All Questions
3
votes
3answers
79 views
The significance of the designations of families who will mourn in Zechariah 12
As the prophet Zechariah proclaims the greatness of Jerusalem's mourning, he says:
12“All Israel will mourn, each clan by itself, and with the husbands separate from their wives. The clan of David ...
0
votes
0answers
15 views
What does UNDER THE SUN relate to in Ecclesiastes? [duplicate]
Couldnt "Under the Sun" mean more like "SO GOD SEES IT " like the phrase "THEIR MOMENT IN THE SUN" which is defined as : Having your opportunity to be famous and successful and seen by others (IN ...
10
votes
4answers
331 views
Does Paul refer to his past or present evil/sin in Romans 7
In Romans 7:19, Paul says this:
For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. ESV
Is Paul talking about "doing evil" in his present, converted state, or ...
5
votes
1answer
29 views
What are “the lines”?
In Psalm 16:6, the Psalmist writes:
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.
The rest of the chapter (see below) does not mention the lines at all. ...
7
votes
4answers
134 views
Before the Tower of Babel did all speak Hebrew as the original human language?
I find it fascinating that rabbinic literature suggests that Hebrew was the original human language. I have seen Christian authors also argue the same.
For example, from the Jewish Encyclopedia:
...
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 ...
6
votes
1answer
44 views
To whom does the anointed refer in 1 Chron 16:22
In 1 Chronicles 16:22 it says:
Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.
Link to interlinear English/Hebrew
The phrase seem to be a quote pulled from an unknown source, used to ...
10
votes
3answers
138 views
To what extent is Psalm 51:4 poetic exaggeration?
The context of Psalm 51 is clear:
To the choirmaster. A psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
These events are described in 2nd Samuel ...
-1
votes
1answer
235 views
Why is Revelation included in the New Testament canon? [closed]
The book of Revelation seems to be very different from the other books included in the New Testament. What reasons are there that legitimatizes its place in Biblical canon?
10
votes
4answers
2k views
Why is the “give to Caesar what is Caesar's” answer so great?
After being asked whether it was right to pax taxes, Jesus repies:
“Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Why is that an answer that "amazed" them? To a modern person, it ...
5
votes
1answer
39 views
Who are the soldiers in John 18:3?
Does the "detachment of soldiers" refer to a Roman guard? If so, how large of a group? Or is it a different group of soldiers, perhaps a temple guard or Jewish soldiers if there were any at the time?
...
7
votes
2answers
52 views
What does λεστες mean in Mark 11:17?
Mark 11:17 reads (NET emphasis mine):
καὶ ἐδίδασκεν καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· οὐ γέγραπται ὅτι ὁ οἶκος μου οἶκος προσευχῆς κληθήσεται πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν; ὑμεῖς δὲ πεποιήκατε αὐτὸν σπήλαιον λῃστῶν.
...
1
vote
4answers
405 views
Is Jesus equal to or less than the Father [closed]
Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.
Joh 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again
unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto
the Father: ...
6
votes
2answers
703 views
Is the “captain of the Lord's host” an angel or God Himself?
After Joshua and the people of Israel crossed over the Jordan and before they assaulted Jericho, Joshua had this strange encounter:
Once, when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man ...
3
votes
2answers
231 views
How are verses indicating that God is a God of war, and others indicating that he is a God of peace reconciled to not be contradictory? [closed]
Sometimes, skeptics note that the Bible makes contradictory statements about God. For instance, is God warlike:
Exodus 15:3—The Lord is a man of war.
Psalm 18:34—He teacheth my ...
2
votes
0answers
23 views
Who is the captain of the Lord's Host spoken of in Joshua 5:13-15? [duplicate]
Joshua 5:13-15 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua ...
5
votes
2answers
268 views
Was John the Baptist confused or mistaken about the nature of Jesus' ministry?
John preached a message of imminent judgment:
Luke 3:7-9
John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear ...
11
votes
7answers
934 views
What does “image” in Genesis 1:26-27 mean?
Genesis 1:26-27 (ESV)
26Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the ...
4
votes
1answer
29 views
Historical Context and Fulfillment of Isaiah 7:8
Isaiah 7:8 (NET) reads:
For Syria’s leader is Damascus, and the leader of Damascus is Rezin.
Within sixty-five years Ephraim will no longer exist as a nation.
As the IVP OT Commentary points ...
7
votes
1answer
119 views
Was Abiathar the son of Ahimelech or was Ahimelech the son of Abiathar?
According to the following three verses, Abiathar was the son of Ahimelech:
1 Samuel 22:20.
1 Samuel 23:6.
1 Samuel 30:7.
But a couple other passages down the road claim that in fact Ahimelech ...
6
votes
1answer
132 views
How did Judas die?
In fact, there are multiple discrepancies between these two verses, what did really happen?
Matthew 27:5-8
5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged ...
9
votes
3answers
325 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 ...
-2
votes
1answer
242 views
Was Abimelech a granny chaser?
Continuing the response to the meta call for contradiction.
In Genesis Chapter 20 we find the following sister/wife story:
And Abraham journeyed from there to the land of the Negev, and he ...
0
votes
1answer
120 views
Why does Moses grill leavened bread on Yahweh's altar?
Continuing the response to the meta call for contradiction.
In Exodus 34:25 we read this injunction:
You will not slaughter the blood of my altar on leavened bread ...
This injunction is ...
0
votes
1answer
91 views
Why is Joseph taken to prison, and yet still seems to be with Potiphar?
This is a response to the meta call for contradictions.
In Genesis 39, there is a fantastically vivid story of Potiphar's wife seducing Joseph, or rather, attempting to. The result is that Joseph is ...
