37
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According to those holding that Lazarus was literally raised from the dead, why did Matthew, Mark, and Luke not mention it?
Commentators give a number of explanations for the silence of the Synoptists on the raising of Lazarus:
To protect Lazarus from persecution
Differing source material
Distinct criteria for what to ...
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18
votes
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Was Lazarus in a coma?
The ambiguity of Jesus' initial answer confused the disciples so he elaborated:
11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has
fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The ...
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17
votes
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What does Catholic Church say about the post-resurrection wound marks of Jesus?
St. Thomas Aquinas addresses the question of "Whether Christ's body ought to have risen with its scars?" in Summa Theologica III q. 54 a. 4. He gives five reasons (c.):
It was fitting for Christ's ...
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12
votes
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What happened to Jesus' physical body after his death and resurrection?
The body of Christ ascended with him into heaven, as was witnessed by his disciples and many others.
Luke 24 (ESV):
50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed ...
- 6,997
12
votes
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Why did the soldiers go backward and fall down when Jesus said "I am he" in John 18:6?
Here are a few commentaries on this verse from Christian Bible scholars. To a large extent, they agree with your suspicion that the men were reacting to Messiah's use of the words "I AM," and the ...
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12
votes
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John 1:18 - "No one has ever seen God" - How do Trinitarians reconcile this scripture with the belief that the Lord Jesus Christ is God?
From a Trinitarian standpoint there is nothing to reconcile.
As with most things, the answer is found in the context. The whole of John 1:18 reads:
"No one has seen God at any time; the only ...
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10
votes
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Is Heaven up and Hell down?
We do not know exactly where heaven or hell is. However, in Scripture, the word "up" is commonly used in association with the location of heaven and "down" is typically associated ...
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10
votes
What is the significance of colour purple in the robe that Jesus was made to wear?
Purple in the Roman Empire was associated with triumph, and came to be associated with the Emperors specifically. Along with the crown of thorns, the purple robe was a mocking symbol of Jesus' royalty....
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10
votes
Jesus called God his own Father, and this is supposed to mean that Jesus is equal with God. Why?
TLDR;
In this passage, Jesus uses language claiming God as a personal father; a begetting father, rather than in an abstract, "God is the Father of Humanity" sort of way.
From here, the Jews ...
10
votes
What is the biblical basis for identifying the Lazarus Jesus raised from the dead and the Lazarus in the story of the rich man and Lazarus?
I think taken together the Gospels do make us think about this possibility. God has inspired not just the texts of each Biblical book in isolation, but in relation to each other. Lazarus himself is ...
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10
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What is the biblical basis for identifying the Lazarus Jesus raised from the dead and the Lazarus in the story of the rich man and Lazarus?
The earliest Christians' knowledge of Lazarus came not from the Gospel accounts, but rather from personal acquaintance or acquaintance with those who knew Lazarus. In short, they knew Lazarus ...
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10
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The Mormon Church teaches that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son. How do you reconcile this when the Bible says the Father cannot be seen?
To get this out of the way first, yes Joseph Smith indeed claims to have seen God the Father, and Jesus Christ, in what is called the First Vision:
Joseph Smith—History 1:17
17 [...] When the light ...
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9
votes
How do Protestants respond to the JW interpretation of John 14:28?
Protestants have answered this question in several different ways:
That within the Trinity, the Son is eternally subordinate to the Father, though equal with him in essence
That Christ here ...
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9
votes
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Is Mary Our Mother? Evangelicals please explain John 19:26–27
Behold thy mother: What Does Jesus Mean By Such Utterance in John
19:26-27?
The teaching of the Roman Catholic church that Jesus entrusted his physical mother as the spiritual mother of the church ...
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9
votes
Is Jesus' statement that Satan is the father of the Jews anti-Jewish?
That is exactly not the point he is trying to make. He is trying to say that it's our actions that show whether God or Satan is "our father" in a very figurative sense. He is saying "You are not the ...
- 4,606
9
votes
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7 mentions of night in Gospel of John
Well spotted. I think you are onto something here. The number seven is popular in John's Gospel. There are seven signs, seven "I am" sayings, the woman at the well had five husbands plus one who ...
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8
votes
Reason for drawing water at unusual time
This is a quite fascinating question, where we can speculate to our hearts' content!
First, it must be pointed out that the New Living Translation you have quoted is dogmatic in its assertion that it ...
- 5,099
8
votes
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Why did Pilate insist on writing 'Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews'?
Crucifixion was more than a method of execution; it was a public execution, and a long, slow, exceptionally painful one at that. Half the point was to make an example of the condemned so they could ...
- 30.4k
8
votes
Who is the comforter?
The comforter is the Holy Spirit according to John 14:26
But the Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send
in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to
...
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8
votes
What does it mean for the Spirit to only speak of what he hears? (trinitarian perspective)
From John Gill's exposition of this passage:
For he shall not speak of himself:
as Christ, the Son, spoke not of himself in opposition to the Father, so the Spirit speaks not of himself in ...
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8
votes
What did Jesus mean by "whoever believes in me will do greater works than I do"?
Earlier in John is a verse that could potentially help provide an answer to your question:
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” - John 6:29 NIV
Another verse ...
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8
votes
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Why did Simon Peter react so violently?
Simon Peter's reaction was inline with his previous self-trusting and impulsive nature, a tendency to rely on self to do what seemed right, rather than a faith that relied on God's promises. This ...
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8
votes
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In what way is the Son of God "one with the Father"?
The Trinitarian position on this is pretty straight forward. Hard to wrap your mind around, maybe. A mystery, sure. But the same basic idea is held by most Trinitarians, especially Protestant and ...
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8
votes
How do Trinitarians explain John 17:3?
That scripture verse that you mention was used by Arius to maintain that Jesus was not of same nature as Father. However, his objection was resolved.
St. Thomas explains the difficulty you mention in ...
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8
votes
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Does John's Gospel explicitly state that it was written by the disciple John?
No, the book of John does not explicitly state that it was written by the disciple John. However, there is a worthy discussion to be had about the combination of external and internal evidence that ...
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8
votes
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While on the cross, was Jesus abandoned by every human?
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his ...
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7
votes
What did Jesus write on the ground?
A Jewish speaker said that Jesus was indicating "it is written.." And reminding the pharisees what God has instructed in the law, which they were not following when they brought out just the woman and ...
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