Compelling Evidence for God and the Bible: Finding Truth in an Age of Doubt.  A new book by Douglas Jacoby has just been released by Random House.  Because this is a major publisher you should start to see it in bookstores, but in the mean time, you can get info or a copy at the […]

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Question:  I have recently been looking through my Bible and have noticed that the gospel of Mark stops at 16:8 with the quote (Early manuscripts end at 16:8) I have researched this and indeed the earliest manuscripts we know of stop at 16:8 . The only problem I have with this is that I know […]

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Question: I just heard the Interview From NPR "Fresh Air from WHYY with Terri Gross" Thoughts? If you have a chance.  http://www.bartdehrman.com/multimedia.htm Answer:   I have read a couple of books by Ehrman.  He is a very biased, angry person.  At the same time he is actually an excellent scholar–one of the best around.  You […]

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Question: Why did Saint Cyril murder Hypatia and burn the library of Alexandria? Did he do this for God? Did he kill anyone who didn’t believe in God and burn everything that have nothing to do with the belief in God? Answer: Almost certainly Cyril did not murder Hypatia.  Carl Sagen wrote a speculative and […]

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John Oakes is teaching a class on the book of Daniel in San Diego Saturdays, beginning March 20.  See details below.  Outline, power point and recording attached.             Daniel Notes               Daniel Power Point 2.87 Mb   Recordings of all the classes are now available in the ARS store. There will be a five week class titled "Daniel, […]

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Question:  I have a quick question about Jesus’s resurrection. Is it possible that Jesus’ body was cremated? How would you respond to this claim (I did not make this claim; this is from some random person who came onto my youtube channel and spouted this claim:    "Probablyÿ the only reason his ministry lasted to present […]

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Question: I wanted to ask you about how to start a evangelism with a person who believes in the theory of the evolution of man? He thinks this can’t be explained in the Bible.  Answer: You will find a number of articles on this at my web site.  I suggest one by William Golightly.  Christians have […]

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Question: Are there any strong extra-biblical sources for the life/works of Jesus of Nazareth? Can you give me the authors/sources? The answer is an emphatic yes.  We have at least nine non-Christian sources on Jesus in the first and early second century.  There are, of course, dozens of Christian sources on the life of Jesus […]

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Question: A friend sent me this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNf-P_5u_Hw, about this movement Zeitgeist, I was looking for information about them.  They believe that Jesus is a mythical story. What do you think about this? Is there any information that I can read and  give to my friend that suport the existence of Jesus versus this video? Answer: I […]

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Question:  Hello, I had recently been in a discussion with someone who doubts the historicity of Jesus. When I tried to tell him that his facts were wrong by pointing out to videos on youtube about his historicity, he tried to counter with this:      "I’ve seen plenty of those videos before. They never have all […]

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Question:  Wikipedia makes the claim that 2 Peter might not have been written by Peter. Any evidence to this? Is there evidence that points to Peter actually being the author? Answer: I believe that Peter wrote this book because it was the tradition of the church from a very early date that it was in fact written […]

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Question: How about those who born in other religions who have already a deep conviction.  It is definitely harder for them to accept the Bible.  If they cannot be saved, is it unfair for them if compared with those who were luckily born into a christian family for they have a bigger chance to trust in God? Answer: It is tempting […]

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Question: 1. Regarding foreshadows, how much historical evidence is there for existence of many of the early prefigures and foreshadows; and for the accuracy of the biblical accounts? For example, are there any other known accounts regarding Moses and the Exodus, the existence of Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Melchizedek? Obviously I realise these are very early […]

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Question: Is contemporary evidence required to establish the historicity of a person from ancient history, such as Jesus Christ or Alexander the Great? I was wondering if contemporary evidence (besides the Bible) is required to establish authenticity of an ancient historic figure. Answer; I suppose that whether contemporary evidence is required will depend on the […]

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Question: Hey, I love your website…I’ve found it very resourceful.  I have a couplequestions that have been brought up that I can’t seem to give an answerfor.  First, I’ve heard and read what Josephus had to say about Jesus.  Hementions him, true.  But, someone asked me, "If Josephus took the time toaccount to mention Jesus, why […]

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Seventh Day Adventism:  A power point on the history and teachings of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.  See notes below.  Taught by John Oakes in Jakarta 1/07/2010.  Seventh Day Adventism 155.50 Kb     7th Day Adventism Grew out of Millerite Adventist movement in the 1840s Miller prophesied that Jesus Christ would come back October 22, […]

