Jesus of Nazareth, generally held by Christians to be God incarnate.
10
votes
1answer
206 views
What is God's good news before Jesus's death and resurrection?
In Mark 1, we learn about both John's baptism of repentance and Jesus's proclamation that "the time has come. Repent and believe in the good news!"
John's baptism
And so John the Baptist ...
6
votes
4answers
2k views
Why isn't the virgin birth of Jesus mentioned in all of the gospels?
I recently saw Bill Maher's documentary and he mentions that the virgin birth is only mentioned in two of the gospels. He goes on to bug Christian people several times by asking questions such as "How ...
8
votes
1answer
168 views
Jesus's genealogy: 28 generations or 41 since David?
These questions keep me wondering:
Firstly, how is it possible that Matthew and Luke came up with completely different genealogies of Jesus's ancestors, if they are both following the masculine line?
...
5
votes
4answers
233 views
Resurrection importance in the Bible
I've often heard that if you lay out the books of the new testament chronologically by the order they were written, the story of Jesus' resurrection become more important. Some also say it become ...
1
vote
1answer
148 views
Why is it that God the Father is alone capitalised in the third person?
Usually Christians write He, His and Himself with a capital H when referring to God the Father. I'm not aware of this practice for either Jesus or The Holy Spirit.
Why the distinction?
3
votes
2answers
212 views
Can we know anything about Jesus' appearance from the Bible?
We know something about Jesus' clothes, that He wore sandals and that He wore a seamless undergarment.
Are there any other clues in the Bible as to His physical appearance?
6
votes
4answers
439 views
New Testament inconsistency - opening of Jesus' tomb
As it was mentioned in this topic, reading the New Testament side by side, one can pick up apparent inconsistencies in the Gospels by various Disciples. As it was suggested that they should be ...
1
vote
4answers
153 views
John 8:6-8, Jesus writing
John 8:6-8 NIV
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him.
But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as
though he heard them not.
7 So when ...
5
votes
3answers
3k views
What does Jesus mean when He says that we should be like children?
Matthew 18:1-4:
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell ...
10
votes
2answers
982 views
How could Jesus be born during the reign of Herod, and when Quirinius was governor of Syria, if those periods were not contemporary?
In Matthew 2, it makes it clear that Jesus was conceived during the reign of Herod and was a young child when Herod died.
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in ...
7
votes
2answers
566 views
How does Jesus fulfill the offices of Prophet, Priest and King?
I have heard that Jesus fulfills the three Jewish "offices" of Prophet, Priest, and King. What is significant about this, and how specifically does or did Jesus fulfill those offices?
6
votes
2answers
286 views
Who performs a miracle - the person or God?
In answering a question about kenosis, I said that Jesus emptied himself of his divinity, essentially, "giving up the perks of being God." Hammar replied, "but he still performed miracles, didn't he."
...
2
votes
1answer
156 views
Reason for loving/worshiping Jesus
What's the reason for loving/worshiping Jesus? As an extension, what does it mean to love/worship Jesus and how does that help one accomplish spiritual goals (salvation, forgiveness, sanctification, ...
2
votes
2answers
187 views
Why are fathers missing in Mark 10:30?
Mark 10:29 mentions father, but Mark 10:30 doesn't.
Mat 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or
sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my
...
2
votes
2answers
259 views
What does the LDS (Mormon) church teach about who Jesus is and where He came from?
From the answer to another question, someone suggested that the LDS (Mormon) church teaches that Jesus is distinct from God--that though He is a part of the Godhead, the Godhead is not a Trinity ...
9
votes
2answers
295 views
According to LDS (Mormon) teaching, what is the relationship between Jesus and Lucifer?
What does the LDS/Mormon church teach about the relationship between Jesus and Lucifer? Are they beings on the same level or of the same origin? What are their natures? What texts are used to teach ...
5
votes
5answers
438 views
Do Old Testament individual, family and social laws and guidance apply to Christians or did Jesus come to discard OT laws and guidance?
If OT laws are to be ignored by Christians, does God/Jesus provide substitute laws in the New Testament texts? I.e., if God thought it important to provide laws (in addition to requiring certain ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
Definition of light in Matthew 5:16
Matthew 5:14-16
14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives ...
5
votes
2answers
228 views
What do Christians mean by “Jesus took our illnesses upon himself on the cross” and why?
Having a bit of holiday over Christmas and New Year I'm going over some notes I've made of topics I want to look at.
One such question regards the use of terminology such as "Jesus took our illnesses ...
10
votes
2answers
187 views
7
votes
6answers
667 views
Why does Jesus not want people to repent and be forgiven in Mark 4?
This is in response the the disciples asking why Jesus teaches in parables...
He said to them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in ...
7
votes
5answers
834 views
“How do I get more faith?” - how to understand Jesus' answer?
The question, "How do I get more faith?" has been posted here. When I read it, my mind went to the time the disciples and Jesus had a similar dialogue:
Luke 17:5-6
The apostles said to the ...
14
votes
1answer
703 views
Will there be “new people” or reproduction in heaven or “the next life?”
I'm looking for a Biblical answer to this question: will there be any new people in heaven? An equivalent question: are the people created in this life (on Earth) the only people who will ever exist?
...
15
votes
1answer
324 views
What sects believe Jesus is buried in Japan?
The town of Shingo in Japan claims to be the burial site of Jesus of Nazareth: someone took his place on the cross, and he made his way to Japan, where he died. (Wikipedia.) Do, or did, any ...
19
votes
3answers
430 views
Why does Jesus refer to himself as the “Son of Man”?
Why does Jesus refer to himself as the "Son of Man"? This is similar to Why does Jesus speak of himself in the third person?, but I am specifically looking for an explanation of the "Son of Man" ...
