QUESTION: Why is the name “the LORD” substituted for Yaweh? Answer: The Jews came to view the name of God YHWH to be too holy to be spoken in common language. For this reason, in Hebrew versions of the Old Testament they substituted the Hebrew word for The LORD for YHWH. This tendency goes all […]
Question: I am seeking advice on the subject of cremation vs. burial. I have to set up my funeral arrangements and have to decide between cremation or traditional burial. So I was hoping to get some advice from you concerning this matter. Everywhere I have searched I end up with the same answer and still […]
Dr. John Oakes is on a teaching trip in the Philippines. Follow the trip on @evidence4christ. A journal of his travels is below.
Question: Why is it that Paul never referred to Jesus as God, but only as Son of God? Answer: It is not true that Paul did not call Jesus God. In Titus 2:13 Paul called Jesus God. Why he usually called him Son of God is that is what Jesus is. Some people claim that […]
Question: Quick question for you regarding Matthew 23:35, Is this a copyist error? Is this referring to Zechariah son of Jehoiada? Answer: It is possible that this is a copyist’s error, substituting Berekiah for Jehoiada. I cannot rule that out. More likely, though, there was an actual Zechariah, son of Berekiah who was killed, but […]
Question: Thank you for your continuous effort for defending and explaining the word of God so we all can grow in knowing and understanding it! I have issues with the consistency of some scriptures, and I hope you’ll help me overcome it. It’s about 2 Chronicles 24 and 2 Kings 12. We recently had a […]
QUESTION: My son recently announced that he is an atheist. I have been a Christian all of my life, so this was not happy news for me. Since this announcement, I have been searching the internet to get a better understanding of what the “other side” says. I have listened to the “new atheists” and […]
Comment: The reason Jesus turned water into wine, according to my biblical dictionary, was that in the olden days wine was fruit juice. Response: Whoever told you this was just plain wrong. Without pasteurization it is literally impossible to prevent grape juice from fermenting. I am a PhD chemist and I can confirm for you […]
Question: I have an issue I’d love for you to weigh in on if you can please? I don’t know if you’ve ever seen the 3 part debate between Dr William Lane Craig and Prof Krauss? (if not, the are on YouTube). If so, can you please shed some light on responding to Krauss in […]
Hi John, Question: I have a question about the father in law of Moses. I have found an argument about this on the net, I am not sure why the Bible mentions both Jethro and Reuel as the father in law of Moses. For example, Exodus 2:18 claims it was Reuel Exodus 18:2 claims […]
Comment: I think Mr Oakes needs to take a course in logic. He attempts to discredit Robert Eisenman by using, not the extant historical evidence, but the unsubstantiated writings of “early church fathers”,and the new testament “writings” of Peter and Luke. First of all there is not a single writing of the church fathers and […]
Editor’s note: This question and answer are taken, not from an actual question that came from a web site user, but from an exam question of a student in our ARS Apologetics Certificate Program (see the button for the apologetics certificate at the web site if you are interested in taking some of our classes […]
Recently, when requested for notes about prophecies of the Messiah, we discovered that, for some reason, this power point and notes are not posted at the site! I apologize for the oversight. Here are notes and a power point by Dr. John Oakes on this very important topic. Messianic Prophecies Notes Messianic Prophecies PPT John […]
QUESTION: I am studying with a friend who is of the Bahai Faith. We have been having some discussions on Facebook and I wanted to see what is the best way to study with him? One question he has asked me was whether there any proof in the Old Testament that “Elijah was to come […]
Question: I am deeply grateful for your research and teaching for brothers and sisters in the faith. Your web-site and publications have been so helpful, insightful and informative. I have been a Christian for over 21 years now, and your works, and those of other teachers, have proven helpful as tools to help deepen my […]
Question: I was just browsing and came upon your website. I read through some questions/answers and was surprised to read that you believe that the Bible’s account of Eve being formed/created out of Adam’s rib is metaphorical. So your God can create a universe and yes, even Adam and Eve ex nihilo as you like […]
