Dewayne Bryant's Blog, page 11

Evidence for the Coexistence of Humans and Dinosaurs? Not so Fast

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Christian apologetics is the defense of biblical faith. A popular line of reasoning for some apologists concerns the coexistence of dinosaurs and human beings. If the sequence of events in creation in Genesis 1 is to be understood properly, then human beings and dinosaurs coexisted. Proof of this, it is claimed, can be seen as recently as a thousand years ago.

The evidence marshaled to support this argument includes petroglyphs, carvings, and artifacts bearing images claimed to be dinosaurs. These pictures litter the Internet. Unfortunately, this evidence is exceedingly weak and almost always involves some degree of misinterpretation. The meme to the right is a perfect example of this. Let’s break down the individual photos in the picture.

The top line includes a picture of a figurine of a man riding a Triceratops. It appears to be one of the dinosaur figurines of Acámbaro, Mexico. This hoard of figurines, many of which were procured by a German fellow named Waldemar Julsrud, contains many examples of humans and animals. Some of the figurines look remarkably similar to dinosaurs. Allegations of forgery and deception mar the history of these artifacts. Experts have determined that at least some of them were created in the 20th century.

The other figure in the top line is a carving of an animal found on a Cambodian temple wall. Some identify it as a stegosaurus, mostly due to the decorative elements along the top of the carving that only vaguely resemble the dermal plates found on the back of this distinctive type of dinosaur. The remaining anatomical features—particularly the body, head, and tail of the animal—do not match those of a stegosaurus. It also lacks the characteristic tail spikes. Overall, it more closely resembles a hippopotamus, boar, or pangolin. Some have even claimed that the original carving has been altered.

The elements claimed to be the dermal fins of a stegosaur should probably be interpreted as decorative flourishes, similar to those found in other carvings of animals in the same temple. If it were a dinosaur, we would have to ask why artists failed to include other species of dinosaurs in the surrounding art. The meme contains three more depictions of the same carving in the third and fourth lines.

The second line includes the infamous Ica stones, which experts have discredited. A physician named Javier Cabrera Darquea collected thousands of stones bearing surprisingly accurate images of dinosaurs from a farmer in the Ica province of Peru. The farmer later admitted that he had created the stones by carving them with a dental tool and baking them in cow dung to give it a patina. Some of the stones also appear to demonstrate an advanced knowledge of astronomy and medicine. They include examples of telescopes, flying machines, and what seems to be a heart transplant. The stones give every appearance of being a hoax.

The last image of the second line is the Two Dog Palette, which dates to the late fourth millennium BC in Egypt. Palettes—including the more famous Narmer Palette—include a circular space in the center used for grinding pigments for makeup. Both of these palettes include two creatures known as serpopards, a peculiar type of creature that sometimes appears in Egyptian art. These imaginary animals look like leopards with very long necks, resembling a serpent (and thus the portmanteau, “serpopard”). Upon close inspection, the animals are entirely feline except for their necks. In other words, they are not dinosaurs. You can get a closer look at the Two Dog Palette here, and a close-up of the Narmer Palette here.

The last two lines include four images, three of which are the supposed stegosaurus in Cambodia. The last I have not been able to identify.

The most troubling aspect of this meme is that the caption claims the civilizations responsible for producing these images are “Thousands of years old.” Only one of these objects seems to be more than a few hundred years old, and it does not depict dinosaurs. This piece of evidence is so bad that I have no option but to conclude one of two things. First, an innocently naïve but irresponsible believer may have created the meme. Alternatively, a non-Christian may have purposely designed this meme to make Christians look foolish. I lean toward the latter.

Christians should never settle for bad evidence. Christian faith will not stand or fall on one argument or artifact. We should be content with the fact that that body of evidence argues for the existence of God, the reliability of Scripture, and the reasonableness of faith.

 

 

 

 

Babette’s Feast

[image error]Babette’s Feast tells the tale of a pious man who starts a small congregation of fundamentalist believers. They live an austere life, shunning worldly pleasures and abstaining from marriage. The man has two daughters sought by impressive suitors, but the women remain unmarried. In time, the father dies. Without the father’s leadership, the little sect begins to die out also.

