This is a one of the easier Orthodox and Catholic Christian traditions to explain: The eating, as well as painting and giving of painted eggs, developed as a by-product of traditions about fasting. New Testament teaching about private fasting, and remembering ‘Christ our Passover’ weekly It first needs to be said that there is no […]
Was Elijah a Gentile?
I Kings 17:1 introduces Elijah as: Now Elijah the Tishbite (Hebrew tishbi), who was of the settlers (Hebrew toshab) of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall certainly be neither dew nor rain during these years, except by my word.” (NASB) The Hebrew “Tishbi” […]
Did Matthew realise that the original “Emmanuel” prophecy (Isaiah 7:14) refers to a child at the time of Pekah and Rezin (Isaiah 7:1, 16)?
In some ways, from the perspective of those new to the Bible, it’s quite a reasonable question. For those in many countries the name “Emmanuel” (KJV) or “Immanuel” (ESV etc.) is used almost exclusively in the context of Christmas carols such as ‘O come, O come, Emmanuel’, and in the reading of Matthew’s account of […]
Why did God punish “to the third and the fourth generation” (Exodus 34:7)
Exodus 34:7 says that God “[visits] the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation” (ESV). The limit of living influence This evidently has nothing to do with the consequence of Adam’s sin – such as discussed in Romans, but is related to family and […]
Who was the disciple Jesus loved?
The disciple Jesus loved refers tos John, elder son of Zebedee, brother of James, with whom he was called “Sons of Thunder” or “Boanerges”). The author of the Gospel of John mentions himself 5 times as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” in his gospel. 1. “One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side,” […]
Does the authorship of the NT books matter?
This question probably depends on who is asking? Does it matter to whom? – Does it matter to someone who is already Christian? Perhaps not much? – Does it matter to someone raised in a Christian home, Sunday School, church? Depends how much questioning they have done. But to the original audiences for whom the […]
Was Mary Magdalene the author of the 4th Gospel?
No. There is not a single serious scholar who has even canvassed this possibility. Not least because John repeatedly identifies himself in the Gospel, as ‘the beloved disciple’, talks about why he has written certain things and excluded others, and his objectives in writing them. Likewise also throughout the 1st Epistle of John which in […]
When and what was Paul’s vision “fourteen years earlier” in 2 Corinthians 12:2
2 Corinthians 12:2: “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven.” This is clearly Paul, speaking of himself: see 2 Corinthians 12:6, 7, 9, 11; also 2 Peter 3:16. FOURTEEN YEARS […]
What about the bears that mauled the children who mocked Elisha? (2 Kings 2:23-24)
This incident usually comes up questioning the morality of God, or of his prophets. The problem is the stark contrast between what appears to be overreaction of Elisha, and God, to simple jeering by little children, and the Christian way of behaviour taught in the New Testament; particularly the way Christ behaved when mocked. “mauled […]
How did God harden Pharaoh’s heart?
The Bible says over a dozen times that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so as not to let the Israelites go. The first one comes in Exodus 4: And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, […]