Question:
Hi Greg,
A
friend of mind who has studied Jewish history told me that the history books he
studied said that Jesus’ disciples were born after Jesus died.
Do you know of any historical books or published accounts that disprove
this and list their birth dates as being at the time of Jesus’ birth date?
Also, he states the last verse of the Old Testament states that the Old
Testament is the word of God and should not be changed or added to.
This seems to disqualify the entire New Testament.
How do I refute this?
Cindy
Answer: Dear Cindy,
I
presume that your friend has reference to Jesus’ original disciples, who
became the 12 Apostles, because Jesus has had, and continues to have, disciples
since his life, death, burial and resurrection.
The history books your friend has studied are not worthy of being called
history, in my opinion, for they have not followed the methodology used to
establish and verify history. I do
not doubt that your friend has read a book that makes such a claim.
However, there are books that claim that the earth is flat, that no
humans have walked on the moon, and some that state that Adolph Hitler is alive
and well and living in South America.
The life span of many of
the original disciples was cut short, as indeed Jesus told Peter (see John 21).
John, author of the Gospel, three epistles and the book of Revelation,
was most probably alive until the 90s AD.
As far as the other claim
your friend made, you may check the book of Malachi yourself—no such verse
exists. He may be mixed up (or
perhaps your report of what he said is) and confusing the statement at the end
of Revelation, which is of course the end of the New Testament and the end of
the Christian Bible. Even here it is
not the last verse—but among the last verses.
You may check it in Revelation 21:18-19.
What you report your friend saying is inaccurate on both counts.
In
Christ,