Who wrote II Kings?

Question: Who wrote II Kings? Answer: I Samuel, II Samuel, I Kings, and II Kings are actually one long book that became divided into four parts. Scrolls can only hold so much before they become unwieldy. The books are thought to be the work of a series of prophets. Such makes the most sense since…

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Constantine created the King James Bible

Question: Left unedited. I read “The Origin of the King James Version” and find it very interesting but you never say anything about the actual origin of the King James Bible. In short, this version was created by Emperor Constantine in the year 325AD. At this time, he was losing his hold on his empire…

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How do you define “church” and “scripture?”

Question: How do you respond to I Timothy 3:15 where Paul refers to the “church of the living God” as “the pillar and bulwark of faith?” As a follow up how do we define “church?” There seem to be literally thousands of different churches, with almost all claiming to be Bible-based, full gospel or something…

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Why are translations in Greek instead of Hebrew, the language Jesus spoke in?

Question: Why are all of your translations in Greek instead of Hebrew, which would be the language Jesus spoke in? Answer: The following is specific toward Matthew, which is usually the one book people like to claim was originally written in Hebrew: Was Matthew originally written in Hebrew or Aramaic? The simple fact is that it…

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Who are you to decide which books belong in the Bible?

Question: I read your article on the internet and I think you need to re-read genisis concerning the giants and the fallen angels, sir. Angels were able to trnasform themselves into human beings just read the story  of the two men( who were angels of God) who spoke to Lot and stayed in his home and…

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The Historical Accuracy of the Bible (Sasser)

by Jim Sasser To be divinely inspired, a book must be historically accurate.  For if its credibility cannot be established on the basis of known events, it certainly cannot be relied upon as an adequate guide in matters beyond our ability to check.  On the other hand, if we can demonstrate that such a book…

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Respect (Scott)

by Carey Scott “In that day a man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 17:7). A quality that is lacking in our society is respect. I think everyone would acknowledge such, but few think about it. Many wish it would return to our society,…

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How do I convince my brother that the Bible is complete?

Question: I was discussing baptism with my brother. He knows he needs to be baptized, but he doesn’t have confidence in the Bible. He says he watches these shows that tell how corrupt men took books out of the Bible that really might be important. One example was that Mary Magdalene was supposedly one of…

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Roman Catholic Quotes Regarding the Bible

The Bible Alone was Used in the Early Church There was far more extensive and continuous use of Scriptures in the public service of the early Church than there is among us. [Addis and Arnold, Catholic Dictionary, The Catholic Publication Society, 1887, page 509] Our present convenient compendiums — the Missal, Breviary, and so on were…

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The Sufficiency of the Bible

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/SufficiencyOfTheBible.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ephesians 3:1-12   I.         Do we need anything beyond the Bible to know God’s will for us?             A.        If the Bible is all sufficient, then we would not need any church, priest, or religious leader.             B.        If the Bible is sufficient then we would be responsible to find the truth for ourselves…

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How did the correct books get added to the Bible?

Question: Hi, I was wondering if you could help me with this question I have. I know that in II Timothy 3:16 it says that all scripture is “God breathed and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”. This is a wonderful thing, but I have a question about the Bible…

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What does it mean that God’s word is a two-edged sword?

Question: What does the Scripture mean in Hebrews 4:12 relating to a two-edged sword? Answer: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the…

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How many major and minor prophets are there in the Bible?

Question: How many major and minor prophets are there in the Bible? Answer: The division of major and minor prophets come from the Old Testament. There are 17 books of prophecy in the Old Testament and they are divided into two groups: the long books (the major prophets) and the short books (the minor prophets).…

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Remember (Hamilton)

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/Remember.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ecclesiastes 12:1   I.         At times I get teased about my memory.             A.        A researcher at Johns Hopkins noted the things people most often forget.                         1.         Names – 83%                         2.         Where something is – 60%                         3.         Telephone numbers – 57%                         4.         Words – 53%                         5.         What was said – 49%                         6.         Faces – 42%                         7.         Whether you’ve just…

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What is the best study Bible?

Question: What Bible is the best to study? Several publishers now teach that baptism is not required, such as the Life Application Bible, and several teach the 1000 year war. How can I know which publishing house and what Bible are the best for me? Answer: First, pick a Bible because you are interested in…

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Psalms 119

Psalm119-1Psalm119-2Psalm119-3Psalm119-4Psalm119-5Psalm119-6 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Proverb 4:10-17   I.         How do you learn? What do you need to learn?             A.        The evil decay, but a child of God must learn – II Timothy 3:13-17             B.        It is important for all aspects of life – II Peter 1:3             C.        Your parents have invested a lot in you, so has…

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Why have some books been left out of the Bible?

