence). He says there are inaccuracies in the bible. One of these is the Johah in the belly of the whale for three days AND three nights. He says this doesn’t coincide with Jesus being dead three days and three NIGHTS. He counts Friday night and Saturday night - that is only two nights.

 

[Catholic_Vegan]

My son is 2l years old. He is looking for proof (hard evidence). He says there are inaccuracies in the bible. One of these is the Johah in the belly of the whale for three days AND three nights. He says this doesn’t coincide with Jesus being dead three days and three NIGHTS. He counts Friday night and Saturday night - that is only two nights.

 

[guanophore]

My son is 2l years old. He is looking for proof (hard evidence). He says there are inaccuracies in the bible. One of these is the Johah in the belly of the whale for three days AND three nights. He says this doesn’t coincide with Jesus being dead three days and three NIGHTS. He counts Friday night and Saturday night - that is only two nights.

Understandng this just requires some historical context. Hebrews counted days and nights differently than we who are of European extraction to. The “day” began at sunset of the night before, that is why they wanted to get the body of Jesus off the cross. the sabbath began at nightfall of Friday. No way you count it, it will not come up to 72 hours as we calculate. But for the Hebrews, “early in the morning on the first day of the week” (Easter Sunday) actually began the night before.

 

[Mankney]

I have heard that they counted something as a day even if it touched only a small part of the day. If something started at 11:55pm on a given day than it counted as a day so Friday Jesus died for us, Saturday he laid in the tomb and Sunday he was resurrected thus 3 days.

If we find an “inaccuracy” in the bible it just means we have to look harder to explain it and looking at the Jewish practices of the day explains alot of it.

Now I don’t know what he would count as “Hard Evidence” but “The Case for Christ” by Lee Strobel looks hard at the accuracy of the Gospels and many other things. It is pretty good.

God Bless

 

[leonie]

My son is 2l years old. He is looking for proof (hard evidence). He says there are inaccuracies in the bible. One of these is the Johah in the belly of the whale for three days AND three nights. He says this doesn’t coincide with Jesus being dead three days and three NIGHTS. He counts Friday night and Saturday night - that is only two nights.

amazon.com/Making-Senses-Out-Scripture-Christians/dp/0964261065

Shea’s book is helpful to understanding the way we are to read scripture.