All Questions
5
votes
1answer
97 views
What is the “clear sign” in Philippians 1:28?
Philippians 1:27-28 (ESV)
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in ...
5
votes
3answers
219 views
What's the difference between “sensus plenior” and “inspired sensus plenior”?
What's the difference between "sensus plenior" and "inspired sensus plenior"?
Are the terms interchangeable? If "the deeper meaning intended by God but not intended by the human author" (sensus ...
5
votes
1answer
133 views
Should we read Melchizedek in Genesis 14 to be metaphorical?
Genesis 14:17-20 (NJPS):
When he returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh, which is the Valley of the King. And ...
9
votes
4answers
269 views
What is the relationship between the “Adversary” in Job and the serpent in Genesis?
An individual named the Adversary appears in Job 1:6-12 (NJPS):
One day the divine beings presented themselves before the Lord, and the Adversary came along with them. The Lord said to the ...
4
votes
1answer
741 views
What does “the assembly of the LORD” refer to?
Deuteronomy 23:1-8 lists some people that are forbidden to enter "the assembly of the LORD".
Deuteronomy 23:1-8 (NKJ)
Those Excluded from the Congregation
1 “He who is emasculated by ...
5
votes
2answers
233 views
How did Biblical translators decide on cypress for the type of wood in Noah's ark?
Reading from Genesis 6:14 (NRSV):
Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover
it inside and out with pitch.
There is a note at "cypress" which says:
Meaning of ...
4
votes
2answers
140 views
What is meant in the NT by the “laying on of hands”?
Paul mentions in his letters to Timothy a couple times about the laying on of hands: once in 1 Timothy 5:22 and again in 2 Timothy 1:6. Hebrews 6:1-2 seems to list it as one of the elementary ...
5
votes
7answers
584 views
How did mankind's way of relating to God change in Genesis 4:26?
At the end of Chapter 4 of Genesis there is a statement in verse 26, "It was then that men began to invoke the Lord by name." Other translations have "call on the name" or "worship the LORD by name". ...
5
votes
2answers
340 views
Does Genesis say where evil came from? [closed]
The first hint of evil in the Tanakh seems to come in Genesis 3:1 (NJPS):
Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild beasts that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really ...
6
votes
1answer
150 views
Is “faith” a correct translation in Deut 32:20 and Hab 2:4?
I recently noticed that in the KJV, the word "faith" only appears twice in the OT: Deuteronomy 32:20 and Habakkuk 2:4. I thought maybe those anomalies were due translation so I looked up the same ...
14
votes
2answers
424 views
How can we determine if a text is sarcastic?
What hermeneutical principles help in understanding whether a particular passage is to be understood as sarcastic?
For instance,
Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! ...
6
votes
2answers
611 views
What is the significance of Ezekiel's description of God's heavenly chariot in chapter 1?
Chapter 1 of Ezekiel contains a famous description of God's heavenly chariot (the maaseh merkava):
...as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, the heavens were
opened, and I saw visions ...
7
votes
3answers
622 views
Did King Hezekiah do something wrong in showing off his wealth to emissaries from Babylonia in II Kings 20?
The Hezekiah (Heb: Chizkiyahu) narrative in II Kings (chapters 17 – 20) and Isaiah (36 – 39) concludes on a dissonant and haunting confrontation between King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah. Hezekiah ...
3
votes
3answers
136 views
Who is included in “us” in Ephesians 1:3-10
In verses 11-14 of Ephesians 1:3-14, Paul seems pretty clearly to make a distinction between "we" and "you". My understanding is that the contrast is between "we" the Jewish believers and "you" the ...
3
votes
1answer
212 views
Where did Samuel come from when he was summoned by the Medium of En-dor?
Appropriate to today, I was thinking about the time when Saul visited the Medium of En-dor in 1 Samuel 28:8-14 (ESV):
So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men ...
0
votes
1answer
202 views
We might find Judas in Heaven? [closed]
You all know how Judas sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. The thing is he hanged himself before Jesus died on the cross so he went to (supposedly) hell. But after Jesus died on the cross he went to ...
4
votes
3answers
752 views
What was meant by “paradise” when Jesus spoke to the thief on the cross?
As he was crucified, Jesus engaged in a conversation with one of the other thieves hung along side him. at the end is this pronouncement:
Luke 23:43 (ESV)
43 And he said to him, "Truly, I say to ...
0
votes
2answers
94 views
Does Jesus address hermeneutical assumptions?
Mt 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot
or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be
fulfilled.
Mr 13:31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: ...
4
votes
3answers
188 views
Can we use “linguistic fingerprints” to identify different authors of the Bible?
I read, what was to me, quite an interesting blog post about different authors' contributing to different parts of the bible measured by analysing "linguistic fingerprints":
For millions of Jews ...
0
votes
2answers
107 views
Were the apostles “expert” witnesses?
The testimony of an expert witness depends on the competency of the witness, whereas, the testimony of an ordinary witness is validated by corroborating testimony.
We are free to challenge an expert ...
-2
votes
1answer
99 views
Does Joh 14:26 speak to assumptions about hermeneutics?
Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the
Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring
all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said ...
4
votes
3answers
254 views
How should John 1 be interpreted?
The first chapter of the Gospel of John seems to contrast with the rest of the book, in style and purpose. It seems very abstract and poetic, while the rest of John seems to be a more traditional ...
8
votes
3answers
174 views
How to interpret Genesis 25:1-2?
In Genesis 25:1-2 we see:
"Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah. She bore him
Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah".
But even before that in Genesis 17 it says:
...
3
votes
1answer
446 views
How do the books in the Bible get their names?
It seems like the first few chapters are named after the people who wrote them, but I was wondering how the other titles were decided upon.
