Moses Did Not Author the Pentateuch?: "Consistencyy of Genesis 1 & 2" || John Pesebre || Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (Sept 28, 2017)

Listen to 702 DZAS Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (a segment of Tanglaw sa Landas ng Buhay of Back to the Bible Philippines) every Tuesday and Thursday 7:00PM.

The argument na tutugunan natin ngayon ay “Moses did not author the Pentateuch because of the disconnected grammar of Genesis 1 and 2 implying different authors.” Pagpapatuloy po ito ng natapos nating discussion last episode kung saan nagbigay tayo ng mga refutations sa argument na nangopya daw ang author ng Genesis1 sa isang paganong alamat called Enuma Elish. Dulot ito ng suspicion na disconnected daw ang Genesis 1 & 2 sa niya at sa ginamit na names ng Diyos: Elohim sa Genesis 1 at Yahweh naman sa Genesis 2. Today we will challenge this discontinuity and provide continuity as we affirm Mosaic authorship.
grammar

Ang grammar daw ng Genesis 1 and 2 na magkaiba ang dahilan kaya most probably daw ang sources nila ay iba. Kumbaga galing sila sa dalawang magkaibang documents, written by different authors separated by different times. Inassign niya ang Genesis 1 na sinulat ng isang tao o mga tao na galing sa tradition ng mga Elohist (kasi nga ang pangalan ng Diyos nila ay “Elohim”) at ang Genesis 2 naman sa tradition ng Yahwist (kasi nga ang pangalan ng Diyos sa kanila ay Yahweh). Ito pong mga nakaraang mga episodes diniscuss ko na po ito at kung gusto po ninyong balikan, punta lang po kayo dun sa fb page ng Kaliwanagan kay Kristo for the manuscripts nila.

Ang Elohist writer na nagsulat ng Genesis 1 comes from the tradition na ang tawag sa Diyos ay Elohim, ayon sa ating nakausap na professor na may liberal view na ganito. Ang composition naman ng Genesis 2 ay galing sa udyok na kopyahin ang mga nakatalang kwento sa Gilgamesh Epic. When Genesis was compiled by a complier nung 6th century, pinagkabit nya lang yang dalawang yan as Genesis 1 and 2 kasi pareho nga sila creation stories. Ang gagawin natin ngayon is we will refute that narrative and propose that Moses writing in the 15th century BC was led by God to write Genesis 1 and 2 with a theological-literary intention na ipakilala ang persona and  work ng Panginoon sa magbabasa nito.

Una, pinapakilala sa Genesis 1 and 2 ang katangian ng Panginoon na bukod sa Siya ang di maarok na makapangyarihang Diyos ng Genesis 1 named Elohim, siya naman ang hands-on na Diyos sa mga maliliit na bahagi nito tulad ng itinerary at instructions Niya kay Adan sa Genesis 2.

Ang Elohim is a name derived from the common name of God nung unang panahon. Yan yung word na “El.” Parang sa atin, yung word na Diyos. Ginagamit yang term na yan ng mga Muslim, Christian, Hindu, at even ng mga atheists to refer to deity.
Sa Old Testament po ninyo when you read the word “God” it is translated from either of these: El, Elah, Elo'ah, Elohim. Paliwanag pa ni Prof. Paul Sumner,

The oldest Semitic word meaning "God" is El. Linguists believe its base meaning is strength or power. "El" is the Strong One, or the Deity (God). It occurs 238x in the Bible, and is first used in Genesis 14:18 in the phrase "God Most High" [El Elyon].

The Canaanites called their chief deity El, the Mighty Bull. After the Israelites entered Canaan, they adopted this generic word "El" for their God, though "Elohim" took precedence. In some Canaanite myths, one of El's sons was the notorious Ba'al, the nemesis of the true God throughout much of Israel's history.

Napaka loose nga po ng term na Elohim, kaya it was important I think for Moses to secure and recuperate an understanding of what he means when he is using the name Elohim in Genesis 1. He introducing a revealed truth about this God that people in his time were talking about. Kumbaga nire-recuperate lang ni Moses ang word na El tulad din nung ginawa ni Pablo sa |Acts 17:23 --

For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship--and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

In the same way, Moses proclaims to people. This was the name that God instructed Moses to use in Genesis 1 and its aim is similar to the point of Paul to recuperate understanding. Like Paul, Moses was like saying, “Etong Diyos na sinasabi niyo na may likha ng lahat ipakilala ko ang tunay na Diyos.”

Ngayon lipat naman tayo sa Genesis 2 to show its consistency of teaching from Genesis 1. In Genesis 2 God reveals to Moses the events that happened zooming in on the crown of His creation: human beings Adam and Eve. Yahweh is the covenant name of God in the Old Testament. Genesis 1 does not give you a look into the relationship-building God. Genesis 2 does that to you. It is important that we see this kasi nga isa sa mga napakagandang features ng ating Diyos ay mapagmahal sa kanyang mga tinubos, mga tinawag, atbp at siya ay nalulugod kapag ang mga kapatiran ay may ganyan ding active na relationship.

Yahweh is “the only proper name for God. It is also the most frequent name, occurring in the Old Testament 6, 828 times (almost 700 times in the Psalms alone).” Ang idea ng name na YHWH ayon sa Baker’s Evangelical Dictionry of Biblical Theology ay yung presence nya. While in Genesis 1 is an ever present power above creation, sa Genesis 2 is also present within creation, meeting with Adam and Eve. Ministering to them. Talking to them like a faither to his children.

Yes, God cannot be contained in creation. Kaya nga galit siya sa idol. Hindi siya tulad ni Genie na naka confine sa isang lamp. As we have seen nga sa Genesis 1, God is transcendent or nangingibabaw Siya sa Kaniyang nilikha -- yun ang intention ni Moses sa Genesis 1. Subalit sa Genesis 2 ang pahayag ng Diyos ay Siya ay nakikisalamuha sa Kaniyang nilikha. Sa Genesis 1 we have a zoom out view of the person and work of God, pero sa Genesis 2 we also see the person and work of God pero naka zoom in sa kanyang mga mumunting creation.

Nung magkasakit ako ng kidney failure, mayroon akong idea to ask the majestic God of miracle. Eto yung kaisipan na nais ng Diyos na makita natin sa Genesis 1. However, despire yang prayer ko na yan for the trascendent at nangingibabaw na Diyos sa Kanyang nilikha, I also prayed to God to deal with me as His child. Sabi ko, “Lord, puntahan mo naman ako dito sa hospital bed at icomfort mo ako. Di ko na alam gagawin ko.”

When we talk about Moses writing Genesis 1 and 2 guided by the Holy Spirit we are talking about a God who wants to be known through His written word. Pinapakilala tayo ni Moses sa tunay na Diyos. Importante yan at least para sa akin kasi yan yung Diyos na hindi lang gumawa ng milagro sa buhay ko nang pinagkabit kabit niya ang mga tao sa buong mundo, inorchestrate nya na yung mag oopera sa akin na first class na doctor na nakasabay ko sa elevator at napakiusapan na siya na lang mag opera sa akin, provided for my kidney transplant na halagang 2 million pesos pero wala kami ni singkong duling na binayaran, at sobrang dami pang mga majestic na gawain ng tila yung Genesis 1 Elohim, yet He was the same God who ministered to me words of encouragement of joy dun sa malamig na higaan sa ospital. Alam nyo po kung bakit? Kasi po ang pangalan nya ay Yahweh, ang Diyos na nakikipagtipan at sumasama sa isang taong tulad ko na naubusan na ng kakayahan at wala nang pag-asa.

Moses Did Not Author the Pentateuch?: "Enuma Elish" || John Pesebre || Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (Sept 26, 2017)

Listen to 702 DZAS Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (a segment of Tanglaw sa Landas ng Buhay of Back to the Bible Philippines) every Tuesday and Thursday 7:00PM.

Ang argument na tutugunan natin ngayon ay “Moses did not author Genesis 1 because an Elohist writer writing from a later time wrote it based on a pagan document called Enuma Elish.” Ang Enuma Elish ay isang Babylonian na kwento ng creation* written early in the 2nd millenia BC at basehan ng isang napakalaking Babylonian festivity at least nung panahon ni Nebuchadnezzar nung 6th century BC. Opo mga alamat po siya na ayon sa ilang mga liberal professors dito sa atin na nagtuturo pa sa mga conservative Bible schools at seminaries mismo at galing din sa kanila narinig natin ang idea na alamat nga ang pinagbasehan ng nagsulat ng Genesis 1. Concern po natin ang argument na ito dahil it challenges the credibility ng mga statements ng Bible concerning Mosaic authorship. Pati ang ating Panginoong mismo sinasama ang Mosaic authorship sa mga teachings na natanggap niya.

In Mark 10:4-8, Jesus quoted Gen. 2:24 as coming from Moses. In Mark 7:10, Jesus quoted the Ten Commandments as coming from Moses. In Mark 10:3 Jesus refers to Deut. 24:1f as being from Moses, and in Matt. 8:4 Jesus quoted Lev. 14 as coming from Moses.†

Concern din natin siya as we try to exemplify yung commitment ni Paul sa 2 Corinthians 10:5 that says, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God.” We believe that when an argument puts into question the clear testimony of God in Scripture, we are duty-bound to provide defense and in the graphic words of Paul, “demolish arguments.” While it is okay to expose itong mga pinapadala ng mga churches na young seminarians sa mga schools na ito, it is also good to orient them kung ano ang mga kakaharapin nilang mga views sa mga lugar na iyan par akahi papano maging open sila sa mga iba-ibang views and hopefully able to see yung mga positive at negative points ng mga liberal views na ito.