One night, the two sisters hear a knock at their door. They open it to find a French woman on their doorstep. She has almost nothing except a letter of recommendation written by a former suitor of one of the sisters, who now holds an important position in the French government. The woman, named Babette, lost her husband and son during the French civil war. The letter recommends Babette as a housekeeper. The sisters can’t afford to hire her, but she stays and cooks for the sisters and the poor people of the town in exchange for room and board.

One day, news arrives that Babette has won the lottery in Paris and would receive ten thousand French francs. Overjoyed by her good fortune, Babette insists upon cooking a proper French meal on the one hundredth birthday anniversary of the man who started the little religious community. The sisters agree, and soon, all kinds of exotic shipments begin to arrive. The residents don’t know what to make of it, but they don’t like it. They believe tongues were meant to praise the Lord, not enjoy sumptuous foods. They decide that they will eat the meal but say absolutely nothing on account of its extravagant nature.

During the meal, a visitor familiar with the foreign dishes praises the quality of the delicacies Babette serves. The villagers look around at each other, confused and perhaps a little embarrassed. They’ve never eaten food like this. In time, they, too begin to have their moods brightened.

As everyone leaves the table and departs for home, the sisters realize that no one said anything to Babette about the meal. They had sworn not to do so, but one of them thanks Babette for a nice dinner. They say that they will remember her after she has gone back to Paris. After all, the lottery has left her a wealthy woman with no reason to stay.

Babette says she will not be going back to the city. The people she loved have either left or died. Further, it would be too expensive. She spent all of her winnings on the ingredients for the feast.

I wonder if sometimes we aren’t a bit like the townsfolk eating that meal. They’ve never seen such an outpouring of exotic things. They didn’t even know how to appreciate what had been set in front of them properly. Similarly, you and I are unable to appreciate fully the rich and exotic gifts and blessings that God gives to us. Not merely once on an important anniversary, but every day. Each heartbeat, each breath of life is a gift that we routinely take for granted.

Christ pours out the riches of heaven for you and me. He spent his time on this earth ministering to people, leaving us priceless teachings concerning how to relate to one another and how to show our love to God and honor him. But he also comes to this earth to make atonement for our sins. To do this, he emptied himself and took the form of a servant, humbling himself to the point that he would die the most shameful death imaginable at the time (Philippians 2:5-8).

Christ’s sacrifice was a gift whose value exceeds our comprehension. I think Isaac Watts captured it best in the closing stanza of his hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”:

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were a present far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Amen.

Sin: The Dark Guest

[image error]One Puritan prayer calls sin “the dark guest.” In this prayer, the author is brutally honest with himself, admitting, “I am not yet weaned from all created glory, honour, wisdom, and esteem of others, for I have a secret motive to eye my name in all I do.” He prays for “a discovered sinfulness, to know that though my sins are crucified they are never wholly mortified [or, put to death].” He confesses Christ has paid for the sins that hunger for approval and applause and that though they are forgiven, they continue to rise in his heart. He finishes the prayer with an appeal for grace to combat the sin which threatens to rear its ugly head in his life.

Rarely are prayers as self-aware or as humble, freely admitting not only fault but the struggle with sin. Many of our prayers are filled with petitions for good health and requests for strength, peace, or material blessings. We pepper them liberally with first-person pronouns like “I” and “my”—thus revealing the self-centered nature of our communication with God. We may call upon God for help in defeating our sins, but it seems that this petition usually comes last and only after admitting that we sin “occasionally” or “from time to time,” as if sin is more a rarity than a regularity.

It takes a concerted effort on the part of the believer to look deep inside to discover our faults. We are more than adept at finding them in others, but how easily do we see them in ourselves? Further, how often are we more than happy to pretend they don’t exist rather than face the hard truth that we aren’t nearly as perfect as we’d like to be?

