Posts Tagged ‘gospels’
Stacking the Deck Against Jesus
by Matthew W. Bassford If there is anything we should take away from reading through the gospels this year, it is a deeper understanding of the skill with which the Evangelists crafted their narratives. Nothing in any of the gospels is there just because Jesus did it. As John observes in John 21:25, all four…
Read MoreThe commands regarding marriage and divorce are confusing if you use any in MMLJ
Question: The commands and patterns of marriage and divorce are confusing if you use any in MMLJ for today’s people. Answer: “For some people, if they are unable to understand something, then it must be wrong. In discussing false teachers, Jude warns, “But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they…
Read MoreHow do I respond to the “I never told you to hate anybody” meme?
Question: Hi Jeff, I recently came across a post that, rightly so, was completely wrong. The post basically says and I will also attach the picture, that Jesus never said homosexuality is wrong, marriage can be with whomever and it doesn’t matter who you worship. My question is just by the gospels alone, can it…
Read MoreWhat is meant by “so the last error shall be worse than the first”?
Question: In Matthew 27:64, what does “so the last error shall be worse than the first” mean? Answer: “Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception…
Read MoreWhy do we cite Matthew regarding divorce since Jesus lived under the Old Law?
Question: As I understand Matthew 19:9 and Matthew 5:32 concerning divorce, Jesus is answering the Pharisees (Jews) as they were tempting him on this question. His answer was the same as the law that they were under (except for fornication). Such as in the case that Joseph thought Mary was in. Why do we in the church today…
Read MoreWere the disciples rowing the boat for seven hours?
Question: In Mark 6:45, were the disciples rowing that boat for 7 hours? I know it says the “fourth watch” but is that equivalent to 7 hours like I heard a preacher say? Answer: In the days before timepieces, people tended to divide the days and nights into three-hour segments. While you might not know…
Read MoreDid Mary’s intercession advance the hour Jesus showed he was the Messiah?
Question: Catholics say that according to John 2:1-11, the mother of Jesus not only interceded but thanks to her intercession, Jesus Christ advanced the hour to show (to manifest) his glory and He was the Messiah. Please address the following concerns: Is that true that thanks to Mary intercession, Jesus advanced the hour to show…
Read MoreWhat are the four faces of Jesus?
Question: What are the four faces of Jesus? And how are they related to the present-day church? Answer: The phrase is not used in the Bible, but it is how some modern writers refer to the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Each gospel is addressed to a different audience and, therefore, addresses different…
Read MoreThank for the refutation on Dan Billingsly’s teachings and the information on the historical accuracy of the Bible
Question: I came across your site twice in two days. Once when I was looking for refutations to the teachings by Dan Billingsly and now when I was looking for information on the historical accuracy of the Bible. Thanks for the help. I also came across a reference to the Mesha Stele in Wikipedia that supports the reference in II…
Read MoreThank you for the information on the two lineages of Jesus
Question: Thank you. A friend of mine has lost all of his faith and is now picking on the Bible for all of its inconsistencies. He has brought up the two lineages of Jesus as proof, and thanks to your sermon notes, plus a few other sources, I believe I may finally have an answer he…
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