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REFUTATION: 101 Contradictions in the Bible

Chad’s Response to:

101 Contradictions in the Bible:

101 Clear Contradictions in the Bible

Shabir Ally

“Before reading this booklet please note the following points:

“Any argument should be examined thoroughly before accepting or rejecting its’ claims. To do otherwise is to rely on the fickle emotions of the heart even when they run contrary to all rationality.” – Shawn Smith

“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace….” (1st Corinthians 14:33 King James Version Bible)

1 Cor 14:31-33 (HCSB)
31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that everyone may learn and everyone may be encouraged. 32 And the prophets’ spirits are under the control of the prophets, 33 since God is not a God of disorder but of peace.

“If the Christian feels that a logical discussion is more than we should expect when considering religious matters, let him be encouraged by the Biblical passage at Isaiah 1:16: ” . . . come let us reason together.” – (Gary Miller Author of “Missionary Christianity – A Muslim’s Analysis”)

Isaiah 1:16-31 (HCSB)
18 “Come, let us discuss this,” says the Lord.

“But intellectual bondages are harder to shatter; the slave himself fights to retain them.” – Ahmed Deedat

The Challenge

The question which I present before my reader is: “If I can show you 101 contradictions in the Bible will you listen to what I have to say?” Will you agree to this challenge?. If so read on. If not, thank you for reading this far.

The objective of this little booklet is to present to my readers 101 contradictions in the Bible. In doing so I want to promote the idea that many things which you may have always taken for granted as being true, may not be necessarily so. If this is the case, then the question arises “is there some source which can be utilized in order to find the truth without us being presented with illogical explanations and contradictions? I personally believe this reliable source exists, but first I have to show you that the source which you now depend upon, namely The Bible, is not reliable. I will challenge the reliability of the Bible by demonstrating 101 of its’ contradictions. Now if someone were to give testimony in a court of law and he or she were found to give 101 contradictory statements under oath, the testimony of that person would be rejected. I think we can all agree that this is only reasonable. Why not use the same standard when judging the reliability of the statements of The Bible?

Let it be made clear right at the beginning, I have no desire to offend anyone’s religious convictions. We have a God given right to believe what we want and I would never try to take that away from anyone. Additionally, if someone is offended by this book then toss it in the trash, or pass it on to someone else. The main thing I want you to do is use your mind and don’t be guided by emotions alone. God has given you a brain, USE IT!!!

If you have read this far you must either be intrigued by my challenge or you are one of those “Bible Thumpers” who is convinced that I will never find contradictions in the Bible and if I do find 101 then there is an easy explanation for each one of them. He will be quick to quote the verse from the Bible in 2 Timothy 3:16 where it says:” All scripture is given by inspiration of God…” I like explanations. I find people who argue that black is white and day is night to be quite interesting. On this point Donald Morgan had this to say in an article entitled “Introduction to the Bible and Biblical Problems”:

“While Biblicists are capable of offering some sort of explanation for nearly any biblical problem that can be uncovered, such explanations should be unnecessary. The point is not whether some explanation can be conceived, but rather that a perfect and loving God certainly could, should, and would do a much better job of it were he to have anything to do with the writing of a book.”

Let us begin. You will need a Bible to look up the references.

Please do not take my word for anything without confirming it with sources.

Any argument should be examined thoroughly before accepting or rejecting its’ claims.

To do otherwise is to rely on the fickle emotions of the heart even when they run contrary to all rationality.

Additionally, to my Christian readers who may be a bit intimidated by the this booklet, they should remember that according to Acts 17:11,

Paul praised the Jews at Beroea because they “searched the scriptures daily” in order to see if the things Paul was preaching to them “were so”. (Acts 17:11).

Acts 17:10-11 (HCSB)
10 As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Beroea. On arrival, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 The people here were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, since they welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Acts 17:10-11 (NASB)
10The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

That’s all I am asking you to do here – read the “scriptures” and see if what the Church has been telling you is really “so”.

As Isaiah 1:18 says: “Come now, let us reason together.”

Isaiah 1:18 (NASB)
18″Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, ”

Chad’s comments:

First, (if Shabir ever happens to read this), I just wanted to thank you, Shabir for bringing up these questions and I appreciate your willingness to discuss these issues in a respectful way. I will try to reply in a respectful fashion as well.

Second, in response to Ally’s statements:

“Now if someone were to give testimony in a court of law and he or she were found to give 101 contradictory statements under oath, the testimony of that person would be rejected. I think we can all agree that this is only reasonable. Why not use the same standard when judging the reliability of the statements of The Bible?”

NEW So, should we use this same standard when judging the reliability of the statements in the Bible? Why or why not? I will preface my answer with some relevant scriptures:

Heb 1:1-2 (HCSB)
1 Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2 In these last days, He has spoken to us by [His] Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things and through whom He made the universe.

Matt 2:23 (HCSB)
23 Then he went and settled in a town called Nazareth to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets, that He will be called a Nazarene.

Matt 5:11-12 (HCSB)
11 “Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. 12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

(Chad’s notes: I am in no way saying that Shabir Ally is insulting, persecuting or saying any kind of evil against any Christians. I share this scripture only to point to the word, ‘prophets’.)

Matt 5:17-18 (HCSB)
17 “Don’t assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished.

Matt 7:12 (HCSB)
12 Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them—this is the Law and the Prophets.

NEW (Chad’s side note: Imagine what the world would be like if every single human truly did his or her best to live by this one command. Think about how every area of life as we know it would radically change, from politics, to war, to religious differences, to how businesses run, to how people work together, to what conversations would be about, to the news and the media, etc)

Matt 11:13 (HCSB)
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John;

Matt 13:17 (HCSB)
For I assure you: Many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see yet didn’t see them; to hear the things you hear yet didn’t hear them.

Matt 23:34 (HCSB)
34 This is why I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes.

Matt 23:37 (HCSB)
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem! The city who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her.

Luke 1:67-71 (HCSB)
67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 68 Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and provided redemption for His people. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, 70 just as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets in ancient times; 71 salvation from our enemies and from the clutches of those who hate us.

So again, here is Shabir Ally’s statement: ‘Now if someone were to give testimony in a court of law and he or she were found to give 101 contradictory statements under oath, the testimony of that person would be rejected.’ A problem that I initially see with using the scenario that Ally describes and applying it to the Bible is that (as we can see from the above listed Scriptures) the Bible was written by many different prophets (not just one person) and it was written throughout the course of thousands of years (approximately 1500 years), in different languages, and throughout many different cultures. NEW So in one sense, it would probably be more accurate to think of a class action lawsuit where many people give testimony, rather than just one person. In a class action courtroom situation, many different people would give testimony, instead of just having one person give testimony. Obviously, it would be much easier for one person to not have any contradictions in his or her testimony than it would be to have many different people’s testimonies (many who didn’t even know each other) to not have contradicting details in their testimonies.

But, on the other hand, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 does say:

2 Tim 3:16-17 (HCSB)
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

and 2 Peter 1:20-21 does boldly claim:

2 Peter 1:20-21 (HCSB)
20 First of all, you should know this: no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, moved by the Holy Spirit, men spoke from God.

So in another sense, Ally’s scenario can fairly be applied to the Bible. What I mean is that instead of looking at it as a class action lawsuit where many different people testify, because of 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and 2 Peter 1:20-21, we can accurately think of it as one person giving testimony: God Himself. Even though God used many different prophets throughout the course of 1500 years, etc, ultimately, He is still the One giving testimony. So in that sense Ally’s scenario is fair.

Again, I wanted to thank Shabir Ally for his thoughtful questions and for the time he has put into compiling these questions. I agree with what he said at the debate with Douglas Jacoby which was, ‘….’

Finally, a ‘courtroom related’ proverb comes to mind:

Prov 18:17 (HCSB)
The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

So Shabir Ally has stated his case and for the the rest of this study, I will cross examine his case. As I do this, I will keep 1 Peter 3:15-16 in the forefront of my mind:

1 Peter 3:15-16
‘and always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. 16 However, do this with gentleness and respect…’

Let’s began.

1. Who incited David to count the fighting men of Israel?

God did (2 Samuel 24:1)

2 Sam 24:1 (HCSB)
1 The Lord’s anger burned against Israel again, and it stirred up David against them to say: “Go, count [the people of] Israel and Judah.”

Satan did (I Chronicles 2 1:1)

1 Chron 21:1 (HCSB)
1 Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to count [the people of] Israel.

Chad’s comments:

I would say, both. Sometimes God uses Satan to accomplish His will. For example, Paul said to the church in Corinth:

2 Cor 12:7-9 (HCSB)
Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so I would not exalt myself. 8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. 9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”

So Paul was given a messenger of Satan to torment him by the Lord. Satan, or in this case, a messenger of Satan, was used by God to accomplish His will.

2. In that count how many fighting men were found in Israel?

Eight hundred thousand (2 Samuel 24:9)

2 Sam 24:8-9 (HCSB)
8 When they had gone through the whole land, they returned to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and 20 days. 9 Joab gave the king the total of the registration of the troops. There were 800,000 fighting men from Israel and 500,000 men from Judah.

One million, one hundred thousand (I Chronicles 21:5)

1 Chron 21:5-6 (HCSB)
5 Joab gave David the total of the registration of the troops. In all Israel there were 1,100,000 swordsmen and in Judah itself 470,000 swordsmen. 6 But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the count because the king’s command was detestable to him.

Chad’s comments:

In 2 Samuel 24:8, it says, ‘When they had gone through the whole land, they returned to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and 20 days.’ In the 1 Chronicles 21:5-6 account, there is no indication of exactly when this number was reported. Perhaps 2 Samuel 24:8-9 records the number of fighting men who were found in Israel ***after nine months and 20 days*** while the 1 Chronicles 21 passage records this number at a later time.

3. How many fighting men were found in Judah?

Five hundred thousand (2 Samuel 24:9)

2 Sam 24:8-9 (NASB)
8So when they had gone about through the whole land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 9And Joab gave the number of the registration of the people to the king; and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

Four hundred and seventy thousand (I Chronicles 21:5)

1 Chron 21:5-6 (NASB)
5Joab gave the number of the census of all the people to David. And all Israel were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword; and Judah was 470,000 men who drew the sword. 6But he did not number Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s command was abhorrent to Joab.

Chad’s comments:

In the 2 Samuel 24:9, it doesn’t say that there were 500,000 fighting men in Judah. It simply says that there were 500,000 men in Judah. In the 1 Chronicles 21 account, it specifically says that there were 470,000 men in Judah who drew the sword. So there is no contradiction. All other things being equal, there were 500,000 men in Judah and 470,000 of these men were swordsmen. That’s just one explanation for this variation in numbers from these two texts, but there are many other possible explanations.

4. God sent his prophet to threaten David with how many years of famine?

Seven (2 Samuel 24:13)

2 Sam 24:13 (HCSB)
13 So Gad went to David, told him [the choices] , and asked him, “Do you want three years of famine to come on your land, to flee from your foes three months while they pursue you, or to have a plague in your land three days? Now, think it over and decide what answer I should take back to the One who sent me.”

Three (I Chronicles 21:12)

1 Chron 21:11-12 (HCSB)
11 So Gad went to David and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Take your [choice] — 12 either three years of famine, three months of devastation by your foes with the sword of your enemy overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the Lord—a plague on the land, the angel of the Lord bringing destruction to the whole territory of Israel.’ Now decide what answer I should take back to the One who sent me.”

Chad’s comments:

There is no discrepancy in the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

5. How old was Ahaziah when he began to rule over Jerusalem?

Twenty-two (2 Kings 8:26)

2 Kings 8:25-26 (HCSB)
25 In the twelfth year of Israel’s King Joram son of Ahab, Ahaziah son of Jehoram became king of Judah. 26 Ahaziah was 22 years old when he became king; he reigned one year in Jerusalem.

Forty-two (2 Chronicles 22:2)

2 Chron 22:2 (HCSB)
Ahaziah was 22 years old when he became king; he reigned one year in Jerusalem.

Chad’s comments:

There is no discrepancy in the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

6. How old was Jehoiachin when he became king of Jerusalem?

Eighteen (2 Kings 24:8)

2 Kings 24:8 (HCSB)
8 Jehoiachin was 18 years old when he became king;

Eight (2 Chronicles 36:9)

2 Chron 36:9 (HCSB)
9 Jehoiachin was 18 years old when he became king;

Chad’s comments:

There is no discrepancy in the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

7. How long did he rule over Jerusalem?

Three months (2 Kings 24:8)

2 Kings 24:8 (HCSB)
8 Jehoiachin was 18 years old when he became king; he reigned three months in Jerusalem.

Three months and ten days (2 Chronicles 36:9)

2 Chron 36:9 (HCSB)
Jehoiachin was 18 years old when he became king; he reigned three months and 10 days in Jerusalem.

Chad’s comments:

The 2 Chronicles 36 account simply gives a more specific time frame (adds 10 days). This is not at all a contradiction. The 2 Kings account just gives the general length of time (3 years). If someone is king for 3 years and 10 days it is perfectly acceptable to say this person reigned for 3 years.

8. The chief of the mighty men of David lifted up his spear and killed how many men at one time?

Eight hundred (2 Samuel 23:8)

2 Sam 23:8-39 (HCSB)
8 These are the names of David’s warriors:

Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the officers. He wielded his spear against 800 [men] he killed at one time.
9 After him, Eleazar son of Dodo son of Ahohi was among the three warriors with David when they defied the Philistines. The men of Israel retreated in the place they had gathered for battle, 10 but Eleazar stood [his ground] and attacked the Philistines until his hand was tired and stuck to his sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops came back to him, but only to plunder the dead.
11 After him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had assembled [in formation] where there was a field full of lentils. The troops fled from the Philistines, 12 but Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.
13 Three of the 30 leading [warriors] went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15 David was extremely thirsty and said, “If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!” 16 So three of the warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the Lord. 17 David said, “Lord, I would never do such a thing! Is this not the blood of men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.
18 Abishai, Joab’s brother and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Three. He raised his spear against 300 [men] and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three. 19 Was he not the most honored of the Three? He became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three.

Three hundred (I Chronicles 11: 11)

1 Chron 11:10-21 (HCSB)
10 The following were the chiefs of David’s warriors who, together with all Israel, strongly supported him in his reign to make him king according to the Lord’s word about Israel. 11 This is the list of David’s warriors:
Jashobeam son of Hachmoni was chief of the Thirty; he wielded his spear against 300 and killed them at one time.
12 After him, Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite was one of the three warriors. 13 He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines had gathered there for battle. A plot of ground full of barley was there, where the troops had fled from the Philistines. 14 But Eleazar and David took their stand in the middle of the plot and defended it. They killed the Philistines, and the Lord gave them a great victory.
15 Three of the 30 chief men went down to David, to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while the Philistine army was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 16 At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 17 David was extremely thirsty and said, “If only someone would bring me water from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!” 18 So the Three broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the Lord. 19 David said, “I would never do such a thing in the presence of God! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” For they brought it at the risk of their lives. So he would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.
20 Abishai, Joab’s brother, was the leader of the Three. He raised his spear against 300 [men] and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three. 21 He was the most honored of the Three and became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three.

Chad’s comments:

I had to get some help from Matthew Elton on this one. In response to this question, he says:

“…this is probably the result of an error in copying. Many Hebrew and Septuagint manuscripts use “eight hundred” in 1 Chron. 11:11. ”

9. When did David bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem? Before defeating the Philistines or after?

After (2 Samuel 5 and 6)

2 Sam 5:1-25 (HCSB)
1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood. 2 Even while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led us out [to battle] and brought us back. The Lord also said to you, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel and be ruler over Israel.’ ” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. King David made a covenant with them at Hebron in the Lord’s presence, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was 30 years old when he began his reign; he reigned 40 years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned 33 years over all Israel and Judah. 6 The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites who inhabited the land. The Jebusites had said to David: “You will never get in here. Even the blind and lame can repel you,” thinking, “David can’t get in here.” 7 Yet David did capture the stronghold of Zion, the city of David. 8 He said that day, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must go through the water shaft to reach the lame and the blind who are despised by David.” For this reason it is said, “The blind and the lame will never enter the house.” 9 David took up residence in the stronghold, which he named the city of David. He built it up all the way around from the supporting terraces inward. 10 David became more and more powerful, and the Lord God of Hosts was with him. 11 King Hiram of Tyre sent envoys to David; [he also sent] cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. 12 Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel. 13 After he arrived from Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. 14 These are the names of those born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they all went in search of David, but he heard about it and went down to the stronghold. 18 So the Philistines came and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 19 Then David inquired of the Lord: “Should I go to war against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord replied to David, “Go, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you.” 20 So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated them there and said, “Like a bursting flood, the Lord has burst out against my enemies before me.” Therefore, he named that place the Lord Bursts Out. 21 The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off. 22 The Philistines came up again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 So David inquired of the Lord, and He answered, “Do not make a frontal assault. Circle around behind them and attack them opposite the balsam trees. 24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, act decisively, for then the Lord will have marched out ahead of you to attack the camp of the Philistines.” 25 So David did exactly as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Geba to Gezer.

2 Sam 6:1-23 (HCSB)
1 David again assembled all the choice men in Israel, 30,000. 2 He and all his troops set out to bring the ark of God from Baale-judah. The ark is called by the Name, the name of the Lord of Hosts who dwells [between] the cherubim. 3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and transported it from Abinadab’s house, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the cart 4 and brought it with the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on the hill. Ahio walked in front of the ark. 5 David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with all [kinds of] fir wood [instruments] , lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals. 6 When they came to Nacon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out to the ark of God and took hold of it, because the oxen had stumbled. 7 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and God struck him dead on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there next to the ark of God. 8 David was angry because of the Lord’s outburst against Uzzah, so he named that place an Outburst Against Uzzah, as it is today. 9 David feared the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” 10 So he was not willing to move the ark of the Lord to the city of David; instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 The ark of the Lord remained in his house three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and his whole family. 12 It was reported to King David: “The Lord has blessed Obed-edom’s family and all that belongs to him because of the ark of God.” So David went and had the ark of God brought up from Obed-edom’s house to the city of David with rejoicing. 13 When those carrying the ark of the Lord advanced six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf. 14 David was dancing with all his might before the Lord wearing a linen ephod. 15 He and the whole house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of the ram’s horn. 16 As the ark of the Lord was entering the city of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. 17 They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent David had set up for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in the Lord’s presence. 18 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Hosts. 19 Then he distributed a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake to each one of the whole multitude of the people of Israel, both men and women. Then all the people left, each to his own home. 20 When David returned [home] to bless his household, Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How the king of Israel honored himself today!” she said. “He exposed himself today in the sight of the slave girls of his subjects like a vulgar person would expose himself.” 21 David replied to Michal, “I was dancing before the Lord who chose me over your father and his whole family to appoint me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel. I will celebrate before the Lord, 22 and I will humble myself even more and humiliate myself. I will be honored by the slave girls you spoke about.” 23 And Saul’s daughter Michal had no child to the day of her death.

Before (I Chronicles 13 and 14)

1 Chron 13:1-14 (HCSB)
1 David consulted with all his leaders, the commanders of hundreds and of thousands. 2 Then he said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if this is from the Lord our God, let us spread out and send the message to the rest of our relatives in all the districts of Israel, including the priests and Levites in their cities with pasturelands, that they should gather together with us. 3 Then let us bring back the ark of our God, for we did not inquire of Him in Saul’s days.” 4 Since the proposal seemed right to all the people, the whole assembly agreed to do it. 5 So David assembled all Israel, from the Shihor of Egypt to the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. 6 David and all Israel went to Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim), which belongs to Judah, to take from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord who dwells [between] the cherubim. 7 At Abinadab’s house, they set the ark of God on a new cart. Uzzah and Ahio were guiding the cart. 8 David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before God with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. 9 When they came to Chidon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out to hold the ark, because the oxen had stumbled. 10 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him dead because he had reached out to the ark. So he died there in the presence of God. 11 David was angry because of the Lord’s outburst against Uzzah, so he named that place Outburst Against Uzzah, as it is [still named] today. 12 David feared God that day, and said, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?” 13 So David did not move the ark of God home to the city of David; instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 14 The ark of God remained with Obed-edom’s family in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his family and all that he had.

1 Chron 14:1-17 (HCSB)
1 King Hiram of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons, and carpenters to build a palace for him. 2 Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been exalted for the sake of His people Israel. 3 David took more wives in Jerusalem, and he became the father of more sons and daughters. 4 These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7 Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet. 8 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they all went in search of David; when David heard of this, he went out to face them. 9 Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the Valley of Rephaim, 10 so David inquired of God, “Should I go to war against the Philistines? Will You hand them over to me?” The Lord replied, “Go, and I will hand them over to you.” 11 So the Israelites went up to Baal-perazim, and David defeated the Philistines there. Then David said, “Like a bursting flood, God has used me to burst out against my enemies.” Therefore, they named that place the Lord Bursts Out. 12 The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David ordered that they be burned in the fire. 13 Once again the Philistines made a raid in the valley. 14 So David again inquired of God, and God answered him, “Do not pursue them directly. Circle down away from them and attack them opposite the balsam trees. 15 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then march out to battle, for God will have marched out ahead of you to attack the camp of the Philistines.” 16 So David did exactly as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer. 17 Then David’s fame spread throughout the lands, and the Lord caused all the nations to be terrified of him.

1 Chron 15:1-29 (HCSB)
1 David built houses for himself in the city of David, and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. 2 Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the Lord has chosen them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister before Him forever.” 3 David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it. 4 Then he gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites: 5 From the Kohathites, Uriel the leader and 120 of his relatives; 6 from the Merarites, Asaiah the leader and 220 of his relatives; 7 from the Gershomites, Joel the leader and 130 of his relatives; 8 from the Elizaphanites, Shemaiah the leader and 200 of his relatives; 9 from the Hebronites, Eliel the leader and 80 of his relatives; 10 from the Uzzielites, Amminadab the leader and 112 of his relatives. 11 David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 12 He said to them, “You are the heads of the Levite families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves so that you may bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel to [the place] I have prepared for it. 13 For the Lord our God burst out [in anger] against us because you Levites were not [with] us the first time, for we didn’t inquire of Him about the proper procedures.” 14 So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel. 15 Then the Levites carried the ark of God the way Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord: on their shoulders with the poles. 16 Then David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers and to have them raise their voices with joy accompanied by musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals. 17 So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; and from their relatives the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah. 18 With them were their relatives second in rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel. 19 The singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; 20 Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to Alamoth; 21 and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead the music with lyres according to the Sheminith. 22 Chenaniah, the leader of the Levites in music, was to direct the music because he was skillful. 23 Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark. 24 The priests, Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, were to blow trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah were also to be gatekeepers for the ark. 25 David, the elders of Israel, and the commanders of the thousands went with rejoicing to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-edom. 26 And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27 Now David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, as well as the singers and Chenaniah, the music leader of the singers. David also wore a linen ephod. 28 So all Israel was bringing the ark of the covenant of the Lord up with shouts, the sound of the ram’s horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and the playing of harps and lyres. 29 As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the city of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from the window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart.

Chad’s comments:

Neither of these accounts seem to indicate whether or not the ark was taken to the city of David before or after the Phillistines were defeated. There is no contradiction though. Chronologically, all we know is that after the Phillistines heard that David had become king, they searched for him. The Samuel account tells the entire story of the ark in one area (kind of like a module) and then tells about the Phillistines while the Chronicles account breaks up the story about the bringing of the Ark to Jerusalem with the Phillistines story. That makes sense considering the name of book of Chronicles.

10. How many pairs of clean animals did God tell Noah to take into the Ark?

Two (Genesis 6:19, 20)

Gen 6:19-20 (HCSB)
19 You are also to bring into the ark two of every living thing of all flesh, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of everything—from the birds according to their kinds, from the livestock according to their kinds, and from every animal that crawls on the ground according to its kind—will come to you so that you can keep them alive.

Seven (Genesis 7:2). But despite this last instruction only two pairs went into the ark (Genesis 7:8-9)

Gen 7:2-3 (HCSB)
2 You are to take with you seven pairs, a male and its female, of all the clean animals, and two of the animals that are not clean, a male and its female, 3 and seven pairs, male and female, of the birds of the sky—in order to keep offspring alive on the face of the whole earth.

Gen 7:8-9 (HCSB)
8 From the clean animals, unclean animals, birds, and every creature that crawls on the ground, 9 two of each, male and female, entered the ark with Noah, just as God had commanded him.

Chad’s comments:

First, it is perfectly clear that Genesis 6:19-20 in no way says that God told Noah to get 2 pairs of clean animals into the ark. If any doubt lingers in anyone’s mind about this, here it is again:

’19 You are also to bring into the ark two of every living thing of all flesh, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of everything—from the birds according to their kinds, from the livestock according to their kinds, and from every animal that crawls on the ground according to its kind—will come to you so that you can keep them alive.’

It doesn’t take any kind of conjecture on anyone’s part to see that there is nothing about clean animals in Genesis 6:19-20. In Genesis 7:2-3, since God told Noah to take seven pairs, a male and its female, of all the clean animals, we can infer that God was also meaning that Noah was to take 7 pairs, male and female of the **clean** birds of the sky. There is no contradiction. The simple answer to Ally’s question is that God told Noah to take in 7 pairs of clean animals and 2 of all animals (other than fish, etc). As to Ally’s statement, ‘But despite this last instruction only two pairs went into the ark’, this is exactly what God said would happen in the forementioned scripture: ‘ Two of everything—from the birds according to their kinds, from the livestock according to their kinds, and from every animal that crawls on the ground according to its kind—will come to you so that you can keep them alive’. Now, just because God doesn’t mention the 7 pairs of clean animals also coming to the Ark does not mean that that did not happen. It would be perfectly logical to assume that 7 pairs of clean animals came as well when the 2 of each unclean animals came to the Ark even though God does not specifically say this happens.

11. When David defeated the King of Zobah, how many horsemen did he capture?

One thousand and seven hundred (2 Samuel 8:4)

2 Sam 8:3-4 (HCSB)
3 David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who went to restore his control at the Euphrates River. 4 David captured 1,700 horsemen [LXX, DSS read 1,000 chariots and 7,000 horsemen] and 20,000 foot soldiers from him, and he hamstrung all the horses, and he kept 100 chariots.

Seven thousand (I Chronicles 18:4)

1 Chron 18:3-4 (HCSB)
3 David also defeated King Hadadezer of Zobah at Hamath when he went to establish his control at the Euphrates River. 4 David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers from him and hamstrung all the horses, and he kept 100 chariots.

Chad’s comments:

There is no discrepancy in the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

12. How many stalls for horses did Solomon have?

Forty thousand (I Kings 4:26)

1 Kings 4:26 (HCSB)
26 Solomon had 40,000 [Some LXX mss read 4,000] stalls of horses for his chariots, and 12,000 horsemen.

Four thousand (2 chronicles 9:25)

2 Chron 9:25 (HCSB)
25 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horsemen.

Chad’s comments:

There is no discrepancy in the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

13. In what year of King Asa’s reign did Baasha, King of Israel die?

Twenty-sixth year (1 Kings 15:33-16:8)

1 Kings 15:33-34 (HCSB)
33 In the third year of Judah’s King Asa, Baasha son of Ahijah became king over all Israel at Tirzah; [he reigned] 24 years. 34 He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of Jeroboam and the sin he had caused Israel to commit.

1 Kings 16:1-8 (HCSB)
1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha: 2 “Because I raised you up from the dust and made you ruler over My people Israel, but you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have caused My people Israel to sin, provoking Me with their sins, 3 take note: I will sweep away Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat: 4 Anyone who belongs to Baasha and dies in the city, the dogs will eat, and anyone who is his and dies in the field, the birds of the sky will eat. 5 The rest of the events of Baasha’s [reign] , along with all his accomplishments and might, are written about in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings. 6 Baasha rested with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah. His son Elah became king in his place. 7 Through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani the word of the Lord also came against Baasha and against his house because of all the evil he had done in the Lord’s sight, provoking Him with the work of his hands and being like the house of Jeroboam, and because Baasha had struck down the house of Jeroboam. Israel’s King Elah 8 In the twenty-sixth year of Judah’s King Asa, Elah son of Baasha became king over Israel in Tirzah; [he reigned] two years.