Sin is a universal problem for humanity. We will struggle with it from now until our last breath on earth. We have to be willing to admit whenever the dark guest has taken up residence in our souls and evict it with extreme prejudice.

Can God Forget Our Sins?

[image error]Theologians describe God as omniscient, meaning “all-knowing.” But the biblical authors occasionally state that God remembers someone or that he will not remember our sins (Isaiah 43:25; Jeremiah 31:34; Hebrews 8:12; 10:17). Does this mean God can make himself forget something?

Scripture sometimes depicts God as remembering someone, such as Noah (Genesis 8:1), Rachel (Genesis 30:22), and Hannah (1 Samuel 1:19). Here we must be careful to understand the term as the Hebrew writers intended, not as 21stcentury Westerners do. It does not mean to remember factual information that he has forgotten, but rather to consider someone and then move to take action on that person’s behalf. In each case, God “remembers” a person, then fulfills something he has promised to them. The act of remembering is not purely a recall of information but is more like consideration combined with action.

We can say the same for other biblical figures who ask God to remember them, such as Samson (Judges 16:28) and Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:3), both of whom want God to do more than recognize them. They want him to act on their behalf in some way. Samson wanted to regain his strength so that he could avenge himself, while Hezekiah desired God’s mercy.

Human beings are commanded to remember things in such a way as that action is necessary. Remembering is connected with keeping the Mosaic Law (Numbers 15:40) and observing the Sabbath and keeping it holy (Exodus 20:8). Remembering is also connected to repentance (Psalms 22:27). Elsewhere, failing to remember is synonymous with breaking a treaty (Amos 1:9).

Countless ministers have preached sermons consoling believers with the idea that God does indeed forget their sins. I find this idea profoundly disturbing. The very message is self-centered because it diminishes God at the expense of our comfort. If God were to forget the sins of the redeemed, wouldn’t billions of little gaps in his memory ever bother him? Wouldn’t he spend all of eternity wondering what it was that Jesus was doing on the cross? What could stop him from suddenly remembering them again?

When the biblical writers state God remembers something, it means much more than simple recall of information. Likewise, when they say God does not remember sins, it is equivalent to saying he has forgiven them. Hebrews 8:12 is the most obvious here. It says, “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more” (cf. Isaiah 43:25) These lines are written in parallel, where the second line is simply a restating of the first thought. We have to recognize the difference between “not remembering” (as the biblical authors phrase it) and “forgetting,” which is a different concept.

Can God forget our sins? Not at all. But he can and does refuse to act upon them when we repent. He chooses to overlook and forgive them based on the righteousness we have through faith in Christ’s work on the cross. A merciful God is much more comforting than a forgetful one.

The Difference Between Concern and Anxiety

[image error]All of us have concerns about things that happen in our world. The apostle Paul had them in his day. His ministry included numerous hazards. He also expressed deep concerns about the churches under his care (2 Corinthians 11:28). But later he says, “be anxious for nothing” (Philippians 4:6). Is Paul contradicting himself? And was disobeying Jesus, who said, “do not be anxious about your life” (Matthew 6:25) and “do not be anxious about tomorrow (v. 34)?

We can express concern without being anxious. But how do we tell the difference between the two? Legitimate concerns—which we all have—are generally realistic, temporary, involve other people, and are often motivated by love. Anxiety is usually unrealistic, long-lasting, selfish, and driven by fear. Here’s how they differ.

Legitimate Concerns
Unhealthy Anxiety


Motivational; promotes action and prompts us to create and accomplish goals and resolve conflicts.
Paralyzing; has no purpose and locks us into a cycle of worrying, often about things beyond our control.


Healthy concerns about important life events such as paying bills in a timely fashion, finding and maintaining employment, or being affected by sudden changes in relationships.
Frequent or constant worries about life events that impact our professional and personal functioning from day to day; may result in difficulty sleeping.


Natural uncertainty in new situations, possible embarrassment or discomfort in a moment of social awkwardness.
Overly self-conscious in social situations, and may cause us to avoid them so as not to be judged, embarrassed, or humiliated.