Ang foundational na suspicion na nilalatag ng argument natin ngayon na si Moses ang author ng Genesis ay dahil daw sa magkaiba ang pangalan na inassign ng writer or writers sa Diyos sa Genesis 1, at ito ay Elohim at sa Genesis 2 naman ay Yahweh. We have reason daw to suspect its authorship because of the discrepancy in the two names. Ang tawag dito ng nakausap kong liberal professor ay discrepancy sa grammar daw. Dahil dito sa form na ito ng grammar, he would then transition to the different sources of Genesis 1 and 2. For Genesis 1 he assigned the source as the Enuma Elish; at sa Genesis 2 source naman daw ay ang Gilgamesh Epic.‡ Tulad ng nabanggit ko kanina, ang Enuma Elish ay isang Babylonian na kwento ng creation. Ang Epic of Gilgamesh naman ay isang epiko galing sa Mesopotamia o mas kilala ngayon as Ancient Iraq na meron ding creation story.

Kakaiba ngayon ito sa nakagisnan nating tamang turo, na si Moses ang may akda at ang kanyang pag aakda ginabayan ng Banal na Espiritu at may direct instructions from God na magsulat. Hindi porke nakagisnan natin yan ay tatalikuran natin habang tumatanda tayo. False reasoning po ito kasi ang truthfulness ng isang katuruan hindi nakasalalay sa pabagu-bagong panahon. Napakalinaw sa aklat ni Moses na may mga pagkakataon pa na direkta siyang ini-instruct ng Lord na isulat ang mga kakatapos pa lang na pangyayaring naranasan niya. For example, Exodus 34:27 “And the LORD said to Moses, “Write these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” Moreover, Christ confirms this truth, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?” (John 5:36-37). Hindi nakapagtataka kung magugulat ang isang member ng simbahan at makakarinig siya ng katuruan na ang Genesis ay kinopya lamang sa mga paganong mga alamat.

Kung ang support sa claim ay “somebody else writing from a later time wrote it based on a pagan document called Enuma Elish” kasama diyan ang mga important na mga katanungan na When was it written? Who wrote it? What were the circumstances of its writing?

In answering these three questions, yung liberal professor na kausap ko re-assigned the date of writing of the Pentateuch to a later one. Sinabi niya na mali yung 15th century BC na traditional dating ng Genesis. Hindi si Moses ang nagsulat at questionable pa kung may Moses nga daw na nag exist. Dadalhin niya ngayon ang date of wrting sa 6th century BC para maging relevant siya sa isang Babylonian festivity na nagbunsod daw ng pagsusulat ng Genesis. Nung 15th century BC kasi wala pa yang pyesta na yan. The argument goes ayon dito sa professor na the reason why the writer of Genesis 1 utilized the Enuma Elish was to subvert or wasakin ang creation idea ng festivity na ito. This Babylonian spring festival is called Akitu. Akitu is a word that means “barley-cutting” o “tag-anihan” sa Sumerian language at sa Akkadian naman it means “New Year.” Sa fourth day ng Akitu, nire-recite ang Enuma Elish. Ito daw ang gustong i-subvert ng Elohist na author. So hiniram nya yung kwento at linagyan nya ng Jewish monotheistic twist. Sa pakikpaglaban na ito sa dominant at oppressive power ng Babylon kinasihan daw ng Diyos na word of God ito. Ganito daw ang paraan ng pag-inscripturate at process of inspiration ng Diyos, na mukhang naging anti-imperialist revolutionary na myembro ng National Democratic Front.

Tactical din yung pag usog papunta sa 6th century BC kasi kung around that time nga naman naisulat ang Genesis 1 di may reason nga na nangopya yung writer kasi kung ang Genesis 1 ay naisulat ni Moses nung 15th century BC, wala pa nung nagsusulat ng Enuma Elish. Naisip siguro nila na impossible naman na kumopya si Moses sa isang document na hindi pa naisusulat.

Ano ang physical documentary evidence na kumopya nga ang Genesis 1 sa Enuma Elish? Actually wala.

But what do our evidence suggest? What we actually have are fragments of an old scroll of the book of Genesis na nakuha sa Dead Sea Scroll. Although mga punit punit na siya at maari nyong makita yung picture pa non sa Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library website na ilalagay ko sa FB page, what we see are texts from the final form of Genesis.§

I perfectly understand how a change of name would suggest the skepticism netong mga taong eto, pero the presence of skepticism doesn’t prove that the assertion na si Moses ang may akda has been defeated. For clearly it is very easy to structure a complementary relationships between Genesis 1 and 2 and we can even use the prevailing idea of the times concerning the name Elohim. Simplehan lang natin ang sagot sa pagkahaba habang gymnastics na gagawin ng mga dini-deny ang Mosaic authorship ng Genesis 1 and 2.

Sa Genesis 1 Moses used Elohim to represent the prevailing idea of his time that God is the creator -- the all powerful being, the source of all things. He pictured here as immense in power. Sa Genesis 2, ginamit ni Moses ang Yahweh to refer to the covenant name of God showing Him as a God who relates to human beings -- the crown of his creation. Next episode po talakayin natin ang message ng two chapters na ito that would give us an understanding of Moses’ intention sa kanyang grammar. Sa susunod na episode po, we will focus on the unity ng Genesis 1 and 2 para hindi tayo magkaroon ng pagdududa na hiniram lang yan sa mga paganong alamat and see the messsage of the literary structure na gustong ituro sa atin ng Diyos through the writings of Moses.

(C) Photo Credits. 4 tablets of the Enuma Elish.

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*  Joshua J. Mark, “Enuma Elish - The Babylonian Epic of Creation,” in Ancient History Encyclopedia; accessed at  http://www.ancient.eu/article/225/

†  "Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch," in Theopedia (website); accessed at
http://www.theopedia.com/mosaic-authorship-of-the-pentateuch

‡  Wiki, sv “Epic of Gilgamesh”; accessed at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_of_Gilgamesh

§  "Plate 663," in The Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library (website); accessed at
http://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/explore-the-archive/image/B-277259

Moses Did Not Author the Pentateuch?: "Biblical Proofs of Mosaic Authorship" || John Pesebre || Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (Sept 21, 2017)

Listen to 702 DZAS Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (a segment of Tanglaw sa Landas ng Buhay of Back to the Bible Philippines) every Tuesday and Thursday 7:00PM.

Ang claim na tutugunan natin ngayon ay “Moses did not write the Pentateuch because different people from different traditions, places and time wrote the Pentateuch.”

Ang argument na ito oftentimes comes from the theological liberal camp ng religious studies at nakatalaga malimit ito sa designation na documentary hypothesis o yung kilala sa tawag na JEDP hypothesis kung saan ang Pentateuch daw ay hindi talaga si Moses ang may akda. Ang complete collection na meron daw tayo ngayon ng first five books of the Old Testament ay resulta ng pagsusulat ng maraming tao, tradition at written within at least 3 centuries o 300 years. Samakatuwid baga hindi si Moses ang sumulat. Ang sabi pa nga ng isang nakausap kong Bible school professor na ganito ang kanyang view, baka daw hindi pa totoo na may Adan, Abraham, Moses at kung totoong may nangyaring Exodus.

However, base na lang sa simpleng observation ng Pentateuch, mukha na siyang sinulat ng mga eyewitnesses. When we say eyewitness hindi natin gustong sabihin na mata lang ang ginamit but the entire senses kung necessary. Patungkol dito, binanggit ng Christian Research Institute na,

The author is undoubtedly an eyewitness because he is knowledgeable about many specific details. For example, Egyptian names, words, customs and even geography. This knowledge would be very difficult to come by unless the author was, in fact, a participant in the historical events themselves which are described in the Pentateuch. Archaeology has provided support for believing that the writer of the Pentateuch actually lived during the time that Moses was to have lived.*

Ang mga details ng marami sa nakasulat sa Pentateuch ay tila baga mayroon "direct access" ang nag akda. Ayon sa Exodus 24:4 "Moses then wrote down everything the LORD had said" and that shortly thereafter he took the "Book of the Covenant and read it to the people"Ayon sa Exodus 24:27-28 siya ang nagsulat ng Ten Commandments na bigay sa kanya ng Diyos. So kung mamarapatin ninyo ang isang paghahalintulad, parang regular na blogger si Moses.

Mukhang kasing may journalling din na ginagawa si Moses pero this does not mean na ito ang final form. Sa tingin ko he gathers all these writings and then puts in a final form; at yan na nga yung Pentateuch.

Kaya malakas ang support natin na malaki ang eyewitness account ng Pentateuch ay dahil sinusulat niya kung ano ang mga kaganapan Ex 17:14 “Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua.” Sa Num 33:2 ang sabi “Moses wrote down their starting places, stage by stage, by command of the LORD, and these are their stages according to their starting places.”

May mga malinaw na pagtukoy na si Moses ang may akda ng Deuteronomy. Sa Deut 31:9 eto ang sabi, "Then Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.” Sa31: 19 heto, "Now therefore write this song and teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the people of Israel." Dagdag pa ng 31:22 "So Moses wrote this song the same day and taught it to the people of Israel. 31: 24 . . . Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book to the very end."

Less direct references ay matatagpuan sa Exodus 25:16 "And you [Moses] shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you.” Ang Hebrew word na translated “testimony” dito ay ginagamit na word as “witness testimony” o pagtetestigo. Hindi si Moses ang testigo kundi ang Diyos ay itong testimony na ito ay ibibigay nya kay Moses. Magandang ganyan din natin maunawaan kung bakit alam ni Moses ang mga libong taon bago siya pinanganak. Ang tinutukoy ko ay yung pag create ng mundo, sila Cain at Abel, kay Abraham at marami pang iba. Dahil ito sa paglalahad ng Diyos, bilang testigo sa mga nangyari.

See also Deut 28:58; 29:20, 21, 27, 29; 20:10, 11.

Hindi lamang si Moses ang nagsasabi na siya ang may akda ng Pentateuch. Sa iba ibang parts ng Bible, nababanggit na siya ang may akda.

