What can we say about the Trinitarian argument “if Jesus is not truly God, he cannot save”? There are so many versions of this claim that this answer might later be expanded by addressing different variants of the claim in different sections, But fundamentally the problem is a misunderstanding of who actually has the power […]
To whom is God pleading Israel’s cause in Jeremiah 50:34?
Jeremiah 50:34 has raised the question, how can God plead Israel’s cause, and to whom? ESV Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is his name. He will surely plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, but unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon. The context of the previous and following verses […]
Did Israel tempt Christ in the wilderness? (1 Corinthians 10:9)
Some Trinitarian and Oneness commentators have claimed 1 Corinthinans 10:9 as evidence for Jesus having existed in the Old Testament. The problem stems from two sources – firstly a textual variant in the Greek manuscripts between Lord and Christ. This is probably another example of the problems caused by nomina sacra abbreviations in the copying […]
Who are the three classical authors cited by Paul? Epimenides, Aratus and Menander
Paul makes quotations from classical writers in three places: Acts 17:28, 1 Corinthians 15:33, and Titus 1:12. Acts 17 – at the Areopagus in Athens Acts 17:28 contains two key quotations. The first is: “For in him we live and move and have our being” (ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ ζῶμεν καὶ κινούμεθα καὶ ἐσμέν [En autō […]
What does apokatastasis mean?
The Greek word apokatastasis – made up of apo-kata (again) and stasis (establishing) – occurs once in the Greek New Testament and does not occur in the Greek Old Testament, but is not otherwise a very unusual Greek term – coming from the common Greek verb “restore” – as for example Elijah coming first and […]
Why did God know, but Jesus not know, the day of his return? (Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:32)
The question relates to Jesus’ clear statement that he did not know the day of his return: Matthew 24:36 No one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. Mark 13:32 No one knows the day or hour when […]
What are ‘nomina sacra’ abbreviations in Greek New Testament manuscripts?
Nomina sacra (the Latin for sacred names) are a common system of abbreviations used, mainly, but not only, for sacred names in some New Testament manuscripts. The main ones are as follows, where the abbreviation gives the first and last letter of the word – usually ending in -S for nominative case, and -Y for […]
What is the fish symbol for Jesus? Greek ichthys
The fish symbol for Jesus is an early Christian symbol playing on the initials of the Greek word for fish, ichthys. In Greek capitals this is written ἸΧΘΥΣ where the letters stand for Ἰησοῦς Χρῑστός Θεοῦ Υἱός Σωτήρ, Iēsoûs Khrīstós, Theoû Huiós, Sōtḗr Jesus Christ God’s Son Saviour The single letters do not display the […]
What is the New Testament verse that is a pangram, a sentence which uses every Greek letter of the alphabet?
A pangram is a sentence which uses every letter of a language – a famous example in English is “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog”. The only New Testament verse that is a pangram, a sentence which uses every Greek letter of the alphabet, is Matthew 5:30? There is also another verse […]
“the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:62)
BibleQ aims to provide answers to questions and also to offer assistance where verses are ‘wrested’. However one might have though that a verse like Mark 14:62 could not be misread: “you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Mark […]