5
votes
2answers
101 views
Are there any Messianic references in the OT apocrypha?
Are there any references to Jesus / the Messiah in the OT apocrypha?
(See example of book list here.)
6
votes
3answers
112 views
Were there any OT prophecies that Jesus should be a wood-working carpenter
I like the stone mason theory because that would make Jesus and St. Joseph (the patron of manly men) really tough.
But, is there any significance to the traditional conception of Jesus following ...
16
votes
4answers
5k views
Do we actually know that Jesus was a carpenter?
I was about to say this in another discussion somewhere else, and wondered: do we know that? As in "it's mentioned or at least hinted at in $book $chapter:$verse"?
Or is it just a very likely ...
8
votes
1answer
190 views
Why was Jesus able to silence his critics simply by pointing out that the Messiah was both Lord *and* son?
In Matthew 22, after basically frustrating the Pharisees and the Saduccees by answering some really tricky questions, Jesus finally turns the tables on them and asks this question:
41 While the ...
10
votes
2answers
308 views
Are the images we draw of Jesus correct?
Lately I heard that, as an inhabitant of ancient Israel, it is more likely that Jesus had dark skin and probably had hair that was a little curly.
Why is it that illustrations always show him with ...
11
votes
8answers
860 views
How can Jesus, born of mankind, be sinless?
Very simple question really. If the sin of Adam is passed down through the generations, so that all of us are born with a sin nature, how can it be that Jesus was born of Mary (a human being), yet ...
9
votes
1answer
139 views
When did Christmas (the birth of Christ) first begin as a Christian celebration?
I remember hearing something about a true Saint Nicholas who maybe helped poor children or something, but to be honest, I really don't know much about when Christmas began to be celebrated by ...
15
votes
2answers
635 views
What does Jesus mean by saying, “Why do you call me good?”
Luke 18:19 (NKJV)
19 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
Luke 18:19 (KJV)
19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is ...
4
votes
2answers
304 views
Who is God referring to in 2 Samuel 7?
2 Samuel 7:11-16 (ESV)
11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make ...
19
votes
2answers
318 views
What extrabiblical sources support the existence of Jesus in history?
What sources outside of the Bible give supporting evidence to the existence of Jesus and any of the events in His life?
6
votes
1answer
226 views
In Matthew 26:63-64, does the high priest think that the Messiah is Son of God?
Matthew 26:63-64 NIV:
The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
So do Jews ...
-4
votes
2answers
416 views
If believing that Jesus is God is that important, why doesn't Jesus say it more often?
Why did many of his disciples not even know it?
Jesus asked "Who am I?" to a bunch of his disciples. Out of so many, only Peter got it close. That he is the Messiah, son of the living God.
Even that ...
1
vote
2answers
602 views
Virgin birth in other religions and relevance to Christianity [closed]
Like flood legends, legends of heroes of virgin birth and/or virginal conception are not uncommon in faiths across the world. For example, the Bhagavata Purana tells that Krishna was conceived ...
18
votes
6answers
880 views
Does Jesus ever claim to be God, or the son of God?
While I understand there are many potential passages in the Bible of Jesus claiming to be a messiah (which I understand to mean "anointed"), a king, or one through whom it is necessary to know God, ...
18
votes
2answers
994 views
Why is Jesus named the Prince of Peace instead of the King of Peace?
In Isaiah 9:6, the child to be born will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government
shall ...
11
votes
2answers
382 views
What does Jesus mean with “this generation” and “all these things” in Mark 13:30
In Mark 13, Jesus tells about the last days and the tribulation. In this context, he says in verse 30 (KJV):
Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be ...
14
votes
1answer
286 views
Why is Jesus' genealogy traced through Joseph?
Why is Jesus' genealogy in Matthew and Luke traced back to David through Joseph if Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit?
7
votes
1answer
75 views
What is the difference between the Life that Christ gives and the Life that Wisdom brings?
I noticed that these two passages are rather similar:
Proverbs 8:35-36 (ESV)
For whoever finds me [wisdom] finds life and obtains favor
from the Lord, 36 but he who fails to find me injures ...
2
votes
1answer
207 views
Does the passage in Luke 9:49-50 support the diversity of denominations?
It appears that this passage in Luke allows for the diversity of denominations.
Luke 9:49-50 KJV
And John answered and said, Master, we saw one
casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad ...
10
votes
2answers
354 views
What was the specific trap being set for Jesus by the Pharisees in John 8?
In the story of the woman caught in adultery, John indicates that the question of the Pharisees was a "trap".
2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people
gathered ...
7
votes
2answers
408 views
Question on John 4:13-14 - How do we drink of the water from Jesus?
I've been struggling with this passage for a while:
Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be ...
11
votes
4answers
1k views
Why did Jesus use the expression, “I tell you the truth”?
I used to think nothing of it until someone said, "it makes you wonder what he was saying the rest of the time".
Now I don't believe for one moment Jesus was a liar, but why did He use that strange ...
10
votes
4answers
975 views
Why does Jesus speak of himself in the third person?
There are a number of places where Jesus refers to himself in the third person. The most common is when he uses the title 'Son of Man' (by my count, there are some 78 times Jesus uses that title in ...
2
votes
3answers
339 views
If JW believe they should use Jehovah to be accurate why don't they use Jesus' real Hebrew name?
I think everyone knows that Jesus is Greek but why don't Jehovahs Witnesses use his Hebrew name which is closer to Joshua rather than Jesus?
11
votes
3answers
861 views
Did Satan really not understand God's salvation plan?
I've always been told that when Jesus died on the cross, he ultimately defeated Satan and won victory over death. Satan was not aware of the secret plan and thought that he had defeated Jesus until ...