Ang first five books ay tinatawag na "Book of Moses." Siguro magtataka kayo kung bakit "book" at hindi "books." Nung una kasing panahon nakabukod sa tatlong malalaking scrolls ang Old Testament na tinatawag nila na Tanakh. Pag sinulat po iyan sa Hebreo tatlong letra lang po iyan: TNK kasi ang Biblical hebrew po ay wala namang vowels. So yung TNK po is abbreviation for T- Torah, N-Nebim at K-Ketuvim. Ang Torah (meaning law) po ay yung first five books of Moses at yung Nebim (meaning prophets) ay mga writings ng major prophets at yung Ketuvim (meaning writings) ay combination ng mga minor prophets, proverbs at poetry.

Tinutukoy ng Bibliya si Moses bilang authority behind the books of the Law.

The books are referred to as the "Book of Moses" (5 times [1]), the "Law of Moses" (22 times [2]), the "Book of the Law of Moses" (4 times [3]), the "Word of the Lord by Moses" (1 Time [4]), and the contents of the books are attributed to Moses over 32 times (cf. 2 K. 21:8, 1 Ch. 15:15, 1 Ch. 22:13, 2 Ch 24:6, 2 Ch. 33:8, 2 Ch. 34:14, Ne. 1:8, Ne. 8:14, Ne. 10:29, Mal. 4:4, Matt. 8:4, Matt. 19:8, Matt. 22:14, Mark 1:44, Mark 7:10, Mark 10:4, Luke 5:14, Luke 20:37, Luke 24:27, John 1:45, John 5:46, John 7:19, John 7:22, John 8:5, Acts 3:22, Acts 15:21, Acts 26:22, Rom. 10:5, Rom. 10:19, 2 Cor. 3:15, Heb. 9:19).† 

Ang ating Panginoong Jesus nagsabi din sa John 5:46-47 "For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

Dagdag pa niya sa Mark 10:4-5 "They said, Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away." And Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment."

Ayon naman kay Apostol Pablo sa Rom. 10:5 "For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them."

At si Philip naman sa John 1:45 "Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

Lahat ng mga yan all attest to Mosaic authorship.

Dagdag lang natin ang dagdag pang mga proofs as support sa Mosaic authorship

The Jewish Talmud  refers to the first five books of the Bible as the "Book of Moses." Ang Talmud po ay ang central text ng Rabbinic Judaism.  Furthermore, the Mishna and the early Jewish historian Josephus both accepted the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch (Arnold and Beyer, p. 69). Ang mishnah po ay parang commentary ng Torah at si Josephus naman ay isang first century Jewish historian.
Support from Jesus. Jesus divided the Old Testament into three sections in Luke 24:27, 44: Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms. Also, in Mark 10:4-8, Jesus quoted Gen. 2:24 as coming from Moses In Mark 7:10, Jesus quoted the Ten Commandments as coming from Moses. "For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.'" In Mark 10:3 Jesus refers to Deut. 24:1f as being from Moses -- He answered them, "What did Moses command you?" and in Matt. 8:4 Jesus quoted Lev. 14 as coming from Moses. [5] And Jesus said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them."

Napakalinaw sa salita ng Diyos ang patotoo na si Moises ang may akda ng Pentateuch.

(C) Photo Credit

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* "The Torah: Did Moses Write the Torah?," in Christian Research Institute (website); accessed at 

http://www.equip.org/perspectives/the-torah-did-moses-write-the-torah/

† This and following data are taken extensively from the copyrighted Christian Research Insitute website. I do not take credit for them.

Christian Students and the Combative Atheist Professor || John Pesebre

This is a fictitious but funny story --

A Navy SEAL was attending some college courses between assignments. He had completed missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. One of the courses had a professor who was an avowed atheist and a member of the ACLU. One day he shocked the class when he came in, looked to the ceiling, and flatly stated, "God, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15 minutes."
The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes went by and the professor proclaimed, "Here I am God. I'm still waiting."
It got down to the last couple of minutes when the SEAL got out of his chair, went up to the professor, and cold-cocked him; knocking him off the platform. The professor was out cold. The SEAL went back to his seat and sat there, silently. The other students were shocked and stunned and sat there looking on in silence.
The professor eventually came to, noticeably shaken, looked at the SEAL and asked, "What the hell is the matter with you? Why did you do that?"
The SEAL calmly replied, "God was too busy today protecting America's soldiers who are protecting your right to say stupid shit and act like an asshole. So He sent me."

Hindi madali maka encounter ng isang professor na hindi lang nagdi-disagree sa faith mo but is also antagonistic. Although that is not a very common phenomenon and I agree na may nabuo talagang “atheist professor myths” na nagpe-perpetuate ng maling fear that when you go to college you will regularly encounter combative atheists professors, yet I think it is worth addressing din dahil sa marami na ring testimonies ng mga Christian students na malimit nagi-grieve sa nangyayari. Ang atheist professor myth ayon sa RationWiki, isang website na hindi friendly sa Christian belief ay isa daw na,

• urban legend, often told through chain emails, in which an atheist professor attempts to disprove the existence of God and is subsequently embarrassed by a wise Christian student in front of the whole class

Ang concern ko lang is baka sa sobrang maging stressful para sa isang estudyante na may background sa mixed martial arts at medyo madaling mapikon ay baka mapaaway lang siya tulad nung Navy SEAL sa anecdote sa taas.

Joke lang.

Actually we have better intentions than that. We will deal with the issue of not only reflecting on this problem but also provide guidelines how to make the most out of this difficult situation for God’s glory.

In this essay we will respond to the argument that emerges out of the struggle of one University student when she was confronted with an angry anti-Christian professor in some of her classes. The argument that persists in her mind giving her doubt is -

I am denying God when I don’t defend Him in a classroom, where the professor is at that moment denouncing Christianity, because it is a Christian’s duty to give an answer.

This argument came out in an interview I conducted with a college student named René in preparation for my radio apologetics broadcast at 702 DZAS’ Tanglaw sa Landas ng Buhay. She said the following about her philosophy and archaeology classes,

• [Ang concern ko ay yung] Religious stance of teachers and students: Marami akong subject na maraming teachers and students na hindi christian. Most of the time the prof would denounce God and the students would agree. I never nodded or went with the flow, but I kept quiet. I started doubting if I was really a true Christian. Was I denying God by being silent? But I was also scared na baka may masabi din akong mali.

This scenario has been a recurring issue in many Christians in college. Bestselling author Prof. J. Budzidewski shares,

• One day a student approached me after class. She seemed to be close to tears. "In lecture today, you mentioned that you're a Christian," she said. "I've never heard that from any other professor, and every day I spend at this university, I feel my faith is under attack.*

 At times the assault is subtle. Author Doug Britton the following story that happened to his wife when they were still in college,

•  When my wife Skeeter and I attended the University of California at Davis, she took an English class in which she was told to read the Gospel of John and write an essay identifying and analyzing John’s main message. Although not a Christian at the time, she quickly grasped that John was writing about Jesus Christ and his offer of salvation through faith in him. ❡ However, she also saw that the professor rejected this message and was looking for a different answer. Although she knew she wasn’t being true to what John wrote, she wrote an essay on “love” and received an “A.”†

In the film God’s Not Dead, a student named Josh Wheaton experienced a combative class environment when his anti-Christian professor attacked his faith in Christ.

These are scenarios that provide the context for the concern of many Christian students in college. For René a combative class environment affected how she viewed her identity as a follower of Christ. It would have been easier, I suppose, if such antagonism would not happen because she would just continue to be a good student minding her grades and disovery of knowledge and wisdom. But now, she would have to deal with an issue that seemed alien to the concerns of her class.

How does a Christian student deal with this type of situation?

First of all, let me propose a counter argument --

I am NOT denying God when I don’t defend Him IMMEDIATELY in a class where the professor is denouncing Christianity because although it is a Christian’s duty to give an answer, a Christian is also admonished to be quick to listen and be prepared to give an answer.

Before I make a comment on my counter argument, let me just give a preface on the nature of "giving an answer" or apologetics. This is nudge that René feels -- the nudge to defend the case for Christianity.

The Christian Duty of Apologetics
It is understandable that a Christian would consider defending the faith because it his Christian duty. This duty is a mandate from 1 Peter 3:15 “[B]ut in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

The Greek word for “to make a defense” is the word apologia from where we get the word apologetics. Apologetics means to give a reasoned defense of the faith. I think every Christian should aspire to grow in this duty in the same way a believer would aspire to grow in Christian duties such as prayer, study of the Word, fellowship, etc.

It is a necessary outcome for a Christian that once she finds the truth, she will defend that truth from falsehood. It does not only happen in Christianity but in all of life. For example, your little sister kept yelling at your house “1+1=3.” As an adult who knows the truth about this, you will try to correct her. It is just innate to human beings to correct falsehood with truth.

And so, a professor who would spew falsehood about Christ, God or Christianity will really catch a Christian’s attention and the desire to correct seems an inviting response. There is a passion for desire captured in 2 Corinthians 10:5 “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” The Greek word for “destroy” is a word used in the taking down of buildings. Other English translations use a more structure-related aggressive word: “demolish.” This is why I think many Christians feel anger and resentment at times plus the desire to say something back.
Given that and considering the situation a student like René may find herself, let us look into the wisdom of Scripture to guide us on how to respond to this situation.

Being Quick to Listen
It is wise to be quick to listen and slow to speak. James 1:19 says “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”
A combative classroom is a good context for this verse to apply. When your faith is being maligned and God slandered, “be quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to become angry.”

An anti-Christian professor provides a good training for Christian students to understand from where people are coming. Try to understand the anti-Christian argument of the professor. Try to determine what is his claim and if ever you would ask questions, make it about clarifying his claim and support, not defending your view. This way you set up the conversation with a virtuous mind or an inquiring mind. You would want to hope that your teacher would appreciate your question because you are listening to him.

An argument has two parts: a claim and a support. A claim is a claim of reality. Your professor is trying to assert something that he thinks is reality.

However, it wouldn't be an argument if he just claims something because an argument must have a support -- a substantiation of his assertion about reality. A support answers the question, "What reason do you have for me to believe your claim is true and real?"
"Argument requires justification of its claims, is both a product and a process, and it combines elements of truth seeking and persuasion," according to Ramage et al, in Writing Arguments.
If we are in this mindset, we are now in a good place to be trained in to identify an argument.

