Answers to Christianity Questions
Thank you for the question on the origin of the Mosaic Law, “How do we know that God gave laws to the Israelites rather than the Israelites creating laws based on their own understanding of God?“ As one reads the the Torah or the Pentateuch, the Mosaic Law can’t be separated from the historical setting of … Read More “How do we know that God gave laws to the Israelites rather than the Israelites creating laws based on their own understanding of God?” »
Thank you for the question on the population of the Israelites who left Egypt, “How did the population of the ancient Israelites go from Jacob and his 12 sons and their families to over a million people by the time God freed them from Egypt? The subject of the growth of the population of the Israelites … Read More “How did the population of the ancient Israelites go from Jacob and his 12 sons and their families to over a million people by the time God freed them from Egypt?” »
Thank you for the question on reading the Bible, “What book in the Bible would you recommend to read first if someone is seeking out God or a new believer?” I would recommend reading the Gospel of John followed by reading the Gospel of Luke. The reason is that the whole Old Testament and New Testament … Read More “What book in the Bible would you recommend to read first if someone is seeking out God or a new believer?” »
Thank you for the question on the historicity of Esther, “Why do some scholars say the Book of Esther is fiction?” As a Christian, I do not believe that the Book of Esther is fiction. The primary reason for some scholars questioning the historicity of Esther is the reconciliation of history with the events stated … Read More “Why do some scholars say the Book of Esther is fiction?” »
Thank you for the question about the 12 disciples of Jesus, “Which of the 12 disciples mentioned in the Bible understood Greek?” As one reads the Gospels and the New Testaments, there is little doubt that the 12 apostles spoke Aramaic, probably some Hebrew and Greek. As one look at their occupation before they encountered Jesus, … Read More “Which of the 12 disciples mentioned in the Bible understood Greek?” »
Thank you for the question on understanding, “What does the Bible say understanding is based on?” As I thought about your question, a passage came to my mind that may help us gain insight to your question about understanding. I hope Isaiah 6 in the commissioning of Isaiah and the message that he was to proclaim … Read More “What does the Bible say understanding is based on?” »
Thank you for the interpretative question, “Is Matthew 16:25 teaching the way to eternal life?” As one reads the larger context of Matthew 16:25, the text speaks about discipleship, not having or earning eternal life. Matthew 16 says this, “21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem … Read More “Is Matthew 16:25 teaching the way to eternal life?” »
Thank you for the interpretative question on Hebrews 2:5, “In Hebrews 2:5, what is “the world (οἰκουμένη) to come?” I want to commend you for the precise observation of the Greek word, oikoumene, which is translated in English as being world. In the Greek, the word, world, is more precise than in English. In the Greek, … Read More “In Hebrews 2:5, what is “the world (οἰκουμένη) to come”?” »
Thank you for the question on the infallibility of Scripture, “How do you decide the Bible is infallible and all other scriptures are false?” Before I share my thoughts on this question, the comparison of the Bible with other religious literatures does not mean that there is an absence of any truth in their teachings. For … Read More “How do you decide the Bible is infallible and all other scriptures are false?” »
Thank you for the question about diseases, “What does the Bible say causes disease?” As one reads Genesis 3, there are two primary causes of diseases. Those two causes are from the ground being cursed by God and the seed of death in humans. Can this be the beginning of mutations of DNA/RNA’s that allows for … Read More “What does the Bible say causes disease?” »