Nervousness before stressful events such as exams, presentations, performances, or a situation where we may reasonably anticipate bad news or an adverse outcome.
Excessive worry before significant events that could affect our health or lead to a panic attack; may manifest itself as a fear of not being perfect.


Appropriate fear when facing a serious threat to self or someone else.
Irrational fear of a situation, place, person, object, or circumstance that poses little or no actual danger.


Sadness, or difficulty sleeping for an appropriate amount of time after having experienced a traumatic event.
Nightmares, traumatic flashbacks, or paranoia stemming from a traumatic event occurring years before.

Mark Twain once said, “I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” This is often the case. We tend to worry about things better classified as possibilities than realities.

Christians are called to have hope and be able to tell others why (1 Peter 3:15). Biblically speaking, hope is not a desire for a future possibility; it is the joyful expectation of a future certainty. Biblical hope is the very antithesis of anxiety. Both of them look to the future, but while hope delights in the future; anxiety dreads it. Hope is filled with certainty; anxiety is filled with uncertainty. Hope is focused on God; anxiety is focused on self.

It is a good thing to be concerned with daily needs, challenges, troubles, and uncertainties. But to be overwhelmed by them or live in dread of such things goes far beyond a reasonable concern. This is the kind of anxiety Jesus forbids because it is not only irrational; it is beneath us. God designed us for much more than fretting over things that might never happen.

 

Characteristics of Toxic People

[image error]People come in all shapes and sizes with many different kinds of dispositions. Some encourage; others criticize. Some build up; others tear down. Some will go the extra mile for you; others couldn’t care less. We all know people from many different parts of the spectrum.

We learn how to observe and evaluate people early in life. Our perceptions become more refined as we age and have more experience dealing with others. A few who come into our lives will be especially difficult. For the very worst, we might use the word, “toxic.” We’ve all seen one, even if we might not use that word. It’s the person who never seems satisfied, who complains about everyone, and who undermines other people. These individuals are best avoided. So how do we recognize one?

They blame others and don’t apologize. Toxic people rarely admit fault or apologize, unless there is something to be gained by it (e.g., looking magnanimous in front of other people they hope to influence – see the next point). They will concoct explanations for failure to absolve themselves of any responsibility and point the finger at someone else. Occasionally, this kind of person will even project their failures onto other people, blaming others for things of which they are guilty. They will not take responsibility for their errors.

They are manipulative. Toxic individuals use manipulation to further their agenda. They understand the principle of dividing and conquering. For instance, a person may try to manipulate an eldership by individually getting each elder on his side separately to ensure he gets what he wants. It is essential to understand that manipulative people serve themselves, and there is probably nothing to be gained by trying to help these individuals achieve their goals. Other people are nothing more than a means to an end.

They are uncaring and unsupportive. Toxic people will not often go out of their way for others unless it is beneficial for them. These people usually do one of two things: play the victim, or grab for power and control. Both are manipulative. The plight of others has minimal impact on them. They don’t care for others. They will tell you about themselves but will show an interest in the life of someone else. They do not like to hear the word, “no.”

They are judgmental and critical of others. Toxic people often criticize other people (it could be any number of things, but often seems to stem from narcissism and jealousy). This is one of the most obvious signs of toxicity. If a person complains about everyone else to you, you can bet they’re going to complain to everyone else about you. If you meet someone who likes to criticize, complain, and badmouth other people, he or she is toxic. 

They often lie. A toxic person is manipulative, and the best tool for manipulation is deceit. I’ve seen toxic people lie about colleagues to get them fired (usually motivated by jealousy – see the next point), and then lie about the person afterward to make their firing appear legitimate.

They crave the spotlight. Toxic people are narcissistic and self-serving. They expect special treatment, especially if they have exceptional gifts or talents. A brilliant person may expect everyone else to accept his opinion because of his intelligence. A preacher may think he is better than every other preacher because he has studied rhetoric or teaches classes in homiletics. They expect to be applauded for their work and will go out of their way to diminish the contributions of others. They may abuse a position of authority by getting talented colleagues fired to remove any competition for the praise they desire. Generally speaking, these individuals talk more than they listen. 