1. What is the claim of the argument?
2. What is the support of the claim?

To “be quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to become angry” is not to deny Christ, but actually to witness to the truth of God’s revelation. Moreover, taking time to listen to your professor will give you deeper understanding and learning from the reasoning of other people. James Hoskins concludes in his fine blog over at the Christ & Pop Culture website these statements,

• [T]he most valuable thing I learned from my philosophy professors—besides how to think critically—is something they did not intend to teach me. Through my interactions with them, I learned first hand that the Christian doctrine of common grace is absolutely true. God has revealed some truth to every person. Therefore, we can learn something from everyone; even people who believe the opposite of what we do. Thinking we can’t learn something from unbelievers not only causes us to miss out on some deeply enriching relationships, it also ensures we won’t learn anything.‡

To respond doesn’t mean to respond immediately. Try to listen. Anyway, if you train yourself in 4H Apologetics, you might even have an opportunity to present personally a cogent response to his belligerence against Christianity.

Being Prepared
1 Peter 3:15 says, “[B]ut in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

Notice that phrase “to make a defense”? The Greek word for all four words is ἀπολογίαν (apologian) -- a word I discussed earlier from where we get the word apologetics. Also, I have pointed out earlier that this is a Christian duty.

However, I hope you will not miss something -- apologian is modified adverbially by “always being prepared.” The Greek word for “being prepared” is  ἕτοιμος (hetoimos). This adverbial phrase functions as a manner or means for the main verb “sanctify the Lord.” So in its full sense it can be translated in Filipino as, “Pakabanalin mo sa iyong puso si Kristo bilang Panginoon sa pamamagitan ng pagiging handa sa pagbigay ng dajo;am.”

There is a time for preparation. That word hetoimos was also used in 1 Peter 1:5 and there it was talking about Jesus preparing for something that has not happened yet.

There is always a time to prepare for something to be built, like building a house. Proverbs 24:27 says, “Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.”

At one time, the Bible teaches that it is wise to hide when there is danger, “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.” (Proverbs 22:3).

There is also something that needs to discuss about the claim of the argument. It is not clear in the Bible that a person will always deny God when a Christian suspends defense. One backs away also for the purpose of assessing and preparing like the king in Luke 14:31 "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won't he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?”

As soon as you get the assurance of knowing the argument of your professor, you can prepare by following the next H in 4H which is “Help.” In this section you will answer two questions:

1. What is my counter-claim?
2. What is my support to this claim?

Attend a regular local 4H gathering where we demonstrate how this is done. “Help” tries to engage the instruction of 2 Corinthians 10:5 “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” Here you will try to research and reason as a response to your professor’s argument. You can also find in 4H Apologetics some ways you can turn this doubt into understanding the drama, doctrine, doxology and discipleship found in Scripture by going through the remaining H -- “Heal” and “Honor.”

It takes preparation to do apologetics for the benefit of both your objector and yourself.

GUARD YOURSELF AGAINST MAKING YOUR OWN IDOLS
Idolatry is a serious matter in the Bible. The Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology explains,

• Idolatry is a major theme of the Bible. It challenges God's sovereignty and attempts to offer an alternate explanation to the issues of life. But Scripture not only records people's failures; it also records the hope of repentance. In his mercy God raised up men and women who challenged the faulty theology of the community. Admonitions are laced with appeals for repentance, reform, and restoration, one indication being the elimination of idolatry. To serve other gods is to forsake God; to eliminate idolatry is a sign of return. Paul's commendation to the Thessalonian believers emphasized their turning from the service of idols "to serve the living and true God" ( 1 Thess. 1:9 ).§

In his bestselling book Gods At War, Kyle Idlemam explains,

• Idolatry isn’t just one of many sins; rather it’s the one great sin that all others come from. So if you start scratching at whatever struggle you’re dealing with, eventually you’ll find that underneath it is a false god. Until that god is dethroned, and the Lord God takes His rightful place, you will not have victory.║

While the “most prevalent form of idolatry in biblical times was the worship of images or idolsthat represented or were thought to embody various pagan deities”¶  but it is of a different form. Usually they are concepts of God that make up our idols.

An idol is a false representation of God. God provides for us the language to represent Him in the Scripture, but we are also, what John Calvin calls as, an “idol-making factory.” We confine God with our man-made ideas of who He is. The most difficult point of this is when we are led unknowingly to the making of these idols. Frustrations, angers, etc that make us characterize God as Someone less.

Let’s return to the argument to which we are responding --
I am denying God when I don’t defend Him in a classroom, where the professor is at that moment denouncing Christianity, because it is a Christian’s duty to give an answer.

An idol, or a false representation of God, that might be created with this argument is a god who is a tyrant; a god who is always stalking you with a wooden ruler ready to slap your hands when you don’t raise your hand to oppose an anti-Christian professor. While testing His child is within the power of God to do, I do not think this reduction is adequate. Yes he is a God of laws, but that’s not what God is just all about. He is also your Father who concerns Himself not just by testing and disciplining you, but also by sanctifying you in patience, learning and listening among others.

While we are concerned with our obedience when we think we can obey God in only one way concerning an issue we are facing, at times we just need to see areas of obedience that would develop a more God-glorifying response.

RC Sproul explains,

• God certainly cares about our following His commandments. Yet there is more to the story that we dare not forget. God gave laws such as the Ten Commandments in the context of the covenant. First, God was gracious. He redeemed His people out of slavery in Egypt and entered into a loving, filial relationship with Israel. Only after that grace-based relationship was established did God begin to define the specific laws that are pleasing to Him. I had a professor in graduate school who said, “The essence of Christian theology is grace, and the essence of Christian ethics is gratitude.” The legalist isolates the law from the God who gave the law. He is not so much seeking to obey God or honor Christ as he is to obey rules that are devoid of any personal relationship.#

Let’s pick up this discussion by studying that verse from the book of Proverbs 24:27 that says, “Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.”

The wisdom is, according the Benson Commentary,

• Use both industry and prudence in the management of thy concerns, and do every thing in the proper order. First, mind those things which are most necessary, cultivating the ground, and furnishing thyself with cattle, and the fruits of the field, which are needful for thy subsistence; and after that thou mayest procure such things as are for ornament and comfort, such as the building of a convenient house.**

In the situation where an anti-Christian professor is very combative against Christianity, it is always best to consider this situation as complicated. There are many things you might consider in responding to this situation.

You can make grades a consideration. You still do not know how this professor will respond to you if you combat him back. I have heard of numerous stories where the professor takes the challenge personally and reflect it on the grades of the students.

I’m not saying that your testimony is less important than your grades. What I’m saying is that there are other ways you can protect your grade by being objective to your professor, and not make this into a personal slug fest. Like I said above, this scenario may actually be beneficial for you as a student since you will be trained to listen and understand, thus giving you the opportunity to reflect on an issue that is integrate in the mind of the professor.
Do not risk your grades for this scenario. Instead recuperate it so that it will be advantageous to your learning experience. As Scripture says, you must be “slow to become angry.”

You can make your Christian testimony as a consideration. We had one student attending Ratio Christi that shared to us a situation that he regretted. He debated his professor in class and he was visibly angry. Not only did the professor lashed on him, he also lashed back. What he did was he dropped the class. Later on some of his classmates made fun of him as “the angry Christian.”

When you are in this situation it is best to see yourself not only as a student but the Lord’s servant. 2 Timothy 2:24 says, “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.” Scripture also adds in Philippians 4:5 “Let your gentleness be evident to all.”

You can also put your parents under your consideration. If you have parents who are all out to support you in being pugnacious in the classroom, then good for you. But not all parents are like that. Some of them just try hard just to put you to school to give you a good future. In engaging unprepared to slug it out to your professor, you might jeopardize your parents chances of seeing you learn and secure your future. Remember that I am not saying that you shouldn’t respond to your professor; what I’m saying is to be prepared and carrying with you the wisdom of what we have been discussing here so far.

Below is my rules of engagement for Christian students who are in a classroom where a combatant atheist professor at the moment is ripping Christianity. The memory aid is CLAPCLAP.

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT: PREPARE YOUR WORK, THEN BUILD

1. Concentrate. Create a focus. Understand why you are there in the classroom. The goal is to build learning. So anything that happens inside the classroom should recoil to this orientation. When you do this you would not get lost in the emotions of the class.
2. Listen. Listen to your professor and try to determine his claim and the support to his claim. And like what the verse said earlier, be “slow to anger.” If you are courageous enough ask him for clarification, but do this with a lot of respect. 1 Peter 3:15 closes the verse with “do this with gentleness and respect.” When you ask him in class, be respectful by saying, “Sir, I am very intrigued by what you said I was wondering what made you conclude that Christianity is that way?” 
3. Approach. When the class ends, approach him and thank him for entertaining your question. Introduce yourself as a Christian and tell him that what he said made you think and will probably think even more.
4. Pray. As soon as you are out of the class consider praying to God for your professor and the argument that he raised. Pray also that God will give you the wisdom to deal with the issue. Also, you need to see this opportunity to minister the gospel to your professor. Share your feelings to your Christian friend, and have your concern be prayed over at church by writing it in the prayer request slip at  church.
5. Connect. Research. Reconnect. Reflect. By reconnect I mean try to get in touch with people who can help you prepare a response.
6. Level. To “level with someone” means to “speak frankly and openly to someone” Once you get the answer hopefully via 4H set an appointment with the teacher and level with him personally. I hope your professor will appreciate this more than engaging him in a public disputation in a class. Filipinos generally, most especially to persons of authority, have a very important affinity to their amor propio or self-esteem. If you confront them in public that eventually leads to their shame, that might create a ripple effect to your overall course grade.
7. Appreciate. It is always good to bid your professor an appreciative comment for the time and learning you got from him.
8. Pray. After the encounter continue to pray for your professor.