Still alive in the thirty-sixth year (2 Chronicles 16:1)

2 Chron 16:1 (HCSB)
1 In the thirty–sixth year of Asa, Israel’s King Baasha went to war against Judah.

Chad’s comments:

Both accounts state that Asa reigned 41 years.

1 Kings 15:9-10 (HCSB)
9 In the twentieth year of Israel’s King Jeroboam, Asa became king of Judah; 10 he reigned 41 years in Jerusalem.

2 Chron 16:11-14 (HCSB)
11 Note that the events of Asa’s [reign] , from beginning to end, are written about in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a disease in his feet, and his disease became increasingly severe. Yet even in his disease he didn’t seek the Lord but the physicians. 13 Asa died in the forty-first year of his reign and rested with his fathers.

But what about the question Ally presents? If after Baasha rested with is fathers, his son became king and his son became king in the 26th year of Asa’s reign which implies that Baasha also died in the 26th year of Asa’s reign, how is it that we find King Baasha still alive during the 36th year of Asa’s reign in the 2 Chronicles account?

14. How many overseers did Solomon appoint for the work of building the temple?

Three thousand six hundred (2 Chronicles 2:2)

2 Chron 2:1-2 (HCSB)
1 Solomon decided to build a temple for the name of the Lord and a royal palace for himself, 2 so he assigned 70,000 men as porters, 80,000 men as stonecutters in the mountains, and 3,600 as supervisors over them.

Three thousand three hundred (I Kings 5:16)

1 Kings 5:15-16 (HCSB)
15 Solomon had 70,000 porters and 80,000 stonecutters in the mountains, 16 not including his 3,300 [Some LXX mss read 3,600] deputies in charge of the work.

Chad’s comments:

There is no discrepancy in the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

15. Solomon built a facility containing how many baths?

Two thousand (1 Kings 7:26)

1 Kings 7:26 (HCSB)
26 The reservoir was three inches thick, and its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup or of a lily blossom. It held 11,000 gallons. [Lit 2,000 baths]

Over three thousand (2 Chronicles 4:5)

2 Chron 4:4-5 (HCSB)
5 The reservoir was three inches thick, and its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup or a lily blossom. It could hold 11,000 gallons. [Emended to 2,000 baths; MT reads 3,000 baths]

Chad’s comments:

There is no discrepancy in the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

For questions 16-23, we will first read Ezra 1 and 2 and Nehemiah 7:

Ezra 1:1-11 (HCSB)
1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia [Cyrus reigned 538–530], the word of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The Lord put it into the mind of King Cyrus to issue a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom and [to put it] in writing: 2 This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build Him a house at Jerusalem in Judah. 3 Whoever is among His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 Let every survivor, wherever he lives, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem.” 5 So the family leaders of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites—everyone God had motivated —prepared to go up and rebuild the Lord’s house in Jerusalem. 6 All their neighbors supported them with silver articles, gold, goods, livestock, and valuables, in addition to all that was given as a freewill offering. 7 King Cyrus also brought out the articles of the Lord’s house that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and had placed in the house of his gods. 8 King Cyrus of Persia had them brought out under the supervision of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9 This was the inventory: 30 gold basins, 1,000 silver basins, 29 silver knives, 10 30 gold bowls, 410 various silver bowls, and 1,000 other articles. 11 The gold and silver articles totaled 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought all of them when the exiles went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Ezra 2:1-70 (HCSB)
1 These now are the people of the province who came from those captive exiles King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had deported to Babylon. Each of them returned to his hometown Jerusalem and Judah. 2 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.

The number of the Israelite men [included] :
3 Parosh’s descendants 2,172
4 Shephatiah’s descendants 372
5 Arah’s descendants 775
6 Pahath-moab’s descendants:
Jeshua’s and Joab’s descendants 2,812
7 Elam’s descendants 1,254
8 Zattu’s descendants 945
9 Zaccai’s descendants 760
10 Bani’s descendants 642
11 Bebai’s descendants 623
12 Azgad’s descendants 1,222
13 Adonikam’s descendants 666
14 Bigvai’s descendants 2,056
15 Adin’s descendants 454
16 Ater’s descendants:
Hezekiah’s 98
17 Bezai’s descendants 323
18 Jorah’s descendants 112
19 Hashum’s descendants 223
20 Gibbar’s descendants 95
21 Bethlehem’s people 123
22 Netophah’s men 56
23 Anathoth’s men 128
24 Azmaveth’s people 42
25 Kiriatharim’s, Chephirah’s, and Beeroth’s people 743
26 Ramah’s and Geba’s people 621
27 Michmas’s men 122
28 Bethel’s and Ai’s men 223
29 Nebo’s people 52
30 Magbish’s people 156
31 the other Elam’s people 1,254
32 Harim’s people 320
33 Lod’s, Hadid’s, and Ono’s people 725
34 Jericho’s people 345
35 Senaah’s people 3,630

36 The priests [included] :
Jedaiah’s descendants of the house of Jeshua 973
37 Immer’s descendants 1,052
38 Pashhur’s descendants 1,247
39 and Harim’s descendants 1,017

40 The Levites [included] :
Jeshua’s and Kadmiel’s descendants from Hodaviah’s descendants 74

41 The singers [included] :
Asaph’s descendants 128

42 The gatekeepers’ descendants [included] :
Shallum’s descendants, Ater’s descendants, Talmon’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants, Hatita’s descendants, Shobai’s descendants, in all 139

43 The temple servants [included] :
Ziha’s descendants, Hasupha’s descendants, Tabbaoth’s descendants, 44 Keros’s descendants, Siaha’s descendants, Padon’s descendants, 45 Lebanah’s descendants, Hagabah’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants, 46 Hagab’s descendants, Shalmai’s descendants, Hanan’s descendants, 47 Giddel’s descendants, Gahar’s descendants, Reaiah’s descendants, 48 Rezin’s descendants, Nekoda’s descendants, Gazzam’s descendants, 49 Uzza’s descendants, Paseah’s descendants, Besai’s descendants, 50 Asnah’s descendants, Meunim’s descendants, Nephusim’s descendants, 51 Bakbuk’s descendants, Hakupha’s descendants, Harhur’s descendants, 52 Bazluth’s descendants, Mehida’s descendants, Harsha’s descendants, 53 Barkos’s descendants, Sisera’s descendants, Temah’s descendants, 54 Neziah’s descendants, and Hatipha’s descendants.

55 The descendants of Solomon’s servants [included] :
Sotai’s descendants, Hassophereth’s descendants, Peruda’s descendants, 56 Jaalah’s descendants, Darkon’s descendants, Giddel’s descendants, 57 Shephatiah’s descendants, Hattil’s descendants, Pochereth–hazzebaim’s descendants, and Ami’s descendants.

58 All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants 392

59 The following are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer but were unable to prove that their families and ancestry were Israelite:
60 Delaiah’s descendants, Tobiah’s descendants, Nekoda’s descendants 652 61 and from the descendants of the priests:the descendants of Habaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, the descendants of Barzillai— who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name. 62 These searched for their entries in the genealogical records, but they could not be found, so they were disqualified from the priesthood. 63 The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.

64 The whole combined assembly numbered 42,360 65 not including their 7,337 male and female slaves, and their 200 male and female singers. 66 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

68 After they arrived at the Lord’s house in Jerusalem, some of the family leaders gave freewill offerings for the house of God in order to have it rebuilt on its [original] site. 69 Based on what they could give, they gave 61,000 gold coins, 6,250 pounds of silver, and 100 priestly garments to the treasury for the project. 70 The priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, and some of the people settled in their towns, and [the rest of] Israel [settled] in their towns.

Date: The twentieth year of King Artaxerxes of Persia, November–December 446 (or 445) (93 years later?)

Neh 7:1-73 (HCSB)
1 When the wall had been rebuilt and I had the doors installed, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed. 2 Then I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah, commander of the fortress, because he was a faithful man who feared God more than most. 3 I said to them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot, and let the doors be shut and securely fastened while the guards are on duty. Station the citizens of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some at their homes.” 4 The city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and no houses had been built yet. 5 Then my God put it into my mind to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be registered by genealogy. I found the genealogical record of those who came back first, and I found [the following] written in it:

Chad’s comments:

In the Ezra account, it says, ‘These now are the people of the province who came from those captive exiles King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had deported to Babylon’ while in the Nehemiah account, it says, ‘I found the genealogical record of those who came back first, and I found [the following] written in it:’. So Ezra seems to claim the actual numbers of people who came back from Babylon while Nehemiah seems to claim the numbers of people who came back from Babylon **that were written in the genealogical record**. So apparently, what the actual numbers were and what was recorded in the genealogical records 93 years later were different. So based ont this, there seems to be at least two plausible explanations:

1. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records changed as time progressed and the total numbers came in.
2. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records were inaccurate.

In either case, the Bible is not the ‘contradictor’, the genealogical record is.

6 These are the people of the province who went up from among the captive exiles deported by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Each of them returned to his own town in Jerusalem and Judah. 7 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.

The number of the Israelite men [included] :
8 Parosh’s descendants 2,172
9 Shephatiah’s descendants 372
10 Arah’s descendants 652
11 Pahath-moab’s descendants:
Jeshua’s and Joab’s descendants 2,818
12 Elam’s descendants 1,254
13 Zattu’s descendants 845
14 Zaccai’s descendants 760
15 Binnui’s descendants 648
16 Bebai’s descendants 628
17 Azgad’s descendants 2,322
18 Adonikam’s descendants 667
19 Bigvai’s descendants 2,067
20 Adin’s descendants 655
21 Ater’s descendants: of Hezekiah 98
22 Hashum’s descendants 328
23 Bezai’s descendants 324
24 Hariph’s descendants 112
25 Gibeon’s descendants 95
26 Bethlehem’s and Netophah’s men 188
27 Anathoth’s men 128
28 Beth-azmaveth’s men 42
29 Kiriath-jearim’s, Chephirah’s, and Beeroth’s men 743
30 Ramah’s and Geba’s men 621
31 Michmas’s men 122
32 Bethel’s and Ai’s men 123
33 the other Nebo’s men 52
34 the other Elam’s people 1,254
35 Harim’s people 320
36 Jericho’s people 345
37 Lod’s, Hadid’s, and Ono’s people 721
38 Senaah’s people 3,930

39 The priests [included] :
Jedaiah’s descendants of the house of Jeshua 973
40 Immer’s descendants 1,052
41 Pashhur’s descendants 1,247
42 Harim’s descendants 1,017

43 The Levites [included] :
Jeshua’s descendants: of Kadmiel Hodevah’s descendants 74

44 The singers [included] :
Asaph’s descendants 148

45 The gatekeepers [included] :
Shallum’s descendants, Ater’s descendants, Talmon’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants, Hatita’s descendants, Shobai’s descendants 138

46 The temple servants [included] :
Ziha’s descendants, Hasupha’s descendants, Tabbaoth’s descendants, 47 Keros’s descendants, Sia’s descendants, Padon’s descendants, 48 Lebana’s descendants, Hagaba’s descendants, Shalmai’s descendants, 49 Hanan’s descendants, Giddel’s descendants, Gahar’s descendants, 50 Reaiah’s descendants, Rezin’s descendants, Nekoda’s descendants, 51 Gazzam’s descendants, Uzza’s descendants, Paseah’s descendants, 52 Besai’s descendants, Meunim’s descendants, Nephishesim’s descendants 53 Bakbuk’s descendants, Hakupha’s descendants, Harhur’s descendants, 54 Bazlith’s descendants, Mehida’s descendants, Harsha’s descendants, 55 Barkos’s descendants, Sisera’s descendants, Temah’s descendants, 56 Neziah’s descendants, Hatipha’s descendants.

57 The descendants of Solomon’s servants [included] :
Sotai’s descendants, Sophereth’s descendants, Perida’s descendants, 58 Jaala’s descendants, Darkon’s descendants, Giddel’s descendants, 59 Shephatiah’s descendants, Hattil’s descendants, Pochereth–hazzebaim’s descendants, Amon’s descendants.

60 All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants 392

61 The following are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but were unable to prove that their families and ancestry were Israelite:
62 Delaiah’s descendants, Tobiah’s descendants, and Nekoda’s descendants 642 63 and from the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai—who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name. 64 These searched for their entries in the genealogical records, but they could not be found, so they were disqualified from the priesthood. 65 The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.

66 The whole combined assembly numbered 42,360 67 not including their 7,337 male and female slaves, as well as their 245 male and female singers. 68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 70 Some of the family leaders gave to the project. The governor gave 1,000 gold drachmas, 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments to the treasury. 71 Some of the family leaders gave 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,200 silver minas to the treasury for the project. 72 The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold drachmas, 2,000 silver minas, and 67 priestly garments. 73 So the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple singers, some of the people, temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns.

16. Of the Israelites who were freed from the Babylonian captivity, how many were the children of Pahrath-Moab?

Two thousand eight hundred and twelve (Ezra 2:6)

Ezra 2:6 (HCSB)
Jeshua’s and Joab’s descendants 2,812

Two thousand eight hundred and eighteen (Nehemiah 7:11)

Neh 7:11 (HCSB)
Jeshua’s and Joab’s descendants 2,818

Chad’s comments:

1. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records changed as time progressed and the total numbers came in.
2. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records were inaccurate.

In either case, the Bible is not the ‘contradictor’, the genealogical record is.

17. How many were the children of Zattu?

Nine hundred and forty-five (Ezra 2:8)

Ezra 2:8 (HCSB)
8 Zattu’s descendants 945

Eight hundred and forty-five (Nehemiah 7:13)

Neh 7:13 (HCSB)
13 Zattu’s descendants 845

Chad’s comments:

1. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records changed as time progressed and the total numbers came in.
2. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records were inaccurate.

In either case, the Bible is not the ‘contradictor’, the genealogical record is.

18. How many were the children of Azgad?

One thousand two hundred and twenty-two (Ezra 2:12)

Ezra 2:12 (HCSB)
12 Azgad’s descendants 1,222

Two thousand three hundred and twenty-two (Nehemiah 7:17)

Neh 7:17 (HCSB)
17 Azgad’s descendants 2,322

Chad’s comments:

1. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records changed as time progressed and the total numbers came in.
2. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records were inaccurate.

In either case, the Bible is not the ‘contradictor’, the genealogical record is.

19. How many were the children of Adin?

Four hundred and fifty-four (Ezra 2:15)

Ezra 2:15 (HCSB)
15 Adin’s descendants 454

Six hundred and fifty-five (Nehemiah 7:20)

Neh 7:20 (HCSB)
20 Adin’s descendants 655

Chad’s comments:

1. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records changed as time progressed and the total numbers came in.
2. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records were inaccurate.

In either case, the Bible is not the ‘contradictor’, the genealogical record is.

Chad’s comments:

1. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records changed as time progressed and the total numbers came in.
2. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records were inaccurate.

In either case, the Bible is not the ‘contradictor’, the genealogical record is.

20. How many were the children of Hashum?

Two hundred and twenty-three (Ezra 2:19)

Ezra 2:19 (HCSB)
19 Hashum’s descendants 223

Three hundred and twenty-eight (Nehemiah 7:22)

Neh 7:22 (HCSB)
22 Hashum’s descendants 328

Chad’s comments:

1. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records changed as time progressed and the total numbers came in.
2. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records were inaccurate.

In either case, the Bible is not the ‘contradictor’, the genealogical record is.

21. How many were the children of Bethel and Ai?

Two hundred and twenty-three (Ezra 2:28)

Ezra 2:28 (HCSB)
28 Bethel’s and Ai’s men 223

One hundred and twenty-three (Nehemiah 7:32)

Neh 7:32 (HCSB)
32 Bethel’s and Ai’s men 123

Chad’s comments:

1. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records changed as time progressed and the total numbers came in.
2. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records were inaccurate.

In either case, the Bible is not the ‘contradictor’, the genealogical record is.

22. Ezra 2:64 and Nehemiah 7:66 agree that the total number of the whole assembly was 42,360. Yet the numbers do not add up to anything close. The totals obtained from each book is as follows:

29,818 (Ezra)

Ezra 2:64-67 (HCSB)
64 The whole combined assembly numbered 42,360 65 not including their 7,337 male and female slaves, and their 200 male and female singers. 66 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

31,089 (Nehemiah)

Neh 7:66-69 (HCSB)
66 The whole combined assembly numbered 42,360 67 not including their 7,337 male and female slaves, as well as their 245 male and female singers. 68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

Chad’s comments:

1. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records changed as time progressed and the total numbers came in.
2. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records were inaccurate.

In either case, the Bible is not the ‘contradictor’, the genealogical record is.

23. How many singers accompanied the assembly?

Two hundred (Ezra 2:65)

Two hundred and forty-five (Nehemiah 7:67)

Chad’s comments:

1. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records changed as time progressed and the total numbers came in.
2. The numbers recorded in these genealogical records were inaccurate.

In either case, the Bible is not the ‘contradictor’, the genealogical record is.

24. What was the name of King Abijahs mother?

Michaiah, daughter of Uriel of Gibeah (2 Chronicles 13:2)

2 Chron 13:1-2 (HCSB)
1 In the eighteenth year of [Israel’s] King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah; 2 he reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel; [she was] from Gibeah.

Maachah, daughter of Absalom (2 Chronicles 11:20) But Absalom had only one daughter whose name was Tamar (2 Samuel 14:27)

2 Chron 11:18-20 (HCSB)
18 Rehoboam married Mahalath, daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab. 19 She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. 20 After her, he married Maacah daughter of Absalom. She bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

2 Sam 14:27-28 (HCSB)
27 Three sons were born to Absalom, and a daughter named Tamar, who was a beautiful woman. 28 Absalom resided in Jerusalem two years but never saw the king.

Chad’s comments:

Abijah’s mother’s name was Micaiah (Maacah in Arabic) and she was the daughter of Uriel and Absalom. As far as Ally’s statement, ‘But Absalom had only one daughter whose name was Tamar’ that he derived from 2 Samuel, I am not convinced that 2 Samuel 14:27-28 means that those were the only children Absalom ever had, i.e., that those were Absalom’s children and only children.

25. Did Joshua and the Israelites capture Jerusalem?

Yes (Joshua 10:23, 40)

Josh 10:1-43 (HCSB)
1 Now Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai and completely destroyed it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were [living] among them. 2 So Adoni-zedek and his people were greatly alarmed because Gibeon was a large city like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were warriors. 3 Therefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent [word] to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 “Come up and help me. We will attack Gibeon, because they have made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.” 5 So the five Amorite kings—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon—joined forces, advanced with all their armies, besieged Gibeon, and fought against it. 6 Then the men of Gibeon sent [word] to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Don’t abandon your servants. Come quickly and save us! Help us, for all the Amorite kings living in the hill country have joined forces against us.” 7 So Joshua and his whole military force, including all the fighting men, came from Gilgal. 8 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for I have handed them over to you. Not one of them will be able to stand against you.” 9 So Joshua caught them by surprise, after marching all night from Gilgal. 10 The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel. He defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them through the ascent of Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled before Israel, the Lord threw large hailstones on them from the sky along the descent of Beth-horon all the way to Azekah, and they died. More of them died from the hail than the Israelites killed with the sword. 12 On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and moon, over the valley of Aijalon.” 13 And the sun stood still and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on its enemies. Isn’t this written in the Book of Jashar? So the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed its setting almost a full day. 14 There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man, because the Lord fought for Israel. 15 Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal. 16 Now the five [defeated] kings had fled and hidden themselves in the cave at Makkedah. 17 It was reported to Joshua: “The five kings have been found; they are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.” 18 Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and station men by it to guard the kings. 19 But as for the rest of you, don’t stay there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Don’t let them enter their cities, for the Lord your God has handed them over to you.” 20 So Joshua and the Israelites finished inflicting a terrible slaughter on them until they were destroyed, although a few survivors ran away to the fortified cities. 21 The people returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. No one could say a thing against the Israelites. 22 Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings to me out of there.” 23 That is what they did. They brought the five kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon to Joshua out of the cave. 24 When they had brought the kings to him, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the military commanders who had accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks. 25 Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Be strong and courageous, for the Lord will do this to all the enemies you fight.” 26 After this, Joshua struck them down and executed them. He hung their bodies on five trees and they were there until evening. 27 At sunset Joshua commanded that they be taken down from the trees and thrown into the cave where they had hidden. Then large stones were placed against the mouth of the cave, and the stones are there to this day. 28 On that day Joshua captured Makkedah and struck it down with the sword, including its king. He completely destroyed it and everyone in it, leaving no survivors. So he treated the king of Makkedah as he had the king of Jericho. 29 Joshua and all Israel with him crossed from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah. 30 The Lord also handed it and its king over to Israel. He struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword, and left no survivors in it. He treated Libnah’s king as he had the king of Jericho. 31 From Libnah, Joshua and all Israel with him crossed to Lachish. They laid siege to it and attacked it. 32 The Lord handed Lachish over to Israel, and Joshua captured it on the second day. He struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah. 33 At that time Horam king of Gezer went to help Lachish, but Joshua struck him down along with his people, leaving no survivors in it. 34 Then Joshua crossed from Lachish to Eglon and all Israel with him. They laid siege to it and attacked it. 35 On that day they captured it and struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword. He completely destroyed it that day, just as he had done to Lachish. 36 Next, Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and attacked it. 37 They captured it and struck down its king, all its villages, and everyone in it with the sword. Just as he had done at Eglon, he left no survivors. He completely destroyed Hebron and everyone in it. 38 Finally, Joshua turned toward Debir and attacked it. And all Israel was with him. 39 He captured it—its king and all its villages. They struck them down with the sword and completely destroyed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. He treated Debir and its king as he had treated Hebron and as he had treated Libnah and its king. 40 So Joshua conquered the whole region—the hill country, the Negev, the Judean foothills, and the slopes—with all their kings, leaving no survivors. He completely destroyed every living being, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. 41 Joshua conquered everyone from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza, and all the land of Goshen as far as Gibeon. 42 Joshua captured all these kings and their land in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel. 43 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

No (Joshua 15:63)

Josh 15:63 (HCSB)
63 But the descendants of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem. So the Jebusites live in Jerusalem among the descendants of Judah to this day.

Chad’s comments:

In Joshua 10:20, it says, “So Joshua and the Israelites finished inflicting a terrible slaughter on them until they were destroyed, ***although a few survivors ran away to the fortified cities***.” I think that the Jebusites referred to in Joshua 15:63 were those survivors who ran away to the fortified cities back in Joshua 10:20.

26. Who was the father of Joseph, husband of Mary?

Jacob (Matthew 1:16)

Matt 1:16 (HCSB)
16 and Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary, who gave birth to Jesus who is called the Messiah.

Heli (Luke 3:23)

Luke 3:23 (HCSB)
23 As He began , Jesus was about 30 years old and was thought to be the son of Joseph, of Heli, [The relationship in some cases may be more distant than a son.]

Chad’s comments:

According to Matthew Elton, ‘Matthew gives the genealogy of Joseph and Luke gives that of Mary, making Jacob the father of Joseph and Heli the father of Mary. In Mary’s genealogy, Mary is referred through her husband Joseph, because it was Hebrew tradition to list only males in genealogical records.’

27. Jesus descended from which son of David?

Solomon (Matthew 1:6)

Matt 1:5-7 (HCSB)
Obed fathered Jesse, 6 and Jesse fathered King David. Then David fathered Solomon by Uriah’s wife, 7 Solomon fathered Rehoboam,

Nathan (Luke 3:31)

Luke 3:31-32 (HCSB)
of Menna, of Mattatha, of Nathan, of David, 32 of Jesse, of Obed,

Chad’s comments:

According to Matthew Elton, ‘Jesus was a descendant of both Solomon and Nathan, because Joseph descended from David through Solomon, and Mary descended from David through Nathan.’

28. Who was the father of Shealtiel?

Jechoniah (Matthew 1:12)

Matt 1:12 (HCSB)
12 Then after the exile to Babylon
Jechoniah fathered Salathiel,
Salathiel fathered Zerubbabel,

Neri (Luke 3:27)

Luke 3:27 (HCSB)
27 [son] of Joanan, [son] of Rhesa, [son] of Zerubbabel, [son] of Shealtiel, [son] of Neri, 28 [son] of Melchi, [son] of Addi,

Chad’s comments:

According to Matthew Elton, ‘Matthew gives the genealogy of Joseph and Luke gives that of Mary. In Mary’s genealogy, Mary is referred through her husband Joseph, because it was Hebrew tradition to list only males in genealogical records. Both Mary and Joseph had an ancestor named Shealtiel. However, these are two different people named Shealtiel, a common Hebrew name. Because these are two different people, they had different fathers. One had a father named Neri. The other had a father named Jechoniah.’

29. Which son of Zerubbabel was an ancestor of Jesus Christ?

Abiud (Matthew 1: 13)

Matt 1:12-13 (HCSB)
Jechoniah fathered Salathiel,
Salathiel fathered Zerubbabel,
13 Zerubbabel fathered Abiud,
Abiud fathered Eliakim,
Eliakim fathered Azor,

Rhesa (Luke 3:27)

Luke 3:27 (HCSB)
[son] of Joanan,
[son] of Rhesa,
[son] of Zerubbabel,
[son] of Shealtiel,
[son] of Neri,

But the seven sons of Zerubbabel are as follows: i.Meshullam, ii. Hananiah, iii. Hashubah, iv. Ohel, v.Berechiah, vi. Hasadiah, viii. Jushabhesed (I Chronicles 3:19, 20). The names Abiud and Rhesa do not fit in anyway.

1 Chron 3:19-20 (HCSB)
19 Pedaiah’s sons: Zerubbabel and Shimei.
Zerubbabel’s sons: Meshullam and Hananiah, with their sister Shelomith; 20 and five others—Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab–hesed.

Chad’s comments:

According to Matthew Elton, ‘Matthew gives the genealogy of Joseph and Luke gives that of Mary. In Mary’s genealogy, Mary is referred through her husband Joseph, because it was Hebrew tradition to list only males in genealogical records. Both Mary and Joseph had an ancestor named Zerubbabel. These were two different people named Zerubbabel, so they had different sons. The son of Zerubbabel on Mary’s side was a direct ancestor of Jesus. The son of Zerubbabel was an ancestor of Jesus through Mary’s marriage to Joseph. As for 1 Chronicles 3:19-20, as far as I can tell, the Zerubbabel listed there is just a third Zerubbabel.’

30. Who was the father of Uzziah?

Joram (Matthew 1:8)

Matt 1:6-11 (HCSB)
Then David fathered Solomon by Uriah’s wife, 7 Solomon fathered Rehoboam, Rehoboam fathered Abijah, Abijah fathered Asa, 8 Asa fathered Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat fathered Joram, Joram fathered Uzziah, 9 Uzziah fathered Jotham, Jotham fathered Ahaz, Ahaz fathered Hezekiah, 10 Hezekiah fathered Manasseh, Manasseh fathered Amon, Amon fathered Josiah, 11 and Josiah fathered Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

Amaziah (2 Chronicles 26:1)

2 Chron 26:1 (HCSB)
1 All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was 16 years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.

Chad’s comments:

According to Matthew Elton, ‘The Hebrew word ben was translated to “son,” but it can also mean any descendant. Therefore, Amaziah was Uzziah’s father, and Joram (short for Jehoram) was a more distant ancestor of Uzziah.’

31. Who was the father of Jechoniah?

Josiah (Matthew 1:11)

Jeholakim (I Chronicles 3:16)

1 Chron 3:16 (HCSB)
16 Jehoiakim’s sons: his sons Jeconiah and Zedekiah.

Chad’s comments:

According to Matthew Elton, ‘The Hebrew word ben was translated to “son,” but it can also mean “grandson,” or any descendant. Therefore, Jehoiakim was Jeconiah’s father and Josiah his grandfather.’

32. How many generations were there from the Babylonian exile until Christ?

Matthew says fourteen (Matthew 1:17)

Matt 1:17 (HCSB)
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were 14 generations; and from David until the exile to Babylon, 14 generations; and from the exile to Babylon until the Messiah, 14 generations.

But a careful count of the generations reveals only thirteen (see Matthew 1: 12-16)

Matt 1:1-17 (HCSB)
1 The historical record of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:

Chad’s comments:

The fact that Jesus Christ is called the Son of David and the Son of Abraham lends support to the explanations for the two previous questions. Jesus was not a direct son of David or of Abraham, yet he is called both the Son of David and the Son of Abraham.

