Two Demon Possessed Men or One?
Matthew 8:28-33; Mark 5:1-16 and Luke 8:26-39 all relate the story of Jesus casting out demons from a man or two men and sending them into a herd of swine which then drowns itself. Matthew claims…
More Historical Inaccuracies In The Bible
The question of historical accuracy is sometimes a complicated one, and there are many reasons why each instance deserves to be treated on its own merit. Nonetheless, I'll try to provide you with…
Calvinism and Matthew 23:37?
Your question is referring to universalism, and there are several texts of Scripture that appear to speak to this: Ezekiel 18:23, 32; 33:11; I Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9. However, when properly…
The Apostle Formerly Known as Saul
I keep coming across a “sticky” misconception that God (specifically, Jesus) changed the name of an important figure we now typically refer to as “Saint Paul.” In a recent sermon, I heard: “Just like…
Lazarus Died Again
Yes, Lazarus (cf. John 11) died again, but we don't have a record of when. One reason we know he died again is that he was not resurrected with a glorified body, and only those raised with glorified…
Moses and Divorce
Moses permitted divorce because of the men's hardness of heart (Deut. 24:1-4; Mark 10:5), though the ideal had always been for one man and one woman to live in loving, forgiving monogamy. Sometimes…
Blasphemy or Superstition?
From your description, it does not sound to me like what you have done qualifies as blasphemy. To be honest, it sounds more like you have a superstitious view of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, and…
Pilate and Herod
Herod was king over Galilee and Perea; Pilate was prefect over Judea and Samaria. Caesar was emperor over both these territories, so both Herod and Pilate were under his rule. Their positions seem to…
Calvin, Salvation, Baptism
On the specific issue of Calvin's view of baptism and that represented in the Westminster Standards, the two are basically the same. Also, just as a side note, Calvin himself said that his…
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit
In the immediate context of Luke 12:10, there is not much to indicate specifically what Jesus meant by "blasphemy of the Holy Spirit." It seems to be somewhat paired, at least in a rhetorical way…
Why Not a Towel?
There are two occasions in Scripture when women wipe Jesus' feet with their hair. One is in Luke 7:38, the other in John 12:3. In the first instance, a prostitute wets Jesus' feet with her tears and…
Jesus Came to Save the Unbelievers?
The answer lies in the broader context of John 12:44-50. Jesus' point is not that he won't ever judge the unbelievers -- after all, in verse 48 he says that his word will judge unbelievers on the…
Can you explain Matthew 26:39?
I think your treatment of Jesus' desire is too simplistic. Jesus was determined to submit entirely to the Father's will ("as you will"). His prayer may be interpreted from different perspectives…
Transfiguration, Elijah, and Moses
I think you mean "translated," yes? Elijah was "translated" when he was taken up to heaven without dying. He and Moses then appeared with Christ on the mount when Christ was "transfigured." At any…
Backsliding Christians
The Bible teaches that once you are saved you cannot lose your salvation. There are many, many arguments and proofs for this doctrine, including: Christians are predestined not just to initial…
Pharisees and Works Righteousness
It is my understanding that the Pharisees did not teach works-based salvation. According to the New Testament, their doctrine of salvation had some flaws, but trusting in personal merit is not…
Unforgivable Sin
In the immediate context of Luke 12:10, there is not much to indicate specifically what Jesus meant by "blasphemy of the Holy Spirit." It seems to be somewhat paired, at least in a rhetorical way…
Matthew and Molinism (Middle Knowledge)
Jesuit theologian Luis de Molina is normally attributed with the Molinist position and its origin, although Fonseca and Lessius put forth the same ideas. They use texts such as Matthew 11 to show…
Mary and Joseph's Parents
Actually, the Bible doesn't tell us anything about Mary's parents. Some believe that the genealogy in Luke 3 is actually Mary's genealogy, but there is no indication of this in the text. Rather, even…
Joshua = Jesus?
The answer is "yes and no." Or, if you prefer, "sort of." That is, in the New Testament "Jesus" is the English translation of the Greek name "Iesous" when "Iesous" refers to the Savior. "Joshua" is a…
Baptism, Salvation
Sorry it's so confusing. The "certain blessings of salvation" phrase was intentionally vague, since Calvin and the Westminster don't say precisely the same thing. According to the Confession, those…
Greater Than John the Baptist?
There are a couple of things that Jesus may have meant. Clearly John was a true prophet of God, and a great one at that. Jesus' language suggests that John was at least as great as Abraham, Moses and…
Prophetic Fulfillments in Mark
Your question seems to assume a dichotomy between "fulfillment" of the Old Testament in Mark's Gospel and bringing "something entirely new" to the table in regards to Jesus. But it is not really a…
Elizabeth and Mary as Prophetesses
Your raise some very important points. I'll try to comment on three of them. 1. The issue of interpreting Elizabeth and Mary in line with the Old Testament prophets is a somewhat complicated one. In…