May God use your efforts to minister to your professor.

(C) Photo Credit
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*  J. Budziszewski, How to Stay Christian in College (TH1NK; first edition (June 1, 2014), 12.
†  Doug Britton, “Be Prepared for Some Teachers to Attack Your Faith: Learn to Carefully Evaluate What You Hear,” in Tree of Life (website); accessed at https://www.dougbrittonbooks.com/onlinebiblestudies-cultureandsocietyinfluences/bepreparedforteacherstoattackchristianity/; accessed on September 11, 2017.
‡  James Hoskins, ““God’s Not Dead” and the Angry Atheist Professor: That Was Not My Experience,” in Christ & Pop Culture (website); accessed at https://christandpopculture.com/gods-dead-angry-atheist-professor-experience/; accessed on September 12, 2017
§  Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, sv “Idol, Idolatry”; accessed at http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/idol-idolatry.html
║ Kyle Idleman, Gods at War
¶  Ibid
# RC Sproul, “3 Types of Legalism,” in Ligonier Ministries (website); accessed at http://www.ligonier.org/blog/3-types-legalism/. 
**  http://biblehub.com/commentaries/benson/proverbs/24.htm

Moses Did Not Author the Pentateuch: "JEDP" || John Pesebre || Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (Sept 19, 2017)

Listen to 702 DZAS Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (a segment of Tanglaw sa Landas ng Buhay of Back to the Bible Philippines) every Tuesday and Thursday 7:00PM.

These past few weeks I talked to a couple of professors who have liberal views concerning the authorship and formation of many of the books of the Old Testament. Na surprise din ako na both of them actually teach at very conservative Bible schools. What I mean here by conservative Bible schools ay mga schools na naniniwala sa conservative views sa authorship ng first five books of the Bible na si Moses, authorship ni Daniel sa book of Daniel at naisulat nung panahon ni Nebuchadnezzar around 550BC, single authorship ng book of Isaiah at hindi dalawa o tatlong Isaiah, at iba pa. Ang mga professors na ito ay nagtuturo na hindi si Moses ang may akda ng first five books before 1400BC, o bago pumasok sila Joshua sa promise land, but they propose that the Pentateuch was written at the time of the Babylonian exile around the 6th century BC ng di kilalang writer or writers.

Sa episode na ito pag uusapan natin ang mga foundational na mga kaisipan ng pananaw na ito. So nasa claim pa rin tayo na "Moses did not write the Pentateuch" at ang support diyan na sasagutin natin ay "Dahil ang Pentateuch was compiled from different sources from between the 8th century to the 5th century BC."

Ang pinakakilalang proponent at may extensive na ginawa on the idea na hindi si Moses ang author ng Pentateuch ay si Julius Wellhausen isang 19th century na German scholar and theologian, na nagpanukala na ang Pentateuch ay galing sa iba't ibang Jewish sources o traditions na nagsulat ng kani-kanilang interpretation concerning sa kaganapan sa kanilang bayan under the regime of empires. Meron po siyang pinaliwanag na apat na litarary sources from different time periods and places. Ang tawag dito ay documentary hypothesis o ang acronym na JEDP.

So, ano meaning ng mga letra na yan sa JEDP?

Yung isa ay Yahwist literature o tradition, represented by the letter J at most probably daw ay galing sa Judah o yung Southern Kingdom ng divided Israel. Naalala po ninyo marahil na pagkatapos ng paghahari ni Solomon na divide ang kingdom sa alitan ni Rehoboam at Jeroboam nung 9th century BC. Nahati sila sa Northern Kingdom of Israel at Southern Kingdom of Judah. Nagsulat ang mga Yahwists daw sa Southern Kingdom of Judah.

(A little note lang po: si Moses lived around 15th century BC o yung period na 1500-1401BC kasi ang 100-1 BC ay 1st century.)

Yung isa ay Elohist, letter E at sinulat ng mga writers na naka base sa Northern Kingdom of Israel subalit sila daw ay nawala nung malipol ng Assyrian ang Northern Kingdom na ito nung 723BC.

Deuteronomistic, D naman ay naisulat as writers “reflect[ed] on the loss of the kingdoms soon after the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem in 587–586 BCE following the conclusion of 2 Kings.”*
Ang P, priestly -

• is considered late in the development of the final form of the Pentateuch, since the priests emerged as the leaders and wielders of power only after the return from exile (after 538 BC). Therefore, most of the priestly material, in the form we have it now, is usually understood as post-exilic in the fifth century BC or later.†

So far po walang documentary evidence na naipapakita pa ang mga proponents nito samantalang ang early dating which is true Mosaic authorship ay meron as evidence by some of the oldest OT copies we have found sa Qumran. These Dead Sea Scrolls of the OT are literary declarations ng Mosaic authorship.

Kung paano ito napagtanto ni Wellhausen ay galing sa maraming reasons one of which is yung paggamit ng divine names na Yahweh at Elohim. So para kanila pag nabasa sa Bible na ang ginamit na name ni Lord ay Elohim, galing yon sa tradition ng Elohists, kung Yahweh, galing yon sa tradition ng Yahwists. Kung interesado pa kayo ng karagdagang inforation dito, pumunta lang po kayo sa fb page at maglalagay ako doon ng mga links for your additional understanding.

Ang JEDP is trying to solve a problem -- this problems is the impetus o nagbunsod sa mga scholars para bigyan ito ng solusyon. Sa madaling salita, pag natukoy natin ang problemang ito ay higit nating mauunawaan kung saan nga sila nanggagaling at kung paano tayo bilang mga conservative believers tutugon sa mga bagay na ito.

So ano ang problemang gusto nilang solusyunan? Yan po ay ang kanilang conclusion na ang Pentateuch ay tila baga walang unity, watak watak at contradictory. Para solusyunan ito, gumawa sila ng hypothesis na tinawag nilang JEDP, na kaya siya fragmented ay galing siya sa iba't ibang sources at yung akala natin na si Moses ang author ay mali. Ang sabi ng isang propesor na ito, ang Genesis 1 daw ay naka pattern sa Enuma Elish at yung pagtugon na yon ng mga Elohists ay kinasihan daw ng Panginoon, o God-breathed daw yon, kaya dapat nating tanggapin natin itong Word of God.

Paano ka sasagut dito? Una muna, kailangan nating maunawaan na ang Pentateuch ay may development din at pinanggalingan na fragments. Subalit contrary sa sinasabi ng mga liberal professors na ito, ang pagbubuo ng Pentateuch ay nangyari din sa time ni Moses at binuo din ni Moses making him the author of the Pentateuch.
Pangalawa, hindi fragmented literature ang Pentateuch before 550BC. Nang binuo ito ni Moises at linagyan ng finishing touches ni Joshua, we have here a story that is unified concerning the redemptive acts of God simula pa kay Adan. Ang story ng Pentateuch is one story na inakda ni Moses. Wala pang evidence na naipakita ang mga JEDP subalit tayo ay meron na that we have one Pentateuch or Torah.

Sa kanilang unang problema na watak-watak, we agree in part. But it was Moses who collated, written, compiled sources and commissioned Joshua to finish what he wasn’t able to finish. This is the reason why they did a unified body of literature as they are being led by the Spirit. So Jesus was correct in referring to Moses when he was quoting portions of the Torah.

Bakit po mahalaga sa atin ang topic na ito? Dahil po sa ang katotohanan ng Salita ng Diyos ay nakaugat sa Katotohanan ng ating Diyos. Kapag hindi si Moses ang nagsulat, lalabas na hindi alam ni Kristo na siya ang may akda at from time to time iku-quote niya ang Pentateuch at sasabihin na “Moses said.” Sabi din ng ating Panginoon sa John 5:46-47 “For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

(C) Photo Credits
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*  Gary N. Knoppers, Jonathan S. Greer, "Deuteronomistic History," http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780195393361/obo-9780195393361-0028.xml
†  Dennis Bratcher, "JEDP: Sources in the Pentateuch," http://www.crivoice.org/jedp.html

Moses Did Not Author the Pentateuch: "Hebrew Language" || John Pesebre || Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (Sept 14, 2017)

Listen to 702 DZAS Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (a segment of Tanglaw sa Landas ng Buhay of Back to the Bible Philippines) every Tuesday and Thursday 7:00PM.

Ang argument na tutugunan natin ngayon ay "Moses did not write the Hebrew Pentateuch because a historic 14th century BC Moses couldn't have written in Hebrew which was not yet existing at that time."

Our biblical records indicate that Moses was the author of the first five books of the Bible o tinatawag natin malimit na Pentateuch.
Sa ngayon po na panahon may mga tao na nagsasabi na ang Pentateuch ay isang mythical account at hindi sa panulat ni Moses. Bagkus imbes na ilagay sa date ng historical Moses na before 1400BC sinasabi ng ilan na ito’y naisulat around 550BC sa panulat ng hindi pa kilalang tao o mga tao. We have good reasons to believe based on archaeology, literary evidence, and written history that Joshua entered the promised land around late 15th century BC kaya natin sinasabi na before doon nagsulat si Moses.

Ang isa sa mga dinadahilan kung bakit linalatag na hindi si Moses ang may akda ng first five books of the Bible ay dahil sa wala pa naman daw Hebrew as we see it now na pagsusulat noon.

Dagdag pa ng ilan na ang mga tao daw noon ay illiterate so hindi appropriate na magsulat noong panahon na yun before 1400BC.

Actually may mga katotohanan ding mangilan ilan diyan kahit papano. Ang Hebrew script to which we refer to as the original language of the Old Testament ay hindi ang fonts na ginamit ni Moses. Nang time kasi ni Moses ang nag-eexist na mga Asiatic texts (remember na ang Israel belongs to an Asiatic region, meaning Asian na region as opposed to an Indo-European region) ay Ugaritic, Proto-Canaanite, Akkadian, Sumerian atbp na mga linggwahe. However lahat yan under the language umbrella ng proto-Semitic so may pagkakakilanlan din yan kahit papano sa kanilang numbering system at ilang mga words as history progressed. Ang Ugaritic, Canaanite at Paleo-Hebrew belong to the Northwest Semitic language origins. Kumbaga para sa amin sa Bicol, may tatlo kaming sanga ng aming language tree: Inland Bikol, Coastal Bikol at Northern Catanduanes Bikol. Puro po yan under the “Bicol” pero may tatlong sanga.