Question: If the books in the Bible were written by apostles, was Moses considered an apostle? What of Isaiah and Samuel? Were they considered apostles? Is it not said in the book of Matthew that nothing was to be taken from the Old Testament? I’m just curious because if this is true, those books in…

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The Bible’s Witnesses

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/The-Bibles-Witnesses.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Isaiah 43:8-13   I.         The strength of any testimony depends on the quality of the witnesses giving the testimony             A.        In a court of law the witnesses are grilled as heavily as the defendants.                         1.         An inconsistent witness is not a believable witness                         2.         Thus the integrity of the witness matters             B.        God made…

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Sola Scriptura or Sola Papa?

by Chuck Durham via Biblical Insights, Vol. 7, No. 9, Sept. 2007. Pope Benedict XVI released a Vatican document on July 10, 2007, that reasserted the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church as providing the only true path to salvation. The document claims that the Roman Catholic Church is the only true church on earth having…

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The New Testament was written in Hebrew, not Greek!

Question: You seem to teach that the original New Testament was originally written in Greek. I hate to differ with you. Nowhere is that fact proven. I believe that Luke may have written his manuscript in Greek, since he was of Syrian descent and also perhaps the books of Acts, but as far as the…

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The Power of God: The Bible

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/PowerOfGodTheBible.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 1:8-19   I.         The Word of God is precious to believers, an object of desire – Psalm 19:7-11             A.        O, how I love your law! – Psalm 119:97-100             B.        Longing for God’s law – Psalm 119:40             C.        Desire it like a new born babe desires milk – I Peter 2:1-3 II.        A popular…

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Why did it take 35-40 years to write the Gospels?

Question: What was the reason for John, Mark, Luke, and Matthew writing their gospels? Why did it take 35-40 years after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus to begin to write the gospels or the rest of the New Testament? Answer: As for the purpose of the gospel accounts, see “The Four Gospels.” As to…

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Which book is the oldest in the Bible?

Question: Which book is believed to be the oldest book in the Bible? I found the following points: Many scholars agree that Job is the oldest book in the Bible, written by an unknown Israelite about 1500 B.C. Others hold that the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) are the oldest books in the…

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Biblical Reliability

by Dudley Ross Spears How reliable is the Bible? How do we know it is truly the word of God? What evidence is there that justifies our respect for and allegiance to the Book? In this installment, we will consider the things that prove the Bible to be a reliable revelation of the mind of…

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Do you know of any good books on how we got our Bible?

Question: You know of any good books on how we got our Bible and why we leave certain books out? I have two people who want to know a good book about this. I have read how we got our books, but I don’t have those books anymore. I can’t remember as it has been…

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The Bible: Dare We Leave It?

by Dee Bowman It is amazing how many religions, in general, have left the Bible. Catholicism bears little resemblance to the Bible anymore, nor does denominationalism. In fact, some of the congregations that wear the name “Church of Christ” are quickly abdicating biblical principles in preference for what the people want instead of what the…

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The Harmony of the Scriptures

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Proverbs 30:2-9   I.         The denominational world has long debated the relationship of faith, works, and grace in man’s salvation.             A.        Some argue that salvation is by faith alone while others argue the necessity of works. Some turn their attention to grace and argue that grace alone saves men.             B.        The problem has…

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Once for All

by Billy Norris via Gospel Guide, Vol. 27, No. 12, December 1995 “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints…” (Jude 3). The original…

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What is the most quoted Old Testament book in the New Testament?

Question: What is the second most influential book in the world today? What Old Testament book is the most quoted or referenced in the New Testament? Which book of the Bible is thought to be the oldest in terms of when it was written? Answer: “Influential” is a subjective term, so the answer would depend…

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Can you say more about Aramaic being used in the Bible?

Question: I have a question concerning the two words, Arabic and Aramaic. In one of your most recent answers, you spoke about Aramaic being used in the Bible, but not Arabic. What is the difference between the two words? I understand that Arabic would be spoken by Arabian peoples, so where does Aramaic come from? I…

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Why is Hong Kong calling the Bible indecent?

Question: Why is Hong Kong screaming about the indecency of the Bible and wanting it banned it from the children? Answer: You need to read the news reports more carefully. Hong Kong as a government or society is not calling the Bible indecent. There is an agency in the Hong Kong government who has reported…

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When did Adam, Eve, and the Bible come into existence?

Question: My girlfriend and I were discussing things in the Bible, and we were wondering when did Adam and Eve come into existence, and when did the Bible come into existence? We were just wondering. I have heard this question asked before in other people’s conversations and didn’t get a satisfactory answer. So, please help…

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What does the word “perfect” mean in I Corinthians 13:10?

Question: Regarding speaking in tongues, in the verse that says “when that which is perfect is come,” what does the word “perfect” mean in Greek? Answer: “Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know…

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How did your Bible come into existence?

Question: Could you please tell me how the Bible you currently have originally come into existence? Since we know that some of the apostles did not even start to write until about 50 AD, about 20 years after Christ ascended to heaven, we know with certainty that the apostles went out and established churches without…

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Selecting a Quality Bible

by Wayne Goforth Many articles have been written over the years concerning various translations of the Bible available. Which ones are good and reliable, which should be avoided like the plague, the specific errors or positive qualities, etc. of each. This series, however, views the physical construction of Bibles and their pros and cons of…

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