Why didn't Jesus tell His Disciples to take notes?

[Mike Tang 1991]

If Jesus knew that He wouldn't be returning for a very very long time... and He INTENDED for His teachings to be spread/taught throughout the world... why didn't He just write it all down (and same with His Disciples) ??

Instead now we end up with multiple different versions of the Bible and multiple denominations, etc...

 

[bbyrd009]

well, we only really have a single version in the original, more or less?

 

[Mike Tang 1991]

well, we only really have a single version in the original, more or less?

We don't have a SINGLE written document from the people who knew Him or saw Him FIRST HAND... everything (including the gospels) was written DECADES after Jesus died... by people who never even met Him

 

[bbyrd009]

We don't have a SINGLE written document from the people who knew Him or saw Him FIRST HAND... everything (including the gospels) was written DECADES after Jesus died... by people who never even met Him

it could be argued that those who see Him as He is wrote about Him prior to that, or, as you have previously argued im pretty sure, that would make sense in the context of their expectations of an immediate literal appearing of the kingdom?

and i have a better answer, but it is not really relevant for meat-eaters i guess

 

[Timtofly]

We don't have a SINGLE written document from the people who knew Him or saw Him FIRST HAND... everything (including the gospels) was written DECADES after Jesus died... by people who never even met Him

Never met God?

Are you saying Moses never met God?

None of the prophets met God?

The Holy Spirit working in us, is God working in us. No Word of God would be enough, because knowledge comes by Faith, through the Word of God we do have. It is the human understanding and additive interpretation of man that causes differences of opinion. The very fact that we can freely accept God's Word, instead of freely accepting our own understanding, points to the fact that differences is the point of error, not the narrow understanding of the Bible itself.

Just like no one should be forced to accept human understanding which leads us into error, God does not force us to accept what we do read in the Bible. The problem is the "lack of coercion". You point out that God did not give us enough information. Yet information itself is a form of coercion.

If we knew everything, we would still reject it, but it would bind us to the truth, instead of letting us have the Faith that God seems to require. God allows freedom, instead of the demand, having all the facts would impose upon us. Remember it is truth that sets us free, not the fact of knowing everything.

We have the truth in God's Word. What we do know is enough to set us free from thinking we know everything.

 

[amadeus]

If Jesus knew that He wouldn't be returning for a very very long time... and He INTENDED for His teachings to be spread/taught throughout the world... why didn't He just write it all down (and same with His Disciples) ??

Instead now we end up with multiple different versions of the Bible and multiple denominations, etc...

What is the purpose of God's Word?

"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Isaiah 55:11

If we are unable to understand the parables, why is that?

"And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them." Matt 13:10-15

 

[amadeus]

We don't have a SINGLE written document from the people who knew Him or saw Him FIRST HAND... everything (including the gospels) was written DECADES after Jesus died... by people who never even met Him

"But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers." John 10:2-5

Who are his sheep? Who is the shepherd? Who are strangers?

 

[NewMusic]

If Jesus knew that He wouldn't be returning for a very very long time... and He INTENDED for His teachings to be spread/taught throughout the world... why didn't He just write it all down (and same with His Disciples) ??

Instead now we end up with multiple different versions of the Bible and multiple denominations, etc...

Because Jesus knew that there was not enough time remaining for Him to write it all down, so He intended for the disciples to take dictation and use those notes to print bibles on the printing presses that were about to be invented. But unfortunately Nero burned Rome down along with certain buildings that housed cool inventions, and it delayed the plans for a season.

Stuff happens.

 

[Lambano]

We don't have a SINGLE written document from the people who knew Him or saw Him FIRST HAND... everything (including the gospels) was written DECADES after Jesus died... by people who never even met Him

And what sources did they use to create the documents we do have?

More to the point: If we had those source documents, say, Matthew's hand-written Aramaic notes, a court scribe's recording of Peter's discussions with Mark, a VCR recording of John's deathbed reminiscences, Luke's advent narrative source, the Q document, whatever documents textual criticism says underlie the Gospels as we have them, would that be enough for you to follow the Jesus to whom the documents point? What would it take for you to follow him?

 

[Windmillcharge]

We don't have a SINGLE written document from the people who knew Him or saw Him FIRST HAND... everything (including the gospels) was written DECADES after Jesus died... by people who never even met Him

Don't you love unsubstanciated alergations.
Even bert Erhman an atheist accepts that the gospels were written by eyewitnes within the life time of other witness. He and most historians accept that Pauls confession of faith in corinthians was composed with at most 6 years of the crucifixtion.

Historians accept that Luke, the author of Lukes gospel and Acts to be an accurate historian who records names, places, political set ups etc with outstanding accuracy.

check out Habermas, william lane craig sir william michael ramsay among a few who demonstrate just how wrong you are.

 

[NewMusic]

Luke 16:31 Abraham said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"

John 12:37 Though he had done so many signs before them, yet they did not believe in him;

Mark 6:5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them.
Mark 6:6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

 

[quietthinker]

If Jesus knew that He wouldn't be returning for a very very long time... and He INTENDED for His teachings to be spread/taught throughout the world... why didn't He just write it all down (and same with His Disciples) ??

Instead now we end up with multiple different versions of the Bible and multiple denominations, etc...

maybe they weren't musical.

 

[TEXBOW]

We don't have a SINGLE written document from the people who knew Him or saw Him FIRST HAND... everything (including the gospels) was written DECADES after Jesus died... by people who never even met Him

A couple of things. The Apostles and disciples had the direction of the Holy Spirit (Jesus told them he would send a helper). You must remember that the words, Epistles, and Gospels penned by men were inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not need to take notes.

It is true that we do not have an original (1st writing) of the Epistles and Gospels. What we do have are several generations of copied manuscripts that made their way around the known world in the 2nd century and beyond. We can take comfort in the fact that these manuscripts are almost identical when compared to each other even when originated in various geographical locations. The variances are minimal and not of the critical doctrine of salvation. A study of the scribes and their serious efforts to copy the manuscripts is worthy of study. Meticulous does not begin to describe the process. When you take over a thousand manuscripts some for Isreal, Greece, Egypt, and other places, and find them remarkably near the same it's amazing. When you then compare the discovery of the dead sea scrolls (O.T.) and see that the references in the N.T. manuscripts are in sync with these scrolls (When the N.T. references the O.T.) it's even more assuring.
Psalms 12:6-7
6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.