4
votes
2answers
227 views
Did Noah take two doves, or fourteen?
Continuing the response to the meta call for contradiction.
In Genesis 6:18 we read the following:
And I will make my covenant with you: and those that come on the ark, you and your sons and your ...
2
votes
1answer
45 views
How is Deut. 2:29 reconciled with Num. 20:18-21?
After the Exodus, and prior to the conquest of Sihon and Og, Israel attempted to pass through Edom. (The Edomites were the descendents of Esau.) Numbers 20:18-21 records Edom's response as follows:
...
4
votes
1answer
433 views
Is the punishment for sex during menstrual period banishment or a week's defilement?
There are two passages in Leviticus which discuss the degree of uncleanliness one should associate with sleeping with a woman during her period.
Leviticus 15:19
And a woman who will be ...
4
votes
2answers
531 views
Why is Isaac called Abraham's only son? [duplicate]
Continuing the response to the meta call for contradiction.
In Genesis 22, we find the following passage:
And it was after these events that the God tested Abraham; and said to him "Abraham", who ...
15
votes
6answers
458 views
What role does the Holy Spirit play in hermeneutics?
As Christians in the NT age of the Church it is understood that believers have an indwelling of the Holy Spirit who acts as a counselor and guide, enabling them to rightly understand God's word. How ...
8
votes
2answers
384 views
The splitting of the Mount of Olives
Daniel Block, in his commentary on Ezekiel, speaks of a style in that book of resumptive exposition, in which a theme is initially dealt with briefly, and later examined in much more detail. Zechariah ...
5
votes
2answers
73 views
To what degree is understanding the feelings of a biblical author necessary in exegesis?
I find that miscommunication is often about feelings and not words. Ancient writings requires linguistics, history and cultural knowledge to provide accurate English versions that convey the original ...
9
votes
6answers
1k 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 ...
6
votes
2answers
92 views
Did Jesus teach people to literally pluck their eye out and cut their hand off?
The passage from the Sermon on the Mount (and see also Matthew 18:8-9) is a familiar one:
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at ...
10
votes
1answer
95 views
How did Aaron avoid Pharaoh?
The famous story of Moses in Exodus 2 shows how, as a baby, he avoided Pharaoh's demand that baby boys be put to death.
Maybe it is somewhere in the text and I've missed it, but I'm wondering how ...
10
votes
3answers
783 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 ...
7
votes
5answers
242 views
What is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?
Mark 3:20-30 contains a familiar passage with a long debated phrase:
3:20 Now Jesus went home, and a crowd gathered so that they were not able to eat. 21 When his family heard this they went out ...
6
votes
1answer
232 views
“Back in ships to Egypt” in Deut. 28
At the end of the curses for disobedience in Deuteronomy 28, verse 68 says:
And the Lord will bring you back in ships to Egypt, a journey that I promised that you should never make again; and ...
15
votes
5answers
1k views
Did Jephthah actually sacrifice his daughter?
It's clear that what Jephthah intended was to sacrifice the first animal that he met when he returned home:
Then the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah. He marched through Gilead and Manasseh, ...
9
votes
1answer
92 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?
...
7
votes
1answer
84 views
What does Genesis 3:16 literally say?
I've noticed that sometimes words are repeated in the hebrew text.
Gen 3:16 אֶֽל־ H413 to הָ·אִשָּׁ֣ה H802 Unto the woman אָמַ֗ר H559 he said הַרְבָּ֤ה H7235 I will greatly אַרְבֶּה֙ H7235 ...
4
votes
2answers
119 views
Matthew 27:62: “the day that followed the day of the preparation” - Why not call Sabbath a Sabbath?
In the following verse
Matthew 27:62 Now the next day, that followed the day of
the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto
Pilate
Why didn't Matthew simply say "on ...
1
vote
4answers
330 views
What else can “Fifteen cubits from above” in Gen 7:20 mean?
When translating Genesis, I took pains to preserve the implied flat-Earth cosmology that a naive reading suggests. One of the places where this made a big difference is in the story of Noah. Noah is ...
1
vote
1answer
139 views
Grammar-Literal Translation of Genesis 1:3 and 12:3
In Biblical Hebrew there are two simple verb types (Qal and Niphal) which convey no causation. Are the below revisions of the King James Version more accurate to the thoughts expressed by the grammar? ...
6
votes
1answer
78 views
Does the LXX of Proverbs 1:7 have influence on the use of εὐσέβεια in the NT?
Is there any New Testament text wherin an influence of this LXX expanded translation is of interpretive importance in the NT (esp. with regard to εὐσέβεια)?
Edit (question clarification):
I find this ...
6
votes
3answers
188 views
Why did the Samaritans worship God in Mount Gerissim rather than Jerusalem?
In John chapter 4, Jesus has a discussion with a woman of Samaria:
The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in ...
8
votes
2answers
548 views
What happened to the 500 witnesses in 1 Corinthians 15?
This week I taught Sunday School from this text:
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was ...
5
votes
2answers
284 views
Does the New Testament predict Jesus' return on Rosh Hashanah?
The day of the Lord's return is sometimes associated with trumpets in the New Testament:
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and ...
5
votes
2answers
91 views
“The Name of Yahweh” a name for God?
I have often been told that "name" in the Old Testament has much more weight than it does to us today. Then I noticed this passage recently:
See, the Name of the Yahweh comes from afar, with ...
7
votes
2answers
67 views
Blessed is the man who WALKS NOT or HAS NOT WALKED?
I noticed in studying the Psalms that Psalm 1 in the old Coverdale text reads, "Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, and hath not sat ...
