20
votes
How does Protestant Church explain Luke 2:48?
If we accept the bible teaching that Mary/Joseph had children, then they would have been younger than Jesus. In the question, the age of Jesus was 12. The oldest sibling was probably no older than ...
- 12.8k
15
votes
Accepted
When Was The Gospel of Luke Written?
If you accept its own testimony then Luke was written:-
Before the Acts of the Apostles and by the same author as the writer of Acts (compare Acts 1:1 with Luke 1:1-4);
The author of Acts was, at ...
- 6,562
14
votes
Accepted
How does one reconcile the sinlessness of Mary with her sin offering in Luke 2:24?
There are two facets to the answer, one regarding the nature of the sin offering itself, and one regarding Mary’s motivations for making the offering.
In summary, in Israel, so-called “sin” offerings ...
- 13.2k
14
votes
How do Trinitarians explain Jesus' response to the scribes and Pharisees at Luke 5:20-24?
In Trinitarian theology, Jesus is both God and Man, so the title "Son of Man" isn't incorrect in that regard.
Throughout Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus generally encourages the "...
- 2,743
13
votes
Accepted
According to Protestants following the Reformation, what did Jesus mean when he said "do this and you will live"?
Protestants typically argue that Jesus is explaining how one might be "saved by works," and not suggesting that it is actually possible for the man to accomplish it on his own – on the contrary, he ...
- 42.2k
13
votes
Is it possible for a spirit to eat fish?
Most branches of Christianity believe that Jesus rose from the dead bodily (ie he wasn't merely a spirit at that point). The very context of the verse you are referring to, is that he was eating the ...
- 12.5k
12
votes
Accepted
How is the amazement of the Jews explained by those who believe that "Render Unto Caesar" affirmed the paying of taxes?
What lies below is certainly not the only way to interpret this scripture, but it is one way I find extremely compelling, and to my knowledge, provides a reasonable historical understanding.
This ...
- 22.1k
11
votes
Why do translations use words like "servants" to mean "slaves"?
Translation philosophy
The translator's job is to pick the best word(s) to fit their translation philosophy. This could mean the most "literal" (i.e. technically accurate, ignoring connotations) ...
- 7,785
11
votes
Accepted
How do "once saved, always saved" advocates explain the Parable of the Sower?
As expected, "once saved, always saved" advocates (I'll use "reformed" as shorthand for this) generally agree that both the second and third types of soil represent people who were ...
- 42.2k
11
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?
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 ...
- 5,607
10
votes
Why was Jesus afraid/agonizing in the Garden of Gethsemane if the Spirit of God isn't one of fear but of power?
We can identify several views regarding the suffering of Jesus. (1) That he did feel fear and grief, but did not sin. (2) That he did not feel fear, per se, but did feel grief. Within (2), there ...
- 42.2k
10
votes
Accepted
How long did the drought that Elijah prayed for really last?
There are two common ways to explain this:
The "third year" refers to the third year of Elijah's stay in Zarephath, following a stay of some months at the brook Cherith (Adam Clarke, Barnes,...
- 42.2k
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 ...
- 19.7k
10
votes
Perpetual virginity of Mary: why did Mary see "not knowing man" as an obstacle to the conception of Jesus?
ειπεν δε μαριαμ προς τον αγγελον πως εσται τουτο -επει- ανδρα ου γινωσκω
Luke 1:34 - TR (Stephens 1550, Beza 1598, Elzevir 1624 and Scrivener 1894 are all identical.)
Then said Mary unto the angel, ...
- 22.8k
10
votes
Accepted
A problem with Purgatory: How could Jesus say what he did to the repentant criminal on a cross next to him if Purgatory existed?
The Catholic Church teaches ways by which we are freed from the temporal consequence of our sin, and thereby eliminate our need of Purgatory.
One is the Sacrament of Baptism:
By Baptism all sins are ...
- 504
9
votes
How do Trinitarians understand what it means for Jesus to grow 'in favor' with God?
According to Philippians 2 we are to have within ourselves the same mind that was in Christ Jesus. So then Jesus had, in himself, the mind that:
Though he was in the form of God He did not cling onto ...
- 14.2k
8
votes
Accepted
Was each "Book" of the Old Testament on a separate scroll prior to the second century A.D.?
The answer appears to be «usually» but «with some exceptions», and also «the experts aren't completely sure».
We can divide the sources adduced into indirect evidence (references to scrolls in ...
- 4,312
8
votes
Were the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts written by the same person?
The fact that both Books were written by the same individual known as Luke is extracted from the first few verses of both Books.
Luke 1:1 through4 KJV Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set ...
- 13.2k
8
votes
Accepted
According to orthodox Trinitarians, why did Jesus respond that only God is good?
The teaching on this passage from such as Martin Luther (see link below) is that the rich young ruler approaches Jesus as 'good Master'.
The young man sees only a master who can instruct him with ...
- 22.8k
8
votes
Perpetual virginity of Mary: why did Mary see "not knowing man" as an obstacle to the conception of Jesus?
When one way of interpreting a passage is absurd, that shows we aren't to interpret it that way. Obviously she didn't think the angel was just telling her she'd conceive a baby with Joseph or else she ...
- 19.7k
8
votes
Accepted
Why don’t the gospel authors specifically identify themselves?
The Gospels are formally anonymous in the same way nearly every book on your bookshelf is: the author is not identified in the body of the text.
So my copies of the Harry Potter books are anonymous in ...
- 11k
7
votes
According to Catholicism, what does 'come upon thee' and 'overshadow thee' mean?
The phrases you point out indicate to the Catholic Church that the Holy Spirit was responsible for Jesus' conception:
The Annunciation to Mary inaugurates "the fullness of time," the time of the ...
- 18.4k
7
votes
From a Catholic perspective, why did Jesus address Martha in Luke 10:41 by repeating her name?
Yes, indeed, the repetition of her name does have significance; Jesus utters no word in vain.
St. Thomas Aquinas, in his Catena Aurea (Golden Chain) of the Fathers' commentaries on the Gospels, ...
- 37.8k
7
votes
Accepted
Which prophets died outside Jerusalem?
The problem to solve is related to quoting Scripture out of context
Purposely then He says nothing in answer to the idle question, but
turns His discourse to a more important subject. ~ St Cyril ...
- 6,707
7
votes
is Adam no longer the son of God?
This is an artifact of the translation you are using. There is no verb in the Greek text of the verse. Consider this version:
the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of ...
- 3,650
7
votes
How does Protestant Church explain Luke 2:48?
The difference between Protestants and Catholics here all starts with the Catholic view that Mary died a virgin. This is despite the plain talk in Matthew's gospel:-
And he knew her not till she ...
- 6,562
7
votes
Accepted
How do Trinitarians understand what Jesus said in the garden of Gethsemane?
John McKinley, biblical and theological studies professor at Biola University, wrote a 2013 article that addresses your question: You Asked: Does Gethsemane Separate the Trinity?.
The key concept to ...
- 21.8k
7
votes
Accepted
Did the women disciples of Jesus go to his tomb on Sunday morning to perform an optional Jewish ritual?
In early Jewish beliefs, the tomb would have remained open for three days, but no longer as the body would have decayed and begun to stink.
The tomb, however, was not immediately closed over the dead....
- 12.8k
6
votes
Did Jesus visit the temple before the wise men came?
Here is my attempt to harmonize the accounts of Matthew 2 and Luke 2, This assumes a literal retelling of the story. (Luke as a careful writer has been vindicated again and again by archaeology.)
...
- 7,540
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