General – Page 18 – Evidence for Christianity

An atheist claimed that all of the evidence for Jesus is “made up”, that Christianity was created in order to exert power over people, and that the NT books were written hundreds of years after Christ. Response?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Church History, General, Historical and Messianic Prophecy, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible .

Question: The other day I overheard an atheist talking to someone about the Bible. I didn’t join in on their conversation, but they were loud enough and close enough for me to hear every word they said. Anyway, the atheist (I know he’s an atheist because I heard him say it) said that all the […]

What would you say to an atheist who is a complete materialist (who believes in only the things he can see) to convince him that Jesus is the truth?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Creation, General, General Apologetics, Historical and Messianic Prophecy, Philosophy, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible, Resurrection of Jesus, Science and the Bible .

Question: What would you say to an atheist who is a complete materialist (who believes in only the things he can see) to convince him that Jesus is the truth? Answer: That would depend on the person. Not every materialist is the same. If the person is even an iota open, I might do a […]

Is the Codex Vaticanus of Daniel 9:26 right, so that our translations are wrong?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, Daniel, General, Q & A .

Question: I found a claim that in the Codex Vaticanus, “Messiah the Prince” is instead ” anointed place.” Also a Dead Sea Scroll states that Messiah is to come after the seven weeks instead of 62 sevens. Can these be proven wrong or is our translation incorrect? Answer: I did a bit of research and […]

You say that predestination is not biblical. How, then, can you explain Ephesians 1:5-6?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Q & A, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

[Editor’s note: This is a follow-up question to one posted just yesterday from the same gentleman. The second question was actually dozens of questions–so much that I informed him I will only answer one of them for now, which is the one below. However, one book recommendation and one scripture reference in my answer only […]

Why would God be angry at people when he knows ahead of time what will happen?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: The definitions of both anger and disappointment are emotions based on an unmet expectation by either a person or circumstance. There are numerous Bible verses that refer to God’s anger, wrath and disappointment. I don’t understand why God would be disappointed or angry if He knew in advance what the outcome would be. Also, as […]

Can you explain an inconsistency in Acts 15 with regard to the prohibitions given to Gentile Christians?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Q & A .

Question: I stumbled across one of your posts from back in 2012 on Acts 15 (link below) where you’re answering the question “can Christians eat meat?” If I understand correctly your interpretation is that the early church asked the gentile believers to abstain from practices that would especially offend Jews in that culture, but this […]

The miracles in the Bible are not unique or a big deal as they are like a lot of bogus miracle claims from the Middle Ages

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Miracles, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible .

[editor’s note: The third of three sets of comments that came into the site with responses] Comments: 5. The reporting of miracles in Bible is NOT surprising, convincing or unique. Why? Throughout history reported attested miracles are a dime a dozen. The Middle Ages are awash with them. Monasteries competed with each other for power, […]

The early Church accepted very strange things from the Apocrypha to be true and the Bible is not supported by other historical documents.

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Apocrypha, Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, Church History, General, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible .

[Note: the second of a series of three sets of comments from a site user] Claims: 3. The versions of events that didn’t make it into the Bible [Apocrypha] are very strange – ie: Jesus slaying children & blinding their parents. The early Church [up to 400 years after the life of Jesus] accepted this […]

The gospels were written well after the purported events and there was much dispute in the early Church over the contents of the New Testament.

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, Church History, General, Q & A, Resurrection of Jesus .

[Editor’s notes. I received a six-part set of claims from a visitor to the site. I will answer them in a series of responses Claims: 1. The Bible [Gospels] were not written until well after the purported events. 2. There was much dispute over the contents of the Bible. The early Church had many conflicting […]

Can you explain the statement in Ezekiel 29 concerning Egypt that “No foot of man shall pass through it”

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Historical and Messianic Prophecy, History, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible .

Question: I came upon your page while researching some Old Testament Biblical prophecies. I have a couple questions about two of them if you have the time. I’ve read two responses of yours to the Ezekiel prophecy regarding Nebuchadnezzar and Egypt, and found them very enlightening. However, in neither of your responses did I see […]

Since Jesus said anyone having a vision of Jesus coming back is having a false vision, does this mean that Paul was a false apostle?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Q & A, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible .

Question: The question I have is about Matthew 24:26. People who reject Paul as an apostle say that this is proof that Paul saw a false Christ on the road to Damascus because Jesus was warning us about anyone who has a vision specifically in the desert is having a false vision. Is there any […]

Why did Paul say he was not sent to baptize if baptism is important to salvation?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Q & A, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

[Editor’s note: This is obstensibly a Christian evidence web site, but I have gotten a LOT of questions about baptism lately for some reason. Apologies to those who find this topic not important] Question: I wanted to get some feedback on the scripture in regards to baptism. If baptism is necessary for salvation, why would Paul […]

Could the three kings subdued by Domitian in Daniel 7:24 be a reference to the three kingdoms he subdued?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Daniel, General, Historical and Messianic Prophecy, Q & A .