2 Abraham (1) fathered Isaac (2),
Isaac fathered Jacob, (3)
Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers, (4)
3 Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar, (5)
Perez fathered Hezron, (6)
Hezron fathered Aram, (7)
4 Aram fathered Aminadab, (8)
Aminadab fathered Nahshon, (9)
Nahshon fathered Salmon, (10)
5 Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab, (11)
Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth, (12)
Obed fathered Jesse, (13)
6 and Jesse fathered King David. (14)

Then David (counted in the above section) fathered Solomon (1) by Uriah’s wife,
7 Solomon fathered Rehoboam (2),
Rehoboam fathered Abijah (3),
Abijah fathered Asa (4),
8 Asa fathered Jehoshaphat (5),
Jehoshaphat fathered Joram (6),
Joram fathered Uzziah (7),
9 Uzziah fathered Jotham (8),
Jotham fathered Ahaz (9),
Ahaz fathered Hezekiah (10),
10 Hezekiah fathered Manasseh (11),
Manasseh fathered Amon (12),
Amon fathered Josiah (13),
11 and Josiah fathered Jechoniah (14) and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

12 Then after the exile to Babylon Jechoniah (1) fathered Salathiel (2),
Salathiel fathered Zerubbabel (3),
13 Zerubbabel fathered Abiud (4),
Abiud fathered Eliakim (5),
Eliakim fathered Azor (6),
14 Azor fathered Zadok (7),
Zadok fathered Achim (8),
Achim fathered Eliud (9),
15 Eliud fathered Eleazar (10),
Eleazar fathered Matthan (11),
Matthan fathered Jacob (12),
16 and Jacob fathered Joseph (13) the husband of Mary,
who gave birth to Jesus (14) who is called the Messiah.

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were 14 generations; and from David until the exile to Babylon, 14 generations; and from the exile to Babylon until the Messiah, 14 generations.

Chad’s comments:

If one includes Jechoniah, there are 14 generations from the exile to Babylon until the Messiah. Perhaps Jechoniah can be counted as a generation in both the time from David until the exile to Babylon and in the time from the exile to Babylon until the Messiah because verse 11 says, ‘and Josiah fathered Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.’ and verse 12 says, ‘
Then after the exile to Babylon Jechoniah fathered Salathiel,’ making it sound like Jechoniah was a generation at the time of the exile and after the time of the exile.

*33. Who was the father of Shelah?

Cainan (Luke 3:35-36)

Luke 3:23-38 (HCSB)
23 As He began [His ministry] , Jesus was about 30 years old and was thought to be the son of Joseph, [son] of Heli, 24 [son] of Matthat, [son] of Levi, [son] of Melchi, [son] of Jannai, [son] of Joseph, 25 [son] of Mattathias, [son] of Amos, [son] of Nahum, [son] of Esli, [son] of Naggai, 26 [son] of Maath, [son] of Mattathias, [son] of Semein, [son] of Josech, [son] of Joda, 27 [son] of Joanan, [son] of Rhesa, [son] of Zerubbabel, [son] of Shealtiel, [son] of Neri, 28 [son] of Melchi, [son] of Addi, [son] of Cosam, [son] of Elmadam, [son] of Er, 29 [son] of Joshua, [son] of Eliezer, [son] of Jorim, [son] of Matthat, [son] of Levi, 30 [son] of Simeon, [son] of Judah, [son] of Joseph, [son] of Jonam, [son] of Eliakim, 31 [son] of Melea, [son] of Menna, [son] of Mattatha, [son] of Nathan, [son] of David, 32 [son] of Jesse, [son] of Obed, [son] of Boaz, [son] of Salmon, [son] of Nahshon, 33 [son] of Amminadab, [son] of Ram, [son] of Hezron, [son] of Perez, [son] of Judah, 34 [son] of Jacob, [son] of Isaac, [son] of Abraham, [son] of Terah, [son] of Nahor, 35 [son] of Serug, [son] of Reu, [son] of Peleg, [son] of Eber, [son] of Shelah, 36 [son] of Cainan, [son] of Arphaxad, [son] of Shem, [son] of Noah, [son] of Lamech, 37 [son] of Methuselah, [son] of Enoch, [son] of Jared, [son] of Mahalaleel, [son] of Cainan, 38 [son] of Enos, [son] of Seth, [son] of Adam, [son] of God.

Arphaxad (Genesis 11: 12)

Gen 11:10-32 (HCSB)
10 These are the family records of Shem. Shem lived 100 years and fathered Arpachshad two years after the deluge. 11 After he fathered Arpachshad, Shem lived 500 years and fathered [other] sons and daughters. 12 Arpachshad lived 35 years and fathered Shelah. 13 After he fathered Shelah, Arpachshad lived 403 years and fathered [other] sons and daughters. 14 Shelah lived 30 years and fathered Eber. 15 After he fathered Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and fathered [other] sons and daughters. 16 Eber lived 34 years and fathered Peleg. 17 After he fathered Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and fathered [other] sons and daughters. 18 Peleg lived 30 years and fathered Reu. 19 After he fathered Reu, Peleg lived 209 years and fathered [other] sons and daughters. 20 Reu lived 32 years and fathered Serug. 21 After he fathered Serug, Reu lived 207 years and fathered [other] sons and daughters. 22 Serug lived 30 years and fathered Nahor. 23 After he fathered Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and fathered [other] sons and daughters. 24 Nahor lived 29 years and fathered Terah. 25 After he fathered Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and fathered [other] sons and daughters. 26 Terah lived 70 years and fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran. 27 These are the family records of Terah. Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran, and Haran fathered Lot. 28 Haran died in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans, during his father Terah’s lifetime. 29 Abram and Nahor took wives: Abram’s wife was named Sarai, and Nahor’s wife was named Milcah. She was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milcah and Iscah. 30 Sarai was barren; she had no child. 31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (Haran’s son), and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they set out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there. 32 Terah lived 205 years and died in Haran.

Chad’s comments:

According to Matthew Elton, ‘This is the result of a translation error. The ancient Hebrew manuscripts list Arphaxad as the father of Shelah in Genesis 11:12. However, when the Hebrew texts were translated to Greek to make the Septuagint, Arphaxad was mistranslated as Cainan. Luke copied this mistranslation into the genealogy he recorded, since he was writing in Greek and therefore would have studied the Septuagint. So Arphaxad was the father of Shelah.’

Something else that stands out to me is Luke 3:23:

23 As He began [His ministry] , Jesus was about 30 years old and was thought to be the son of Joseph, [son] of Heli…

One possibility (at least in my mind) is that the genecology that Luke lists in this passage of Scripture could possibly be only what the people at the time thought it to be and not necessarily the real genecology I know that the main reason that ‘and was thought to be’ was there was probably primarily to indicate that Jesus’s real father was God himself and no man, but still this phrase could also indicate that Luke was saying that this was the genecology that ‘was thought to be’ true at the time, and not necessarily that ‘real list’. In other words, the entire genealogy is still in the same sentence that starts with, ’23 As He began [His ministry] , Jesus was about 30 years old and was thought to be..’

34. Was John the Baptist Elijah who was to come?

Yes (Matthew 2: 14, 17:10-13)

Matt 17:1-13 (HCSB)
1 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 He was transformed in front of them, and His face shone like the sun. Even His clothes became as white as the light. 3 Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it’s good for us to be here! If You want, I will make three tabernacles here: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said: This is My beloved Son. I take delight in Him. Listen to Him! 6 When the disciples heard it, they fell facedown and were terrified. 7 Then Jesus came up, touched them, and said, “Get up; don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up they saw no one except Him —Jesus alone. 9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone about the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 10 So the disciples questioned Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11 “Elijah is coming and will restore everything,” He replied. 12 “But I tell you: Elijah has already come, and they didn’t recognize him. On the contrary, they did whatever they pleased to him. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them about John the Baptist.

No (John 1:19-21)

John 1:19-28 (HCSB)
19 This is John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He did not refuse to answer, but he declared: “I am not the Messiah.” 21 “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?” “I am not,” he said. “Are you the Prophet?” “No,” he answered. 22 “Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord —just as Isaiah the prophet said.” 24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 So they asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you aren’t the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?” 26 “I baptize with water,” John answered them. “Someone stands among you, but you don’t know [Him] . 27 He is the One coming after me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to untie.” 28 All this happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Chad’s comments:

Perhaps John didn’t know that he was fulfilling the Scripture that said that he was the Elijah who would come and restore all things. Or, if he did know he was the Elijah to come, maybe he said that he was not Elijah when the representatives of the Pharisees asked him if he was because he was John the Baptist coming in the spirit of Elijah, and not Elijah himself.

35. Would Jesus inherit Davids throne?

Yes. So said the angel (Luke 1:32)

Luke 1:1-38 (HCSB)
1 Many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as the original eyewitnesses and servants of the word handed them down to us. 3 It also seemed good to me, since I have carefully investigated everything from the very first, to write to you in orderly sequence, most honorable Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed.

5 In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah’s division named Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 Both were righteous in God’s sight, living without blame according to all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. 7 But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years. 8 When his division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 it happened that he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and overcome with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. 14 There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb.

Chad’s side note:

Was John saved from birth? I am pretty sure this is not an example of hyperbole.

16 He will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah,

Chad’s comments:

This supports the fact that John the Baptist did come in the spirit and power of Elijah, but was not himself Elijah (question 34).

to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people. 18 “How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.” 19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. 20 Now listen! You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.” 21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. 22 When he did come out, he could not speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to them and remained speechless. 23 When the days of his ministry were completed, he went back home. 24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. She said, 25 “The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgrace among the people.” 26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And [the angel] came to her and said, “Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30 Then the angel told her: Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will call His name JESUS. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end. 34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not been intimate with a man?” 35 The angel replied to her: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 “I am the Lord’s slave,” said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

No, since he is a descendant of Jehoiakim (see Matthew 1: 11, 1 Chronicles 3:16). And Jehoiakim was cursed by God so that none of his descendants can sit upon Davids throne (Jeremiah 36:30)

Matt 1:1-17 (HCSB)
1 The historical record of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:

2 Abraham fathered Isaac,
Isaac fathered Jacob,
Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers,
3 Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar,
Perez fathered Hezron,
Hezron fathered Aram,
4 Aram fathered Aminadab,
Aminadab fathered Nahshon,
Nahshon fathered Salmon,
5 Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab,
Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth,
Obed fathered Jesse,
6 and Jesse fathered King David.

Then David fathered Solomon by Uriah’s wife,

7 Solomon fathered Rehoboam,
Rehoboam fathered Abijah,
Abijah fathered Asa,
8 Asa fathered Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat fathered Joram,
Joram fathered Uzziah,
9 Uzziah fathered Jotham,
Jotham fathered Ahaz,
Ahaz fathered Hezekiah,
10 Hezekiah fathered Manasseh,
Manasseh fathered Amon,
Amon fathered Josiah,
11 and Josiah fathered Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

12 Then after the exile to Babylon

Jechoniah fathered Salathiel,
Salathiel fathered Zerubbabel,
13 Zerubbabel fathered Abiud,
Abiud fathered Eliakim,
Eliakim fathered Azor,
14 Azor fathered Zadok,
Zadok fathered Achim,
Achim fathered Eliud,
15 Eliud fathered Eleazar,
Eleazar fathered Matthan,
Matthan fathered Jacob,
16 and Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary,
who gave birth to Jesus who is called the Messiah.

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were 14 generations; and from David until the exile to Babylon, 14 generations; and from the exile to Babylon until the Messiah, 14 generations.

1 Chron 3:10-16 (HCSB)
10 Solomon’s son was Rehoboam;
his son was Abijah,
his son Asa,
his son Jehoshaphat,
11 his son Jehoram,
his son Ahaziah,
his son Joash,
12 his son Amaziah,
his son Azariah,
his son Jotham,
13 his son Ahaz,
his son Hezekiah,
his son Manasseh,
14 his son Amon,
and his son Josiah.

15 Josiah’s sons:
Johanan was the firstborn,
Jehoiakim second,
Zedekiah third,
and Shallum fourth.

16 Jehoiakim’s sons:
his sons Jeconiah and Zedekiah.

Jer 36:30-31 (HCSB)
30 Therefore, this is what the Lord says concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: He will have no one to sit on David’s throne, and his corpse will be thrown out [to be exposed] to the heat of day and the frost of night. 31 I will punish him, his descendants, and his officers for their wrongdoing. I will bring on them, on the residents of Jerusalem, and on the men of Judah all the disaster, which I warned them about but they did not listen.”

Chad’s comments:

According to Fruchtenbaum, “This answer follows on directly from that to #26. Having shown that Matthew’s genealogy is that of Joseph, it is obvious from Jeremiah 36:30 that none of Joseph’s physical descendants were qualified to sit on David’s throne as he himself was descended from Jeconiah. However, as Matthew makes clear, Jesus was not a physical descendant of Joseph. After having listed Joseph’s genealogy with the problem of his descendance from Jeconiah, Matthew narrates the story of the virgin birth. Thus he proves how Jesus avoids the Jeconiah problem and remains able to sit on David’s throne. Luke, on the other hand, shows that Jesus’ true physical descendance was from David apart from Jeconiah, thus fully qualifying him to inherit the throne of his father David. The announcement of the angel in Luke 1:32 completes the picture: ‘the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David’. This divine appointment, together with his physical descendance, make him the only rightful heir to David’s throne. (Fruchtenbaum 1993:12)”

36. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on how many animals?

One – a colt (Mark 11:7; cf Luke 19:3 5). And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments on it; and he sat upon it.

Mark 11:1-10 (HCSB)
1 When they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples 2 and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.’ ” 4 So they went and found a young donkey outside in the street, tied by a door. They untied it, 5 and some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the donkey?” 6 They answered them just as Jesus had said, so they let them go. 7 Then they brought the donkey to Jesus and threw their robes on it, and He sat on it. 8 Many people spread their robes on the road, and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields. 9 Then those who went ahead and those who followed kept shouting: • Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! • Hosanna in the highest heaven!

Luke 19:28-40 (HCSB)
28 When He had said these things, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As He approached Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, He sent two of the disciples 30 and said, “Go into the village ahead of you. As you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say this: ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” 32 So those who were sent left and found it just as He had told them. 33 As they were untying the young donkey, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the donkey?” 34 “The Lord needs it,” they said. 35 Then they brought it to Jesus, and after throwing their robes on the donkey, they helped Jesus get on it. 36 As He was going along, they were spreading their robes on the road. 37 Now He came near the path down the Mount of Olives, and the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen: 38 Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven! 39 Some of the Pharisees from the crowd told Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out!”

Two – a colt and an ass (Matthew 21:7). They brought the ass and the colt and put their garments on them and he sat thereon.

Matt 21:1-11 (HCSB)
1 When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples, 2 telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you should say that the Lord needs them, and immediately he will send them.” 4 This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: 5 Tell Daughter Zion, “See, your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.” 6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their robes on them, and He sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their robes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. 9 Then the crowds who went ahead of Him and those who followed kept shouting: • Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven! 10 When He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds kept saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee!”

Chad’s comments:

Mark and Luke both decided not to mention the colt with the donkey. Matthew did. No contradiction. There will always be many details that any writer will not capture and its up to the discrection of the writer as to what details to include and not include.

37. How did Simon Peter find out that Jesus was the Christ?

By a revelation from heaven (Matthew 16:17)

Matt 16:13-19 (HCSB)
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But you,” He asked them, “who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!” 17 And Jesus responded, “Simon son of Jonah, you are blessed because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the forces of Hades will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven.”

His brother Andrew told him (John 1:41)

John 1:40-42 (HCSB)
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed Him. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which means “Anointed One”), 42 and he brought [Simon] to Jesus. When Jesus saw him, He said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which means “Rock”).

Chad’s comments:

1. Both. Peter’s brother introduced the idea to him that Jesus was the Messiah but the Father somehow revealed that Jesus was the Messiah to Peter some time after that. If you think about it, Andrew could not have ‘revealed to Peter’ that Jesus was the Messiah, Andrew could simply tell Peter this information, whereas the Father could reveal that Jesus was the Messiah.

2. Another possible explanation (and there are an infinite number of possible explanations) is that in the Matthew 16 passage, Peter says, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!’ whereas in the John 14 passage, Andrew told Peter, ‘We have found the Messiah! (which means “Anointed One”)’. In other words, perhaps the Father revealed that Jesus was the Messiah ***and*** the Son of the Living God whereas Simon’s brother just told him that they had found the Messiah. I like the first possibility better but this second one should be considered as well.

38. Where did Jesus first meet Simon Peter and Andrew?

By the sea of Galilee (Matthew 4:18-22)

Matt 4:18-22 (HCSB)
18 As He was walking along the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, since they were fishermen. 19 “Follow Me,” He told them, “and I will make you fish for people!” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and He called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.

On the banks of river Jordan (John 1:42). After that, Jesus decided to go to Galilee (John 1:43)

John 1:40-43 (HCSB)
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed Him. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which means “Anointed One”), 42 and he brought [Simon] to Jesus. When Jesus saw him, He said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which means “Rock”).43 The next day He decided to leave for Galilee. Jesus found Philip and told him, “Follow Me!”

Chad’s comments:

Jesus first met Peter and Andrew on the banks of the river. This is an example of how preconceived assumptions can confuse the truth. Ally had assumed that Peter and Simon first met Jesus in Matthew 4:18-22 but the passage simply does not say this was the first time Peter and Andrew met Jesus. There are many possible explanations of what happened between the time Peter and Andrew first met Jesus and when Jesus called Peter and Andrew to follow Him so that He could make them fisher’s of men. It could have been that the first time they went to Jesus, they just spent the day with Him. It would make sense that Peter and Andrew would go back to work the next day since fishing was what they did for a living. The fact that the next day Jesus (‘The next day He decided to leave for Galilee’) further supports this possibility.

39. When Jesus met Jairus was Jairus daughter already dead?

Yes. Matthew 9:18 quotes him as saying, My daughter has just died.

Matt 9:18 (HCSB)
18 As He was telling them these things, suddenly one of the leaders came and knelt down before Him, saying, “My daughter is near death [Lit daughter has now come to the end], but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.”

No. Mark 5:23 quotes him as saying, My little daughter is at the point of death.

Mark 5:21-23 (HCSB)
21 When Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him while He was by the sea. 22 One of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at His feet 23 and kept begging Him, “My little daughter is at death’s door. Come and lay Your hands on her so she can get well and live.”

Chad’s comments:

There is not problem with this in the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

*40. Did Jesus allow his disciples to keep a staff on their journey?

Yes (Mark 6:8)

Mark 6:6-8 (HCSB)
Now He was going around the villages in a circuit, teaching. 7 He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs and gave them authority over unclean spirits. 8 He instructed them to take nothing for the road **except a walking stick**: no bread, no traveling bag, no money in their belts.

No (Matthew 10:9; Luke 9:3)

Matt 10:5-10 (HCSB)
5 Jesus sent out these 12 after giving them instructions: “Don’t take the road leading to other nations, and don’t enter any Samaritan town. 6 Instead, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, announce this: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, drive out demons. You have received free of charge; give free of charge. 9 Don’t take along gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts. 10 Don’t take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, **or a walking stick**, for the worker is worthy of his food.

Luke 9:1-6 (HCSB)
1 Summoning the Twelve, He gave them power and authority over all the demons, and [power] to heal diseases. 2 Then He sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 “Take nothing for the road,” He told them, “**no walking stick**, no traveling bag, no bread, no money; and don’t take an extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. 5 If they do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they went out and traveled from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing everywhere.

Chad’s comments:

When researching this one, I could not find an explanation to this question that made sense to me but after praying about it, I think I have at least one plausible explanation. In Mark 6:7, it says, ‘He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs.’ This sounds to me like Jesus was sending them off pair after pair. So isn’t it possible that at least one member of one of the pairs could not walk well without a walking stick? And so isn’t it perfectly possible that Jesus told the pair (or pairs) who could not walk well without a walking a stick ‘to take nothing for the road **except a walking stick**: no bread, no traveling bag, no money in their belts.’ and that this is the snapshot in time that Mark recorded. If you think about it, it is not at all far fetched to think that Jesus would have tailored the instructions to each pair based on their needs and abilities. I mean, we, as sinful humans, do that.

41. Did Herod think that Jesus was John the Baptist?

Yes (Matthew 14:2; Mark 6:16)

Matt 14:1-2 (HCSB)
1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus. 2 “This is John the Baptist!” he told his servants. “He has been raised from the dead, and that’s why supernatural powers are at work in him.”

Mark 6:6-16 (HCSB)
Now He was going around the villages in a circuit, teaching. 7 He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs and gave them authority over unclean spirits. 8 He instructed them to take nothing for the road except a walking stick: no bread, no traveling bag, no money in their belts. 9 They were to wear sandals, but not put on an extra shirt. 10 Then He said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place. 11 If any place does not welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and preached that people should repent. 13 And they were driving out many demons, anointing many sick people with oil, and healing. 14 King Herod heard of this, because Jesus’ name had become well known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that’s why supernatural powers are at work in him.” 15 But others said, “He’s Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet —like one of the prophets.” 16 When Herod heard of it, he said, “John, the one I beheaded, has been raised!”

No (Luke 9:9)

Luke 9:1-9 (HCSB)
1 Summoning the Twelve, He gave them power and authority over all the demons, and [power] to heal diseases. 2 Then He sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 “Take nothing for the road,” He told them, “no walking stick, no traveling bag, no bread, no money; and don’t take an extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. 5 If they do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they went out and traveled from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing everywhere. 7 Herod the tetrarch heard about everything that was going on. He was perplexed, because some said that John had been raised from the dead, 8 some that Elijah had appeared, and others that one of the ancient prophets had risen. 9 “I beheaded John,” Herod said, “but who is this I hear such things about?” And he wanted to see Him.

Chad’s comments:

No contradiction.. Luke says that Herod was perplexed because he had beheaded John. In other words, the only conclusion he could draw was that John had been raised from the dead. Why else would Herod have said, ‘I beheaded John but who is this I hear such things about?’ In other words, why even bring up the fact that Herod had beheaded John when talking about Jesus unless Herod thought Jesus was John. And that is exactly why Herod wanted to see Jesus! He wanted to see if Jesus was in fact John raised from the dead.

42. Did John the Baptist recognize Jesus before his baptism?

Yes (Matthew 3:13-14)

Matt 3:1-17 (HCSB)
1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!” 3 For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said: A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way for the Lord; make His paths straight!” 4 John himself had a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then [people from] Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the vicinity of the Jordan were flocking to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 7 When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to the place of his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. 9 And don’t presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! 10 Even now the ax is ready to strike the root of the trees! Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but the One who is coming after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to take off His sandals. He Himself will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing shovel is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor and gather His wheat into the barn. But the chaff He will burn up with fire that never goes out.” 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to stop Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and yet You come to me?” 15 Jesus answered him, “Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him [to be baptized] . 16 After Jesus was baptized, He went up immediately from the water. The heavens suddenly opened for Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on Him. 17 And there came a voice from heaven: This is My beloved Son. I take delight in Him!

No (John 1:32,33)

John 1:32-34 (HCSB)
32 And John testified, “I watched the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He rested on Him. 33 I didn’t know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The One you see the Spirit descending and resting on—He is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God!”

Chad’s comments:

In John 1:32-34, John didn’t say that he did not even recognize Jesus, he just said that he didn’t know Jesus. John had an idea that Jesus was the one to come, in fact, he was just about positive, but the Spirit descending on Jesus was a final confirmation for John.

43. Did John the Baptist recognize Jesus after his baptism?

Yes (John 1:32, 33)

No (Matthew 11:2)

Matt 11:1-3 (HCSB)
1 When Jesus had finished giving orders to His 12 disciples, He moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns. 2 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent [a message] by his disciples 3 and asked Him, “Are You the One who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

Chad’s comments:

No contradiction. John temporarily lost faith that Jesus was the one to come because of John’s dire circumstances.

44. According to the Gospel of John, what did Jesus say about bearing his own witness?

If I bear witness to myself, my testimony is not true (John 5:3 1)

John 5:31-47 (HCSB)
31 “If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not valid. 32 There is Another who testifies about Me, and I know that the testimony He gives about Me is valid. 33 You have sent [messengers] to John, and he has testified to the truth. 34 I don’t receive man’s testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 John was a burning and shining lamp, and for a time you were willing to enjoy his light. 36 “But I have a greater testimony than John’s because of the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish. These very works I am doing testify about Me that the Father has sent Me. 37 The Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. You have not heard His voice at any time, and you haven’t seen His form. 38 You don’t have His word living in you, because you don’t believe the One He sent. 39 You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, yet they testify about Me. 40 And you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. 41 “I do not accept glory from men, 42 but I know you—that you have no love for God within you. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, yet you don’t accept Me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe? While accepting glory from one another, you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God. 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me. 47 But if you don’t believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

Chad’s comments:

In this passage, Jesus seems to say that there were four witnesses that testified about him:

1. The Father (v. 32, 37)
2. John the Baptist (v. 33, 35-36)
3. The works the Father gave Him to accomplish (v. 36)
4. Moses (v. 45-47)

and in verse 31, he does say, ’31 “If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not valid.’.

Even if I do bear witness to myself, my testimony is true (John 8:14)

John 8:12-19 (HCSB)
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself. Your testimony is not valid.” 14 “Even if I testify about Myself,” Jesus replied, “My testimony is valid, because I know where I came from and where I’m going. But you don’t know where I come from or where I’m going. 15 You judge by human standards. I judge no one. 16 And if I do judge, My judgment is true, because I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent Me [judge together] . 17 Even in your law it is written that the witness of two men is valid. 18 I am the One who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” 19 Then they asked Him, “Where is Your Father?” “You know neither Me nor My Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew Me, you would also know My Father.”

Chad’s comments:

This question by Ally (no offense to him) reminds me of all the news about the politics going on in the U.S. right now. What happens is either McCain, Palin, Obama or Bidon will say something and then the other side will take what they said and say they are changing positions, or not being consistent, etc. The problem is that just about everything we say could contradict something else we have said if context is not taken into consideration. Now in the case with the politicians, it is likely that they are contradicting themselves but not to the extent that the other side tries to portray.

Also just about everything we say is true in one sense and not true in another sense.

It is true that in one passage Jesus says, ‘If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not valid’ and 3 chapters later says, ‘“Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid, because I know where I came from and where I’m going”. When Jesus says, ‘If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not valid’, he is talking about as it pertains to their law. The law said that one person’s testimony wasn’t good enough to make something valid. But when Jesus says, ‘Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid’, he is saying what he is saying is true, regardless of whether or not the law would allow his testimony to be valid. But then Jesus quickly turns around and shows how since the Father had also testified about him that even according to the law His testimony was valid.

45. When Jesus entered Jerusalem did he cleanse the temple that same day?

Yes (Matthew 21:12)

Matt 21:1-27 (HCSB)
1 When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples, 2 telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you should say that the Lord needs them, and immediately he will send them.” 4 This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: 5 Tell Daughter Zion, “See, your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.” 6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their robes on them, and He sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their robes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. 9 Then the crowds who went ahead of Him and those who followed kept shouting: • Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven! 10 When He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds kept saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee!” 12 Jesus went into the temple complex and drove out all those buying and selling in the temple. He overturned the money changers’ tables and the chairs of those selling doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, My house will be called a house of prayer. But you are making it a den of thieves!” 14 The blind and the lame came to Him in the temple complex, and He healed them. 15 When the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonders that He did and the children in the temple complex cheering, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant 16 and said to Him, “Do You hear what these [children] are saying?” “Yes,” Jesus told them. “Have you never read: You have prepared praise from the mouths of children and nursing infants?” 17 Then He left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there. 18 Early in the morning, as He was returning to the city, He was hungry. 19 Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He went up to it and found nothing on it except leaves. And He said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” At once the fig tree withered. 20 When the disciples saw it, they were amazed and said, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” 21 Jesus answered them, “ I assure you: If you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you tell this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” 23 When He entered the temple complex, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to Him as He was teaching and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? Who gave You this authority?” 24 Jesus answered them, “I will also ask you one question, and if you answer it for Me, then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 Where did John’s baptism come from? From heaven or from men?” They began to argue among themselves, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we’re afraid of the crowd, because everyone thought John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

No. He went into the temple and looked around, but since it was very late he did nothing. Instead, he went to Bethany to spend the night and returned the next morning to cleanse the temple (Mark 11:1- 17)

Mark 11:1-19 (HCSB)
1 When they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples 2 and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.’ ” 4 So they went and found a young donkey outside in the street, tied by a door. They untied it, 5 and some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the donkey?” 6 They answered them just as Jesus had said, so they let them go. 7 Then they brought the donkey to Jesus and threw their robes on it, and He sat on it. 8 Many people spread their robes on the road, and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields. 9 Then those who went ahead and those who followed kept shouting: • Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! • Hosanna in the highest heaven!

