Question: 1. How many Greek manuscripts we have dated before the 3rd century?  I will be so happy if you give total manuscript numbers by century up to the 3rd century  2. How many copies do we have for the New Testament compared to secular ancient texts within the 3 centuries from the writing of […]

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Question: Why should Israel punish heretics with death? in the NT it does not seem to happen in the same way.  Should a Christian country tolerate pagan philosophies and religions, or should you pursue for the good of all? Answer: First of all, let me acknowledge that the distinction you notice is certainly real.  The […]

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John Oakes gave a series of sixteen sermons from the Book of Matthew April through August, 2020 for the Bakersfield Church of Christ.  PPT, notes and audio are included.    Matthew Sermon Whole Thing    Matthew Sermon Series Notes     Matthew The Jewish Gospel Audio    Matthew II Prepare for Ministry    Matt III Kingdom...

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Dr. John Oakes gave a twelve hour class on Church History for interns in the San Joaquin Valley Churches of Christ on 7/23-23/2020.  Notes, ppt and audio are included.  Church History PPT    church history notes Part I    CHURCH HISTORY NOTES II  Ch Hist Audio 1    Ch Hist Audio 2    Ch Hist Audio 3 ...

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Dr. John Oakes gave a class on History, Archaeology and the Bible in Bakersfield July, 2020  Notes, ppt and audio are included.History Archaeology and the Bible Notes    History Archaeology and the Bible PPT    History Archaeology and the Bible Audio                            ...

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Dr. John Oakes gave a series of two lessons on practical evangelism for the Bakersfield Church of Christ.  Notes and audio included.Evangelism Audio    Evangelism Midweek  Studying Bible With Friends Audio  Studying the Bible With Our Friends                                ...

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Dr. John Oakes gave a four-part class of eight hours on the subject of Christian Theology titled God.  for the Bakersfield Church of Christ May-June, 2020.  Notes, PPT and audio are included.   God: Christian Theology PPT     God–Christian Theology Notes    God 1    God 2 Audio    God 3    God 4 Audio    ...

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John Oakes taught a very brief overview of the importance of Church history to Christians in general, followed by an almost ridiculously short survey of the subject up to the time of the second great awakening.  PPT, notes and audio are included.   Church History very short 1    church history very short 2    Church...

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Dr. John Oakes gave a ten hour class on the Book of Revelation for the Bakersfield Church of Christ April, 2020.  Notes, ppt and audio are included.Revelation notes  Revelation PPT  Revelation Audio 1    Revelation II Audio    Revelation Audio III    Revelation IV Audio    Revelation Part V Audio          ...

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Question: Hello I had a question regarding an interesting theory that I heard from Dr. William Lane Craig regarding the historicity of Adam and Eve. Dr. Craig stated that he has been studying the question of the historicity of Adam and Eve for around 2 years now. He has discussed information with scientists on a […]

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Question: I have been reading the book of Romans with some family members who believe salvation occurs by “praying Jesus into your heart” and that this salvation is not swayed by a lack of obedience towards God. It has been really exciting to go through Romans with them as it does not support these ideas […]

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Question: Can you help me with this supposed contradiction?  https://infidels.org/library/modern/j_c_jackson/galilee-or-jerusalem.html  [Editor’s note: As you will see below, this is a claim that there is a contradiction between the resurrection accounts in Luke/Acts and Matthew with regard to where and when the apostles went to Galilee and Jerusalem.] Answer The claim is that the post-resurrection accounts […]

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Question:  I have a question concerning Daniel 11:43 where it talks about Libya and Ethiopia being at the northern kingdom leaders steps, do you have a clue what that means? Answer: This question is dealt with in my book, Daniel, Prophet to the Nations (www.ipibooks.com).  You definitely should get a copy!  But… I better answer […]

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Question: I recently stumbled upon a theory that the story of Jesus as the Messiah is borrowed from people before him who also claimed to be the Messiah.  Two claimants in particular were mentioned. The first one is called Simon, some aspects of his life are extremely similar to those of Christ. The second one […]

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Question: In reviewing one of your Q/A online I saw you refer to “original sin” as a false doctrine? What is your basis for this statement? Are you meaning that you don’t believe that sin originated with Adam and Eve? Do you believe that creation was perfect before Adams sin–that mankind did not, sin creating […]

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Question: I have a question about the excavation of Tyre. Are these excavations really the city of Tyre.  How do they know this if it is a sunken city? Alexander: I have been to the modern city of Tyre myself.  I have also walked the ruins of Tyre–or more accurately the Tyre of the Roman […]

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Question: Hi, you’ve helped so much on my journey to Christianity. There is just one thing holding me up: pantheism. I just want to know what your thoughts are on the idea that everything/everyone is ultimately one essence and everything we see in the world, including our personhoods, are just illusionary–that once we die we […]

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Dr. John Oakes gave a series of lessons for the International Churches of Christ in Jakarta, Bandung and Surabaya in March 13-20, 2020.  Audio for the lessons in both English and Bahasa is attached.    Hebrews 11 Bahasa Audio    Hebrews Bahasa I    Hebrews Bahasa II  In Christ Bahasa Audio    Holy Spirit Bahasa...

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Dr. John Oakes gave an eight-part series of sermons from the Book of Mark for the Bakersfield Church of Christ Jan – March, 2020.   Here is the power point:   Mark Sermons I – VIII PPT  Here is the audio: Mark Part I Audio  Mark Part II Authority of Jesus    Mark III KIngdom Parables  Mark...