4
votes
1answer
300 views
Was Ezekiel 37 understood as a prophesy of a literal Resurrection?
Ezekiel 37 presents a dramatic picture of a valley of bones being resurrected. The natural Christian interpretation is that it is an image of the day of the Lord when the righteous will be brought ...
8
votes
2answers
186 views
Are there scriptural warrants for using the rule of first mention?
The rule of fist mention is used by various forms of allegorical interpretation. Rather than inventing an allegorical meaning, clues are taken from the first mention.
For example: Garments are ...
10
votes
2answers
161 views
Did Jephthah have pets?
Judges 11:29-40 tells the story of Jephthah's victory over the Ammonites. Before the battle he promises, "whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the ...
-1
votes
1answer
105 views
Is there any scriptural warrant for the literalist approach to scripture?
Jesus appears to establish the Christological approach used by the apostles:
Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal
life: and they are they which testify of me.
...
9
votes
2answers
768 views
What is the significance of “east” in the Scriptures?
There seems to be some significance to the east in the Scriptures.
The garden is planted in the east of Eden
Cherubim are stationed on the east side of the Garden of Eden
Parts of the burnt offering ...
8
votes
3answers
445 views
How does Jesus' argument from David and the show bread work?
Jesus defended his disciples gleaning on the Sabbath by retelling a story about David. Mark 2:23-28 (ESV):
One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his ...
8
votes
5answers
341 views
Who named the wrong priest in Mark 2:26?
Here's a story Jesus told about David according to Mark 2:23-28 (ESV):
One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. ...
13
votes
4answers
264 views
Why would God disapprove of rituals he ordained?
In Amos 5:21-24 God says:
I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not ...
1
vote
0answers
99 views
What is the actual word used in “Thou shall not kill?” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is “kill” a valid translation for Exodus 20:13 (Thou shalt not kill)?
What word is used in the original Ten Commandments for "kill"? What modern equivalent ...
4
votes
2answers
122 views
How do you know an allegory is valid?
If an allegory is just an invention? How can you discus the validity of something that is based on opinion.
For example:
Ex 23:19 ... Thou shalt not seethe [boil] a kid in his
mother’s milk.
...
4
votes
2answers
401 views
What are higher and lower criticism?
What is historical criticism (also known as higher criticism)? What is textual criticism (also known as lower criticism)? How can they help us understand the scriptures? How can they interefere with ...
6
votes
4answers
1k views
Does Jesus show compassion to demons in Mark 5:12-13
Mark 5:12-13 recounts how Jesus allowed the 'legion' to enter a herd of pigs after hearing their pleas. Is this a case of Jesus showing compassion to demons? If not, what is Mark trying to communicate ...
2
votes
1answer
100 views
Does the Sadducees' question in Mark 12 imply polygamy was considered sinful?
The passage in question is Mark 12:18-23 (ESV):
And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a ...
12
votes
2answers
1k views
What is the difference between historical-grammatical and historical criticism?
The historical-grammatical method and historical criticism are both hermeneutical approaches seeking to uncover the original meaning of the text.
What is the difference between the two?
6
votes
2answers
182 views
Does John 7:15 mean Jesus was untaught?
John 7:15 (ESV):
The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning,1 when he has never studied?”
The footnote is:
7:15 Or this man knows his letters
So there ...
8
votes
3answers
234 views
Does Peter suggest Jesus “descended into hell”?
1 Peter 3:18-22 (ESV):
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in ...
-2
votes
1answer
81 views
Gift or slaughter
Often we hear that the Bible contains lots of stories without indicating if the actions were good or bad.
When Jacob returned home in Gen 33, he sent the crowds ahead of him (Gen 32:13-21). By what ...
11
votes
5answers
2k views
Are the 'ten virgins' told in Jesus' parable multiple brides or just general wedding party?
Jesus told a parable about the kingdom of God involving "ten virgins" and a "bridegroom". It starts out in the beginning of Matthew:
Matthew 25:1-2 (ESV)
1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be ...
5
votes
1answer
113 views
Does 2 Corinthians 9:6 indicate a reaping of earthly wealth?
Does 2 Corinthians 9:6 indicate a reaping of earthly wealth?
The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.ESV
The ...
8
votes
4answers
566 views
What does “guardian/tutor” mean in Galatians 3:24
Galatians 3:24 reads in the ESV (and several modern translations)
So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.ESV
In the KJV it reads:
...
8
votes
2answers
832 views
What does “word of God” mean in Hebrews 4:12?
Hebrews 4:12 (KJV)
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and ...
1
vote
2answers
207 views
Was the discounting by the manager in Luke 16 a dishonest act?
The shrewd manager in Luke 16 discounted the debts in order to win favor with the debtors. What hermeneutic principle should be used to determine if this was an evil act, or just good business?
1
vote
1answer
67 views
Origin of the word Theonomos [closed]
In my studies I came across the term theonoms, meaning ruled by God. (from the Greek: theos + nomos). Does this term appear in the new testament or is it something that was developed later?
4
votes
2answers
872 views
How did the Greek “charis” come to imply “favor?”
Luke 2:52 (ESV) states that "Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man." The word "favor" in this passage is translated from the Greek word "charis" (Strong's G5485), ...
2
votes
1answer
78 views
In John 12:23 why has the hour come for the Son of Man to be glorified?
In John 12:20-22 some Greeks come up to Philip and ask him if they can see Jesus. The disciples pass along this request to Jesus in v22 and all the sudden in v23 he replies that the hour has come for ...
4
votes
1answer
63 views
Where was the dinner in John 12?
On this question someone posted a link to an article arguing that Lazaraus is the beloved disciple. One of the arguments he makes is that his theory cleanly reconciles the account of a dinner in John ...