11 And He went into Jerusalem and into the temple complex. After looking around at everything, since it was already late, He went out to Bethany with the Twelve. 12 The next day when they came out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 After seeing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, He went to find out if there was anything on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples heard it. 15 They came to Jerusalem, and He went into the temple complex and began to throw out those buying and selling in the temple. He overturned the money changers’ tables and the chairs of those selling doves, 16 and would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple complex. 17 Then He began to teach them: “Is it not written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves!” 18 Then the chief priests and the scribes heard it and started looking for a way to destroy Him. For they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished by His teaching. 19 And whenever evening came, they would go out of the city.

Chad’s comments:

Very important: Matthew tended to arrange things in his gospel topically whereas Mark tended to arrange things in his gospel chronologically. Matthew told stories and related the important overall view of what happened. So when he told the story of a particular situation, he wouldn’t focus on the fact that part of this situation happened one day and part happened on another day. Mark, on the other hand, told the story as if working off a timeline. It’s kind of like the different ways people understand and communicate directions. I have to go step by step because I can’t see the overall map in my head, whereas, some people see the map in their minds and don’t have to understand how to get somewhere using a step by step process. Matthew saw and related the stories in his gospel in topical modules whereas Mark saw and related the stories in his gospel as if they were attached to a timeline. These two different accounts of the temple situation do not contradict each other.

46. The Gospels say that Jesus cursed a fig tree. Did the tree wither at once?

Yes. (Matthew 21:19)

Matt 21:18-20 (HCSB)
18 Early in the morning, as He was returning to the city, He was hungry. 19 Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He went up to it and found nothing on it except leaves. And He said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” At once the fig tree withered. 20 When the disciples saw it, they were amazed and said, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”

No. It withered overnight (Mark 11:20)

Mark 11:12-14 (HCSB)
12 The next day when they came out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 After seeing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, He went to find out if there was anything on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples heard it.

Mark 11:20-26 (HCSB)
20 Early in the morning, as they were passing by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 21 Then Peter remembered and said to Him, “ Rabbi, look! The fig tree that You cursed is withered.”

Chad’s comments:

Matthew tended to arrange things in his gospel topically whereas Mark tended to arrange things in his gospel chronologically. Matthew told stories and related the important overall view of what happened. So when he told the story of a particular situation, he wouldn’t focus on the fact that part of this situation happened one day and part happened on another day. Mark, on the other hand, told the story as if working off a timeline. In the case of the fig tree, it is quite possible that Jesus cursed the fig tree, the disciples heard him curse it, at once the fig tree withered (but the disciples did not see it), they came the next day and saw it withered and then asked how it withered so quickly (When the disciples saw it, they were amazed and said, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”).

47. Did Judas kiss Jesus?

Yes (Matthew 26:48-50)

Matt 26:47-50 (HCSB)
47 While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, suddenly arrived. A large mob, with swords and clubs, was with him from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 His betrayer had given them a sign: “The One I kiss, He’s the One; arrest Him!” 49 So he went right up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!”—and kissed Him. 50 “Friend,” Jesus asked him, “why have you come?”

No. Judas could not get close enough to Jesus to kiss him (John 18:3-9)

John 18:1-11 (HCSB)
1 After Jesus had said these things, He went out with His disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, and He and His disciples went into it. 2 Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with His disciples. 3 So Judas took a company of soldiers and some temple police from the chief priests and the Pharisees and came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing everything that was about to happen to Him, went out and said to them, “Who is it you’re looking for?” 5 “Jesus the Nazarene,” they answered. “I am He,” Jesus told them. Judas, who betrayed Him, was also standing with them. 6 When He told them, “I am He,” they stepped back and fell to the ground. 7 Then He asked them again, “Who is it you’re looking for?” “Jesus the Nazarene,” they said. 8 “I told you I am [He] ,” Jesus replied. “So if you’re looking for Me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the words He had said: “I have not lost one of those You have given Me.”

Chad’s comments:

Just because John doesn’t mention Judas kissing Jesus doesn’t mean Judas didn’t kiss Jesus. There is nothing in this passage indicating that Judas could not get close enough to kiss him. I am not sure where Ally got that from. There is no contradiction here. Judas could have kissed Jesus before Jesus went out and said to them, ‘Who is it you’re looking for?’

48. What did Jesus say about Peters denial?

The cock will not crow till you have denied me three times (John 13:38)

John 13:38 (HCSB)
38 Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for Me? I assure you: A rooster will not crow until you have denied Me three times.

Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times (Mark 14:30) .When the cock crowed once, the three denials were not yet complete (see Mark 14:72). Therefore prediction (a) failed.

Mark 14:30 (HCSB)
30 “I assure you,” Jesus said to him, “today, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times!”

Mark 14:72 (HCSB)
72 Immediately a rooster crowed a second time, and Peter remembered when Jesus had spoken the word to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.”

Chad’s comments:

There is no contradiction here. John simply was relating the general idea, i.e., the cock would not crow till you have denied me three times, whereas Mark zooms in for more details (the cock will not crow twice before you disown me three times).

49. Did Jesus bear his own cross?

Yes (John 19:17)

John 19:16-17 (HCSB)
Therefore they took Jesus away. 17 Carrying His own cross, He went out to what is called Skull Place, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha.

No (Matthew 27:31-32)

Matt 27:31-32 (HCSB)
31 When they had mocked Him, they stripped Him of the robe, put His clothes on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. 32 As they were going out, they found a Cyrenian man named Simon. They forced this man to carry His cross.

Chad’s comments:

At some point Jesus carried his own cross and at some point Simon carried the cross for Jesus. We don’t know if Jesus started out carrying his own cross but couldn’t keep carrying it and so Simon had to take over or if they made Simon start off carrying the cross and Jesus gained strength and relieved Simon from this duty, etc. We just know that both happened somewhere on the line on time. There is no contradiction, just additional details revealed.

50. Did Jesus die before the curtain of the temple was torn?

Yes (Matthew 27:50-51; Mark l5:37-38)

Matt 27:45-56 (HCSB)
45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over the whole land. 46 At about three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling for Elijah!” 48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, fixed it on a reed, and offered Him a drink. 49 But the rest said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to save Him!” 50 Jesus shouted again with a loud voice and gave up His spirit. 51 Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary was split in two from top to bottom; the earth quaked and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened and many bodies of the saints who had gone to their rest were raised. 53 And they came out of the tombs after His resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, “This man really was God’s Son!” 55 Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and ministered to Him were there, looking on from a distance. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

Mark 15:33-41 (HCSB)
33 When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lemá sabachtháni?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 35 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “Look, He’s calling for Elijah!” 36 Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, fixed it on a reed, offered Him a drink, and said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to take Him down!” 37 But Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed His last. 38 Then the curtain of the sanctuary was split in two from top to bottom. 39 When the centurion, who was standing opposite Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, “This man really was God’s Son!” 40 There were also women looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 When He was in Galilee, they would follow Him and help Him. Many other women had come up with Him to Jerusalem.

No. After the curtain was torn, then Jesus crying with a loud voice, said, Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit! And having said this he breathed his last (Luke 23:45-46)

Luke 23:44-49 (HCSB)
44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three, 45 because the sun’s light failed. The curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle. 46 And Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit.” Saying this, He breathed His last. 47 When the centurion saw what happened, he began to glorify God, saying, “This man really was righteous!” 48 All the crowds that had gathered for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, went home, striking their chests. 49 But all who knew Him, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

Chad’s comments:

There is no indication that Luke was saying that the curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle before Jesus died. It just says, ‘The curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle. 46 And Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit.”’

51. Did Jesus say anything secretly?

No. I have said nothing secretly (John 18:20)

John 18:19-24 (HCSB)
19 The high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and about His teaching. 20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus answered him. “I have always taught in the synagogue and in the temple complex, where all the Jews congregate, and I haven’t spoken anything in secret. 21 Why do you question Me? Question those who heard what I told them. Look, they know what I said.” 22 When He had said these things, one of the temple police standing by slapped Jesus, saying, “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” 23 “If I have spoken wrongly,” Jesus answered him, “give evidence about the wrong; but if rightly, why do you hit Me?” 24 Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Yes. He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything (Mark 4:34).

Mark 4:33-34 (HCSB)
33 He would speak the word to them with many parables like these, as they were able to understand. 34 And He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, He would explain everything to His own disciples.

The disciples asked him Why do you speak to them in parables? He said, To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given (Matthew 13: 1 0-11)

Matt 13:10-17 (HCSB)
10 Then the disciples came up and asked Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 He answered them, “Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them. 12 For whoever has, [more] will be given to him, and he will have more than enough. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 For this reason I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand. 14 Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You will listen and listen, yet never understand; and you will look and look, yet never perceive. 15 For this people’s heart has grown callous; their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn back— and I would cure them. 16 “But your eyes are blessed because they do see, and your ears because they do hear! 17 For I assure you: Many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see yet didn’t see them; to hear the things you hear yet didn’t hear them.

Chad’s comments:

There is no contradiction here. In Mark 4, Jesus was basically saying that when he taught, he taught publicly so that everyone could hear what He said, including the Jews who worked with the high priest. In other words, Jesus was asking the high priest, why are you now asking me this since everyone knows what I taught since I did not teach in private. In Matthew, Jesus was not saying that he taught secretly in that he didn’t teach publicly, but rather he taught in parables. The parables were secrets in that only those who chose to listen and see would listen and see. The parables would only be secrets to those who chose to harden the hearts.

52. Where was Jesus at the sixth hour on the day of the crucifixion?

On the cross (Mark 15:23)

Mark 15:22-26 (HCSB)
22 And they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means Skull Place). 23 They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He did not take it. 24 Then they crucified Him and divided His clothes, casting lots for them to decide what each would get. 25 Now it was nine in the morning when they crucified Him. (Lit was the third hour)

In Pilates court (John 19:14)

John 19:12-14 (HCSB)
12 From that moment Pilate made every effort to release Him. But the Jews shouted, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!” 13 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge’s bench in a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Hebrew Gabbatha). 14 It was the preparation day for the Passover, and it was about six in the morning. (Lit the sixth hour; see note at Jn 1:39; an alternate time reckoning would be about noon) Then he told the Jews, “Here is your king!”

John 1:39 (HCSB)
39 “Come and you’ll see,” He replied. So they went and saw where He was staying, and they stayed with Him that day. It was about 10 in the morning. (Lit about the tenth hour. Various methods of reckoning time were used in the ancient world. John probably used a different method from the other 3 Gospels. If John used the same method of time reckoning as the other 3 Gospels, the translation would be: It was about four in the afternoon.)

Chad’s comments:

Mark used a different time system than John (as the note in John 1:39 above indicates). There is no contradiction.

53. The gospels say that two thieves were crucified along with Jesus. Did both thieves mock Jesus?

Yes (Mark 15:32)

Mark 15:32 (HCSB)
Even those who were crucified with Him were taunting Him.

No. One of them mocked Jesus, the other defended Jesus (Luke 23:43)

Luke 23:39-43 (HCSB)
39 Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at Him: “Aren’t You the Messiah? Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment? 41 We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “ I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise.”

Chad’s comments:

Again, there is no contradiction here. At some point in time both criminals mocked Jesus and one point in time, one of the criminals said what he said. We don’t know if the criminal saw the way Jesus died and was converted or if he started out faithful but mocked Jesus later as the pain wore him down. But we do know that both happened because of the additional details.

54. Did Jesus ascend to Paradise the same day of the crucifixion?

Yes. He said to the thief who defended him, Today you will be with me in Paradise (Luke 23:43)

Luke 23:40-43 (HCSB)
40 But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment? 41 We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “ I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise.”

No. He said to Mary Magdelene two days later, I have not yet ascended to the Father (John 20:17)

John 20:17 (HCSB)
17 “Don’t cling to Me,” Jesus told her, “for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brothers and tell them that I am ascending to My Father and your Father—to My God and your God.”

Chad’s comments:

According to my understanding of the Scriptures and according to my understanding of what some in the first century church taught, here is seems to happen after death: Everyone who dies goes to Sheol to wait for the final judgment day. If someone lived a righteous life, Sheol (the place of the dead) would be paradise but if someone lived a life that was displeasing to God, Sheol would be agonizing. The point: When Jesus said ‘I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise’ he was referring to being in Sheol, not being in the final heaven.

55. When Paul was on the road to Damascus he saw a light and heard a voice. Did those who were with him hear the voice?

Yes (Acts 9:7)

Acts 9:1-9 (HCSB)
1 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, either men or women, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. 4 Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 “Who are You, Lord?” he said. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied. 6 “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one.

No (Acts22:9)

Acts 22:6-9 (HCSB)
6 “As I was traveling and near Damascus, about noon an intense light from heaven suddenly flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ 8 “I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ “He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting!’ 9 Now those who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the One who was speaking to me.

Chad’s comments:

In the Acts 9 passage it says, ‘The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one.’ and in the Acts 22 passage it says, ‘Now those who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the One who was speaking to me.’. There is no contradiction here. These men heard a sound, but did not hear the voice of the One who was speaking to Paul. This is similar to where some thought that when the Father said, ‘I have glorified it and I will glorify it again’ elsewhere, that it was thunder. Likewise, these men saw the light, but did not see Jesus. So overall, these men heard a sound and saw a light but did not see Jesus or hear words from His mouth. No contradiction whatsoever.

56. When Paul saw the light he fell to the ground. Did his traveling companions also fall to the ground?

Yes (Acts 26:14)

Acts 26:12-14 (HCSB)
12 “Under these circumstances I was traveling to Damascus with authority and a commission from the chief priests. 13 At midday, while on the road, O king, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me. 14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

No (Acts 9:7)

Acts 9:7-9 (HCSB)
7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9 He was unable to see for three days, and did not eat or drink.

Chad’s comments:

To me, ‘stood speechless’ seems like a figure of speech meaning that they were still and silent, not that they were actually standing speechless. It reminds me of when the sun stood still in the account of Joshua.

Josh 10:13 (HCSB)
And the sun stood still

No one would argue that the sun was standing because the sun obviously did not stand up and get still. It is just a figure of speech that meant that the sun stop moving.

57. Did the voice spell out on the spot what Pauls duties were to be?

Yes (Acts 26:16-18)

Acts 26:12-18 (HCSB)
12 “Under these circumstances I was traveling to Damascus with authority and a commission from the chief priests. 13 At midday, while on the road, O king, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me. 14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 “But I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ “And the Lord replied: ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of things you have seen, and of things in which I will appear to you. 17 I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

No. The voice commanded Paul to go into the city of Damascus and there he will be told what he must do. (Acts9:7;22: 10)

Acts 22:10 (HCSB)
10 “Then I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ “And the Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything that is assigned for you to do.’

Chad’s comments:

Both. Jesus told Paul a brief overview of what he was going to do but not the specifics and practicals. For instance, Jesus didn’t tell Paul how to get his sight back or how to get saved. Instead, Ananias did this. There is no contradiction here.

58. When the Israelites dwelt in Shittin they committed adultery with the daughters of Moab. God struck them with a plague. How many people died in that plague?

Twenty-four thousand (Numbers 25:1 and 9)

Num 25:1-9 (HCSB)
1 While Israel was staying in Acacia Grove, the people began to have sexual relations with the women of Moab. 2 The women invited them to the sacrifices for their gods, and the people ate and bowed in worship to their gods. 3 So Israel aligned itself with Baal of Peor, and the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. 4 The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the Lord so that His burning anger may turn away from Israel.” 5 So Moses told Israel’s judges, “Kill each of the men who aligned themselves with Baal of Peor.” 6 An Israelite man came bringing a Midianite woman to his relatives in the sight of Moses and the whole Israelite community while they were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 7 When Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw [this] , he got up from the assembly, took a spear in his hand, 8 followed the Israelite man into the tent, and drove it through both the Israelite man and the woman—through her belly. Then the plague on the Israelites was stopped, 9 but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.

Twenty-three thousand (I Corinthians 10:8)

1 Cor 10:6-8 (HCSB)
6 Now these things became examples for us, so that we will not desire evil as they did. 7 Don’t become idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to play. 8 Let us not commit sexual immorality as some of them did, and in a single day 23,000 people fell dead.

Chad’s comments:

After researching this, some say that 1 Cor 10:6-8 is not referring to the event that happened in Numbers 25, but I am not convinced about this. But I did have another thought about this question: Notice in 1 Cor 10:8 says, ‘and in a single day 23,000 people fell dead.’ but in Numbers 25:9, it just says, ‘but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.’ Perhaps 23,000 people died from the plague in a single day but maybe the plague spanned over a period of more than one day. In other words, maybe 23,000 people died from the plague on one day and a thousand died the next day.

59. How many members of the house of Jacob came to Egypt?

Seventy souls (Genesis 46:27)

Gen 46:27 (HCSB)
27 And Joseph’s sons who were born to him in Egypt: two persons. All those of Jacob’s household who had come to Egypt: 70 [LXX reads 75] persons.

Seventy-five souls (Acts 7:14)

Acts 7:9-16 (HCSB)
9 “The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt, but God was with him 10 and rescued him out of all his troubles. He gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him governor over Egypt and over his whole household. 11 Then a famine came over all of Egypt and Canaan, with great suffering, and our forefathers could find no food. 12 When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he sent our forefathers the first time. 13 The second time, Joseph was revealed to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. 14 Joseph then invited his father Jacob and all his relatives, 75 people in all, 15 and Jacob went down to Egypt. He and our forefathers died there, 16 were carried back to Shechem, and were placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

Chad’s comments:

According to Matthew Elton, ‘This is the result of a translation error. Most ancient manuscripts, both the Hebrew and the Septuagint, use “seventy five” in Genesis 46:27. Because the Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, these Hebrew manuscripts are more accurate. When the ancient manuscripts were translated into English the “seventy five” was mistranslated as “seventy” in Genesis 46:27.’

60. What did Judas do with the blood money he received for betraying Jesus?

He bought a field (Acts 1: 18)

Acts 1:15-19 (HCSB)
15 During these days Peter stood up among the brothers —the number of people who were together was about 120—and said: 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David spoke in advance about Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was one of our number and was allotted a share in this ministry.” 18 Now this man acquired a field with his unrighteous wages; and falling headfirst, he burst open in the middle, and all his insides spilled out. 19 This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that in their own language that field is called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.

Acts 1:18-19 (NASB)
18(Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. 19And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

He threw all of it into the temple and went away. The priests could not put the blood money into the temple treasury, so they used it to buy a field to bury strangers (Matthew 27:5)

Matt 27:3-10 (HCSB)
3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was full of remorse and returned the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. 4 “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What’s that to us?” they said. “See to it yourself!” 5 So he threw the silver into the sanctuary and departed. Then he went and hanged himself. 6 The chief priests took the silver and said, “It’s not lawful to put it into the temple treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they conferred together and bought the potter’s field with it as a burial place for foreigners. 8 Therefore that field has been called “Blood Field” to this day. 9 Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: They took the 30 pieces of silver, the price of Him whose price was set by the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.

Chad’s comments:

First, The passage in Acts does not specifically say that Judas bought the field with the 30 pieces of silver that he received for betraying Jesus. The Holman says, ‘with his unrighteous wages’, the NASB says, ‘the price of his wickedness’, and the NIV says, ‘With the reward he got for his wickedness’. Granted, the NIV makes it sound like it is talking about the money Judas received for betraying Jesus while the other two versions are more general. Is it possible that Judas’ ‘unrighteous wages’ and ‘the price of his wickedness’ was referring to the money Judas stole from the money-bag?

John 12:4-6 (HCSB)
4 Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot (who was about to betray Him), said, 5 “Why wasn’t this fragrant oil sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.

Secondly, even if it the Acts passage does refer to the money that Judas received for betraying Jesus…to be continued…

61. How did Judas die?

After he threw the money into the temple he went away and hanged himself (Matthew 27:5)

Matt 27:3-5 (HCSB)
3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was full of remorse and returned the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. 4 “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What’s that to us?” they said. “See to it yourself!” 5 So he threw the silver into the sanctuary and departed. Then he went and hanged himself.

After he bought the field with the price of his evil deed he fell headlong and burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out (Acts 1:18)

Acts 1:18 (HCSB)
18 Now this man acquired a field with his unrighteous wages; and falling headfirst, he burst open in the middle, and all his insides spilled out.

Chad’s comments:

It makes sense to me that Judas fell headfirst, burst open in the middle and all his insides spilled out because he hung himself. Why else would this happen to someone other than if they hung themselves?

*62. Why is the field called Field of Blood?

Because the priests bought it with the blood money (Matthew 27:8)

Because of the bloody death of Judas therein (Acts 1:19)

Acts 1:15-21 (HCSB)
15 During these days Peter stood up among the brothers —the number of people who were together was about 120—and said: 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David spoke in advance about Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was one of our number and was allotted a share in this ministry.” 18 Now this man acquired a field with his unrighteous wages; and falling headfirst, he burst open in the middle, and all his insides spilled out. 19 This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that in their own language that field is called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood. 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms: Let his dwelling become desolate; let no one live in it; and Let someone else take his position.

Chad’s comments:

Both. The reality of the situation was that Judas was filled with remorse and threw the money back to the chief priests and elders. Then he went and hung himself in the potter’s field. The Jeremiah prophecy confirms this when is says, ‘They took the 30 pieces of silver, the price of Him who price was set by the sons of Israel, and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.’ We also know from this passage in Jeremiah that Judas returned the entire amount back to the chief priests and elders, not just a portion of the money. I believe that in Acts 18, when Peter says, ‘Now this man acquired a field with his unrighteous wages’ that he is speaking figuratively, not literally. Ultimately, his money did acquire the field, through the chief priests and elders. And so this field was called, ‘The Field of Blood’ both because Judas hung himself in this field and because of this the chief priests and elders bought the field and continued to use it as a burial place for foreigners, which reinforced the name, ‘The Field of Blood’. In other words, Judas hanging himself initiated the name and the chief priests and elders using it for a burial place for foreigners reinforced the name.

63. Who is a ransom for whom?

The Son of Man came…to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). Christ Jesus who gave himself as a ransom for all… (I Timothy 2:5-6)

Mark 10:35-45 (HCSB)
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached Him and said, “Teacher, we want You to do something for us if we ask You.” 36 “What do you want Me to do for you?” He asked them. 37 They answered Him, “Allow us to sit at Your right and at Your left in Your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup I drink or to be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” 39 “We are able,” they told Him. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with. 40 But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to give; instead, it is for those it has been prepared for.” 41 When the [other] 10 [disciples] heard this, they began to be indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them over and said to them, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles dominate them, and their men of high positions exercise power over them. 43 But it must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life—a ransom for many.”

1 Tim 2:1-6 (HCSB)
1 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, a man, Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself—a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time.

The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, and the faithless for the upright (Proverbs 21:18)

Prov 21:18 (HCSB)
18 The wicked are a ransom for the righteous, and the treacherous, for the upright.

64. Is the law of Moses useful?

Yes. All scripture is… profitable… (2 Timothy 3:16)

2 Tim 3:16-17 (HCSB)
16 All Scripture is inspired by God [lit breathed out by God] and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

No. . . . A former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness… (Hebrews 7:18)

Heb 7:11-19 (HCSB)
11 If, then, perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there for another priest to arise in the order of Melchizedek, and not to be described as being in the order of Aaron? 12 For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well. 13 For the One about whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has served at the altar. 14 Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, and about that tribe Moses said nothing concerning priests. 15 And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek arises, 16 who doesn’t become a [priest] based on a legal command concerning physical descent but based on the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it has been testified: You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. 18 So the previous commandment is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable 19 (for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

Chad’s comments:

This is not a contradiction. The apostle Paul actually answers this question for us:

Gal 3:10-26 (HCSB)
10 For all who [rely on] the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written: Cursed is everyone who does not continue doing everything written in the book of the law. 11 Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous will live by faith. 12 But the law is not based on faith; instead, the one who does these things will live by them. 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree. 14 The purpose was that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that we could receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 15 Brothers, I’m using a human illustration. No one sets aside even a human covenant that has been ratified, or makes additions to it. 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but and to your seed, referring to one, who is Christ. 17 And I say this: the law, which came 430 years later, does not revoke a covenant that was previously ratified by God, so as to cancel the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is from the law, it is no longer from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise. 19 Why the law then? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise was made would come. [The law] was ordered through angels by means of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not for just one person, but God is one. 21 Is the law therefore contrary to God’s promises? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly be by the law. 22 But the Scripture has imprisoned everything under sin’s power, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. 24 The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. 25 But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

and…

Romans 7:7-13 (HCSB)
7 What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law. For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet. 8 And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life 10 and I died. The commandment that was meant for life resulted in death for me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. 13 Therefore, did what is good cause my death? Absolutely not! On the contrary, sin, in order to be recognized as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment sin might become sinful beyond measure.

So the bottom line is that the law was kind of like a babysitter who would teach people about sin (but a babysitter who also knew that people would not be able to not sin). So going back to the Hebrews passage, when the Hebrews writers says, ‘So the previous commandment is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable 19 (for the law perfected nothing)’, he is saying that it was weak and unprofitable because of our weakness and sin, not because it was in of itself weak and unprofitable. In other words, the previous commandment is annulled becuase it was weak and unprofitable as it pertained to perfecting sinful human beings, hence the parenthetical statement that followed, ‘(for the law perfect nothing)’.

65. What was the exact wording on the cross?

This is Jesus the King of the Jews (Matthew 27:37)

Matt 27:37 (HCSB)
37 Above His head they put up the charge against Him in writing: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS

The King of the Jews (Mark 15:26)

Mark 15:26 (HCSB)
26 The inscription of the charge written against Him was THE KING OF THE JEWS

This is the King of the Jews (Luke 23:38)

Luke 23:38 (HCSB)
38 An inscription was above Him: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS

Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews (John 19:19)

John 19:19 (HCSB)
Pilate also had a sign lettered and put on the cross. The inscription was: JESUS THE NAZARENE THE KING OF THE JEWS

Chad’s comments:

These passages (at least in my mind) actually give us great insight in to how to relate the various gospels together! Different gospel writers include additional details and in order for us to see the total picture, we must add all of the details together. In fact, the fact that there are four gospels is exactly what gives us the ability to determine exactly what happened in the different situations described. So to answer Ally’s question, from my understanding, here is exactly what was written in the inscription: THIS IS JESUS THE NAZARENE THE KING OF THE JEWS

66. Did Herod want to kill John the Baptist?

Yes (Matthew 14:5)

Matt 14:1-12 (HCSB)
1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus. 2 “This is John the Baptist!” he told his servants. “He has been raised from the dead, and that’s why supernatural powers are at work in him.” 3 For Herod had arrested John, chained him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 since John had been telling him, “It’s not lawful for you to have her!” 5 Though he wanted to kill him, he feared the crowd, since they regarded him as a prophet. 6 But when Herod’s birthday celebration came, Herodias’ daughter danced before them and pleased Herod. 7 So he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. 8 And prompted by her mother, she answered, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter!” 9 Although the king regretted it, he commanded that it be granted because of his oaths and his guests. 10 So he sent orders and had John beheaded in the prison. 11 His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12 Then his disciples came, removed the corpse, buried it, and went and reported to Jesus.