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Dr. John Oakes taught a class on the Book of Revelation beginning this Saturday 4/18.     Revelation notes    Revelation PPT     Video of the first class    Revelation Audio 1  Revelation II Audio   Revelation Audio III    Revelation Audio IV  Revelation Audio V  Videos are here:     https://www.youtube.com/user/bakersfieldcoc/videos           […]

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[Editor’s note: This question is specific to the Indonesian translation of 1 Corinthians, although it is relevant to the general question about unknown languages and whether they are mentioned in the Bible] Question:  I am from Bandung, Indonesia.  One of my friends asked me about 1 Corinthians 14:2-4  What is  the meaning speak in tongues […]

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[Editor’s note: The answers from this Hindu gentleman are interspersed with the questions] Questions and Answers:  Acts 5: 1-11 show that the so-called Saint Peter was a cruel murderer who murdered in cold blood both, Annanias & his wife Sapphira. I am sure Peter would be horrified to be falsely accused of murder.  This is terrible false […]

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Question: How do you explain the background to the textual variant in Mark 1:41 (whether Jesus felt anger or compassion)? It seems that it is very hard to resolve this variant. We can detect and resolve many textual variants easily…but when it comes to Mark 1:41 how do you consider this variant and explain its […]

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Question: When Jesus said the the Church of Jerusalem will fall, did he advise the Jews about the fall as well, or was it a prophecy and is there evidence of the church fleeing to the mountains? Answer: Actually, it was not the church in Jerusalem which fell in AD 70.  It was the Jewish […]

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Question: I have done a Bible study about the COVID 19 Virus and I wanted to get your thoughts on it.  I was recently asked if I think that “meeting on line” would satisfy the command from when God said “Do not give up meeting together as some are in the habitat of doing but […]

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Question: Why would the women go back to the tomb to spice the body after it was already in the cave?  The spices usually were used to mask the smell of the corpse during the burial.  Rabbi Tovias Singer says this verse is fake and not true. He adds that Nicodemus was created by John […]

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Question: Rabbi Dtovia Singer has a video on youtube saying the church is lying about christology.  In this video he says when Isaiah talks about Jesus’ peirced hands it is actually spun by Origen and other church fathers. The Rabbi claims the verse says that King David is like a lion surrounded by dogs with […]

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Question: Many thanks for your kind replies to my recent questions. They are helpful.   Ancient history books of Iran & Iraq confirm incidents such as the dream of Nebuchadnezer, Daniel’s interpreteion of it, God saving Daniel & his friends from fire and the mouths of lions. They also confirm both Nebuchdnezer accepting Jehovah/God is real […]

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Question: First I’d like to thank you for your teaching and answers on the Evidence for Christianity website. You helped me in understanding some parts of the scriptures that troubled me. I have had paranoid schizophrenia for several years and I can easily get fearful of the future. I can feel that I could be […]

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Question: I have a few theological/scientific questions that I hope you will answer.  I have seen fine tuning used as evidence toward God/creation. I have heard that this might not be reliable because fine tuning will eventually be explained by other “deeper” laws that show fine tuning isn’t actually that unique and could be something […]

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Question: Dear Sir,   Please help! I have two questions:   1. Some like Bart D. Ehrman don’t believe in the empty tomb. Ehrman posted on the internet google page stating that the tomb of Jesus Christ was lost. Is the tomb of Jesus Christ actually lost and not found by his disciples or by other people? […]

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Question: I would be very grateful for your advice, opinion or any information concerning the matter of the origin of hominids as modern anthropology sees it in contrast to the Biblical story. I decided to ask for your help because I have been translating your book From Shadow to Reality for Moscow Church of Christ […]

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Dr. John Oakes gave a seven-part, seven hour class on a Survey of the Old Testament in Bakersfield Jan – May, 2020.  Audio, notes and PPT are attached.  Old-Testament-Survey-PPT    Old-Testament-Survey-Notes    OT Survey Part I    OT Survey II    OT Survey 3  OT Survey IV    OT Survey VOT Survey VI    OT...

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Question: I am a doctor and a Hindu by birth, but also a lover of all religions. I have been very fond of the Bible in particular since childhood.   My question to you is this, in the Bible, in matters of vows, promises and covenants, at all places it is mentioned about words coming out […]

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Question: In some posts concerning Enoch, you have stated that determining the canon of the Old Testament belongs to the Jews. How is this possible if the Jews themselves had no Old Testament canon? The Sadducees, Pharisees, and Greek Jews all had different canons. I predict that you will appeal to the Council of Jamnia, […]

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Question: Hello. I want to ask some question if you don’t mind.  1. How do we relate the Law of Moses with the Christianity nowadays? I’m somewhat  confused because some sources I heard said that breaking the Moses Law does not mean you sin. So how do we consider this Law of Moses Only as […]

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Question: As a Theistic Evolutionist do you believe that viruses,bacteria and parasites are the result of the fall of man or are they the result of the evolutionary process? Answer: I am guessing this question is motivated at least in part by the emergence of Covid-19. There is plenty of evidence in the geological record […]

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Question: Hi Dr. John. I want to have a better understanding about Melchizedek and the relevance of him to Jesus.  Based on the text found in Gen 14:18 and Hebrews 7.  What is his relevance to Jesus Christ?   Thank you! Answer: Good to hear from you.  It just so happens that I just published a […]

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