Questions tagged [authorial-intent]
Questions investigating a text's meaning by discerning what its author intended it to mean.
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In Genesis 1:29 are there exceptions or limitations regarding “every herb bearing seed” that God gave man to eat? [closed]
Genesis 1:29 says:
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you ...
4
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2answers
47 views
What's the connection between Sinai and Seir?
The blessing of Moses in Deut. 33:2
The Lord came from Sinai
and dawned over them from Seir;
he shone forth from Mount Paran.
This verse is almost unanimously understood to describe ...
2
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4answers
79 views
Was there some other secret ingredient added to the testing formula in Numbers 5:11-31?
Num. 5 goes into great length to preserve an ancient Israelite test for the unfaithful wife. The test was in the form of a drinking formula. The formula basically consisted of water, soil and the ...
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1answer
43 views
What is the difference between weaknesses and the flesh in 2 Corinthians 12?
We know the works of the flesh in Galatians 5. Those we can overcome and not practice them anymore. But what about the weaknesses in 2 Corinthians 5? https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Cor+...
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3answers
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In Exodus 14:22 and 15:8 how should we understand “the walls of water” described in the parting of the Red sea?
In Exodus 15:8 this is how the parting of the Reed sea waters are described
וּבְרוּחַ אַפֶּיךָ נֶעֶרְמוּ מַיִם נִצְּבוּ כְמוֹ נֵד נֹזְלִים
קָפְאוּ תְהֹמֹת בְּלֶב יָם
By the blast of your ...
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2answers
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Colossians 3:5 - akatharsía means heresy?
http://biblehub.com/greek/167.htm
'Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. '
Colossians 3:5
...
2
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1answer
184 views
Why did Moses use the hebrew word “Miqveh”(meaning hope) to describe the gathering together of the waters in Genesis 1:10
The word Miqveh in Hebrew means hope.
H4723
Original: מּקוא מקוה מקוה o
Transliteration: miqveh miqvêh miqvê'
Phonetic: mik-veh'
BDB Definition:
hope
ground of hope
...
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1answer
92 views
What does John the Baptist mean by οὗτός ἐστιν ὑπὲρ οὗ in John 1:30
Throughout the first chapter of John’s gospel, John the Baptist says:
”John doth testify concerning him (it?), and hath cried, saying, 'This was he of whom I said, He who after me is coming, hath ...
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Do verbs in present active indicative always imply temporality?
12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. NKVJ, 1982
ΙΒʹ γυναικὶ δὲ διδάσκειν οὐκ ἐπιτρέπω οὐδὲ αὐθεντεῖν ἀνδρός ἀλλ᾽ εἶναι ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ TR, 1550
...
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3answers
446 views
Is Revelation 19:16 “ A slip of the pen” , or worded this way for another reason?
When I was researching a question with reference to the book of Revelation,i came across a couple of scriptures that intrigue me.The first portion of scripture is taken from Revelation 17:14
...
6
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1answer
595 views
Concerning the “breastplate”.what is the authors intent? Book of Revelation
In the book of Revelation at chapter 6 verse 1-8 (NIV), we read about the four horses which are released when the lamb that was slain opens the seals.Read here
Again in Revelation 9 verse 17, we read ...
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2answers
166 views
Sharing of Paul epistles amongst churches
In Colossians 4:16, Paul explicitely instructs the sharing of epistles between the Laodiceans and Colossians:
16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also
in the church ...
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3answers
298 views
Did Paul intend his instructions concerning the Lord's Supper to apply beyond the church in Corinth?
In 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Paul talks about communion:
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he ...
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1answer
161 views
In Romans 8:29 is Paul speaking of “predestination” with regard to birth or to judgment?
Predestinate: to determine or set a destiny ahead of an appointed time.
I am curious as to why the appointed time in regard to 'predestinate' is so often interpreted to mean "before time began," when ...
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2answers
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Interpreting “psyche” as “soul”
In the New Testament the Greek term "psyche" often, if not always, gets translated as "soul." Would the original author using that term have meant "psyche" like we mean it today? Or, more precisely, ...
3
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1answer
81 views
What is the purpose of listing two different birds in the curse of Proverbs 30:17?
