And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. (Leviticus 16:8 KJV) The reading Azazel is found is several modern English translations: ESV NRSV. The KJV reading is retained in NIV NASB. And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot […]
“strain at a gnat and swallow a camel” (Matthew 23:24)
“You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!” (Matthew 23:24 ESV) Many people have heard the claims that Jesus’ saying about a camel through the eye of a needle (Matthew 19:24) could have been ‘rope’ not camel in Aramaic when supposedly Jesus originally said it. But there is no real evidence for […]
what does “the demons also believe, and tremble” mean? (James 2:19)
That the demons both (a) believe and (b) shudder seems to indicate the demoniacs healed by Jesus in the synoptic Gospels. The word for shudder used by James (Greek frisso) is not otherwise used in the New Testament but is fairly common in Greek to mean ‘bristle’ or ‘shudder in fear’. 4 Maccabees 14:9 Even […]
Which books of the Old Testament are not quoted in the New Testament?
The lists of books claimed not to be cited in the New Testament usually included the following nine books. 1. Judges 2. Ruth Although not directly quoted the history in these two books is repeatedly mentioned. 3. Ezra Ezra is not quoted but Nehemiah is. And these two books were one scroll in Hebrew so […]
What is the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha?
The Old Testament pseudepigrapha is a title given by scholars to group together various Jewish writings roughly contemporary with the New Testament many of which take the form of pseudepigrapha, texts claiming to be written by a named Old Testament figure. These texts overlap with the Dead Sea Scrolls and early rabbinical documents found […]
What is “the angel of God’s presence”? (Isaiah 63:9)
In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. (Isaiah 63:9) This is an emphatic statement that only occurs once in the Hebrew Bible.
Does Psalm 138:1 acknowledge the existence of pagan gods?
“I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;” (Psalm 138:1 ESV) This contradicts Isaiah’s statement (Isaiah 45:5) that there are “no elohim” but the LORD. To get around this the Jewish translators of the Greek Old Testament substituted “gods” with “angels” in this verse – […]
What is the “two powers of heaven” idea and is it scriptural?
This idea was mainly promoted by a 1977 book ‘Two Powers in Heaven: Early Rabbinic Reports about Christianity and Gnosticism’ by the American Jewish scholar of religion Alan F. Segal. In his book he proposed that some early references in rabbinic texts were directed against beliefs of Jewish Christians and Gnostics. Segal’s thesis was heavily […]
Will Christ judge the living as well as the resurrected when he returns?
Many of the Bible verses about the day of judgement at the return of Christ do not specify whether the context is the living or the resurrected. Or both together. But it is clear that both will be judged: And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the […]
Who killed Goliath, David or Elhanan?
This is a Hebrew textual question. The Masoretic text of 2 Samuel 21:19 is missing the words the brother of. The context of 2 Samuel 21 shows that this is a different event and time and that it refers to the brother of Goliath. Therefore David killed Goliath and Elhanan later killed Goliath’s brother. 1 Chronicles 20:5 confirms […]