Erik Manning

Erik is the creative force behind the YouTube channel Testify, which is an educational channel built to help inspire people's confidence in the text of the New Testament and the truth of the Christian faith.

The Barabbas Story: Legend Or Reality?

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The story of Barabbas, the insurrectionist released by Pontius Pilate in place of Jesus, is a familiar episode in the Gospels. However, biblical scholars and critics have raised doubts about its historical accuracy, pointing to several perceived inconsistencies. To begin with, critics claim that there is no historical record of such a practice, questioning whether it actually occurred. Furthermore, they argue that Pilate, known for his harsh and cruel character, releasing an insurrectionist seems highly inconsistent. Lastly, some skeptics suggest that the name Barabbas, meaning “son of the father,” might have been invented by the evangelists for symbolic and literary purposes. Let’s look at each of these arguments in turn. Understanding the Argument from Silence … Read more

Subtle Clues in the Pastoral Letters That Point to Pauline Authorship

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The letters attributed to Paul have caused arguments about whether he really wrote them. Most scholars tend to think they are fake. However, some things inside these letters make it tricky for critics to say they’re fake. William Paley pointed out that there are parts in the letters that seem unrelated and practical, like advice about food and personal stories. These things make it harder to believe the letters are forged. Let’s dive in and take a look. Unexplained allusions In 1 Timothy 5:23, the advice is given, “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.” When thinking about the chance of someone pretending to be Paul … Read more

Evidence Supporting Reliability: The Unified Personalities of Mary and Martha

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The Gospels provide an interesting glimpse into the lives of supporting characters, and what’s truly remarkable is how their personalities shine through in subtle, casual and undesigned ways across multiple stories. These character traits, which emerge incidentally in the narratives, are challenging to fabricate. Even in modern forms of storytelling like serialized TV shows, it’s a complex task to maintain such consistent character traits. I know this isn’t an apples for apples comparison here, but take for instance the transformation of Andy Dwyer in “Parks and Recreation,” for instance. He quickly changed from being a bumbling, lazy, and incredibly selfish boyfriend (poor Ann Perkins) to becoming remarkably a kind, selfless, and romantic husband to April. … Read more

A Simple Reason to Believe Colossians Isn’t a Pauline Forgery

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Most biblical scholars agree that Paul’s letter to the Colossians is likely a forgery, unlike the letter to Philemon, which is generally accepted as genuine. But there are some hidden similarities between these two letters that challenge this belief. These connections revolve around similar situations and people mentioned in both letters. All this info comes from William Paley’s Horae Paulinae. Let’s focus on the evidence that links Onesimus to Colossae. In the letter addressed to Philemon, we learn that Onesimus was actually a servant or slave of Philemon. So where did Philemon live? Oddly enough, the letter doesn’t directly say where he was from. But there’s a clue – Philemon seems to be connected to … Read more

The Gospels: Mere Myths or Myth Made Fact? CS Lewis’ Unexpected Journey

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In his book Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis talked about a moment that pushed him towards atheism. He saw a striking similarity between Christianity and pagan myths. Back in his school days, everyone saw pagan myths as mere fiction, but Christianity was treated as something different, as actual history. Lewis wondered why the Bible got a free pass while other myths were questioned. Lewis wrote back and forth with his friend Arthur Greeves, saying, “You ask me about my religious views: you know, I think I believe in no religion. There is absolutely no proof for any of them, and from a philosophical standpoint, Christianity is not even the best. All religions, or mythologies as … Read more

The Synoptic Problem Isn’t a Problem For Undesigned Coincidences

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One of the most intriguing arguments for the reliability of the Gospels is the argument from undesigned coincidences. Speaking as a proud member of Team McGrew, I can tell you it’s one of my all-time favorites. However, the moment you try to explain this argument to a skeptic, you’re often hit with a common objection: “But aren’t the Gospels dependent on each other?” It’s what we call the Synoptic problem, and it’s the main objection critics tend to throw our way. But here’s the deal – this objection is usually rooted in a misunderstanding, and I’m here to clear things up for you. If you ever find yourself defending this argument online, you’re pretty much … Read more

Some Undesigned Coincidences in the Corinthian Correspondence

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In his well-known work, “Horae Paulinae,” William Paley presents a compelling case for the reliability of the book of Acts through a concept he termed “undesigned coincidences.” In this blog post I’ll look at several notable examples between Acts and Paul’s letters to the Corinthians. Just to jog your memory, an undesigned coincidence is “a notable connection between two or more accounts or texts that doesn’t seem to have been planned by the person or people giving the accounts. Despite their apparent independence, the items fit together like pieces of a puzzle.” (McGrew, Hidden in Plain View, pg. 18) So you might be reading a passage and it raises a question, but then you turn … Read more

Dr. Jef Tripp’s Tripping Over Undesigned Coincidences On the MythVision Podcast

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In case you missed it, recently on the MythVision Podcast, Dr. Jef Tripp took the stage to give his negative verdict on Lydia McGrew’s work, Hidden in Plain View. I’m thankful Dr. Tripp actually took the time to read it. Many reviewers haven’t even bothered to do so. (I’m looking at you, Richard Carrier!) During the course of his lecture Dr. Tripp made several noticeable slip-ups in his critique, but in this post, let’s zoom in on one particular point. For a more comprehensive response to his arguments, stay tuned for an upcoming livestream on my friend Than Christopoulos’ channel Exploring Reality. Refresher: What are undesigned coincidences? Just to jog your memory, an undesigned coincidence … Read more

Paul’s Corinthian Companions and Undesigned Coincidences

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In his well-known work, “Horae Paulinae,” William Paley highlights a convincing body of evidence related to what we call “undesigned coincidences.” One of these coincidences revolves around two separate lists of names in the New Testament. One list is from the Book of Acts, while the other is found in Paul’s letter to the Romans. The Acts’ list specifically identifies the men who traveled alongside Paul during his journey from Corinth to Jerusalem. These accompanied him as far as Asia: Sopater of Beroea; Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians; Gaius of Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia. Acts 20:4 In contrast, the list in Romans, written by Paul before to his departure from … Read more

Miracle Claims and Alleged Double Standards: Jesus vs. Apollonius

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Miracle claims from ancient times are all over the place, and relying on them as proof for religious beliefs can be a real puzzle. You don’t want to be a stubborn Humean skeptic and just brush off every miracle story you hear, but you also don’t want to fall for just any wild tale. It’s all about finding that sweet spot between skepticism and openness, so you don’t get sucked into wasting your time investigating any and every old miracle claim out there. Anyway, in a recent video, I discussed the DOUBTS filter—a concept coined by philosopher Tim McGrew and utilized in his debate with Zachary Moore. Here’s a concise overview of the criteria: These … Read more

Is Jesus Alive?