No. It was Herodias, the wife of Herod who wanted to kill him. But Herod knew that he was a righteous man and kept him safe (Mark 6:20)

Mark 6:14-29 (HCSB)
14 King Herod heard of this, because Jesus’ name had become well known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that’s why supernatural powers are at work in him.” 15 But others said, “He’s Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet —like one of the prophets.” 16 When Herod heard of it, he said, “John, the one I beheaded, has been raised!” 17 For Herod himself had given orders to arrest John and to chain him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18 John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!” 19 So Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20 because Herod was in awe of John and was protecting him, knowing he was a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard him he would be very disturbed, yet would hear him gladly. 21 Now an opportune time came on his birthday, when Herod gave a banquet for his nobles, military commanders, and the leading men of Galilee. 22 When Herodias’ own daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23 So he swore oaths to her: “Whatever you ask me I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” 24 Then she went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” “John the Baptist’s head!” she said. 25 Immediately she hurried to the king and said, “I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head on a platter—right now!” 26 Though the king was deeply distressed, because of his oaths and the guests he did not want to refuse her. 27 The king immediately sent for an executioner and commanded him to bring John’s head. So he went and beheaded him in prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard about it, they came and removed his corpse and placed it in a tomb.

Chad’s comments:

Both. Part of Herod wanted John the Baptist dead but part of Herod was in awe of John and gladly listened to the things he would say, even though these very things that he gladly would listen to would also greatly distress him. I don’t think this is a contradiction but rather further supports the validity of the Bible because it shows how it is realistic when dealing with the thoughts and desires of humans. Who just has one thought about anyone else?

67. Who was the tenth disciple of Jesus in the list of twelve?

Thaddaeus (Matthew 10: 1-4; Mark 3:13 -19)

Matt 10:1-4 (HCSB)
1 Summoning His 12 disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness. 2 These are the names of the 12 apostles:

First, Simon, who is called Peter,
and Andrew his brother;
James the son of Zebedee,
and John his brother;
3 Philip
and Bartholomew;
Thomas
and Matthew the tax collector;
James the son of Alphaeus,
and Thaddaeus;
4 Simon the Zealot,
and Judas Iscariot,
who also betrayed Him.

Mark 3:13-19 (HCSB)
13 Then He went up the mountain and summoned those He wanted, and they came to Him. 14 He also appointed 12—He also named them apostles —to be with Him, to send them out to preach, 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. 16 He appointed the Twelve:

To Simon, He gave the name Peter;
17 and to James the son of Zebedee,
and to his brother John, He gave the name “Boanerges” (that is, “Sons of Thunder”);
18 Andrew;
Philip
and Bartholomew;
Matthew
and Thomas;
James the son of Alphaeus,
and Thaddaeus;
Simon the Zealot,
19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

Judas son of James is the corresponding name in Lukes gospel (Luke 6:12-16)

Luke 6:12-17 (HCSB)
12 During those days He went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God. 13 When daylight came, He summoned His disciples, and He chose 12 of them—He also named them apostles:

14 Simon, whom He also named Peter,
and Andrew his brother;
James
and John;
Philip
and Bartholomew;
15 Matthew
and Thomas;
James the son of Alphaeus,
and Simon called the Zealot;
16 Judas the son of James,
and Judas Iscariot,
who became a traitor.

Chad’s comments:

Both. Thaddaeus was Judas, son of James.

68. Jesus saw a man sit at the tax collectors office and called him to be his disciple. What was his name?

Matthew (Matthew 9:9)

Matt 9:9-13 (HCSB)
9 As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” So he got up and followed Him. 10 While He was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came as guests to eat with Jesus and His disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when He heard this, He said, “Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but the sick do. 13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Levi (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27)

Mark 2:13-17 (HCSB)
13 Then Jesus went out again beside the sea. The whole crowd was coming to Him, and He taught them. 14 Then, moving on, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” So he got up and followed Him. 15 While He was reclining at the table in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also guests with Jesus and His disciples, because there were many who were following Him. 16 When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 When Jesus heard this, He told them, “Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but the sick [do need one] . I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Luke 5:27-32 (HCSB)
27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” 28 So, leaving
everything behind, he got up and began to follow Him. 29 Then Levi hosted a grand banquet for Him at his house. Now there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were guests with them. 30 But the Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to His disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 Jesus replied to them, “The healthy don’t need a doctor, but the sick do. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Chad’s comments:

From my understanding of this time period, it was very common to have more than one name. So to answer Ally’s question: Both. The name of the person who was at the tax office whom Jesus called to follow him was named Matthew and was also known as Levi. That is simply not even close to being a contradiction.

69. Was Jesus crucified on the daytime before the Passover meal or the daytime after?

After (Mark 14:12-17)

Mark 14:12-32 (HCSB)
12 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrifice the Passover lamb, His disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare the Passover so You may eat it?” 13 So He sent two of His disciples and told them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him. 14 Wherever he enters, tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room for Me to eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.” 16 So the disciples went out, entered the city, and found it just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover. 17 When evening came, He arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining and eating, Jesus said, “I assure you: One of you will betray Me—one who is eating with Me!” 19 They began to be distressed and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?” 20 He said to them, “[It is] one of the Twelve—the one who is dipping [bread] with Me in the bowl. 21 For the Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” 22 As they were eating, He took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take [it] ; this is My body.” 23 Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them, and so they all drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is My blood [that establishes] the covenant; it is shed for many. 25 I assure you: I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it in a new way in the kingdom of God.” 26 After singing psalms, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 27 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will run away, because it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. 28 But after I have been resurrected, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” 29 Peter told Him, “Even if everyone runs away, I will certainly not!” 30 “I assure you,” Jesus said to him, “today, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times!” 31 But he kept insisting, “If I have to die with You, I will never deny You!” And they all said the same thing. 32 Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and He told His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”

Before. Before the feast of the Passover (John 13:1) Judas went out at night (John 13:30). The other disciples thought he was going out to buy supplies to prepare for the Passover meal (John 13:29). When Jesus was arrested, the Jews did not enter Pilates judgment hail because they wanted to stay clean to eat the Passover (John 18:28). When the judgment was pronounced against Jesus, it was about the sixth hour on the day of Preparation for the Passover (John 19:14)

John 13:1-30 (HCSB)
1 Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. 2 Now by the time of supper, the Devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray Him. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into His hands, that He had come from God, and that He was going back to God. 4 So He got up from supper, laid aside His robe, took a towel, and tied it around Himself. 5 Next, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around Him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t understand now, but afterwards you will know.” 8 “You will never wash my feet—ever!” Peter said. Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10 “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him. This is why He said, “You are not all clean.” 12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His robe, He reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord. This is well said, for I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you. 16 “ I assure you: A slave is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. 18 I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen. But the Scripture must be fulfilled: The one who eats My bread has raised his heel against Me. 19 “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am [He] . 20 I assure you: The one who receives whomever I send receives Me, and the one who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” 21 When Jesus had said this, He was troubled in His spirit and testified, “ I assure you: One of you will betray Me!” 22 The disciples started looking at one another—uncertain which one He was speaking about. 23 One of His disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining close beside Jesus. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to find out who it was He was talking about. 25 So he leaned back against Jesus and asked Him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus replied, “He’s the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.” When He had dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son. 27 After [Judas ate] the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Therefore Jesus told him, “What you’re doing, do quickly.” 28 None of those reclining at the table knew why He told him this. 29 Since Judas kept the money-bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 After receiving the piece of bread, he went out immediately. And it was night.

John 18:28 (HCSB)
28 Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They did not enter the headquarters themselves; otherwise they would be defiled and unable to eat the Passover.

John 19:13-14 (HCSB)
13 When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside. He sat down on the judge’s bench in a place called the Stone Pavement (but in Hebrew Gabbatha). 14 It was the preparation day for the Passover, and it was about six in the morning. Then he told the Jews, “Here is your king!”

Chad’s comments:

I don’t all the way understand the exact day by day blow of the festival of unleavened bread and as it relates to the passover meal, etc, but to me there doesn’t seem to be a contradiction. What I mean is that it doesn’t look like Jesus or his disciples ever ate the passover meal in Mark 14. It looks like they were still eating unleavened bread. The disciples prepared for Jesus and his disciples to eat the passover meal but since Jesus was taken away that night, they never got to eat the passover meal part of what they had prepared. Jesus became the passover meal. So Jesus was crucified the daytime before the Passover Meal.

70. Did Jesus pray to The Father to prevent the crucifixion?

Yes. (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42)

Matt 26:39 (HCSB)
39 Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”

Mark 14:36 (HCSB)
36 And He said, “Abba, Father! All things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”

Luke 22:41-42 (HCSB)
41 Then He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray, 42 “Father, if You are willing, take this cup away from Me—nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.”

No. (John 12:27)

John 12:20-37 (HCSB)
20 Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 So they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus replied to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 “ I assure you: Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces a large crop. 25 The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me. Where I am, there My servant also will be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. 27 “Now My soul is troubled. What should I say—Father, save Me from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name!” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again!” 29 The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him!” 30 Jesus responded, “This voice came, not for Me, but for you. 31 Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 As for Me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all [people] to Myself.” 33 He said this to signify what kind of death He was about to die. 34 Then the crowd replied to Him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah will remain forever. So how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 Jesus answered, “The light will be with you only a little longer. Walk while you have the light so that darkness doesn’t overtake you. The one who walks in darkness doesn’t know where he’s going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become sons of light.” Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them.

Chad’s comments:

This is no contradiction and actually reveals a powerful concept about Jesus dying on the cross. In John’s account, Jesus said that the entire reason He came was to be that kernel of wheat that would die so that many others would be produced. Then he said, ‘Now My soul is troubled. What should I say—Father, save Me from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name!’ In the other accounts and a little later when Jesus prayed before being taken away, he said, ‘Father, ***if You are willing***, take this cup away from Me—***nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done***.’ Here is the powerful concept that is revealed from this: Jesus chose to go to the cross because He loved us. He could have prayed to God for God to save Him and God would have saved Him. This concept is further supported by:

Matt 26:52-54 (HCSB)
52 Then Jesus told him, “Put your sword back in place because all who take up a sword will perish by a sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot call on My Father, and He will provide Me at once with more than 12 legions of angels? 54 How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?”

But instead of having God save Him and calling 12 legions of angels, Jesus prayed for God to save Him only if the same thing could be accomplished in some other way. Otherwise, Jesus said, ‘not My will, but Yours be done’.. Again, there is no contradiction at all but the love of Jesus is revealed by this very question.

71. In the gospels which say that Jesus prayed to avoid the cross, how many times did he move away from his disciples to pray?

Three (Matthew 26:36-46 and Mark 14:32-42)

One. No opening is left for another two times. (Luke 22:39-46)

Luke 22:39-46 (HCSB)
39 He went out and made His way as usual to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed Him. 40 When He reached the place, He told them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 Then He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray, 42 “Father, if You are willing, take this cup away from Me—nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” [ 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. 44 Being in anguish, He prayed more fervently, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.] 45 When He got up from prayer and came to the disciples, He found them sleeping, exhausted from their grief. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” He asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation.”

Chad’s comments:

There are plenty of ‘openings’ for Jesus two pray two more times. For whatever reason, Luke just left out the fact that Jesus prayed to more times. I don’t want to say for sure what happened but I can think of one possible reason why Luke didn’t record the three times right off the top of my head: Luke was sleeping the other two times Jesus came back to his disciples. Regardless of whether or not this was the case, just because Luke doesn’t include the other two times Jesus prays doesn’t mean he is denying that Jesus did pray three times.

72. Matthew and Mark agree that Jesus went away and prayed three times. What were the words of the second prayer?

Mark does not give the words but he says that the words were the same as the first prayer (Mark 14:33-39)

Mark 14:32-42 (HCSB)
32 Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and He told His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and horrified. 34 Then He said to them, “My soul is swallowed up in sorrow —to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.” 35 Then He went a little farther, fell to the ground, and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. 36 And He said, “• Abba, Father! All things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” 37 Then He came and found them sleeping. “Simon, are you sleeping?” He asked Peter. “Couldn’t you stay awake one hour? 38 Stay awake and pray so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 Once again He went away and prayed, saying the same thing. 40 And He came again and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open. They did not know what to say to Him. 41 Then He came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The time has come. Look, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Get up; let’s go! See—My betrayer is near.”

Matthew gives us the words, and we can see that they are not the same as in the first (Matthew 26:42)

Matt 26:36-46 (HCSB)
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He told the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is swallowed up in sorrow —to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with Me.” 39 Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” 40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He asked Peter. “So, couldn’t you stay awake with Me one hour? 41 Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 43 And He came again and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open. 44 After leaving them, He went away again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. 45 Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the time is near. The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up; let’s go! See—My betrayer is near.”

Chad’s comments:

In the Mark account, we read:

. 36 And He said, “Abba, Father! All things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”

In the Matthew account, we read:

2 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, Your will be done.”

This looks like the same thing to me!

73. What did the centurion say when Jesus dies?

Certainly this man was innocent (Luke 23:47)

Luke 23:47 (HCSB)
47 When the centurion saw what happened, he began to glorify God, saying, “This man really was righteous!”

Truly this man was the Son of God (Mark 15:39)

Mark 15:39 (HCSB)
39 When the centurion, who was standing opposite Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, “This man really was God’s Son!”

Chad’s comments:

Both. Luke recorded the statement he made, ‘This man really was righteous!’ while Mark recorded the statement he made, ‘This man really was God’s Son!’. In fact, I have a feeling the centurion said a lot more than just those two statements as he realized that he had just played a part in killing God’s Son!

*74. When Jesus said My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken Me? in what language did he speak?

Hebrew: the words are Eloi, Eloi ..(Matthew 27:46)

Matt 27:45-46 (HCSB)
45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over the whole land. 46 At about three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Aramaic: the words are Eloi, Eloi .. (Mark 15:34)

Mark 15:33-34 (HCSB)
33 When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lemá sabachtháni?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Chad’s comments:

According to Bivin/Blizzard, “The question of whether Jesus spoke Hebrew or Aramaic on the cross is answerable. However, the reason for Matthew and Mark recording it differently is probably due to the way the event was spoken of in Aramaic after it happened, and due to the recipients of the Gospel. However, the whole issue is not a valid criticism of the Bible. Mark 15:34 is probably the most quoted Aramaism in the New Testament, being “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabakthani.” However, it is doubtful that Jesus spoke in the language that Mark records them in. The reason is simple; the people hearing Jesus’ words thought he was calling Elijah (Matthew 27:47 and Mark 15:35-36). In order for the onlookers to have made this mistake, Jesus would have to have cried “Eli, Eli,” not “Eloi, Eloi.” Why? Because in Hebrew Eli can be either “My God” or the shortened form of Eliyahu which is Hebrew for Elijah. However, in Aramaic Eloi can be only “My God.” It is also worth noting that lama (“why”) is the same word in both languages, and sabak is a verb which is found not only in Aramaic, but also in Mishnaic Hebrew. Therefore Jesus probably spoke it in Hebrew. Why therefore is it recorded in Aramaic as well? Jesus was part of a multilingual society. He most probably spoke Greek (the common language of Greece and Rome), Aramaic (the common language of the Ancient Near East) and Hebrew, the sacred tongue of Judaism, which had been revived in the form of Mishnaic Hebrew in Second Temple times. Hebrew and Aramaic are closely related Semitic languages. That Hebrew and Aramaic terms show up in the Gospels is, therefore, not at all surprising. That one Gospel writer records it in Hebrew and another in extremely similar Aramaic is no problem to Christians, nor is it a criticism of the Bible. The simple reason for the difference is probably that when one of them remembered and discussed the happening of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, this phrase may well have been repeated in their conversation as Aramaic, which would be perfectly normal. So he wrote it down as such. Secondly, Mark may have written it in Aramaic due to the fact that he was the original recipients of the Gospel. However, both these reasons are simply speculation. If Mark recorded his words in Arabic, then we would worry!”

Matt 27:47 (HCSB)
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling for Elijah!”

Mark 15:35-36 (HCSB)
35 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “Look, He’s calling for Elijah!” 36 Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, fixed it on a reed, offered Him a drink, and said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to take Him down!”

75. According to the gospels, what were the last words of Jesus before he died?

Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit! (Luke 23:46)

Luke 23:44-46 (HCSB)
44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three, 45 because the sun’s light failed. The curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle. 46 And Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit.” Saying this, He breathed His last.

“It is finished” (John 19:30)

John 19:28-30 (HCSB)
28 After this, when Jesus knew that everything was now accomplished that the Scripture might be fulfilled, He said, “I’m thirsty!” 29 A jar full of sour wine was sitting there; so they fixed a sponge full of sour wine on hyssop and held it up to His mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” Then bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Chad’s comments:

Both. It is not clear which he said very last but he said both of these things. There is no contradiction.

76. When Jesus entered Capernaum he healed the slave of a centurion. Did the centurion come personally to request Jesus for this?

Yes (Matthew 8:5)

Matt 8:5-13 (HCSB)
5 When He entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible agony!” 7 “I will come and heal him,” He told him. 8 “Lord,” the centurion replied, “I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. But only say the word, and my servant will be cured. 9 For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 10 Hearing this, Jesus was amazed and said to those following Him, “ I assure you: I have not found anyone in Israel with so great a faith! 11 I tell you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 Then Jesus told the centurion, “Go. As you have believed, let it be done for you.” And his servant was cured that very moment.

No. He sent some elders of the Jews and his friends (Luke 7:3,6)

Luke 7:1-10 (HCSB)
1 When He had concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. 2 A centurion’s slave, who was highly valued by him, was sick and about to die. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to Him, requesting Him to come and save the life of his slave. 4 When they reached Jesus, they pleaded with Him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for You to grant this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built us a synagogue.” 6 Jesus went with them, and when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell Him, “Lord, don’t trouble Yourself, since I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. 7 That is why I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be cured. 8 For I too am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 9 Jesus heard this and was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you, I have not found so great a faith even in Israel!” 10 When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

Chad’s comments:

The centurion sent some elders of the Jews and his friends. The elders and the friends represented the centurion and they spoke on behalf of the centurion. Today, if the President sends a message to a leader of a foreign country through the secretary of defense, it would still be accurate to say that the President told this leader of the foreign country whatever it was he sent the secretary to say. It is not necessary to break it down in to greater detail to express the story accurately but this could be done to a ridiculous degree: The president opened his mouth and spoke to an advisor. This advisor went and told someone else who told someone else who told someone else, who sent an email to someone else, who called someone else on the phone, who dictated to a secretary who sent an email to someone else, and who eventually got the message to the secretary of defense….

77.

Adam was told that if and when he eats the forbidden fruit he would die the same day (Genesis 2:17)

Gen 2:15-17 (HCSB)
15 The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.”

Adam ate the fruit and went on to live to a ripe old age of 930 years (Genesis 5:5)

Gen 5:5 (HCSB)
So Adam’s life lasted 930 years; then he died.

Gen 3:8-19 (HCSB)
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and they hid themselves from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 So the Lord God called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” 11 Then He asked, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I had commanded you not to eat from?” 12 Then the man replied, “The woman You gave to be with me—she gave me [some fruit] from the tree, and I ate.” 13 So the Lord God asked the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “It was the serpent. He deceived me, and I ate.” 14 Then the Lord God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you are cursed more than any livestock and more than any wild animal. You will move on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life. 15 I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel. 16 He said to the woman: I will intensify your labor pains; you will bear children in anguish. Your desire will be for your husband, yet he will dominate you. 17 And He said to Adam, “Because you listened to your wife’s voice and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘Do not eat from it’: The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust.”

Chad’s comments:

When God told Adam that he would die after he ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, He meant that Adam would go from a state of living forever to a state of being mortal. In other words, Adam activated death in his life (and in the lives of those who came after him) by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God did not mean that Adam would just drop dead right then and there after eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but he did die spiritually on that day. This concept is further explained in the following passage:

1 Cor 15:21-22 (HCSB)
21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. 22 For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

This is by no means a contradiction.

78.

God decided that the life-span of humans will be limited to 120 years (Genesis 6:3)

Gen 6:1-3 (HCSB)
1 When mankind began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives for themselves. 3 And the Lord said, “My Spirit will not remain with mankind forever, because they are corrupt. Their days will be 120 years.”

Many people born after that lived longer than 120. Arpachshad lived 438 years. His son Shelah lived 433 years. His son Eber lived 464 years, etc. (Genesis 11:12-16)

Gen 11:12-16 (HCSB)
12 Arpachshad lived 35 years and fathered Shelah. 13 After he fathered Shelah, Arpachshad lived 403 years and fathered [other] sons and daughters. 14 Shelah lived 30 years and fathered Eber. 15 After he fathered Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and fathered [other] sons and daughters. 16 Eber lived 34 years and fathered Peleg.

Chad’s comments:

In Genesis 3:3, God said, ‘Their days ***will be*** 120 years’. He doesn’t specify exactly the point in time in the future that that would take place. He just said that their days would one day be 120 years.

79. Apart from Jesus did anyone else ascend to heaven?

No (John 3:13)

John 3:13 (HCSB)
No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.

Yes. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven (2 Kings 2:11)

2 Kings 2:11 (HCSB)
11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire with horses of fire suddenly appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up into heaven in the whirlwind.

Chad’s comments:

Looking at the context of the Elijah account, we read the following:

2 Kings 2:9-10 (HCSB)
After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell [me] what I can do for you before I am taken from you.” So Elisha answered, “Please, let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 Elijah replied, “You have asked for something difficult. If you see me being taken from you, you will have it. If not, you won’t.”

Elijah ‘going into heaven’ was just a sign to Elisha that he would indeed receive a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. Elijah did not ascend into the heaven that Jesus was referring to. Again, Elijah’s going into heaven was just a sign to Elisha.

80. Who was high priest when David went into the house of God and ate the consecrated bread?

Abiathar (Mark 2:26)

Mark 2:23-28 (HCSB)
23 On the Sabbath He was going through the grainfields, and His disciples began to make their way picking some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 He said to them, “Have you never read what David and those who were with him did when he was in need and hungry— 26 how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest and ate the sacred bread—which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests—and also gave some to his companions?” 27 Then He told them, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. 28 Therefore the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Ahimelech, the father of Abiathar (I Samuel 1:1; 22:20)

1 Sam 21:1-6 (HCSB)
1 David went to Ahimelech the priest at Nob. Ahimelech was afraid to meet David, so he said to him, “Why are you alone and no one is with you?” 2 David answered Ahimelech the priest, “The king gave me a mission, but he told me, ‘Don’t let anyone know anything about the mission I’m sending you on or what I have ordered you [to do] .’ I have stationed [my] young men at a certain place. 3 Now what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread or whatever can be found.” 4 The priest told him, “There is no ordinary bread on hand. However, there is consecrated bread, but the young men may eat it only if they have kept themselves from women.” 5 David answered him, “I swear that women are being kept from us, as always when I go out [to battle] . The young men’s bodies are consecrated even on an ordinary mission, so of course their bodies are consecrated today.” 6 So the priest gave him the consecrated [bread] , for there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the Lord. When the bread was removed, it had been replaced with warm bread.

Chad’s comments:

In Mark 2:26, when Jesus says, ‘how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest and ate the sacred bread’, notice that He didn’t say, ‘in the time that Abiathar was high priest’. In other words, Jesus was saying that this happened during the time that Abiathar the high priest was alive, not necessarily when Abaithar was officially high priest. Also, since Ahimelech was killed shortly after this event and his son Abiathar escaped and become the next priest, one could say that this was the initiation of Abiathar being priest, so in that sense, it was in the time that Abiathar was the high priest. But again, Jesus doesn’t say explicitly that this event happened during the time when Abiathar was priest, just when he was alive.

81. Was Jesus body wrapped in spices before burial in accordance with Jewish burial customs?

Yes and his female disciples witnessed his burial (John 19:39-40)

John 19:39-40 (HCSB)
39 Nicodemus (who had previously come to Him at night) also came, bringing a mixture of about 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes. 40 Then they took Jesus’ body and wrapped it in linen cloths with the aromatic spices, according to the burial custom of the Jews.

No. Jesus was simply wrapped in a linen shroud. Then the women bought and prepared spices so that they may go and anoint him [Jesus) (Mark 16: 1)

Mark 16:1 (HCSB)
1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so they could go and anoint Him.

Chad’s comments:

Both.

82. When did the women buy the spices?

After the Sabbath was past (Mark 16:1)

Mark 16:1 (HCSB)
1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so they could go and anoint Him.

Before the Sabbath. The women prepared spices and ointments. Then, on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment (Luke 23:55 to 24:1)

Luke 23:55-24:1 (HCSB)
55 The women who had come with Him from Galilee followed along and observed the tomb and how His body was placed. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment 1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared.

Chad’s comments:

Both. One possibility is that they started preparing the spices and ointments before the Sabbath but decided that they needed more spices and ointments so they bought some more after the Sabbath. This is not at all hard to imagine. Lets say someone was preparing a house for a birthday party for their child. Would it be ridiculous to think that perhaps after the parents started decorating the house that they realized that they would need more balloons, or other decorations? Nope. And in Luke 24:1, if these women did indeed buy more spices, etc, wouldn’t it be perfectly accurate to include the additionally purchased spices in the phrase, ‘bringing the spices they had prepared’. Or, perhaps Luke didn’t see these women buy more and so he didn’t mention the additionally purchased spices. The statement, ‘bringing the spices they had prepared’ would still be a perfectly non-contradictory and accurate statement. The entire reason I believe we have the gospels written by four different writers is because we get the bigger picture than we would from one writer. One writer did not know as much as they collectively knew. It’s like having one camera to video an event versus having four cameras.

83. At what time of day did the women visit the tomb?

Toward the dawn (Matthew 28: 1)

Matt 28:1 (HCSB)
1 After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb.

When the sun had risen (Mark 16:2)

Mark 16:1-2 (HCSB)
1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so they could go and anoint Him. 2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they went to the tomb at sunrise.

Chad’s comments:

Both. They left before the sun had risen but by the time they got to the tomb to view it, the sun had risen. This makes perfect sense. If one was to take a photograph of the women leaving, a picture would show it perfectly dark. If another picture was taken on the way, it would still be dark and but not as dark. When they got to the tomb,and a picture was taken of the women, the picture would show the sun had risen. This makes perfect sense and parallels perfectly with reality, again, making the gospels ring even truer than if someone made up a fictional story making sure there were no ‘contradictory sounding’ details.

84. What was the purpose for which the women went to the tomb?

To anoint Jesus body with spices (Mark 16: 1; Luke 23:55 to 24: 1)

Mark 16:1 (HCSB)
1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so they could go and anoint Him.

To see the tomb. Nothing about spices here (Matthew 28:1)

Matt 28:1 (HCSB)
1 After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb.

For no specified reason. In this gospel the wrapping with spices had been done before the Sabbath (John 20:1)

John 20:1 (HCSB)
1 On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.

Chad’s comments:

This question makes me thing that Ally is reaching to produce doubt about things that are not contradictory. The women went both to anoint Jesus and to see the tomb. Ally, can you name one thing that you have done where you could say that the only reason you were doing something was one specific reason? I bet you can’t. We all do things we do for many reasons. Also, just because John doesn’t mention the women also anointing Jesus doesn’t mean they didn’t do it. Joseph of Arimathea put spices and ointment on Jesus and the women also anointed Jesus.

85. A large stone was placed at the entrance of the tomb. Where was the stone when the women arrived?

They saw that the stone was Rolled back (Mark 16:4)

Mark 16:1-5 (HCSB)
1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so they could go and anoint Him. 2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they went to the tomb at sunrise. 3 They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance to the tomb for us?” 4 Looking up, they observed that the stone—which was very large—had been rolled away.

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb (Luke 24:2)

Luke 24:1-2 (HCSB)
1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb.

They saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb (John 20:1)

John 20:1 (HCSB)
1 On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.

As the women approached, an angel descended from heaven, rolled away the stone, and conversed with the women. Matthew made the women witness the spectacular rolling away of the stone (Matthew 28:1-6)

Matt 28:1-5 (HCSB)
1 After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb. 2 Suddenly there was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached [the tomb]. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his robe was as white as snow. 4 The guards were so shaken from fear of him that they became like dead men. 5 But the angel told the women, “Don’t be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.

Chad’s comments:

One possibility is that in Matthew 28:1-5 the women did not actually see the angel roll back the stone. Ally is assuming that the women did see the angel but a careful reading of the text shows that this is not necessarily the case. Matthew explains that the angel did roll back the stone but again, it is not 100% clear that the women saw this, and based on the other texts, they very well may not have seen the angel actual roll away the stone. They could have still been on the way. Now It is probable that they did experience the violent earthquake, but perhaps they felt the earthquake on the way but had not yet arrived at the tomb to see the angel do his thing. They did see the angel afterwards, but the text does not say that when they saw the angel that he was still sitting on the stone. He could have been in the tomb when they actually spoke with Him.