Proverbs 30:17 describes the fate of those who disobey their parents, concluding they will have an unnatural death and be eaten by birds of prey:
The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a ...
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3answers
170 views
Which idea for εἶδος is intended in 1 Thess 5:22?
Background
In 1 Thessalonians 5:22, the Greek reads (no major textual variations):
ἀπὸ παντὸς εἴδους πονηροῦ ἀπέχεσθε
The word εἶδος (here in the singular genitive neuter εἴδους) is translated ...
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3answers
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What sort of phrasing is “the many” in Romans 5?
Most English translations have something in Romans that is an interesting turn of phrase—at least to my ears it instinctively makes sense but at the same time it in more at home in a carefully worded ...
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1answer
256 views
Why does Paul use the expression “fear and trembling” instead of simply “fear”?
On several occasions Paul used the words "Fear & Trembling" (Phil 2:12; 2 Corinthians 7:15; 1 Corinthians 2:3). This is often explained as reverence/respect, but why use both word when "fear" can ...
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1answer
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Does Apostle Paul give a warning against different denominations?
What is the nature of the divisions identified in the original text of this statement by the Apostle Paul?
1 Corinthians 1:12–13 (ASV)
Now this I mean, that each one of you saith, I am of Paul; ...
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1answer
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What textual clues are there that the original readers of Genesis would have understood 11:27–50:26 in a different way than Genesis 2:4–11:26?
One fairly common argument on how to interpret Genesis says that there is a change in theme (or perhaps even genre) near the end of Genesis 11, basically that things shift from the (pre-)history of ...
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2answers
583 views
Meaning(s) of “ἠγέρθη” in Mark 16:6
In Mark 16:6, the women come to the tomb of Jesus and are told by a young man in a white robe:
ἠγέρθη, οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε· (NA28)
He has been raised; he is not here. (ESV)
Does “ἠγέρθη" necessarily ...
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2answers
117 views
Could I Corinthians 2:15 carry a sense of “surprise”?
I was listening to an old sermon by David Jeremiah today in which he suggested that the original Greek of I Corinthians 2:15 would be read with a connotation of "surprise" which would be captured by a ...
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3answers
174 views
Is 'all-things' literally including any conceivable thing in Rom 8:28?
Paul says:
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (ESV, Romans 8:28)
Does 'all-things' literally include any ...
5
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1answer
175 views
Does the New Testament claim to be Scripture?
What evidence do we have that Paul, or other NT writers thought that their own writings were the Word of God on par with the Old Testament?
2 Tim. 3:16 - All scripture is given by inspiration of ...
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2answers
504 views
Is 2 Kings 23:25 intended to be literal, King Josiah even better than King David?
With regards to this statement about Josiah:
Before him there was no king alike him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law ...
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1answer
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Does the book of Ecclesiastes portray Qohelet as the author?
My understanding is that the ‘traditional’ view holds Solomon to be the author of the book who frames his own monologue by referring to himself in the third person in the prologue (1:1–11) and ...
6
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2answers
104 views
To whom does “the righteous” refer to in 1 Timothy 1:9?
1 Timothy 1:9 begins:
We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful...
Does "the righteous" refer to those perhaps justified/...
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2answers
335 views
Translation of “change” in Malachi 3:6
In Malachi 3:6, the word שָׁנִ֑יתִי (translated change) is used ("For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.") This appears to me to be in the perfect tense ...
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1answer
197 views
What does Song 1:1 tell us about Solomon's relationship to the book?
Song 1:1:
שִׁ֥יר הַשִּׁירִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִשְׁלֹמֹֽה׃ (BHS)
The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s.(ESV)
I have seen it postulated* that the final word here (a lamed preposition prefixed to the name ...
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2answers
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Did Jeremiah complain about corrupt torah in Jeremiah 8:8?
A website called "Jesus Believes in Evolution" claims that Jeremiah complained about Torah being corrupted, citing Jeremiah 8:8. However, that is not a common interpretation of the verse.
What did ...
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5answers
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Did Matthew intend “evil” or “the evil one” in the Lord’s Prayer?