Question: The past few days I have been wrestling with my faith. I have been experiencing symptoms of severe anxiety and depression such as excessive sleep, not eating or drinking, nervous breakdowns, etc. The things that have been bothering me the past few days have to do with evolutionary psychology and the resurrection of Christ. 1. Evolutionary Psychology- I […]
[Editor’s note: This question clearly has nothing to do with Christian evidence, but I have gotten similar questions enough times, that I thought I should post an answer. John Oakes] QUESTION: Is it right to take communion/Lord‘s supper even if someone is in sin or have unconfessed sin or hidden sin? Answer: The Bible does […]
Question: I’ve recently listened to an interview by Grant Palmer who is a former Mormon but applied “critical analysis” to the Mormon Bible and converted to Christ. In his interview, he also expressed some concern with the Christian Bible including: 1. timing issues in the creation account 2. Adam and Eve being actual/symbolic 3 the tower […]
Question: Was David the 7th or 8th son of Jesses? I ask because of the two following scriptures: 1 Samuel 16:7-11 NIV [7] But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks […]
Question: You may already know of my doubts of my Calvinistic views from one of my previous emails. Specifically the lore of election. Now I was wondering if you can absolutely refute the five points of Calvinism? [Editor’s note: he is referring to the standard formula of Calvinism: TULIP Total Depravity, Unconditional election, Limited Atonement, […]
Question: Recently I’ve been getting a lot of arguments that dark matter and dark energy are unscientific because they aren’t empirical, and only used to keep the Big Bang Theory alive which goes on to make the Big Bang Theory unscientific. This is something I too had thought before I recently observed the evidence and […]
Question: I have a question about the Old Testament canon. It is about the Old Testament antilegomena. These are the books that some Jewish scholars doubted. I know that Ezekiel, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of songs, and Esther were questioned as being canonical books. What made these books still become canonical, despite the apparent contradictions in question […]
QUESTION: I used to be a follower of Christ. I was wondering is there any PROOF outside of the Bible that proves the miracles that he performed including him coming back from the dead? I would like the sources that where written by non-believers at that time period if this is all possible with you. […]
Question: I read your article on how to help convert our Jewish friends, the problem is that yes, “our version” the Old Testament mentions things about Jesus, but when you bring that up, they show you in “their version” that is in Hebrew it is different. Where ours says a virgin will give birth…but in their […]
Question: When Did God give Jesus all authority on heaven and Earth?: After His resurrection, and just before Jesus returned to heaven, He told the disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:18) Then, in Ephesians 1:20-23 we are told […]
Question: I have read some of your articles. I do not see how Jesus meets the criteria given for Messiah in the Tanakh… SITUATION OF HIS BIRTH Christians say he had no biological father. Therefore he had no lineage through Joseph to forebears. Christians then claim that he was ‘adopted’ or that the lineage was through […]
Question: One last question if you have time . Was there an Old Testament canon completed before the time of Christ that the Jews used? Or was it not until 90AD at Jamnia that it was established? I’m seeing different claims on this topic. Was hoping maybe you could help me clear it up? […]
Question: Thank you so much for writing “From Shadow to Reality.” It has strengthened my faith by seeing how only God could have orchestrated the foreshadowing in the Old Testament. I have learned a lot, and have had theories of my own on foreshadowing confirmed by your explanation of the related Scriptures. One issue […]
Editor’s Note: This question and answer are taken from an exam by Randy Hroziencik, a student in our ARS Apologetics Certificate Program. It is used by permission. Question: In your own words, try to present the “explanation” of evil from the point of view of at least three other world views other than Christian theism. […]
Question: It is almost unreasonable to deny that God has shown some evidence of His existence ( in the resurrection of Christ as prophesied before His time and witnessed afterwards) But, one reason why people don’t believe in God is because He doesn’t seem to answer or guide when there is a physical need (starving […]
QUESTION: I recently came across a friends post on Facebook in which he quoted Jesus saying to love one another, to bless those that curse you and do good to those that persecute you. One of the follow up posts was from another person who quoted the section in 2 Kings 2 where Elisha curses […]