86. Did anyone tell the women what happened to Jesus body?

Yes. A young man in a white robe (Mark 16:5).

Mark 16:1-8 (HCSB)
1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so they could go and anoint Him. 2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they went to the tomb at sunrise. 3 They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance to the tomb for us?” 4 Looking up, they observed that the stone—which was very large—had been rolled away. 5 When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; they were amazed and alarmed. 6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he told them. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has been resurrected! He is not here! See the place where they put Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see Him there just as He told you.’ ” 8 So they went out and started running from the tomb, because trembling and astonishment overwhelmed them. And they said nothing to anyone, since they were afraid.

Two men … in dazzling apparel later described as angels (Luke 24:4 and 24:23).

Luke 24:1-12 (HCSB)
1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes. 5 So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. 6 “He is not here, but He has been resurrected! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’?” 8 And they remembered His words. 9 Returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest. 10 Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them were telling the apostles these things. 11 But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. When he stooped to look in, he saw only the linen cloths. So he went home, amazed at what had happened.

Luke 24:22-24 (HCSB)
22 Moreover, some women from our group astounded us. They arrived early at the tomb, 23 and when they didn’t find His body, they came and reported that they had seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they didn’t see Him.”

An angel – the one who rolled back the stone (Matthew 16:2).

Matt 28:1-10 (HCSB)
1 After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb. 2 Suddenly there was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached [the tomb]. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his robe was as white as snow. 4 The guards were so shaken from fear of him that they became like dead men. 5 But the angel told the women, “Don’t be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here! For He has been resurrected, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead. In fact, He is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see Him there.’ Listen, I have told you.” 8 So, departing quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell His disciples the news. 9 Just then Jesus met them and said, “Good morning!” They came up, took hold of His feet, and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus told them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see Me there.”

In each case the women were told that Jesus had risen from the dead (Matthew 28:7; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:5 )

No. Mary met no one and returned saying, They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him (John 20:2)

John 20:1-18 (HCSB)
1 On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put Him!” 3 At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. 5 Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, yet he did not go in. 6 Then, following him, Simon Peter came also. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. 7 The wrapping that had been on His head was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a separate place by itself. 8 The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then entered the tomb, saw, and believed. 9 For they still did not understand the Scripture that He must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went home again. 11 But Mary stood outside facing the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 She saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet, where Jesus’ body had been lying. 13 They said to her, “ Woman, why are you crying?” “Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put Him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not know it was Jesus. 15 “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Supposing He was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve removed Him, tell me where you’ve put Him, and I will take Him away.” 16 Jesus said, “Mary.” Turning around, she said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” —which means “Teacher.” 17 “Don’t cling to Me,” Jesus told her, “for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brothers and tell them that I am ascending to My Father and your Father—to My God and your God.” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what He had said to her.

Chad’s comments:

What we know for sure from these passages is that the angels told all the women but Mary what happened to Jesus’ body. It appears as though the women (including Mary) were coming towards the tomb and as they noticed that the stone had been rolled away, Mary freaked out and ran to tell Peter and John that Jesus’s body had been taken. The other women probably continued on to the tomb and went inside the tomb and that is when the angels told them that Jesus had been resurrected and for them to go to Galilee. Most likely, when they women were returning to Galilee, Peter and John arrived to the tomb and saw that Jesus wasn’t there. Mary also followed them to the tomb and was outside crying after Peter and John went back home. Mary then looked into the tomb and saw the angels. The angels spoke to her a little bit but before they could tell her what they had told the other women, Jesus appeared behind her (probably outside the tomb). Then Jesus told her to go to His brothers and to tell them that He was ascending to His Father and theirs.

87. When did Mary Magdelene first meet the resurrected Jesus? And how did she react?

Mary and the other women met Jesus on their way back from their first and only visit to the tomb. They took hold of his feet and worshipped him (Matthew 28:9)

Matt 28:5-10 (HCSB)
5 But the angel told the women, “Don’t be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here! For He has been resurrected, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead. In fact, He is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see Him there.’ Listen, I have told you.” 8 So, departing quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell His disciples the news. 9 Just then Jesus met them and said, “Good morning!” They came up, took hold of His feet, and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus told them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see Me there.”

On her second visit to the tomb Mary met Jesus just outside the tomb. When she saw Jesus she did not recognize him. She mistook him for the gardener. She still thinks that Jesus body is laid to rest somewhere and she demands to know where. But when Jesus said her name she at once recognized him and called him Teacher. Jesus said to her, Do not hold me… (John 20:11 to 17)

John 20:11-16 (HCSB)
11 But Mary stood outside facing the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 She saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet, where Jesus’ body had been lying. 13 They said to her, “ Woman, why are you crying?” “Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put Him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not know it was Jesus. 15 “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Supposing He was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve removed Him, tell me where you’ve put Him, and I will take Him away.” 16 Jesus said, “Mary.”

Chad’s comments:

Mary Magdelene first met Jesus on her second visit to the tomb. The other women met Jesus sometime after this when they were going to tell the disciples. It is unclear whether Mary Magdelene was with the other women when Jesus appeared to them. It doesn’t really matter though. The answer to this question is Mary Magdelene first met Jesus on her second visit to the tomb.

88. What was Jesus instruction for his disciples?

Tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me (Matthew 28:10)

Go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God (John 20:17)

John 20:11-18 (HCSB)
11 But Mary stood outside facing the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 She saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet, where Jesus’ body had been lying. 13 They said to her, “ Woman, why are you crying?” “Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put Him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not know it was Jesus. 15 “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Supposing He was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve removed Him, tell me where you’ve put Him, and I will take Him away.” 16 Jesus said, “Mary.” Turning around, she said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” —which means “Teacher.” 17 “Don’t cling to Me,” Jesus told her, “for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brothers and tell them that I am ascending to My Father and your Father—to My God and your God.” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what He had said to her.

Chad’s comments:

The 2008 Presidential debates can help us understand these type of questions that Ally asks often. Imagine if a skeptic in the year 4016 was trying to prove the unreliability of the information they had about the 2008 Presidential elections by showing ‘contradictions’ in the various accounts of the elections. Then imagine him asking the following question about the final 2008 Presidential debate:

Question: What did John McCain accuse Obama of in the 2008 final Presidential debate?

1. Associating with Bill Ayers
2. Associating with Acorn.

As those of us who watched the debate understand, McCain accused Obama of both of these and many other things as well. Such is the case with many of the questions Ally asks about the Bible that he says are ‘contradictions’. People say many things in most interactions they have with other people. To answer question 88, the answer is once again both because Jesus says to the women, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see Me there.” and specifically tells Mary, “Don’t cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brothers and tell them that I am ascending to My Father and your Father—to My God and your God.” More than likely what happened is that Jesus told the women (minus Mary) to tell the brothers to leave for Galilee, and they would see Him there’ but told Mary (by herself) to tell the brothers that Jesus was ascending to His Father and their Father. But even if Mary was with the women when Jesus said ‘Go and tell My brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see Me there’, why would it seem incredible that He gave more than one instruction for them to relate to the brothers?

89. When did the disciples return to Galilee?

Immediately, because when they saw Jesus in Galilee some doubted (Matthew 28:17). This period of uncertainty should not persist

Matt 28:16-20 (HCSB)
16 The 11 disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped, but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

After at least 40 days. That evening the disciples were still in Jerusalem (Luke 24:33).

Luke 24:33-35 (HCSB)
33 That very hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and those with them gathered together, 34 who said, “The Lord has certainly been raised, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they began to describe what had happened on the road and how He was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Jesus appeared to them there and told them, stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high (Luke 24:49).

Luke 24:49 (HCSB)
49 And look, I am sending you what My Father promised. As for you, stay in the city until you are empowered from on high.”

He was appearing to them during forty days (Acts 1:3),

Acts 1:3 (HCSB)
3 After He had suffered, He also presented Himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during 40 days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

and charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise … (Acts 1:4)

Acts 1:4-5 (HCSB)
4 While He was together with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “This,” [He said, “is what] you heard from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Chad’s comments:

Perhaps Jesus said what He did in Matthew 28:18-20 and stayed with them for 40 days. I am sure Jesus gave the instructions he did in Matthew 28:18-20 many times throughout the course of those 40 days. There is no evidence that He said what He did in Matthew 28:18-20 and then immediately cruised away.

90. To whom did the Midianites sell Joseph?

To the Ishmaelites (Genesis 37:28)

Gen 37:28 (HCSB)
28 When Midianite traders passed by, they pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt.

To Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh (Genesis 37:36)

Gen 37:36 (HCSB)
36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard.

Gen 37:12-36 (HCSB)
12 His brothers had gone to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem. 13 Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers, you know, are pasturing [the flocks] at Shechem. Get ready. I’m sending you to them.” “I’m ready,” Joseph replied. 14 Then Israel said to him, “Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are doing, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem. 15 A man found him there, wandering in the field, and asked him, “What are you looking for?” 16 “I’m looking for my brothers,” Joseph said. “Can you tell me where they are pasturing [their flocks] ?” 17 “They’ve moved on from here,” the man said. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’ ” So Joseph set out after his brothers and found them at Dothan. 18 They saw him in the distance, and before he had reached them, they plotted to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes that dreamer! 20 Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal ate him. Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!” 21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to save him from them. He said, “Let’s not take his life.” 22 Reuben also said to them, “Don’t shed blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him”—intending to rescue him from their hands and return him to his father. 23 When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the robe of many colors that he had on. 24 Then they took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. 25 Then they sat down to eat a meal. They looked up, and there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and resin, going down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our [own] flesh.” His brothers agreed. 28 When Midianite traders passed by, they pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt. 29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. 30 He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone! What am I going to do?” 31 So they took Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a young goat, and dipped the robe in its blood. 32 They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it. Is it your son’s robe or not?” 33 His father recognized it. “It is my son’s robe,” he said. “A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has been torn to pieces!” 34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” And his father wept for him. 36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard.

Chad’s comments:

In verse 28 above, we read:

“When Midianite traders passed by, they pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt”

The ‘they’ is referring to Joseph’s brothers, not the Midianite traders. Why would the Midianite traders pull Joseph out of the pit? It was Joseph’s brothers who pulled Joseph out of the pit so that they could show him to the group coming by composed of Midianite traders and the Ishmaelites and Joseph’s brothers were the ones who sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites. Later the group composed of Midianite traders and the Ishmaelites sold Joseph to Potiphar.

91. Who brought Joseph to Egypt?

The Ishmaelites bought Joseph and then took Joseph to Egypt (Genesis 37:28)

Gen 37:26-28 (HCSB)
26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our [own] flesh.” His brothers agreed. 28 When Midianite traders passed by, they pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt.

The Midianites had sold him in Egypt (Genesis 37:36)

Gen 37:36 (HCSB)
36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard.

Joseph said to his brothers I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt (Genesis 45:4)

Gen 45:4-5 (HCSB)
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please, come near me,” and they came near. “I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt. 5 And now don’t be worried or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life.

Chad’s comments:

In Genesis 37:26-28, we see that the Ismaelites were among the Midianite traders who were passing by. So one possibility is that since the Isameliates were among the Midianite traders who passed by that they could be considered a part of the Midianite traders. In other words, the Ishmaelites could have been both Ishmaelites and Midianite traders by association. But even if we keep the Ismaelites as a separate entity than the Midianite traders, we see that the Ismaelites bought Joseph and brought him to Egypt while the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar. As far Genesis 45:4-5 is concerned, since Joseph’s brother’s probably knew that if they sold Joseph to the Ismaelites that he would be sold into Egypt, one could correctly say that they sold him to Egypt. There is no contradiction.

92. Does God change his mind?

Yes. The word of the Lord came to Samuel: I repent that I have made Saul King… (I Samuel 15:10 to 11)

No. God will not lie or repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent (I Samuel 15:29)

Yes. And the Lord repented that he had made Saul King over Israel (I Samuel 15:35). Notice that the above three quotes are all from the same chapter of the same book! In addition, the Bible shows that God repented on several other occasions:

1 Sam 15:1-35 (HCSB)
1 Samuel told Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people Israel. Now, listen to the words of the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord of Hosts says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them along the way as they were coming out of Egypt. 3 Now go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have. Do not spare them. Kill men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’ ” 4 Then Saul summoned the troops and counted them at Telaim: 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men from Judah. 5 Saul came to the city of Amalek and set up an ambush in the wadi. 6 He warned the Kenites, “Since you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came out of Egypt, go on and leave! Get away from the Amalekites, or I’ll sweep you away with them.” So the Kenites withdrew from the Amalekites. 7 Then Saul struck down the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is next to Egypt. 8 He captured Agag king of Amalek alive, but he completely destroyed all the rest of the people with the sword. 9 Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, cattle, and fatlings, as well as the young rams and the best of everything else. They were not willing to destroy them, but they did destroy all the worthless and unwanted things. 10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 “I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.” So Samuel became angry and cried out to the Lord [all] night. 12 Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but it was reported to Samuel, “Saul went to Carmel where he set up a monument for himself. Then he turned around and went down to Gilgal.” 13 When Samuel came to him, Saul said, “May the Lord bless you. I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.” 14 Samuel replied, “Then what is this sound of sheep and cattle I hear?” 15 Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites and spared the best sheep and cattle in order to offer a sacrifice to the Lord your God, but the rest we destroyed.” 16 “Stop!” exclaimed Samuel. “Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” “Tell me,” he replied. 17 Samuel continued, “Although you once considered yourself unimportant, have you not become the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel 18 and then sent you on a mission and said: ‘Go and completely destroy the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have annihilated them.’ 19 So why didn’t you obey the Lord? Why did you rush on the plunder and do what was evil in the Lord’s sight?” 20 “But I did obey the Lord!” Saul answered. “I went on the mission the Lord gave me: I brought back Agag, king of Amalek, and I completely destroyed the Amalekites. 21 The troops took sheep and cattle from the plunder—the best of what was set apart for destruction—to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” 22 Then Samuel said: Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention [is better] than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and defiance is like wickedness and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king. 24 Saul answered Samuel, “I have sinned. I have transgressed the Lord’s command and your words. Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them. 25 Now therefore, please forgive my sin and return with me so I can worship the Lord.” 26 Samuel replied to Saul, “I will not return with you. Because you rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 When Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore. 28 Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingship of Israel away from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you. 29 Furthermore, the Eternal One of Israel does not lie or change His mind, for He is not man who changes his mind.” 30 Saul said, “I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me so I can bow and worship the Lord your God.” 31 Then Samuel went back, following Saul, and Saul bowed down to the Lord. 32 Samuel said, “Bring me Agag king of Amalek.” Agag came to him trembling, for he thought, “Certainly the bitterness of death has come.” 33 Samuel declared: As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women. Then he hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal. 34 Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. 35 Even to the day of his death, Samuel never again visited Saul. Samuel mourned for Saul, and the Lord regretted He had made Saul king over Israel.

i. The Lord was sorry that he made man (Genesis 6:6)

I am sorry that I have made them (Genesis 6:7)

Gen 6:5-8 (HCSB)
5 When the Lord saw that man’s wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every scheme his mind thought of was nothing but evil all the time, 6 the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 Then the Lord said, “I will wipe off the face of the earth: man, whom I created, together with the animals, creatures that crawl, and birds of the sky—for I regret that I made them.” 8 Noah, however, found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

ii. And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do to his people (Exodus 32:14).

Ex 32:11-14 (HCSB)
11 But Moses interceded with the Lord his God: “Lord, why does Your anger burn against Your people You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a strong hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘He brought them out with an evil intent to kill them in the mountains and wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from Your great anger and change Your mind about this disaster [planned] for Your people. 13 Remember that You swore to Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel by Yourself and declared to them, ‘I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and will give your offspring all this land that I have promised, and they will inherit [it] forever.’ ” 14 So the Lord changed His mind about the disaster He said He would bring on His people.

iii. (Lots of other such references).

2 Kings 20:1-6 (HCSB)
1 In those days Hezekiah became terminally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Put your affairs in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’ ” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Please Lord, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and wholeheartedly and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 Isaiah had not yet gone out of the inner courtyard when the word of the Lord came to him: 5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of My people, ‘This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Look, I will heal you. On the third day [from now] you will go up to the Lord’s temple. 6 I will add 15 years to your life. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for My sake and for the sake of My servant David.’ ”

Chad’s comments:

There are some things that God has firmly decided that He will not change His mind about but there are other things that God will change his mind about (Interestingly, in all cases of God changing his mind, there was a person who asked God to change his mind about something.). So in 1 Samuel 15:29 where Samuel says, ‘Furthermore, the Eternal One of Israel does not lie or change His mind, for He is not man who changes his mind’, Samuel is referring to those matters that God has firmly decided.

As far as most of the examples that Ally asks about, the word should be regretted or grieved, not repent. The Lord was grieved that He had made man on earth. He did not change his mind about whether or not He should have made man in the first palce, His heart was just filled with pain because of man’s behavior.

93. The Bible says that for each miracle Moses and Aaron demonstrated the magicians did the same by their secret arts. Then comes the following feat:

Moses and Aaron converted all the available water into blood (Exodus 7:20-21)

Ex 7:20-21 (HCSB)
20 Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded; in the sight of Pharaoh and his officials, he raised the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile was turned to blood. 21 The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad the Egyptians could not drink water from it. There was blood throughout the land of Egypt.

The magicians did the same (Exodus 7:22). This is impossible, since there would have been no water left to convert into blood.

Ex 7:22-25 (HCSB)
22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same thing by their occult practices. So Pharaoh’s heart hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. 23 Pharaoh turned around, went into his palace, and didn’t even take this to heart. 24 All the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink because they could not drink the water from the river. 25 Seven days passed after the Lord struck the Nile.

Chad’s comments:

This passage doesn’t say:

1. that Moses and Aaron converted all the available water in Egypt into blood. It just says that they converted all of the water in the Nile to blood. In fact, in verse 24, we read:

“All the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink because they could not drink the water from the river.”

2. that the magicians converted the Nile to blood, just that they converted water to blood. Converting water to blood would be the same thing that Moses and Aaron did to the Nile. They converted water to blood.

94. Who killed Goliath?

David (I Samuel 17:23, 50)

1 Sam 17:1-58 (HCSB)
1 The Philistines gathered their forces for war at Socoh in Judah and camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim. 2 Saul and the men of Israel gathered and camped in the Valley of Elah; then they lined up in battle formation to face the Philistines. 3 The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites were standing on another hill with a ravine between them. 4 Then a champion named Goliath, from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was nine feet, nine inches tall 5 and wore a bronze helmet and bronze scale armor that weighed 125 pounds. 6 There was bronze armor on his shins, and a bronze sword was slung between his shoulders. 7 His spear shaft was like a weaver’s beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed 15 pounds. In addition, a shield-bearer was walking in front of him. 8 He stood and shouted to the battle formations: “Why do you come out to line up in battle formation?” He asked them, “Am I not a Philistine and are you not servants of Saul? Choose one of your men and have him come down against me. 9 If he wins in a fight against me and kills me, we will be your servants. But if I win against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us.” 10 Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel today. Send me a man so we can fight each other!” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words from the Philistine, they lost their courage and were terrified. 12 Now David was the son of the Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah named Jesse. Jesse had eight sons, and during Saul’s reign was [already] an old man. 13 Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war, and their names were Eliab, the firstborn, Abinadab, the next, and Shammah, the third, 14 and David was the youngest. The three oldest had followed Saul, 15 but David kept going back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s flock in Bethlehem. 16 Every morning and evening for 40 days the Philistine came forward and took his stand. 17 [One day] , Jesse had told his son David, “Take this half-bushel of roasted grain along with these loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. 18 Also, take these 10 portions of cheese to the field commander. Check on the welfare of your brothers and bring a confirmation from them. 19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel are in the Valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines.” 20 So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with someone to keep it, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had instructed him. He arrived at the perimeter of the camp as the army was marching out to its battle formation shouting their battle cry. 21 Israel and the Philistines lined up in battle formation facing each other. 22 David left his supplies in the care of the quartermaster and ran to the battle line. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were. 23 While he was speaking with them, suddenly the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, came forward from the Philistine battle line and shouted his usual words, which David heard. 24 When all the Israelite men saw Goliath, they retreated from him terrified. 25 Previously, an Israelite man had declared, “Do you see this man who keeps coming out? He comes to defy Israel. The king will make the man who kills him very rich and will give him his daughter. The king will also make the household of that man’s father exempt from paying taxes in Israel.” 26 David spoke to the men who were standing with him: “What will be done for the man who kills that Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 27 The people told him about the offer, concluding, “That is what will be done for the man who kills him.” 28 David’s oldest brother Eliab listened as he spoke to the men, and became angry with him. “Why did you come down here?” he asked. “Who did you leave those few sheep with in the wilderness? I know your arrogance and your evil heart—you came down to see the battle!” 29 “What have I done now?” protested David. “It was just a question.” 30 Then he turned from those beside him to others in front of him and asked about the offer. The people gave him the same answer as before. 31 What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, so he had David brought to him. 32 David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone be discouraged by him; your servant will go and fight this Philistine!” 33 But Saul replied, “You can’t go fight this Philistine. You’re just a youth, and he’s been a warrior since he was young.” 34 David answered Saul, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it down, and rescued [the lamb] from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it. 36 Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 Then David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.” 38 Then Saul had his own military clothes put on David. He put a bronze helmet on David’s head and had him put on armor. 39 David strapped his sword on over the military clothes and tried to walk, but he was not used to them. “I can’t walk in these,” David said to Saul, “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off. 40 Instead, he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pouch, in his shepherd’s bag. Then, with his sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine. 41 The Philistine came closer and closer to David, with the shield-bearer in front of him. 42 When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a youth, healthy and handsome. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog that you come against me with sticks?” Then he cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” the Philistine called to David, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts!” 45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with a dagger, spear, and sword, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel’s armies — you have defied Him. 46 Today, the Lord will hand you over to me. Today, I’ll strike you down, cut your head off, and give the corpses of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the creatures of the earth. Then all the world will know that Israel has a God, 47 and this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord’s. He will hand you over to us.” 48 When the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly to the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 David put his hand in the bag, took out a stone, slung [it] , and hit the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. 50 David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone. Even though David had no sword, he struck down the Philistine and killed him. 51 David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine’s sword, pulled it from its sheath, and used it to kill him. Then he cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they ran. 52 The men of Israel and Judah rallied, shouting their battle cry, and chased the Philistines to the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. Philistine bodies were strewn all along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. 53 When the Israelites returned from the pursuit of the Philistines, they plundered their camps. 54 David took Goliath’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put Goliath’s weapons in his [own] tent. 55 When Saul had seen David going out to confront the Philistine, he asked Abner the commander of the army, “Whose son is this youth, Abner?” “[My] king, as surely as you live, I don’t know,” Abner replied. 56 The king said, “Find out whose son this young man is!” 57 When David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the Philistine’s head still in his hand. 58 Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” “The son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem,” David answered.

Elhanan (2 Samuel 21:19)

2 Sam 21:15-19 (HCSB)
15 The Philistines again waged war against Israel. David went down with his soldiers, and they fought the Philistines, but David became exhausted. 16 Then Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giant, whose bronze spear weighed about eight pounds and who wore new armor, intended to kill David. 17 But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him: “You must never again go out with us to battle. You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel.” 18 After this, there was another battle with the Philistines at Gob. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the descendants of the giant. 19 Once again there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam.

Chad’s comments:

This was many years later when David was leading the army. This Goliath was a different Goliath. Goliath was probably a common name for huge men! There is no contradiction.

95. Who killed Saul?

Saul took his own sword and fell upon it…. Thus Saul died… (I Samuel 31:4-6)

1 Sam 31:1-6 (HCSB)
1 The Philistines fought against Israel, and Israel’s men fled from them. Many were killed on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons and killed his sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. 3 When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers caught up with him and severely wounded him. 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and run me through and torture me.” But his armor-bearer would not do it because he was terrified. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it. 5 When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died with him. 6 So on that day, Saul died together with his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men.

An Amalekite slew him (2 Samuel 1:1-16)

2 Sam 1:1-16 (HCSB)
1 After the death of Saul, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and stayed at Ziklag two days. 2 On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head came from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David asked him, “Where have you come from?” He replied to him, “I’ve escaped from the Israelite camp.” 4 “What was the outcome? Tell me,” David asked him. “The troops fled from the battle,” he answered. “Many of the troops have fallen and are dead. Also, Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.” 5 David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear. At that very moment the chariots and the cavalry were closing in on him. 7 When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, so I answered: I’m at your service. 8 He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I told him: I’m an Amalekite. 9 Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for I’m mortally wounded, but my life still lingers.’ 10 So I stood over him and killed him because I knew that after he had fallen he couldn’t survive. I took the crown that was on his head and the armband that was on his arm, and I’ve brought them here to my lord.” 11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and all the men with him did the same. 12 They mourned, wept, and fasted until the evening for those who died by the sword—for Saul, his son Jonathan, the Lord’s people, and the house of Israel. 13 David inquired of the young man who had brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I’m the son of a foreigner” he said. “I’m an Amalekite.” 14 David questioned him, “How is it that you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 15 Then David summoned one of his servants and said, “Come here and kill him!” The servant struck him, and he died. 16 For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood is on your own head because your own mouth testified against you by saying, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ”

Chad’s comments:

Additional questions that came to me as I read this:

Did Saul fall on his sword or his spear?
Is it possible that the Amalekite was lying?

96. Does every man sin?

Yes. There is no man who does not sin (I Kings 8:46; see also 2 Chronicles 6:36; Proverbs 20:9; Ecclesiastes 7:20; and I John 1:810)

1 Kings 8:22-23 (HCSB)
22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. 23 He said:

1 Kings 8:46-50 (HCSB)
46 When they sin against You— for there is no one who does not sin— and You are angry with them and hand them over to the enemy, and their captors deport them to the enemy’s country— whether distant or nearby— 47 and when they come to their senses in the land where they were deported and repent and petition You in their captors’ land: “We have sinned and done wrong; we have been wicked,” 48 and when they return to You with their whole mind and heart in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and when they pray to You in the direction of their land that You gave their ancestors, the city You have chosen, and the temple I have built for Your name, 49 may You hear in heaven, Your dwelling place, their prayer and petition and uphold their cause. 50 May You forgive Your people who sinned against You and all their rebellions against You, and may You give them compassion in the eyes of their captors, so that they may be compassionate to them.

2 Chron 6:1-4 (HCSB)
1 Then Solomon said: The Lord said He would dwell in thick darkness, 2 but I have built an exalted temple for You, a place for Your residence forever. 3 Then the king turned and blessed the entire congregation of Israel while they were standing. 4 He said:

2 Chron 6:36-39 (HCSB)
36 When they sin against You— for there is no one who does not sin— and You are angry with them and hand them over to the enemy, and their captors deport them to a distant or nearby country, 37 and when they come to their senses in the land where they were deported and repent and petition You in their captors’ land, saying: “We have sinned and done wrong; we have been wicked,” 38 and when they return to You with their whole mind and heart in the land of their captivity where they were taken captive, and when they pray in the direction of their land that You gave their ancestors, and the city You have chosen, and toward the temple I have built for Your name, 39 may You hear in heaven, in Your dwelling place, their prayer and petitions and uphold their cause. May You forgive Your people who sinned against You.

Prov 20:9 (HCSB)
9 Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?

Eccl 7:20 (HCSB)
20 There is certainly no righteous man on the earth who does good and never sins.

1 John 1:5-10 (HCSB)
5 Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him. 6 If we say, “We have fellowship with Him,” and walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

No. True Christians cannot possibly sin, because they are the children of God. Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God.. (I John 5:1). We should be called children of God; and so we are (I John 3: 1). He who loves is born of God (I John 4:7). No one born of God commits sin; for Gods nature abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God (I John 3:9). But, then again, Yes! If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (I John 1:8)

1 John 5:1 (HCSB)
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent also loves his child.

1 John 3:1 (HCSB)
1 Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God’s children.

1 John 4:7 (HCSB)
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

1 John 3:9 (HCSB)
Everyone who has been born of God does not sin, because His seed remains in him; he is not able to sin, because he has been born of God.