They interrupt you during conversation. Toxic people care very little about others or their needs. This includes the need for expression. They do not engage in conversation to listen. They are more interested in having you see the merits of their opinion and ultimately agree with them. They like to lecture and give unsolicited advice. This is one symptom of a more significant problem that toxic people usually have: the need for control.

So how do we deal with toxic people? We have to understand that no one is perfect (Romans 3:23). I don’t believe people are born toxic. They either become that way through experience or discover that toxicity can benefit them somehow. We have to realize that there comes a time when we have to “shake the dust off our shoes” (Matthew 10:14) because the person will not respond positively no matter what we do. We can’t wave a magic wand to stop someone from being negative, selfish, and self-serving. But we can pray for them, and we should do precisely that (cf. Matthew 5:44).

If someone makes you feel bad about yourself, criticizes you to other people, and is generally disrespectful and defensive in conversation, you’re dealing with a toxic person. You may not be able to help them, but you don’t have to sit back and take the abuse, either. It’s best to distance ourselves from them.

Here we have to do something that is very, very difficult: give up not only the need to have an apology but also the need to be right. If a toxic person has hurt us, we may need to be willing to accept the fact that we’ve been wronged and move on. This is especially difficult if the wrong involves back-biting, slander, criticism, and malicious gossip. I know how hard it is to walk away after being unfairly maligned. Alas, it has to be done. We have to find peace in knowing that God knows the truth, even if no one else does.

If you are emotionally drained after dealing with someone and dread seeing them, you are probably dealing with a toxic person. The best thing to do here is to minimize your contact with them. If he or she is a significant other, get out of the relationship. If it is a working relationship, reduce your time with him or her. Nothing can be gained by throwing pearls before swine. Eventually, you run out of pearls, and the pig has no interest in being anything other than a pig.

Can We Love a God We Fear?

[image error]Aristotle once said, “one cannot love whom he fears.” The Bible claims that the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 1:7), yet also that, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). So which is it? Do we love God, or fear him? Basic reason says that it cannot be both. Or can it?

Modern critics often like to pounce upon passages like these, usually pitting two verses taken out of context against each other. Some of the best examples of this kind of irresponsible criticism appear in Self-Contradictions of the Bible by William Henry Burr (a book endorsed by militant atheist Sam Harris). Published in 1860, this book offers over one hundred examples of alleged contradictions in the Bible, much like the one I’ve provided here. Most of these examples grasp at straws, while others ignore the context of the passages considered. All of them can be reconciled by investigating the passages under consideration.

We all know what it means to love God, but what is it to fear him? Biblical authors used the word “fear” (Hebrew yare’) in a variety of ways. Some of its uses include reverence or awe (Psalm 33:8), which is how we should interpret the passage in Proverbs. It is connected to righteous living (Exodus 1:17, 21; Deuteronomy 10:18-20; 25:18; 31:11-12). It describes the respect given to one’s parents (Leviticus 19:3) and also applies to religious worship (Joshua 22:25, where the ESV translates the term as “worship”).

While we often think of “fear” as a negative emotion associated with apprehension and terror, this is not how the term in the Hebrew Bible should be understood. When examined in context, the term means to offer respect, honor, reverence, or worship. A great example is the opening verse of Psalm 112, which says, “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments.” Naturally, a person cannot delight in something that induces fear and dread.

To fear God in the biblical sense is to give him the honor and respect he deserves. It means to have a deep reverence for him and his awe-inspiring majesty and holiness. This does not conflict with the love we have for him. If anything, it deepens it. That such a God would choose to love such minuscule and error-prone creations is something to celebrate.

Marijuana Isn’t That Bad …

[image error]Marijuana has been legalized in over thirty states. Many users tout its alleged benefits, while others denounce it as harmful and even dangerous. While the legal debate is over, how should Christians treat the use of marijuana? Is it just a harmless recreational drug, or is it sinful to use?

