All Questions
10
votes
3answers
1k views
Revelation 21:21 - How can gold appear clear?
"And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass." (Revelation 21:21 NASB)
How are we to ...
9
votes
5answers
1k views
What are the “household gods” Rachel stole from Laban?
When Jacob flees from Laban, Rachel steals his household gods.
When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s
household gods.
Genesis 31:19 (NIV)
Jacob seems pretty ...
9
votes
3answers
2k views
Comparison of English word “fool” in original Hebrew and Greek
Question is based on this comment on Christiantity SE.
In the OT, the word fool is apparently used to describe atheists:
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
Psalm 14:1 and Psalm ...
9
votes
3answers
643 views
Why was Barabbas in prison?
It seems that there are varying accounts of the problems with Barabbas.
John 18:40
Then they all cried again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.
Another in Mark:
...
9
votes
3answers
163 views
Who led the people out of Israel in Jude 5?
Lest anyone think this is a "stump the chumps" question, I am specifically interested in support for a particular reading of this text. It is disputed which manuscript should be followed in Jude 5. ...
9
votes
2answers
236 views
How authentic is Codex Sinaiticus?
From what I understand, these are the best codices available.
Codex Sinaiticus
Codex Vaticanus
Codex Alexandrinus
Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus.
Codex Sinaiticus is considered the only complete New ...
9
votes
4answers
733 views
Can we tell from the text who wrote Hebrews?
I have pondered who wrote Hebrews for some time. In my studies, I have eliminated Paul for two reasons.
1) The style of Greek is different than the way Paul writes in his letters. It's a higher ...
9
votes
4answers
266 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 ...
9
votes
3answers
298 views
How can we understand “fear”?
It seems that (throughout the Bible), we have been told to "not fear" but also to "fear God".
How can we understand this word "fear" in these two contexts? If this word in these two contexts carries ...
9
votes
3answers
944 views
What is the “fourfold sense of Scripture”?
During the Patristic Period in the Middle Ages practiced an exegetical tactic known as the fourfold sense of Scripture. What are these four senses and do these ideas about the nature of Scripture ...
9
votes
6answers
987 views
Why does Paul get annoyed with the slave girl in Acts 16?
The story in Acts 16 of the demon-possessed slave girl is a curious story to me for many reasons. If it's better to break up my questions into several, I can do so; but for now I'd like to keep them ...
9
votes
5answers
475 views
What was lacking in Christ's afflictions?
In Colossians 1:24, I read:
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church ...
9
votes
4answers
136 views
Would it matter if the ID of 'Autor' was revealed and who are the potential candidates?
The author of Hebrews, being generally uncertain, sometimes goes by the moniker "Autor". But who or what lies behind the mask? What clues do we have to work with that could tip us off to their ...
9
votes
2answers
304 views
Why did Abel keep flocks if man wasn't supposed to eat flesh til after the Flood?
Per Genesis 9:3, man is given the animals as food after the flood. A reasonable implication of that statement is that prior to this, man was supposed to be vegetarian.
That said, Genesis 4:2 clearly ...
9
votes
5answers
3k views
Why did the witnesses lay their coats at Paul's feet?
During the stoning of Stephen, according to the book of Acts, "the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul," who later converted to Christianity and took the name Paul.
...
9
votes
4answers
169 views
Does Peter intend to identify the Pauline Epistles as canonical?
In 2 Peter 3:15-16, Peters states:
And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his ...
9
votes
2answers
315 views
What was destroyed in Galatians 2:18?
In Galatians 2:18, Paul writes, "If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker." What is he referring to when he mentions rebuilding what was destroyed and how does that answer the ...
9
votes
3answers
5k views
What is the significance of '14 generations' in Matthew’s account of Jesus's genealogy?
After giving Jesus's genealogy in the first chapter, Matthew goes on to point out the number of generations between significant events:
Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to ...
9
votes
2answers
138 views
Whose meaning are we trying to find?
If hermeneutics is the study of the meaning of a text, whose meaning are we trying to find when we study the Bible? How does Scripture being inspired by God but penned by men affect our ability to ...
9
votes
4answers
3k views
What does “Under the Sun” mean in Ecclesiastes?
I noticed that the Teacher uses the phrase "under the sun" more than 20 times in Ecclesiastes. I have always understood this to simply mean "on earth" as The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament ...
9
votes
2answers
1k views
What is the translation philosophy for tachash skins in Exodus?
In Exodus (e.g.: 26:14) we learn one of the coverings for the tabernacle is to be made of "תחש" (tachash) skins. The translation of this term appears to be especially difficult or contentious as there ...
9
votes
4answers
157 views
On what basis is the name “Ephraim” given the etymology of “ash heap”?
The name Ephraim seems to commonly be given two etymologies, one referring to an "ash heap" and the other referring to "fruitfulness". Example I can understand the fruitfulness etymology linking ...
9
votes
5answers
945 views
Why should an altar be made with uncut stone?
God told Moses that the altar must be made of unhewn stones:
And if you make for Me an altar of stones, do not build it of hewn stones; for by wielding your tool upon them you have profaned ...
9
votes
5answers
360 views
Is Ecclesiastes a book of negative wisdom?
When I was younger, I thought that because Ecclesiastes was so dour, it was a sort of negative wisdom—something like, "This is how crazy you get when you don't follow God." However, this ...
9
votes
3answers
1k views
What is the third heaven that Paul mentions in 2 Corinthians 12:2?
2 Corinthians 12:2 (NIV)
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.
What is ...
9
votes
3answers
682 views
Who are the morning stars in Job 38:7?
In Job 38:7 (ESV), Jehovah claims that the cornerstone of the earth was laid
when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy
implying that the morning stars were ...