1 John 1:8-10 (HCSB)
If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

Chad’s comments:

The answer is yes! Every single person who has ever been alive, is alive or will be alive has, does or will sin with the exception of Jesus Christ. He never sinned. Another Scripture that clarifies this even further is Romans 3:23:

Romans 3:23 (HCSB)
23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

So what did John mean when he said, ‘Everyone who has been born of God does not sin, because His seed remains in him; he is not able to sin, because he has been born of God.’? The NIV renders this passage as, ‘No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.’ The NASB renders this text, ‘No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.’ But I still don’t understand what this means. All of us are certainly aware of a Christian’s ‘ability’ to continue to sin and to go on sinning and to practice sin if one chooses to. And of course Christians can (and do) sin on a daily basis which seems contrary to John’s words, ‘he is not able to sin, because he has been born of God’. Let’s look at the context for some clarity:

1 John 3:1-10 (HCSB)
1 Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God’s children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him. 2 Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure. 4 Everyone who commits sin also breaks the law; sin is the breaking of law. 5 You know that He was revealed so that He might take away sins, and there is no sin in Him. 6 Everyone who remains in Him does not sin; everyone who sins has not seen Him or known Him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you! The one who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 The one who commits sin is of the Devil, for the Devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the Devil’s works. 9 Everyone who has been born of God does not sin, because His seed remains in him; he is not able to sin, because he has been born of God. 10 This is how God’s children—and the Devil’s children—are made evident.

The Net Bible nicely summarizes what I have been thinking about but not quite sure how to say. Referring to 1 John 3:9, its footnotes say:

“Does not practice sin. Again, as in 3:6, the author is making a clear distinction between the opponents, who as moral indifferentists downplay the significance of sin in the life of the Christian, and the recipients, who as true Christians recognize the significance of sin because Jesus came to take it away (3:5) and to destroy it as a work of the devil (3:8). This explanation still has to deal with the apparent contradiction between the author’s statements in 2:1-2 and those here in 3:9, but this is best explained in terms of the author’s tendency to present issues in “either/or” terms to bring out the drastic contrast between his readers, whom he regards as true believers, and the opponents, whom he regards as false. In 2:1-2 the author can acknowledge the possibility that a true Christian might on occasion sin, because in this context he wishes to reassure his readers that the statements he has made about the opponents in the preceding context do not apply to them. But in 3:4-10, his concern is to bring out the absolute difference between the opponents and his readers, so he speaks in theoretical terms which do not discuss the possible occasional exception, because to do so would weaken his argument.”

There is no contradiction.

97. Who will bear whose burden?

Bear one anothers burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2)

Each man will have to bear his own load (Galatians 6:5)

Gal 6:1-10 (HCSB)
1 Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you won’t be tempted also. 2 Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he is deceiving himself. 4 But each person should examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in respect to someone else. 5 For each person will have to carry his own load.

Chad’s comments:

Both options are true. In respect to loving others, we are to carry one another’s burdens. In respect to examining our own works, we are to carry our own load without comparing our works to someone else’s.

98. How many disciples did Jesus appear to after his resurrection?

Twelve (I Corinthians 15:5)

1 Cor 15:1-8 (HCSB)
1 Now brothers, I want to clarify for you the gospel I proclaimed to you; you received it and have taken your stand on it. 2 You are also saved by it, if you hold to the message I proclaimed to you—unless you believed to no purpose. 3 For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. 6 Then He appeared to over 500 brothers at one time, most of whom remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one abnormally born, He also appeared to me.

Eleven (Matthew 27:3-5 and Acts 1:9-26, see also Matthew 28:16; Mark 16:14 footnote; Luke 24:9; Luke 24:3 3)

Acts 1:9-26 (HCSB)
9 After He had said this, He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 While He was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.” 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olive Grove, which is near Jerusalem—a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they arrived, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14 All these were continually united in prayer, along with the women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers. 15 During these days Peter stood up among the brothers —the number of people who were together was about 120—and said: 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David spoke in advance about Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was one of our number and was allotted a share in this ministry.” 18 Now this man acquired a field with his unrighteous wages; and falling headfirst, he burst open in the middle, and all his insides spilled out. 19 This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that in their own language that field is called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood. 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms: Let his dwelling become desolate; let no one live in it; and Let someone else take his position. 21 “Therefore, from among the men who have accompanied us during the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us— 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day He was taken up from us—from among these, it is necessary that one become a witness with us of His resurrection.” 23 So they proposed two: Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “You, Lord, know the hearts of all; show which of these two You have chosen 25 to take the place in this apostolic service that Judas left to go to his own place.” 26 Then they cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias. So he was numbered with the 11 apostles.

Mark 16:8-18 (HCSB)
9 Early on the first day of the week, after He had risen, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had driven seven demons. 10 She went and reported to those who had been with Him, as they were mourning and weeping. 11 Yet, when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe it. 12 Then after this, He appeared in a different form to two of them walking on their way into the country. 13 And they went and reported it to the rest, who did not believe them either. 14 Later, He appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table. He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who saw Him after He had been resurrected. 15 Then He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; 18 they will pick up snakes; if they should drink anything deadly, it will never harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.”

Luke 24:9 (HCSB)
9 Returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest.

Chad’s comments:

So Ally’s question is basically why does Paul refer to the apostles that Jesus appeared to as 12 after He was resurrected in 1 Corinthians 15 when Judas was gone and Matthias had not yet been appointed to the position of apostle. He is saying that to be consist ant, Paul should have said 11.

99. Where was Jesus three days after his baptism?

After his baptism, the spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days … (Mark 1:12-13)

Mark 1:9-13 (HCSB)
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. 10 As soon as He came up out of the water, He saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending to Him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: You are My beloved Son; I take delight in You! 12 Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness 40 days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels began to serve Him.

Next day after the baptism, Jesus selected two disciples. Second day: Jesus went to Galilee – two more disciples. Third day: Jesus was at a wedding feast in Cana in Galilee (see John 1:35; 1:43; 2:1-11)

John 1:29-42 (HCSB)
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the One I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who has surpassed me, because He existed before me.’ 31 I didn’t know Him, but I came baptizing with water so He might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John testified, “I watched the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He rested on Him. 33 I didn’t know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The One you see the Spirit descending and resting on—He is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God!” 35 Again the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look! The Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this and followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and noticed them following Him, He asked them, “What are you looking for?” They said to Him, “ Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are You staying?” 39 “Come and you’ll see,” He replied. So they went and saw where He was staying, and they stayed with Him that day.

Chad’s comments:

In the above text, John was talking about when he baptized Jesus. John in no way indicates that he baptized Jesus the day before this day. So the next day in verse 29 and 35, etc are not indicating the day after Jesus’ baptism but the day after John was talking about Jesus’ baptism.

100. Was baby Jesus life threatened in Jerusalem?

Yes, so Joseph fled with him to Egypt and stayed there until Herod died (Matthew 2:13 23)

Matt 2:13-14 (HCSB)
13 After they were gone, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to destroy Him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and His mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt.

Matt 2:23 (HCSB)
23 Then he went and settled in a town called Nazareth to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets, that He will be called a Nazarene.

No. The family fled nowhere. They calmly presented the child at the Jerusalem temple according to the Jewish customs and returned to Galilee (Luke 2:21-40)

Luke 2:21-40 (HCSB)
21 When the eight days were completed for His circumcision, He was named JESUS—the name given by the angel before He was conceived. 22 And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were finished, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (just as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male will be dedicated to the Lord ) 24 and to offer a sacrifice (according to what is stated in the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons ). 25 There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple complex. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for Him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said: 29 Now, Master, You can dismiss Your slave in peace, according to Your word. 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation. 31 You have prepared [it] in the presence of all peoples— 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to Your people Israel. 33 His father and mother were amazed at what was being said about Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and told His mother Mary: “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed — 35 and a sword will pierce your own soul—that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” 36 There was also a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and was a widow for 84 years. She did not leave the temple complex, serving God night and day with fastings and prayers. 38 At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God and to speak about Him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. 39 When they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 The boy grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on Him.

Chad’s comments:

1. Words of history are like snapshots taken of events that happen through the course of ongoing time. If one were to take pictures of any given event, the pictures would not all be the same. People’s expression would be different from picture to picture because people’s thoughts and feelings, etc. greatly fluctuate through even the shortest passage of time. In one picture of an event, people would be happy and delighted about something. In another picture of the same event, people would not be smiling. Some pictures would have people looking very interested in whatever was going on and some pictures would have these same people looking very bored. Some pictures would be taken of a few people who were at the event while other pictures would be taken of a different number of people at this same event. Some pictures would be zoomed in on one person while some pictures would be zoomed out to see the entire event. All of the pictures would be true even though they were different. So it is with the gospels. Each gospel was like a snapshot of the events of history. If all of the gospels were exactly the same in every detail, it would make them less believable because reality is filled with details that vary though the course of time and space.

2. This question is a logical fallacy known as ‘false dilemma’ which is:

“The false dilemma’ (or false dichotomy) is a fallacy of reasoning that omits consideration of all reasonable alternatives. Sometimes called the either-or fallacy, one poses what looks like a true dilemma–I must pick one or the other–when, in fact, there are other viable alternatives..” (http://skepdic.com/falsedilemma.html)

In this question, both options can be equally true at the same time. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.

101. When Jesus walked on water how did the disciples respond?

They worshipped him, saying, Truly you are the Son of God (Matthew 14:33)

Matt 14:22-33 (HCSB)
22 Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. 23 After dismissing the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone. 24 But the boat was already over a mile from land, battered by the waves, because the wind was against them. 25 Around three in the morning, He came toward them walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s You,” Peter answered Him, “command me to come to You on the water.” 29 “Come!” He said. And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid. And beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out His hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those in the boat worshiped Him and said, “Truly You are the Son of God!”

They were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened (Mark 6:51-52)

Mark 6:45-52 (HCSB)
45 Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. 46 After He said good-bye to them, He went away to the mountain to pray. 47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. 48 He saw them being battered as they rowed, because the wind was against them. Around three in the morning He came toward them walking on the sea and wanted to pass by them. 49 When they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; 50 for they all saw Him and were terrified. Immediately He spoke with them and said, “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded, 52 because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.

Chad’s comments:

2. This question is a logical fallacy known as ‘false dilemma’ which is:

In this question, both options can be equally true at the same time. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.

Are Guilt Feelings from God?

Are Guilt Feelings from God?

Romans 8:1-11 (HCSB)
1 Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus, 2 because the Spirit’s law of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 What the law could not do since it was limited by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in flesh like ours under sin’s domain, and as a sin offering, 4 in order that the law’s requirement would be accomplished in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those whose lives are according to the flesh think about the things of the flesh, but those whose lives are according to the Spirit, about the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so. 8 Those whose lives are in the flesh are unable to please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10 Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through His Spirit who lives in you.

The title of this study and the two quotes that follow are from the book entitled, ‘No Condemnation’ by Bruce Narramore (a book that Anthony Sisco highly and consistently recommended I read). As I continue to read through this book, I feel like the guy from the Maxell commercial:

I believe that God has already started using it to change my life! There are great insights about guilty feelings versus godly sorrow in this book that I believe everyone should read. The title of this study, ‘Are Guilt Feelings from God?’, is the title of chapter 10 of the book and the two following quotes are also taken from chapter 10 of this book:

Quote 1: “I made a startling (to me) discovery. I found that not once was guilt used as an emotion in the entire New Testament! Guilt is used in a legal or judicial sense. And it is used to describe our condition as fallen people alienated from God by virtue of our sins. But it is never used in the sense that most of us consider guilt today – that inner emotional state of self-condemnation, punishment and rejection. The New Testament, in other words, speaks directly of objective guilt but not of subjective guilt. This discovery that guilt was strictly a legal term in Scripture led me to other questions. Could it be, I wondered, that the Bible is not suggesting that God motivates us out of feelings of guilt?”, S. Bruce Narramore

Quote 2: “After gaining this first insight into the biblical use of guilt, I decided to look further. Although guilt is never used as an emotion in the New Testament, I wondered if I might find its essential ingredients (inner punishment, rejection, and disesteem) endorsed as constructive motivations. But a study of these types of motivation also reveals they are not a part of the scriptural pattern of motivation.”, S. Bruce Narramore

Chad’s comments:

Before I examine the truth of Narramore’s first quote, I wanted to point out some things I noticed in Romans 8:1-11 after reading through most of Narramore’s book. First, notice how many times the word, ‘flesh’ appears in Romans 8:1-11: I count 10 times! It is also important to point out that the word ‘flesh’ as translated in the HCSB (and the NASB) is more accurate than the NIV’s, ‘sinful nature’. What I mean is that word, ‘flesh’ encompasses much more than just our ‘sinful nature’. With that in mind, lets look again at verse 4-9:

‘in order that the law’s requirement would be accomplished in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those whose lives are according to the flesh think about the things of the flesh, but those whose lives are according to the Spirit, about the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so. 8 Those whose lives are in the flesh are unable to please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God lives in you.

I have always read this passage to mean that we should either walk according to our sinful nature or by the Spirit. In other words, I thought this passage was just saying that we can either allow the passions of our sinful nature to rule our lives or we can live by the Spirit. The NIV’s ‘sinful nature’ also supported this view. But now I am thinking that the flesh can also refer to our feelings and these feelings can also include ‘guilty feelings’. In other words, it seems to me that ‘living according to the flesh’ can also mean that we allow our ‘guilt feelings’ from the flesh to guide us rather allowing the Spirit from God to guide us.

Also, in verse 1, we read, ‘Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus’ and then verse 3 we read, ‘He condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in flesh’. Before we were in Christ, sin ruled over us and could rightly condemn us before God (condemn meaning to render us in an unsaved state of soul before God). God turned the table on sin and condemned sin itself by sending His Son as a sin offering.

Examination of Narramore’s First Quote

Here are the times that the terms ‘guilt’ or ‘guilty’ appears in the New Testament:

John 9:40 (HCSB)
40 Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and asked Him, “We aren’t blind too, are we?” 41 “If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn’t have sin. [To have sin is an idiom that refers to guilt caused by sin.] But now that you say, ‘We see’—your sin remains.

The NIV renders John 9:40 as:

John 9:40 (New International Version)
40Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” 41Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

John 15:22 (HCSB)
22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin. [To have sin is an idiom that refers to guilt caused by sin.] Now they have no excuse for their sin.

John 15:22 (New International Version)
22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.

John 15:24 (New International Version)
24If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father.

John 19:11 (HCSB)
11 “You would have no authority over Me at all,” Jesus answered him, “if it hadn’t been given you from above. This is why the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.” [To have sin is an idiom that refers to guilt caused by sin.]

John 19:11 (New International Version)
11Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

Matt 13:41 (HCSB)
41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin and those guilty of lawlessness

Mark 3:28-30 (HCSB)
29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Romans 3:19-20 (HCSB)
19 Now we know that whatever the law says speaks to those who are subject to the law, so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment. [Or become guilty before God, or may be accountable to God]

1 Cor 11:27-32 (HCSB)
27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way will be guilty of sin against the body.[Lit be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.] 28 So a man should examine himself; in this way he should eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep. 31 If we were properly evaluating ourselves, we would not be judged, 32 but when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord, so that we may not be condemned with the world.

James 2:10 (HCSB)
10 For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of [breaking it] all.

Luke 13:4 (New International Version)
4Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?

John 8:46 (New International Version)
46Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?

John 16:8-10 (New International Version)
8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt [Or will expose the guilt of the world] in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

The NASB renders John 16:8 as:

John 16:8 (NASB)
8″And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;

Acts 5:28 (New International Version)
28″We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”

Acts 22:25 (New International Version)
25As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?”

Acts 25:11 (New International Version)
11If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

Acts 28:18 (New International Version)
18They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death.

Hebrews 10:2 (New International Version)
2If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.

This occurrence of ‘guilty’ (in the NIV) definitely seems to be referring to the feeling of guilt (seemingly going against Narramore’s first quote). But the more accurate HCSB renders this passage as:

Heb 10:2 (HCSB)
2 Otherwise, wouldn’t they have stopped being offered, since the worshipers, once purified, would no longer have any consciousness of sins?

Also, the NASB renders this passage:

Hebrews 10:2
2Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins?

So although the NIV renders this passage, ‘would no longer have felt guilty for their sins, the HCSB renders this passage, ‘would no longer have any consciousness of sin’ and the NASB renders this passage, ‘would no longer have had consciousness of sins’. So neither the HCSB nor the NASB translations use the term ‘guilt’ or ‘guilty’ to describe ‘guilty feelings’. Narramore still seems to be quite correct in his quote.

Hebrews 10:22 (New International Version)
22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Does Narramore’s first quote fail to be completely true because of this one passage in Hebrews 10:22? No! The HCSB renders this passage:

Heb 10:22 (HCSB)
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled [clean] from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.

And the NASB renders this passage:

Hebrews 10:22 (NASB)
22let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

So we learn a couple of important things from all of this:

1. The following quote from Narramore absolutely 100% true:

“I made a startling (to me) discovery. I found that not once was guilt used as an emotion in the entire New Testament! Guilt is used in a legal or judicial sense. And it is used to describe our condition as fallen people alienated from God by virtue of our sins. But it is never used in the sense that most of us consider guilt today – that inner emotional state of self-condemnation, punishment and rejection. The New Testament, in other words, speaks directly of objective guilt but not of subjective guilt. This discovery that guilt was strictly a legal term in Scripture led me to other questions. Could it be, I wondered, that the Bible is not suggesting that God motivates us out of feelings of guilt”

2. Some of the issues we have with the Scriptures can be from less accurately translated versions of the Bible.
After all, we don’t believe that any modern translation is the perfect word of God, but we do believe the original scriptures were the perfect Word of God and it makes sense to me that we use translations that are as close to the original as possible.

Examination of Narramore’s Second Quote

When I think about Narramore’s second quote, some passages come to mind that need to be examined:

Romans 14:1-23 (HCSB)
1 Accept anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about doubtful issues. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat; and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does, because God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to criticize another’s servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And stand he will! For the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person considers one day to be above another day. Someone else considers every day to be the same. Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 Whoever observes the day, observes it to the Lord. Whoever eats, eats to the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is to the Lord that he does not eat, yet he thanks God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and came to life for this: that He might rule over both the dead and the living. 10 But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to Me, and every tongue will give praise to God. 12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore, let us no longer criticize one another, but instead decide not to put a stumbling block or pitfall in your brother’s way. 14 (I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean.) 15 For if your brother is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. By what you eat, do not destroy that one for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore, do not let your good be slandered, 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever serves the Messiah in this way is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then, we must pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. 20 Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong for a man to cause stumbling by what he eats. 21 It is a noble thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother stumble. 22 Do you have faith? Keep it to yourself before God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin.

It seems as though there are two different standards in verses 2, 5 and 14:

In verse 2:
1. Only vegetables can be eaten.
2. Anything can be eaten.

In verse 5:
1. Some days are more important than others.
2. Each day is the same.

In verse 14:
1. To someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean.
2. Nothing is unclean in itself.

In seems that in each case where a person has restrictions, he or she has these restrictions because of a weak faith:

1. ‘Accept anyone who is weak in faith’
2. ‘but one who is weak eats only vegetables’
3. ‘instead decide not to put a stumbling block or pitfall in your brother’s way’
4. ‘For if your brother is hurt by what you eat’
5. ‘By what you eat, do not destroy that one for whom Christ died.’
6. ‘Do not tear down God’s work because of food.’
7. ‘but it is wrong for a man to cause stumbling by what he eats’
8. ‘or do anything that makes your brother stumble’
9. ‘ But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin.’

Also, it appears as though the one who considers something to be unclean (that is not unclean in itself) has a standard other than Jesus’ truths (verse 14: ‘I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself.’)! In other words, for this person, something (his or her emotions, conscience, understanding or whatever else causes him or her to think something is unclean) is exalted over Jesus’ truths. Yet, still Paul says, ‘to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean’ and, ‘But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin’. Many related questions arise:

1. What are some possible reasons that someone could think something is unclean?
2. Should the person who thinks something is unclean (that is, something that Jesus says is clean) not try to change his or her thought pattern regarding this?
a. If a person should not try to change his or her thought pattern regarding something he or she considers unclean, doesn’t this person stay in a state of having a different standard than Jesus’ truths?
b. If a person should indeed try to change his or her thought pattern regarding something he or she considers unclean, how does one get change his or her thought pattern without violating verse 23, ‘But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin’. In other words, how does one go from eating only vegetables (for example), to eating meat without experiencing some doubt when initially eating meat? On the other hand, maybe the very act of eating meat is an act of faith since one would have to put his or her trust in Jesus instead of putting his or her trust in his or her own conscience. In essence, one would have to surrender his or her conscience to Jesus.
3. Are ‘guilty feelings’ the exact same thing as ‘doubt’? In other words, is Paul saying, ‘But whoever has guilty feelings stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin’?

Also, when Paul says, ‘to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean’, is he commanding or describing? In other words, is Paul commanding that something should be unclean to someone who thinks something is unclean or is he just describing the thought pattern of people in this kind of situation?

Overall, based on the fact that the person with restrictions has a standard other than Jesus’ truths (what he/she considers to be unclean), I can’t imagine that Paul would advocate that this person stay in that state of mind because that is basically saying that what each individual thinks is wrong for him or her is in fact wrong for him or her, whether or not Jesus says its wrong. How is that living differently than we did before we were Christians? We would still be allowing our feelings to be our God. I, for example, would go from following whatever felt good as my God (as a non-Christian) to following my conscience as my God (as a Christian). The common denominator: My feelings would still be my God, instead of Jesus being my God.

In verse 5, we read, ‘Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind.’ Narramore makes the point later that regardless of what it feels like, our consciences are not some separate entities that have lives, feelings or thoughts of their own. Our consciences are simply a function of our minds.

1 Cor 8:4-13 (HCSB)
4 About eating food offered to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through Him. 7 However, not everyone has this knowledge. In fact, some have been so used to idolatry up until now, that when they eat food offered to an idol, their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 Food will not make us acceptable to God. We are not inferior if we don’t eat, and we are not better if we do eat. 9 But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if somebody sees you, the one who has this knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged to eat food offered to idols? 11 Then the weak person, the brother for whom Christ died, is ruined by your knowledge. 12 Now when you sin like this against the brothers and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to fall, I will never again eat meat, so that I won’t cause my brother to fall.

We see from this passage that the conscience can be wounded, destroy people’s faith and make a brother/sister fall! Does this mean that our consciences are from God, always right and/or should always be followed? In other words, does this mean that we should make our consciences our overall standard over Jesus’ Word? I believe as we continue in this study, we will see that the answer to that question is, ‘No’!

Here is what we do know so far without a doubt from the Scriptures:

1. Our consciences are not always in line with the Word of God or the truths of God.
2. Having weak faith is a definite cause for a conscience demanding restrictions that God does not require.
3. The thing missing for the person who gets a defiled conscience is knowledge.

On the flip side of these two texts, passages from Galatians, Colossians and elsewhere seem to advocate not allowing guilty feelings to be our standard:

Col 2:8-23 (HCSB)
8 Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ. 9 For in Him the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled by Him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 11 In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of the Messiah. 12 Having been buried with Him in baptism, you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive with Him and forgave us all our trespasses. 14 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; He triumphed over them by Him. 16 Therefore don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is the Messiah. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on ascetic practices and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm and inflated without cause by his fleshly mind. 19 He doesn’t hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, develops with growth from God. 20 If you died with Christ to the elemental forces of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: 21 “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”? 22 All these [regulations] refer to what is destroyed by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines. 23 Although these have a reputation of wisdom by promoting ascetic practices, humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value against fleshly indulgence.

So in Romans 14, Paul says, ‘2 One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat; and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does, because God has accepted him.’ and ‘Whoever eats, eats to the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is to the Lord that he does not eat, yet he thanks God’ and ‘But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin’, but here in Colossians, Paul says, ’20 If you died with Christ to the elemental forces of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: 21 “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch”? 22 All these [regulations] refer to what is destroyed by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines. 23 Although these have a reputation of wisdom by promoting ascetic practices, humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value against fleshly indulgence.’

So on one hand, it sounds like Paul told the Romans that it was ok for them to follow the restrictions that some in their congregation were following whereas he seemed to rebuke the Colossians who were following their extra restrictions. The obvious question arises: Why did Paul ‘allow’ those in the Roman church to submit to their restrictions yet rebuke some fColossian church from submitting to what atleast appears to be the same kind of restrictions? So what made those in the Roman church different from those in the Colossian church? Were the restrictions different? If so, how?

Gal 4:8-11 (HCSB)
8 But in the past, when you didn’t know God, you were enslaved to things that by nature are not gods. 9 But now, since you know God, or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and bankrupt elemental forces? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again? 10 You observe [special] days, months, seasons, and years. 11 I am fearful for you, that perhaps my labor for you has been wasted.

So in Romans 14 Paul says, ‘One person considers one day to be above another day. Someone else considers every day to be the same. Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 Whoever observes the day, observes it to the Lord’ and yet here in Galatians Paul says, ’10 You observe [special] days, months, seasons, and years. 11 I am fearful for you, that perhaps my labor for you has been wasted.’ Again, why did Paul seem to allow some from the Roman church to observe special days, whereas he rebuked some in the Galatian church from doing what seems to be the exact same thing: observing special days.

Gal 5:1-15 (HCSB)
1 Christ has liberated us into freedom. Therefore stand firm and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Take note! I, Paul, tell you that if you get circumcised, Christ will not benefit you at all. 3 Again I testify to every man who gets circumcised that he is obligated to keep the entire law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace! 5 For by the Spirit we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness from faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love. 7 You were running well. Who prevented you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion did not come from Him who called you. 9 A little yeast leavens the whole lump of dough. 10 In the Lord I have confidence in you that you will not accept any other view. But whoever it is who is troubling you will pay the penalty. 11 Now brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12 I wish those who are disturbing you might also get themselves castrated! 13 For you are called to freedom, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.

So in Galatians 5:2-4, Paul says, ‘2 Take note! I, Paul, tell you that if you get circumcised, Christ will not benefit you at all. 3 Again I testify to every man who gets circumcised that he is obligated to keep the entire law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace!’ Yet in Acts 16:1-5, we read the following:

Acts 16:1-5 (HCSB)
1 Then he [Paul] went on to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman, but his father was a Greek. 2 The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to go with him, so he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, since they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled through the towns, they delivered to them the decisions reached by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and were increased in number daily.

So why did Paul strongly rebuke the Galatian church about circumcision yet he himself circumcise Timothy?

I believe that the following information is relevant to this discussion:

Date

Book

Author

Place

Audience

43-58

James

James, brother of Jesus

Jerusalem

Jewish Christians

49-52

Galatians

Paul

Antioch of Syria

Christians in Galatia

50-53

1 Thessalonians

Paul

Corinth

Thessalonian Christians

50-54

2 Thessalonians

Paul

Corinth

Thessalonian Christians

1 Corinthians

Paul

Ephesus

Corinthian Christians

2 Corinthians

Paul

Macedonia

Corinthian Christians

Romans

Paul

Corinth

Roman Christians

50-70

Mark

John Mark

Rome

Romans

Ephesians

Paul

Rome

Ephesian Christians

60/62

Philemon

Paul

Rome

Philemon (of Colosse)

60/62

Colossians

Paul

Rome

Colossian Christians

60/61

Luke

Rome

Theopolis & Other Gentiles

61/62

Acts

Luke

Rome

Christians & Gentiles

Philippians

Paul

Rome

Philippian Christians

1 Timothy

Paul

Macedonia

Timothy (in Ephesus)

Titus

Paul

Nicopolis

Titus (in Crete)

2 Timothy

Paul

Rome

Timothy (in Ephesus)

1 Peter

Peter

Rome

Christians in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia

63/64

2 Peter

Peter

Rome

Christians

64/70

Matthew

Antioch of Syria

Jews (in Palestine)

64/66

Hebrews

Unidentified

Unknown

Jewish Christians

65/66

Jude

Jude, brother of Jesus

Jersualem

Christians

85/90

John

Ephesus

Jews & Jewish Christians

85/90

1 John

John

Ephesus

85/90

1 John

John

Ephesus

85/90

2 John

John

Ephesus

85/90

3 John

John

Ephesus

Gaius

Revelation

John

Patmos

7 Churches of Asia

and

49 A.D.

Jerusalem Conference (Acts 15)
The “Jerusalem conference” is convened by the leaders of the church to discuss whether circumcision is required for salvation.