The Bible has many prohibitions against excess and drunkenness (Romans 13:13; Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Peter 4:3). Even if something is legal, it is not beneficial (1 Corinthians 10:23-24). We might say this is especially true for substances that cause us to behave in ways that can endanger others. Nevertheless, some have tried to use the Bible to justify marijuana use by using the following texts:

Genesis 1:12 – “The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.”

Genesis 1:29 – “And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.”

The plants described in these passages are those who have seeds in their fruit, which does not describe the cannabis plant. Another problem is that God intended fruit-bearing plants not only for consumption but nourishment (i.e., “food”). No one eats marijuana leaves because they’re a tasty snack. Even in brownies, marijuana users consume it for the effect it has on the human body, not for its flavor.

The Bible denounces the kind of behavior produced by intoxication, whether by alcohol or by marijuana. But is it bad for our bodies? Proponents of marijuana use often argue that there is nothing physically harmful about using it. They tout the numerous benefits of the drug, particularly for the economy in terms of tax revenue. It is not uncommon to hear users claim that it poses no health risk, has no adverse side effects, and that its misuse—unlike that of alcohol—does not result in hospital visits, life-threatening emergencies, or car crashes. According to some, marijuana is a miracle plant with no ill effects.

How accurate are these claims? Not very. Now that marijuana has been legal in Colorado, we have a few years to look back with perspective. What has marijuana done for this state since its legalization in 2013?

Marijuana-related traffic fatalities have increased. From 2013 to 2016, deaths of drivers who tested positive increased 145%.
Poison control center calls have increased. From 2013-2015, calls concerning marijuana exposure to children nearly doubled in Washington and Colorado.
Emergency room visits have increased by an annual rate of 35% from 2011-2015.
The crime rate in Colorado has increased 11 times faster than the rest of the nation since 2014. This includes an increase in juvenile offenses.
The marijuana black market in the state has expanded. Another source agrees. It has also apparently aided the influence of Mexican drug cartels.
Marijuana regulators in Colorado have been indicted for corruption.
A study in the Review of Economic Studies found that “college students with access to recreational cannabis on average earn worse grades and fail classes at a higher rate.” An experiment in Maastricht, Netherlands showed that students who lost access to legal marijuana saw their grades improve.

Similar statistics can be found for the states of Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. Outside of Colorado, the health and psychiatric risks of marijuana use are clear, especially for youth:

A study by the University of Montreal found that marijuana had more damaging effects on teenager’s long-term cognitive abilities than alcohol. Even after the students stopped using marijuana, their abilities did not improve. The impairment they suffered from marijuana seems to be permanent (partially, at least).
Another study published in JAMA Psychiatry by scientists from the University of Pennsylvania found that youth who used marijuana were more likely to have lower scores on tests involving memory, learning new information, problem-solving, and processing information.
France, which has the highest usage of marijuana in Europe, saw a 133% increase in ER visits for children for marijuana intoxication from 2004-2014. The number of calls to poison control centers for exposure to cannabis increased by 312% in the same period.

Health problems resulting from marijuana use include psychosis, depression, anxiety, suicidal tendencies, and cardiovascular problems of various kinds. Despite claims that marijuana is not addictive, studies have shown that changes in the brain resemble those of addicts. Also, heavy users may go through withdrawal symptoms. Studies have also shown that marijuana users are much more likely to use opioids and that teenage suicide victims testing positive for marijuana has increased.

Any substance that poses such risks to users cannot be considered good. Non-harmful derivatives such as CBD oil have proven very effective at treating a number of things from anxiety to epilepsy, but recreational use of marijuana is dangerous to one’s health, can lead to the endangerment of life, and is ultimately denounced by Scriptures forbidding the use of substances that cause us to lose control of ourselves.

No, marijuana isn’t that bad. It’s worse.

 

 

Did Zacchaeus Purchase His Salvation?