I previously asked a question about how to understand these words in the language Jesus was originally speaking. However, the text we have is in Greek, and I realized I’m not as familiar with the ...
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3answers
921 views
Moses and the Rock [duplicate]
Was Moses reprimanded in Exodus 17 and Numbers 20:10-13 for not speaking (therefore showing a lack of faith in the Lord’s abilities to turn Moses' weaknesses into strength (which was why the Lord put ...
4
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2answers
496 views
Did Abraham lose track of a visitor?
In Gen 18:1-2 the Lord appeared to Abraham, who then looked up and saw 3 visitors.
When they began to leave, visitors turned and walked toward Sodom while the Lord remained to talk with Abraham.
...
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2answers
1k views
What would Peter “bind” or “loose” on earth?
In Matthew 16 Jesus tells Peter that, as the rock on which his church will be built, he’d bind or loose things on earth.
Matthew 16:18-19 (KJV)
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, ...
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4answers
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In Revelation 12:16, what does the phrase “the earth opened its mouth” mean?
In Revelation 12 the serpent opens its mouth to sweep away the woman, but the earth protects her by opening its mouth.
Revelation 12:15-17 (NASB)
15 And the serpent poured water like a river out ...
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2answers
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What does it mean in Genesis 2:2,3 when it says God rested?
Gen 2:2,3 (ESV)
And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he
rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God
blessed the seventh day and made it ...
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2answers
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What words existed in Greek to express the concept “eternal”?
I have heard that the Greek word aiōnios is more literally translated "age-long", the adjective form of aiōn meaning "age". Aiōnios is translated as "eternal" in most bibles. I'm thinking ...
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4answers
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Are there two different types of “tongues” spoken about in the NT?
My question comes directly from 1 Cor 14: 2, 4:
2 For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for
no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.....4 One who ...
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3answers
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How can the 3 Questions be resolved with the math still correct?
Analyzing Noah and the Great Flood story, there appear to be 3 math problems, each with its own set of factors and calculations, that aren’t easy to resolve.
First is the “2 years after the flood” ...
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0answers
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In light of the larger context surrounding Matt 10:28, Who is it that the disciples should fear? [duplicate]
Matt 10:28 - And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
It seems the general consensus ...
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7answers
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In Heb 6:4, What does it mean to “again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame”?
Heb 6:4-8 Whole Passage:
4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have
tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy
Spirit, 5 and have tasted the ...
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1answer
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In Heb 6:4-6, what have those once enlightened “fallen away” from?
Heb 6:4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and
have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the
Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the ...
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4answers
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What is Luke's purpose for recording this narrative and ultimately Jesus' reason to express this account of the rich man and Lazarus to those present?
There are people who understand this text to express Jesus warning the hearers of the potential torment of the lost directly following their death.
1. Explain why that is, or isn't the intended ...
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6answers
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In John 12:20-26 why does John include the account of the Greeks wanting to see Jesus?
20 Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at
the feast. 21 Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of
Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus....
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3answers
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Did Mary actually leave Elizabeth before John was born?
When Mary heard from the angel Gabriel that Elizabeth was in her 6th month of pregnancy, Mary quickly left to join her. As the two greeted and the baby John leaped for joy in her womb, Elizabeth was ...
5
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1answer
372 views
Noah - 600 before his 600th
In Genesis 7:6 we read Noah was 600 years old when the flood landed.
Only four verses later we read he'd been in his 600th year when the flood began.
Why would the author write of the events in that ...
5
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2answers
260 views
What is the literary funciton of Acts 1:15-26?
The Book of Acts opens with Jesus' ascension and the promise of the Spirit. The disciples go to Jerusalem where their Lord had directed them to wait, and then on the day of Pentecost, the Spirit comes ...
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vote
1answer
438 views
Speaking to stocks and stones?
In Jeremiah 2:27 why might the example of people speaking to stocks and stones be given? Is there any specific reason?
Jeremiah 2:27 Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast ...
3
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1answer
113 views
Extents of lives only noted sometimes in Genesis
For most generations of Genesis, years of lives can be found; the exceptions are those in the middle, those of Shem through Nahor.
Adam through Noah have lifetimes noted (Gen 5:3 – 31, 9:29). Next, ...