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Roman Catholicism:  A Power Point.   See notes below.  roman_catholicism 149.50 Kb                                            Roman Catholicism A ridiculously brief history of Catholicism: The history of the Christian church can be summarized as the gradual corruption of primitive Christianity into a paganized, hierarchical, Roman Catholic Church. Interestingly, Catholics can legitimately claim that their church traces back to […]

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Logical arguments for the existence of God.  A power point.  Notes included below.  Existence of God 130.50 Kb   Arguments for the Existence of God A philosophic question:  Does God reveal his nature both through general (natural) and special revelation?  On some level, both the cosmological and the teleological arguments assume general revelation is valid.  […]

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Question: This is a response, and subsequent questioning of a response that I just read at your website on "prophetic misinterpretations in Matthew."  I believe that in the last 6 cited scriptures, you missed, or addressed the wrong aspect of the issue in question.  If you could clarify your response to these I would be grateful, […]

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Question:  I was recently researching the historical reliability of the Bible and I got a tiny bit confused. The reason is that the Old Testament seems to be not very reliable (e.g. the Genesis account, many scholars thinking that the books are not written by original authors, ect.), but the New Testament seems to be […]

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Question: My question is this .. was the New Testament originally written in Hebrew? Answer: That is an easy one.  No, it was not.  It was written in Greek, although some believe that the original Matthew may have been written in Aramaic rather than Greek.  At the time Jesus lived Hebrew was more or less […]

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Question;: An atheist friend of mine claimed that there a many contradictions or prophetic misinterpretations in Matthew.  What is your response.  The list is Matthew: 1:22-23, 2:15, 2:23, 8:16-17, 12:18-21, 12:23, 12:40, 16:4, 24:44, 27:9. Answer: These are really rather common and in my opinion fairly shallow criticisms of the Bible.  Here are my responses. I […]

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Dr. Oakes:  I have read through some of your pages (as an athiest) and have found many of them to be full of backwards-talk and fluff. The main page I’d like to indicate is this (https://www.evidenceforchristianity.org/index.php?option=com_custom_content& task=view&id=5033&Itemid=32) That is – proof of god.  What is necessary to convince me that god probably exists is repeatable, […]

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Dr. Oakes:  I have read through some of your pages (as an athiest) and have found many of them to be full of backwards-talk and fluff. The main page I’d like to indicate is this (https://www.evidenceforchristianity.org/index.php?option=com_custom_content& task=view&id=5033&Itemid=32) That is – proof of god.  What is necessary to convince me that god probably exists is repeatable, […]

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Question:  I have read through some of your pages (as an athiest) and have found many of them to be full of backwards-talk and fluff. The main page I’d like to indicate is this (https://www.evidenceforchristianity.org/index.php?option=com_custom_content&task=view&id=5033&Itemid=32) That is – proof of god.  What is necessary to convince me that god probably exists is repeatable, scientific and […]

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Questions: I have compiled the following article of pure historical events as they relate to the Christian religion. Can you please proof read it and critique it? I believe it to be 100% accurate.  Please let me know.  Answer:   Normally, I do not like to get into one denomination versus another denomination as this is definitely […]

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Question: Could you point me towards any resources that would help me preach the gospel to one of my former students who has embraced Taoism?  Answer: Forgive me for stating the obvious, but your best resource is the Bible, and more specifically Jesus.  I would point my Taoist friend toward the scriptures and toward Jesus.   […]

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Question: I wondered if you could point me in the right direction with regards to the geneology in Luke which mentions Nathan and not Solomon.  Forgive my ignorance, but what is the significance in your view? I read it was related to a King Jeconiah.    I understood that messianic lineage goes by the father, so Mary’s lineage […]

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Question: According to the Apologetics Bible, and other sources I have read/heard, physical death hadn’t occurred until Adam/Eve sinned.  I disagree because of the fossils that would have existed prior to Adam as well as Genesis 3:22; And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. […]

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Question: Does the term: "God of gods" used in Deuteronomy 10:17, Psalms 136:2, Daniel 2:47,  and Daniel 11:36 show that there are other gods?   1 Corinthians 8:5 states there are many gods and Psalms 82:1 says God gives judgment "among the gods."  Of course there’s one true God, the Almighty but would this support the belief […]

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Question: I’m aware that the KJV was written around 1611 but I am curious as to when the Bible was first translated from ancient Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic into English? Belinda: The Old and New Testaments were first translated into English (actually Middle English) by the priest/scholar Wyclyffe in the 1380s.  However, this translation was from […]

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