Question: I can’t find any solid information on the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha and why these books are not considered inspired scripture. I know they are considered false writings, but why? Are the Old Testament pseudepigrapha and the Old Testament apocrypha consideredto be the same thing? Is the OT Pseudepigrapha just a branch of the OT apocryphal writings? […]
Question: Do you have material at your site which will help me to show that Jesus is God? You probably discussed this subject somewhere but I could not find it on your website. Can you please direct me to where it is located? Response: Yes, I definitely deal with this question a lot at my […]
Teaching Weekend in Puebla
Dr. John Oakes taught a class on apocalyptic literature, including the Book of Revelation on six consecutive Saturdays beginning September 28 at the Mission Center of Hope in San Diego. Revelation notes Revelation Power Point The audio of this lesson is now available in the web site store. Go to the front page and click on […]
QUESTION: I really need help on the following-I was on a website recently that claims that Aaron’s feast day of the golden calf that is said to have occurred in around 1446 BC in Exodus was copied from a events that took place within the same time period (between 17-15 century BC) by a group […]
Question: I have spent the last two years trying to learn from the Holy Spirit. During this time the issue of Bible translations has arisen. The Lord led me to look at and compare all the different versions. I found the NIV translation to have omitted many vital scriptures. This has also left me wondering […]
Question: I need your help with a Christian in the church I am leading who has started struggling with some thoughts about how aliens have been visiting us for a long time and controlling everything on the earth from the beginning. There are a lot of movies on youtube talking about that with a lot of evidence […]
Question: The typhoon that hit the Phillippines was completely devastating. Possibly over 10,000 dead. I understand through Christian teaching, that these events, according to some, are the result of a fallen world. Others say that this is just a natural part of God’s created Earth. My question is this. There are thousands of Christians living […]
ARS is proud to announce that the ninth of ten classes in our Apologetics Certificate Program is now available. The class is on the reliability, inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible. The instructor of the class is Dr. John Oakes. The class includes a study of biblical manuscripts and the canon of the Old and […]
ARS is excited to announce the eighth of our ten courses in our Christian Apologetics Certificate is now available. This is a ten hour class on the historical and archaeological support to the reliability of the Bible. The instructors are Dr. John Wilson, professor emeritus of archaeology from Pepperdine University, as well as Dr. John […]
Question: Hello Dr. Oakes. I wanted to ask you a question about studying the Bible with a friend of mine who is a Hare Krishna. How should I approach it? I know a little bit about the religion through talking with him and reading a bit of the Baghavad Gita. I really want him to […]
Hello sir, I want to know about what happens to our whole life’s stored memory after death? Answer: I am assuming you want a biblical answer to this question, not a scientific answer or my opinion. The Bible is not explicit about what happens to our memories when we are in heaven (or in hell, […]
Question: I am a 20 year old college student from Louisiana and I have been a Christian all my life. There came a time this past summer where I began to question my faith and why I believed what I did. I began searching and instead found a lot of atheist arguments which proceeded to […]
QUESTION: I have a question for in regards to an article posted by Fox News today. Apparently a 1.8 million year skull has been found which apparently is some evolutionary link. Does this mean tha there was some sort of pre-adamic race? Are they even sure the skull is that old? How would this reconcile […]
Question: I did not grow up Christian. I was in my forties when I studied the Bible. There is an idea, a concept, that Christians seem to hold on to ferociously that I don’t see in the Bible. Am I missing something? The strong majority of people that I talk to see forgiveness and salvation […]
Question: If God understands my humanity and sin nature better than I do, why does He still hold me accountable for what I cannot help doing?” Answer: A good question. When my children were young, I understood their “humanity and sin” better than they did. Despite this, I held them accountable for their actions because […]
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