9
votes
1answer
215 views
What is the “Grammatical Historical Approach” to hermeneutics?
BH seems to be divided into several different approaches. What is the Grammatical Historical Approach and what are the primary ways that it differs from other modern approaches?
9
votes
1answer
113 views
What are the seven middoth (Hillel's rules for interpretation)?
The "middoth" were Rabbi Hillel's rules for interpretation. There are seven of them. What are they? Please list them and include one or two clear examples for each.
9
votes
3answers
229 views
What hermeneutical approach does Hebrews use on the Old Testament
Psalm 2:7 is quoted in two different contexts in Hebrews, seeming to be used to support two vastly different arguments.
In Hebrews 1:5, we read
For to which of the angels did God ever say,
...
9
votes
3answers
237 views
David and Goliath: David's Reasons For Fighting
From 1 Samuel 17:
23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from
Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and
David heard it. 24 Whenever the ...
9
votes
4answers
2k views
What does “put the branch to their nose” in Ezekiel 8:17 mean?
Reading Ezekiel 8 in the ESV I came across verse 17 today and was puzzled by phrase there:
Is it too light a thing for the house of Judah to commit the abominations that they commit here, that ...
9
votes
2answers
188 views
What is the textual evidence for defining “μισέω” as “reject”?
I have heard that μισέω does not necessarily mean hate in the sense of a wrathful detestation, but can also have a judicial sense, i.e. reject. A classic example where this meaning would be applied is ...
9
votes
1answer
178 views
What role should textual (lower) criticism play in biblical hermeneutics (if any)?
A recent comment on another question demonstrated a common perspective, namely that textual criticism is usually a bad thing when interpreting scripture (some would even go so far as to say that it is ...
9
votes
3answers
156 views
Why does Jesus tell his mother his “hour has not yet come”?
Very early on, John tells a story that is unique to his gospel:
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding ...
9
votes
1answer
81 views
Genesis 3:12: What is the underlying Hebrew word translated into English as “with me” (in KJV)?
In Genesis 3:12, is the underlying Hebrew word, translated into English as "with me" (in the KJV), supposed to be Strong's H5978 as the HCSB and HiSB suggests, or Strong's H5973 as the KJV suggests?
...
9
votes
4answers
428 views
Was there an eclipse just before Jesus died?
I know that there is quite a bit of information about the possibility of an eclipse at the time of Jesus' execution. But none of the accounts actually mention why there was darkness:
And when the ...
9
votes
2answers
260 views
What does it mean to “receive the kingdom of God like a little child?”
The story of the little children coming to Jesus in Matthew 19, Mark 10, and Luke 18 is, of course, well know. And most often I have heard it interpreted that the kingdom requires faith like a child. ...
9
votes
2answers
752 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 ...
9
votes
3answers
158 views
What types of birth were meant by 'blood', 'will of the flesh', and 'will of man'?
John mentions three specific types of birth that are not the avenue through which we may become children of God. To what types of births did each of these three things refer?
John 1:12-13 (ESV)
...
9
votes
2answers
329 views
How consistent were Augustine's hermeneutics?
St. Augustine of Hippo seems to have had considerable influence on the field of hermeneutics. His work in the field seems to be a bit of a landmark in the history of how hermeneutics is done.
However ...
9
votes
1answer
225 views
Who is Wisdom in Proverbs
Proverbs chapter 8 uses a personification of Wisdom. Some people take this personification as a description of God, or of the Messiah. Is there any textual justification for this?
9
votes
2answers
278 views
What is the evidence for the existence of the Q document?
According to most scholars, Mark was the first of the four gospels to be written. Matthew and Luke then relied upon Mark and a second written source called Q. What is the evidence for the existence of ...
9
votes
1answer
155 views
What does 1 Corinthians 9:27 literally say?
I'm used to reading the Bible in Finnish, so 1 Corinthians 9:27 seems very non-literal in most English translations. The Finnish 1992 translation is usually quite dynamic, but in this case it starts ...
9
votes
2answers
516 views
How can I identify puns in the Hebrew Bible?
The Bible sometimes uses words with multiple meanings to the effect of an intentional pun or wordplay. Punning seems especially common in Hebrew. I think that being aware of these literary devices ...
9
votes
1answer
217 views
Structuralism's influence on Biblical interpretation
What is the structuralist view of literary criticism, and how has structural literary theory influenced modern approaches to Biblical interpretation?
9
votes
2answers
115 views
How strong was Midian's army?
When Israel took vengeance on Midian they sent 12,000 troops (Numbers 31:4) and prevailed:
אֶלֶף, לַמַּטֶּה, אֶלֶף, לַמַּטֶּה--לְכֹל מַטּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, תִּשְׁלְחוּ לַצָּבָא.
Of every tribe a ...
9
votes
1answer
125 views
Who received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost?
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Acts 2:1
Is there any way to tell from the text who they were? Was it The New Twelve (as evidenced by Acts 2:14) or a larger ...
9
votes
2answers
136 views
Why was a chapter division placed at the end of Genesis 1, rather than between 2:3 and 2:4?
It's pretty well universally accepted that Genesis 1:1 - 2:3 represent one view of the story of creation and 2:3 - 25 a second.
And yet, when Stephen Langton instituted his chapter scheme in the ...
9
votes
1answer
122 views
Does the Shibboleth story help us date the book of Judges?
This story has always fascinated me:
Judges 12:4-6 (ESV)
4 Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, “You are ...
9
votes
2answers
194 views
Did Job believe in an afterlife where wrongs could be righted?
At the end of his life, Job seems to have been content with his lot despite his time of suffering recorded in the rest of the book. Some have suggested that the reason he had for contentment is that ...
