22
votes
Accepted
What does Matthew 9:5 mean that it is "easier" to say "Your sins are forgiven"?
It is easier to say 'Thy sins be forgiven thee'.
The audience will not see anything happen. Anyone can say to anyone else, 'Thy sins be forgiven' and nobody will be any the wiser - until the Day of ...
- 32.3k
22
votes
How is it possible for Jesus to be quoted in the NT during moments of solitude (Gethsemane) or away from the disciples (Nicodemus, Pilate etc.)?
There are two common answers to this question:
A. Inspiration
All scripture is given by inspiration of God (2 Tim. 3:16)
On this view the authors learned of these details by revelation from God, ...
- 18.2k
17
votes
Why does no historian speak of the torn veil and how do we reconcile it with scripture?
The most likely explanation is that no one witnessed the invent, and the torn curtain/veil was not noticed until much later. When it was eventually discovered, Christians saw a correlation between the ...
- 19.7k
13
votes
Accepted
Why are "Tax collectors and Sinners" usually mentioned together by the Pharisees?
Here are some examples of "tax collectors and sinners". The last example is a bit different but still the same idea.
Matthew:5:46
If you love those who love you, what reward will you
get? ...
- 2,109
12
votes
Accepted
Why the Inconsistency of the name Mary in the NT?
To me there is a far simpler and more likely explanation than errors or scribal slips. Especially considering cases like Matthew 27:61, which is surely no slip of the pen:
Μαριὰμ ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ and ...
- 5,742
11
votes
Is the story of Barabbas possibly fabricated?
There would be no reason to doubt the veracity of the bible on the subject of the story of Barabbas and the custom of releasing a prison from prison at the time of the Passover. There is in fact ...
- 3,180
10
votes
What are the arguments for/against anonymous authorship of the Gospels
The Gospels are formally anonymous in the same way nearly every book on your bookshelf is: the author is not identified in the body of the text.
So my copies of the Harry Potter books are anonymous in ...
- 18.2k
8
votes
Accepted
Difference between Son of Man and Son of God
The precise meaning of the phrases ‘Son of Man’ and ‘Son of God’ in the Gospels has been a matter of scholarly debate for two millennia. While it was once widely believed that both had strong ...
- 2,652
8
votes
In Mark 9:21, Why did Jesus ask the father of the boy with unclean spirit: “How long has this been happening to him?”
Your question already contains an answer that Jesus could not not know that what He asked. Similarly, when Father asked Adam: "Adam, where are you" (Gen 3:9), He of course knew with the Son and the ...
- 11.2k
8
votes
Did the Chief Priests change their minds about crucifying Christ during the festival?
In brief, this incident is yet another instance of the duplicity of the Jewish leaders. Jesus should not have been executed because:
The trial that delivered was illegal for numerous reasons such as ...
- 113k
8
votes
Accepted
How to understand Luke 19:8 in light of Luke 18:22?
The requirement was different because people are different.
The rich young man was kept away from God by, presumably, the fact of possession of (possibly inherited) wealth and his unwillngness to let ...
- 7,053
8
votes
What was the Gospel preached by Jesus and the Disciples if they told no one that Jesus was the Christ? (Mt, 16:20, Mk. 8:30, Lk, 9:21)
The key message of Jesus' Gospel is:
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 3:2 NIV)
When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He began to Preach the same message in ...
- 5,729
7
votes
In John 18:10 why does John note the name of the servant whose ear was cut off?
Here's your irony:
"Malchus" is the Greek version of the man's Hebrew name "Melek" (http://biblehub.com/topical/m/malchus.htm). This word actually means "counselor" and "king"! Peter judged these men ...
- 79
7
votes
What is the significance of the skull of Golgotha?
Strong's 2898 - kranion - meaning a skull.
Latin Vulgate translation - "Calvariae" meaning a skull, from which the English gets "Calvary"
Speculation on this name has been lodged in church history ...
- 10.6k
7
votes
Accepted
How to ascertain that Luke 23:46 is the last words of Jesus on Cross and not John 19:30?
I don’t know which religious denomination place the last words of Jesus in the order you present, but one Protestant source lists them but with the caveat that they are not in any particular order:
...
- 9,208
7
votes
Does "they neither marry nor are given in marriage" refer to the act of getting married, or the state of being married?
"They neither marry nor are given in marriage" clearly refers to the act of being married. "Marry" and "given" are both verbs(i.e. words used to describe an action, state,...
- 1,908
7
votes
Were the Sadducees being sarcastic in Matthew 22:28?
The highly contrived story of the seven brothers all marrying one widow was specifically concocted by the Sadducees ("who say there is no resurrection", Matt 22:23, Mark 12:18, Luke 20:27, ...
- 113k
6
votes
Accepted
Did Jesus recover the lost tribes of Israel?
This question is great and requires a thoughtful response. I would like to draw your attention to Paul's writings concerning this:
What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the
...
- 781
6
votes
Accepted
Is the story of Barabbas possibly fabricated?
The name abbas was particularly popular. The more popular the name, the less likely that the name would have been fabricated for thematic purposes. It simply wouldn't be interpreted metaphorically. To ...
- 425
6
votes
What does Matthew 9:5 mean that it is "easier" to say "Your sins are forgiven"?
He was prioritizing them two different ways: ability & importance
The "more important" is "easier"; the "lesser important" is "more difficult". Here is what I mean and why...
*Note, it is a ...
- 2,084
6
votes
Why did Pilate refer to Jesus as Christ/Messiah?
Pilate was not a very smart man (according to the historical records we have) and here he makes a token gesture at justice.
The Sanhedrin hated Jesus but the people loved Him. It was the people who ...
- 113k
6
votes
Accepted
John 4:25 Verbatim or scribe added text
The distinction between what the writer hears and his own added "interpretation" is usually documented as such. For example:
Matt 1:23 - "Behold, the virgin will hold in womb, and ...
- 113k
6
votes
Woman at the well: What is the significance of Jesus asking her to call her Husband (John 4:16)
The great thing about this story is that the conversation between the woman and Jesus takes place on two levels concurrently. First thing to understand is throughout the story the woman is speaking &...
- 1,688
6
votes
When Jesus told his disciples to beware of the “yeast of the Pharisees” could he be thinking of beer & wine making yeast?
Look at the full context. It clearly states the leaven of bread.
When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the ...
- 21.8k
6
votes
Accepted
Was Stephen put to death by legal execution or a lynch mob?
From the trial and execution of Jesus we may deduce the following about the legal situation in Jesus' day:
The Jews could not legally execute anyone without the consent of the Roman authorities. ...
- 113k
6
votes
Why is the unpardonable sin unpardonable?
The Unpardonable Sin
Context.
Herman Bavinck:
Holy Scripture mentions only one sin that both in this life and in the
life to come is unpardonable: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. There
is no ...
- 331
6
votes
What was the Gospel preached by Jesus and the Disciples if they told no one that Jesus was the Christ? (Mt, 16:20, Mk. 8:30, Lk, 9:21)
The entire gospel concerning the Messiah can be conveyed without once stating the actual identity of that Messiah. The gospel was already preached in the wilderness as we are informed.
For unto us ...
- 32.3k
6
votes
Why did Jesus say He wouldn’t drink of the vine when it seems like He did?
This is less complicated than it appears.
First, notice that all the accounts of the last supper never use the word "wine", but always express what was drunk as "the fruit of the vine&...
- 113k
5
votes
Accepted
In Luke 17:37 who are taken, who are left behind and where are they taken?
“I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left."”
Luke 17:34-35
...
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