Instigator / Pro
49
1485
rating
92
debates
45.65%
won
Topic
#2975

Jesus was a false prophet

Status
Finished

The debate is finished. The distribution of the voting points and the winner are presented below.

Winner & statistics
Better arguments
21
0
Better sources
14
0
Better legibility
7
1
Better conduct
7
1

After 7 votes and with 47 points ahead, the winner is...

David
Parameters
Publication date
Last updated date
Type
Standard
Number of rounds
4
Time for argument
One week
Max argument characters
10,000
Voting period
One month
Point system
Multiple criterions
Voting system
Open
Contender / Con
2
1483
rating
1
debates
0.0%
won
Description

In this debate, I will attempt to prove that Jesus was a false prophet by Biblical standards. My opponent must prove he was a true prophet.

Rounds:

1. Opening arguments only
2. Rebuttals only
3. Defense
4. Closing argument

Round 1
Pro
#1
I want to begin by thanking PeanutHut for accepting this debate and I wish to extend him a warm welcome to DART. With that, let's get started.

I. Criteria of a False Prophet

Deuteronomy 18:21-22 (NRSV) establishes the criteria for a false prophet:

21 You may say to yourself, “How can we recognize a word that the Lord has not spoken?” 22 If a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord but the thing does not take place or prove true, it is a word that the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; do not be frightened by it.
Thus we can establish a valid syllogism as followed: 

P1: Anyone whose prophecies fail to come true is a false prophet
P2: Jesus' prophecy about his return failed 
C1: Therefore, Jesus was a false prophet. 

II. What Jesus Prophecied 

Matthew 16 
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? 27 “For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. 28 Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

There are several points to note here: 

(1) Son of Man will return
(2) Repay everyone for what has been done
(3) Some will not die before this happens 

It should be obvious that all three parts of this prophecy failed. Some have taken this to mean that Jesus was prophecying about his transfiguration, which took place in the next chapter, but this cannot be as "he will repay everyone for what has been done" did not occur at the transfiguration. 

Matthew 24
32 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he[g] is near, at the very gates. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Jesus foretells of his return within that generation. This too has failed. Many Christian apologists have been disturbed by these failures and have attempted to make rescue devices to save face. The NABRE admits:

"24:34 The difficulty raised by this verse cannot be satisfactorily removed by the supposition that this generation means the Jewish people throughout the course of their history, much less the entire human race. Perhaps for Matthew it means the generation to which he and his community belonged."  [1] 

The NET Bible, 2nd edition, notes: 

sn This is one of the hardest verses in the gospels to interpret. Various views exist for what generation means. (1) Some take it as meaning “race” and thus as an assurance that the Jewish race (nation) will not pass away. But it is very questionable that the Greek term γενεά (genea) can have this meaning. Two other options are possible. (2) Generation might mean “this type of generation” and refer to the generation of wicked humanity. Then the point is that humanity will not perish, because God will redeem it. Or (3) generation may refer to “the generation that sees the signs of the end” (v. 30), who will also see the end itself. In other words, once the movement to the return of Christ starts, all the events connected with it happen very quickly, in rapid succession. [2] 

These are certainly creative solutions that don't line up with the text. 

Conclusion

Jesus' prophecy about his return failed, hence Jesus is a false prophet. 

Sources
Con
#2
Forfeited
Round 2
Pro
#3
Extend all arguments 
Con
#4
Forfeited
Round 3
Pro
#5
Extend 
Con
#6
Forfeited
Round 4
Pro
#7
The end 
Con
#8
Forfeited