Most of the references to the kingdom of God in the Bible are future. However there are references to the kingdom, in some sense, existing now. Colossians 1:13, the two present tense beatitudes “theirs IS the kingdom” (Matt 5:3, 10), and John’s present tense statement “in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that ARE in Jesus” (Rev […]
Which mountain was the mount of transfiguration?
Which mountain is not named. Tabor, Hermon and Nebo have all been proposed. This question probably doesn’t affect the content of the “vision” (Jesus calls it an ‘orama’ in Greek) but here is case for Nebo. Harry Whittaker Studies in the Gospels 105. Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36)* http://www.christadelphianbooks.org/haw/sitg/sitgb08.html
What is the so-called Testament of Solomon?
The Testament of Solomon is Jewish Greek text dating to some time 50-250 CE, which collects various Jewish legends and myths about King Solomon into a compendium of demon lore. It is relevant to the New Testament as it gives one benchmark to the state of belief about sickness and demons current both among the […]
What are the three generations of sin in James 1:15?
This imagery of three generations is a play on the different Greek verbs used in James 1:15 James 1 13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and […]
Where in the Bible does the infant Jesus make a clay bird and breathe life into it?
This is not from the Bible, this is a Christian legend of the 3rd Century found in the spurious infancy gospels, alongside legends about Jesus speaking as a baby. The legend was also current among Arab Christians in the Arabian peninsula by the time of Mohammad and consequently was included in the Quran 5:110.
What is Abaddon?
Abbadon is a Hebrew word meaning ‘destruction’ , from the Hebrew verb ‘destroy’ or ‘perish’. It occurs 5 times in the Hebrew Old Testament : Job 26:6 , 28:22, 31:12, Psalms 88:12, Proverbs 15:11, 27:20. In Job 26:6 and Proverbs 15:11 it is another word for Sheol, the pit or the grave . Job 26:6 […]
How could the seventy elders of Israel see God on a sapphire pavement? (Exodus 24:10)
The appearance of God above the sapphire, or lapis lazuli, pavement is what is known as a theophany. God appearing. And yet the Bible also tells us that no man can see God and live, and that no man has seen God, so what the seventy saw was some kind of representation of God, but […]
Did Elijah really ascend into heaven? (2 Kings 2:11)
The account of Elijah being taken up into heaven is here: 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and […]
Does Jesus say he can raise himself “I have the power to give it up and the power to receive it back again” (John 10:18)
The question relates to this statement: “No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly! I have the power to give it up and the power to receive it back again” (John 10:18) The context here is that the basis for God raising Jesus is that Jesus – uniquely – has earned that resurrection by having broken the precedent of […]
Is in the name of Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit missing in early manuscripts of Matthew 28:19?
No. This is a constant claim based on unreliable sources – one of the sources strangely a Catholic Encyclopedia article from 1913 – but there is no truth in this claim. The Greek text The verse is found in this form in all Greek manuscripts. There is no Greek manuscript of the last page of […]