I’ll add more here later.

Another passage that seems to support what Paul says in Galatians and Colossians is:

1 Tim 4:1-5 (HCSB)
1 Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, 2 through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared. 3 They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods that God created to be received with gratitude by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing should be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 since it is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer.

Paul tells Timothy that some Christians in latter times would depart from the faith because they would pay attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons! I suspect that if I took a poll of many people asking them, ‘What do you think demons teach?’ that many people would say, ‘Demons teach to go sin it up’, etc. Although that is also true, what were these demons teaching? Get this: Here are the teachings of these demons:

1. Marriage is forbidden.
2. You must abstain from certain foods.

‘Survival’ Scriptures for Memorization and Meditation

‘Survival’ Scriptures for Memorization and Meditation

Gen 24:12 (HCSB)
grant me success today

Gen 39:2 (HCSB)
The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man

Josh 1:9 (HCSB)
9 Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Judges 6:12 (HCSB)
The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.

Judges 6:16 (HCSB )
“But I will be with you,” the Lord said to him. “You will strike Midian down [as if it were] one man.”

1 Sam 30:6 (HCSB)
But David found strength in the Lord his God.

2 Sam 8:6 and 14 (HCSB)
The Lord made David victorious wherever he went.

2 Chron 20:12 (HCSB)
We do not know what to do, but we look to You.

2 Chron 20:15 (HCSB)
for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

Psalms 1:2 (HCSB)
Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.

Psalms 18:34 (HCSB)
34 He trains my hands for war; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

Psalms 34:19 (HCSB)
19 Many adversities come to the one who is righteous, but the Lord delivers him from them all.

Psalms 37:4 (HCSB)
4 Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires.

Psalms 37:8 (HCSB)
8 Refrain from anger and give up [your] rage; do not be agitated—it can only bring harm.

Psalms 51:17 (HCSB)
17 The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.

Psalms 119:153 (HCSB)
Consider my affliction and rescue me

Prov 3:5 (HCSB)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;

Isaiah 41:10 (HCSB)
10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.

Matt 6:33 (HCSB)
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

Matt 11:28 (HCSB)
28 “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Matt 12:7 (HCSB)
7 If you had known what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent.

Romans 8:1 (HCSB)
1 Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus

Romans 8:28 (HCSB)
28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.

Romans 12:12 (HCSB)
be patient in affliction

2 Cor 12:7 (HCSB)
Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so I would not exalt myself.

Phil 1:6 (HCSB)
I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Phil 4:3-7 (HCSB)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Phil 4:13 (HCSB)
I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Heb 12:11 (HCSB)
No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

James 4:7 (HCSB)
But resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.

Charges Against God From The Old Testament

Charges Against God From The Old Testament

* In this study, I will respond to some charges made by some (and held by others) against God as portrayed in the Old Testament. Before I deal specifically with the charges, I think it will be helpful to point out some important concepts.

1. The Old Testament does not make sense without Jesus in mind.

* In Matthew 5:17, Jesus said the following:

Matthew 5:17 (New American Standard Bible)
17″Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.

* In Luke 24:25-27, we read the following:

Luke 24:25-27 (New American Standard Bible)
25And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26″Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” 27Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

* So these and many other passages make it clear that Jesus and the Old Testament are intricately and inseparably intertwined. Without this understanding, the Old Testament will not make sense. In fact, I suspect more and more that this concept is truer than most of us even come close to realizing. I believe it is so severe that trying to understand the Old Testament without Jesus in view is like trying to read a book without eyes. This idea that the Old Testament cannot make sense without Jesus in view is nicely summarized by what Jesus told some of the Pharisees of His day as recorded in John 5:39-40:

John 5:39-40 (New American Standard Bible)
39″You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

2. In the Old Testament (and any other historical book), we never have all the relevant information in any given situation.

* It is simply impossible for any historical book to contain every single detail of every situation it may describe. I believe that, largely because of space and time, life is just too complicated to perfectly capture with words. This is also the case with the Old Testament. What I mean by this is that there are going to be times (and we should expect this in a book written by God) when God does not give us every single detail and/or reason behind certain actions He performs. One reason that we would expect this to be the case is that if all detailed reasons God did what He did were recorded in the Scriptures, the Bible would simply get too long, like John expressed in John 21:25 when referring to the many things that Jesus did:

John 21:25 (New American Standard Bible)
25And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.

* So even though it appears that John uses hyperbole to make his point, he uses it to express the idea that it was just not feasible to write down everything that Jesus did. And this is also the case with historical writings in general, along with the Old Testament.

* Another possible reason that God does not tell us all of His reasons for doing everything He did in greater detail is because God is God and we are not. That being the case and given the infinitely different perspective God has compared to the perspective we have, perhaps we would just not be able to understand certain things (until we are upgraded to our heavenly bodies or until we can see the big picture without time clouding our views). Is it really that surprising that we can’t understand all the things God understands? I think not. What God told Job nicely expresses this idea:

Job 38:1-21 (New American Standard Bible)
1Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, 2″Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge? 3″Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me! 4″Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, 5Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it? 6″On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, 7When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8″Or who enclosed the sea with doors When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb; 9When I made a cloud its garment And thick darkness its swaddling band, 10And I placed boundaries on it And set a bolt and doors, 11And I said, ‘Thus far you shall come, but no farther; And here shall your proud waves stop’? 12″Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, And caused the dawn to know its place, 13That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it? 14″It is changed like clay under the seal; And they stand forth like a garment. 15″From the wicked their light is withheld, And the uplifted arm is broken. 16″Have you entered into the springs of the sea Or walked in the recesses of the deep? 17″Have the gates of death been revealed to you, Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness? 18″Have you understood the expanse of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this. 19″Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place, 20That you may take it to its territory And that you may discern the paths to its home? 21″You know, for you were born then, And the number of your days is great!

* Think about the differences in understanding between an adult human, lets say in his or her late thirties, compared to the understanding of one year old baby. Now think about God’s age compared to any living human’s age! As ridiculous as it would be for a one year old to think he or she understands things better than a thirty something year old, that level of ridiculousness doesn’t even start down the path of the level of ridiculousness of a man or woman thinking he or she understands things better than a God who has lived forever! Like God sarcastically points out in the above passage, “You know, for you were born then, And the number of your days is great!”

3. The New Testament points to a spiritual interpretation of at least some of the Old Testament which introduces the possibility that there is a “spiritual way” to interpret others part of the Old Testament.

* For example, Paul seems to be using some sort of “odd” spiritual lens when interpreting a passage in the Old Testament in 1 Corinthians 9:8-10:

1 Corinthians 9:8-10 (New American Standard Bible)
8I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things? 9For it is written in the Law of Moses, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING” God is not concerned about oxen, is He? 10Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops.

* Paul “spiritually interprets” this same Old Testament passage in 1 Timothy 5:17-19:

1 Timothy 5:17-18 (New American Standard Bible)
17The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. 18For the Scripture says, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”

* Further hints to this spiritual interpretation of the Old Testament is in Romans 7:14:

Romans 7:14 (New American Standard Bible)
14For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.

* Now Gordon Fee and others have argued that although Paul was able to spiritually interpret the Old Testament because he was an apostle, we can’t make these type of interpretations because we don’t have that special insight. Further, he argues that when interpreting the Old Testament, we should stick to the rule that says, “We can never make an Old Testament passage mean what it didn’t mean”. While I think this “restriction” prevents people from just going crazy and interpreting everything in the Old Testament any way he or she wants, I personally wonder if we are missing something. It seems to me that Paul did make the passage about not muzzling the ox while threshing into something I am pretty sure it didn’t originally mean. Just because we may not have the insight to do this ourselves does not lessen the idea that there may be a spirtitual interpretation of other passages in the Old Testament as well.

4. In the Old Testament, God seems to meet us where we are at.

* What I mean by this is that God is aware of what we (humans) are capable of obeying at all points in our human history based on our collective heart conditions of the time and further, tailored His commandments accordingly! In other words, God is not going to command us to do something our heart conditions won’t allow us to obey. What’s the point in that? It’s like us commanding our 3 year old children to drive to the store and pick up some milk. This point is powerfully supported in Matthew 19:6-8:

Matthew 19:6-8 (New American Standard Bible)
6″So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” 7They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY?” 8He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way.

* God literally commanded the men “to give [a woman] a certificate of divorce and send her away” for any reason whatsoever. God did this because of the hardness of these people’s heart but He also made it clear that it was not not that way from the beginning which implies that He didn’t approve or condone divorce. Now, why wouldn’t this example, at the very least, open up the possibility that other commandments in the Old Testament were given not because they were what God approved or disapproved of but because of the hardness of hearts of those God was commanding?

* Further isn’t the whole sermon on the mount all about making the commandments the way they were supposed to be from the beginning?

5. Many things in the Bible are assumed by people but are not actually in the Bible.

* See my blog for some examples: http://notinthebiblesurprises.blogspot.com/

6. God commanded the “purging of evil” from Israel out of love.

* And so with these ideas in mind, lets look at the specific charges against God as portrayed in the Old Testament.

* Splash90 stated the following:

Start of Quote

“Besides this whole issue of “inerrancy,” (which also encompasses things that I could no longer describe any other way than ‘nonsensical’) — another big factor in drawing me away was thinking more and more about the unsavory accounts in the bible. My previous explanations for them (i.e. God can do what he wants with his creation, God made us so he makes the rules, etc) just didn’t cut it anymore for me, because I began to wonder 1) why would I want to be close to that God, and 2) where is the evidence for that God in the world today? (unless you subscribe to Pat Robertson’s view of natural disasters.)

Besides the obvious acts of mass slaughter (the flood, Passover, invasions, sudden wiping out of masses of people, etc), there are some other doozies that, if true, would cause me not to really be too fond of this God even if it means going to hell for eternity. Just a few are…”

1 Timothy 2:15 (New American Standard Bible)
15But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.
* Chad’s Response: The simple truth of this matter is that I don’t understand what, “But women will be preserved through the bearing of children” really even means so its hard for me to judge the “savoriness” or “unsavoriness” of the matter. Anyone else know for certain what that means? Feel free to explain it to me. But let me be clear that just because I don’t understand what a particular passage of Scripture means doesn’t make me think it is any less the Word of God. It just means I am not sure what God meant. Should that be surprising? (see point 2 above).

2 Kings 2:23-25 (New American Standard Bible)
23Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!” 24When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number.

* Chad’s Response: In this text, we are only given a limited amount of information about the situation (see point 2 above). We don’t have all the facts. This being the case, there could be many other factors that played in to Elisha’s cursing these lads and God’s possible answering of his request than we are privy to. For instance, were these lads violent and possibly a danger to Elisha? For all we know, these lads could have been planning on doing more than just mocking Elisha. The fact that Elisha “looked behind him and saw them” supports the possibility that these lads may have been following him so that they could attack him. In other words, maybe the implied meaning of verse 24 could be, “When he looked behind and saw them following him, he prayed for God to deliver him from them.” That is just one possibility that illustrates how “the rest of the story” could make the incident make more sense. Also, strictly speaking, we really don’t even know for sure that God had anything to do with the bears wiping out the lads. What I mean is that the text doesn’t explicitly say “God made the bears wipe out the lads”. All the text says is: “he cursed them in the name of the LORD” and “Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number.” Notice it doesn’t say, “And God answered his prayer or curse or whatever”. Now I admit that the text seems to imply that this is the case but I am just pointing out what we don’t know for sure. I am also and again pointing out that we only have limited information. The plain and undeniable truth is: Based on the text, we don’t know for sure if God did make the bears wipe out the lads but ever more importantly, even if we grant that He did it, He doesn’t say why He did it or “what the justification was for Him doing it” so how can we judge the reasons?

* So then you might say, “Yea, but these were just kids and so how could a loving God wipe out these little ones who were just being kids and making fun of Elijah?” Again, to address this issue, I will go ahead and assume that God did do it (although, we can’t say this for sure based on the text). Bible.org says the following about “young lads” in this text: “30 tn The word נַעַר (na’ar), here translated “boy,” can refer to a broad age range, including infants as well as young men. But the qualifying term “young” (or “small”) suggests these youths were relatively young. The phrase in question (“young boy”) occurs elsewhere in 1 Sam 20:35; 1 Kgs 3:7 (used by Solomon in an hyperbolic manner); 11:17; 2 Kgs 5:14; and Isa 11:6.” In other words, we don’t know the age of these “lads”. It could be that they were young men.

Deuteronomy 21:18-21 (New American Standard Bible)
18″If any man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or his mother, and when they chastise him, he will not even listen to them, 19then his father and mother shall seize him, and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gateway of his hometown. 20″They shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey us, he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21″Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death; so you shall remove the evil from your midst, and all Israel will hear of it and fear.

* First, notice that the parents were to take the stubborn and rebellious son who did not obey his father or his mother (and who was apparently also a glutton and a drunkard) out to the elders of his city at the gateway of his hometown. The text above doesn’t say that the elders couldn’t also try to help this stubborn and rebellious son change his ways. In fact, why else would the command be to bring him to the elders in the first place? I’d argue that it was probably because the elders had wisdom and if anyone could help this son, it would be them. Not only were the parents to bring the son to the elders but they were also to bring the son to the city at the gateway of his hometown. In other words, they were to get the entire hometown involved to try to help the son. And then even though the text doesn’t explicitly say it, it is possible that it is implied that if all these safeguards didn’t work and the threat of death didn’t work, then the death penalty would be applied. I have a hunch that in most cases, it wouldn’t go this far (but I don’t know that for sure). I mean if you think about it, the son would have to be suicidal to not change his ways in the light of the what the punishment was. So the primary purpose of the command could have been to be a very strong deterrent.

* Also, this passage reminds me of John 8:

John 8 (New American Standard Bible)
1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. 3The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, 4they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. 5″Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” 6They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. 7But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. 10Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go From now on sin no more.”

* The reason I bring this passage up in response to the charge against God derived from Deuteronomy 21:18-21 is because I believe there are obvious parallels. The penalty for adultery was the same as for a disobedient and rebellious son: death:

Leviticus 20:10 (New American Standard Bible)
If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

* and

Deuteronomy 22:22 (New American Standard Bible)
If a man is found lying with a married woman, then both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel.

* So the scribes and the Pharisees were correct in their assertion that the Law “commanded [them] to stone such a women” (as well as the man the scribes and Pharisees conspicuously did not bring before Jesus). But there are some interesting things to consider about these passages:

1. It appears that even though the law did say to put to death adulterers, the scribes and Pharisees were trying to get Jesus to allow the stoning in order to have grounds to accuse him. So what grounds were they trying to gain by having Jesus stone this women? Was their regular practice to stone people for adultery according to the Law or did they have some other interpretation?
2. Jesus seems to completely disregard Leviticus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 22:22. This leads me to think that we are missing some vital information about how to apply the Old Testament laws, even while under the Old Covenant (which Jesus still would have been at that point).

* Also in both Deuteronomy 21:18-21 and in Deuteronomy 22:22, God talks about removing the evil from among Israel:

“…so you shall remove the evil from your midst, and all Israel will hear of it and fear.”

“…thus you shall purge the evil from Israel.”

* Why did God think it important to remove the evil from Israel?

* So really the question is not whether or not the things in these passages are evil (being stubbornly rebellious against and pridefully disobeying one’s parents, being a glutton and a drunkard, and committing adultery). The thing that is being questioned by these charges is the way that God, through the law, commanded His people to deal with these evil actions. And truthfully, this is the common theme of most of (if not all of) the charges we are looking at in this study: Why does God command the death penalty for evil actions? Is God being harsh, cruel, unloving and “unsavory”? Again, the question comes down to this: Why did God think it important to remove the evil from Israel? One answer seems to me to be so that “all Israel will hear of it and fear”. It seems to me that God wanted all Israel (like the google saying goes), “to not be evil”. The death penalty was a strong deterrent to evil. But we must go deeper. Why did God not want evil to be in Israel’s midst?

Leviticus 21:17-22 (New American Standard Bible)
17″Speak to Aaron, saying, ‘No man of your offspring throughout their generations who has a defect shall approach to offer the food of his God. 18’For no one who has a defect shall approach: a blind man, or a lame man, or he who has a disfigured face, or any deformed limb, 19or a man who has a broken foot or broken hand, 20or a hunchback or a dwarf, or one who has a defect in his eye or eczema or scabs or crushed testicles. 21’No man among the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a defect is to come near to offer the LORD’S offerings by fire; since he has a defect, he shall not come near to offer the food of his God.

* Chad’s Response: From my understanding, this passage has nothing to do with God being “unsavory” or “unfair” against those with defects but it seems to me to be all about the foreshadowing of the coming of Jesus, the perfect sacrifice who was without defect:

1 Peter 1:17-21 (New American Standard Bible)
17If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; 18knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you 21who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Leviticus 25:44 (New American Standard Bible)
44’As for your male and female slaves whom you may have–you may acquire male and female slaves from the pagan nations that are around you.

* Chad’s Response: First, I believe that slavery could be another example of God meeting humans where we were at. God didn’t outlaw slavery but He did regulate it. If you think this is ridiculous, ask yourself this question, “Why isn’t it at least a possibility that the commands about slavery were given because of the hardness of the people’s heart, just like Jesus explained was the case with divorce?”

* Another thing to consider is this: God has an eternal perspective. Maybe this was God’s way of converting some pagans? If a pagan became a slave to a family of God, wouldn’t he or she would be in a special position to see God and to perhaps develop a relationship with God because of his or her slave owner’s relationship with God? Further, if this pagan did convert, the 7 year maximum slavery rule would then apply to him or her (I think).

* I would also argue that “the system of slavery” in and of itself is not evil (or “un-evil”). It is just a system. Yes, many people used slavery in a very evil way throughout history and many people were beyond hurt in incredibly horrendous ways but this doesn’t change the idea that the system of slavery was a man made system that was just that, a system. In my mind, a system cannot be evil because its not a living thing. Today we have the system of employers and employees and there are people who are great bosses and people who are evil bosses. It really depends on the specifics of how the system is carried out by the people within the system.

* For more about the topic of slavery in the Bible, here is a podcast from Douglas Jacoby: JACOBY’S PODCAST ABOUT SLAVERY

1 Chronicles 21:1-14 (New American Standard Bible)
1Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel. 2So David said to Joab and to the princes of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan, and bring me word that I may know their number.” 3Joab said, “May the LORD add to His people a hundred times as many as they are! But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why does my lord seek this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt to Israel?” 4Nevertheless, the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore, Joab departed and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. 5Joab gave the number of the census of all the people to David. And all Israel were 1,100,000 men who drew the sword; and Judah was 470,000 men who drew the sword. 6But he did not number Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s command was abhorrent to Joab. 7God was displeased with this thing, so He struck Israel. 8David said to God, “I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.” 9The LORD spoke to Gad, David’s seer, saying, 10″Go and speak to David, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD, “I offer you three things; choose for yourself one of them, which I will do to you.”‘” 11So Gad came to David and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Take for yourself 12either three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the LORD, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now, therefore, consider what answer I shall return to Him who sent me.” 13David said to Gad, “I am in great distress; please let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are very great. But do not let me fall into the hand of man.” 14So the LORD sent a pestilence on Israel; 70,000 men of Israel fell.

* Most of these so called examples of “unsavory” accounts about God in the Old Testament center around whether or not God can be a loving God and yet kill the people He made. I assume that this specific charge has to do with the 70,000 people being killed because of David’s sin and not their own but I argue that once again, we are limited in the information we have about this scenario. Perhaps there is more to the story than we know. For example, perhaps God allowed this whole thing to happen because He knew there were 70,000 specific people in Israel who were wicked and this was yet another way He was going to purge the evil from Israel. God sees the hearts of all men and has an eternal perspective. I could be wrong in this specific speculation but it is just an example of how more information could make the story make a lot more sense.

Genesis 19:1-8 (New American Standard Bible)
1Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. 2And he said, “Now behold, my lords, please turn aside into your servant’s house, and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.” They said however, “No, but we shall spend the night in the square.” 3Yet he urged them strongly, so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he prepared a feast for them, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. 4Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; 5and they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.” 6But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, 7and said, “Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly. 8″Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof.”

* Chad’s Response: The charge against God from this passage is unclear to me. Nowhere does it say God approved of Lot’s idea and so this has nothing to do with God’s being “unsavory” or doing something that would make humans not want to be close to him. Clearly what Lot offered was horrifying, but clearly, those who were trying to have sex with the two angels were acting more wickedly than Lot. Did Lot have a feeling that these dudes were angels and is that perhaps why he said what he said? Who knows but who cares? It has nothing to do with God’s level of “savoriness”

* Splash90′ quote continued:

“As well as the whole issue of blame, scapegoating, sacrifices, original sin, I’m-so-bad-someone-had-to-be-brutally-murdered-for-me.

If you think about it, the recurring theme seems to be: Do XYZ and you’ll be spared all the suffering that the rest of humanity will be subjected to. You don’t need to worry about what happens to all of THEM, because YOU’RE okay. YOU won’t die in the flood because you were righteous. YOUR firstborn sons won’t be killed because you put lamb’s blood on your door. YOU won’t go to hell, because you are in Christ Jesus. Now I find that it’s no longer enough for me that I’LL be spared. I don’t think the rest of the world should be subjected to all those punishments for their supposed wrongdoings or ignorance… and I can’t understand a God who treats his creation that way. And is inconsistent about it; the same people who are commended for their godliness — the ‘mighty men of God’ — committed the same or worse sins which God killed other people for (at least in the Old Testament).

“Any system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child, cannot be a true system.” — Thomas Paine.

And boy, did Christianity shock my mind as a child… over and over and over again. (I had to go to a child psychologist for intense religious nightmares. It got better for a while but I continued to have them up until just a few years ago. I mentioned earlier here the ‘end times’ movie I saw, but I also remember clearly the first time I saw a crucifixion movie at my church as a child and how upset I was.) And yet, because these things were taught to me at a young age as being TRUE (through such cutesy venues as “Who Did Swallow Jonah” and “The Arky Arky Song”*), I never questioned how I felt about them… until a couple of years ago.

*Should have been called “The Drowny Deathy Song”

End of Quote

* First, I am truly sorry that you experienced what sounds like deep emotional pain.

* Second, your statement that the message of the Bible is “You don’t need to worry about what happens to all of THEM, because YOU’RE okay” is completely and utterly inaccurate as the following few passages will quickly demonstrate:

Matthew 22:34-39 (New American Standard Bible)
34 But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35 One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’

Matthew 25:31-46 (New American Standard Bible)
31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ 41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44 Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Matthew 28:18-21 (New American Standard Bible)
18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19″Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Luke 19:10 (New American Standard Bible)
10″For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

1 John 2:5-6 (New American Standard Bible)
By this we know that we are in Him: 6the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

* So Jesus came to seek and save the lost and we are commanded to walk as Jesus walked, i.e., to seek and save the lost.

1 Timothy 2:3-4 (New American Standard Bible)
3This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Romans 9:1-4 (New American Standard Bible)
1I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, 2that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. 3For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, 4who are Israelites…

* The are tons of other Scriptures that demonstrate this same point but these should suffice to prove that the Bible doesn’t even hint for anyone to have the attitude of: “Do XYZ and you’ll be spared all the suffering that the rest of humanity will be subjected to. You don’t need to worry about what happens to all of THEM, because YOU’RE okay.” The following passage should nicely summarize what I am saying here:

1 John 3:16-17 (New American Standard Bible)
16We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?

* As far as Thomas Paine’s quote, I don’t think the litmus test of a “true system” is the level of shock that a child would experience upon learning that system. The shock value of the Bible doesn’t have anything to do with the truth of what is written in the Bible. Further, if you apply this philosophy to life, the system of life is also not true according to Paine. What I mean is, death, for example, is shocking to a child (and to me and other adults). Parents don’t quite know how to explain to their 3 year old about death just as they struggle to explain to them what happened to Jesus on the cross. This shock value that death carries with it doesn’t make it not true.

* This philosophy also reminds me of what Pilate asked Jesus:

John 18:37-39 (New American Standard Bible)
37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” 38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”

* Basically, Paine is saying, if some belief system is shocking to a child, it can’t be true, even if it is. He is basically saying, “What is truth?” implying if we think something is true or not, this makes something true or not when the reality is what we believe to be true has nothing to do with whether it is true or not because the truth cannot be manipulated by our beliefs or how we feel about that truth.

* As far as the flood:

Genesis 6:5-13 (New American Standard Bible)
5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. 9 These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God. 10 Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. 13 Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth.

* So what is “unsavory” about God destroying all the wicked people because He “saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” and further that “the earth was filled with violence because of them”? What else was He supposed to do?

* So those are my thoughts about your statement, Splash90.

Baptism Essential for Salvation? Part 1

Baptism Essential for Salvation? Part 1

* So what does the Bible say about baptism? Is it essential for salvation or just a good thing to do? The purpose of this study is to express my understanding of what the Bible teaches about this subject. I will also show the scriptures that lead me to my current understanding so that others who may be reading this can make up their own minds about this topic.

The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

* First, I think it is important to determine who Jesus was talking to in the above text. I think it is clear that He was talking to His apostles and not anyone and everyone.

* So John had been immersing people in water, but Jesus said that the apostles would be immersed with the Holy Spirit in a few days from then (which we will see in the next chapter).

So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

* So Jesus clarified even more what would happen to the apostles when they were baptized by the Holy Spirit a few days from then:

1. The Holy Spirit was going to come upon the apostles
2. The Holy Spirit would give the apostles power
3. The Holy Spirit would make the apostles witness to the entire world what God wanted them to witness

And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:1-11 NASB)

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs-we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.” And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others were mocking and saying, “They are full of sweet wine.” (Acts 2:1-13 NASB)

* So clearly this is what Jesus was referring to when He said that the apostles would be baptized with the Holy Spirit a few days from then. It is clear from the above text that only the apostles were baptized with the Holy Spirt, given power, and enabled to witness.

* So everything was set up and ready to go. Jesus had taught on earth, been killed, been raised back to life, told the apostles that they would receive the Holy Spirit who would make them witness’s, and Jesus had gone back to heaven. The apostles were baptized with the Holy Spirit and were about to reveal what was going on. Clearly, what they were about to say was going to be very important given all this.

To be continued…

Baptism Essential for Salvation? Part 2

Baptism Essential for Salvation? Part 2

…continued…

But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says, ‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams; Even on My bondslaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit And they shall prophesy. ‘And I will grant wonders in the sky above And signs on the earth below, Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. ‘The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood, Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come. ‘And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

* Note: Right here, Peter says, “And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”. Some have used this to show that the way for everyone to be saved is by simply vocally calling on the name of The Lord and that’s it… because that’s what it says, right? The way I understand this is that Peter is quoting from an Old Testament book (Joel) and is talking about how what was going on right then fulfilled what Joel prophesied would happen. So yes, in my view, it is true that the way people are saved is by calling on The Lord, but I believe that Peter is just about to reveal how God instructed people to call upon The Lord on the day of Pentecost. Was Peter saying that the way one calls upon The Lord was for people to literally vocally call upon The Lord by saying something like, “I call upon you Lord.”? Read on and see what you think.

“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know- this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. For David says of Him, ‘I saw the Lord always in my presence; For He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken. ‘Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted; Moreover my flesh also will live in hope; Because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, Nor allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. ‘You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.’ “Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. And so, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay. This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” ‘Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ-this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:14-47 NASB)

* To me, I honestly can’t imagine how it could be made any clearer about how to call upon the name of The Lord from the above passage. In other words, what else could be added to that text to make it clearer? I understand that there are other passages in the Bible that can be confusing on this topic but to me, this one isn’t it and in light of the context, I believe one has to do major mental gymnastics to say that being baptized is not necessary for salvation (in my opinion). So I believe the way that one calls upon The Lord is by repenting and being baptized in the name of Jesus, for the forgiveness of sins and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, who was made available to all people on the day of Pentecost (described in the above text).

* What about the meaning of those passages in the original Greek?

To be continued…

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