Question: I’ve been doing some sermons on Revelation and it obviously intersects with Daniel 7. I’ve been reading some of your Q/A, and I have a few thoughts to offer regarding the following section of Daniel 7. “After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings.” We understand this to […]

Can you respond to a video I saw recently in which a Muslim claims that the gospels were not written by disciples of Jesus?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General, Other Religions, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible .

Request: Please, can you refute this video, I’d really appreciate it (considering Islam). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R27Kb__1Ko&feature=youtu.be Response: I cannot refute a video. I can attempt to refute particular things said in a video. What you ask I cannot do. In fact, a number of the things said in this video are actually true. I certainly cannot refute […]

Did the early church fathers hold to the view that baptism was necessary for salvation?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Church History, General, Q & A, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

[Editor’s note: The original question was followed up with another which is below. It became clear that the intent of the original question seems to have been to support the idea that baptism is not necessary, as the questioner quotes from Matt Slick who is a kind of self-appointed archenemy of those who believe that […]

Where can I find a good article on the role of women in the Church?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Practical Christianity, Q & A .

[Editor’s note: This is not the kind of article I would normally post at this Christian evidence website, but I get surprisingly many questions on this topic that I do not post, so I decided to post this excellent article by my good friend Gordon Ferguson] Question: I’m a women’s ministry leader in a Spanish […]

The Bible says that God does not change, but the God of the Old Testament is so different from the New. Can you explain this?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible .

Question: It is written in the Bible that God never changes. But when you look at the Old and New Testament, God seems to be quite different in the two testaments. It is written that Jesus has always existed. So is it correct to say that God was not changing himself from what He was […]

How should we view and use Song of Songs?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Q & A .

Question: I have read several of your books that are available as eBooks and I have learned a lot from them. I look forward to the Christian Story Part 3. I have just finished From Shadow to Reality and have a question. This book answered many questions in an area I didn’t know much about before […]

How should we deal with identity politics and racial issues in the church?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Anthropology, General, Practical Christianity, Q & A .

Question: I have a question regarding how Christians are supposed to solve the identity politics problem that seems to have seeped into our societies. Almost every day a celebrity or politician makes a comment about race and politics. How can we solve this issue as Christians, and leave a positive legacy for our children? I […]

Did you know that Darius the Mede from Daniel 6 has now been identified as Cyaxares II the Mede?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Daniel, General, History, Q & A .

Comment: I googled “Is Darius the Mede real?” and your article was #1 on the list. https://evidenceforchristianity.org/if-darius-the-mede-daniel-6-is-a-real-person-why-does-the-cambridge-history-of-judaism-not-mention-him-as-it-lists-all-the-rulers-of-bablyon-after-the-persian-conquest/ But your article did not have the amazing and powerful evidence that is now available. So I want to share it with you. You can talk directly to the author of the book himself (I recommend it) to […]

If Leviticus says that flying insects are unclean, why was John the Baptist eating unclean locusts?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible, Uncategorized .

Question: In Leviticus God tells the Jews not to eat winged insects which fly. Why, then, did John the Baptist eat unclean locusts and honey in the desert? Answer: About locusts being clean, Leviticus 11:20-23 addresses this issue. This passage declares all flying insects as unclean with the exception of those which walk and hop […]

Did the second coming of Jesus occur invisibly in 1914 as the Jehovah Witness claim?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, Daniel, General, Other Religions, Q & A .

Question: Did the second coming of Jesus Christ occur invisibly in 1914, as claimed by the Jehovah Witness organization? Answer: The Jehovah Witness group is obviously wrong on this claim. The claim that Jesus came back in 1914 is clearly wrong biblically. If you look at the history of this claim, it will become even […]

What is the best way to study the Bible in-depth?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Practical Christianity, Q & A .

Question: What is the best way to study the Bible in depth? Do I have to learn Hebrew or even Greek? Answer: There is no single “best” way to study the Bible. Many different approaches can be helpful. You definitely do NOT have to know either Greek or Hebrew to have a very in-depth knowledge […]

When was the Roman Catholic Church started and is there proof that Peter was the founder of the church in Rome and the first pope?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Church History, General, Q & A .

Question: When was the Roman Catholic Church started and is their proof that Peter was the founder and the first Pope. Answer: I have already answered a similar question with regard to when the Roman Catholic Church started at the site. I am copying and pasting below. As for Peter, as far as I know, […]

According to Esther 2:6 Mordecai was brought to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, so how can he be Esther’s older cousin more than 100 years later?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible .

Question: Esther 2:6 says Mordecai was captured and brought to Babylon after Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem. That makes him a contemporary to Daniel yet he is Esther’s older cousin. Am I wrong about the timing? Please clear up the chronology for me. Thank you . Answer: Here is Esther 2:5-6. Now there was at the citadel in […]

Can it be proved that Daniel chapter 9 is about Jesus?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Daniel, General, Historical and Messianic Prophecy, Q & A .

Can you prove Daniel 9 is about Jesus? Jeff: The word “prove” has a range of meaning. In a mathematics class or in a philosophy class it has the meaning of demonstrating with absolutely certainty that a particular proposition must be true. It is like proving the angles of an equilateral triangle are equal. In […]

Is the Hebrew word for “Lord” really a pagan word, and is this evidence that Judaism and therefore Christianity has pagan roots?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Q & A, Uncategorized .

Question: Is the Hebrew word “Lord” really a pagan title? I have come across teachings in books that claim to reveal the truth about Christianity’s pagan roots. Of course most of these sources claim to be Christian but they call themselves Messianic. I really think some of the things they teach are true but they […]

What is your view of “open theism?”

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Philosophy, Q & A, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: I have a theological question. I want to hear your thoughts on “open theism”, the idea that God is all-knowing and all-powerful but that He can’t “see into the future” because it hasn’t happened yet. The idea came up when discussing the nature of God with my son. He is a teen and is […]

Is it true that the Old Testament is mostly oral history? If so, how do we know it is true?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General, History, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible .

Question: I came across this forum on Reddit about the Old Testament. It says that it is mostly oral histories rather than detailed written histories. See the comment by BigBennP. https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/8k455b/there_are_two_places_that_i_know_of_in_the_bible/ He referenced Schinderman’s book that I’m quite familiar with. I’m not sure if this is correct. But if it is true, then I have to ask […]

Since diseases are a punishment from God for sin in a fallen world, why has he allowed humans to discover vaccines and antibiotics?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Q & A, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: Why God has allowed the discovery of vaccines and antibiotics to cure illness? If diseases are punishment from God then if we cure them we go against the will of God who want to punish us. If vaccines and antibiotics are discovered because God want to bless us, then why did God contradict Himself […]

What happened to Paul’s book to the Laodiceans, as mentioned in Colossians 4:16?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, Church History, General, Q & A, Uncategorized .

Question: In Colossians 4:16,Paul asks them to read a letter he wrote to the Laodiceans. Is this book available anywhere or is it permanently lost? Answer: That is one of the easier questions I have gotten. The answer is that this letter is lost. It is possible, but very unlikely, that this letter will surface. […]

Did Mark travel to Alexandria? Is Saint George a real person? Is it OK for a Christian to swear?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Church History, General, History, Q & A .

Questions: I have some questions. 1- The first question is historical and about Saint Mark the writer of the second gospel. Do we have strong reasons to think that he really visited Egypt? I think the first to say that Mark visited Egypt was Eusebius. Do you think he really visited Egypt? In addition, What […]

I read an article about three separate raptures before the Millennial Reign. Is this biblical?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, End Times, General, Q & A .

Question: Is the message below a correct understanding of the scripture with regard to a rapture/gathering of God’s people? [Editor’s note: A fairly lengthy and somewhat incoherent set of claims about a premillennial rapture is below. Normally, we would not put such stuff out there, but there are sufficient people who find themselves believing this […]

The Bible tell us not to fear God in 1 John 4:7 but in other places it tells us to fear God. This seems like a contradiction. Your thoughts?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Q & A, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible .

Question: I was studying this scripture: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” -1 John 4:18 I feel like this scripture contradicts verses in the Bible that say to fear God. For example: “Show […]

Does the existence of human creativity disprove evolution, given that no animal is creative like humans are?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Anthropology, General, Q & A, Science and the Bible .

Question: I’ve been trying to find out if there is good evidence for the evolution of human creativity. All I’ve been able to find is the usual stuff about how apes have made so-called tools, and the story of Congo, who’s art (also so-called) sold in the 1960’s however these arguments are extremely unconvincing. There […]

The Lord’s Prayer makes me think that God’s will is not always done, but then James 4:15 seems to say that his will is always done. I am confused.

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Q & A, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: If I understand correctly, God’s will is not always done. This is implied in the Lord’s prayer (in which Jesus prays, “your will be done”). To complete my understanding, we are also given the free will which may sometimes triumph over God’s will. When this happens and God allows it, I would assume that […]

Can you give example in which the Old Testament tells us something is “forever” but it is replaced by something else?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Q & A, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: You said that there are several examples in the Bible in which God says that something is forever, yet the thing is replaced by something else. You claim that this is because the meaning of the word often translated as “forever” in the Bible means “forever, or until the end of the age.” Can […]

Is there evidence for whether the Jerusalem church left for the mountains when Jerusalem was destroyed because of Jesus’ prophecy?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Church History, General, History, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible .

Question: I have a question regarding the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Do we know if the disciple Christians fled to the mountains like Jesus advised or did they participate in the Jewish-Roman war? Mark 13:14-15 14 “When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it does not belong– let the […]

How can we explain the evidence for humans widely spread around the world 40,000 years ago in light of what happened at the Tower of Babel?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Anthropology, Archaeology and the Bible, General, History, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible .

Question: I have a question regarding the biblical history of humanity and the archaeological view which has been bugging me lately. Allow me to explain: In the early chapters of Genesis, there is evidence of human agricultural activity (Gen 2:15) (Gen 4:2) before the Tower of Babel incident which spread humanity across the face of the […]

How can I respond to Muslim claims that Mark did not write Mark? What about John and Luke?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Church History, General, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible .

Question: My questions are about authorship of the gospels. We know that the first man to say that the second gospel was written by Mark was Papias, However some skeptics say that it’s a long time between Mark (who may have died in 60s) and Papias (who may have been born at the same time). It’s […]

Please explain to me in layperson’s terms what you mean that a vacuum/space is not nothing–and therefore the universe came from nothing.

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Creation, General, Q & A, Science and the Bible .

Question: I was reading your recent article on Hawking’s theory/speculation https://evidenceforchristianity.org/steven-hawking-proposed-spontaneous-quantum-creation-of-the-universe-your-thoughts-on-this/ For one with a non-physics background like myself, most of us would equate vacuum in space with nothingness. That is why the question was posed to you and even why Hawking (I’m actually surprised on this) concluded that a vacuum in space is nothingness. But in […]

Isn’t the Song of Songs too sexy to be inspired? How to I answer Muslim critics about this question?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Other Religions, Q & A .

Question: My question is about the book of Song of Songs. This book is always criticized by Muslims. They say that it is a sexy book especially chapter 7. Solomon describes the breasts, thighs… etc. Can this be the word of God? Christian apologists in my country always say that this book can’t be interpreted literally. It […]

Our Old Testament comes from the Septuagint Greek translation. Isn’t that a problem? Wouldn’t translating from Hebrew be better?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General, Q & A, Versions of the Bible .

Comment: With regard to the concept of hell and Greek understanding, while we know that all Scripture is given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, The “all Scripture” that is being referred to is the Hebrew Scripture. The King James Version was written by using the Septuagint (Hebrew to Greek translation), converting the Greek into […]

Is Al Hsu correct when he claims that Jesus was not forsaken on the cross–that this is a misinterpretation?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Historical and Messianic Prophecy, Q & A .

Question: What do you think about the claim below about the cry from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” by the author Al Hsu below? The Cry of Vindication By Al Hsu When the Jesus film is screened in cultures that have never heard of Jesus, viewers often love the […]

How can we know if Mark wrote Mark or John wrote John, given the criticisms I am hearing from Muslims?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, Church History, General, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible .

Question: My questions are about authorship of the gospels. We know that the first man to say that the second gospel was written by Mark was Papias, However some skeptics say that it’s a long time between Mark (who may have died in 60s) and Papias (who may have been born at about the same […]

Steven Hawking proposed spontaneous quantum creation of the universe. Your thoughts on this?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Creation, General, Q & A, Science and the Bible .

Question: I’ve been reading an article by Stephen Hawking on his theory of the “Spontaneous Quantum Creation of the Universe” and would love to hear your comments and a way of refuting this theory. I know you have a greater knowledge of science than I do, so I believe you are in a good position […]

Some say that the supposed messianic prophecies are all ambiguous. For example Isaiah 53:10 when it says that Jesus will have offspring. Your response?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Historical and Messianic Prophecy, Q & A .

Question: Some people say that there are no unambiguous prophecies about Jesus in the OT, hence such verses are open to interpretations. For example, even in one of the strongest prophecy about Jesus, Isaiah 53:10 it says, “Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord […]

Why are there so many translations of the Bible and why are there so many denominations?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, Church History, Creation, General, Q & A, Versions of the Bible .

Questions: Why are there so many translations of the Bible and why are there so many denominations? Did God actually walk the earth with Adam and Eve? Answers: You are asking three different questions, with very different answers. The reason there are so many translations into English is, quite simply, because there is a market […]

What is the meaning of the old and new wineskins in Luke 5:33-39?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Q & A .

Question: What is the meaning of the old and the new wineskins in Luke 5:33-39? Answer: In Luke 5:33-39, Jesus is talking about the Kingdom of God, and its specific realization in the church. The “old wineskin” is a metaphor for the Old Covenant, or it is the Jews who follow the Law of Moses, […]

How many disciples followed Jesus at the peak of his ministry?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Q & A .

Question: How many disciples followed Jesus at the peak of His ministry? Or more precisely, how many were there at the time of John 6:66? “After hearing this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him” Answer: That will depend on what you mean by “disciple” and by what you mean […]