Yung inland Bicol po may iba na namang sanga at kasama doon yung Bicol ko na Rinconada bicol, na nag-sanga din sa highland at lowland. At doon sa lowland andudon ang Bicol ko na “Nabua-Balatan variant.” Yang mga sanga pa na iyan nangyari sa time o kasaysayan. Dahil nagma migrate ang mga tao sa Bikol, kasama sa kanilang pag migrate ang magde develop later on ang isang variant ng kanilang linggwahe. Ngayon din nararanasan natin 'yan lalo na yung paboritong gawing example na Beki language. Tagalog po yang naririnig niyo pero ibang variant na siya ng Tagalog. Yung “pagod na ako” sasabihin “pagoda na aketch.” So habang nagpa-fragment ang mga tao into different geographical regions or subgroupings nagkakaroon ng mga bagong variants ang language. Pero pag nagsalita ako ng “Nabua-Balatan variant” marami pa ring group of words sa Iriga variant at sa Agta variant doon naman sa highland in the same way na magbigay din lang kayo ng panahon to understand yung beki language maiintindihan mo rin siya compared sa kung mag aaral ka kunyari ng Ethiopian o yung Xhosa language na may mga clicks ng dila pa sa kanilang salita.

Ganyan din nangyari sa Proto-Semitic language -- maraming sanga na nangyari. Pero magkakapamilya pa rin. Minsan nga pag nakakarinig ako dito Maynila ng mga tao sa mall o sa bus na nagsasalita ng Rinconada I coulnd’t help but join the conversation maski pa ibang variant ng language ko kasi naiintindihan ko naman at may affinity ako sa kanila because of our language tree.

Nakakalito na po siguro sa inyo pero siguro po yan nga ang dahilan kaya bakit may kalituhan ng doubt na dini discuss natin ngayon. Hindi po porke wala pang Hebrew form noong panahon ni Moses na katulad ng mga nasa Hebrew Bible natin ngayon ay hindi siya makapagsusulat na hindi sumanga sa Hebrew. He might have written in paleo-Hebrew na galing sa sanga ng proto-Canaanite using a different font pero yung mga succeeding generation from Moses tulad ni Joshua at ang strong scribal tradition ng Israel, might have updated the characters para sa magbabasa.

Recently ang Science News Magazine published an article titled "Oldest alphabet identified as Hebrew" and the reports says na merong natagpuang writing sa isang stone slab na what appears to be Hebrew characters dating even earlier than the time of Moses.*

Moreover, totoo naman na hindi talaga lahat marunong pa magbasa noon kaya nga makikita mo sa Pentateuch mismo na may nagbabasa lang ng law at nakikinig ang mga tao ayon sa utos ng Diyos na basahin ang kanyang batas sa mga tao. Sabi sa Exodo 24:7 Kinuha niya ang aklat ng tipan at binasa nang malakas. Sabay-sabay namang sumagot ang mga Israelita, “Susundin namin ang lahat ng utos ni Yahweh.” Hindi nila binasa. Nakinig sila sa nagbabasa. Marunong sila ng linggwahe pero hindi nangangahulugan na kaya nila itong isulat.

Hindi rin totoo na mahina ang writing noon kasi we have strong physical evidence from archaeology na marami nang mas matatanda pang writing nung panahon ni Moses. Ang mga older portions Gilgamesh Epic were written in Sumerian and Akkadian texts that predate Moses by almost 1000 years. Ang Code of Hammurabi at Precepts of Ptahotep are very old literature. Yang mga matatandang linggwahe na yan ay nagsanga din. And disadvantage nga lang natin sa area ng Northwestern Semitic is hindi gaanong nakapag preserve ng literature kasi wala masyadong dominant na empire na galing sa Canaan region -- ang mga nakapag preserve ay yung mga strong empires tulad ng mga Egyptians, Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians atbp. However magpapasalamat tayo sa Panginoon na maski wala masyadong malaking empire galing sa region ng Canaan hanggang ngayon buhay pa rin ang Hebrew at yung mga ancient languages ay wala na. You don’t see people today talking Assyrian, or Sumerian or Babylonian.

Ang isa pang kailangan nating ma realize ay marunong talaga magsulat si Moses kasi nga lumaki siya sa palasyo ng Ehipto na napakayaman ng panitikan. Sa tingin ko marunong si Moses magsulat ng hieroglyphics at cuneiform at mga Canaanite scripts na lahat ay galing sa isang language group na magkakapamilya. Kaya naman sa tingin ko very excited siya laging magsulat at si Lord mismo lagi siyang pinapasulat.

So I guess etong objection na ito patungkol sa pagsusulat ni Moses ay mahirap masustain ng mga kritiko.

Sa susunod pong episode idi-discuss ko po yung mga assumptiong nga mga liberal views concerning authorship ng Pentateuch, most especially po yung idea ng documentary hypothesis na JEDP.

(C) Photo Credit. "LETTER STONE  Inscriptions in stone slabs from Egypt, including this specimen dating to almost 3,500 years ago, contain the world’s oldest alphabet, which one researcher now argues was an early form of Hebrew.  New translations of these inscriptions contain references to figures from the Bible, including Moses."
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* "Oldest alphabet identified as Hebrew" in Science News Magazine (Vol. 190, No. 13, December 24, 2016), 8. Available online at 
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/oldest-alphabet-identified-hebrew

Moses Did Not Author the Pentateuch: "Across the Jordan" || John Pesebre || Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (Sept 12, 2017)

Listen to 702 DZAS Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (a segment of Tanglaw sa Landas ng Buhay of Back to the Bible Philippines) every Tuesday and Thursday 7:00PM.

Ang argument na tutugunan natin ngayon ay "Moses did not write the Pentateuch because the author of Deuteronomy in 1:1 shows that the author's point of view is already inside the land of Israel yet we know that Moses died before the people of Israelites entered Canaan."

Paanong nakapagsulat ng Deuteronomy si Moses when sa Deuteronomy 1:1 ito ang sinasabi:

Ito ang tagubilin ni Moises sa buong Israel nang sila'y nasa ilang sa ibayo ng Jordan.” 

Kumbaga, ang mga katagang ito ay sinasabi ng isang nakatayo na sa Israel.

Ang isa sa mga kilalang proponents ng liberal view na hindi si Moses ang may akda ng Pentateuch ay si Richard Friedman. Ang tawag po sa ganitong idea ay documentary hypothesis. Ito ay nagtuturo na ang first five book ng Old Testament ay galing sa mga kalat kalat ng mga panitikan ng Israel at inipon ito nung ang Israel ay na exile sa Babylon. Hindi si Moses ang nagsulat subalit ilang mga tao na may iba’t ibang kopya o kaalaman sa mga kalat kalat na panitikan na ito. Sabi ni Friedman sa kanyang influential na aklat na pinamagatang Who Wrote the Bible?, malaki daw ang challenge sa Mosaic authorship yung sa Deuteronomy 1 na nagsasabi nga na “nasa ilang sa ibayo ng Jordan” kasi sina-suggest daw nito na ang nagsulat ay nakatayo sa loob ng Israel. Kung si Moses daw ang nagsulat ng Deuteronomy paano siyang makapagsasabi nito gayong hindi naman siya nakapasok sa Israel. Ganito ang pagka present ni Friedman,

•  Isaac de la Peyrere, a French Calvinist, also wrote explicitly that Moses was not the author of the first books of the Bible. He, too, noted problems running through the text, including, for example, the words "across the Jordan" in the first verse of Deuteronomy. That verse says, "These are the words that Moses spoke to the children of Israel across the Jordan...." The problem with the phrase "across the Jordan" is that it refers to someone who is on the other side of the Jordan river from the writer. The verse thus appears to be the words of someone in Israel, west of the Jordan, referring to what Moses did on the east side of the Jordan. But Moses himself was never supposed to have been in Israel in his life.*

How do you respond to this? Seems legit di po ba?

To answer this we have to understand some thoughts I shared the previous episode, that Joshua 24:26 indicates that “ Isinulat ni Josue ang mga batas na ito sa Aklat ng Kautusan ng Diyos. Kumuha siya ng isang malaking bato, itinayo sa lilim ng sagradong puno sa Banal na Lugar ni Yahweh.” Ulitin ko lang na mapapansin natin diyan na tulad ni Moses, si Josue ay nagsulat sa Aklat ng Batas ni Moses. Nalaman din natin last episode that Moses that --

• We do know that Joshua was Moses' assistant (Ex. 33:11), which quite likely included scribal and editorial duties. He was also the God-appointed successor to Moses (Num. 27:18-21), a prophet whom the Lord spoke to directly (Dt. 34:9, Jos. 1:1-9), and a leader the people obeyed just as they obeyed Moses (Jos. 1:17). We know that Joshua was with Moses when he spoke to God on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 24:13) and in the tent of meeting (Ex. 33:11).†

So going back sa issue ng “across the Jordan” hindi na po mahirap isipin that if it was written from the point of view of somebody from inside Israel, then it only seems legitimate that the annotation ng Deuteronomy 1:1 was written by someone inside Israel. “Annotate” means “a note of explanation or comment added to a text or diagram.” However such annotation does not necessarily mean na yung nagsulat ay independent of Moses at nagkamali siya o yung sabi Abraham bin Izra na "blunderer" na redactor. We have good reason to believe that this section was annotated by Joshua to give clarity to a place pero kasi sa Deuterenomoy mismo we can see claims by Moses na siya ang nagsulat neto. Look at Deut 31:9, 19, 22, 24. Sa 31:9 heto ang sabi, 

• Then Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel. 

