And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. (2 Corinthians 11:14) This appears to be one of two references in 2 Corinthians to a Jewish myth circulating in the 1st Century. The original primary source “The Life of Adam and Eve” appears to have been written in Aramaic in the 1st Century […]
When Jesus went back to heaven after his resurrection, did he sprinkle blood on the altar or mercy seat?
Most sacrifices were completed by sprinkling some blood from the sacrifice on the altar. And in one specific case (Lev 16) on the mercy seat (or atonement cover). Since Jesus’ death was a sacrifice, it might make sense that his blood should be sprinkled on the altar. But there’s no evidence that this happened, nor […]
Is it a sin to ask God for money?
.. for instance, winning the lottery? Who hasn’t asked for that in their heart at least once? It would be nice wouldn’t it: just think how much injustice you could solve — because that is what you would do with the money isn’t it? hmm. Perhaps it’s not such a good idea after all. Jesus […]
What is the use of doing daily rosary?
From Wikipedia: The Rosary (from Latin rosarium, meaning “rose garden” or “garland of roses“ is a popular and traditional Roman Catholic devotion. The term denotes both a set of prayer beads and the devotional prayer itself, which combines vocal (or silent) prayer and meditation. The prayers consist of repeated sequences of the Lord’s Prayer followed […]
How many times is the word “thanksgiving” mentioned in the Bible?
That all depends on the Bible translation being used. Here are some answers Version Number of times King James Version 30 New International Version 32 New English Translation 29 English Standard Version 38 New Living Translation 31 A good way to find this sort of information is on Bible Gateway. For example, here is the […]
Where does the Bible say “slavery is an everlasting institution”?
This seems to be an internet myth. There are plenty of websites that claim the Bible says “Slavery is an everlasting institution”, and they normally cite Leviticus 25:44-46. But here is what those verses really say: 44 As for your male and female slaves whom you may have: you may buy male and female slaves […]
When Jesus was crucified, did he descend into hell for a period of time before rising again?
The belief that Jesus descended into hell when he died is based on a misunderstanding of three Bible passages. Here is one of them. Acts 2:25-27 (New English Translation): 25 For David says about him, ‘I saw the Lord always in front of me, for he is at my right hand so that I will […]
Will atheists go to hell?
Most atheists are not going to be judged by God at all. No one is judged by God unless they knew and believed his law, and still broke it: Romans 4:15; 5:13;7:7; 1 John 3:4. However, no one goes to ‘hell’, as it is popularly thought of. The usual idea of ‘hell’ does not exist […]
Are there any historical accounts of what the ancient Christians taught about the devil/satan?
Early Christians after the 1st century AD typically understood the devil/satan as a supernatural evil being, either a fallen angel or a demon. However, some early Jewish interpreters held a very different view. The famous 18th century Baptist commentator John Gill acknowledged that early Jewish teachers interpreted ‘satan’ as a reference to the natural inclination […]
Are there any accounts of the beliefs of the ancient Christians about the millennial reign of Christ over the earth?
A significant number of early Christians believed in a literal millennial reign of Christ on the earth (numbers below are dates AD): 115: Papias 110-165: Justin Martyr 185: Irenaeus c. 163: Aviricius Marcellus 190: Tertullian c.194: Clement 200: Hippolytus 280: Methodius 280: Nepos 300: Victorinus 305: Commodianus 306: Lactantius c. 347: Cyril c. 350: Aphrahat […]