[image error]In Luke 19:1-10 we find the well-known story of Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus. Unable to see because of the crowd, the tax collector climbs up into a sycamore tree to get a better look at Jesus. To the surprise of the people gathered there, Jesus tells Zacchaeus that he must spend time at his house that day. The crowd grumbles in response. Zacchaeus then tells Jesus that he will offer restitution to those whom he has defrauded, up to four times the original amount. Jesus responds, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” Did Zacchaeus purchase his salvation?

Because of the promise he makes, some might be tempted to interpret the text to mean that Zacchaeus’ monetary gifts saved him. By donating his goods to the poor—and perhaps also to Jesus’ ministry—Zacchaeus’ charity has put him in good standing with God (cf. Luke 18:24; 1 Timothy 6:18-19). But is this what Zacchaeus intended?

The text seems to be telling us that Zacchaeus promises to remedy his past wrongs. The minimum for restitution included an additional 20 percent penalty (Leviticus 5:16; Numbers 5:7), with a maximum of 400 percent or 500 percent when the theft involved sheep and oxen, respectively (Exodus 22:1; see also 2 Samuel 12:6). Zacchaeus is offering many times more than the recommended amount of restitution, nearing the maximum level the law prescribed.

It appears that the reason for Zacchaeus’ commendation from Christ is not due to the value of the possessions he would give away, but the change in his heart. We gather this from Jesus’ own words: “the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Scholars see this story as one of genuine conversion. We might interpret Zacchaeus’ promise to return his ill-gotten gain as a public repudiation of the past wickedness that would have separated him from God (see 1 Timothy 6:6-10).

A despicable man, his life changed by Christ, makes a public confession and promises to rectify his past wrongs. Zacchaeus—whose name means “clean” or “pure”—

offers us a great example to imitate.

Did Jesus Deny His Goodness?

[image error]In a famous story in the Synoptics, a rich young ruler comes to visit Jesus. He asks, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18). Jesus responds, “Why do you call me good?” (Mark 10:17; Luke 18:19). At first glance, it appears as if Jesus is creating a distinction between God and himself. Does he deny his goodness here?

Critics have long interpreted this passage to mean that Jesus not only denies his deity but contradicts other passages showing the connection between God and himself (Matthew 22:41-45; 28:18-20; John 10:30), as well as Trinitarian beliefs that date back to earliest days of the church. Muslims interpret this passage to mean that Jesus denied any divinity, claiming he makes it clear that he is not as good as God—meaning that the two must be different persons. Many other non-Christians hold the same view.

The most natural reading of the passage is to see Jesus testing the man because he has too simplistic an idea of what goodness is. The rich young ruler is not ready to address Jesus as “Good Teacher” until he has a more thorough understanding of both goodness and Jesus’ deity. This becomes clear when we observe that the man states that he has kept the law of Moses from his youth (Luke 18:21). It appears the young ruler believes being good is so simple that a child could do it. Jesus rightly challenges the man’s rather simplistic satisfaction with his achievements.

It would be a mistake to interpret Jesus’ words as a denial of his deity. First, no one in the early church would have put these words into Jesus’ mouth. The first Christians taught the deity of Jesus, a fact supported by all of the earliest available Christian writings we possess. No one would have invented a story that contradicted other biblical authors.

Second, the story of the rich young ruler is found in the same documents in which Jesus expresses his divinity in other narratives. Numerous passages depict Jesus receiving worship and making no attempt to stop the individuals from revering him (Matthew 28:9; John 9:35-38). The Gospels portray Jesus receiving worship even when he was a small child (Matthew 2:11). After his resurrection, Thomas flatly states that Jesus is both Lord and God (John 20:28). Earlier, Jesus said that anyone who had seen him had seen the Father (John 14:9). Why would the ancient authors fail to harmonize their work?

The episode between Jesus and the rich young ruler is one in which the master teacher questions his subject to get past the assumptions the latter is bringing to the conversation. To read this as Christ denying his deity is to miss the natural interpretation of the passage.