Pansinin po natin na sabi doon ay “this law.” Sa Hebrew ang word na “this” o “ito” haz-zōṯ at tinutukoy nito ang Deuteronomy mismo. Wala pong violation ng authorship ni Moses kung mag annotate si Joshua. Hindi po siya "blunderer.” He perfectly knows that Deuteronomy was authored by Moses but he had to annotate a few things to give clarity sa geographical details ng libro.

Sa susunod pong episode idi-discuss ko naman yung objection na “How can Moses write Hebrew when nung time niya na before 1400BC wala pang Hebrew?” Itong tanong na ito ang isa sa mga dahilan bakit linalatag na ang Pentateuch o yung first five books ng Old Testament ay hindi si Moses ang may akda, labag sa katuruan na namana natin sa Bible mismo at sa ating mayaman na tradisyon.

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* Richard Friedman, Who Wrote the Bible, 20.

† Theopedia, sv Mosaic Authorship

Moses Did Not Author the Pentateuch: Account of His Death || John Pesebre || Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (Sept 7, 2017)

Listen to 702 DZAS Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (a segment of Tanglaw sa Landas ng Buhay of Back to the Bible Philippines) every Tuesday and Thursday 7:00PM.

Ang argument na tutugunan natin ngayon ay "Moses did not write the Pentateuch because he couldn't have written an account of his own death in Deuteronomy 34."

Recently I had an exchange with a pastor who does not believe na si Moses ang author ng first five books ng Bible. He also said na sila Adan, Abraham at yung mga characters dito ay mga kathang isip lamang at ang pinaka importante daw ay yung mensahe na makakapagpabago sa buhay ng tao.

Now many of us Bible-believing born-again Christians would take issue there kasi for many of us ang truthfulness ng Bible ay nakakabit sa truthfulness ng Panginoong Diyos. Isa sa mga commitments ng evangelicalism ay katotohanan ng salita ng Diyos. Ating paniniwala na kapag nagsasabi ng katotohanan ang Bible ay totoo talaga ito -- walang halong kasinungalingan at panlilinlang. Sabi nga ni J. Merrick at Stephen Garrett, mga editors ng Five Views on Inerrancy na ang pagtanaw natin ng katotohan ng Salita ng Diyos

• communicates far more than simply an attribute of Scripture. It communicates a way of understanding God and a way of understanding ourselves before Scripture. It is therefore bound up with the whole of Christian teaching. 

Sa issue ng authorship ni Moses ng Book of the Law o yung tinatawag na first five books of the Old Testament na Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers at Deuteronomy or Pentateuch, mayroon tayong dalawang types of support to attest sa Mosaic authorship at ito ang mga Bible verses in the Pentateuch itself that Moses is the author and yung mga Bible verses outside the Pentateuch referring to Moses as the author of the Books of the Law. Ang patotoo ng Banal na Kasulatan ay si Moises ang may akda ng Pentateuch. We will talk about these biblical facts in the next episodes.

Ang isa sa mga supports na binigay ng aking kausap ay ganito: kung si Moses ang may akda ng Pentateuch, paano niyang nailahad ang mga details ng kanyang kamatayan sa Deuteronomy 34.

Oo nga naman. Kung si Moses ang may akda parang niloloko lang natin ang sarili natin to affirm that he did. Ang isa sa mga accusations na natanggap ko is that dahil daw sa ako ay isang blind follower at hindi honest, kaya maski napaka obvious na hindi naman si Moses na ang nagsulat ng kanyang kamatayan, ini-insist ko pa din daw na siya nga. 

Pero let’s examine the situation for the moment dito. Ang gusto nating tukuyin when we say “authorship” o “may akda” is that “he had a major hand in not only its writing and development, but even its composition (i.e. how it was put together).”**

Mukhang before Moses put the final compilation ng Pentateuch, si Moses ay tila baga may mga blogs na ginawa and then later on ginamit niya at ni Joshua para buuhin ang compilation ng Pentateuch. Sa Exodus 17:14, "God commanded Moses to write a memorial. From time to time God would command Moses to write. He is also commanded Moses to write things in stages (Numbers 33:2). At mukhang he had other references as sources ng kanyang writing like yung “book of the generations of Adam” sa Genesis 5:1, or yung “Book of the Wars of the Lord” sa Numbers 21:14-15.

Because of this gusto nating i-challenge yung notion na pag sinabi natin na si Moses ang may akda, siya lang dapat nagsulat hawak ang tila baga bolpen at papel. Hindi po, ang gusto nating sabihin ng authorship ay siya ang namahala sa pagbubuo ng final composition or compilation of what we have now as the Pentateuch.

Isang paraan para makita din natin ito is pag gumagawa ka ng thesis paper. Sa isang thesis marami kang kino-kowt na mga authors at ang mga ideas mo do not just appear sa mind mo but these ideas have been developed by your study over a long period of time from different authors, teachers atbp. Yet when you submit your thesis, ang may akda ay ikaw -- hindi yung mga kinowt mo o yung mga taong naka influence sa mga ideas mo. Moreover it should be pointed out that you did not write yung thesis mo in one sitting. Marami yang mga separated na mga jottings mo sa notebook mo na eventually pinag isa mo. Halos ganyan din nangyari kay Moses as I have described kani-kanina lang.

Kaso alam ko nabibitin pa rin kayo kasi hindi ko pa dini discuss yung kamatayan ni Moses. Paano yon, siya ang nag stapler sa final form ng Deuteronomy ng blog niya mismo ng kanyang kamatayan? 

At least ngayon alam na natin that the writing of the Pentateuch happened in stages, incorporation of separated sources na available kay Moses. Magdagdag tayo ng isang aspect ng authorship niya -- the role of his assistant, Joshua.

Sa punto pong ito, isama natin ang isa sa mga katotohanang binibigay sa atin ng Salita ng Diyos. Sabi po sa Joshua 24:26 - “And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.” 

Napansin nyo po ba? Ang sabi po doon “Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God.” Kaya hindi na rin nakapagtataka kasi ayon sa Exodus 33:11 si Joshua ay assistant ni Moses. Sa Joshua 1:1-9 very clear na kinakausap siya ng Diyos at dun mismo sa Deut 34 mayroon siyang mantle of leadership sa Israel. 

So paano naisama ang kamatayan ni Moses sa Deut 34? Maaring si Joshua na ang nagdagdag. Very clear na may mandato si Joshua na ituloy ang trabaho ni Moses na iniwan sa kanya -- at kasama doon ang pagku-compile ng book of the Law in a way na similar sa kapamaraanan din ni Moses ng pag collate ng different materials at pag include ng ilang maliliit na bahagi as important details for the Book of the Law. Nakita nga natin sa Joshua 24 na maari siyang maglimbag ng mga detalye din sa Book of the Law. But we are not taking here about major writing additions, just minor additions lang to clarify like yung kamatayan ni Moses at yung mga annotations like yung paglalahad na si Moses ang pinaka mababang loob sa buong Israel.

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** Theopedia, sv "Mosaic Authorship of the Pentateuch"

The Hidden Gospels Prove Christianity Hides Something || John Pesebre || Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (Sept 5, 2017)

Listen to 702 DZAS Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (a segment of Tanglaw sa Landas ng Buhay of Back to the Bible Philippines) every Tuesday and Thursday 7:00PM.

Ang argument na sasagutin natin ngayon ay “Christianity is hiding the details of the life of Jesus Christ because some of these details are in the hidden gospels of Philip, Thomas, Judas, Mary Magdalene and others."

Ang malimit na presentation netong objection na ito ay sa mga katagang ganito:

• Ancient writings were discovered in 1945 which revealed more information . . . from the sect of Christians called "Gnostics".  This sect was ultimately destroyed by the Roman orthodox church, their followers burned at the stake and their writings wiped out.  The writings included some long lost gospels, some of which were written earlier than the known gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.*  

Ang “Gnostics” po ay isa pong sekta na lumaganap nung unang panahon sa Roman empire. Ang grupong ito ay kilala sa kanilang secret knowledge. Galing ang word na “Gnostic” sa Greek word (γνωστικός) referring to knowledgeable or learned. The word naman po na “gnostics” or “gnosticism” 

• believes in acquiring special, mystical knowledge as the means for salvation. According to Gnostic beliefs, there is a Great God that is good and perfect, but impersonal and unknowable. The creator of the universe was actually a lesser deity—a cheap knock-off of the “true God”—who wanted to create a flawless material universe but botched the job. Instead of having a utopia, we ended up with a world infected with pain, misery, and intellectual and spiritual blindness; all matter is now corrupt and evil. However, when this lesser deity created man, he accidentally imbued humanity with a spark of the “true” God’s spirit, making man an inherently good soul trapped in the confines of an evil, material body.**

Ganyan po sila. At sila po ang gumawa netong marami sa mga gospels na nabanggit nga natin ang ilan kanina. Marami sa mga writings po na ito ay nahukay ng dalawang magkapatid (not to be confused with the shepherds who discovered the Qumran Caves) nung 1945 sa Upper Egypt at eventually pinagkatiwala sa isang pari. Tinawag ang collection ng mga librong nahukay na galing sa Nag Hammadi Library.

Ang kinalaman po ng details na ito sa ating sinasagot na argument ngayon na “Christianity is hiding the details of the life of Jesus Christ because some of these details are in the hidden gospels of Philip, Thomas, Judas, Mary Magdalene and others” is that etong mga natuklas na mga codices o mga librong ito ay generally naisulat sa 4th century, more than 300 years removed from the life of Christ.

Ang binigay na ebanghelyo at kasulatan sa atin ng Panginoon ay ang mga nakalagay sa New Testament. These writings were all written within the first century with the farthest, yung Gospel of John na may general consensus na naisulat betweeen 80 to 90AD. Yang mga codices ng Nag Hammadi Library ay naisulat mga sa siglo na 300.

Ang tinalaga ng Panginoon na magakda ng kanyang salita ay mga manunulat na kung hindi apostol ay nagsusulat under the eye of an apostle.

