https://x.com/ctmagazine/status/1913661384354664703?s=46

A so-called evangelical Bible scholar caused controversy when he declared that he did not think nails were used in Christ’s crucifixion. The problem regarding the opinion of Gordon College professor Jeffrey P. Arroyo Garcia is that the Bible says otherwise.

Now, let us set aside historical documentation for a moment. How does a person hold the title of “Bible scholar” when he could be corrected by every child attending a Sunday school class? Garcia received backlash for his position that Jesus could have been crucified using ropes. Thankfully, the Bible does not leave us wondering about this. We know Jesus shed His blood on Calvary, including from the wounds created by the nails piercing His hands and feet.

In addition to how little the “scholar” knows his Bible, there are bigger things revealed by this story.

Scholarship, for the most part, is a joke.

This world throws around the word scholar much too loosely, especially when referring to those who have studied the Bible. Many are referred to as Bible scholars today, yet they continually reveal their lack of Bible knowledge. I will take the opinions of the Christian whose Bible is worn, with pages tattered from overuse, over the conclusions of the secular and religiously trained “scholar” any day.

Spiritual understanding is lacking.

Situations such as these should make us wonder where the discernment of the Holy Spirit is. Do not get me wrong: I have mistakenly come to erroneous conclusions which, after more study and help from the Spirit, I then corrected. However, this instance is black and white. Taking the stance that nowhere in the Gospels does it say that Jesus was crucified with nails reveals a lack of relationship with the Bible and a lack of the leadership of the Holy Spirit in this man’s life—something indicative of a much bigger problem.

“Shock” tactics have no place in Bible teaching.

Unfortunately, this is nothing new. Men have always been impressed with their own intellect. Instead of just saying what God said, they want to find something God never said. We see this play out in pulpits, through podcasts, and on social media. Men take a position contrary to the Bible and keep saying it loudly, as if to shock people into considering their ludicrous positions. Another tactic is to propagate a “possibility” that the Scripture has already ruled as null. We would do well to stick with, “Thus saith the Lord.”

What are Garcia’s students supposed to make of his position, which is so blatantly wrong? How little confidence must they have in the validity or quality of their education? Garcia has since apologized for his position.

What also requires an apology is his masquerading as a Bible scholar.