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Bible Q

Who were cowboys in the Bible?

The biblical equivalent of a cowboy was possibly a herdsman who was responsible for managing and caring for animals (often cattle, but sometimes pigs). Herdsmen are mentioned in Genesis 13:7-8; 26:20; 1 Samuel 21:7; 2 Chronicles 14:15; Matthew 8:33; Mark 5:14 and Luke 8:34. A closely related role was that of shepherd (who cared for the sheep […]

Who were the Pharisees?

The Pharisees were a Jewish political party which began in about 140 BC after the Maccabean revolt. After the destruction of the temple in AD 70, the beliefs of the Pharisees became the basis for Rabbinic Judaism from which comes traditional Judaism today. The Pharisees were notable for their conflicts with the rival party of […]

Do you need to have the anointing to be saved?

There are no passages in the Bible indicating that anointing is required for salvation. Anointing in the Bible commonly refers to the pouring of oil upon someone or something. Anointing in the Old Testament The first occurrence of anointing is recorded in Genesis 28:10-22. Jacob had fallen asleep using a stone as a pillow. He […]

What is grace?

Grace is primarily a positive disposition towards someone. We can see this clearly throughout  the Old Testament, where people often asked others to look on them with an attitude of goodwill. Here are a few examples (where the word ‘favour’ (Heb. chen) is a synonym with ‘grace’)1: “‘I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. […]

What are Semitic languages?

This is a group of related languages that includes Arabic and Hebrew. They are related to some very early languages dating from 2500 BC or earlier and written in Sumerian cuneiform. Later Semitic languages were written in the Ugaritic, Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac and Arabic alphabets. The word “Semitic” comes from Shem, one of Noah’s […]

Who were Jethro’s ancestors?

Jethro was the “priest of Midian” and the father-in-law of Moses (Exodus 3:1; 4:18). He was also called “Reuel” (Exodus 2:18) and is described as a Midianite in Numbers 10:29. The original Midianites were probably descendants of Midian, one of Abraham’s sons by Keturah (Genesis 25:1-4). The land where they lived then became known as […]