Ang mga nagsasabi pong nagtatago tayo ng details about Christ ay mga tao na ang akala yata ang Gnostic gospels were written sa first century, although may mga nagpapanukala that they are let’s say naisulat daw ito sa 2nd century subalit nung panahon na iyon mayroon nang widespread na consensus that the present NT documents na nakalagay ngayon sa ating New Testament ay “had functioned as foundational documents for the Christian faith.” 

Maaring sabihin ng mga critics na 2nd century pwede pa naman di ba? Kaso nga lang po ang process ng pag receive ng canon began sa 1st century galing sa panulat ng mga apostol o kanilang manunulat o researcher tulad ni Luke. By the time these Gnostic writers began writing, the canon was already well on its way, and in fact I argue, that by the time the Gnostics were writing their literature, buo na ang canon o yung lista ng New Testament.

Ang isa a nating kailangang pansinin is that maski a sabihin ng mga Gnostic gospels na ito na “Gospel according to Thomas, or Judas, or kung sino pa mang mga 1st century figure of authority, by the time the Gnostics started to write these documents, all of these 1st century figures have been dead for almost one century na. So gustong sabihin ay mga pseudepigraphal writings na lang ito. Ang gusto pong sabihin ng pseudepigrapha ay fake writings coming from two Greek words na “pseudo” meaning “false” at “epigraphein” meaning “to inscribe” -- so this means false writings.

So hindi po totoo na nagtatago ang Christianity ng mga writings na ito kundi these writings have excluded themselves from the received canon of Scripture. Hindi sila reliable na account ayon sa testimony ng mga apostol at ng 1st century church.

Sabi nga nung early church father na si St. St. Irenaeus (c. 185 AD) referring to them saying "the heresy called Learned (gnostic).”

Ang pakiusap ko po sa inyo mga kapatid ay patuloy lang tayong magsuri ng mga katuruang naririnig natin sa ating kapaligiran para hindi nadadala ang ating mga kaisipan sa mga maling information.

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* http://reluctant-messenger.com/Lost-Doctrines-Christianity003.htm

** https://www.gotquestions.org/gnostic-definition.html

Jesus Was Gay (Bakla) || John Pesebre || Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (Aug 31, 2017)

Listen to 702 DZAS Kaliwanagan Kay Kristo (a segment of Tanglaw sa Landas ng Buhay of Back to the Bible Philippines) every Tuesday and Thursday 7:00PM. 

Ang tutugunan nating argument ngayon ay "Jesus is gay because the 12 apostles were his harem."

Kailangan ko pong ipaliwanag muna ang very revolting na pag uusapan natin ngayon para sa marami sa inyo. Maari pong ma-offend kayo sa akin for talking about Jesus Christ this way. Hindi ko po gawa-gawa lang ang topic na ito dahil ang nagbigay po sa akin nito ay isang student sa Ateneo de Manila at may naeencounter siya ng mga mockers na ganito ang sinasabi. 

Nauunawaan ko po na nakakadismaya ang paratang ito subalit sa apologetics po kasi gusto nating pangunahan ang isang usapan para ito maging conducive sa maayos na pag iisip. Let me give you an example of this revolting characterization na laman ng ating article na ito ngayon. Sabi po ng isang openly-gay na “pastor” na si Bob Shore-Goss nung tinanong siya kung bakla daw po ang ating Panginoong Hesus, 

• I would hope he is. I would project that he is. For my own spirituality, I would love to jump into bed with Jesus . . . St. Paul, I would say, would probably be described as a closeted homosexual today, but they didn't have those words at the time.*

(Kailangan din po nating maunawaan na ang mga malimit gumagawa ng mga argument na ganito ay yung mga tulad din ni Shore-Goss na taong gustong magkaroon ng acceptance as leaders sa religious communities. May kilala na rin ako dito sa Pilipinas at siya ay nakapanayam pa ni Karen Davila sa ANC.)

Na ang Panginoong Hesus daw po ay isang bakla or homosexual ay marami ring nagsulputang arguments, pero sadly ang idi discuss lang natin this episode is one support. Baka later on magkaroon ng pa ng opportunity.

Again I understand if you find this revolting, kasi nakakasubok talaga sa kabaitan. Pero let’s keep cooler heads kasi hindi lang natin ito papasingungalingan, may mga matutunan pa tayo sa Diyos at sa kung paano sagutin ang ganitong paratang.

Ulitin ko lang na ang patunay na ang ating Panginoon ay isang bakla ay dahil sa yung 12 na apostles niya ay kanya daw na harem. Ang harem po in its original definition ay isa pong grupo ng mga babae na asawa ng isang polygamist. At dahil ang argument na ito is trying to insinuate na ang ating Panginoon ay nasa LGBT community, they are saying that the 12 apostles were harem.

Ang mga explanation for this ay tulad netong sinabi din nung ministrong nabanggt natin kanina: “the beloved disciple is lying on the chest of Jesus at the last supper and is supposedly in his "inner tunic," which is what we would call underwear today. It's a very intimate gesture, and it's a special gesture of affection between the two.”

Morton Smith’s discovery at the Mar Saba monaster of a letter attiributed to Clement of Alexandria contained references to the Secret Gospel of Mark, which suggests Jesus’s homosexuality. The quotation goes --

• And they come into Bethany. And a certain woman whose brother had died was there. And, coming, she prostrated herself before Jesus and says to him, "Son of David, have mercy on me." But the disciples rebuked her. And Jesus, being angered, went off with her into the garden where the tomb was, and straightway a great cry was heard from the tomb. And going near Jesus rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb. And straightway, going in where the youth was, he stretched forth his hand and raised him, seizing his hand. But the youth, looking upon him, loved him and began to beseech him that he might be with him. And going out of the tomb they came into the house of the youth, for he was rich. And after six days Jesus told him what to do and in the evening the youth comes to him, wearing a linen cloth over his naked body. And he remained with him that night, for Jesus taught him the mystery of the kingdom of God. And thence, arising, he returned to the other side of the Jordan.”†

Sa aklat ni Jeffrey Kripal,

• [I]t is the contemporary biblical critic Theodore Jennings who has most effectively advanced the idea that the gospels preserve multiple traces of a certain dangerous memory, the memory of Jesus as a lover of other men. Such a love, for example, is particularly evident in those passages that reveal a Jesus accepting and concerned about same-sex love, if not physically expressing it through subtle looks and body postures. The young rich man whom Jesus gazes at (emblepein) lovingly (Mark 10: 17-22), the beloved disciple who lies on Jesus's breast, basically sitting in his lap, during the passion narrative in John (John 13 : 21- 26), the healing of the Roman centurion’s servant boy and likely lover (male slaves were often used as homosexual lovers) (Matt . 8:5 13), and the idealization of the eunuch as model for the kingdom of heaven all come immediately to mind." Indeed, as Dale Martin points out, there is only one place in all four gospels where Jesus is said to "love" a woman (John n:5), and even there it is a group, not an individual, he is said to love (Martha, her sister, and Lazarus) "Jesus' attraction to specific men, on the other hand, is explicit." There are in fact many of what Martin calls "sites of the sensual" in the gospels, but they always involve men, not women (and usually~ Martin points out, they occur in that most homoerotic of the gospels, John) So for example, whereas Thomas is invited, in Martin's gloss now, "to penetrate the holes in Jesus' body (John 2 o : 24ff),""[i]n contrast, when Mary wants a hug, Jesus won't let her even touch him (John 2 o :17)." The latter scene, Martin speculates, is "the Gospel version of Paul’s homoerotic slogan, It is better for a man not to touch a woman (l Corinthians 7:1)."‡

How do we respond to this?

Sa totoo lang, wala naman masyadong depth ang argument na ito. It just begins with an assumption na bakla si Kristo and reads that assumption sa mga binabasa nila, tulad nung ginawa ni Kripal.

We can argue that Jesus was not gay and the 12 men are not his harem but his holy disciples BECAUSE Jesus was a straight man as well as his 12 disciples.

Sa Luke 2:52 po ang sabi about Jesus ay he “grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” So this gives us the indication that Jesus not only grew in the favor ng tao sa kultura nila but also sa pananaw ng Diyos. Ngayon ang kultura ng mga Hudyo has clear prohibitions against homosexuality coming from verses such as “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable. (Leviticus 18:22). Sa Mosaic law criminal act ang homosexuality at may capital pa na punishment, “‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads” (Leviticus 20:13). I think it is a good argument to suppose these verses na nakakabit sa Luke 2:52 na hindi lang siya sa wisdom at stature nag-gain but also sa pabor ng mga tao sa kanyang kulturang kinabibilangan.

Moreover, if we consider na kasama sa pag gain ng favor ni Kristo sa mga tao, he also gained favor from God then it goes to follow that no hint ng detestable na thought or practice meron si Kristo na homosexual. This means na yung 12 nya were really disciples, not a harem.

Dagdag pa dito tungkol sa mga apostles. We have good reason to believe that these apostles were men, and not homosexual harem. Ang harem nga kasi is a group centered around the sexual needs ng isang tao. Subalit ang Galatians 5:21 pa mismo nagbabawal sa mga orgies na ganito. 
Ang isa pang magandang ipaliwanag ay sa number na 12 na bilang ng mga disipulo. Clearly ang symbolism nito ay yung 12 tribes ng Israel. Bakit 12 naman yung tribo? Kasi nga 12 din yung anak na lalaki ni Jacob/Israel. At ang kwento ni Jacob at ng 12 ay sinulat ni Moses na pinagawa ng Diyos ng mga batas ng Israel kung saan kasama ang prohibition against homosexuality. So yung parallel sustains the argument that the 12 disciples were men to spread the good news, not homosexuality.


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* quoted by Jules Suzdaltsev, in "Was Jesus Gay?"
† The Secret Gospel of Mark

‡ Jeffrey Kripal, The Serpent's Gift: Gnostic Reflections on the Study of Religion, 43.

http://www.collegehumor.com/post/7057108/5-signs-jesus-was-probably-gay