Language Studies

This passage is regarded by many as one of the most problematic in the Bible. Due to seasonal time constraints I won't be able to go into this in great depth now, but I will republish a fuller version later or over the coming weeks. Hidden in the verse in the most Hebraic of ways are various hints at Messiah's coming. This is our fourth…

You will find in this passage a beautiful hint at God's salvation plan, though described by commentaries as "the most baffling ... event in the life of Abraham". Not only is the sacrifice of an only son portrayed before us, who carries his own wood on his back as Jesus carried his cross, but Abraham says that God Himself…

Genesis 9:25-27 contains Noah's prophetic blessing, although it was a curse on Canaan and Ham in its own way, but that's a separate discussion. We won't even enter into the question of what spirit was Noah under the influence of given that he had just awoken from his…

In this Advent period we will examine 4 Messianic prophecies, which have presented problems to either scholars or sceptics, Jews or Jehovah Witnesses. Astoundingly there are more than 456 Old Testament references to the Messiah and his times…

Ezekiel 38:2-3 and 39:1 mention Gog, Magog, Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. Some think that Rosh represents Russia, and Meshech, Moscow, and thus identify the former USSR in biblical prophecy. First, we should note that the language of prophecy and especially of apocalyptic prophecy is difficult. That of Ezekiel ranks highest…

The KJV of Luke 9:16 says that Jesus took the loaves and fish and "looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude". Similarly, Matthew 14:19 in the NAS says that…

Jesus predicted that he would die and rise again on the third day. He also promised a sign and referred to the sign of Jonah, who was three days and nights in the belly of a great fish. "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the…

This passage is quoted by Matthew concerning Jesus' mission as "And in His name Gentiles will trust" (12:21) which is fairly close to the Greek Septuagint (LXX) Old Testament version of Isaiah 42:4 but quite different from the Hebrew Masoretic text (MT). Combining the words of the two original language versions gives the somewhat heavy-handed…

What's five souls between friends? Was Stephen just forgetful? Genesis 46:27 records that, "All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy", so why does Stephen record an extra five? The Hebrew text of Genesis has 70, however the later Greek text of the Septuagint has 75. Now, obviously the Hebrew is the original…

Jesus explicitly teaches us to pray "do not lead us into temptation" (Matthew 6:13). Is he suggesting that God might lead us into those situations but that we should pray against it? Here again, as in James 1:2-3,12, is the linguistic confusion over temptation versus trial. In addition, was not Jesus tempted in the wilderness…

The KJV translation uses 'temptations', most modern versions use 'trials'. The former is problematic as it would imply that we are to reckon temptations of the devil and hence allurements to sin as joyful opportunities to endure. Elsewhere we are told to flee temptation not sit around…

In Mark (6:7-13) and Luke's (9:1-6) accounts of the sending out of the twelve these words are missing. They are probably not an addition by a late gospel of Matthew, instead they are probably an authentic early saying of a first gospel written before Acts 11-15 and the inclusion of the gentiles en masse, a saying which…

According to this text Elyon, the Most High, God, set the boundaries and borders of the nations. Many Bibles have a table of nations at the back derived from those listed as descended from the three sons of Noah (Genesis 10:32). History teaches us what has befallen man from upsetting this balance; just think of the artificial national…

"He answered [the Canaanite woman] and said, I am not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then she came and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, help me! But He answered and said, It is not good to take the children's bread and to throw it to dogs. And she said, True, O Lord; but even the little dogs eat of the crumbs…